Daily Ticket: The Blog

Tuesday's Pick 6

Six links to click before heading to the water cooler:

1. Texas Rangers 3, Kansas City Royals 0: C.J. Wilson allowed two hits over 7 2/3 innings and is 7-0 with a 1.99 ERA since the All-Star break. Oakland's 11-5 loss to the New York Yankees pushed the Rangers' lead back to 8 1/2 games. Game 2 of the Rangers-Royals series is tonight in Kansas City (7:10 p.m., Fox Sports Southwest).

2. Rangers notes: Rich Harden is headed to the bullpen, as Derek Holland takes his spot in the rotation.

3. The Rangers announced they plan to extend agreements with three of their minor-league affiliates, but Class AAA Oklahoma City and High-A Bakersfield (Calif.) were not among those. Speculation is that the Rangers could be moving their Triple-A team to the Round Rock franchise Nolan Ryan owns.

4. Dallas Cowboys coaches are still discussing whether offensive struggles during the preseason will result in them playing starters more than expected in Thursday night's preseason finale.

5. Jennifer Floyd Engel: Wade Phillips' sudden switch to optimism over preseason results is a difficult switch to figure, even by Phillips' standards.

6. The Texas Longhorns will start 250-pounder Cody Johnson at tailback Saturday against Rice, and freshman Case McCoy will be the backup quarterback behind Garrett Gilbert.

-- David Thomas

Monday's Pick 6

Six links to click before heading to the water cooler:

1. Oakland Athletics 8, Texas Rangers 2: The A's took two of three in Arlington and now trail the Rangers by 7 1/2 games. The Rangers begin a 10-game road trip tonight in Kansas City (7:10 p.m., Fox Sports Southwest).

2. Rangers notes: With an off day coming Thursday, every starting pitcher will be given an extra day off.

3. Gil LeBreton: Five years after Hurricane Katrina, the rebuilding of New Orleans remains a point of pride for Rangers manager Ron Washington.

4. The Dallas Cowboys' offensive struggles in the preseason have coaches planning to play starters in Thursday's final preseason game instead of resting them.

5. Texas A&M coach Mike Sherman has embraced Aggies traditions that predecessor Dennis Franchione ignored.

6. Japan 4, Hawaii 1: Japan ended the United States' run of five consecutive Little League World Series championships. In the third place game, Taiwan defeated Texas 14-2.

-- David Thomas

Friday's Pick 6

Six links to click before heading to the water cooler:

1. Minnesota Twins 6, Texas Rangers 4: The Twins avoided a four-game sweep by getting to Cliff Lee for five runs in five innings. The Rangers' lead is 8 1/2 games over the Oakland Athletics, who begin a three-game series in Arlington tonight (7:05 p.m., KTXA/Channel 21).

2. Randy Galloway: Lee says he isn't tired, but his recent struggles at least make us reconsider those thoughts about signing him to a big-money contract as soon as possible.

3. Rangers notes: Reliever Frank Francisco said he feels good after getting a cortisone shot to help with tightness in his arm.

4. Nose tackle Jay Ratliff has emerged as a leader for the Dallas Cowboys, and he just might have become the Cowboys' best player.

5. Cowboys Insider: Safety Orlando Scandrick is expected to play in Saturday's preseason game against the Houston Texas despite breaking his nose.

6. The Colonial and Byron Nelson have switched dates for 2011, with the Colonial scheduled for May 19-22 and the Nelson the following week.

-- David Thomas

Thursday's Pick 6

Six links to click before heading to the water cooler:

1. Texas Rangers 4, Minnesota Twins 3: With Neftali Feliz and Frank Francisco unavailable, five relievers combined to pitch three shutout innings. Josh Hamilton hit his 30th home run and Vladimir Guerrero was 3-for-4 with a homer. The Rangers go for a four-game sweep tonight (7:05 p.m., Fox Sports Southwest).

2. Rangers notes: A string of left-handed starters for opponents gives Jorge Cantu a chance to "get something going" at the plate.

3. Randy Galloway: Just as many eyes will be looking at the seats as the teams on the field when TCU opens its season against Oregon State at Cowboys Stadium. How many of those seats will Frogs fans fill?

4. Dallas Cowboys special teams coach Joe DeCamillis sets the example for his players.

5. Cowboys Insider: Although it's a preseason game against a regular-season opponent, this week's game against the Houston Texans still carries plenty of significance for the Cowboys offense.

6. The story behind Farrington Field, which is entering its 71st season as "the place" for Fort Worth high school football players.

-- David Thomas

Wednesday's Pick 6

Six links to click before heading to the water cooler:

1. Texas Rangers 4, Minnesota Twins 3: The Rangers' bullpen blanked the Twins for 2 2/3 innings, Josh Hamilton hit his 29th home run, and Andres Blanco went 2-for-3 and scored the go-ahead run in the seventh inning. C.J. Wilson faces Brian Duensing in the third game of the series tonight (7:05 p.m., Fox Sports Southwest).

2. Gil LeBreton: With Joaquin Arias designated for assignment and Cristian Guzman injured, it is Andres Blanco's turn to fill Ian Kinsler's second base spot, and Blanco is ready -- as he has been all season.

3. Kinsler is ramping up his baseball activities and could go out on a rehab assignment this week.

4. Rookie safety Barry Church, whose name was never called during the NFL Draft, is one of 10 rookies that could make the Cowboys' roster.

5. Cowboys Insider: Roy Williams says the addition of Dez Bryant could give the Cowboys one of the best groups of receivers in NFL history.

6. The season opener between No. 6 TCU and No. 24 Oregon State at Cowboys Stadium is still more than a week away, but the teams are already excited about the national spotlight the game will be in.

-- David Thomas

Tuesday's Pick 6

Six links to click before heading to the water cooler:

1. Texas Rangers 4, Minnesota Twins 0: Four Rangers pitchers held the Twins hitless into the ninth inning before Joe Mauer broke up the no-hitter with a one-out single off Neftali Feliz. Rich Harden pitched the first 6 2/3 innings, striking out six and walking five. Game 2 of the four-game series is tonight in Arlington (7:05 p.m., Fox Sports Southwest).

2. Jennifer Floyd Engel: Cliff Lee "mailing it in," as one national radio host has said? That's laughable.

3. Rangers notes: Ian Kinsler, Nelson Cruz, Cristian Guzman and Dustin Nippert all are getting close to beginning minor-league rehab assignments.

4. Five Dallas Cowboys in danger of not making the roster and five players whose stock has increased.

5. Cowboys Insider: Dez Bryant has started running, but he won't play this weekend. A return for the final preseason game is possible.

6. Tiger Woods and Elin Nordegren are officially divorced. Terms of the divorce were not disclosed.

-- David Thomas

Monday's Pick 6

Six links to click before heading to the water cooler:

1. Texas Rangers 6, Baltimore Orioles 4: Josh Hamilton and Vladimir Guerrero hit three-run homers and Tommy Hunter pitched eight innings as the Rangers ended a 2-5 East Coast road trip holding an eight-game lead in the West. The Rangers begin a four-game series with the Central-leading Minnesota Twins tonight in Arlington (7:05 p.m., Fox Sports Southwest).

2. Gil LeBreton: Injuries have caused big problems for the Rangers, but those July trades haven't been producing enough results to this point.

3. Rangers notes: Scott Feldman's sore knee could send him to the disabled list.

4. The good news: Tony Romo came out of the San Diego Chargers game unhurt. The bad news: The running game is still hurting.

5. Safety Gerald Sensabaugh has a subluxation in his left shoulder. We'll have to see if he will be able to return in time for the regular-season opener.

6. Myths and stereotypes remain, but visiting a hypnotist is one way athletes attempt to overcome problems and fears on the fields of competition.

-- David Thomas