Texas Rangers

Rangers offerinig $4 exhibition tickets

From the Rangers...

The club today also announced special “$4 FOR 4/4” discounts for the Rangers’ exhibition game with the Kansas City Royals on Saturday, April 4 at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington (1:05 p.m.). Any regularly priced ticket up to $25.00 in value will be sold for just $4.00. In addition, parking in all non-reserved lots will be priced at just $4.00, an $8.00 savings. All fans will also receive a coupon for a free Route 44 drink at Sonic.

 

“$4 FOR 4/4” tickets will go on sale on Saturday, March 7 as well as individual tickets for all 2009 regular season games. 

No score after two

The Rangers left the bases loaded in the second after Ian Kinsler popped to right field, but Kevin Millwood allowed only one hit in two scoreless frames. He got help from Josh Hamilton, who made a running catch near the wall on a drive by Jose Guillen.

Big Heath Phillips is in the game for Kansas City, and it looks like Derek Holland might be next for the Rangers. Doug Mathis was expected to throw next.

-- Jeff Wilson

Game is under way

The Rangers got a single in the first from Michael Young but nothing else against Kyle Davies. Kevin Millwood is on the mound as Kansas City comes to bat with Coco Crisp, Tony Pena Jr. and David DeJesus.

-- Jeff Wilson

Video: Hank Blalock batting practice

By popular demand -- one person asked during Wednesday's in-game chat -- here is some Hank Blalock batting practice. All was going well until his final swing, and Josh Hamilton offers commentary at the end as to why Blalock broke his bat.

-- Jeff Wilson

Good resource

Per a reader's request, here is a valuable source for those of us who easily get lost in the realm of baseball transaction terminology.

-- Jeff Wilson

Thursday spring update, a.m. news

<>Outfielder Marlon Byrd (knee) expects to be cleared by team doctor Keith Meister on Friday to start playing games. He said his knee has responded to the warm weather and is running at 95 percent.

<>The Rangers will watch right-hander Chad Cordero throw off a mound Friday, the first time they've seem him pitch this off-season. They no longer have no interest in signing lefty Odalis Perez, who was released by Washington after not honoring the minor-league contract he had signed earlier in the month. Kris Benson's presence also has cooled the Rangers on Perez.

<>The MLB Network will air a documentary on Josh Hamilton at 8 Friday night. Josh Hamilton: Resurrecting the Dream is an hour-long look into his comeback from drug abuse.

-- Jeff Wilson

Thursday spring update, Rangers lineup

The Rangers have posted this lineup for spring game No. 2 against Kansas City starter Kyle Davies:

Ian Kinsler, 2B

Michael Young, 3B

Josh Hamilton, CF

Hank Blalock, DH

Nelson Cruz, RF

David Murphy, LF

Chris Davis, 1B

Taylor Teagarden, C

Elvis Andrus, SS

Kevin Millwood, Doug Mathis, Derek Holland, Willie Eyre, Eddie Guardado and Joe Torres are scheduled to pitch.

-- Jeff Wilson

Hamilton, nine others sign

The Rangers have all 39 players on the 40-man roster under contract for 2009. Josh Hamilton was in the group of 10 whose deals were completed Wednedsay. He'll make $550,000 -- a depature from the Rangers' scale for non-arbitration-eligible players -- with the chance to make $50,000 more through incentives.

But there have been no negotiations with his representative, Michael Moye, about a long-term extention. General manager Jon Daniels said it has been discussed internally, and Hamilton said he's not going to worry about when a deal could be done.

Here's a list of the players signed Wednesday. The major-league minimum is $400,000.

Player=Position=Salary

Guillermo Moscoso=RHP=$400,000

Warner Madrigal=RHP=$404,730

Travis Metcalf=3B=$403,220

Eric Hurley=RHP=$401,000

Chris Davis=1B=$406,620

Taylor Teagarden=C=$401,000

Josh Hamilton=CF=$555,000

German Duran=INF=$403,940

Max Ramirez=C=$402,000

Thomas Diamond=RHP=$400,000

-- Jeff Wilson

Rangers 12, Royals 7

The Rangers scored six runs in the first, and Hank Blalock, Josh Hamilton and Nelson Cruz homered to easily win the spring opener over Kansas City. Kris Benson allowed one run over two innings, and the Rangers held the Royals scoreless in six of nine frames.

One unique thing happened in the first: Chris Davis hit the cover off the ball. This wasn't a Roy Hobbs job, but the stitches indeed broke and part of the cover was flapping. See Ron Jenkins' photo below.

-- Jeff Wilson

                              Ron Jenkins/Star-Telegram

Video: David Murphy BP

How about some David Murphy BP? He appears to have settled in as the Rangers' starting left fielder.