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2008 Texas Rangers Season
The Texas Rangers 2008 season was the 48th year of the franchise and 37th since moving to Arlington, Texas. The organization, after finishing fourth in the American League Western Division in 2007. The new season would be the first under the oversight of newly hired club president and former Ranger great Nolan Ryan. Upon his hire, Ryan indicated that his role in the 2008 season would be largely observational with regard to baseball operations, and any major changes would be made following the conclusion of the regular season. The Rangers set a Major League record for the most doubles by a team in a season, with 376. Preseason Notable offseason transactions The Rangers' offseason was filled with activity as Jon Daniels moved to quickly acquire talent both on and off the field. The 2007 club roster fielded several arbitration-eligible players, whose status for 2008 remained unsure. Several of these players would sign short-term contracts with the Rangers while others would ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
American League West
The American League West is one of Major League Baseball's six divisions. The division has five teams as of the 2013 season, but had four teams from 1994 to 2012, and had as many as seven teams before the 1994 realignment. Although its teams currently only reside along the West Coast of the United States, west coast and in Texas, historically the division has had teams as far east as Chicago. From 1998 (when the NL West expanded to five teams) to 2012, the AL West was the only MLB division with four teams. The current champion of this division is the Houston Astros. In 2013, the Houston Astros went from the National League Central to the AL West. That move gives all six MLB divisions an equal five teams and both leagues an equal 15 teams each. Division membership Current members * Houston Astros - Joined in 2013; formerly from the National League West, NL West (1969–1993) and National League Central, NL Central (1994–2012) * Los Angeles AngelsThe Angels were formerly known as ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Salary Arbitration
Free agency in Major League Baseball (MLB) concerns players whose contracts with a team have expired and who are therefore eligible to sign with another team. Free agents may be eligible for pendulum arbitration, also called "salary arbitration" or just "arbitration" in baseball circles. History Free agency in MLB has existed since the 1972 ''Flood v. Kuhn'' Supreme Court case. One of the landmark decisions in the aftermath was the Messersmith/McNally Arbitration, also known as the Seitz Decision, which effectively destroyed the "reserve clause" in baseball. With the end of the reserve clause, the players and the league negotiated a new collective bargaining agreement which was signed on July 12, 1976. It gave players a broader range of options as free agents. In Major League Baseball, free agents were previously classified as either Type A, Type B, or unclassified. Type A free agents were those determined by the Collective Bargaining Agreement to be in the top 20% of all player ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Daniel Ray Herrera
Daniel Ray Herrera (born October 21, 1984) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cincinnati Reds, Milwaukee Brewers and New York Mets. Herrera became well known among baseball fans both for his small stature and for his unique pitch repertoire. He was one of the smallest pitchers in recent Major League Baseball history at 5' 6", and one of the few to throw a true screwball. Playing career Herrera attended Permian High School in Odessa, Texas. Undrafted out of high school, he was chosen by the Texas Rangers in the 45th round of the 2006 Major League Baseball draft out of the University of New Mexico The University of New Mexico (UNM; es, Universidad de Nuevo México) is a public research university in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Founded in 1889, it is the state's flagship academic institution and the largest by enrollment, with over 25,400 ..., where he played for the New Mexico Lobos baseball team. It was in ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Edinson Vólquez
Edinson Vólquez (; born July 3, 1983) is a Dominican former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Texas Rangers, Cincinnati Reds, San Diego Padres, Los Angeles Dodgers, Pittsburgh Pirates, Kansas City Royals and Miami Marlins. Vólquez signed with the Rangers in 2001 under the name of Julio Reyes. He went by Edison Vólquez after 2003, before adding an ''n'' to his first name in 2007. Early life Vólquez grew up in the Dominican Republic and started playing baseball when he was 9 or 10 with the support of his parents. "It was good for me because my mom and dad always took care of me... The only thing I did was go to school and play baseball." Professional career Texas Rangers Vólquez was signed as an amateur free agent by the Texas Rangers in the Dominican Republic in 2001. Together with John Danks and Thomas Diamond, Vólquez was one third of the "DVD" trio of Rangers pitching prospects. After spending four years in the Rangers' m ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are an American professional baseball team based in Cincinnati. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division and were a charter member of the American Association (19th century), American Association in 1881 before joining the NL in 1890. The Reds played in the NL National League West, West division from 1969 to 1993, before joining the Central division in 1994. For several years in the 1970s, they were considered the most dominant team in baseball, most notably winning the 1975 World Series, 1975 and 1976 World Series; the team was colloquially known as the "Big Red Machine" during this time, and it included National Baseball Hall of Fame, Hall of Fame members Johnny Bench, Joe Morgan and Tony Perez. Overall, the Reds have won five World Series championships, nine NL pennants, one AA pennant and 10 division titles. The team plays its home games at Great American Ball Park, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Josh Hamilton
Joshua Holt Hamilton (born May 21, 1981) is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as an outfielder from to , most prominently as a member of the Texas Rangers teams that won two consecutive American League pennants in 2010 and 2011. A five-time All-Star player, Hamilton won three Silver Slugger Awards and was named the American League (AL) Most Valuable Player (MVP) in 2010. He also won an AL batting championship along with an AL RBI title. During his major league tenure, he also played for the Cincinnati Reds and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Hamilton was the first overall pick in the 1999 MLB draft by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. He was considered a blue chip prospect until injuries sustained in a 2001 car accident and a drug addiction derailed his career beginning in 2001. Prior to the 2007 season, Hamilton was selected by the Chicago Cubs in the Rule 5 draft, but was traded to the Cincinnati Reds. Prior to the 2008 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Milton Bradley
Milton Bradley (November 8, 1836 – May 30, 1911) was an American business magnate, game pioneer and publisher, credited by many with launching the board game industry, with his eponymous enterprise, which was purchased by Hasbro in 1984, and folded in 1998. Biography Born in Vienna, Maine, in 1836, to Lewis and Fannie (Lyford) Bradley, Bradley grew up in a working class household. The family moved to Lowell, Massachusetts, in 1847. After completing high school in 1854, he found work as a draftsman and patent agent before enrolling at the Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences#History, Lawrence Scientific School in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He was unable to finish his studies after moving with his family to Hartford, Connecticut, where he could not find gainful employment. In 1856, Bradley moved to Springfield, Massachusetts, where he worked as a mechanical draftsman. In 1859, Bradley went to Providence, Rhode Island, Providence, Rhode Island, to learn lithograph ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Los Angeles Angels
The Los Angeles Angels are an American professional baseball team based in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Angels compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. Since 1966, the team has played its home games at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California. The franchise was founded in Los Angeles in 1961 by Gene Autry as one of MLB's first two expansion teams and the first to originate in California. Deriving its name from an earlier Los Angeles Angels franchise that played in the Pacific Coast League (PCL), the team was based in Los Angeles until moving to Anaheim in 1966. Due to the move, the franchise was known as the California Angels from 1965 to 1996 and the Anaheim Angels from 1997 to 2004. "Los Angeles" was added back to the name in 2005, but because of a lease agreement with Anaheim that required the city to also be in the name, the franchise was known as the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim until 2015. The current Lo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Warner Madrigal
Warner Antonio Madrigal (born March 21, 1984) is a Dominican professional baseball pitcher who is currently a free agent. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Texas Rangers (baseball), Texas Rangers, Nippon Professional Baseball for the Chunichi Dragons and in the Chinese Professional Baseball League for the Uni-President 7-Eleven Lions. Professional career Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim Madrigal was signed out of the Dominican Republic by the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Anaheim Angels in . After spending three years as an outfielder for the Cedar Rapids Kernels, the Angels' Low-A affiliate, Madrigal was converted to a pitcher in . At the end of the season, the Angels decided to protect Madrigal from the Rule 5 Draft by putting him on their 40-man roster on November 6. However, because Madrigal had spent 6 years in the minor leagues with one team, he became a free agent at the close of the 2007 World Series on October 29. Texas Rangers The Texas Rangers (bas ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Joaquín Benoit
Joaquín Antonio Benoit Peña (born July 26, 1977) is a Dominican former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Texas Rangers, Tampa Bay Rays, Detroit Tigers, San Diego Padres, Seattle Mariners, Toronto Blue Jays, Philadelphia Phillies, Pittsburgh Pirates, and Washington Nationals. Professional career Texas Rangers Signing with the Rangers at the age of 18, Benoit was with the Rangers' organization until 2009. Except rehab assignments after stints on the disabled list, he was with the Major League club full-time since midway through the 2003 season. Benoit's seven years with the Texas Rangers made him the second-longest tenured member of the team after Michael Young. Originally a starter, Benoit was moved to the bullpen part-time in the 2003 season. Since then, he had served in various relief roles, making spot starts as necessary. Benoit holds the Major League record for having recorded the longest save, seven innings, since it be ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Frank Francisco
Franklin Thomas Francisco (born September 11, 1979) is a Dominican former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Texas Rangers, Toronto Blue Jays, New York Mets and Chicago White Sox. Baseball career Francisco was originally signed as an amateur free agent by the Boston Red Sox. He was traded by the Red Sox to the Chicago White Sox on July 31, , along with Byeong Hak An, in exchange for reliever Bob Howry. On July 1, , the White Sox acquired Carl Everett from the Texas Rangers in exchange for three players to be named later. Texas Rangers On July 25, 2003, Francisco, Josh Rupe, and minor leaguer Anthony Webster were sent to the Rangers to complete the trade. Francisco is best known for participating in a notable incident involving fan violence. On September 13, , he threw a folding chair into the crowd during a game against the Oakland Athletics. The incident initially escalated when Rangers pitcher Doug Brocail confronted a fan. Fra ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rudy Jaramillo
Rudolpho "Rudy" Jaramillo a-dah-MEE-yoh(born September 20, 1950) is an American former professional baseball coach and player. Jaramillo graduated from Dallas's Sunset High School in 1970 and attended the University of Texas at Austin. He is best known for being a hitting coach at the major league level, most recently for the Chicago Cubs. During his time with the Texas Rangers, Jaramillo was the first individual in Rangers history to serve more than eight seasons on their major league coaching staff. He served as the Rangers' major league hitting coach for 15 seasons, from 1995 to 2009. Jaramillo also had the longest tenure with one team as a hitting coach in Major League Baseball (MLB). Jaramillo has been credited for the development of players such as Jeff Bagwell, Juan González, Adrián González, Iván Rodríguez, Mark Teixeira, and Michael Young, among others. Playing career Before his coaching career, Jaramillo was a minor league outfielder from 1973 through 1976. He ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
