Daily Ticket: The Blog

Thursday's Pick 6

Six links to click before heading to the water cooler:

1. Texas Rangers 3, Houston Astros 2: Colby Lewis pitched 6 2/3 mostly dominant innings and Ian Kinsler homered twice as the Rangers clinched the Silver Boot. The teams' final meeting is tonight in Houston (7:05 p.m., Fox Sports Southwest).

2. Randy Galloway: Bud Selig needs to have an open mind about allowing Mark Cuban to own a baseball team.

3. Nolan Ryan likes the idea of adding the Astros to the American League West.

4. Rangers notes: Josh Hamilton currently holds down a starting spot in the All-Star Game, although his lead is decreasing. But he's not too concerned about it.

5. An NBA lockout could begin Friday, and it's worth a reminder of how long it took the NBA to recover from its last work stoppage.

6. Bowling takes center stage at Cowboys Stadium when the U.S. Women's Open holds its finals on lanes constructed next to the star at midfield. The event will be televised at 5 p.m. Saturday on ESPN2.

-- David Thomas

Wednesday's Pick 6

Six links to click before heading to the water cooler:

1. Texas Rangers 7, Houston Astros 3: C.J. Wilson tripled to start a rally and pitched seven solid innings as the Rangers took the first game of the series. Game 2 is tonight in Houston (7:05 p.m., Fox Sports Southwest).

2. Rangers notes: Elvis Andrus said his wrist is ready for a return to the lineup, but Ron Washington plans to hold Andrus out until Thursday.

3. Gil LeBreton: Umpires make mistakes and we expect that, but baseball is making an inexcusable mistake by not implementing a stronger replay system.

4. The Round Rock Express is thriving since becoming the Triple-A affiliate of the Rangers.

5. Former Dallas Stars Joe Nieuwendyk and Ed Belfour were selected to the Hockey Hall of Fame.

6. Fans' Insider: The recent discovery regarding eye color and day baseball games has this old Blue Eyes crying in the rain.

-- David Thomas

Tuesday's Pick 6

Six links to click before heading to the water cooler:

1. Texas Rangers players believe the time is soon coming when they will pull away from the competition in their division. They are in Houston tonight to start a three-game series against the Astros (7:05 p.m., Fox Sports Southwest).

2. Rangers notes: Michael Young was selected American League Player of the Week for the third time in his career.

3. Chris Davis is still tearing it up in Round Rock, hitting .374 with 17 homers and 48 RBIs in 38 games.

4. Charean Williams: LaDainian Tomlinson, holding his annual summer camp for kids at TCU, desperately wants to add a Super Bowl ring to everything else he has accomplished during his career.

5. Dallas Mavericks notes: Roddy Beaubois has had a second surgery on the foot he injured last summer.

6. Rodeo Insider: Two local cowboys picked up winners' checks at the PRCA's first big rodeo of the summer.

-- David Thomas

Monday's Pick 6

Six links to click before heading to the water cooler:

1. New York Mets 8, Texas Rangers 5: The Rangers lost two of three from the Mets heading into an off day today before visiting Houston to resume the Lone Star Series.

2. Gil LeBreton: Three losses in four days against the Astros and Mets are the types of losses a team could point back to if it misses the postseason.

3. Rangers notes: Josh Hamilton was given Sunday off, although he said it was a planned day off and not a move to keep him out of a day game.

4. With a .233 batting average, outfielder David Murphy is not meeting his own expectations.

5. Former TCU third baseman Matt Carpenter offers an inside look at what it was like when he made his major-league debut with the St. Louis Cardinals.

6. Yani Tseng won the LPGA Championship. At 22, she is the youngest player to win her fourth LPGA major.

-- David Thomas

Friday's Pick 6

Six links to click before heading to the water cooler:

1. The Dallas Mavericks traded both of their draft picks Thursday night in complicated deals that, once approved by the league office, will bring the Mavs Portland's Rudy Fernandez and the rights to a point guard playing in Europe.

2. Gil LeBreton: In a moment of legal hilarity, the Mavericks' NBA championship trophy does serve as evidence that Mark Cuban knows what he's doing.

3. Randy Galloway: The Texas Rangers desperately need bullpen help, and that's known even in the Rangers' locker room. The Rangers begin a three-game series against the New York Mets tonight in Arlington (7:05 p.m., KTXA/Channel 21).

4. Josh Hamilton is the only Ranger on pace to start in the All-Star Game. Here are the eight Rangers worthy of All-Star consideration.

5. Rangers notes: Dirk Nowitzki will throw out the first pitch before tonight's game.

6. A Q&A with The Famous Chicken, who is making what he says might be his last Metroplex appearance tonight at the Grand Prairie AirHogs game.

-- David Thomas

Thursday's Pick 6

Six links to click before heading to the water cooler:

1. Houston Astros 5, Texas Rangers 3: The Astros scored four runs in the ninth inning off Neftali Feliz to avoid being swept. The Rangers are off today before hosting the New York Mets in a three-game series.

2. Rangers notes: Tommy Hunter, trying to return from a groin injury, made his first relief appearance in the minor leagues.

3. With the NBA Draft tonight and little help available for the Dallas Mavericks, it's important to note that the Mavs had one player they drafted -- Jason Kidd, who they also traded away -- on their championship roster (6:30 p.m., ESPN).

4. Randy Galloway: Jerry Jones, and perhaps even Nolan Ryan, could learn from Mark Cuban's taking a step back out of the spotlight.

5. Jennifer Floyd Engel: Dirk Nowitzki is the best Dallas/Fort Worth athlete ever.

6. Jimmy Burch: Lost in all the attention on Rory McIlroy's dominance at the U.S. Open was another outstanding performance in a major from Fort Worth's Jason Day.

-- David Thomas

Monday's Pick 6

Six (NBA championship) links to click before heading to the water cooler:

1. Dallas Mavericks 105, Miami Heat 95: The Mavs won their first NBA championship, winning three consecutive games to beat the Heat in six games.

2. Randy Galloway: After 31 years, the Mavs are NBA champions, and yes, it's unbelievable.

3. Gil LeBreton: The Heat had the Big 3, but the Mavs had the big bench.

4. Jennifer Floyd Engel: Dwyane Wade was right: You are remembered for by what you did at the end. Except now, Dirk Nowitzki is the one being hailed as a champion.

5. Mavs notes: Jason Kidd's first championship came 17 years after the Mavs drafted him.

6. Courtside Journal: Mavs fans came in from all over to be part of a historic night.

-- David Thomas

Friday's Pick 6

Six links to click before heading to the water cooler:

1. Dallas Mavericks 112, Miami Heat 103: The Mavs hit 13 3-pointers and are one win from an NBA championship. Game 6 is Sunday in Miami.

2. Randy Galloway: Once again, the Mavs had all the answers late while the Heat was filled with questions.

3. Gil LeBreton: The Heat has the stars to win a championship, but they have not been aligned in the fourth quarter of this series.

4. Jennifer Floyd Engel: Instead of the Big 3, it was the Mavs' Little 3 -- guards Jason Kidd, Jason Terry and J.J. Berea -- that won this game.

5. Minnesota Twins 5, Texas Rangers 4: The Twins won in the bottom of the ninth after what the Rangers felt was a missed call. Game 2 of the Series is tonight in Minneapolis (7:10 p.m., KTXA/Channel 21).

6. Penske Racing is coming to Texas Motor Speedway this weekend looking to make up for a poor showing at the Indianapolis 500.

-- David Thomas

Thursday's Pick 6

Six links to click before heading to the water cooler:

1. Tyson Chandler has scored in double digits in both of the Dallas Mavericks' victories in the NBA Finals. The Mavs will look to exploit their advantage over the Miami Heat at center again in tonight's Game 5 in Dallas (8 p.m., ABC).

2. Jennifer Floyd Engel: The genius of Mavs coach Rick Carlisle is in his willingness to make gutsy decisions.

3. Mavs notes: Dirk Nowitzki had a slight temperature on Wednesday but he said he would be ready for tonight.

4. Texas Rangers 7, Detroit Tigers 3: Alexi Ogando improved to 7-0 by holding the Tigers to one run and six hits in 7 2/3 innings. The Rangers are right back on the road, facing the Minnesota Twins tonight (7:10 p.m., Fox Sports Southwest).

5. The Rangers fired hitting coach Thad Bosley and replaced him with Scott Coolbaugh from Round Rock.

6. Kenny Rogers will be the next inductee into the Rangers Hall of Fame.

-- David Thomas

Tuesday's Pick 6

Six links to click before heading to the water cooler:

1. The Dallas Mavericks try to even their series with the Miami Heat at 2-2 tonight, and Dirk Nowitzki is going to need help to make that happen (8 p.m., WFAA/Channel 8).

2. Jennifer Floyd Engel: One of the Mavs' Jasons -- Kidd or Terry -- has to step up tonight.

3. Mavs notes: Terry said he is treating Game 4 like a Game 7.

4. Detroit Tigers 13, Texas Rangers 7: Colby Lewis allowed nine runs in 3 1/3 innings and surrendered four home runs. Game 2 of the teams' three-game series is tonight in Arlington (7:05 p.m., Fox Sports Southwest).

5. Rangers notes: Matt Harrison is expected to start tonight despite dealing with a blister and a kidney stone.

6. Even TCU's deep pitching staff didn't have enough to overcome the pitching injuries that prevented the Horned Frogs from returning to the College World Series.

-- David Thomas