Chicago Rangers Baseball Cards (Part 25)

Alex Christian’s Ranger career got off to a really bad start. Very early in the 2004 season, Alex became embroiled in a “disagreement” with the Loyola University Financial Aid Department, yelling at the poor girl on the other end of the phone. Little did he know, the girl he was yelling at was a girl who was near and dear to the Rangers. When she vented about how “little Alexander Christian” had ruined her day to her favorite Ranger and the connection was made, Alex was promptly given a stern lecture about how to behave the “Ranger Way”. Alex was a big, strong, left-handed pitcher who hit right-handed. He had a lethal pick off move that every team complained was a balk. Even after getting warned not to get picked off by their managers, opposing runners would still get picked off! Alex hit a Home Run at Grosche Field against the Browns that helped the Rangers to their first ever victory against that club on June 3rd, 2004. Alex’s Ranger career came to an end on July 31st 2005 during a playoff game against those very same Browns at Winnemac. He was thrown out of the game when the Rangers were down big, packed up his gear, and went home. He did not realize that the team came back and won to force a pivotal game 3. Alex was not able to attend Game 3, which the Rangers lost in dramatic fashion. His moniker on the team was “Stupid”, which he obviously hated. Alex currently works in Washington D.C. doing something with energy credits to emerging countries, or some bullshit like that, a fine waste of our tax dollars.

Ranger Baseball Cards (Part 24)

Ross Pometta was a rostered Ranger for both the 2004 and 2005 seasons, but he only appeared in games with the team in 2004. Although primarily a shortstop, Ross also pitched, but developed Ismael Valdes-like blisters on the fingers of his throwing hand whenever he took the mound. Ross was the third member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity to play for the Rangers, following Mike LaRocco and Matt Brooks. Ross did have some speed on the bases, stealing 9 bags in 2004. Ross was part of a monumental play in Ranger history when he started the first 6-4-3 double play ever turned by the team. His double play partner that day was second baseman Matt Brooks, who completed the turn to catcher Dan O’Malley, who for some reason was playing first base. He has talked about a come-back in recent years, but that has not yet materialized. His father was a consistent fan at all Ranger games and his little brother also played in the Winnemac Park Little League. Ross still lives in the Chicago area and is a Coordinator for Member Services at the Sigma Alpha Epsilon headquarters in Evanston, Illinois.

Rangers Baseball Cards (Part 23)

If you have been a longtime baseball fan, you know that the Oakland Athletics wear white spikes. Then why the heck did Jeff “Shitty” Schmidt wear white spikes when he played for the Rangers in 2003? In all seriousness, Schmitty was a terrific all around ballplayer who had great speed, a terrific arm, and a tremendous inside out swing. Schmitty was a doubles machine, with two-baggers accounting for 33% of his career hits. The Rangers found out first hand how good of an arm he had when he easily threw out a runner trying to score on a deep fly ball to right field. The throw did not even bounce and was on a line the entire way. A high school teammate of former Ranger skipper Tim Brannon, he was known to ask for a ride to the “Beer Store” on more than one occasion. Jeff also pitched a few innings for the Rangers, although his numbers did not reflect the pitcher that he was. Jeff played college baseball at a contending Division 3 school, possibly in Texas. Or maybe he moved to Texas after High School. Records from that era in Rangers history were lost in the great flood of 2010 (which amazingly occurred the day Schmitty appeared back in Chicago for Brannon’s Bachelor Party…coincidence?). Jeff did make an appearance at Brannon’s wedding that summer and the obligatory Ranger wedding picture was taken, although its whereabouts are unknown at this time.

Ranger Baseball Cards Part 22)

After a 7 year Ranger career, Mark “Wiggy” Wegren announced that he is officially leaving the Rangers, for a second time! His first departure from the team came after the 2005 season. He returned to the team in 2008 after two tumultuous seasons with the Aviators. Wiggy was a high school teammate of Mike “Heartattack” LaRocco and Brian Salgado at Archbishop Weber High School in Chicago and also played with LaRocco, Salgado, Bob Wacker, and Lucas Luecke on the Garfield Park Renegades in the Aurora Men’s Baseball League. Wiggy is best known for having a perfectly level swing that consistently makes contact with the ball, but with limited power. Wiggy is a career .262 hitter with the Rangers and was a consistent presence at former Ranger sponsor bar Simply Rays, and of course Gio’s. Also an avid runner, Wiggy will compete in both the 2011 Chicago Marathon and a half-marathon on the Great Wall of China. Wigs also enjoys softball, floor-hockey, and collecting autographs. The Rangers would like to wish Wiggy luck in his future adventures.