Nolan Ryan isn't making a specific prediction this season on how many games he thinks the Texas Rangers will win. Instead, the team president and CEO is giving himself a little wiggle room. He expects the American League champions to win between 90 and 95 games. Last season, Ryan predicted 92 wins.
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Josh Beckett threw four hitless innings and the Boston Red Sox blasted Houston starter Nelson Figueroa for an 10-0 victory against the Astros on Wednesday night. Beckett, trying to rebound from a 6-6 season, hit Angel Sanchez, the second batter of the game, with a pitch and then retired the next 11 in a row until Brett Wallace led off the fifth with a single past second baseman Dustin Pedroia.
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The popularity of Major League Baseball as a whole has come and gone quite a bit in the last couple of decades. The strike from the mid 1990s really hurt the popularity of the sport. Just a few short years ago, the steroid era hurt the popularity of the game badly. The league has been able to quietly grow more popular with the fan base around the world over the last few years. As always, some baseball cities have much more loyal fan bases than others.
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The Boston Red Sox have acquired catcher Michael McKenry from the Colorado Rockies. Boston sent right-hander Daniel Turpen to Colorado to complete Tuesday's deal. Turpen was selected by the New York Yankees in last year's Rule 5 draft, but was returned to the Red Sox on March 13. The 26-year-old McKenry made his major league debut in September, going hitless in eight at-bats over six games…
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Traditionally when filling out a starting lineup in baseball there are types of players that fit a certain spot in the lineup. The first batter is the fastest player on the team, the second batter makes good contact, the third batter is the best offensive player on the team and the fourth batter is the power hitter. What do you do though if one player is all of those things? That is what the Pittsburgh Pirates have to decide with their star player Andrew McCutchen.
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Once or twice each season I drive down I-71 from my home in Cincinnati to see the Cincinnati Reds Triple-A affiliate in Louisville. Nearly seven years ago, I went with the sole purpose of seeing the future heart of the Cincinnati batting order. I had seen him several seasons before with the A-level Dayton Dragons, where he first exhibited the power of a "can't miss" major leaguer. He indeed reached the Majors, but the ones who did miss might have been the Reds.
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As the Boston Red Sox continue their preseason slide, which has now hit 10 consecutive losses, there are two starting pitchers who seem to be headed in opposite directions. Josh Beckett, who started spring training as the incumbent Opening Day starter, has now dropped to what must be the highest paid No. 4 starter in all of baseball. After posting a 6-6 record in 2010 with a 5.78 earned run average (ERA) after signing a new $68 million contract, Beckett came into spring training with something to prove.
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Some players use spring training to get ready for the regular season. Others hope to make an impression on the manager while fighting for a roster spot. Baltimore Orioles pitcher Chris Tillman came to camp with a good chance to make the starting rotation, but instead of getting wrapped up in the competition, the 22-year-old focused on becoming a better pitcher.
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The Boston Red Sox have added left-handed reliever Dennys Reyes to the major league roster and placed right-hander Junichi Tazawa on the 60-day disabled list. Reyes was in camp on a minor league contract. Earlier this week, he extended his deadline from Friday to Saturday for the Red Sox to add him to the major league roster or allow him to become a free agent.
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Daisuke Matsuzaka turned in his strongest outing of the spring. Red Sox reliever Bobby Jenks had a little more trouble. Matsuzaka was solid for six innings before Jenks gave up six runs in the ninth, letting the Minnesota Twins rally past Boston 9-8 Saturday night. Matsuzaka allowed one run and five hits in six innings.
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