Texas Rangers

Left quad strain for Bradley

He's out of the game and is now day-to-day. It's the same injury that cost Bradley playing time earlier this season.

Ugly, ugly, ugly, ugly

We're in the top of the seventh and absolutely nothing has been decided. The Rangers have made a 9-3 lead all but disappear as it's now 9-7 with no outs. The teams have combined for 24 hits, and the Rangers have also chipped in four errors. Oops. Make it 9-8. Jamey Wright agrees with the Mariners. He's given up a pair of bombs this inning. Yikes.

If you're scoring at home ...

You are a brave soul. It's the fifth inning and the Rangers are up 9-3. Michael Young and his broken finger are struggling at the plate. He's 0 for 3 with three strikeouts. He's yet to put a ball in play. It doesn't look like they'll need him though.

Trade rumor: Michael Young

A report in the Newark Star-Ledger says that the Dodgers have asked the Rangers about the availability of shortstop Michael Young. Hmm. Entertain this:

Young, a native of the LA area, could return home.

The Dodgers could afford to take on his salary and have prospects (Clayton Kershaw of Highland Park) who the Rangers would want.

Young could play shortstop this season for the injured Rafael Furcal but move to second base next season if the Dodgers don't exercise the $9 million club option on 40-something Jeff Kent.

The Rangers could easily move either Joaquin Arias or Elvis Andrus into Young's vacated slot for the rest of this season and beyond.

The money the Rangers are saving on Young could go toward a free-agent third baseman, assuming they don't pick up the option on Hank Blalock. Joe Crede will be a free agent after this season.

Is the trade going to happen? Gosh, no. But it's not that farfetched.

Byrd on fire

If a team needs outfield help, they could do worse than Marlon Byrd. He just ended Carlos Silva's night with a three-run homer to left. He's 2 for 2 with a double and a homer and four RBI. The Rangers lead 6-0.

Rangers take lead

Four hits in the second did the trick, with Marlon Byrd and Gerald Laird collecting RBI as the Rangers lead 2-0. More impressive is the fact Luis Mendoza has only needed 24 pitches to get through two innings.

Ichiro gets 3,000th hit

Ichiro hit Luis Mendoza's first pitch into left field for the 3,000th hit of his career. He has 1,722 in the major leagues. He was stranded at third after Luis Mendoza worked out of a first and third situation with no outs.

Young plans to start

Five to seven days? Not exactly. Michael Young took batting practice and will start tonight, despite a broken right ring finger. "I was able to get my hand around the bat and I was able to cut it loose," Young said. "That's it. I can play. If I felt like I would hurt the team, I wouldn't play."

- Anthony Andro

Sore right shoulder puts Blalock on the DL

Hank Blalock said he didn't have an upset stomach last night, but instead has been bothered by a sore right shoulder. He's now headed to the disabled list with right shoulder inflammation, essentially ending any chances of trading him. Blalock was upset that it was reported he had an upset stomach. Manager Ron Washington took the blame for that call. "I erred in judgement yesterday in trying to protect one of my players," Washington said. "I said something that didn't go over good. I took the blame for that." The Rangers have called up Ryan Roberts to take Blalock's spot. To create room for Roberts, the Rangers moved Jason Jennings to the 60-day disabled list. Blalock said his shoulder started hurting him in Oakland over the weekend and has progressively gotten worse. The Rangers will start Ramon Vazquez at third tonight. Chris Davis was originally there, but will now start at first.

UPDATE FROM THE GM: What is going to happen is Blalock will meet with Dr. Keith Meister. Daniels also said he relayed the true story of Blalock's shoulder to two interested teams, one today and one last night.

UPDATE NO 2: Blalock got an injection in the shoulder and is expected to be shut down for 10 to 14 days.

- Anthony Andro

Trade rumors: Hank Blalock

All bets are off now that Hank Blalock has landed on the 15-day disabled list with a sore shoulder. But here's what was the latest before he revealed that his injury wasn't his stomach at all.

Sources have confirmed that the San Francisco Giants have phoned the Rangers about the availability of third baseman Hank Blalock as the trade deadline nears. He would fit in the Bay Area as the Giants look to add a left-handed bat to their lineup and upgrade a position currently being held down by Jose Castillo (.261 avg., 6 HR, 34 RBI).

The belief is that the Rangers want young pitchers who are either major-league-ready or soon will be. A potential target could be Jonathan Sanchez, a 25-year-old left-hander who has made 21 starts. The Giants might want the Rangers to sweeten a Blalock-for-Sanchez deal with another hitter.

One possibility could be Joaquin Arias, a Triple-A shortstop who is showing the signs that made him a top prospect before injuring his right shoulder early last season. The ageless Omar Vizquel can't play for the Giants forever. San Francisco could also need a catcher if Bengie Molina is shipped to Florida.

Another club believed to be interested in Blalock is the Minnesota Twins. Blalock, though, isn't as good fit there because he bats left-handed in a lineup that features lefties Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau. The Twins reportedly have interest in Seattle third baseman Adrian Beltre, who hits right-handed. But Blalock would be an upgrade over 27-year-old rookie Brian Buscher.

The Rangers, according to a source, have interest in Twins right-hander Boof Bonser.

Blalock might also