Texas Rangers

Giant vulnerability? The San Francisco Giants rode their starting pitchers to two World Series championships in three years, and starters renowned for their health are at it again. None of the Giants' five starters has missed a turn this season. They have not missed a lot of bats, either. Ryan Vogelsong has an 8.06 earned-run average, the worst of any major league starter. Matt Cain has a 5.43 ERA, and he has given up the most home runs in the majors. This is stunning, considering the relative talent and the home parks involved: The Giants' starters have a higher ERA than the Colorado Rockies' starters.

Giant vulnerability? The San Francisco Giants rode their starting pitchers to two World Series championships in three years, and starters renowned for their health are at it again. None of the Giants' five starters has missed a turn this season. They have not missed a lot of bats, either. Ryan Vogelsong has an 8.06 earned-run average, the worst of any major league starter. Matt Cain has a 5.43 ERA, and he has given up the most home runs in the majors. This is stunning, considering the relative talent and the home parks involved: The Giants' starters have a higher ERA than the Colorado Rockies' starters.

Josh Hamilton said he has changed sinus medication and is scheduled to be tested for allergies, but he wanted to make one thing about his weakened condition perfectly clear. "This has absolutely nothing to do with my .200 batting average," he said. The Angels limited Hamilton to designated hitter Tuesday, one day after the right fielder came out of a game with what Manager Mike Scioscia called dizziness. Hamilton said he has had sinus and throat discomfort for about 10 days and said he hoped a change in medication would help.

Josh Hamilton said he has changed sinus medication and is scheduled to be tested for allergies, but he wanted to make one thing about his weakened condition perfectly clear. "This has absolutely nothing to do with my .200 batting average," he said. The Angels limited Hamilton to designated hitter Tuesday, one day after the right fielder came out of a game with what Manager Mike Scioscia called dizziness. Hamilton said he has had sinus and throat discomfort for about 10 days and said he hoped a change in medication would help.

Former Texas Rangers owner Brad Corbett died on Christmas Eve, the Rangers announced late Wednesday. He was 75. "The Texas Rangers are saddened to hear of the death of Brad Corbett, who passed away on Monday at the age of 75," the team said in a statement. "Mr. Corbett was the Principal Owner of the Texas Rangers from May 29, 1974, to April 29, 1980. His tenure as owner was marked by a passion and drive to bring a winning team to the fans of North Texas. During his ownership, the Rangers produced their first four winning seasons and finished second three times.

at Baltimore 5, Texas 4: Melvin Mora homered and drove in three runs and rookie Brian Matusz earned his third straight win for the Orioles. David Murphy homered for the Rangers, denied their first five-game winning streak since July 19-24. Detroit 8, at Tampa Bay 6: Pinch-hitter Marcus Thames came through with a tiebreaking single during a two-run eighth inning, and Alex Avila had a two-run homer to lead the streaking Tigers past the Rays. Minnesota 4, at Cleveland 1: Scott Baker won his seventh straight decision and extended his mastery of the Indians.

Roy Oswalt had offers from several teams during the off-season. But the three-time All-Star pitcher decided to wait until the right situation came along before committing to his 12th major league season. That situation arrived Tuesday, when the Texas Rangers -- the team with the best record in the American League -- agreed to a minor-league deal with the free-agent pitcher, who is expected to make his first start with Triple-A Round Rock on Saturday before joining the Rangers' rotation within a few weeks.

"Texas Rangers," a western starring Dylan McDermott and James Van Der Beek, also opens today in general release. Because Dimension Films did not make the film available for screenings, The Times' review will appear Monday.

PHOENIX — Despite boasting the biggest payroll in baseball history, the Dodgers opened spring training with a number of questions. And few were bigger than the state of Chad Billingsley's tender right elbow. But after a strong outing Thursday in which the right-hander held the Texas Rangers to one earned run and two hits in 31/3 innings, Manager Don Mattingly said the issue of Billingsley's health is fading. "We came in kind of concerned over last year. Was he going to be able to hold up?"

Reporting from St. Louis -- Ron Washington rolled the dice again. Only this time, the Texas manager may have come up with snake eyes. Washington has challenged convention throughout the World Series, but since he emptied his bullpen by using eight pitchers in Game 6 on Thursday, his already fatigued relievers would appear to have little to give in the decisive seventh game Friday. Left-hander Derek Holland , who came within two outs of a two-hit shutout in Game 4, would have been a candidate to start Game 7. But he pitched two innings Thursday, leaving left-hander Matt Harrison as Washington's only option.

The Miami Marlins and the Dodgers are inextricably linked through history and trades: • On April 5, 1993, in their first game, the then-Florida Marlins defeated the Dodgers, 6-3. Former Dodgers knuckleballer Charlie Hough earned the victory; Orel Hershiser took the loss. • On May 15, 1998, the teams made perhaps the most controversial trade in Dodgers history. The Marlins, a year removed from their first World Series title, were dumping salaries. The Dodgers, with the Fox Group taking over from the O'Malley family, were embroiled in a contract dispute with All-Star catcher Mike Piazza.

HOUSTON - It's probably not what Angels fans want to hear, but Josh Hamilton is not going to beat himself up publicly or start throwing bats in frustration over his horrendous slump. That lack of emotion may give some the impression Hamilton doesn't care as much as he should, but the right fielder claims such displays of anger won't help. "When I feel a sense of urgency, I do worse," said Hamilton, who signed a five-year, $125-million deal in December. "I need to keep working the process, have good early work and cage sessions, and when it clicks it will click.

A year ago, Michael Roth was dealing with a double major at the University of South Carolina, where he also dabbled some in baseball. On Wednesday he had to  deal with the Texas Rangers in his first major league start. And though things went well at first, the Rangers wound up schooling the rookie left-hander, driving him from the mound after 31/3 innings of a game Texas won, 11-3. For the bookish Roth, it was one more chapter in a baseball education that can be challenging at times.

A frustration-filled game ended in jubilation for the Angels on Tuesday night when Howie Kendrick hit the team's second walk-off home run in three days, a solo shot to center that gave the Angels a 5-4, 11-inning victory over the Texas Rangers. "It's a great feeling to know you can leave the other team on the field, but to get the victory is the most important thing," Kendrick said after his fourth career walk-off hit. "Any game against these guys is really tough because neither team lays down.

  Join Times Dodgers writer Dylan Hernandez and Angels writer Mike DiGiovanna at 11:30 a.m. today as they discuss their respective teams. You will be able to submit questions to them during the live chat. The Angels lost a tough game to Texas on Monday. As DiGiovanna wrote , "The Angels got a quality start Monday from Joe Blanton , their pitcher who has struggled the most, and a potential breakout night from the weakest link in their lineup, Josh Hamilton , who had his 16th career four-hit game and scored twice.

Mike Scioscia dropped struggling right fielder Josh Hamilton from the cleanup spot to fifth in the batting order for Monday night's game against the Texas Rangers, but the Angels manager said the move is not permanent. Until Hamilton, batting .176 with 23 strikeouts in 68 at-bats before Monday, snaps out of his funk, first baseman Mark Trumbo will bat cleanup against left-handed starters. Texas was scheduled to start lefty Derek Holland on Monday. Hamilton is expected to return to the fourth spot against right-handers Alexi Ogando and Yu Darvish Tuesday and Wednesday night.

As good as the Angels have been since June 11 -- their 41-16 record is the best in baseball in that span -- they have been unable to shake the Texas Rangers, who are 4 1/2 games back in the American League West. And that, Torii Hunter said, may not be such a bad thing. "That's good," the Angels center fielder said. "You want that push. You don't want a 20-game lead and to be so comfortable that you get to the playoffs and lose your mojo. "You want to be pushed to the end, and I tell you what, Texas is not going an-y-where.

Baseball Commissioner Peter Ueberroth has given his personal stamp of approval to a group of Texans, headed by the President's son, George W. Bush, trying to buy the Texas Rangers from Eddie Chiles. Bush, the President's eldest son, and Edward Rose met with Ueberroth on Thursday, but Chiles said he has not talked with the commissioner about the deal. Others in the partnership include Ft. Worth businessman Richard Rainwater, the Ft. Worth Star-Telegram reported today.

The Angels scoffed at the radar gun readings at Great American Ball Park. Jered Weaver 's fastball registered in the 84-87 mph range there on opening day , and the Angels suggested that the gun in Cincinnati was a little on the slow side. Weaver, the Angels' ace, made his second start of the season on Sunday, against the Texas Rangers at the Ballpark in Arlington. The radar gun there had his fastball in the very same range: 84-87 mph. Neither game was played in optimal conditions, with unusually cold weather in Cincinnati and gusting winds in Texas.

ARLINGTON, Texas - There were plenty of aces in the hole Sunday afternoon, as five of the game's best pitchers - Matt Cain, David Price, Cole Hamels, R.A. Dickey and Stephen Strasburg - were torched for 38 earned runs in 241/3 innings. Jered Weaver followed suit Sunday night. The Angels ace, fighting mechanical issues that seem to have sapped him of some velocity, was knocked around by the Texas Rangers, giving up five runs and seven hits, including two home runs, in five innings of a 7-3 loss at the Ballpark in Arlington.