Alex Rodriguez hits home run No. 600

Associated Press

Alex Rodriguez became the youngest player to hit 600 home runs Wednesday, reaching the milestone after a 12-game drought - and exactly three years to the day after his 500th homer - with a drive off Toronto's Shaun Marcum in the first inning at Yankee Stadium.

Rodriguez lofted a 2-0 pitch over the middle of the plate for his 17th homer of the season, giving the Yankees a 2-0 lead. The ball sailed over the center-field wall and landed in Monument Park, allowing a stadium worker to retrieve it for him.

A-Rod raised a hand slightly in triumph as he rounded first base, then completed his trot to the roar of the crowd. He joined an elite club that includes Barry Bonds (762), Hank Aaron (755), Babe Ruth (714), Willie Mays (660), Ken Griffey Jr. (630) and Sammy Sosa (609).

After coming out for a curtain call, Rodriguez received congratulations from teammates in the Yankees dugout. Many had raised their arms in joy when he finally connected.

The milestone homer provided a lift during a trying stretch for the Yankees. Not only have they watched the Tampa Bay Rays pass them for first place in the AL East, off the field they are still mourning the recent loss of owner George Steinbrenner, beloved public-address announcer Bob Sheppard and former manager Ralph Houk.

Despite saying he's been more relaxed than he was when trying for his 500th homer, Rodriguez went just 9 for 46 after homering on July 22, the longest stretch between Nos. 599 and 600 for any of the seven to reach the mark. Mays was next at 21 at-bats, according to STATS LLC. A-Rod went 28 without a home run before 500.

The Yankees' slugger turned 35 last Tuesday, putting his home run pace far ahead of the rest. Ruth had been the youngest to hit 600, reaching the mark in 1931 at 36 years, 196 days. The Sultan of Swat did it in fewer games, though - 2,044 to 2,227 for Rodriguez.

In the three years since hitting No. 500, much has changed for him.

During a tumultuous spring training of 2009, Rodriguez admitted to using steroids while playing for the Texas Rangers from 2001-03. He also had major hip surgery that kept him out the first month last year, as the team adjusted to high-profile newcomers CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett and Mark Teixeira without him.

He returned with a fresh outlook that put the team first, helping lead the Yankees to their first World Series championship since 2000 and reversing a trend of personal playoff failures.

Even though he went homerless in his first 41 at-bats this year and has connected at a much slower rate compared to the rest of his career, the 13-time All-Star has been saying that No. 600 is merely a springboard to better things - mainly helping his team win, but also reaching Bonds' record of 762 home runs.

Being the home run king comes with a tarnished crown, though.

After Bonds eclipsed Aaron's record with his 756th in 2007 amid accusations of steroid use - something Bonds vehemently denies - talk immediately turned to A-Rod, who days earlier had become the fastest to No. 500. He was supposed to be the player who would restore credibility to American sports' most cherished record, but that all changed two years later.

In response to a Sports Illustrated.com report and mounting speculation, A-Rod admitted to using steroids as he hit 156 homers with Texas. He has 255 with the Yankees and 189 with the Seattle Mariners, who picked him No. 1 in 1993 amateur draft.

Rodriguez is among only three players, along with Reggie Jackson and Darrell Evans, to hit 100 home runs for three different teams.

For one of the most scrutinized players in baseball, there was little fanfare in the run-up to No. 600 - perhaps it's Steroid Era fatigue or the fact that Rodriguez became the fourth player to reach the mark in the last 10 years after none in 31 years.

The pursuit of the home run record gets lucrative now. As part of his $275 million, 10-year deal signed after opting out of his contract during the 2007 World Series, Rodriguez can earn up to $30 million more for six milestone homers. The first would be tying Willie Mays. He'd get $6 million more each time for matching Ruth, Aaron and Bonds and breaking the record.

Rodriguez hit No. 100 in August 1998 with Seattle, No. 200 in May 2001 and No. 300 in April 2003 with Texas. His 400th home run came on June 8, 2005, against Milwaukee during his second season with the Yankees.

Paxton Holds No Grudges Towards Blue Jays

By MATTHEW SEKERES

2009 first-round pick says he bears no ill will toward organization despite Beeston's comments ultimately costing him his remaining NCAA eligibility

One year later, James Paxton has no regrets.

The pitcher from Ladner, B.C., was the first Canadian taken at last spring's Major League Baseball draft, selected 37th overall in the supplemental first round by the Toronto Blue Jays, who failed to sign him to a contract by an August deadline because they would not meet Paxton's signing-bonus demands.

Paxton, 21, says he doesn't begrudge the Jays for not meeting terms, nor president Paul Beeston, who compromised his amateurism with some out-of-school comments last summer. What ensued was a legal fight against the University of Kentucky and the National Collegiate Athletic Association, a battle Paxton's lawyer called a "civil rights case."

The battle has brought Paxton to an independent league in Texas, where he will make three more starts before the June 7 first-year player draft. The left-handed flamethrower is again expected to be selected in the first round.

Wilson Goes from Texas Bullpen to Reliable Starter

By STEPHEN HAWKINS AP Sports Writer

C.J. Wilson is coming off a complete game, has pitched at least six innings every start and is among the best in the American League with a 1.51 ERA.

Given his long-desired chance to be in the rotation again, five years after failing in that role as a rookie when coming off Tommy John surgery. Wilson then became a top reliever.

Now he has become the most reliable starter for the Texas Rangers.

"I'm just really filling out the job description, that's it," Wilson said. "There's no magic formula to like transitioning from one thing to the other or anything like that. It's not mystical in any sense."

Texas Rangers (20-17) at Toronto Blue Jays (22-16)

Baseball commissioner Bud Selig is ignoring calls to move next year's All-Star game from Phoenix because of Arizona's new immigration law.

He responded to such demands Thursday by defending baseball's record on minority hiring. Selig was speaking at an owners' meeting and said baseball has "done very well" in this regard.

He cited praise baseball had received from sports sociologist Richard Lapchick and an award the commissioner was given by the Jackie Robinson Foundation.

Selig also said he was concerned the proposed sale of the Texas Rangers has not been completed. (By RONALD BLUM AP Sports Writer)

The Toronto Blue Jays’ offense continues to show no signs of slowing down. With Brandon Morrow taking the mound, it may actually need to produce more, however.

It's Mid-May and Guess Who's Still Employed?

By RANDY GALLOWAY

Keeping it honest...

Go ahead and admit you had May 15 as the baseball date Ron Washington wouldn't see in Arlington, a month and a half into this season.

He'd be fired by yesterday. The cocaine thing in spring training, combined with an over-hyped team, fueled by Nolan Ryan throwing around his "92 wins" expectations, seemingly put Washington on an early collision course with unemployment.

And that was even before the games started, before so much went wrong for the Rangers. And don't underestimate how much did go wrong in April and into May, and is still going wrong.

Speaking of wrong, see Rich Harden, the team's big-ticket pitcher from last winter. He's a serious waste of money for a club that was squeezing dimes last winter just to sign Harden.

Plus, the rotation failure of Scooter Feldman is a major blow.

But through it all -- and with pitching surprises named C.J. Wilson and Colby Lewis -- ol' Ron, he tricked us again. So, of course, have the Rangers, at least from the standpoint of all the issues that conspired against any early success on the field.

As of Saturday, the team has hit another shallow ditch, with back-to-back losses in Toronto, but you know what, even with the ongoing give-and-take on Washington's managerial work, which is separate from that volatile cocaine thing, this guy is good at what he does.

Or, basically, really good at some of the key elements that lead to managerial shelf life, and go beyond the basic component, which comes down to how much talent is a manager blessed with.

Ron owns the clubhouse. That's his No. 1 skill.

MLB Teams Take Scouting to New Level, Track Umpires

By BEN WALKER AP Baseball Writer

Ron Washington flips the pages of his three-ring notebook, filled with inside info on the other team's pitchers and hitters.

The Texas manager gets to the back of the black binder, reaches into the pocket and pulls out another scouting report — on that night's home plate umpire.

It's a color-coded computer printout showing his strike zone — how he tends to call balls and strikes — and whether he usually gives the pitcher a break if the ball sails just off the corner of the plate. In this ump's case, the calls on the edges are too inconsistent to be predictable.

"We do have their tendencies in the dugout on the wall. The name of the umpire and his tendencies, what they call and what part of the zone they call strikes," Washington said.

"When I was playing, we just knew he was a high-ball umpire or a low-ball umpire, whether he was a pitcher's umpire or a hitter's umpire," he said.

Blue Jays Building a Winner from the Ground Up

By Morgan Campbell Sports Reporter

DUNEDIN, Fla.–If you think the crowds at the Rogers Centre are small, try a game in the Dominican Summer League, bottom rung of the Blue Jays' minor-league ladder.

Pitching prospect Luis Perez, who played there in 2005 and '06, says he has never seen fewer spectators as a pro.

"When I would pitch, there would be, like, 30 fans," said Perez, who went 9-11 at Double-A New Hampshire last season. "Maybe 25."

In the DSL, kids as young as 16 compete to move one step closer to the majors and Florida's Gulf Coast League prospects fresh out of high school also toil in front of similarly miniscule crowds.

Those destinations aren't sexy, but they're essential, the entry points to a minor-league system Toronto general manager Alex Anthopoulos and his staff hope will help propel the Jays back to major-league glory.

Game 15: Rangers at Blue Jays

Wow, the Rangers played fairly well yesterday, going into extra innings before dropping 6-8. I like Millwood in this one. He plays better on the road, at least with the Rangers, so I like our chances since Millwood has one of the best ERA's right now.

I am trying to get the images over to the Ranger Red, but it is taking a little longer than expected. Feldman will get the start on Saturday, or at least that was what was being said earlier. He pitched in yesterday's game, so I do not know if that will alter whether he is going to start or not.

Forecast: In due of time and that the first pitch is, like, any second... Rangers win this one with a score of 4-2.

Home Plate

Game 14: Rangers at Blue Jays

Rangers win the opener. And in good style, too. Topping Halladay isn't a walk in the park. McCarthy is starting to look like the guy we searched out for in the Danks/McCarthy trade. McCarthy is now the only Ranger pitcher with two wins.

Newsday’s Ken Davidoff reports that the Rangers have claimed right-handed reliever Darren O'Day off waivers from the Mets, who had designated the 26-year-old for assignment on Saturday to make room for Nelson Figueroa (whom the Mets then DFA’d the next day). No word on whose roster spot – on the Rangers’ 25-man and the 40-man – O’Day will take.

New York had drafted O'Day from the Angels via Rule 5 in December, so he must stay in the big leagues with Texas for now. If the Rangers later try to get him through waivers, as the Mets did, even if he were to clear than the Rangers would have to offer him back to the Angels for $25,000.

O’Day, who was undrafted out of the University of Florida, has a tremendous minor league pedigree closing games (2.76 ERA in three seasons, eight strikeouts and two-and-a-half walks per nine innings). He posted a 4.57 ERA as an Angels rookie last year and had pitched four times for the Mets this month, allowing no earned runs (two unearned) on five hits and a walk in three innings, fanning two.

The Rangers have placed righthander Kris Benson on the 15-day disabled list with right elbow tendinitis. Benson’s move to the DL clears a spot on the active roster for newly acquired reliever Darren O’Day.

Righthander Scott Feldman is expected to take Benson’s start (which was originally scheduled for tonight) on Saturday.

To make room on the 40-man roster for O’Day, righthander Dustin Nippert has been shifted from the 15-day disabled list to the 60-day disabled list.

Harrison is 0-2 and the only Ranger pitcher with two loses. He averages less than six innings of work per start, totalling 10.2 innings in two starts. The Rangers, as a team, have an ERA of 6.18 currently. Harrison adds that, sporting an 8.44 ERA. In fact, only five Rangers have an ERA of less than 6.18, including Millwood, Francisco, Jennings, McCarthy, and CJ Wilson.

On a good note, Harrison is what I call a rebound pitcher. Notably, he does well when he faces a team the second time around. His first start against a team he has never faced before generally does go too well. With that said, he has never faced the Blue Jays. He has faced Kevin Millar three times. Millar is 1-3 against Harrison. Still, it is tough to swallow and wait for him to get the cobwebs off before he starts to dominate.

Purcey has three starts thus far this season and is 0-1 with a 6.46 ERA. He has handed out 13 walks in 15.1 innings but also has 17 strikeouts over the same amount of time. I wouldn't expect him to go longer than six innings, and I question whether he will make if even five innings. Still, the Rangers have 13 at-bats and only one hit, which was a Chris Davis HR.

Forecast: This one is a bit tough to call. Toronto will get their runs for sure. Purcey has success against the Rangers. Will that success show up tonight? I doubt it. Score: 10-8, Blue Jays.

Home Plate

Game 11: Rangers vs. Blue Jays

The 'Jays are going down. Padilla had a bad start last night... and I don't know if Fukumori is really ready for the Majors. Three games and a 32.40 ERA to show for it. Can we say: Chan Ho Park? He's already starting to look like him, at least with effectiveness.

Luis Mendoza makes his debut after starting the season on the disabled list with a blister on his pitching hand. The rookie has never faced Toronto, and was 1-0 with a 2.25 ERA in three starts and six overall appearances in 2007. Nice.

Mendoza has been pitching for the AAA Redhawks. I almost called them the Rednecks. He threw 7.1 innings, giving up one run on seven hits. His WHIP was a weak 0.95 (HOW AWESOME IS THAT?). He snagged one win in his only start.

Mendoza faces off against Roy Halladay, who has some interesting stats. It depends on the source as to what you will read on Halladay vs. the Rangers. Take it from me. First off, Halladay's career hasn't been golden vs. the Rangers. That is true. His career numbers: 6-5 with 2 complete games. 98.1 innings, a 5.86 ERA, 1.52 WHIP, and the Rangers bat .295 against him. Now, the last three years? 4-1 with 2 complete games, 39.2 innings, and the Rangers bat .261 against him. So, his career numbers are very decieving.

Now, Halladay has been harder against the Rangers in Toronto than in the Ballpark. He's thrown a 4.38 ERA in Arlington, a 2-1 record, while allowing a .287 batting average. And when did that loss come? Why, last year. Halladay posted a 15.19 ERA in Arlington and busted out a .444 batting average for the Rangers. So, what trend do I go with? The Queen says the Rangers are going to win...

On a side note, my little family is going to the Rangers game tonight. So, tonight more than ever, I want the Rangers to win. Will Mendoza be all kinds of sharp? I think Mendoza is going to play sharp. I also feel the same way about Halladay. This could be a game decided by how good the bullpen does... if that is the case... well, who really knows. I will side with the Queen on this one. Forecast: Rangers win 4-2.

Home Plate

Game 10: Rangers vs. Blue Jays

Everyone needs to look-out. I got all three of those guys to bust through yesterday. And, one of those wins was with the score exactly correct! NICE...

Today it is the Toronto Blue Jays against the Texas Rangers: Jesse Litsch (1-0) vs. Vicente Padilla (1-0).

Litsch has thrown five innings this season. He has never thrown against the Rangers. Last season he finished with a 3.81 ERA while pitching an impressive 111 innings in his rookie season. His record (7-9) however didn't reflect just how good he was. I guess I should note that even if you pitch a no-hitter, you can still find a way to lose. This season he has a 3.60 ERA. No Ranger batter has ever faced this kid.

Now, Padilla has done a great job tossing the ball. In 13 innings, he has given up 17 hits and five runs (four earned), while starting out with a 1-0 record over two starts. Toronto as a team bats .189 average (23-122) with no one really standing out as doing a great job against Padilla. He has four starts against Toronto, going 3-1 over 27.2 innings. The Jays bat .243 and Padilla throws a 3.25 ERA when these two teams collide.

The stats speak for themself. And since Toronto is a Canadian team, the Queen says the Rangers. And I think she's right on this one. Experience prevails over Youth... Forecast: Rangers win it: 6-3.

Home Plate

Rangers vs. Blue Jays

Bah - HUMBUG! That's what I am feeling these days. I know my Rangers are going to pull this out and win the division and make the playoffs for the first time since 1999. Maybe they should start partying like it's 1999. That could possibly turn things around. And to add insult to injury the Mavericks lost last night. I make a prediction of Mavs in seven, but keep my hopeful mind to something less than that. Well it's seven or over. I would think that Avery Johnson is spending the ENTIRE day talking to his team about what they are going to do in Game 5. They shouldn't even thing about games 6 or 7. They have to take care of the G5 business first. If the Mavs give the Warriors a "knock them down and kick them for falling" defeat, (A-LA 20+ point loss), that might give them enough gusto to go back to the Eureka Arena, or whatever it's called, and slap them silly there, thus coming back home for Game 7, winner take all. That's actually what I see on my Weather-Channel right now.

Rangers vs. Blue Jays

Vicente "Beanball" Padilla goes up against the Blue Jay Ace, Harry Leroy Halladay. Both guys are born in 1977, Padilla in September and Harry in May. I just like calling him Harry. I don't know, it just seems fun. I wonder if his parents call him Harry. Halladay comes already with an impressive 2007. Check this out:

• He's thrown a 10 inning complete game.
• He hasn't pitched less than 6 innings (which only happened once on April 2nd).
• Every start for Halladay has been a Quality Start (5).
• His last start, he collected 10 strike-outs, walking none, in 8 innings against Boston.

At home, Halladay has a 1.56 ERA, in two starts - one against Boston and Detroit. He's averaging over 7 innings a start. In his career at home, he has 53-23 record, 15 CG and 5 shutouts with a 3.34 ERA. April is Halladay's worst month (almost, but let me explain this through). Halladay has his highest ERA this month, although the worst month (wins-losses) would be August (10-11 vs. 17-11 in April). Halladay's ERA by month:

• April: 4.44
• May: 3.23
• June: 3.63
• July: 3.47
• August: 4.37
• September: 2.45
• October: 0.53

I guess the question remains - is Halladay having a "May frame of mind", or is he still thinking April? By the looks of his 2.58 ERA, I would say he's somewhere in September. The Rangers are a team who happen to do fairly well against Halladay. The team historically bat a .297 against him and are 4-4 against the Ace. His ERA against the Rangers is 5.77. The Rangers are tied third for hitting the most homeruns off of him (Boston [18] and Baltimore [12] have more, tied with Tampa Bay) with 11. Currently, things look a little different with the roster the Rangers have. The current team is batting .237 (33-139) against Halladay with four players boasting homeruns off of him (totalling up to 5 dingers). The hitters:

• Michael Young: 9-24 (.375 ave.; 1 triple, 1 HR, 4 RBIs)
• Hank Blalock: 9-23 (.391 ave.; 2 doubles, 2 HRs, 3 RBIs - WARNING: 8 Ks)
• Frank Catalanotto: 5-22 (.227 ave.; 1 double, 2 triples, 5 RBIs - NOTE: Will not play today due to injury)
• Mark Teixeira: 3-11 (.273 ave.; 1 HR, 2 RBIs)
• Sammy "Hunting 600" Sosa: 2-9 (.222 ave.; 1 double, 1 HR - WARNING: 3 Ks)
• Ian Kinsler: 0-3 (.000 ave.; I just put this here to show that the guy is going to raise this today, should he be in the lineup - he better'd be.)

There's six players, five of which should be in the lineup tonight. Time to check out Padilla, who in five starts, the Rangers haven't won a single game he has started (0-5 when Padilla takes the hill). But there is some good news, he does have two Quality Starts despite his 0-3 record, and since his first start left him with an ERA of 11.57, he has consistently dropped that ERA down with each outing (currently at 5.79). He's pitched at home once out of his five starts, and that start seemed to me to be the better of his five. Padilla has not hit a 100 pitch count this season.

In his career against Toronto, Padilla has compiled 13 2/3 innings of work in two starts, going 2-0 and a building a 3.29 ERA. Padilla needs to continue to do this tonight. His problems thus far in the season (it may go without saying, but I'll say it anyway): Strikeouts are WAY down, walks are WAY up. Padilla had 70 walks last year and 74 the year before last; he has 16 in five starts. He's on pace for 104 walks and only 65 Ks. That's a pace of 91 strikeouts less that last year, and obviously 34 walks more. What it means is more balls put into play with runners on base. It's not a good combination. I think Padilla can bring a good showing tonight.

Toronto is hitting .250 against Padilla. They have one "shot-in-da-stands" and 5 runs, all earned. Padilla only walked two and struck out 13 in his two starts against them. This should be a very good game. The Boo Jay hitters:

• Lyle Overbay: 4-17 (.235 ave.; 1 double, 1 HR, 7 RBIs) WARNING: 4 BBs
• Frank Thomas: 3-16 (.188 ave.; 2 HRs, 2 RBIs)
• Jason Phillips: 5-14 (.357 ave.; 1 double, 1 HR, 1 RBI)
• Gregg Zaun: 3-10 (.300 ave.; 1 double, 1 RBI)
• Troy Glaus: 1-9 (.111 ave.; 1 double) NOTE: 3 Ks
• Vernon Wells: 1-6 (.167 ave.; 1 RBI)
• Matt Stairs: 1-4 (.250 ave.; 1 RBI)

Now, the current Boo Jay roster is only hitting .204 against Padilla, but the OBP is .293 due to 13 walks those players have. The current team has four HRs and 13 RBIs on 103 at-bats. This really feels like it is too close to call. My gut is telling the game will be decided by the bullpen and not by Padilla or Harry. Both starters will go into the seventh inning, or at least finish the sixth. Padilla will surpass the 100 pitch mark for the first time this season. Happy Harry Halladay will give up enough runs to not let him pitch a complete game, as well as not get a Quality Start for the first time this season. Time for the Forecast!

Forecast: Into the 'pen we go, especially after an exchange of bruises from each side, possible ejections on the young year. Rangers prevail during "dirty-ball", win 6-4.

Rangers vs. Blue Jays

Wow. Mavs got killed. In March, I had a thought about the NBA playoffs. I thought that there are two teams the Mavs should not play. And if Dirk, Josh, and the rest of the Mavs survive the Golden Snake, they may have to face the second team in the Western Conference, should they eliminate the Spurs. My prediction of a Mavs loss came true. I just didn't think it would be anywhere near THAT bad. But the Suns are the other team... the Mavs would role over the Spurs and anyone else for that matter... but when it comes to the Suns or the Warriors, they just don't do so well. Anyway, I think they can hold up to Warriors in a seven gamer, but it won't go that far. I believe Mavs in SIX. Avery Johnson almost jumped out on the court and started to play in Game 3... he'll turn this around, or by the end of game 4, he will be playing in his suit!

Now, I guess it is to the topic at hand: Rangers vs. Blue Jays. Sammy "Hunting 600" Sosa has hit 3 home-runs in the last two games and is up to 595 in his career. Closer... Closer... OK, we have Kevin Millwood (2-3) up against Gustavo Chacín (2-1) in a day game in Toronto (Noon, Central Time). I'm just going to call this guy "Gus" for short. And since I bold it, that makes it official. Gus has thrown 14 1/3 innings against the Rangers and only given up one UN-earned run (that's an ERA of 0.00, for those scoring at home). What makes things even worse is the lack of hitting, which is 6 hits over those 14 and a partial frames. That is less than one hit every two innings. Could this Gus go all nine with a shutout? Or worse, ANOTHER NO-NO? I will put it bluntly, yes and no. Yes, he can go all nine and shutout the Rangers, and Gus can even throw a no-hitter against us, for a second in one month (OUCH, that hurts to say it!), but I would say that it is more likely for my cat to go get a drivers license than that happening. Here's three reasons why:

1. Gus hasn't even thrown a complete game. EVER. I don't see it happening tomorrow, either. Very early in the season.
2. He's coming off a bad start against Baltimore and didn't last through the 5th inning.
3. The Rangers are showing signs of hitting again, especially power.

The Rangers do not hit Chacín well, like I had said, and that does include the off-season adjustments. The current roster is 6-30 (two doubles: Sosa and Byrd) and seven walks, three of which are Sammy Sosa's. And that is it... not much else to tell on Chacín.

Talk about concerning, the Rangers Ace, Kevin Millwood, has thrown up 5 runs in each of his last two starts. And he has seen his ERA jump from a nice 3.71 to 5.46 in those two starts. Millwood has pitched at least 5 innings in each of his starts, but hasn't exceeded the 6 inning mark once this season. Thus far, on the surface, Gus has the immediate advantage of consistency, with his exception of one hiccup. Kevin is 2-1, however, when he goes six innings. If he can go that distance, the Rangers have a 66.7% chance of a win. Not bad. Millwood has had five starts in his career against Toronto, going 1-3. He has one complete game against them. In the 28 innings he has thrown, he's given up two home-runs, 31 hits, 13 walks, struckout 24, all leading up to 19 runs (all earned) for a career 6.11 ERA against the Jays. Yuck. And, of course, it is still April - Millwood's "I'm a H E X to baseball" month... let's find something encouraging about this... there's got to be something... OK! His complete game did come at the Rogers Centre, and he's 1-2 in Toronto. Kevin's thrown 21 innings at Rogers and only given up one dinger and has a 3.43 ERA in Toronto! Again, I think that Millwood needs to see a doctor and figure out how to get focused and mentally organized to pitch in April, and the dude can truly dominate in baseball - I mean dominate as in Smoltz and Maddux domination. The hitters on the Jays who have faced Kevin:

• Matt Stairs: 4-20 (.200 ave; 1 double, 1 HR, 3RBI)
• Frank Thomas: 8-15 (.533 ave; 1 double, 1 HR, 3RBI)
• Gregg Zaun: 1-13 (.077 ave; 1 double, 4RBI)
• Royce Clayton: 2-11 (.182 ave; 2 doubles)
• Vernon Wells: 0-8 (The well is dry... )

I wasn't going to put Vernon Wells on here, but I thought that since he signed a nice contract with them, I owed him that much, right? So let's see now...

Forecast: Rangers make it two straight wins. Why? Millwood goes six innings and there is just enough run support to make things jive. Score: 6-5.

Rangers vs. Blue Jays

OK, a snap-shot again today (I'm on Valium, so please cut me some slack on my typing and whether I make sense or not).

Rangers bring the best guy they have going right now, Robinson Tejeda against Josh Towers of the Blue Jays. Towers is 1-2 with a 3.44 ERA. He's given up 7 runs in 18 1/3 innings, his only win coming off a performance where Josh threw 7 2/3's of shutout baseball. The Rangers are happy to face him, since Towers is a stemping stool to them with a career 0-3 mark and a 7.90 ERA. He's handed out 8 homeruns in a mere 27 1/3 career innings against the Rangers. Robby has a 3.55 ERA and a 2-1 record. He has one no-decision, which the Rangers won 4-3 in his last start, against Oakland. When Tejeda is on, he's good for at least six innings. In fact, in the games which the Rangers won, he's gone at least 6 1/3 innings. His only loss, he pitched 5 innings. This will be a ground-breaking night for Tejeda: He's never faced Toronto. He's faced six batters on the roster, who are a combined 0-9 against him, with 2 walks and 1 strikeout. This could be a good night for "Starry, Starry Guys" (that's the Rangers, by the way).

Sammy Sosa is going to bat clean-up tonight. NICE! Maybe he can repeat yesterday's performance of two-fer-dingers. I doubt it, but Towers should be the guy do it. OK - bas news... Sosa is 0-9 against Towers in his career. I guess it just means he is due. Michael Young is a .429 hitter with a homerun, Tex is 1-7, The Cat is 3-6 with two homeruns, and Kenny Lofton is 4-7. There are some ugly numbers and then there are some brilliant numbers. Hopefully the brilliant numbers will show up tonight. The Rangers are due. Lately, they haven't been as patient at the plate (extremely few walks) while the opposition has been amazily patient (double digits? REALLY???). Tejeda can show he has some veteran poise tonight by ending a loosing streak.

Forecast: Rangers pull off a gem over the "BOO JAYS" - Sosa goes homeless, but walks to first: score 4-2.

Rangers vs. Toronto

The Rangers have scored 4 runs in the last four games. On the flipside, the Rangers have given up 23 runs in those same 4 games. They are 1-3. And have dropped from First to Third in a stretch of actually just the last three games, all losses. John Daniels is in search of a pitcher. He is shopping Kevin Mench. I agree, we need a starter… the last four games, the ERA has been 6.27, and that is with a game in which we won 2-1. The last three games, the ERA is 8.25. A starter is not going to address the 4 runs in the last four games. But honestly, I still trust Rudy. Baseball should trust Rudy. I think they do. Everyone has wanted Rudy in the past and should Rudy ever want to leave the Rangers, that would be a huge blow to the organization.

Rangers (47-46) vs. Toronto (52-40)
Padilla (9-5) vs. Marcum (0-0)
The Rangers need the win… Padilla is hot. He’s actually the best thing the Rangers have going right now. And Marcum hasn’t started for the Boo Jays this year. So, I’m going to go with the hot, experienced major leaguer. My only concern is the Ranger’s bats, but Padilla’s ERA of late should compensate.

Millwood (9-5) vs. Janssen (6-8)
Milly is better on the road, sporting a 2.85 ERA away from home. You almost don’t want to see him at Ameriquest field with an ERA like that. He has a record of 6-1 on the road, as well, which means he has a 3-4 at home. Kinda makes you think how Buck sets up the rotation, doesn’t it? Anyway, I would tweak things to give Milly more road starts. Janssen hasn’t been doing so good. He’s dropped five of his last six decisions. His ERA has gone from 3.07 on June 7th to 4.72 on July 14th.

The thing is, the Rangers are a better team than the Blue Jays. They really are. But the question is, will the score reflect that in the end? The Rangers should win both these games, and they should win them without a doubt. They are better. They have the talent. They have the hitters. They have the pitchers. Will they take the field and show the world what they are capable of?