Date: Sat, 21 Aug 1999 06:54:28 -0500
Reply-To: Texas Rangers MLB Discussion <RANGERS@TAMU.EDU>
Sender: Texas Rangers MLB Discussion <RANGERS@TAMU.EDU>
From: Beau Sharbrough <beau@CONNECT.NET>
Subject: Notes from last night's game

Hi gang,

GaryC and I found ourselves in sec.41 at the BallPark last night. We saw a few things that don't translate as well from TV, I thought I'd toss them out.

* Ramon, I mean Nomar is the real deal. He hits, he fields, he's awesome. The rest of the tepid RedSox lineup will get you beat 4-3. This man can throw like Pudge.
* There was a guy in a dark part of the stands, wearing a trenchcoat and hat and smoking a cigarette, who told us the real story on Loaiza's hand injury. He says it was not Steve's wife who closed the car door on his hand, but a devoted fan, under "contract" to pitching coach Dick Bosman. "You throw that sidearm sh*t again and I'll break your hand," Bozz threatened. When Stevie didn't get it, someone closed the door on his hand and promised that when he came off the dl if he threw any more of that sidearm crap it would happen again. I think that this smoking guy knows something, because it appears that Steve has finally gotten the message. I love creative approaches to problems.
* The following Rangers are hitting the old Al Oliver frozen ropes: Gonzalez, Palmeiro, Stevens. Gonzalez and Stevens hit doubles that were just about as fast as I've seen a ball get to the wall. It's a gravity defying act you've got to see.
* Palmeiro has 34 homers and 111 rbi. I sent a note about Tom Scheiffer, whose ego cost the Rangers 5 years of enjoying Raffy in red, to the smoking man.
* Pudge and Todd Zeile have temporarily lost it. Neither looks comfortable at the plate. Todd in particular can't seem to get ready to swing in time. He's still pulling his bat back when the ball gets to the plate. His efforts to regroove his swing are painful to watch. I saw the Smoking Man shaking his head several times.
* Lee Stevens is so in the leather. TZ pulled him into the basepath and he just laid out there and made the play. I thought he'd get hit and I know I saw the smoking man write in his notepad.
* The Bosox have a reliever named Garces who looks like he's way fat. Don't be deceived. This guy plays defense from foul line to foul line and only let one Rangers ground ball out of the infield. I think he had one of those nights where everything is perfect. I remembered a Rangers rookie, Dreyer I think, chasing foul balls all the way to the stands. In case you can't tell it, I like enthusiasm on the field.
* Two balls go off Gonzalez' glove in two nights. I want to get a look at that glove. It was a good hustle play by Igor, but a long run followed by a muffed catch will get him a baseball career that looks a lot like mine. Of course, Igor hits a lot better than me. GaryC and I discussed it and I have the arm to play GM.
* I've never been at the park when Zimm pitched. He's wicked good. He can throw so low. Last night, a 9 pitch inning, two
balls.
* Why does anyone throw a strike to Pudge and Juan?
* Stano left it wherever Zeile left it.
* Offerman and Goodwin turned in surprising efforts in the field. 
* It appeared that the Red Sox wanted to hit the ball to Rusty all night. (That's paranoia speaking. They don't know where it will go).

--
-Beau
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Beau Sharbrough 
www.connect.net/beau
Grapevine, Texas