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[jcisco loboe'77]

http://www.dallasnew...fs.402255d.html

Nelson Cruz could return to Ranger lineup by Thursday.

01:21 AM CDT on Monday, May 10,2010
By WILLIAM WILKERSON / Special Contributor to The Dallas Morning News

ARLINGTON–"Rangers right fielder Nelson Cruz put his strained right hamstring to the test before Sunday's game and left his 20-minute workout feeling confident he'll return in the coming days.

Cruz ran out ground balls, doubles and triples without any pain from the injury that placed him on the 15-day disabled list April 27.

"I feel good," Cruz said. "It's been feeling good for the last three or four days."

Cruz will stay in Arlington for treatment today. He will join Triple-A Oklahoma City for home games on Tuesday and Wednesday before possibly returning to the sixth spot in the Rangers' lineup for Thursday's home game against Oakland.

"It will mean we will finally have the lineup that I thought we'd open the season with," Rangers manager Ron Washington said. "It certainly will make us look like Murderer's Row out there."

Cruz was among the American League leaders in several offensive categories when he aggravated his hamstring in the sixth inning against Detroit two weeks ago. He led the AL in slugging percentage (.758) and on-base-plus-slugging (1.177), was second with seven home runs, fourth in RBIs (17) and sixth in total bases (47)."

[jcisco loboe'77]

http://rangersblog.d...elson-cruz.html

Plan finalized for Nelson Cruz rehab.
Posted at 1:16 PM on Sun., May. 9, 2010|Jeff Wilson/Contributor


"Right fielder Nelson Cruz won't go on a rehab assignment until Tuesday, for two games with Triple A Oklahoma City. The Rangers might choose to wait until Friday at Toronto to activate Cruz, rather than rush him back Thursday. He's eligible for reinstatement Wednesday.


Cruz initially had been scheduled to go out Monday with Double A Frisco for two games. He ran the bases today for the second straight day and reported that everything was fine. He will receive treatment Monday before leaving for Oklahoma City."

[jcisco loboe'77]

Next Game
Oakland at Texas
May 11-7:05 PM CT

-------Record-------
TEX 18-14 (11-6 H)
OAK 17-15 ( 4-8 V)



NEXT 3 Games
Date vs Last Meeting
5/11/10 OAK L 1-4 5/5/10
5/12/10 OAK L 1-4 5/5/10
5/13/10 OAK L 1-4 5/5/10

[texlong9]

My new favorite Ranger...Justin Smoak

[jcisco loboe'77]

http://rangersblog.d...he-erred-b.html

Ron Washington says he erred by not having Neftali Feliz ready earlier.
Posted at 11:45 PM on Tue., May. 11, 2010 | Evan Grant / Blogger


ARLINGTON-"Reviewing the key decisions of a 7-6 13-inning loss to Oakland, Rangers manager Ron Washington refused to question himself for having Darren Oliver start the ninth inning Tuesday. But he didn't let himself off scot-free either. He scolded himself for not having Neftali Feliz ready more quickly.


With a 4-3 lead going to the ninth, Washington elected to leave Oliver in the game. He only wanted Oliver to face one hitter - Eric Chavez - but neglected to get Feliz up in time to come in after Chavez's at-bat.

"That's where I messed up," Washington said. "I didn't tell [pitching coach] Mike Maddux to get Feliz up. I wanted Oliver to face Eric Chavez. I thought that Chavez was getting good swings against our right-handed pitching. But I didn't have Feliz ready."

Oliver, the only lefty in the Rangers' bullpen, wasn't an ideal matchup against Chavez. Chavez, who was 5-for-15 in his career vs. Oliver, reached on a dribbler up the middle that Elvis Andrus had to scoop and throw on the run. When he couldn't pick the ball cleanly, Andrus was charged with an error. Oliver then allowed a single to Adam Rosales before Feliz could be summoned. After getting ready quickly, Feliz was not sharp. He hit Jake Fox and then allowed three consecutive singles to give Oakland the lead.

The Rangers managed to tie the game in the bottom of the inning and they also tied it in the 11th, but RHP Dustin NIppert, the seventh Rangers pitcher of the game, walked No. 8 hitter Landon Powell to start the 13th. Nippert then allowed the chubby Powell to get a great jump and steal second base. It was Powell's first career stolen base. Nippert is terrible at holding runners. Runners are six for six when trying to steal against him this year and 18-for-19 since the start of 2009. For his major league career, runners are 28-for-31 when he is on the mound.

Powell scored on a two-out single by Daric Barton. Barton had given the A's a lead in the 11th with a two-out homer off Chris Ray. The Rangers had tied the score in the bottom of the inning with a two-out single by Julio Borbon.

But the ninth inning was not the only interesting decision of the game. The others:

• In the fifth inning, SS Elvis Andrus laid down his league-leading seventh sacrifice hit of the year, but it was a questionable decision. The Rangers had two on and no outs in a tie game when Washington put the bunt on. Andrus failed on consecutive attempts and the bunt was taken off. Andrus went ahead and bunted anyway to move the runners to second and third. Andrus, however, is the Rangers' leading hitter with runners in scoring position. He is no now 10-for-21 (.476) in those at-bats.

After his bunt, Michael Young hit into a fielder's choice in which Justin Smoak was thrown out trying to go from second to third. And Josh Hamilton then grounded out.

• In the 12th, the Rangers had a chance to win it, but pinch runner Andres Blanco was thrown out at the plate, trying to score from first on a bloop double.

Blanco had replaced Vladimir Guerrero after he singled with two outs. Ian Kinsler followed with a blooper to right that fell in front of RF Ryan Sweeney. Sweeney overran the ball and Blanco was waved home. He was thrown out easily with 2B Adam Rosales even having enough time to double clutch on the throw.

"He pushed it," Washington said of third base coach Dave Anderson's decision. "The second baseman just happened to make a great throw. He felt like we had a shot to score and he took it. I'm not going to second-guess what he did."

[jcisco loboe'77]

AL West Standings
Western Division
---Team---W-L--Pct-GB
Oakland-18-15 .545 --
Texas---18-15 .545 --
L A-----15-20 .429 4.0
Seattle-13-19 .406 4.5

[jcisco loboe'77]

Oakland at Texas
-------7-6.

http://rangersblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2010/05/rangers-squander-lead-in-ninth.html

Rangers squander lead in ninth,lose to Oakland in 13.
Posted at 11:18 PM on Tue.,May. 11,2010|Gerry Fraley/Reporter


"Daric Barton's single, his second consecutive run-scoring hit, gave Oakland a 7-6 win in 13 innings against the Rangers on Tuesday night.
Barton's game-winning hit came against Dustin Nippert, the sixth Rangers' reliever of the game.
Barton also homered in the 11th against Chris Ray, putting Oakland up 6-5. The Rangers answered in the inning on a two-out single by Elvis Andrus.
The Rangers tok a 4-3 lead into the ninth, but manager Ron Washington did not let closer Neftali Feliz open the inning. Washington stayed with lefthander Darren Oliver for the first two hitters, going to Feliz after the Athletics put a runner at third and one out.
Oakland scored twice in the inning on singles by Landon Powell and Cliff Pennington of Texas A&M, giving Feliz a blown save. Feliz had converted his previous seven chances.
This was the Rangers' fourth loss of the season when leading after eight innings. Last year's club went 77-3 when leading after eight innings."


-------Record-------
TEX 18-15 (11-5 H)
OAK 18-15 ( 5-8 V)



NEXT 2 Games
Date vs Last Meeting
5/12/10 OAK L 1-4 5/5/10
5/13/10 OAK L 1-4 5/5/10

[texlong9]

10-1 boom baby...

[jcisco loboe'77]

10-1 boom baby...

...BOOM is so right,but no SWEEP for either team--I do like that Derek Holland!

[texlong9]

Tie game in 7th inning stretch right now...

[jcisco loboe'77]

Top of the 10th--still tied 1-1 w/Feliz pitching!!!! Go A's!!!

[jcisco loboe'77]

Uh w/2wo outs & an A's runner on 1irst,Washington pulls Feliz "to keep him FRESH" for the upcoming Toronto series &
brings in Francisco.....3hree straight STRIKESto retire the A's!!
Still tied 1-1!!!
27,000+ at the game!! Man is it ever HOT today!!

[jcisco loboe'77]

Side armed pitcher for the A's.
Single and a walk was given up by Ziegler and w/2wo Rangers on & no outs the Rangers "RUN" off Ziegler and the A's bring in lefty Breslow.

[jcisco loboe'77]

BASES loaded for the Rangers and w/2wo outs.......Murphy hits a soft roll to short and the side retires as the Rangers left the bases loaded and the score is still tied 1-1!!!!
Headed into the Top of the 11th...

[jcisco loboe'77]

Francisco is still pitching and retires all 3hree A's batters and heads into the bottom of the 11th--STILL tied--1-1-!!

[jcisco loboe'77]

A's lefty Breslow still pitching and the Rangers goes down in order 1-2-3 toward the top of the 12th still tied 1-1.

[jcisco loboe'77]

6'8" Nippert (1-3,6.23) comes in for the Rangers and here comes the Swinging A's!!
1irst pitch and a single to Left.
Another 1irst pitch for a sac. bunt to advance the runner to 2econd.
3rd batter pops ups for the A's 2econd out and Nippert strikes out the batter for their 3rd out and strands a runner on 2econd!!
Still tied 1-1 and heading into the bottom of the 12th!!
Can the Rangers win this time??

[jcisco loboe'77]

Breslow out as Bailey (0-0) {.69 ERA} comes in for the A's.
ELVIS tagged out @ 2econd for the 1irst out!!
Mike Young walks.
Josh Hamilton comes up and hits a singleto right and advances Young to 2econd. 2wo on and only 1ne out.
Guerrero hits a long fly over the left fielder's head (Fox) and the Rangers wins 2-1 and take a 2wo game lead over MY A's!!

}

[jcisco loboe'77]

'texlong9' should be happy as the Rangers "almost sweeps" my A's 2-1 and has a 6-1 grandstand in the last 2wo home series!! Way to go Rangers!!!!

[texlong9]

2 game lead over "your" A's lol