Starter Scott Feldman started the game and pitched five innings giving up 7 hits and five earned runs.  In 19 games started this season Feldman currently has a record of 5-8 with a 5.48 ERA.  He gave way to reliever Dustin Nippert who recorded one out and a hit before being hit in the head by a line drive off of lea doff hitter Austin Jackson.  Nippert is listed at 6’8″ and I am sure most pitchers the ball would have just sailed over their head.

Darren O’Day relieved Nippert and got the final two outs of the inning working around one walk.  Alexi Ogando then pitched 1.1 innings giving up one hit and one run with one run and one strikeout.  In the eighth  inning with the Rangers leading by one run, Ogando gave up a single to Raman Santiago and he ended up on second base on an throwing error by Michael Young.  Ogando then walked the next batter to put men on first and second. 

Frank Francisco then replaced Ogando and gave up a single to Johnny Damon on a one out full count scored Santiago and moving base runnerAustin Jackson to third base.  Francisco then retired the next two batters and pitched a scoreless ninth inning, although he was credited with a blown save. 

Starter converted reliever Matt Harrison then pitched four scoreless innings with 2 hits and four walks and strikeouts.  In the top of the 14th inningVladimirGuerrero led off the inning with a ground out before Josh Hamilton walked on a 3-1 count.  Nelson Cruz then saved the day by sending a 1-2 pitch over the right field wall to score him and Hamilton to put the Rangers up 8-6.  Neftali Feliz then pitched the bottom of the 14th inning picking up his 25th save of the season giving up only one hit.

The Rangers improved their record to 54-38 leading the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim by five games.  The Rangers have a pretty amazing season so far and have pretty much plugged their roster effectively by acquiring catcher Benjie Molina and Starter Cliff Lee.  In four games back since the All-Star break the Rangers three out of the four games.

Throughout last season it was assumed that Damon would resign with the Yankees and would be in pinstripes again this year and beyond.  Then once the World Series came around and Hideki Matsui performedquite amazingly it seemed to put a little pressure on a possible return for him, although the Yankees wanted more versatility in their Designated Hitter and decided to not offer Matsui a contract.

After the World Series the Yankees took a little time to negotiate with their free agents and all in baseball knew that Scott Boras would be expecting a lot for Damon, probably more than he was worth as a 35 year old outfielder with a very weak arm.  So once it was decided that he wasn’t returning to the Yankees the possibilities were endless for Damon.

Damon would be a nice fit for the Rangers at a reasonable price, being able to play left field and fill in at the D.H. spot in the lineup occasionally, although the Rangers pursued more of a power threat in Vladimir Guerrero and signed him for 5.5 million for the year which was considerable less than what Boras was pursuing for the Damon.

The Rangers have made some pretty good off season moves without spending a lot of money, so it is possible it could pay off greatly by providing a trip to the playoffs.  In Major League Baseball you are always going to have the powerhouses such as the Yankees, Red Sox, Cubs and Angels which are going to run extremely high payrolls.  The Tampa Bay Rays had a payroll of just over 43 million in 2008 and they made it all the way to the playoffs before being beat by the Phillies.  The Florida Marlins had a payroll of just over 36 million last year and they won 87 games.

 If a team has a high payroll that is wonderful, but it really takes a good core of players which will work together in pursuit of one goal.  If a team with talent can come together they can go far in Baseball.

There are several players still on the market this off season who have the ability to make an impact on a team, but they don’t want to settle for anything less than what they feel they are deserved.  Sometimes your agent causes you to have this type of thinking.  One agent notorious for this in Baseball is Scott Borars.  Boras will get the best contract he can possibly get for his player.  As a player you wouldn’t want anything less from your agent.  Boras is rumored to tell teams that other teams have better offers out there, although the offers do not exist.  One prominent player who is represented by Boras is Alex Rodriguez who signed with the Texas Rangers after the 2000 season.  At the time of his signing Arod had an offer from the Mets also.  It is rumored that Arod wanted to play for the Mets, but the Rangers offered more money and at the urging of Boras he came to Texas.  His three years in Texas were great, although the Rangers who were in over their head by signing him, had trade him away and they paid for it the next four seasons.  Boras makes sure that players take the best offer out there.

Earlier this off season Johnny Damon who is another Boras client was offered a two year deal for 14 million by the Yankees.  Boras probably told him he was worth more and he turned the offer down.  Pitchers and catchers report in 8 days and Damon is still unsigned.  According to MLB.com Damon currently has a 1 year offer from the Braves and he probably won’t take it because its not up to his standards.  Sometimes players need to take their own career in their hands and decide what is more important playing baseball for less money or not putting the uniform on?