First I heard was today. really a month less one day.
Any projections on season?
Wins?
Surprises?
Rookies?
Please comment
Spring Training Thread
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Spring Training Thread
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catalyst
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catalyst
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Thursday's Texas Rangers spring training report
10:21 PM CST on Thursday, February 21, 2008
By EVAN GRANT / The Dallas Morning News
egrant@dallasnews.com
Small talk: food fun
A quick chat with third baseman Hank Blalock, one of the Top Chefs in the Rangers clubhouse and a regular gourmand:
Last year at the Rangers' Triple Play charity event, you narrowly lost the "Iron Chef" segment to catcher Gerald Laird. Does that still sting?
Yeah. When I had the time to reflect on it, it was a poor dish selection. I should have catered more to the judges' tastes (including coach Art Howe and boxing promoter Don King). I think I should have thrown together a chicken parmesan. That might have done it. I went with a beef stroganoff.
So, what do you have in store for this year?
I think I'm gonna lay low. That was a lot of work. I had big plans last year, but the kitchen was kind of limited. When I wanted to finish off my filets for the beef stroganoff, I had like an Otis Spunkmeyer cookie oven. I had no heat.
Did you come up with any new dishes this offseason?
I've got a healthy chicken cordon bleu. I use boneless, skinless chicken breasts, panko bread crumbs, turkey ham and low-fat jack cheese. I roll it up with a toothpick and pop it in the oven.
What's your favorite road city for eating?
Seattle's got a pretty wide variety. There are a lot of places for good steak, believe it or not. And there is really fresh sushi. We like Metropolitan Grill, El Gaucho, Morton's and Ruth's Chris for steak in Seattle. I know a lot of people say it should be New York, but I get too confused there. I never know where I'm going.
Who's the sloppiest dinner companion on the club?
Probably me. When the waiter comes around with that scraper after dinner, he spends like five minutes in front of me. I spill stuff everywhere.
Hail to the chief
An occasional glimpse into the role of Rangers president Nolan Ryan:
On Thursday, Ryan spent his first day in the Arlington office since taking the job. He is holding get-acquainted meetings with Rangers business operations staff. Ryan intends to return to Arizona on Wednesday for a stay of at least one week. He plans to watch the major league club when it is playing in Surprise and will watch the minor leaguers when the Rangers are on the road.
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catalyst
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Friday's Texas Rangers spring training report
10:10 PM CST on Friday, February 22, 2008
By EVAN GRANT / The Dallas Morning News
egrant@dallasnews.com
Project pitching
An occasional look at the Rangers' top priority: improving the pitching staff
Rangers / MLB
Rangers hitters got their first look at the pitchers Friday, but all they got to do was look. As part of an exercise to help pitchers get acclimated to having hitters in the box and to help hitters get used to "tracking" balls out of a pitcher's hands, the hitters simply stood in the batter's box as pitchers did their normal mound work. One guy who made an impression: RHP Vicente Padilla, who threw several hard and sharp curveballs. When last Padilla pitched last season, his sore elbow limited him to throwing only slow "lollipop" curves that spun more than they tumbled.
Small talk: music notes
A quick chat with reliever Wes Littleton, who claims to have at least 8,000 songs in his iPod and more in his computer:
With all that music, what do you have on your workout playlist?
I just hit shuffle. I like all kinds of music, so it doesn't matter. One of my hobbies is DJing. I do it for some of my friends at parties and stuff.
You have a DJ name?
I don't. I'm trying to come up with one right now. It's kind of a work in progress.
What are you working with?
I don't know. Maybe DJ-Lit or DJ-Dub. Like I said, it's a real work in progress.
What kinds of tunes do you spin?
Whatever you want. I've got country, rock, rap, alternative, techno.
And when you listen to music, what's your choice?
It's mostly rap.
So, being from California, I guess you are a West Coast guy. What's up with the East Coast?
I like the East Coast, too. I like all kinds of music. As long as it's got a good beat. Jay-Z is probably my favorite right now, but Tupac and Notorious B.I.G. are probably my all-time favorites.
Wait a minute. Wasn't Biggie involved in Tupac's death?
I have no clue how that went down. There are lots of conspiracy thoughts out there, but I don't know. I like them both as rappers.
Who is an artist that people would be surprised to hear you like?
Tom Petty.
Ever seen him in concert?
I started to listen to his music in high school, but, no, I've never been to one of his concerts. I'd like to see him in concert. But, the truth is, I've never been to a concert in my life.
Never? What a sheltered life you've led.
What can I say?
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studcrackers
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