Vladimir, Khalil, Clooney and Smoak

No, it’s not an advertising firm like Sterling, Cooper, Draper and Pryce (a reference for all you fellow “Mad Men” fans out there), it is a few of the names I’ve been contemplating this afternoon after receiving Jamey Newberg’s e-mail announced that the pigskin distractions are over with and baseball is now the rising sun on the horizon.

First of all, I promise, no more entries about the ownership situation until it has been decided. I was reminded by a good friend of the of the old saying – “be careful what you want, for your shall surely get it” (it’s never happened to me – but I do believe in it to be true). I’m not that concerned about who is the new owner may be, just as long as there is a new owner and Tom Hicks no longer has any impact on what the business side and more importantly the baseball side of the organization.

I like the Khalil Greene signing, as much as I like Omar, I’d feel much better about Greene playing long stretches of time on the infield (and let’s hope it doesn’t come to that-am I the only one who is just a little worried about a sophmore slump from Elvis?).

The Vladimir Guerrero signing – at first I thought it was going to be a difference maker – but now I’m not so sure. Did you know that the all the Ranger DHs hit 38 home runs in 2009? That was the best of all the American League teams. Here’s where the real difference is: the Yankees DHs hit 33 HR’s but drove in 106 – the Ranger DHs drove in 97. Which leads me to this early theory – aside from Vlad staying healthy – the guys hitting in front Vlad in the lineup need to get on base for this signing to be the “difference maker”?

Too bad the Rangers don’t have the top of the Mariner’s lineup (Ichiro and Figgins) leading off – actually given the choice I’d rather have the two pitchers leading off the Mariner’s staff (Lee and King Felix). Just my opinion – I think the AL West is going to be a wide open race – but right now I think the early favorite has to be the M’s because in the end – it’s all about pitching.

So what about George Clooney? Have you seen “Up In The Air”? Baseball Mom and I saw it last Saturday – wow – good, good movie -- with a terrific cast, excellent (if heart-wrenching) script, and great soundtrack. It’s nice to see a film not aimed at young men with a video game mentality – it’s a film for grown-ups.

Oh yeah, Justin Smoak – I was a bit relieved to find out that I was not the only person who was unimpressed with his fielding. I kept reading the glowing descriptions about how he could do it all. I went to enough Frisco games while he was there – and kept wondering what I was wasn’t seeing. Thank goodness a very knowledgeable friend agrees with me. As for the offense, well, it’s hard to say – let’s see what happens this year – but I have heard the name Todd Linden used in connection with Justin Smoak – a thought worth keeping in mind.

Back to Mad Men – I’m a fan, but how dense am I: I just figured out that Bert Cooper is played by 2 time Tony winner Robert Morse and that Layne Pryce is Jared Harris, son the lof the late, very great Richard Harris (who did the original and still best version of “McArthur Park”). Jared also played John Lennon in a little known but well liked (by me) movie called the “The Two Of Us” – an imagined reunion of Lennon-McCartney(played by Adian Quinn). If you can find it – rent it.

Finally – the boys down the street are done – time for the men on the diamond to take over – I can’t wait.

“These are my principals, if you don’t like them – well, I have others” – Groucho Marx (what were you expecting after a blog entry as bad as this one?) -- Marla Hooch


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An Open Letter to Tom Hicks: Voodoo Economics & Advice From Kenny Rogers

Dear Mr. Hicks -

The widespread speculation is that you are dragging your feet on completing the negotiations to sell the Rangers to Mr. Greenberg and his partners, so that you might still have the possiblity of controling the team Here is the bottom line: I am telling you to stop that notion - stop it right now.

We Ranger fans have been held hostage long enough because of your missteps. As we all know, the previous owner's father had a term for the way you leveraged yourself into the business quagmire you are in today: voodoo economics. When you build your financial house on a foundation of shifting sand, a good strong wind can topple it pretty quickly.Risky ventures define themselves by that title - now it's time to pay for those dicey deals you made during the good times.

Mr. Greenberg has offered you a portion of the team - considering your well known financial problems - why don't you do something you've never done before: just accept it gracefully and move on. I think I speak for many fans when I say, that's about the only way you will not incur the further wrath of a fan base that probably dislikes you more than any Rangers owner that I can recall.

If you love this team as much as you profess to, then you realize that they are on the verge of being something pretty good and that your continued stewardship (and I use that term loosely in connections with the Hicks ownership) will hold the Rangers back rather than help them move ahead.

Take the advice of Kenny Rogers (the singer - not the pitcher):

"Know when hold 'em
Know when to fold 'em
Know when walk away
Know when to run"

Mr. Hicks it's time to fold 'em and run.

Sincerely,


Eleanor "Marla Hooch" Czajka
Ranger Fan since 1979

P.S. If you feel as strongly as I do regarding Tom Hicks and the sale of the Rangers - please contact Bud Selig at the address and phone number listed below (couldn't find an e-mail for the commissioner's office)

Allan H. (Bud) Selig, Commissioner

245 Park Avenue, 31st Floor

New York, NY 10167

Phone: (212) 931-7800

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Big Mac, Big Bill and Big Mistakes

I watched the Bob Costas interview with Mark McGwire, it stirred a feeling in the pit of my stomach, and it’s not the one that most are expecting: the feeling was empathy.

Have you ever done something so incredibly stupid that you can’t admit it, even to yourself and then you when you do own up, you wind paying the price with gut wrenching guilt and shame for a very long time – well, I have.

During the late 1980’s I was an assistant Vice-President at north Dallas bank. I ran with a crowd that was fast and wealthy – I was in way over my head – but I wanted to be part of the group –ultimately I got myself in deep, deep financial trouble. I found myself in a spiral that was out of control. When I was inside that situation I felt that I didn’t know how stop and I was too proud, or maybe too terrified to admit my mistakes, and didn’t see a way out. Things got to the point that I was being served with papers for collection at work and my car was about to be repossessed, I finally had to ask for help. It was my fault, no excuses, it was the lowest point in my life, I was humiliated. Eventually, I got out of debt, but I continue bear a tattoo of disgrace as well as ongoing financial restrictions. I know there are some who may have forgiven me but will never forget – I am still reminded in subtle ways –most often by me.

Did Mark McGwire do the wrong thing by using steroids and not admitting it, especially when questioned by Congress – yes he did. Should he have admitted it sooner, I’m not going to judge him on that – it’s taken me over 20 years to disclose my sin. My problems, like Mark’s were self-created, I was trying to be someone I should not have been, instead of myself. Do I forgive him, yes I do. I’ve been down a similar road, my actions and my agony were not quite as public, but believe me they were just as painful.

Again, it’s not up to me to pass judgment on Mark’s motivation, or his sincerity. As a Catholic I believe in the power of confession, and more importantly the power of forgiveness. If your admission and contrition are sincere – and our heavenly Father is the only one who really knows what is in our heart and soul – then His is the only forgiveness that needs to be sought and His is the only judgment that matters.

Speaking of judgment – I have a few questions for the sanctimonious talking heads at the MLB TV round table that followed the Costas interview:

1. If Mark McGwire had retired in a Yankee uniform would his admission of guilt been swept under the rug the same way these same New-York- based-self-appointed-arbitors of absolutes gave Andy Petitte and Alex Rodriguez a pass when they admitted doing the very same thing that Mark McGwire did?

I don’t recall any 2 hour roundtables with Ken Rosenthal haranguing Andy and ARod for not detailing why, when, and how they used steroids. Or does MLB TV, besides having the usual east-coast bias, not want to upset their most profitable franchise fan base by putting the beloved pin-stripe heroes on the same hot seat for the exact same violations. There were suggestions that something akin to the famous asterisk * be implemented on all of Mark McGwire's (and subsequent players) records due to steroid use. Let me suggest that the same should be done to all the World Series championships won by the Yankees in the 1990’s – since they have a least one admitted user (Pettite) and who knows how many others on those NY teams - their records are just as tainted as McGwire's under those circumstances.

2. Why hasn’t MLB TV had a 3 hour roundtable on how Bud Selig, Donald Fehr, major league owners, the players union and the rest of MLB management stuck their heads in the sand and ignored the PED/steroid issue until Congressional action was threatened. Are they not as guilty as those who used the substances? The sad fact remains: they wouldn’t address the issue – while using PED/steroids may have been morally wrong – it wasn’t illegal under MLB rules at the time.

This should have been a blog entry about big bad Vlad, or how the Mariners pitching staff scares me, or a countdown to Spring Training – but instead it’s all about water under the bridge, over the dam and gone out to sea where it should have been forgotten a long time ago.

If you haven’t figured it out yet – the pundits on MLB TV really got under my skin. Yes, I know they are on their pulpits scolding – but let me once again remind everyone that theirs' are only self-righteous opinions. As in William Shakespeare’s “Merchant of Venice” these journalistic paragons of smugness are taking delight in extracting their pound of flesh from Mark McGwire.

But, there is a speech, a very famous one, in that very same play by Big Bill Shakespeare that I would remind everyone of, (especially those at MLB TV) that I hope would apply to Mark, myself and anyone feeling in need of a kind thought and forgiveness:

“The quality of mercy is not strain'd.
It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven
Upon the place beneath. It is twice blest:
It blesseth him that gives, and him that takes.
'Tis mightiest in the mightiest; it becomes
The throned monarch better than his crown.
His scepter shows the force of temporal power,
The attribute to awe and majesty,
Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings;
But mercy is above this sceptered sway;
It is enthroned in the heart of kings;
It is an attribute to God himself;
And earthly power doth then show likest God's
When mercy seasons justice.”

-- Marla Hooch
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Pictures and Links From The Newberg Book Party in December

A word of advice to everyone: don't ever start a new job before the Christmas holidays (and the NMLR Book Party) - it really, really, really messes up you entire life and plans. Yes, that's my excuse for putting up these pictures and links so very late - and I'm sticking to it.

Links for the pictures:

Scott Lucas's great pictures.

Fan Photos and my pictures.


Other links for the event:

Our good friend (who has really grown-up!) Grant Schiller's blog entry on the party.

Fellow fan Katie's thoughts.

The inimitable TR Sullivan's preview and recap of the night.

Tim Cowlishaw even stopped by.

Happy 2010 Everyone - counting the days till pitchers and catchers - Marla Hooch

P.S. Yes that's Baseball Mom with her very favorite - Mr. Chris Davis
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I Told You So.....

Here are links to columns by Randy Galloway about potential Rangers owner Dennis Gilbert here and here.

Please note Gilbert's desire to be a "hands on" owner with everyone reporting directly to him. As I said on Sunday: if Gilbert is chosen by Mr. Hicks and is approved by MLB - this is going to be a nightmare. Remember how bad things were with Mr. Hicks circa 2000 - 2003 - it's about to happen again. Gilbert is a former agent, he's not going to use his money to keep building the team - he's going to on spending spree with the likes of "veteran" players (just look at the broken down "veteran" players that littered the Texas rosters from 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2003) - all JD's hard work to build up a good farm system to feed to the major league team will go straight down the drain.

The only hope left is that Randy is right in his assertion that Gilbert's financing isn't in place, and the fact that the NHL has to approve the new owner might work against a fomer athlete's agent. Thinking out loud - it could favor Mr. Greenberg who has had some dealings with the NHL in the past - although I haven't read how the NHL felt about Mr. Greenberg.

You know Tom Schieffer - one of the architects of the Rangers playoff teams in the 90's - is out of a job (no longer running for governor). Is it too late for him to put together a group - or maybe even the same group that owned the team back in the glory days? They knew a little something about letting the baseball operations do their job, and making the Ballpark a great place to visit for all fans (not just the corporate pals of the owner).

Meanwhile...do you hear the sounds of crickets chirping when it comes to making moves that will actually help the team on the field?

Tom Schieffer for owner! -- Marla Hooch

What Can I Say?

Not much.

I can't get excited about additions to the 40 man roster - so what other baseball content is there write about lately?

The truth is that we are now fans of the Montreal Expos. Our current owner built his financial empire on a foundation of shifiting sands, and we the fans are paying for Tom Hicks wrong headed faith in bubble economics.

As every local pundit has written: the Rangers have no money to spend this off season, so we are likely to see pretty much the same team that we watched last season (which is not necessarily a bad thing). The problem is that Mr. Hicks, but mostly the primary owner (Mr. Selig) have unrealistic expectations of what the Rangers are worth - and the bidders haven't been willing to pay. But, when has Bud Selig been realistic about anything? (Just one example - performance enhancing supplements: Bud is still combing grains out his hair from leaving his head in the sand for so long about this situation).

Unfortunately, the financial solution to the Rangers problems doesn't appear to be any better that the current problem. National reports seem to indicate that the former sports agent and Selig crony Dennis Gilbert has a leg up on on the competition. The key phrase here is "former sports agent" and the fact that he is an "advisor" to the White Sox owner -- one more phrase comes to mind: managing and general managing from the ownners suite. If you thought Tom Hicks meddled too much - just wait and see what happens if Dennis Gilbert buys the team.

Enough - wake me up when spring training starts.

Tis the season to be jolly, and I have to thank my brother in law Ken for sending this video (see below). If you don't love the Muppets and their version of this Queen classic - then what planet of dour people do you come from?

I see a little silhouetto of a clam -- Marla