Texas Rangers

Here is your Fan Fest schedule for Saturday

Please Note: Autograph Schedule is subject to change without notice.

Lines may form up to two hours in advance.

Diamond Club – Line A *Lines form on the Main Concourse behind Sections 3-9.

9:30 a.m. Josh Hamilton

11:00a.m. Michael Young

Noon Chris Davis and Craig Gentry

1:00 p.m. Ian Kinsler

2:00 p.m. Neftali Feliz

3:00 p.m. Scott Feldman and Brandon McCarthy

Diamond Club – Line B * Lines form near the Third Base Gate

9:30 a.m. Elvis Andrus

11:00 a.m. Ron Washington

Noon Derek Holland

1:00 p.m. Rich Harden

2:00 p.m. Tommy Hunter and Darren Oliver

3:00 p.m. David Murphy and Jarrod Saltalamacchia

The Newberg Report in the Cuervo Club * Lines form near Home Plate Gate.

10:00 a.m. Brandon Boggs and Kasey Kiker

11:00a.m. Zach Phillips and Tanner Scheppers

Noon Justin Smoak and Ben Snyder

1:00 p.m. Blake Beavan and Mitch Moreland

2:00p.m. Eric Hurley and Max Ramirez

Majestic Grand Slam Gift Shop *Lines form in Center Field Sports Park area.

10:00 a.m. Scott Coolbaugh, Claude Osteen, Pete O’Brien, Luis Ortiz, Curtis Wilkerson

11:00 a.m. Tim Crabtree, Bill Fahey, Jim Kern, Ken Suarez, Ellis Valentine

Noon Tom Grieve, Jose Guzman, Larry Hardy, Dan Smith

1:00 p.m. Rich Billings, Dave Chalk, Rusty Greer, Dave Hostetler

2:00 p.m. Frank Lucchesi, Bill Stein, Jim Sundberg

3:00 p.m. Steve Buechele, Ray Burris, Benji Gil, Mike Jeffcoat

One autograph per person is allowed. Personalizations and posing for photographs with players are not

permitted. Autograph schedule is subject to change without notice.

Texas Rangers Fan Fest

Q&A Schedule

All Q&A Sessions are in the Rangers Ballpark Theater. Entrance to the Theater is in

Lower Home Run Porch in right field.

10:00-10:30 a.m. Manager Ron Washington

10:30-11:00 a.m. President Nolan Ryan

11:00-11:30 a.m. Outfielder Josh Hamilton

Noon-12:30 p.m. Third Baseman Michael Young

1:15-1:45 p.m. Pitcher Darren Oliver

2:30-3:00 p.m. General Manager Jon Daniels

More props for Rangers farm system

The Texas Rangers have been selected as having the second-highest rated farm system in baseball, this according to Baseball America’s Prospect Handbook.  The organization has also been ranked as having the top farm system in the game by ESPN.com, the second straight year to receive that honor.

Baseball America's 2010 Prospect Handbook was recently released and contains rankings of all 30 farm systems. The Handbook ranks the top 30 prospects in all 30 major league organizations, so the book contains 900 scouting reports. The book is currently available at www.baseballamerica.com.  Rankings are coordinated by executive editor Jim Callis, who oversees the book, and written by BA staff and correspondents. National writer Aaron Fitt wrote up the Rangers.

Baseball America has ranked organizational talent since 1984.  Prior to 2008, Texas had finished among the top four in those rankings one time: 1990 (1st).  The club has now finished in the top four in three consecutive years: 2008 (4th), 2009 (1st), and 2010 (2nd).

Over the last 10 years (2001-10), the Rangers are one of just four organizations to finish among the top 2 spots in BA rankings in consecutive seasons.  The others are Chicago-NL (2nd in 2001 and 1st in 2002), Los Angeles Dodgers (2nd in 2004, 2005, and 2006), and Tampa Bay (1st in 2007 and 2008).  Each of those three clubs made postseason appearances either during or in close proximity to those rankings.

 

What Baseball America had to say about the Rangers farm system in the 2010 Prospect Handbook:

 

“The Rangers graduated a lot of talent to Arlington in 2009, and some of their lower-level pitchers didn’t step forward as hoped.  That’s what pitching depth is for, though, and with Neftali Feliz and Martin Perez leading the way, the Rangers have plenty of impact players left on the farm.”

 

The list of the top 5 organizations in this year’s Talent Rankings by BA:

 

1 – Tampa Bay

2 – Texas

3 – Cleveland

4 – San Francisco

5 – Philadelphia

Rangers lending hand for Haiti relief during FanFest

Here are the plans for Saturday at Rangers Ballpark.

Texas Rangers celebrities will be serving popcorn and soft drinks throughout the day in the Bullpen Grill area of the Diamond Club for a minimum donation of $3.00 per person. All proceeds will benefit the Major League Baseball/UNICEF Haiti Relief Efforts. Product for the fundraising initiative is being donated by Coca-Cola, Dr Pepper, and Sportservice.

In addition, the Rangers are sponsoring a Blood Drive with Carter BloodCare on Saturday from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m. The blood drive mobile unit will be located on Randol Mill Road between Ballpark Way and Nolan Ryan Expressway on the south side of Rangers Ballpark. Carter BloodCare provides 96 percent of all blood transfusions for the Metroplex and surrounding 54 counties. All donors receive a tee-shirt, a mini-physical including blood pressure and iron level check at the time of donation and cholesterol results following their donation.

Rangers agree with Frank Francisco

The team and the closer avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year deal worth $3.265 million. Scott Feldman is the only arb-eligible player who hasn't signed.

- Anthony Andro

Catching up with the times, I'm finally on Twitter

I'm not afraid to change, though my wife and just about everyone else who knows me would disagree. But here I am, the proud owner of a Twitter account. I tried to set it up without any help, so there's a chance it fouled it up, but look for JeffWilson_FWST. Anthony Andro was busy tweeting today at the Rangers' minicamp at aandro. Follow us both.

-- Jeff Wilson

Nolan Ryan speaks

Here's a couple of things Ryan said.

The Rangers have been operating with the help of MLB since July. Any expenditure not budgeted for had to be approved by MLB and any signing outside slot had to as well. That explains much of the Matt Purke situation.

His financial stake in the Rangers is the same as Chuck Greenberg's.

On Jon Daniels' future: "Jon's done a good job. I don't anticipate any changes as far as baseball operations are concerned. The baseball staff has done a good job this offseason.

On Ron Washington's contract: "Last year he was in the same situation. I would think that would be addressed as it was last year. I'm very happy with the job he's done."

On his expectations: "My expectations are that we are going to be extremely competitive. If we don't win the division, I will be disappointed."

Despite being the president and a part owner, Ryan can be fired. So can Greenberg. The Rangers will be governed by a board of directors, and if enough of them don't care for the job either is doing, termination is a possibility. Obviously, don't expect it.

- Anthony Andro

Justin Smoak batting practice video

Here is Justin Smoak hitting from the right side.

- Anthony Andro

Rangers deal Greg Golson to Yankees

They are receiving infielder Mitch Hilligoss and cash considerations. Hilligoss does not get an invite to spring training. He hit .233 with 14 homers and 51 RBI last season for High-A Tampa.

- Anthony Andro

Here's a pic of Chuck Greenberg in uniform

For the anti Tom Hicks crowd, you can use this as your desktop background. He bought the pullover in September at a game. And he said he hasn't slept in it yet. Before you rip the quality, it's the best a Blackberry can do.

- Anthony Andro

Jon Daniels talks about Ben Sheets signing

The Texas general manager didn't really have much to say on it, other than saying he wished Sheets would have signed elsewhere. "I would have preferred one of the other five divisions," said Daniels after Sheets signed a one-year deal with Oakland. "Hopefully the rotation misses us."

Daniels said don't count on the Rangers being done making moves either, although nothing is certain. He also said the team is still negotiating with representatives for both Scott Feldman and Frank Francisco is hopes of avoiding arbitration with both of the pitchers.

- Anthony Andro