Bleacher Report - Articles by Ryan Metcalf

Boise State in Good Shape for a BCS Championship

Ryan Metcalf — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 15:41:26 -0400

You think I’m crazy, right? Let me tell you why I’m not, and then you can tell me why.

Boise State is at No. 5 and still going strong. It’s hard to believe it’s the first time they have been in the top five in the regular season considering all their success.

They have shown they can beat the big schools, and they deserve a chance if they go undefeated.

I also think most of the teams in front of them will lose, giving the Broncos a good chance.

Nick Saban has never had consecutive double-digit winning seasons, and I don’t think Alabama is that good. They do have to play LSU, which means either the Crimson Tide or the Tigers should move just outside the top five.

Alabama also has tough opponents in Auburn, South Carolina, and Tennessee. If Alabama does make it out with wins against all those teams, then the Tide deserves a chance to play for a title.

LSU hasn’t exactly been dominating their opponents this season. They just barely beat Mississippi State this weekend and didn’t beat Washington by much early on either.

LSU has to play Florida, which means the loser should drop a couple spots. LSU then has to play three other ranked teams in Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi. Not an easy schedule for them either, especially given their close games and reliance on the passing game.

Texas still has to play Oklahoma and most of the Big 12. There are a handful of teams that might pull off an upset against Texas in addition to OU. We all know how crazy the Big 12 was last year, and I find it hard to believe the Big 12 will be simple this year.

Florida is the team to beat, but how serious is Tim Tebow’s injury? Florida still has some tough opponents of its own.

Although all those teams may not lose, at least two of them will have one loss. That should at least give Boise some power since they are already rated so high.

Things are really good for Boise State if they just remain undefeated. For once their destiny is truly in their own hands.

Kevin Millwood Reaches 180IP

Ryan Metcalf — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 00:35:15 -0400

Well, it looks like Millwood just got his guaranteed contract at 12 million for next year. He went seven innings tonight against Oakland. I don’t care if he pitches like this for the rest of the year or even next year. He’s not worth 12 million dollars. Check this for why.

As far as the controversy surrounding his delayed start is concerned I’m really on the fence. On the one hand it is bad business to prevent a guy from playing because of money issues. On the other hand do you want a guy around who is clearly not worth the money? It doesn’t matter now.

The Texas Rangers are stuck with Millwood for another year at 12 million dollars. I would love to get him off this team, but it’s very unlikely with his contract and talent level.

Kevin Millwood Running Out of Gas

Ryan Metcalf — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 20:20:54 -0400

Right when it appeared Kevin Millwood would finally pitch to the level of his contract, bad stuff has begun to happen. The Rangers ace has quite simply run out of gas.

Since the All Star Break Kevin Millwood has pitched awful, with a 5.32 ERA and just two wins in nine starts. Before the break he was 9-8 and had an ERA of 3.46. He has just two wins in two months. It may only be luck Millwood managed to keep his ERA down earlier this season.

Perhaps the reason his stats are skewed is because of his ability to get out of jams. Hitters bat .274 against him with empty bases. When the bases are loaded, the average drops to .071. He's not bad with runners in scoring position (.224 batting average against) either.

Before the break Millwood went at least seven innings in 13 out of his 19 starts. His final three starts before the break where part of the minority. Take out the three July starts, and Millwood went at least seven innings 81 percent of the time.

He hasn't gone seven innings since June 21.

The likely culprit of the long starts is probably his pitch counts. Before the break Millwood averaged well over 100 pitches a game in those long starts. Now, Millwood can barely make it to the point where he is eligible to receive a win on roughly the same amount of pitches.

If the Rangers want to make the playoffs Millwood has to find his energy again to make it to the seventh inning. The Rangers' bullpen is not strong enough to bail him out in the fifth and sixth innings of a game.

I know it's a radical move, but another option is to move Millwood out of the rotation temporarily. Maybe that would give him the ability to take a good long rest before a big run at the playoffs, or in the playoffs.

As it stands right now I don't want Millwood back next year, and he is just four innings away from having a guaranteed contract at $12 million.

I don't want to pay $12 million for a guy with Millwood's numbers.

Scott Feldman Does It Again in Rangers Sweep Versus Indians

Ryan Metcalf — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 15:27:37 -0400

If I didn't know any better I would say Scott Feldman deserves some awards. This guy has been one of the most consistent and underrated pitchers in baseball all season. He now has 16 wins and 12 wins on the road, a Ranger record.

He's gone at least five innings in all but one of his 26 starts this year. Not many can say that. Those are important statistics if the Rangers do make the playoffs.

He seems to be heating up even more too. His ERA in June was 4.33. Then it goes down to 3.72 in July. August was 2.89. Now in two starts in September, he has given up just one run in 13+ innings. He's given up just one run in his last four starts spanning 26-1/3 innings.

Oh and his salary is barely above league minimum. That's just unheard of. He's pitching at a Cy Young Level. I know he won't win the award, but Feldman has been the ace on this Rangers' squad by far.

I just wish the other Rangers pitchers could have pitched as well as Feldman in Cleveland. All that matters in the end is wins though, and the Rangers got three from the Indians.

Welcome Back College Football

Ryan Metcalf — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 02:24:41 -0400

Well, college football is back after a eight month hiatus, and there were surprises on day one. There was only one upset, but many teams came close to pulling off the upset. With that being said, here’s some of my thoughts on the day’s action.

Navy 27 Ohio State 31: Many say the close game means the Buckeyes are overrated. I don’t think so. Navy is a very solid team. Navy has made the bowl season every year since 2003. Still, Navy isn’t in the same league as Ohio State. The close game adds fuel to those who believe the Big 10 is in some down years.

Georgia 10 Oklahoma State 24: Even after this nice win, I still don’t think Oklahoma State has a chance in the Big 12. OSU maybe a good team, but they will be in the shadows of other schools like Texas and Oklahoma. Georgia on the other hand, doesn’t have anything to worry about. They played well against a good team.

Alabama 34 Virgina Tech 24: Nothing surprising in this game. VT simply didn’t have the energy to keep up. Nick Saban has never had consecutive 10 win seasons, so I don’t think Alabama will be in the National Championship Picture in December.

Boise State 19 Oregon 8: Who can’t cheer for a team like Boise State? They are such lovable underdogs in almost every big game, yet they win most of them. Boise looks like they are on their way to a BCS game.

North Texas 20 Ball State 10: This game may not make it onto the national scene, much but it’s big news in Denton. UNT appears to finally have a program which can compete with most teams. Coach Todd Dodge thinks UNT can make a bowl game this year, but I’m still not convinced completely. Ball State looks like they have some work to do, just to have a similar season to last year’s 12-2.

Nevada 0 Notre Dame 35: Okay, Notre Dame surprised me a little in this game. I thought they would win against a lesser opponent in Nevada, but an impressive shutout is something to be excited about. Even with the victory, Notre Dame has a long ways to go to be in the National Championship talk.

Oklahoma 13 BYU 14: The big news is obviously Sam Bradford going down with a shoulder injury, but this was actually the best game on Saturday. It was also a huge upset. I thought the game would be good since both teams were ranked and playing at a big stage in the new Dallas Cowboys stadium, but I didn’t think there would be an upset. BYU looks like they are on their way to a good season, while OU will just have to hold out until Bradford can come back. OU has the talent to win games without a good offense, and they shouldn’t be pressured next month at Miami.

LSU 31 Washington 23: Everyone except LSU fans wanted Washington to win this game. After all, the Huskies were one of only two teams to go winless last year. I think its safe to say Washington will get a win this year against somebody after their impressive performance against LSU. LSU has to be concerned about their performance against a school with less talent.

Other Notes: Freshman Matt Berkley at USC looked good in his first start, but it was against San Jose State. His real test will be next week against Ohio State. I will also be looking forward to the Miami-Florida State game Monday. This game has traditionally been one of the best games to watch, and often comes down to field goals. I just wish the game was played later in the season with more pressure on the line.

Rangers Have Favorable Schedule

Ryan Metcalf — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 16:50:57 -0400

The Texas Rangers are entering an easy part of the schedule in which they must win practically every game. At this time of year, it's essential to rack up the wins against easy opponents to avoid the pressure against the tough division opponents.

The Rangers could find themselves in control late in the season, if they simply win. They won't have to worry as much about their challengers continuing to win games, because of scheduling.

Before today's action, the Rangers are 3.5 out of the Angels for the division lead and two for the wild card. The Rangers and Angels still play each other seven times in the coming weeks, but it's hard to believe the season series will remain so lopsided.

On the year, the Rangers have won nine games against the Angels opposed to the Angels three. Without the domination, the Rangers would be well out of the race for the playoffs.

The Rangers will finish off a series in Baltimore this weekend and will head to Cleveland for a three game series. Then the Rangers take on Seattle and Oakland. That's a really favorable schedule considering what time of year it is. Seattle is the only team with a winning record, and the other three don't even have 60 wins yet.

The Angels have to take on Seattle, Chicago, New York, and Boston before traveling to Texas. That's a very difficult schedule. Only Chicago doesn't have a winning record, and they aren't by much. At the very least, the Angels might be tired heading into the big series against the Rangers.

Boston has a tough schedule too, including games against Tampa Bay and Chicago. Boston does have Kansas City and Baltimore on the schedule, but they have to play the Yankees again at the end of the season.

I don't think it would be a surprise to see the Rangers take over the wild card lead or division lead in the next couple weeks. That's of course if the Rangers can take care of business and win these easy games.

North Texas-Ball State: UNT Impressive With 20-10 Victory

Ryan Metcalf — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 00:32:29 -0400

North Texas appears to have turned the corner after tonight’s 20-10 national broadcast victory over Ball State. What a big victory it was too. I’ve never seen things look so good on the field for North Texas.

I said going into the game that North Texas just had to play decent to have a good season. I was by no means predicting a Mean Green win. I had my concerns about Riley Dodge’s size as a quarterback. I had even more concerns about the wide receivers Dodge could throw to.

In fact, the only thing I knew North Texas was good at was its running game.

I think all my questions were answered tonight, and then some. Riley looked good finding the wide receivers, and the wide receivers did the work. The spread offense actually looked like a spread offense, with nine different receivers logging a catch in the box score.

The running backs looked really strong. North Texas did have the nation’s leading rusher for a couple years earlier this decade. Cam Montgomery logged a ridiculous 148 yards on 17 carries. That’s almost a nine-yard average.

Despite the strengths of the offense, the more important issue was the defense. North Texas managed to give up just over 300 total yards. Ordinarily, that's nothing great, but for North Texas that's tremendous. North Texas was the worst in the nation in many categories on the defensive front.

The defense couldn't tackle opponents last year, giving up big plays. Although the same happened tonight, it wasn't nearly as frequent. The lineman and linebackers got pressure on the Ball State quarterback, forcing bad throws. MiQuale Lewis, who many consider one of the best running backs in the nation, was barely able to get 100 yards rushing. The secondary played well, giving up less than 150 yards through the air.

Perhaps the most important thing is the quality of athletes UNT has now. The receivers looked like legitimate Division 1 athletes. They were evading tackles left and right and racking up yards after the catch. The defense forced interceptions and fumbles, and was able to stop Ball State in critical situations.

Although I can’t say how many games North Texas will win this year, I think my original 4 wins is a great estimate. I’m not ready to up that prediction yet, but another win early this season will force me too.

At least I can be glad to see North Texas out of ESPN’s Bottom 10.

Who Plays First Base For The Texas Rangers In The Future?

Ryan Metcalf — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 20:46:05 -0400

It appears there is a position battle at first base for the Texas Rangers once again, and with the same players too. The Rangers have been trying to find a good first baseman for a while, and it appeared they had finally found one in Chris Davis last season.

That changed this season though, at least temporarily.

At the start of the season, the job was given to Chris Davis without question. After all, Davis was a Rookie of the Year candidate without playing all of 2008. He wouldn't have won it regardless due to Evan Longoria's rookie season, but Davis' season was great too.

This year, Davis got bit with the sophomore slump like many hitters do. Davis struggled often and was given every opportunity to break out of his slump, but could not.

Davis eventually got sent down over the summer, but now is back up and is probably going to get the majority of starts at first base for a while.

Hank Blalock filled in nicely while Davis was working in the minors, but now Blalock is in a slump. It's part of the reason Davis is back with the Rangers.

Blalock had no choice but to perform well for several reasons. He is in a contract year, and he has been ousted at his normal position by Michael Young.

There's another guy developing in the minors by the name of Justin Smoak, who some consider one of the best prospects in baseball.

Blalock will be a tough guy to let go, but it appears that's what the Rangers will have to do. The Rangers won't be able to justify keeping him around because of the better, pure hitters they have waiting. There's no telling how much money he might make as a free agent, money the Rangers probably can't afford.

Time will tell, but someone is going to be the odd man out. If Davis can get the consistency down, then Smoak instantly becomes trade bait, or vice versa. Blalock may get resigned as insurance, but quickly become trade bait early next season.

Nonetheless, it's a good problem to have.

Its Time to Consider Letting Washington Go From Rangers

Ryan Metcalf — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 01:28:31 -0400

Few things in baseball really get me upset, but tonight was definitely one of them. The same instance didn't happen once, not twice, but more than three times in one game.

All of them are the fault of manager Ron Washington. I'm now on board to really consider firing him.

Time and time again Washington has shown he can't manage the pitching staff or manage the bullpen. I don't mind if a mistake happens here and there or once in a game, but there's no excuse for not taking out a pitcher who is not pitching well.

I'm now convinced reliever Eddie Guardado is finally done. He's given up to many game-changing plays this season. If the fans in the stadium know it, the manager better know it too.

Sure enough like clockwork, Guardado gives up a home run to tie the game.

That's one mistake Ron Washington made.

The Rangers' offense was lucky enough to come back to take the lead once again, only to see Ron Washington mismanage the staff again.

I understand a blown save is going to happen every once in awhile. That's part of the game.

What I don't understand is what happened before and after the blown save.

Frank Francisco was clearly not pitching well, and it was easy for me to spot what appeared to be low velocity on his fastball.

I'm not mad at Washington for keeping Francisco in with bad stuff. A closer is supposed to battle through with bad stuff.

Its only after Francisco blew the save and continued to get pounded to the tune of six runs before Washington pulled him. Any fan in the stadium knew he wasn't pitching well, but Washington continued to leave him in.

If a pitcher doesn't have the stuff and the game is on the line, he has to be pulled. No questions asked.

There were plenty of chances to pull Francisco after he gave up the save, before the flood gates came open.

It would be a much different bottom of the ninth only down one or two runs, instead of four.

I don't mind losing, but it's tough to swallow losing a game to bad management.

If the Rangers do make the playoffs, I don't feel comfortable with Washington making pitching decisions in close games.

He's messed up way too many times in his tenure with the Rangers.

North Texas and Coach Todd Dodge Have Bowl Game in Their Sights

Ryan Metcalf — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 15:31:42 -0400

Last season, the North Texas football program had another dismal year under head coach Todd Dodge. The team managed to literally scrap up one football victory against Western Kentucky, just narrowly avoiding a winless season. The pressure is on the program to return to its winning ways, just in time for a new football stadium set to open in 2011.

Coach Dodge is in his third year at North Texas and believes his team is capable of reaching a bowl game. That feat is by no means easy considering North Texas has just three wins in the last two seasons.

The team will be better simply because of experience, but it’s still hard to believe the team is capable of going bowling in December.

For starters, North Texas is at a disadvantage by playing in the Sun Belt Conference. The disadvantage is not because of strength of schedule but because of the overall quality of the conference.

A bowl season for North Texas means the team will probably have to win the Sun Belt conference regardless of how many wins the team achieves because the conference only has one affiliated bowl game. In the Sun Belt Conference, eight wins usually guarantees a spot at the New Orleans Bowl.

In almost every other conference, six wins will get you a bowl game.

The Sun Belt Conference does have its fair share of teams reaching six wins, but most of them are no match for the ratings and audiences of the other conferences. The conference did send two teams last year, but that was only because some teams in other conferences didn’t qualify.

The schedule for North Texas isn’t favorable either. North Texas likes to play the big schools to start the season in order to receive large amounts of money. These games almost always end up badly for North Texas, and the opposing school has their third string in by the fourth quarter.

North Texas has Alabama, Ohio, and Ball State on its non-conference schedule this year, which is better than most years, but certainly not easy. North Texas will definitely lose at Alabama, and it’s very likely they will lose the other two.

North Texas needs to use the three games to evaluate talent and positions. If the talent does well considering the circumstances it will set a good tone for the rest of the season.

North Texas is starting the year with a new quarterback and highly recruited Riley Dodge. Yes, he’s the son of coach Dodge, and someone who backed out of a commitment to the University of Texas.

The duo will have experience on their side since both used the spread offense with huge success at the high school level.

The only problem North Texas has on offense is the wide receivers. North Texas lost its top two starting receivers to graduation and has no proven replacements.

The receivers have potential, but it’s going to be extremely rough early on, especially against Alabama.

The team was also among the worst at scoring, or even making it to the red zone. North Texas committed 33 turnovers.

The offense still was able to put up some good yardage every game, however. After all, to commit that many turnovers the offense has to move down the field.

The biggest reason for the bad season was, without a doubt, the defense. North Texas finished last in the NCAA in terms of scoring defense. Teams averaged over 47 points a game against North Texas, almost four more points than the next worst team, Washington State.

With a defense like that no team has a chance to win.

One of the reasons for the bad defense was inexperience, but even then that’s a lot of points.

Now, with experience on their side the defense looks to be better, but how much better remains uncertain.

The North Texas offensive game will probably be there once again, thus limiting the need for a great defense.

Still, a bowl eligible season is probably unrealistic at least for another year. If coach Dodge can’t get the program back on the winning track this season, then there is little doubt he will be around next year.

Rangers Finally Have Pitching

Ryan Metcalf — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 14:07:42 -0400

Yes, it’s true the Texas Rangers finally have pitching. Although I would stop short of calling it great, it is certainly good.

Look at the Rangers have done since the All Star Break in the pitching department. The Rangers lead the American League in ERA. Hard to believe, I know.

The Rangers have had most of their pitching staff either on the disabled list or have some sort of injury preventing a start.

Who do the Rangers call on? It’s the long relievers and the prospects.

Doug Mathis and Dustin Nippert have both been spectacular considering they are not everyday starters.

Nippert put in another great performance last night against the Oakland A’s pitching to the tune of a one hit shutout in five innings of work. He has pitched 19 innings since the break and has an ERA of 0.95.

Mathis has gone nine innings with a nice ERA of 2.89.

Those are numbers unheard of for long relievers and spot starters.

Then there is the Ranger’s youth and prospects.

Scott Feldman is 26 and has once again become of the Rangers most reliable starters. Over the course of the season Feldman has piled up 10 wins and just four losses.

Since the break Feldman has gone 23.1 innings with a 4.24 ERA. That’s not bad from what many would consider a fourth or fifth starter.

After Feldman it gets younger starting with Tommy Hunter.

Tommy Hunter is 23 years old and is now up for a second major league season. Last year, Hunter found it rough, but there was something about the way he pitched that made you think he was going to be successful one day.

Many say Hunter was simply called up to early because the Rangers had too many injuries last season.

Hunter was called up for a second time this season just two weeks before the break. Hunter has been nothing short of spectacular, especially for his age.

His worst start of the year since his second call up was last Saturday. Even then it’s not that bad. He went five innings and gave up four runs.

In his other five starts he went at least six innings while giving up two runs or fewer.

His season numbers are very healthy, starting with his ERA at a low 2.63. Great stuff for a 23 year old, who is essentially in his first major league season.

Next up is Holland at just 22 years old, and boy has he done wonders in his first season. His stat line doesn’t read that well, but keep in mind he’s a rookie at 22! The stat line is no doubt inflated because of his movement in and out of the bullpen.

In his last start, Holland did not receive enough credit. He had a one hitter until the ninth inning, and the only reason he couldn’t finish the game was because of a career high in pitches.

Since the break Holland has a 4.17 ERA in just over 17 innings of work. Not bad for a 22 year old.

The bullpen has been a big surprise this year, helped by the waiver wire. Jason Grilli and Darren O’Day have been great as well. They have pitched even better since the break, hard to believe considering they were already two of the best relievers in baseball this year.

O’Day has a 1.77 ERA in roughly 36 innings of work. Grilli has a 1.53 ERA in roughly 18 innings of work.

Jason Jennings is the inning eater with just over 54 innings pitched. His ERA is a healthy 3.64.

Combine that with the rest of the bullpen, and the Rangers have the ninth best bullpen in baseball.

I don’t mention the rest of the bullpen because everyone knows about C.J. Wilson and Francisco.

After adding all the numbers up, the Rangers have only given up more than four runs on four occasions in 17 games since the break. The Rangers have an impressive 3.32 ERA during that span.

Those kinds of numbers are unheard of Rangers pitching, and it’s only going to get better.

Michael Young Clutch Hitting on the Decline

Ryan Metcalf — Sat, 30 May 2009 21:01:38 -0400

Historically, the Texas Rangers have been one of the best clutch hitting teams in baseball. Michael Young has taken the lead in that department, especially in the All Star Game. For those that don’t remember Young has two game winning hits in the Summer Classic.

That’s all changed this year, much to my surprise.

Young is known as one of the best clutch hitters in baseball. Any baseball fan knows that.

In 2006, Young hit .412 with runners in scoring position. He also had 85 RBI, which is almost all of his RBI for that year. I’m pretty sure that’s close to the best in baseball, if not the best.

The numbers stayed close to the same in 2007. Young hit .376 with 82 RBI. His numbers from 2006 would be hard to beat, so I would say his numbers were great in 2007.

In 2008, things started to change.

Last year, Young hit just .278 with 69 RBI. That’s a huge drop off from 2007.

The numbers this year are just awful two months into the season.

Young is batting a whopping .119 with seven RBI before the action tonight. That’s extremely low for Young, considering he is still batting well over .300 this year.

His decline in clutch hitting is a big reason why the Rangers offense is not hitting well with runners on second and third base.

The Rangers are hitting just .264 headed into tonight’s action. That’s good for 15th place in baseball. The team in the lead is Baltimore with a .304 batting average.

The leader in hits is Tampa Bay with 150. The Rangers have 106, that’s unusually low for this team.

The team isn’t bringing the runners around either. The team has 155 RBI, which is towards the bottom of the league.

In fact, the only meaningful statistic where the Rangers are in the top 10 with runners in scoring position is in home runs. The Rangers are tied for sixth place with 14.

Last year, the Rangers were tied for the second best batting average in scoring position with a .287 clip.

The Rangers had the most home runs and RBI in the category last year. They were second in hits.

I know the Rangers are in first place right now, but their offense isn’t as good as last year in a lot of categories. There are many things to take out of that, but Michael Young and the Rangers have to improve with runners in scoring position to continue to be successful.

Dallas Cowboys Hoping One Player Fills Major Hole

Ryan Metcalf — Mon, 25 May 2009 15:43:36 -0400

Despite a major hole on the Dallas Cowboys, many believe the team maybe one of the best in football. This hole could easily become a major issue early in the season, or it could drive the team to a Super Bowl Championship.

It really comes down to an all or nothing scenario when talking about the playoffs.

The biggest hole on the Cowboys is at the wide receiver position. Terrell Owens made the receiving core one of the best in football. But for better or worse, he is gone now.

Owens made the team better because he drew the double teams and made other receivers open. Owens also brought enough baggage to make the team worse in chemistry.

The Cowboys made the better move by releasing him, but they might have forgotten to find an adequate replacement. Roy Williams has potential to be among the best, but didn’t show it last year.

Williams needs to be a huge part of the Cowboy offense in order for the Cowboys to do well. The team needs a guy who defenses have to focus on, and Williams is the closest thing the Cowboys have.

If Williams can’t be that guy then the rest of the receivers will be covered constantly, and the running game won’t get going. Defenses can play the pass and rush, and they won’t have to worry about giving up big yards.

The Cowboys may find their offense failing to go down the field.

Jason Witten is essentially a wide receiver at the tight end position, and he is among the best at his position. Unfortunately, Witten will not always be down field since he has to block for protection purposes.

After Williams and Witten, the team has a mixture of average wide receivers that can dazzle on any given Sunday.

Patrick Crayton will be the number two receiver by definition. Crayton is actually a pretty good receiver who can be a factor at times, but he isn’t going to be a player defenses worry about.

Miles Austin, Sam Hurd, and Isaiah are the other mediocre receivers on the team. Austin showed up on the box scores here and there, but he never had more than three receptions per game. Hurd was hurt last year and has been a good backup early in his career.

Stanback might be the player to watch among those three, but only if he can stay healthy.

Rookie Manuel Johnson looks intriguing, after being a big factor in the Oklahoma offense. With that being said, he will probably pan out as a backup and role player.

One thing is for sure about the Cowboy offense. The Cowboys are banking on Williams to carry the team with average receivers behind him. If Williams fails, then the Cowboys fail.

Player Spotlight: Frank Francisco

Ryan Metcalf — Fri, 22 May 2009 18:11:15 -0400

This year, Frank Francisco has put up monstrous numbers in the closer position. The surprising thing is how little attention he seems to be getting.

I know he plays for the Texas Rangers and has been injured, but this guy’s numbers are still crazy.

Francisco has yet to give up a single earned run en route to nine saves and one victory. He also has 13 strikeouts in almost 15 innings of work. Hitters find it equally tough to get on base against Francisco with just seven hits and four walks.

By all means, he is the captain of the bullpen for the Texas Rangers. If the Rangers need him in the ninth inning, Francisco will get the job done.

What’s even more impressive is those numbers are through five weeks into the season. Francisco has been out of action for two whole weeks.

The Rangers decided to play it safe and not to rush him back to action. Very smart move, considering the Rangers bullpen has done well over the last two weeks.

The numbers get even better.

Francisco has yet to give up a single earned run since August 18 of last year, a span of 27 games. The streak started around the time Francisco officially got the closer job.

This year, the leader in saves is Brian Fuentes with 11 saves. That’s only two more than Francisco.

Only one other closer, Trevor Hoffman, has yet to give up an earned run. He has 11 saves as well.

I can only speculate on what Francisco’s numbers might be if he were healthy the last couple weeks. I think it’s safe to say with the Rangers playing so well, Francisco would be leading the league in many categories among closers.

It’s time to start paying attention to Francisco and watch his filthy stuff, because it appears he has the stuff to be a very good closer for some time.

My One-on-One with Quarterback Jon Kitna

Ryan Metcalf — Wed, 20 May 2009 18:55:03 -0400

Almost everyone would assume Tony Romo has a lock on the starting quarterback job with the Dallas Cowboys. That’s not the truth.

If Romo falters and can’t take control of the Cowboys offense, then Jon Kitna will soon find himself the starter in Dallas. Kitna has also spent his career with many teams, including some in NFL Europe.

It’s for these reasons I would chose to sit down with newly acquired quarterback Jon Kitna and ask some questions.

• The most important question is your health. Are you healthy enough to play football after your injury last season?

•   What’s it like to go from a starting job on one of the worst football teams to a backup role on one of the best?

•   How hard would you press for the starting job if Tony Romo falters early?

•   People in Cincinnati called you the Savior since you helped revive the team. Could you be a savior in Dallas and give the team its first playoff win in over a decade?

•   What’s your relationship with receiver Roy Williams? You had a little more than two years together in Detroit.

•   How much do you have left in the tank at age 36?

•   How badly do you want a Super Bowl, after coming close in Seattle and Cincinnati?

•   Is there any bad blood between you and some Cowboys players? You called out linebacker Bradie James and cornerback Terrence Newman said he wanted revenge.

•   What are your predictions for your new team the Dallas Cowboys for the 2009 season?

•   Your former teammate Kevin Smith said the Lions will make the playoffs this year. Is that an accurate prediction?

•   What was it like to play football in Europe, and what are your thoughts about the NFL playing games there?

Fear the Texas Rangers

Ryan Metcalf — Tue, 19 May 2009 18:38:31 -0400

It’s officially time to fear the Texas Rangers, although it has taken almost the whole decade. There is not a single reason why the Rangers are in first place right now, it’s a combination of everything. That’s the sign of a winning team, and a team to fear.

Pitching is the most important thing in baseball. No fan would disagree with that. Everyone loves to see the long ball, but the long ball doesn’t matter if the other team scores.

The Rangers have led the league in lowest ERA so far during the month of May. Raise your hand if you knew that. I doubt many do, since the Rangers receive little media attention. I’m not sure the Rangers have ever led the league in lowest ERA at any given time.

The Rangers’ starters average a quality start nearly every outing. Nothing like that has happened in Texas this decade.

Kevin Millwood is reviving his career. He’s the leader on this pitching staff, and that’s a great sight to see. He’s well on his way to 180 innings pitched, which will give him an automatic contract.

Vicente Padilla is pitching well, and is not afraid to hit batters. That gives the Rangers some attitude.

The young guns are developing, and that’s fun to watch. Matt Harrison had a 22 inning scoreless streak and has lowered his ERA a full three points over the last month.

Brandon McCarthy is finally healthy enough to pitch and pitch well.

Scott Feldman finally got his starting spot. He continues to earn it every day. He has not given up more than three runs in any start.

The biggest reason for the change is clearly Mike Maddox and Nolan Ryan. It’s hard to say who has more influence, but the end result is all that matters.

The Rangers are throwing strikes and are not taking their time to pitch. It’s rare for any Ranger game to go past three hours.

It’s been a long time since I’ve seen Rangers games over in less than three hours. Actually, I’m not sure when that’s ever happened.

Then there is the fielding.

If you haven’t seen Elvis Andrus play shortstop, then you’re missing out. Andrus makes Michael Young look like an amateur. Keep in mind Young won a Gold Glove at shortstop last year.

Andrus has won the game time and time again with his glove. He’s well on his track to multiple Gold Gloves. Ozzie Smith and Omar Vizquel come to mind.

The defense is why the Rangers pitching has done so well. The defense is winning those close one-run games for the Rangers. The Rangers are tied for the lead headed into tonight’s action with one-run victories.

Bet you didn’t know the Rangers are dead last in the league in strikeouts. They are dead last by a good margin too.

The offense has always been the Rangers' specialty. This year is no exception.

The Rangers are near the top of the league in runs scored and lead the league in home runs. It’s hard to pinpoint the best Ranger hitter, although many would say Ian Kinsler.

Everyone is good, from the leadoff man, Kinsler, to the number nine hitter.

Ultimately, it comes back to the pitching and fielding. I’m adding fielding to the common phrase because the Rangers pitchers are not pitching as well as their record indicates.

It’s all about the defense preventing runs.

That’s led to a positive runs scored to runs allowed ratio. It’s also among the league best, well into multiple digits.

I’m positive I’ve never seen that before.

It’s time to fear the Texas Rangers.

The Rally Cap Is Back

Ryan Metcalf — Fri, 15 May 2009 12:49:37 -0400

Over the last two nights, I was fortunate enough to make it to consecutive baseball games in Arlington. It’s rare for me to get the chance to go on consecutive days these days, but the games did not disappoint in the slightest bit.

For those that don’t know the Texas Rangers won the last two games with walk offs. Those were come-from-behind victories as well. It’s always exciting to see the Rangers win, but with two come from behind walk-offs?

That’s something special.

Something else happened late in both those games that got me thinking.

The Rally Cap is back.

I’m not one to believe in superstitions, at least most of them, but I’d thought I’d give the Rally Cap a try.

On Wednesday night, I turned my cap inside out, and told my friend to do the same. It was the bottom of the 11th inning when we did this. The Rangers were down by one run.

Michael Young gets a single into right field. Then he steals second base. That’s when my friend decides to take off the Rally Cap and wear the hat the right way.

I decided to keep my Rally Cap on.

Josh Hamilton drew the walk, and then Andruw Jones flew out to center field.

Hank Blalock steps up the plate and magic happened. I can’t remember the count when he hit the game winning double, but I know it wasn’t on the first pitch.

Right before the hit, I told my friend to put the Rally Cap back on. It was the greatest feeling in the world to see the Rally Cap work like that. Blalock ended up hitting the ball to the deepest part of the park to score two runs.

It led many fans, including myself, to run out of the ballpark screaming and giving people those high-fives. It’s such a good feeling seeing everyone into the game. The ballpark staff and security guards were all into it too. It seemed like a scene right out of a movie.

I was also wearing a Hank Blalock jersey I received in one of the Rangers promotions over the years. On opening day Blalock hit a home run. I called that home run, too, right before it happened. I have a friend as a witness.

Right when I thought it couldn’t get any better, the same thing happened the next day. Another friend calls me an hour before the game starts. I couldn’t resist going to a Ranger game, especially the way the Rangers are playing.

The Rangers were down 2-0, headed into the bottom of the ninth inning. I decide to turn my hat inside out once again, and Blalock hits a lead-off home run into the upper deck.

I also wore the same Blalock shirt.

Two batters later, David Murphy gets a double. Everyone in the park started to get excited again.

The next batter Chris Davis steps up to the plate. Boom, he hits a two-run bomb to win the game.

My friend happened to be wearing a Chris Davis jersey, too. We both got home runs in the 9th inning, by the players’ jerseys we were wearing.

The two of us were so pumped up, we ran out of the ballpark screaming. Some of that was to beat the traffic, but we were still excited.

I have no idea what’s in store for the Rangers in the future, but this season has excitement written all over it.

Oh, and long live the Rally Cap.

Previewing the NFC East

Ryan Metcalf — Thu, 14 May 2009 19:31:53 -0400

The four teams in the NFC East all experienced their ups and downs last season. In the end, not one team finished with a losing season. Only two of the divisions did that in all of football. So what can fans expect headed into next season? The division may not be better, but it will be extremely competitive. Three of the teams should be among the best in football while the other team is not far behind. That team has the ability to defeat anyone on any given Sunday. It might surprise you to learn which teams fit where.

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The New Dallas Cowboys Playbook

Ryan Metcalf — Wed, 13 May 2009 13:19:52 -0400

In the previous seasons, the Cowboys have relied heavily on the passing attack. The rushing attack has been toward the bottom in the league in several categories. That means the Cowboys had a very unbalanced offensive attack. In 2009, the Cowboys must change their playbook because of one factor: Terrell Owens.

Owens is a huge threat to score every time he touches the ball. There is no debating that. The offense ran through him. No offense goes very far when the playbook revolves around a wide receiver. All it's good for is a SportsCenter highlight reel.

There are plenty of examples.

Time and time again, Owens would be thrown the ball. Owens doesn’t always catch the ball, causing him to be among the league leaders in dropped passes and catches. That’s a lot of wasted plays the Cowboys went through.

The Cowboys threw the ball about 550 times, completing about 330 of them. The attempts put them at eighth most in the league in 2008. The completion rate comes out to about 60 percent, making the Cowboys the 21st best in the league.

That’s not so good.

Now, with Owens gone, the Cowboys will be forced to adapt their passing attack. The wide receivers on the Cowboys are not good enough to replace the loss of Owens, although Roy Williams might be by the end of the season. There will not be as many deep passes down the field.

The Cowboy receivers, although not great, can move the ball down the field. They are possession receivers. This means there will be shorter throws to advance the chains. There is nothing wrong with that, as long as the team can finish by putting points on the board.

It also helps manage the game clock, keeping opposing offenses off the field. It will be interesting to see how quarterback Tony Romo spreads the ball around.

The rushing attack will need to be more powerful, regardless of what happens with the passing attack. One of the unknown Cowboy strengths lies at the running back position, with Marion Barber, Felix Jones, and Tashard Choice.

Last season, the Cowboys ran the ball about 400 times. That was near the bottom of the league. With more rushes, the Cowboys will open up the passing lanes and wear defenses down. The Cowboys are capable of accomplishing that easily with their three running backs.

Marion Barber will be the lead back based on carries, but others will get their fair share of chances.

Felix Jones barely got the chance to show the league what he can do. If Jones can stay healthy the Cowboys rushing attack instantly becomes a threat. Jones has some of the best speed in the game, and the difference in running style, compared to Barber, will fool defenses.

Tashard Choice will get his touches and can give Barber a breather.

If everything works out, there will be split back formations, confusing defenses. The Cowboys might even put all three running backs in at the same time.

In order for the Cowboy offense to work, there will have to be a good balance between rush and pass. There is not a star player to force defenses to focus on. That means the defenses can play both the pass and run, and they can be effective at stopping it most of the time.

If Roy Williams can be the big wide receiver, then the playbook opens up tremendously. That will probably take some time though. Even if Williams does become the main target, the Cowboys will still have to run the ball effectively to make it deep into the season and into the playoffs.

Few teams ever make it to the Super Bowl without a good running game.

Texas Rangers Offense Failing Kevin Millwood

Ryan Metcalf — Tue, 12 May 2009 15:45:19 -0400

Believe it or not, Kevin Millwood is pitching like an ace this year. The scary thing is his numbers could be even better if the Rangers offense would help.

After Saturday’s performance Millwood’s record is at 3-3 with a 2.92 ERA. He’s even eating up the innings too, which will give him an automatic contract next year. In his seven starts this year, he has gone at least seven innings. That ties a team record. A record hard to match regardless of the team you play for.

In the three victories the Rangers offense has scored 20. That sounds about right for the Rangers offense, considering they average 5.6 runs per game

On the other hand, the Ranges can’t seem to put up the runs when Millwood loses. In the three loses the Rangers have scored a total of four runs. Millwood has only given up four, three, and two runs respectively in those three loses.

There is also a no decision for Millwood which was his best performance of the season. Millwood pitched a complete nine innings, but got the loss. The result was a 2-0 win for the Royals and Zach Greinke.

Even though Millwood’s ERA is climbing after his last few starts, Millwood is having his best season as a Ranger. It’s not a stretch to say Millwood could have an impressive seven wins this year. That means the Rangers could have one of the best records in baseball.

One thing is certain. Millwood is eating up the innings, giving the Ranger bullpen some major rest. He’s also well on his way to 180 innings pitched which would give him an automatic contract next year.

2009 Cowboy Expectations

Ryan Metcalf — Tue, 12 May 2009 15:18:55 -0400

The Dallas Cowboys have certainly made some moves this offseason; many are because of salary dumps, and others were made in order to play team football.

It appears the Cowboys have finally agreed to go along with history. More teams win Super Bowls because of team players and not star power. That change of philosophy means expectations are high, once again, heading into the 2009 season.

I could go on and on about the Cowboys defense, since the Cowboys lost a good amount of their players due to free agency. The truth is that the defense should still be equally as good because the stronger players are still in Dallas.

The Cowboys are still going to get the sacks led by DeMarcus Ware. They led the league in sacks last year with a total of 59, that’s an average of at least three sacks a game. The nearest team with that many sacks was the Steelers with 51. The Cowboys will most likely lead the league again by a good amount.

The secondary may appear to be a little weak, but in reality it’s probably average. Last year, the Cowboys had various injury problems to deal with. Terrence Newman was only able to play in 10 games last year. Now that Roy Williams is gone, the Cowboys have some options. Williams has been struggling playing in a new version of the NFL where safeties have to cover receivers and he is really a big hitter anyway. The NFL even made a rule in response to Williams’s horse collar techniques.

Even with an average secondary the defense will be a force in the NFL. It will be among the best in the league because the linebackers and lineman will make up for the average secondary. It’s because of the defense why expectations remain high in Big D.

The real unknown will be with the offense.

Quarterback Tony Romo will have to spread the ball around to make the offense work. Terrell Owens was a huge part of the offense in Dallas, but he’s now gone.

Owens moved the ball a lot himself. He even drew double teams making other receivers open. Romo also threw the ball to Owens a majority of the time. It’s not reflected in most statistics because Owens didn’t catch all the passes. The Cowboys will have to adapt their strategy.

A question mark remains about Roy Williams who the Cowboys acquired for a 2009 first round draft pick. All the Cowboys got in return was a player who recorded one touchdown and under 200 yards receiving. Williams is capable of putting up Owens like numbers, but he has not shown it yet.

After Williams and Jason Witten, the Cowboys receiving core is a little above average. The difference is that the Cowboys have more of those slightly above average receivers than most teams. Patrick Crayton, Miles Austin, and Martellus Bennett are all capable of big games, but not every week. The majority of the time they will be covered.

The Cowboys believe Romo will be able to spread the ball around and Williams will make Cowboy fans forget about Owens. If Romo and Williams fail, those high expectations will turn into a playoff run at best. There will be no Super Bowl yet again for America’s team.

Grading the Texas Rangers' Lineup

Ryan Metcalf — Fri, 08 May 2009 23:19:18 -0400

Whenever a fan thinks of the Texas Rangers, he or she always remembers one thing, the lineup. This season is no exception to the rule, although it may not be at the end of the season. With that being said here are my ratings for each batter through the roughly the first month of the season, based on the most frequent lineup order:

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BCS Controversy: Nightmare Scenarios

Ryan Metcalf — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 18:58:51 -0500

Once again, late in the season there is a BCS nightmare in the making. The only difference this year from previous years is more potential nightmares. With that being said with two weeks to go before the selections are made here is another reason why the BCS should be abolished once and for all.

Starting out the scenarios we have Alabama. The Crimson Tide is obviously undefeated and controls its own destiny but by no means has an easy remaining schedule. Alabama probably has a win versus Auburn, but going into the SEC championship against Florida leaves questions. Florida will be a tough matchup for Alabama and my opinion is a victory for Florida.

What does that mean for the possible BCS picture?

It means Florida probably has to move up to the national championship game, becoming the No. 2 team in the country. There is no justifiable reason why the pollsters could still have Alabama playing for the national championship with Florida clearly beating them. I find it very unlikely the pollsters want two teams from the same conference playing each other for the championship whether it be the Big 12 or SEC.

The biggest question of them all is where Texas Tech lands after a loss to Oklahoma. The biggest problem predicting where they land is the margin of victory for Oklahoma. Tech did not just lose, they lost badly.

A case could be made for Tech moving all the way down to No. 7 or No. 8, but realistically I think they end up at No. 5. Tech did beat Texas after all.

Tech still has to play Baylor and baring anything strange happening sits in decent shape. They still have a chance for the Big 12 championship. More on that later.

Next up is Texas who plays a big rivalry game in Texas A&M. Although there is a slight chance A&M can win this game, it probably will not happen. A&M is terrible this year and Texas is so much better.

Florida as mentioned is going to play Alabama in the SEC championship game, but they still have a tough opponent in Florida State. It is not that much of a stretch in this rivalry game to say Florida State can win this game.

This means Florida takes a big hit in the rankings and probably out of the BCS picture completely. They could still come back and beat Alabama though in the SEC championship and secure a spot in a BCS game, although not the championship. In that case Alabama may not make any BCS game.

Oklahoma has to play a tough matchup against state rival Oklahoma State who will not be a cakewalk of a game. Oklahoma has had trouble in this rivalry in recent years and it is in Stillwater this year too.

If Oklahoma loses, Tech plays for the Big 12 championship no questions asked because of tiebreakers. If Oklahoma wins then it might be enough to push them over Texas to play for the Big 12 Championship.

In the Big 12, when there is three way tie it comes down to the highest BCS rating after the final regular season game. Tech, Texas, and Oklahoma all have a shot at winning the Big 12 South depending on what happens. It is a roll of the dice on who is rated higher at the end of the season.

Then there is the potential Big 12 championship trap game. Missouri will be playing one of those three schools and is capable of pulling off a major upset against any of them.

That means Missouri clinches the automatic BCS bid with the win and its possible one or both of the Big 12 south teams are back in the national championship picture without playing in their conference championship.

Utah is going to be playing in a BCS game automatically since they have won out, it is just a matter of where. Depending on what happens Utah has a decent chance at playing for a national championship although it is unlikely the pollsters will let that happen. They want major schools playing for the championship regardless. The BCS is the only playoff system in any sport that punishes teams for going undefeated.

Boise State could possibly earn an at large bid, too.

Penn State has already clinched a Rose Bowl scenario, but there is a slight chance they might be playing in a bigger game if all the scenarios happen above. It is unlikely all of the scenarios happen, although not impossible.

Something else that is worth watching is the Oregon State game against Oregon next week. If Oregon State wins they automatically clinch a BCS bid because they beat USC earlier in the season. It is possible USC gets locked out of a BCS bowl depending on the other scenarios discussed above.

All and all there has never been so many scenarios going into the final week of the regular season. I admit not all of the scenarios will happen above, but it is very possible some will happen. No one should be thinking about bowl games until the very final game of the season. Never has one or two conferences been so dominant in college football. One thing is for sure I will be pulling for as many of these scenarios to happen as possible.

2008 World Series: Quick Thoughts

Ryan Metcalf — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 16:28:43 -0400

Now that the World Series is over, here are some of my quick thoughts about the series.

To start out, I should admit that I truly didn’t pick a winner. I did predict six games for the series, however. Five and six aren’t that far off after all.

Back when the season started, I predicted the Rays would have a breakout season, falling just short of the playoffs. The Phillies I had up there as well, but I didn't have them making the playoffs either.

Deep down I was really pulling for the Rays to win because Florida needs to have a baseball team worth following on a yearly basis. Not to take anything away from the Marlins' two championships, but fans can’t get behind a team that does a fire-sale every time a championship is won.

Florida is a huge potential market for baseball, but there hasn’t been a reason to cheer for any team there—until now. The Rays should be able to keep their players together for at least a few years because of youth and low-paying contracts. When those contracts are up, I hope Tampa will still be able to afford their players because they have potential to be something big.

The word "dynasty" should not be out of the question when it comes to the Rays. The youth was able to overcome inexperience and make it to the World Series—a rare feat in any sport.

I was the one constantly saying the youth would falter in the end, but I give them credit for proving me, and history, wrong.

Time will tell if the Rays can bounce back, but this team is still going to get better.

There is one reason why I wanted the Phillies to win. Philadelphia needed another championship. The city is far too great of a sports city not to have won a championship since the '80s.

That doesn’t include the fans, though. Most Philadelphia sports fans could not be farther from the city motto of “brotherly love.” At least the fans do have something to cheer for.

On an ending note, baseball could not be any healthier as a sport, regardless of what the ratings say.

Only the Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, and St. Louis Cardinals have made it to the World Series more than once during this decade. In other words, 15 different teams have made it to the World Series this decade.

If that’s not healthy, I don’t know what is.

NBC Messed Up in Week Two of Olympic Games

Ryan Metcalf — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 18:53:53 -0400

I’m not sure how many people noticed, but NBC really messed up during the second week of the Olympics.

For starters most of the events in the second week weren’t live during the primetime here in the States. Track and field was supposed to be the big event during week two, but not being live made this mediocre.

Actually, I’m not sure how many events were live for the lunchtime broadcasts either.

I know there are scheduling and time issues involved, but that doesn’t explain why they were able to do so many live events during the first week.

Most of the time, I already knew who won the events shown that night, making it less interesting.

NBC didn’t have another Bela Karolyi to provide analysis and enthusiasm for other sports. He undoubtedly made the Olympics and gymnastics fun to watch during the first week.

A lot of the events coverage started late. I want to see the whole match during volleyball or soccer instead of missing almost a whole set.

Something else that bugged me was the coverage of some of the sports.

I know they spread out the coverage around different channels, but some stuff I felt was left out. Sailing finals were last night, and I had to watch them on the Internet.

I’m okay with watching some of the sports on the Internet because they aren’t that popular. I did watch more than just sailing on the net, but most of these events had no useful commentary.

I don’t get to see some of these sports much and I am curious to learn about them. It’s the reason I watched after all.

Sailing isn’t a sport I get to watch very often, and I would have liked to have seen at least some coverage and dedication. I’m not asking for live events or much coverage since it’s not great for ratings, but a little bit would have been nice.

I’ll let fencing slide during the first week because there were bigger events on like swimming and gymnastics.

NBC did use all of its networks to show most of the events, but they still didn’t show some of them like sailing. Some of them weren’t shown at good hours either.

When the second week came around I just simply didn’t feel like looking around the other networks to find out what events, if any, were on, so I just found myself keeping the channel on NBC during the day and night.

Personally, I’m willing to stay up a little late to watch them, but I am certainly not going to get up early to watch. There is plenty of primetime television NBC could use for six to seven hours each night.

I was shocked that NBC basically showed only the scoreboard and a highlight of softball. USA dominates softball, and I would have liked to see USA beat up on everyone on network TV.

On a smaller note, some of the storylines got redundant and repeated during their primetime broadcasts. It would have been nice to see some different commercials every once in a while too, but I’m letting that slide because I’m sure they had a hard time selling the spots with the Olympics usually having low ratings.

All and all, NBC did do a good job utilizing their networks with the exception of a handy guide to explain what was going on when and where.

The addition of the Internet was very nice, but I don’t see myself using it again in the future unless I can get better commentary.

At least the live coverage won’t be an issue in 2010 because the games will be in Vancouver.

For more sports coverage visit www.sportsopinionweekly.com

The Ranger Future—Part 2

Ryan Metcalf — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 16:40:14 -0400

Most people know the Rangers have become the organization with the best catching prospects. The Rangers have acquired the best upcoming catchers with the goal of developing a strength where most teams are weak. With that being said here is part two of my Ranger future series with a focus on the catcher.

Catching has the most scenarios with Jarrod Saltalamacchia currently backing up Gerald Laird. The Rangers brought in Saltalamacchia to be the future catcher for the Rangers, but it appears as if that is not going to be.

Salty was believed by many, including myself, to been declared the starter by now. He has certainly done nothing worthy of being a starter, or even in the majors for that matter.

Salty even tried a little first base here and there, but that is definitely out of the future plans as well with Chris Davis. For now Salty is stuck between the starting role and the bench.

Gerald Laird has made a strong case to be the starting catcher, but he can’t seem to find his consistency; something he should have been able to do by now in his fifth season.

Laird in his rookie year looked really promising only to get hit with an injury and lose any momentum he had. The same story happened this year. As with any catcher those injuries start to add question marks for the future.

I happen to like Laird, but he isn’t the future here unless he can get his consistency down in a hurry. I only hope he can play well enough to merit a trade somewhere where the Rangers can get something good in return.

The other two Ranger catchers, currently in the minors, have been called upon this year to help strengthen the position. Both showed some early potential.

Max Ramirez did very well and will be remembered by one play he had this season.

He received the ball from the outfield and took a collision head on by the incoming runner. Ramirez appeared to be in extreme pain, but somewhere managed to find it in himself to gather some strength and throw out a runner trying to capitalize on the situation by getting an extra base. A very unusual double play it was.

I can’t say with certainty Max is the future catcher, but he certainly will be in the plans and will be a starter somewhere soon. The DH sounds like his most likely position, but I would not be afraid with him behind the plate by any means.

Taylor Teagarden is the other Ranger catcher, and was selected to play for USA in the Olympics this year.

Any player has to be pretty good to be selected to play for Team USA and Teagarden certainly fits the bill.

Although Taylor Teagarden only had 6 at bats in his stint in the majors, his one hit will definitely be remembered as well.

His hit was a solo home run against Scott Baker of the Twins, and broke up a perfect game attempt. The Rangers won that game 1-0.

Taylor Teagarden is regarded as the best catcher the Rangers have in the minors, and in particular is ability to handle pitchers—something the Rangers certainly could use.

There is a general consensus he will eventually be the Ranger catcher but personally what I saw from Max Ramirez wants me to differ. Teagarden definitely needs more at bats at the major league level before any conclusion can be drawn.

Realistically, it wouldn’t be a surprise for the Rangers to have four catchers up on the major league roster when September rolls around.

All of the Ranger catchers have proven themselves at least deserving of playing on the major league roster through previous success. Catching, next to pitchers, has the most question marks for the Rangers in the next few years.

Everyone needs to be on the lookout because all of these catchers will be playing for someone in the near future.

Next, in my series I will take a look at the rest of the Ranger infield future. For more Ranger coverage, check out www.rangers.sportsopinionweekly.com.

Tampa Bay Rays' rare decision wins game

Ryan Metcalf — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 17:04:35 -0400

The game was on the line 7-3 and the bases loaded with Josh Hamilton up at the plate. Maddon decides to intentionally walk Hamilton, but then he really does something unsual.

Balfour throws a wild pitch during the intentional walk to lure the runner from third base. The runner didn't take the bait.

Whether it was intentional or not no one knows, but it sure looked like it. Never have I seen anything like that before, but it was at least genious to do it.

Doesn't cost them anything to try. Hamilton was walked on the next three bases making it a 7-4 game. Marlon Byrd struck out the next at bat after Dan Wheeler came in to get the one out save.

Rangers Weekly: Could Things Be Any Worse?

Ryan Metcalf — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 16:43:46 -0400

Well, the week could not have been much worse for the Rangers, aside from one promising Matt Harrison start. They were swept by Boston at Fenway, giving up 37 runs in three games. That’s bad even for Rangers standards this year. Not even the Rangers offense can come back from that, even though they came close in losing by an improbable 19-17 margin on Tuesday.

That game did tie a record for most runs scored by two teams. Boston scored 10 runs in the first inning, but the Rangers came back to score eight in the fifth and five in the sixth. It still wasn’t enough in the end because usually consistent Frankie Francisco gave up four runs in the bottom of the eighth. David Ortiz hit two home runs in the first inning, a statistic that likely means trouble for any team.

Wednesday’s game was likely the last start for Luis Mendoza, for the year anyway. Mendoza isn’t a true starter, so I’m not disappointed he was sent back down. I am disappointed the move was to activate Kevin Millwood, though, as he hasn't been much better this year. On an interesting note, Ian Kinsler hit the only home run in Wednesday's game. The Rangers lost, 8-4, narrowly avoiding a shutout by scoring four times in the eighth.

The Rangers sent out Tommy Hunter to face Daisuke Matsuzaka Thursday. This game wasn’t even close, as Hunter gave up nine runs in a little more than an inning. On a bright note, the Rangers relievers only gave up one run. Warner Madrigal continued pitching really well of late. (More on Madrigal in my notes.) Bottom line is the Rangers offense was shut out by Matsuzaka and the Red Sox. The Rangers dropped this one by a 10-0 score, marking only the fourth time the Rangers have been shut out all year.

On Friday, Kevin Millwood came back from the DL again this season only to be equally as unsuccessful as he has been all year. As I said before, the best thing the Rangers could do is get rid of Millwood. I heard rumors the Rangers were keeping Millwood around to help mentor the younger pitchers on the staff. That could be nothing short of disastrous, since Millwood is doing so awful. The only way the Rangers win when Millwood is on the mound is when the offense scores five-plus runs. Instead, Texas only managed to get two hits against the Rays Friday, losing, 7-0. Matt Garza of the Rays went the distance in the effort.

Saturday was by far the best game of the week for the Rangers, not only because they won for the first time, but because of the performance. Matt Harrison pitched a true gem, giving up three hits in eight innings in the 3-0 win for the Rangers. Harrison struck out eight against zero walks, a rare feat for a Rangers pitcher. With the performance, Harrison’s ERA dropped from 7.07 to 5.77. Ian Kinsler hit a home run on the very first pitch he saw, giving the Rangers a leadoff home run in the first inning. Josh Hamilton made a home run-robbing catch in the sixth inning. Edwin Jackson from the Rays pitched well enough to win, giving up only one run in six innings, but the Rays couldn’t get any offense going against the Rangers. The game marked the sixth shutout recorded by the Rangers pitchers.

Sunday capped off the week with another big loss. Vicente Padilla was scratched once more, forcing the Rangers to start Dustin Nippert. It marked the 15th different pitcher the Rangers have started this year, most in the majors. It should be no surprise Nippert struggled, since he is a so-so reliever, anyway. Only to make matters worse, Scott Kazmir was pitching for the Rays. If Kazmir can ever be more efficient on the mound, watch out. Until then, Kazmir is just a really good pitcher. Kameron Loe of the Rangers certainly came back to the majors with his old dominant stuff. Loe pitched four innings of two-hit ball in relief. Dustin Nippert more than likely will be out of a job awhile, at least in the long-reliever role. Interesting note in this game came in the top of the 9th, when the Rays decided to intentionally walk Josh Hamilton with the bases loaded. The Rays did not want to give Hamilton a chance to tie the game with one swing. The Rangers lost, 7-4, bringing them to 1-5 for the week and back below .500 on the season at 62-63 overall.

Other Ranger Notes:

The Rangers are now 0-7 against the Red Sox this year, with all seven games being at Fenway. The Red Sox sweep was the first sweep of the Rangers since late April, and only the fourth time all year. The two teams meet again in September. ... Kinsler had three home runs this week, bringing his total up to 18 for the year. ... The Rangers were able to sign their top draft pick, 6'4" first baseman Justin Smoak, just 15 minutes before the deadline Friday night. ... Josh Hamilton left the game early Wednesday in Boston to make it back to Texas when his wife went into labor. He returned Saturday night. ... Warner Madrigal has given up just one run over nine innings of relief for the month of August.

How To Fix Olympic Baseball

Ryan Metcalf — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 06:53:37 -0400

Here I am, enjoying the first game of Olympic baseball in 2008. It saddens me that the sport, along with softball, is going away after this Olympics. The reason why is because the best players around the world are playing in MLB.

The solution to the problem is simple: Take an Olympic break, like hockey does for the Winter Olympics.

That’s all it would take. A simple two-week break in baseball to have the best players play for their countries instead of the MLB. The baseball standings won’t be affected.

Teams shouldn’t mind because the odds of being injured in Olympic play are a lot smaller, or at the very least, the same as playing in MLB.

It gives those with current injuries more time to recover, and those injured players could come back and contribute to a team in September.

Playoffs are really short in baseball, which is a good thing, but two weeks extra during October or into November doesn’t bug me one bit. Baseball could become more competitive with star players coming back from injuries.

Publicity could be improved across the board. A small country could be a surprise in the Olympics.

MLB could gather more publicity because the USA could come back from the Olympics with a gold medal. Players from certain countries might increase attendance for some teams when they come back.

Most importantly, baseball would gather the most publicity because the best players from around the world would play for their individual countries. The MLB only allows prospects in the minors to play in the Olympics instead of the very best. Most of the world doesn’t get a chance to see the MLB.

I know baseball has attempted to create its own Olympics with the World Baseball Classic. As much as I like the idea, it’s just not the same as playing in the Olympics. The World Baseball Classic is more limited in terms of teams, as compared to the Olympics.

The atmosphere is totally different. At the Olympics, athletes are surrounded by fellow athletes from around the world.

Players aren’t at full strength, since the World Baseball Classic is played during Spring Training, as opposed to the Olympics, which are usually being played in August.

Psychologically, players could come back refreshed after getting the chance to play for their country and be in better mental shape.

A two-week break is a small price to pay to see the best players compete with each other on the Olympic stage. Then, baseball should play the World Baseball Classic every two years, when the Winter Olympics are on. That would keep baseball fresh in the world’s mind.

Ian Kinsler For MVP

Ryan Metcalf — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 05:36:54 -0400

Each year, the debate continues on what constitutes an MVP season. In my view, it should always be the player most valuable to the team, not who puts up the best numbers.

On the Texas Rangers, and across baseball, everyone is talking about Josh Hamilton. That is a fair choice, but one needs to look deeper to really find the MVP for the Texas Rangers this year. That player is, without a doubt, Ian Kinsler.

The first thing to look at must always be numbers.

Kinsler currently leads the American League in batting average by more than 10 points at .338. Hamilton, who is considered by many to be the MVP, is currently batting .308 after a terrible June.

Kinsler is leading the league in runs scored, no doubt because of the help of Young, Hamilton, and Bradley batting right below him. Ian Kinsler helps himself in this category because he has 23 stolen bases, good enough for a tie for fifth place in the league.

The Texas Rangers haven’t had that many stolen bases at this point in the season in a very long time, if ever. Kinsler’s success rate is crazy, too. He has only been thrown out once in 24 attempts.

Kinsler creates runs for himself just as much as scoring on a home run. Combine Hamilton and Bradley’s home-run totals and they only equal 36. Kinsler has 80 runs scored, more than double the home runs between the two power-hitters.

Kinsler leads the league in hits, by a healthy margin, and is near the top in terms of doubles and extra-base hits. Kinsler is even in the top-five for triples.

So what about RBI?

Kinsler only has 53, but factor in that he hits leadoff. He has some help, no doubt, from a good bottom of the lineup, with hitters like Ramon Vazquez. It still isn’t easy for a leadoff hitter to get high RBI totals.

Kinsler’s only major weakness, in terms of numbers, is home runs. He sits at 14 home runs right now, good enough for a tie for 18th place. Hamilton currently has 19, though which earns him a tie for second. That’s not a major difference in number of home runs.

Kinsler's slugging percentage is actually better than Hamilton's because home runs aren’t the only thing put into the equation.

If you want to make a case for putting fielding into the equation, then I would say that has never been a factor in determining MVP. Kinsler is not the greatest fielder, but he does touch the ball a lot and is part of the team that turns the most double plays. His numbers will naturally be off because of more chances here as well.

You still think Hamilton is having the best season on the Rangers?

Factor in that if Kinsler wasn’t on base as much and having such a good season, would Hamilton be having such a good season? Kinsler is in the top 10 with an on-base percentage of .396.

There is no doubt that Kinsler’s success is inflating Hamilton’s numbers some. I’m not trying to make Hamilton’s season sound bad, but to merely put it in scope compared to some other hitters.

Kinsler is in the top 10 in every statistic you can measure, and in several he is in the top five. It is time to start giving Ian Kinsler some attention for his great season.

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