Daily Ticket: The Blog

Friday's Pick 6

Six links to click before heading to the water cooler:

1. Dallas Mavericks 103, Portland Trail Blazers 96: The Mavs trailed by 12 early, led by 17 in the second half, then held off a big Blazers charge to advance out of the first round for the second time in five years. The Mavs' second-round series with the Los Angeles Lakers begins Monday.

2. Mavs notes: Tickets for the Lakers series -- the Mavs' two guaranteed home games are May 6 and 8 -- go on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday.

3. No trade, no surprise with the Dallas Cowboys selecting USC offensive lineman Tyron Smith at No. 9 in the NFL Draft.

4. Randy Galloway: One thing the newest Cowboy does not lack is confidence.

5. Toronto Blue Jays 5, Texas Rangers 2: The Jays' three-run ninth -- including two unearned runs -- sends the Rangers on a West Coast trip having lost three of their last four. The Rangers play the Oakland Athletics tonight (9:05 p.m., KTXA/Channel 21).

6. Gil LeBreton: The Rangers' offense needs to catch up to the starting pitching.

-- David Thomas

 

Thursday's Pick 6

Six links to click before heading to the water cooler:

1. The Dallas Mavericks go for the close-out win tonight against the Portland Trail Blazers in Game 6 (9:30 p.m., TNT and KTXA/Channel 21).

2. Randy Galloway: Don't expect the Mavs to win this series tonight in Portland, but you can expect them to do so when they return home for Game 7 Saturday.

3. Texas Rangers 7, Toronto Blue Jays 6: Derek Holland gave up five runs and 11 hits in five innings, but a six-run third and clutch pitching late by Arthur Rhodes and Darren Oliver helped the Rangers end a two-game losing streak. The final game of the four-game series is this afternoon in Arlington (1:05 p.m., Fox Sports Southwest and MLB Network).

4. Reliever Darren O'Day was placed on the 60-day disabled list with a partially torn labrum in his left hip. Ryan Tucker was called up to take his place.

5. The Dallas Cowboys haven't selected an offensive lineman in the first round of the NFL Draft since 1981, but that might change tonight (7 p.m., ESPN and NFL Network).

6. Jennifer Floyd Engel: What the Cowboys need most in this draft for is Jerry Jones to be his un-sensible self.

-- David Thomas

Wednesday's Pick 6

Six links to click before heading to the water cooler:

1. Toronto Blue Jays 10, Texas Rangers 3: Matt Harrison suffered his first bad start, allowing seven runs over three innings. Game 3 of the four-game series is tonight in Arlington (7:05 p.m., Fox Sports Southwest).

2. The Dallas Cowboys appear to have targeted four players for their pick at No. 9 in Thursday's NFL Draft, although an early run on quarterback could set up the Cowboys for a trade down.

3. Cowboys notes: The day after the lockout ended, players were not allowed to work out at Valley Ranch.

4. The next challenge for the Dallas Mavericks is to end the series in Portland with Thursday night's Game 6.

5. Gil LeBreton: The TCU baseball team's 7-4 loss to Oklahoma on Tuesday night was its eighth consecutive against the Sooners, adding to the Horned Frogs' frustrations.

6. Rising interest in TCU quarterback Andy Dalton has amounted to a busy month for him in advance of this week's NFL Draft.

-- David Thomas

Tuesday's Pick 6

Six links to click before heading to the water cooler:

1. Dallas Mavericks 93, Portland Trail Blazers 82: The Mavs bounced back from Saturday's meltdown with a strong effort to take a 3-2 series lead. Game 6 is Thursday night in Portland.

2. Jennifer Floyd Engel: The Mavs took back control of the series because they, not the refs, were the ones who made their presence felt.

3. Mavs notes: A switch to a zone defense helped limit Brandon Roy to five points of 2-of-7 shooting.

4. Toronto Blue Jays 6, Texas Rangers 4: Three home runs in the fifth inning staked Toronto to a 6-0 lead. Game 2 of the series is tonight in Arlington (7:05 p.m., Fox Sports Southwest).

5. Rangers notes: Brandon Webb, Tommy Hunter and Scott Feldman all are taking steps forward in their return from injuries.

6. TCU's Jeremy Kerley is expected to be drafted from the fourth to sixth rounds.

-- David Thomas

Monday's Pick 6

Six links to click before heading to the water cooler:

1. Texas Rangers 8, Kansas City Royals 7: The Rangers finished off a sweep of the Royals to increase their division lead to 2 1/2 games. The Toronto Blue Jays are in Arlington for a three-game series that begins tonight (7:05 p.m., Fox Sports Southwest).

2. Rangers notes: Colby Lewis said fastball command was to blame for his struggles in his last outing.

3. A hot Mitch Moreland got a one-day appearance as the Rangers' No. 2 hitter.

4. Gil LeBreton: The Dallas Mavericks-Portland Trail Blazers series isn't over, so hold off on the Mavs' autopsy. But the smell sure is familiar (7:05 p.m., TNT and KTXA/Channel 21).

5. A review of the Dallas Cowboys' past three drafts finds only three starters among the 24 picks.

6. LSU cornerback Patrick Peterson has been called by multiple scouts one of the safest picks in the draft.

-- David Thomas

Friday's Pick 6

Six links to click before heading to the water cooler:

1. Portland Trail Blazers 97, Dallas Mavericks 92: The Blazers used a 21-5 run over the end of the third quarter and start of the fourth to cut the Mavs' series lead to 2-1. Game 4 is Saturday afternoon in Portland.

2. Mavs notes: Assistant coach Dwane Casey will interview for the Houston Rockets' vacant coaching job after the Mavs are finished with their postseason.

3. Aledo running back Johnathan Gray, who will be a senior next season, has committed to Texas over TCU and Texas A&M.

4. Gil LeBreton: Round Rock pitcher Eric Hurley's taking a line drive to the head is another tough break for one of the Texas Rangers' top prospects and is further proof of how a team can never have too much pitching depth.

5. TCU 4, UNLV 1: The Horned Frogs took the opener of a three-game series behind the strong pitching of Kyle Winkler.

6. Out of 2,083 steroid tests administered by the University Interscholastic League, there was only one athlete who tested positive.

-- David Thomas

 

Tuesday's Pick 6

Six links to click before heading to the water cooler:

1. Dallas Mavericks 101, Portland Trail Blazers 89: Dirk Nowitzki scored 33 points and Peja Stojakovic added 21 as the Mavs took a 2-0 series lead. Game 3 is Thursday night in Portland.

2. Jennifer Floyd Engel: Referee Danny Crawford was a non-factor in the outcome of Game 2 and Jason Kidd played a major role again.

3. Los Angeles Angels 15, Texas Rangers 4: Colby Lewis gave us four runs in five innings, and the Angels scored nine runs over the sixth and seventh innings. The rubber game of the series is tonight in Arlington (7:05 p.m., Fox Sports Southwest).

4. Tommy Hunter is pitching pain-free, but he'll have to earn a spot in the rotation when he returns.

5. The Dallas Cowboys will open the 2011 season by visiting the New York Jets and end it with a visit to the New York Giants. They will play six nationally televised games, including five in prime time.

6. Sources say Tom Gaglardi, a Vancouver businessman, is the leading candidate to purchase the Dallas Stars.

-- David Thomas

Tuesday's Pick 6

Six links to click before heading to the water cooler:

1. Texas Rangers 7, Los Angeles Angels 1: C.J. Wilson allowed one run over seven innings as the Rangers won their seventh consecutive home game. Game 2 of the series is tonight (7:05 p.m., Fox Sports Southwest).

2. Gil LeBreton: With a win to start the 10-game homestand, Rangers Ballpark once again proves to be home sweet home for the Rangers.

3. Rangers notes: Reliever Mark Lowe was sent to Triple-A with Colby Lewis coming off the paternity leave list.

4. The Dallas Mavericks are maintaining a sense of urgency despite their 1-0 lead over the Portland Trail Blazers. Game 2 is tonight (8:30 p.m., KTXA/Channel 21 and TNT).

5. Mavericks notes: Roddy Beaubois might be able to play tonight, but probably wouldn't start over Shawn Stevenson.

6. Dallas Cowboys notes: Jason Witten is keeping business as business and says what happens during lockout negotiations has no impact on his personal feelings toward Jerry Jones.

-- David Thomas

Monday's Pick 6

Six links to click before heading to the water cooler:

1. New York Yankee 6, Texas Rangers 5: The Bronx Bombers hit three home runs off Alexi Ogando and won two of three in Yankee Stadium. The Rangers dropped into a tie for first place with the Los Angeles Angels, who begin a three-game series in Arlington tonight (7:05 p.m., Fox Sports Southwest).

2. Rangers notes: Brandon Webb had a great bullpen session Sunday and is expected to face batters on Friday.

3. Jason Kidd's 24-point Game 1 has the Dallas Mavericks up 1-0 on the Portland Trail Blazers, but the question is whether he can give the Mavs another similar performance if the Mavs need him to.

4. Gil LeBreton: For one game at least, the Mavs have been able to thumb their noses at the skeptics.

5. Mavs notes: Rick Carlisle doesn't have to go any further back than last year to point out what happens when the Mavs win Game 1 at home then suffer a letdown.

6. Stephenville product Kevin Kolb is working out in Glen Rose during the lockout in hopes of finding a team that wants him to be its starting quarterback.

-- David Thomas

Friday's Pick 6

Six links to click before heading to the water cooler:

1. The Dallas Mavericks open the playoffs against the Portland Trail Blazers, with Game 1 Saturday night at American Airlines Center.

2. Randy Galloway: The 57-win Mavs aren't getting much respect, and they have permission to use that as motivation.

3. The Texas Rangers return to Yankee Stadium this weekend for the first time since the ALCS, and it'll be a big test for the 3-4-5 pitchers of Matt Harrison, Derek Holland and Alexi Ogando (6:05 p.m., KTXA/Channel 21).

4. Gil LeBreton: The Rangers visit New York without two key pieces of their October magic of last year: Cliff Lee and Josh Hamilton.

5. Burleson's Stacy Bykora, a member of three U.S. Olympic volleyball teams, suffered a serious head injury in an accident in Brazil.

6. TCU center fielder Aaron Schultz has had to overcome difficult circumstances on and off the field.

-- David Thomas