ARLINGTON, Texas -- We're on the scene at Rangers Ballpark for workout day of the World Series. It was supposed to be a festive weekend here as the Texas Rangers host a Series game for the first time in their history. But those back-to-back disasters by the Bay have put a bit of a damper on that.
It will be interesting to gauge the Rangers' mood today. Their clubhouse will be open within the hour and manager Ron Washington will speak at 4:30 ET. This place opened in 1994 across the highway from old Arlington Stadium. The large windows you see on televsion and in the picture at right in center field are actually the team offices and gift shop. The new Dallas Cowboys stadium -- which looks like a giant spaceship that dropped from the sky -- is maybe a quarter-mile away across the acres of parking lots.
The Rangers have made a couple announcements. Nolan Ryan will throw the first pitch Saturday night while former presidents George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush will do the honors Sunday. The younger Bush, of course, is a former owner of the Rangers.
It's a very busy weekend here. The Sabres are in town tomorrow night to play the Dallas Stars (they couldn't move the game time because of Buffalo's game tonight in Atlanta), so there will probably be flies downtown to watch in American Airlines Center (John Vogl will be there of course blogging it for us).
On Sunday, the disappointing Cowboys host Jacksonville. It starts at noon and the World Series press conferences don't start until 4:30 so I scoped out a very cheap ticket on the secondary market ($23 plus fees!). I got it via Fed Ex today. Look at the picture (left). Like they have to keep wedging that in on us. Super Bowl XXVII. The 52-17 disaster. Never live that one down.
The Rangers are hosting a pre-Series gala tonight for media and corporate types at a place called Circle R Ranch. Something tells me I better check that out. Don't know when the ol' Circle R will be calling my name again any time soon.
Keep it here for more updates later this afternoon from both teams and remember that all pictures are clickable for a bigger view.
---Mike Harrington
(www.twitter.com/bnharrington)
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