Rockies 11, Rangers 10: My Top 10 Observer-ations

By Richie Whitt Thu., Mar. 17 2011 at 8:40 AM

10. Crowd last night was around 8,000, just a couple days after a record 12,000+ for Rangers-Giants. As opposed to the Royals-A's on Tuesday, when I swear there weren't 1,000 people here. Nothing like a World Series to crowd the bandwagon.

9. I've said it before and I'll say it again: No thanks to Mark Lowe. He was horrible in the World Series and he got rocked last night, giving up four runs on all hard-hit balls in the sixth. He was hitting 97 mph on the radar gun, but the Rockies were teeing off. If he's an answer I'm just not sure what the question might be.

8. Over the first three innings I engulfed an entire 8-ounce bag of Katie's Kettle Korn. Baseball eating is usually fueled by boredom, not hunger. By the way, if you're coming to Surprise brings lots of cash as Surprise Stadium doesn't take credit cards.

7. Team president and grand poobah Nolan Ryan watched the game from the second row behind the dugout, at times alongside long-time Rangers' radio voice Eric Nadel. After Monday's game Ryan stood at his seat and signed autographs for a good 30 minutes. Bravo.

6. If I could have Surprise March weather every day the rest of my life I'd be fine. Sunny during the day, nary a cloud with barely a breeze and high around 85; 60ish at night. Oh, and zilch humidity. I wouldn't choose to watch the Rangers cough up a 9-2 lead, but the environment made it bearable.

5. I asked Jon Daniels the other day to give me an under-the-radar player to watch, maybe even on the back fields here on the Surprise campus. The name: Doug Deeds. And what do you know? Deeds started last night in left field and singled his first time up. Dude has a sweet lefty swing.

4. In the second inning this announcement was made: "There is a red Cadillac in the parking lot, license plate number blah-blah-blah-blah-blah-blah. Your doors are locked...and the car is running." I know I'm in the retirement land of give-ups and grannies, but how is that possible?

3. I know he doesn't have a place on this team -- he's fresh out of chances after being handed the first base job numerous times -- but Chris Davis is having a dazzling spring. Last night he spanked a double to the power gap in his first at-bat, launched a homer to right-center next time up and finished 3 for 3. For the spring he's hitting .405 with a team-leading 11 RBI. Somebody's going to get a good, still relatively young player (he turns 25 today). Just won't be the Rangers. Davis is hinting at a trade, and considering the Rangers have Mitch Moreland at first and Adrian Beltre at third he might get it. Unless, that is, the Rangers decide they need an insurance policy in the minors. Unless, that is, super utility man Michael Young gets his trade outta here first.

2. C.J. Wilson wasn't his ace-sharp self. He allowed a first-inning homer to Ty Wigginton, surrendered seven hits in five innings, walked one and slipped and fell trying to make a play on a slow grounder. Two weeks from tomorrow Wilson faces off against Boston's Jon Lester in the April 1 season-opener at Rangers Ballpark.

1. Yes, there are times when we're going to miss Vladimir Guerrero. But Beltre smacked a single and a homer his first two times up and he plays a Gold Glove-ish third base. Vlad, in case you missed it, signed with the Baltimore Orioles. Yuck.

Tags:

Adrian Beltre, Baseball, Chris Davis, Ron Washington

Kergo

My prediction:

The Red Sox beat the little redshoes in the season opener behind a Lester no hitter and a Youki 6-6 masterpiece, and roll on to win the first of 101 victories, en route to a third championship in 8 years! My beloved Red Sox will be placed BACK in New England lore with the Patriots, Revere Beach, Bobby Orr, the Big Bad B's, Nauset Light and Zdeno Charra-yea haw!

In honor of New England, I'd like to propose a regional delight:

Boil clams, dip in melted butter, drink dat beera, repeat, then warsh it all down with a nice pasta fagioli and jug red wine (like Pa used to do!). Then move on to a buffet on stuffing balls, and a wilted italian salad with homemade oil/vinegar dressing (hint: 1/2 and 1/2, add sugar, spice, herb of choice dash of red wine). Then go Dipietro's in Medford Square for a pizza pie..........mmmmmm, with the grease dripping off it!

Then go to Mount Belknap in New Hampshire and go hiking, and throw it all up....like I did that one day two years ago. Hint: don't go hiking in the mountains after consuming italian food and cold bud.

ps-I'd like to aplogize to the Belknap Mountains for using the ridge as an American Standard.

therrick

How is 4 possible. Detach your keyless entry from your ignition key. I use it a lot during the winter to warm-up my car and keep it locked.

Scruffygeist

Or cars like the Nissan I had with keyless ignition. I could start the car, get out, lock it, and the key fob never left my pocket. Don't know if Caddy has that yet though.

TheRealDirtyP1

You can start your car remote with the doors locked. Most new cars have that. Maybe he/she pocket started their car?

Gary

There is a little icon with a "B" on it. It works two ways. Click it and text becomes bold. Click it again and items 10 through 6 become normal again.

Mishon

Really man? It was obviously a mistake. You are grasping at straws.

Harry Cox

mishon =

ManISuckHardOn Nads

Wash's ashtray

Am I the only one converned about how the bullpen is coughing up leads in the later innings of these games. I know its only spring but these are legit bullpen guys giving up leads to back of the roster guys on a regular basis.

Wash's ashtray

I meant "concerned"