Alas!

The boys from the Jet City go down to the Rangers 8-2. Ryan Franklin, not too surprisingly, got lit up. Some parks are not well suited to Frankie's put it in play style of pitching. Rangers starter Kenny Rogers goes six shutout despite walking 5 guys.

The M's two runs came in the ninth off of Texas closer Francisco Cordero. With two men on, he knocks Ichiro down with a pitch. Bad, bad move as Ichi smokes the next ball into the gap for a double.

I don't put a lot of stock in the "Ichiro could hit 40 homers if he wanted to" crap, but he does have a different swing when he is trying to drive the ball. He really uncoils himself into the ball and keeps his feet still, instead of his usual swing. It looks more like a "normal" big league swing.

Despite this, the clear moment of the game came in the fifth, when the Phillie Phanatic (in town to promote the Phils first ever trip to Arlington later this season) molested Rizzs in the TV booth. Basically he suck Rizzies head into his long tubelike nose, with Rico cackling like a schoolgirl the whole time. That's your Magnolia Moment!