Saluting Sidney

If you'd have told me in March that the Rangers would have two complete games from their pitchers before the end of May, I'd have laughed.


If you'd have told me those pitchers would be Vicente Padilla and Sidney Ponson, I'd have said, "whatever" and "who?"


Sir Sidney was apparently exactly what the Rangers needed to slow down the Minnesota Twins. Ponson needed just 110 pitches to mow down the Twins, allowing just one run on six hits. He walked one (the redhot Delmon Young on four straight pitches) and struck out four, but relied heavily on his defense to turn some great plays as his groundball to flyball ratio was something like 18-3. Unbelievable.


While we're mentioning the defense, I would be remiss not to talk about the Michael Young we saw tonight. Okay, so I couldn't see the game, but by all accounts (stupid blackout restrictions!), he was playing like the all-star shortstop he has been in past seasons. Maybe something clicked. Maybe he was tired of hearing/reading about a possible move to 3rd base. Whatever it was, he showed he could still go get the baseball and make great throws across to 1st base.


The Rangers didn't necessarily need the long ball tonight, although they did get three of them -- Young, Kinsler and Laird. The offense seemed to come out of nowhere, pounding out seven runs in the top of the 6th to inject life in an otherwise sleepy game. Of course, I missed the part when Bradley and Washington were injected. Maybe the excitement really started there.


KISS: Sir Sidney Ponson. Wow. I have been truly impressed by what he's brought to this team. I definitely regret not taking advantage of the chance to get him know him better last month.


MISS: Tough call. There's not much to complain about. But I guess I'll say David Murphy for getting thrown out twice trying to get to third base (once on a fly ball and once trying to stretch a double into a single). I think 3B just had kryptonite all over it tonight where Murph was concerned.