President's Day

Presidential talk in Texas continues. New Texas Rangers president Nolan Ryan made an appearance at Rangers camp in Surprise on Friday and his first order of business was announcing the two-year contract extension for GM Jon Daniels. Ryan has a four-year deal. Rangers owner Tom Hicks made a joke about the new president of the United States having a four-year deal so it was only fitting that Ryan should get one as well.  The impact Ryan will have on the organization should be interesting to watch. Ryan would have been in camp sooner but he was at the White House visiting his old friend President Bush. That "other" Presidential thing in the Lone Star State is right around the corner. Just don’t ask C.J. Wilson or his teammates about it.

Make no mistake, Edinson Volquez and Juan Dominguez are not the same type of player or person. Daniels made that clear when the topic came up. Both guys have talent. Both guys are young right-handed pitchers. Both guys are Dominican. Two people could not be more different. Dominguez is currently out of the game because of a history of personal problems and Volquez is now with the Reds and appears on his way to earning a spot in the rotation.  The guys are sometimes grouped together because they were/are young talents and both were disciplined by the club a few times for various mistakes in judgement. Volquez would get into trouble for being late or sometimes oversleeping. Dominguez raised eyebrows by locking himself in his hotel room and refusing to come out — on more than one occasion. Dominguez baffled (sometimes scared) the organization with odd behavior and things he did/said. Volquez just ticked people off with irresponsible behavior. See the difference?

Rangers team photographer Brad Newton created this website in order to honor his wife and help others who have suffered the loss of a loved one. It’s called 100 in 57 because that’s how his wife Cecillia lived — it’s like she lived 100 years in her 57 years on Earth.  He calls the site a place of hope and healing.