The Chicago Rangers

"Take one for the Team!"

2011-11-11T14:13:00.005-06:00

Over the years, the Chicago Rangers have had some of the toughest players in the CMBA. What defines how toughness? How many times you get hit by the ball of course. There are stories of Rangers players crying, yelling, and even falling to ground as soon as they are hit. Yet, the two toughest Rangers are Lucas Luecke and Jody Joseph.

Both Luecke and Joseph are not scared of the ball. In fact, there have been times where Luecke has thrown his entire body across the plate to get on base. It has been rumored that both Luecke and Joseph have trained for such hit by pitches channeling their inner Happy Gilmore (See batting cage seen).

Just a look at both player's stats and the rate at which they risk their lives is incredible.

Player	Year	Total Hit-By-Pitch
Jody Joseph	2007	11
	2008	5
	2009	6
	2010	12
Total		34
Lucas Luecke	2002	8
	2003	14
	2004	3
	2005	5
	2006	1
	2007	5
	2008	1
	2009	3
	2010	2
Total		42

In 4 years, Joseph has amassed 34 bruises. Luecke's 2003 season will go down as one of the most painful. He was hit 14 times in 73 plate appearances. Luecke was hit by a pitch in 1 out of every 5 at-bats (or about 20% of the time). It's amazing that he still is talking coherently.

A look at who may hate these two the most reveals that the Browns, Joseph's former team, dislikes both of the players equally over the years. In fact, Luecke has been hit more by the Red Sox than by any other team in the league.

Player	Opponent	Total Hit-By-Pitch
Jody Joseph	Vikings	4
	Mets	4
	Yankees	4
	Browns	4

Lucas Luecke	Red Sox	5
	Vikings	4
	Browns	4
	Cubs	4

As a team, the Rangers have been hit 249 times in 270 games played (through 2010). Based on these numbers, the Rangers have a 92% chance to get hit by a pitch in any single game.

Year	Total Hit-By-Pitch
2002	20
2003	22
2004	26
2005	32
2006	22
2007	42
2008	20
2009	31
2010	34
Grand Total	249

Thank goodness for the Rangers off season training regime. Without it, the 42 times the Rangers were hit in 2007 would have taken its toll on its run to the CMBA Championship Series.

The Magical 2010 Playoff Run of Jon Kohn

2011-11-04T13:11:00.009-06:00

One of the most intriguing and dominant players the Rangers have ever had is Jon Kohn. Standing at 6'7" he is among the tallest players to ever play in the CMBA and thus the Rangers coined the nickname "Big Jon". In 2010, Big Jon had one of the best playoff streaks ever. Over a course of 5 games, he hit 7 HRs including 3 against the Marlins in the championship series. Kohn's 3rd HR in the final game of the championship series prompted the venerable Marlins pseudo coach Tom Farinella to scream out loud, "Why are we still pitching to him!"

Date	Opponent	Home Runs	Batting Average	Slugging Percentage
7/31/2010	Hounds	0	0.333	0.333
8/1/2010	Hounds	0	0.250	0.250
8/7/2010	Browns	1	0.250	1.000
8/8/2010	Browns	3	0.750	3.000
8/16/2010	Marlins	1	0.500	2.000
8/18/2010	Marlins	0	0.500	0.500
8/26/2010	Marlins	2	0.500	2.000
Totals		7	0.440	1.280

Big Jon finished the playoff run with a 0.440 batting average and 1.280 slugging percentage. He hit 3 HRs against the Browns in the semi-final clinching game. What is remarkable about Kohn's performance is that teams were willing to pitch to him. He only walked twice during the playoffs but drove in 21 runs! What were teams thinking?

Date	Opponent	Total Walks	Total Runs Batted In
7/31/2010	Hounds	0	1
8/1/2010	Hounds	0	1
8/7/2010	Browns	0	2
8/8/2010	Browns	1	9
8/16/2010	Marlins	1	3
8/18/2010	Marlins	0	1
8/26/2010	Marlins	0	4
Totals		2	21

Big Jon was dominant at the plate, but also helped the playoff trek with his arm. He won 2 games during the playoff run while striking out 26 in 3 games pitched. His game on 8/8/2010 against the Browns might have been the best all around game the CMBA has ever seen by one player. Kohn not only hit 3 HRs but pitched 6 innings, stuck out 10, earned the win, and propelled the Rangers into the championship series.

Date	Opponent	Innings Pitched	Total Strikeouts
8/8/2010	Browns	6	10

The 2010 playoff run of "Big" Jon Kohn will go down as the most dominant hitting and pitching performance the Rangers have ever seen and one of the most everlasting performances the CMBA has ever seen.

Do the Rangers Play Better at Night or During the Day

2011-11-04T10:39:00.007-06:00

MLB pundits claim that because the Cubs play so many day games, it takes a toll on the players (and thus why the Cubs haven't won a World Series since 1908...at least the pundits believe this...See MLB Network Dan Pleasac).

So, the next question obviously is what about the Chicago Rangers? Do they play better during the day or at night? The answer is...its complicated. The Rangers actually have a better winning percentage in night games, yet have a better batting average, slugging percentage, and on-base percentage in day games (Regular Season games only).

Day/Night	Winning Percentage
Day	0.508
Night	0.518
Total %	0.513

Day/Night	Batting Average	Slugging Percentage	On-Base Percentage
Day	0.318	0.443	0.421
Night	0.302	0.414	0.399
Total %	0.310	0.428	0.410

Well then, what is explaining the discrepancy? What about pitching stats?

Well, at it happens to be the Rangers actually do pitch better at night then during the day. It must be that crisp Winnemac air that helps the pitcher's fastballs and curve balls slice through opponents bats.

Day/Night	Earned Run Average (ERA)
Day	4.73
Night	4.66
Total %	4.69

So, that settles it. The Rangers play better at night...sort of. Lets start scheduling more of those Saturday and Sunday night games.

(Note: 2011 stats only run through June 13, 2011)

Which Day of the Week are the Rangers the most Successful

2011-11-04T10:31:00.007-06:00

After a recent analysis of game by game stats, the Rangers are actually the most successful on Mondays. They have played 16 games on Mondays and have a 0.750 winning percentage. Which day do they struggle the most? Wednesdays. The allure of the Gio's $1.99 burger and fries must hinder their performance on Wednesdays.

Day of Week	Winning Percentage
Monday	0.750
Friday	0.667
Saturday	0.569
Thursday	0.525
Sunday	0.481
Tuesday	0.444
Wednesday	0.344
Total %	0.507

(Note 1: This will be a weekly (or more) display of particular Rangers Stats heading into the 2012 season. The revival of the Ranger media guide will be published close to opening day.)
(Note 2: These stats include regular season and playoffs. It does not include forfeits wins/losses)

Wysopal Injury Update

2011-06-30T09:02:00.002-05:00

22's leg is gross. That is all.

(Hopefully Isaiah now understands why Mike didn't score from first on his hit to LF...)

Rangers Exploring New Funding Options

2011-06-07T16:15:00.002-05:00

Ranger Baseball Cards (Part 33)

2011-06-05T09:11:00.003-05:00

Petey “Pedro” Monroe, the younger brother of current Ranger Nick Monroe, retired from the Rangers after a 3 season tenure stretching from the 2008 through 2010 seasons. Petey and Nick were the second brother combination to play for the Rangers, but the first non-twin combo (Keston and Kelvin McCabe). Their younger brother, Mike Monroe, will be a Ranger for the 2011 season, making them the first set of three brothers to play for the Rangers. There is a fourth Monroe in the farm system, but he has another 15 years before he is eligible to play!

Petey came to the Rangers after the start of the 2008 season when the team was short players. In a bungled management move by Ranger CFO Mike LaRocco, Pete did not get his # 24 jersey numbered for the entire season. He instead had a taped on number that represented “Z4”, and the nickname stuck among the team, the umpires, and the rest of the league. His correctly numbered jersey arrived for the 2009 season and a jersey presentation ceremony was held at home plate. He wore that jersey for exactly one game before it was replaced by the new style Ranger jersey. League officials were asked if the letter “Z” could be used on his jersey instead of the number “2”, but that suggestion was shot down.

The best game of Pedro’s career was on July 2, 2008 against the Browns at Winnemac Park. The Rangers were struggling through the 2008 season and desperately needed a good game against the first place Browns. Petey went 3 for 4 with his only career Home Run, drove in 3 runs, and scored 1 run in an 8-2 Ranger victory, one of only 8 wins the Rangers had that entire season.

Pete’s best season was the 2008 season where he hit .321, had 17 hits, and drove in 8 runs. In his 3 seasons, Pete had a .253 batting average, 39 hits, scored 23 runs, and had 26 RBI. During the 2009 season, Petey and Matt Swary would also perform as a grounds-crew act every half inning, running out and raking the infield. It was very entertaining for teammates and fans alike In addition to this fanfare, an underground movement within the Ranger organization gained traction. Led by Mark Wegren, this movement sought to have Petey become the protagonist in a series of short stories entitled, “The Adventures of Little Petey Monroe”. Unfortunately the Rangers could not sell this idea to any publishers and until funding is found, this project is on the backburner.

Pete graduated from Grinnell College in Iowa and is back in the Chicagoland area. He will not be with the Rangers full time in 2011 but will be an emergency player if the need arises. Team president Luke Luecke would like all three Monroe Boys to be on the field at the same time at some point in the 2011 season. Combine that combination with getting all 5 Mikes on the field at the same time would be quite an accomplishment! The Rangers wish Petey the best on graduating to the “Real World”, even though as anyone can tell you, the real world sucks.

Ranger Baseball Cards (Part 32)

2011-05-17T07:54:00.004-05:00

Godfather, Busch Light, Captain Cuatro……whatever you know him by, you will never forget him. The myth is a man named Kevin Casey, and what you call him is up to you. Kevin joined the Rangers for the 2003 season during an illustrious Loyola Club Baseball Career. In one of his earliest appearances at Loyola, Busch Light did not show up to Centennial Forum at the appropriate time before a double header against Columbia in the spring of 2002. Team Captain Vince Caringi decided the team could not wait any longer for their starting pitcher and left without him. When the Ramblers got to the field, there was a figure sleeping on the bench wearing a tuxedo jacket over his baseball uniform. Yes, it was Kevin Casey. When asked about his appearance, Kevin, in no shape to pitch game 1, babbled about drinking Busch Light the night before. He did not know where his car was, and wasn’t sure the tuxedo jacket was even his. Hence the moniker “Busch Light”. While he did not pitch Game 1 that day, he did coach third base in his tuxedo jacket and managed to pull himself together to throw a one hit complete game victory in Game 2!
Kevin captained the Loyola Club team for their inaugural National Club Baseball Association season in 2004 and went winless. Kevin’s Loyola Career ended with a loss in Madison, only he did not play in the game. He was frantically searching downtown Madison for his car keys. As it turns out, Rambler right-fielder Chris Stearns had the keys since the night before. Chris did not realize he had Kevin’s keys until the team arrived back in Chicago!
Godfather has been a solid player for the Rangers while pitching, playing second base, shortstop,and the outfield. Offensively, Kevin has been among the team leaders every year during his tenure, which stretches from 2003 to 2005 and then from 2007 to present. The 2006 season was spent with a San Francisco team called the Mad Dogs, who believed in the “Five I’s.” Supposedly the “Five I’s” were Incompetence, Impotence, Ignorance, Idiocy, and Inbreeding; a perfect rallying cry for a team of tools.
Kevin threw a memorable two hitter against the Oriole Park Cubs on July 12th, 2003 at Taft High School. Unfortunately for Kevin and the Rangers, he shook off a fastball called by Ranger catcher Isaiah Panatsis and instead decided to throw a Split-Finger pitch he was working on. Isaiah knew better, but let Kevin throw the pitch. Well, of course he hung it, and the Cub batter hit a solo home run. The Rangers lost the no-hitter, lost the shutout, and ultimately lost the game 1-0. Kevin did technically throw a no hitter against the Aviators that resulted in a 15-0 win for the Rangers on June 26th, 2005. It is a no-hitter, but does it actually count since the game was ended in four innings due to Slaughter-Rule?
There have been many other antics during Godfather’s Ranger tenure, including but not limited to: falling off barstools, breaking glasses, telling teammates he is “Pressing Charges” against them, sweeping the floor of Gio’s, laying down on home plate after getting beaned, and other general mischief and mayhem.
Kevin’s statistics rank him among the career leaders in almost every offensive category. He has a career .385 Batting Average, 167 Hits, 158 Runs, 92 RBI’s, and 67 Stolen Bases. Kevin has also been a solid pitcher, although arm issues have limited him in recent years. Godfather is a cornerstone of the Ranger franchise and his antics on and off the field are what make the Rangers a great team to play for.

Game 1 Preview : Rangers @ Marlins, 5/8/11

2011-05-07T21:28:00.000-05:00

In a rematch fit for ESPN Sunday Night Baseball, the Chicago Rangers will face their 2010 CMBA Championship foe Park Ridge Marlins in a road contest at Southwest Park at 10:00 am on Sunday, May 8, 2011.

Historically, the Rangers have not fared well against the Fighting Fish. In 27 total lifetime games, the Rangers have mustered only 4 wins for a .148 winning percentage. The last Ranger win over the Marlins came in Game 1 of the 2010 CMBA Championship by a score of 5-2. The Rangers come into this game riding a 2 game losing streak against the sea dwellers.

This is not the first opening day match up between the 2 clubs. The clubs met in 2006 and 2008. Both resulted in Ranger losses. The 2008 opener ended in a Ranger forfeit - the only one in Ranger history.

All-time, the Rangers are 2-7 in opening day play. They come into Sunday's game riding a 2 game opening day winning streak - both against the Vikings.

The site for Sunday's game is Southwest Park in Park Ridge. All-time, the Rangers are 5-17 (.227) at the suburban grounds. Their last win at Southwest came on Opening Day 2010 in an 8-4 victory over the Vikings. The game was originally scheduled to be played at Taft High School but was moved minutes before first pitch.

Statistically, the Rangers should fare well in Sunday's contest. Lifetime, the Rangers are 80-79 (.503) in intra-division play and 73-57 (.562) in weekend games.

Opening Day 2011

2011-05-07T20:47:00.001-05:00

The Chicago Rangers will kick off their 2011 campaign when they square off against the defending league champion Park Ridge Marlins in a 10 am tilt at Southwest Park in Park Ridge. The 2011 season marks the Rangers' 10th in the Chicago Metropolitan Baseball Association (CMBA). The Sunday contest features a rematch of the 2010 CMBA championship series that saw the saw the Marlins win 2 games to 1.

Roster Reload

The Rangers' 2011 roster features a couple of new faces with the additions of pitcher Matt Havey and catcher Andy Robledo. The rookie duo traces their roots back to their high school playing days at Loyola Academy. Havey went on to pitch collegiately at Northwestern University where he enjoyed a successful Big 10 career. Havey shores up a pitching staff anchored by another fellow Wildcat, Mike Folan. Robledo will spell Ranger slugger and franchise home run leader Isaiah Panatsis behind the dish.

The Rangers will attempt to find a way to live without Eric Morrissey, who not only managed the club but could play just about every where on the field. The loss of Morrisey's multi-dimensional role will be the Ranger's biggest challenge heading into 2011.

The Rangers also say goodbye to Brad Weigand, Mark Wegren, Ed Arambula, Dan Garcia, Pete Monroe, Darrin Meaders and Tony Bosma who have all officially hung up their Ranger cleats.

Managerial Modification

Long-time Ranger Matt Swary will begin his first season at the helm of the club. He takes over for a departed Eric Morrissey who has returned to the Big Apple. Swary has been with the club since its inception in 2002 and traces his Ranger lineage back to the great Loyola University Baseball Clubs of the late 1990's. Swary becomes the 5th manger in team history (Lucas Luecke, Tim Brannon, Mike LaRocco and Eric Morrissey).

The Only Original

With the departure of veteran Mark Wegren, only 4 members of the Rangers' inaugural 2002 team remain - Mike LaRocco, Lucas Luecke, Isaiah Panatsis and Matt Swary. That 2002 team went 12-15 in their first year.

Ranger Baseball Cards (Part 31)

2011-05-07T08:03:00.000-05:00

Two outs, top of the seventh, down by one run, tying and winning runs on second and third respectively, Matt Swary at the plate. Would he be a hero or a goat? If you know Swary, you already know the answer to that question. “I knew I would strike out, I was distracted!” Rangers as a group ask, “What distracted you, what the hell are you talking about?” Swary replied, “The Rainbow, there was a rainbow in Right Field!” That’s right, Swary was distracted by a rainbow and took three straight pitches right down the middle of the plate and the Rangers lost 6-5 to the Maywood Braves (now the Mets). And this is the legend behind Leslie Gore’s “Sunshine, Lollipops, and Rainbows” being the official theme song for the Rangers.
Swary is a man of many names : Swary, Matt Swary, Swampy, Swampass, Swaggle, Swagglestick, Swagg, Swaggletoothed-Tiger, Swagadocious, Docious, Hocious-Docious, Swaggle-daggle-ding-dong, and many more lost to copious consumption of beer.

An original Ranger, Swaggle experienced a career year in 2010, culminating by hitting an over the fence home run in the CMBA Championship against he Marlins. Another career highlight is hitting a Walk-off Home run against the Electrons in 2008 during a 2 week tear that had the Rangers campaigning Swary for MVP. That effort was crestfallen when Swaggle did not get a hit the rest of the season. Swaggle also has a penchant for giving up Game-Winning grand slams. He once gave up Game-Losing walk-off grand slams in consecutive appearances vs. the Browns and Vikings, prompting sponsorship calls from Denny’s and their Grand-Slam Breakfast!

Other highlights include kicking down the door in the men’s room at Gios after a playoff game in 2007, consistently showing up to the wrong park for games and telling the Rangers and the opposing teams that they were at the wrong park, calling Ranger teammates at all hours of the night to find out useless information like “Where can I find a Laundromat?” or “How do I get to the Post Office?” and also giving Luke’s Mom a ride on his motorcycle through the Mississippi valley. Swary also does not believe the Ranger Weather hotline has enough information on it. When a game is cancelled, he wants all the details. One Particular morning he calls Luke after calling the Weather hotline to ask “Why is the game cancelled?” Luke’s, drunk groggy 6 AM response was, “Swag, look outside, its pouring!” Swary responded, “Oh, I am in New York, I just wanted to know why the game was called!” He was concerned about the cancellation of a game he had no intention of even showing up to, not being in the same time zone as the rest of the Rangers.

During a Beer-Pong tournament hosted by The Harem, Swaggle decided it was time to take his pants off. When the partygoers yelled, “Swary, what the hell are you doing, why did you take your pants off?”, Swaggle responded “Because I can’t find my shoes!”. Classic Swary, in his mind, it made perfect sense! It is scary to think that Swary is now the manager of the Rangers. Are his shenanigans planned to take the pressure off the rest of the team, or is he a bumbling lovable character? The Rangers still have not figured that out, but whatever happens in 2011, it will be interesting!

Ranger Baseball Cards (Part 30)

2011-04-30T08:54:00.002-05:00

Chris “River” Rivera was a super-utility player for the Rangers. The only position he did not play was pitcher, and possibly Center Field, but the Rangers details on items like that are fuzzy at best. River joined the Rangers after his freshman season of Loyola Club Baseball in 2003 after playing High School baseball for the Shamcocks of St. Pats on the North Side. River had a natural opposite field swing, driving the ball into right field on a consistent basis. River even volunteered to catch despite having limited experience behind the plate. During a heated game against the Cubs at Riis Park in 2006, Curtis Brown of the Cubs attempted to barrel over River at the Plate on a long sac-fly to right. Lucas Luecke fired a strike from deep right (and shredded his shoulder in the process) and River stood his ground. Brown was ejected for making contact (he did not know there was a no slide rule) and River showed the team how much of a bad-ass he really was. His competitiveness came out again when he was ejected at Riis for joining a fracas when a Red Sox Player got in the face of mild mannered teammate Matt Brooks. Ever a fiery competitor, the Rangers miss River and his love of Jack Daniels and cooking pots. He retired after the 2009 season with chronic shoulder problems. The sight of him swinging and his arm sliding out of its socket became too painful to watch. Perhaps the slowest skinny guy to ever run the bases, Rivera retired with a career .286 Batting Average and 109 Career hits. His presence is missed, although we know he is making the streets of Chicago safer in the law enforcement industry.

Amphibious Dan still at work

2011-04-15T10:19:00.003-05:00

Ambidextrous pitcher proves nearly unhittable with either hand

By Cameron Smith

The first time a batter saw Westminster (Ill.) Christian High pitcher Ryan Perez stop warming up right-handed, pick up another glove and start warming up left-handed, the hitter's jaw dropped with a wide-eyed reaction. The man outside the batter's box had good reason for the reaction, too: Perez is a top flight pitcher with either hand, one of the few -- if not the only -- legitimate ambidextrous pitching prospects in the United States.

Perez, who is one of the top pitchers in the Chicagoland area, is no simple novelty act. His right-handed fastball has been clocked at 91 mph, and his lefty heater hit 86 mph on the gun before the season. He continues to build strength in both arms in a personal quest to reach more than 90 mph with either hand.

If that speed wasn't impressive enough, Perez also throws three other pitches with both arms, with his cut fastball, curveball and change-up making his fastball even more effective by keeping batters off balance ... as if the ability to pitch with either arm didn't do that already.

In his second year as a starting pitcher, Perez continues to turn heads. According to the Chicago Sun-Times, Perez's big breakthrough came in 2010, when he went 9-0 with a 1.15 ERA (weighing in both right- and left-handed performances) while leading Westminster Christian to the Illinois Class 1A state title. In 2011, the junior has been even better. On April 5, Perez threw a no-hitter against Rockford (Ill.) East High while pitching left-handed, then came back and threw four innings of relief in a victory against Aurora Christian, pitching right-handed and allowing just two hits and no runs.

While his teammates have become accustomed to Perez's unique dual-handed warmup, and the unique, six-fingered ambidextrous glove he uses, their coach said that other teams are still left in awe watching the dual-threat fireballer.

"The whole other team was in the dugout, going, 'Did you see that?'" Westminster coach Jeff Moeller told the Sun-Times of his team's 2010 sectional playoff opponent Eastland. "It was like they were getting psyched out before the game started."

Perez's father, Juan Perez, is Westminster's pitching coach and the impetus behind his son's ambidexterity. A left-handed pitcher himself, the elder Perez taught his youngest son to throw with both hands by having him skip stones with alternating hands. While he was open to ending Ryan Perez's quest to pitch with both hands at any point in his development, Juan Perez said that -- aside from some minor issues with confusing which foot to stride forward with on some deliveries as an 8-year-old -- there have been few hiccups in Ryan Perez's rapid rise up the ranks of pitching prospects, regardless of which hand father and son focus on developing at any given time.

Now father and son are trying to maintain Ryan Perez's impressively consistent defense, all while continuing to build more strength and accuracy in both pitching arms. Whenever he isn't on the mound, Perez serves as either a right-handed infielder or left-handed first baseman, avoiding errors with aplomb despite he and his father's struggles to find him more practice time during the hectic baseball season.

"You start thinking about it, 'How does he deal with that? How does he deal with this?'" Juan Perez said. "At the same time, you've got to keep him healthy. He works out during the offseason; during the season, you want to keep your strength. We're trying to figure out a way to get into the gym and work out and just maintain his strength. You get five or six games a week, it's hard."

When he does get time, the younger Perez has begun communicating with Yankees pitching prospect Pat Venditte, the only ambidextrous pitcher affiliated with any major league club. Venditte encouraged Perez to throw more long toss with his left arm, a trick which the younger prospect said has improved his arm strength.

All that extra work is made worthwhile whenever Perez steps on the mound, warms up and leaves onlooking opponents shaking their heads trying to deciper how they can handle batting against him.

"I just kind of smile and try to get focused," Perez told the Chicago Sun-Times. "That's an advantage to me. They're thinking about that up at the plate."

Ranger Baseball Card (Part 29)

2011-04-14T08:17:00.000-05:00

Brad “9.8” Wiegand had a short one-year and one game Ranger career spanning the 2009 and 2010 seasons. A graduate of Occidental College, Brad was primarily an emergency pitcher during his Ranger tenure. Brad claimed to possess a variety of pitches, but to opposing hitters, they all looked the same, slow enough to not break the speed limit. To be honest, his pitches did have movement, they all dropped due to the effects of gravity, explaining the “9.8” moniker. For those of you who are not science minded individuals, gravity exerts a force of 9.8 meters/second on a free falling object. In two Ranger at bats, both in 2009, Brad had one walk and one strikeout. His time on the mound was limited, the few starts he had he could not command his pitches and had a tough time finding the strike zone. In 7 2/3 innings, Brad was 0-1 with a 10.05 ERA, surrendering 15 Walks and 12 Hits, but did manage to strikeout 6. After the 2010 season, Brad moved to Scottsdale, Arizona where he and his pooch Tillman now reside.

Chicago Rangers Baseball Cards (Part 28)

2011-04-09T08:16:00.001-05:00

Ed Arambula came to the Rangers from East Chicago, Illinois. Previously coached by Jon Kohn, Ed came in at the end of the 2010 season to help the Rangers out with a pitching shortage and played a stellar infield as well. Ed appeared in 5 Regular season games, hitting .625 with 10 Hits and scoring 10 runs. His presence was needed on the mound, pitching 3 1/3 innings, giving up 1 hit, 1 walk and striking out 6. Ed used the Rangers as a rehab assignment coming back from Tommy John Surgery and he threw straight gas, making a mockery of CMBA hitters. Ed appeared in one Playoff game against The Hounds, throwing two innings before he had to leave to return to college. He is currently enrolled at Southeastern Community College in Iowa where he is a member of their Baseball Team, the Blackhawks. The Rangers hope to have Ed back in 2011 to help him along on his rehab and to study his domination of CMBA hitters.

Ranger Baseball Cards (Part 27)

2011-04-05T08:14:00.002-05:00

Rob Winn, a self described poor hitting, mediocre fielding outfielder, was nonetheless an excellent addition to the Rangers. Not so much for his on the field prowess, but mainly for one incident that happened after a rare Friday night tryout/practice at Gio’s. The team had been looking to replace the since departed Jason Thorn, Ranger Drinking All-Star, and Rob, with his uncanny Thorn look-alikeness, was just the ticket. This specific Friday night was one the Rangers will never forget, involving acts of chivalry, a late night encounter with angry drunks, and a breakfast date/sleepover between two Rangers. Rob was a key contributor to the shenanigans. After drinking his fair share of beer, Rob just disappeared. Longtime bartender Jason comes out from behind the bar and tells eMo “Your friend is outside and he does not look good.” A quick Ranger headcount is tallied and it is determined that Rob is the missing party that is not doing so hot. Emo, goes outside and Rob has once again disappeard. We find Rob’s terrific “Member’s Only” Jacket and hold it for ransom until the next time we see him, which is not for two weeks (must have been some hangover!). Later on, we get the rest of the story. Rob got in a cab to get safely home to his lady friend’s place. When he gets there, he could not figure out how to pay the cab driver. He described it as he “forgot how to work a wallet.” The doorman had to come out, pay the driver and escort Rob to the elevator. When Rob miraculously got to the correct apartment door, he could not get the key in the door, became frustrated, and just sat down outside the door, and passed out. At around 3 A.M., his lady-friend arrived home, found Rob passed out on the floor, woke him up and put him to bed. Rob’s on the field exploits pale in comparison to this night, a night he may not remember, but the rest of the team will never forget!

Ranger Baseball Cards (Part 26)

2011-03-12T08:29:00.003-06:00

Former Ranger catcher Dan O’Malley put the anger in “RANGER”! Dan played for the Rangers from 2003-2005, appeared at one practice in 2006 and then retired to pursue other opportunities. Dan came from the Loyola Club Baseball Minor League system as part of the duo of all-pro catchers, joining Isaiah Panatsis in that club. Most baseball teams struggle to find one decent catcher, the Rangers were lucky to have two excellent options. A die hard Cubs fan Dan also rooted for the Packers, which never sat well with the Rangers. He was roommates with Kevin “Busch Light” Casey and Jason “Wheezy” Keydel for a while, then along with his cat Azreal, formed the odd couple roommate situation with Lucas Luecke. Dan is best remembered for losing his pants after an evening out at Maifest in Lincoln Square. Kevin Casey woke up the next morning to find Dan in his boxers sleeping on their front porch. Kevin later received a call from Chicago’s Finest asking if he knew a Dan O’Malley, which he reluctantly confirmed. The police told him they had Dan O’Malley’s pants, along with his wallet, keys, and cell phone and that they were found in some ladies backyard. Classic Ranger’s drinking. Dan was also involved in a fistfight at Gio’s with then Ranger Manager Tim Brannon, which prompted a series of late night phonecalls between Team President Lucase Luecke, CEO Mike LaRocco (both of whom were not at Gio’s for some reason), and an incoherent Kevin Casey (who was at Gio’s). LaRocco and Luecke sprang to action on a damage control plan that was not needed (thank goodness, it was not a good plan); since neither O’Malley or Brannon even remembered their late night fisticuffs. Dan’s fiery personality is missed, along with his .359 career batting average. You can find him today working at a beer stand at Wrigley Field along the Right Field Line.

2011 Chicago Rangers Schedule

2011-03-07T20:08:00.002-06:00

Chicago Rangers Baseball Cards (Part 25)

2011-02-20T08:50:00.004-06:00

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)

2011-02-15T08:47:00.000-06:00

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)

2011-02-06T10:01:00.008-06:00

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)

2011-02-06T09:54:00.005-06:00

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.

Ranger Baseball Cards (Part 21)

2011-01-29T10:27:00.007-06:00

It was announced this week that the Chicago Rangers and Tony Bosma have agreed to part ways for the upcoming 2011 CMBA Season. Bosma, the oft-injured infielder, decided it was in his best interests to pursue other baseball related opportunities in the Chicago metro area. Each of Bosma's two seasons with the club ended in injury. His 2009 campaign ended with a torn calf muscle in the third to last game of the season and his 2010 return ended after the fifth game of the season due to a golf related knee injury. In his two seasons while hitting .352, Tony compiled 19 hits; including 3 Doubles, 1 Triple, and 1 Home Run. Although Tony was a respectable player, his most notable achievement came off the field when he and skipper Eric "Emo" Morrissey, polished off a case of beer before a Ranger fantasy football draft. A native of the great state of Ohio, Bosma attended Akron University. The Rangers wish Tony luck in the future and hope that his chronic injuries will relent and allow him to have success on the diamond in the coming years.

Ranger Baseball Cards (Part 20)

2011-01-17T18:56:00.008-06:00

Danny Garcia was everything that you could ever want in a Ranger. He was an exceptional teammate, always helping other players with their fundamentals. He had a great attitude with an infectious personality that rubbed off on his teammates, and was always willing to lend a hand, especially when it came to raking the field! He was such a great teammate, he even voluntarily gave his starting spot to a fellow Ranger in a playoff game versus the Hounds. Danny was certainly a great humanitarian and his solid presence and personality will be missed!

Danny in fact is a great baseball talent. He was the second Ranger ever to come to the team after having Tommy John Surgery. Primarily a pitcher before his injury, Danny played a very solid shortstop, but as you know, the Rangers can never hold onto a shortstop for more than a few years. In 2011 , his only year with the club, Danny hit .327 with a .463 On-Base-Percentage and threw 5 1/3 Scoreless innings, Winning 1 Game and Saving 2. Danny will return to Southern University this season and the Rangers wish him well.

Ranger Baseball Card Double-Shot

2011-01-05T17:18:00.013-06:00

.....and the TWINS!!! No, unfortunately not that kind of twins. Keston and Kelvin McCabe were original Rangers in 2002 but soon split apart. Kelvin played for the Rangers in 2003 and Keston, after a year absence, rejoined the team in 2004. One oddity about the twins is that one batted Right-Handed and one batted Left-Handed. Which one did what is a fact that is not really remembered. The first ever Home-Run hit in Ranger history was hit by Kelvin at Taft High School and Keston hit 2 Home runs in that inaugural season. The McCabe's also were fantastic drinkers and still can occasionally be seen at the longtime Ranger sponsor Gio's on Damen. Best known for partying with Estonians, they brought their Estonian Entourage to one of Scary Swary's Chungoween Parties. When the Rangers went to see the Parent Club defeat the White Sox at Comiskey Park in 2002 for Elvis Night, Kelvin dressed up as Elvis and forever will be known as "Kelvis". One McCabe is a personal trainer and the other is a lawyer, which is which is unknown at this time.

Chicago Rangers Baseball Cards (Part 17)

2010-12-26T08:38:00.004-06:00

2005 was the year of 1-year and done Rangers. Jason "Wheezy" Keydel was one such player. Roommates with Dan O'Malley and Kevin Casey, Wheezy was a Right-Handed pitcher who was underused in 2005. His most notable achievement was leaving Gio's early after one early morning Ranger practice to go home and sleep, when two carloads of drunken and boisterous Rangers woke him up by stacking wooden chairs and whatever else they could find on top of him. Wheezy was known to roll and smoke his own cigarettes before and during Ranger games and sunbath in the grass at Winnemac (See Baseball Card Photo). Wheezy had a decent season in 2005, he hit .316 with 6 hits, 1 Triple, 1 Home Run,5 Runs, and 9 RBI, really good production considering how few At-Bats he had. Pitching he was 0-2 with 18 K in 18 1/3 innings. After his Inside-the-Park Home Run hit at Riis Park, Wheezy was definitely wheezing, circling the bases at a pace that would make the Statue of Liberty look fast. Wheezy is believed to be living in Detroit, although details of his whereabouts are sketchy at best. Wherever he is, the Rangers are sure he is doing a helluva job!

Chicago Rangers Baseball Cards (Part 16)

2010-12-24T11:33:00.004-06:00

Dan "Big Rig" Jeserig was an original Ranger in 2003, had his 2004 season cut short due to injury, and was a nominee for the "Life" Hall of Fame. Big Rig was a Left-Handed Pitcher and occasionally played the field. Although he claimed to be not much of a hitter, 2 of his 3 career hits were doubles. Dan finished that 2003 inaugural season with a 3 and 2 record, the only pitcher on the staff to have a winning record that season. The next year, he went 0 and 1, pitching in 2 1/3 innings, but did not give up a run. The beginning of the end of his pitching career came against the Yankees during the 2002 season. He gave up two long homes runs (possibly back to back) became angry, and threw straight gas to the the next hitter, striking him out on three pitches. As a result of overthrowing those pitches, Dan strained his shoulder, threw the Army Ranger figures (only the legs were left) the served as the teams first mascot, and walked off the mound in obvious pain. Other highlights include getting the first ever win in Ranger History against the Vikings on June 11th, 2002 in that comeback of epic proportions. Dan and his wife were excellent drinkers, spending a great deal of time ta hooters and Simply Rays. On July 3rd, 2002, Big Rig, his wife and the rest of the team were at Hooters for some shenanigans. The outdoor sprinkler was set off and Dan's wife ended up urinated on a lawn in Park Ridge. Always late to games, Dan always claimed he "had to let the dog out". If that was a euphemism for something else, we may never know!

Chicago Rangers Baseball Cards (Part 15)

2010-12-19T10:55:00.004-06:00

Nick Taylor arguably could be one of the most athletic Rangers in team history. He made plays at Shortstop that the team has never seen before, and his effort on the field was second to none. Nick was a rostered Ranger from 2005 until the 2007 season, although he appeared in only 1 game in 2005 and none in 2007. He was the first Ranger to have a uniform number taped on for that game in 2005 and went 1 for 3 with a triple. While running the bases on that triple (which occurred in his first Rangers at-bat) the tape fell off, prompting embarrassed team number taper Mike LaRocco to use better workmanship on future tape job. 2006 was a great year for Nick, he hit .357 with 15 singles, 15 Stolen Bases, 16 Runs, and 1 RBI, proving to be the lead-off hitter the Rangers were looking for. His season was cut short bu injury when he was setting up a stage and a length of rope became tangled around his leg while it was going through a pulley. The resulting wounds had him on the disabled list and barely able to walk for the last few weeks of the season. Nick was a member of the Loyola University Club Baseball team and currently resides in Addison, Illinois.

Chicago Rangers Baseball Cards (Part 14)

2010-12-14T18:45:00.004-06:00

The Rangers go through Shortstops like Spinal Tap went through drummers. Matt Hall was the primary Shortstop for the Rangers in 2005, a season in which he hit .316 with 12 hits, 1 double, 9 runs, and 8 RBI. Matt was the 6th consecutive club baseball president to play for the Rangers following Luke Luecke, Vince Caringi, Mike LaRocco, Kevin Casey, and Tim Brannon. the Loyola Rambler - Chicago Ranger pipeline was shut off after 2005 marking the end of an era. Matt wore the #00 jersey for the Rangers, the second person to do so. A native of Kansas City, Matt is a lifelong Royals fan, something he was made fun of for on a daily basis. A Physics and Math major at Loyola, Matt is currently studying Medical Radiation Physics at the Rosalind Franklin School of Medicine. Most importantly, there is actually a Facebook Group dedicated to Matt titled "We Hate Matt Hall", a fitting tribute to the man with the whitest teeth in the history of the Rangers.

Chicago Rangers Baseball Cards (Part 13)

2010-12-09T18:24:00.004-06:00

In the 2009 Ranger campaign, Shawn Polk appeared in 5 regular season games, just enough to make him eligible for Post Season play. In that short time, Shawn hit .556 with 5 hits, 5 runs and 5 RBI. He played for Ranger legend Alonzo Hilliard at Brooks High School in Chicago and now plays on the Claflin University (South Carolina) Baseball team. Shawn made his mark in the playoffs going 3 for 4, walking twice, and laid down a key sac bunt, finishing the playoffs with both a .750 Batting Average and a .750 On-Base-Percentage. In his brief Ranger tenure, Shawn wore # 14, Nick Monroe's number, since Nick took a season off from baseball. Unfortunately, that jersey was not returned has been missing, forcing Nick to wear a # 58 jersey in 2010, a number worn by past Rangers Colin Clark and Ryan Varney. The Rangers had hoped that Shawn would be the speedy center fielder and lead-off hitter they have been seeking, but unfortunately it was not meant to be. It is a goal of Ranger management to reclaim Shawn's # 14 jersey and maybe 2011 will be the year that goal is fulfilled!

Chicago Rangers Baseball Cards (Part 12)

2010-12-07T18:14:00.002-06:00

Colin Clark had a few strikes against him when he joined the Rangers. A natural rival to the team's Loyola Club Baseball Roots, Colin was the captain of the Eau Claire Wisconsin Club team during the last season Luke Luecke was the captain of the Loyola Club team. In fact, Eau Claire ended Loyola's 2000 season with a blowout of the Ramblers and even injured future Ranger Vince Caringi on a line drive back to the mound. This game is actually on tape in the Ranger Archives. Was it Colin's fault he ran a good team, yes it was. Colin was also born in Canada, making him the first non American citizen to play for the Rangers. All fun aside, Colin was a great teammate with infectious competitiveness. His career with the Rangers lasted from 2004-2007 when he relocated due to a job opportunity in Maryland. In three seasons, Colin went 4 and 2 as a pitcher and played a stellar center field. He left the Rangers with a .341 Batting Average, garnering 27 hits, 2 double, 2 triples, and 1 Home Run. Colin also played first base and caught, becoming the first of 2 Left-Handed Catchers to appear for the team. We wish Colin and his wife the best on the East Coast and hope that he can one day rejoin the team!

Rangers Baseball Cards (Part 11)

2010-12-05T10:19:00.004-06:00

An argument can be made for Tony Litzey being the best one year Ranger in the team's long and storied history. He stabilized the Shortstop position for the Rangers in that dream like 2007 run to the CMBA Runner-Up position in the standings. Tony attended a tryout for the team before the game against the Oriole Park Cubs on May 19th, 2007, the second game of that season, with Alonzo Hilliard. Jonathan Kohn also attended a tryout that morning as well, all three players obviously made the team and paid huge dividends that season. Tony did not start that day, but with the Rangers trailing by more than a few runs, he came in the game and sparked a Ranger comeback by going 1 for 2 with 2 runs. With Tony on the team, the Rangers only lost 3 games that season, ending up with a 23 and 4 record. In his Ranger career, Tony hit .385 with a .444 On-Base-Percentage, drove in 12 Runs, scored 15, and hit 1 Home Run. The most amazing aspect of Tony's Ranger career is that he is an overnight crane operator, going straight to work after week day games and coming straight from work on Weekend Games. The Rangers wish Tony the best, and will always have a roster spot open if he decides to make a comeback!

Rangers Baseball Cards (Part 10)

2010-12-02T20:13:00.006-06:00

Dave Mullan was a rostered Ranger in 2007 but appeared in only 1 game for the team. He was a friend of then Ranger Manager Tim Brannon and was needed for an emergency start on May 28th 2006 against the Black Sox. Dave pitched 1 1/3rd of an inning giving up 2 Earned Runs, 4 Hits, 1 Walk, and Struck out 2. At the plate, Dave went 0 for 3 with a walk. The game was a lackluster effort from the Rangers that resulted in a 12 - 11 walk off loss. Dave was spotted at Tim Brannon's Bachelor Party and wedding, but this in the only known picture of him in an "almost" official Rangers uniform. The blue striped warm up pants were a Ranger uniform experiment that failed spectacularly. The Ranger wish Dave the best in whatever it is he is doing at this point in time.

Chicago Ranger Baseball Cards (Part 9)

2010-11-25T08:42:00.005-06:00

The phrase to describe Ryan Varney's Ranger Career is best summed up as the "One Man Wrecking Crew"! Recruited by Jody Joseph during the miserable 2008 campaign, Varney became the second of three former browns to play for the Rangers. In his 1.5 seasons with the team, Ryan hit .508, amassing 31 hits including 5 Doubles, 2 Triples, and 2 Home Runs. Ryan played a plethora of positions, including all outfield positions, first base, second base, and enjoyed a comeback to the pitcher's mound. On the mound, he threw 5 innings giving up no runs, walking 5, but striking out 7. To sum it up, he threw GAS! While in Chicago, Ryan worked for the legendary WGN Radio personality Paul Harvey. In 2009 he relocated with his now wife Jenn to Cincinnati and his veteran presence has been missed in the heart of the Ranger order ever since.

Chicago Rangers Baseball Cards (Part 8)

2010-11-22T17:57:00.005-06:00

Nick "Tikidikee" Tenekedes played for the Rangers in 2009 as a switch-hitting outfielder and Left-Handed pitcher. In limited duty, he hit .154 but had an impressive .421 On-Base Percentage. Nick had a tremendous eye at the plate, which in the CMBA can be a detriment since control is not a strong point of most pitchers in the league. Most Rangers go up hacking, but Nick was an All-Conference High School Baseball player in Florida (meaning he actually had a plan at the dish). Nick also was a Football Player at Holy Cross University and had 12 tackles his senior year. He was also an all-conference QB and defensive back in high school. Even in his limited duty, Nick managed to smoke a triple and core the Ranger's only run against the Marlins

in an 11-1 loss on July 1st, 2009. His dog was a proud member of the Ranger's Dog pound and even though he is no longer a Ranger, Nick can still be found on the softball diamonds on Chicago's North Side.

The Origin of Winnemac

2010-11-18T10:58:00.002-06:00

The name Winnemac comes from Chief Winnemac, who was an important leader of the Potawatomi Indian tribe. He was a signer of the 1795 Treaty of Greenville, in which Great Lakes tribes surrendered the site of Chicago to the U.S. government.

Winnemac is also a fictional state in the United States invented by the writer Sinclair Lewis. He described Winnemac as, "bounded by Michigan, Ohio, Illinois, and Indiana, and like them it is half Eastern, half Midwestern. There is a feeling of New England in its brick and sycamore villages, its stable industries, and a tradition which goes back to the Revolutionary War."

Source: http://www.winnemac.com/profile/

Chicago Rangers Baseball Cards (Part 7)

2010-11-15T08:50:00.003-06:00

Tom Heindl, another inductee into the "Life Hall of Fame", an original Ranger who did not actually appear in a game until the 2007 season. His absence from 2002 through 2006 was blamed on among other things, his love of the Detroit Red Wings and Loyola University Men's Basketball. Contrary to popular belief, Tom did not actually attend Loyola, although most people who know him believe it to be the case. Best friends with Big Joe Dlugosz since childhood, Tom made his Ranger debut on Opening Day 2007 against the Yankees, going 1 for 3 with a run. He went on to hit .429 in 16 at bats that year with a .500 on base percentage in that magical Championship appearance season. 2008 was a busy year for Tom and he only attended a few games and decided top retire during the season. The most impressive stat about Tom is that he is the Career leader in Game Winning Walk Off Walks (GWWOW) with 3 (as best we can tell). He also participated in the record breaking (at the time) 29 pitcher Friday night extravaganza at Gio's Bar and Grill. Tom's quick wit, terrific eye at the plate, and drinking abilities are sorely missed on the Rangers and hope one day he will pull a Sandberg and come out of retirement.

Chicago Rangers Baseball Cards (Part 6)

2010-11-13T08:59:00.005-06:00

Jason Thorn, the only man who could possibly compete with Bob Wacker for the "Champion of Life" Moniker. A valuable Utility player from 2003 to 2006, Jason suffered a career threatening injury when he was beaned in the arm by a Henry Peters fastball against the A's at Portage Park. The ball shattered both the ulna and radius bones and required several plates and screws in order to let the bones heal properly. Chief Rangers Paramedic Chad Pilcher diagnosed him on the spot and dispatched him to the nearest orthopedic surgeon.
Thorny is yet another Loyola Club baseball player and once hit two home runs at Loyola Park against the Seminarians of St. Joes. He was a champion on road trips and if the Rangers ever go on a road trip tournamnet, he will be forced to be on the team! A lifelong Cubs fan, Thorn's license plate once read "Ryno 282" and wore number 17 in honor of Mark Grace. Jason currently resides in Chicago and works downtown.

Chicago Rangers Baseball Cards (Part 5)

2010-11-09T18:21:00.004-06:00

Chad Pilcher, original Ranger whose look alikes included Jim Thome, Tom Sizemore, and most impressively....Mr. Incredible! He did some incredible things on the field for the Rangers, being an extremely agile first basemen from the Rangers inaugural season of 2002 until the ill-fated championship run of 2007. Another in the long list of Loyola Club Baseball recruits, Chad spent some time serving his country in the Navy before becoming a Ranger. He also was the first ever switch hitter in Rangers history, although it is not known if he ever got a hit Left-Handed. Chad was a feared hitter in the CMBA providing protecting in the lineup for Isaiah Panatsis. His regular season home run totals were hampered by the lack of a fence at Winnemac Park, where many of his majestic shots we caught by outfielders playing extremely deep. He ranks in the top ten in virtually every Ranger offensive category. In his last at bat of his Ranger career in the 2007 Championship Series, Chad cranked a 2 - Run Home Run, a fitting end to a tremendous Ranger career.

Chicago Rangers Baseball Cards (Part 4)

2010-11-07T09:00:00.000-06:00

Bob Wacker, Charter Member of the "Life" Hall of Fame. Bob known as "Mr. Clutch" on the field for his ability to come through in key spots in games and also as an All-Star in all off the field festivities. Bob hit former A's fireballer Henry Peters better than any other Ranger, he loved to see a hard thrower on the hill. Bob's "Mr. Clutch nickname was coined on July 25th 2003 when in the seventh inning during a comeback against the A's, Bob stole second base as the tying run with two outs. A daring move if you know Bob's blazing speed. The game was continued the next day and won on a Matt Swary sacrifice bunt. Bob was also one of the best bunters in the Rangers organization, breaking a team wide zero for 26 bunting streak. Ranger Master recruiter Lucas Luecke also discovered Wacker's talents while coaching the Loyola Rambler Club baseball team. To live up to his name, Wacker also missed five wake up calls before a game against Marquette while a Rambler and needed to be physically accosted and brought to the team van to be the catcher for a doubleheader, truly living up to his "Life" Hall of Fame membership.

Bob Currently lives in the Dogtown area of St. Louis with his wife Kate and a new baby. He also currently acts as a financial advisor to several current Rangers. His presence is missed on the field but more importantly, off the field.

Go Giants! World Series Champions!

2010-11-03T15:05:00.022-06:00

Chicago Rangers Baseball Cards (Part 3)

2010-10-25T17:22:00.004-05:00

Brain Salgado formed the Weber High School Triumvirate with Mike LaRocco and Mark Wegren and all three starred on Weber High School's baseball team in the late 1990's. Known for his speed on the bases and in the outfield, Salgado scored the winning run on a dropped third strike during the Rangers first ever win against the Browns on June 3rd 2003. He also had a game winning walk off infield single against the Black Sox on July 16th 2004.

Perhaps his most notable Ranger achievement was wrecking his Nissan Altima a few blocks from Southwest Park in Park Ridge prior to a crucial game against the Marlins on June 25th 2004. At that time, he was the crucial ninth guy to prevent a forfeit. Joe Dlugosz's wife drove from the field to pick him from the accident scene. After that, Salgado went to to go 1-2 with a single and a run. Salgado briefly came out of retirement in 2007 for two games, but you can find him on softball fields around the city all summer long!

New Rangers Song?

2010-10-20T15:21:00.000-05:00

Chicago Rangers Baseball Cards (Part 2)

2010-10-09T08:32:00.004-05:00

Joe 'Big Joe" Dlugosz played for the Chicago Rangers from 2002 until the 2009 season, in which he did not appear in a game due to various "ailments" (mostly work related absences). Joe always seems to pitch against the Browns and Marlins, two of the most formidable offenses in the CMBA. His pitching style is best described as that of Bill "Spaceman" Lee, or for the generation, Eddie Harris of "Major League" Fame. His out pitch was a changeup, described by Isaiah Panatsis as being one of the best he has ever seen. He ranks 9th on the Chicago Ranger's Career wins list with 8, a total blemished by the fact the team was not very good against the teams he pitched against.

Big Joe's is a connoisseur of fine wines, cigars, beer, and trying to collect the entire 1989 Upper Deck baseball card set in PSA 10 graded condition. He is currently an executive chef's consultant at A New Dawn Professional Chef's Services and is the moderator of the #1 Loyola University Chicago fansite on the web, ramblermania.com.

Chicago Rangers Baseball Cards (Part 1)

2010-10-01T09:26:00.007-05:00

Tim Brannon: Rangers Legend, hated foe, umpire berater, and manager of the 2007 CMBA Runner-up Rangers. Tim was a great player for the Rangers for several years but his career was cut short by a career and location change to become a teacher in Washington D.C., where he now resides with his new bride. Tim was the first ever Ranger All-Star in 2002 and threw a no-hitter against the Dodgers June 19th 2003. Even though he left the team after the 2007 season, he is still among the career leaders in all offensive categories.

This is the first in a series of postings (hopefully) that will have a brief summary of Rangers Legends Past and current players and a preview of the very collectible All Time Rangers Baseball Cards.

Swaggle Daggle in 10 Years...or less

2010-09-30T19:12:00.001-05:00

Playoffs Round Two

2010-08-05T10:07:00.003-05:00

Second Round

Saturday, 8/7, 10AM Electrons @ Marlins Southwest Park

Saturday, 8/7, 12:30PM Rangers @ Browns Walther Lutheran

Sunday, 8/8, 10AM Marlins @ Electrons Winnemac Park

Sunday, 8/8, 1PM Browns @ Rangers Winnemac Park

Tuesday, 8/10, 5:30PM Electrons @ Marlins Southwest Park

Tuesday, 8/10, 5:30PM Rangers @ Browns Walther Lutheran

PLAYOFFS

2010-07-29T18:01:00.002-05:00

2010 Playoffs
First Round
Saturday 7/31 9:00AM Electrons @ Mets Maywood

Saturday 7/31 10:00AM Hounds @ Rangers Winnemac

Sunday 8/01 10:00AM Mets @ Electrons Winnemac

Sunday 8/01 1:00PM Rangers @ Hounds Winnemac

Tuesday 8/03 5:30PM Hounds @ Rangers Winnemac

Tuesday 8/03 5:30PM Electrons @ Mets Maywood

The Inner Workings of Matt Swary

2010-07-10T07:39:00.001-05:00

RANGER PITCHER COUNT

2010-06-17T23:42:00.005-05:00

We all know the Rangers like to drink beer. But just how much have they drank so far this season. According to receipts (except one) gathered at Gio's Bar and Grill, the Rangers have drank a total of 77 pitchers thus far. At their current pace, the Rangers are set to down 231 pitchers of sweet nectar by seasons end. Let's hope the boys can step up their game and eclipse the 300 mark.

6/6/10 DoubleHeader POSTPONED

2010-06-06T07:44:00.000-05:00

Today's DoubleHeader vs. Browns has been POSTPONED due to unplayable field conditions. A makeup date has not been announced.

Game 7 & 8 Preview : Rangers @ Browns DH - 6/6/10

2010-06-05T17:30:00.000-05:00

The Rangers (4-2) and Browns (5-1) will square off in a doubleheader at Walther Lutheran High School in Maywood on Sunday, June 6. First pitch is slated for 9:30 am.

The Rangers come into the game fresh off an 8-0 thrashing of the Vikings last Thursday night at Winnemac Park. The Browns come into Sunday's action riding a 2 game winning streak, having defeated the 1st place Park Ridge Marlins last week at Grosche Field. The Rangers slipped to 3rd place in the Washington Division with todays Athletics' sweep of the Hounds at Winnemac Park. The Browns are currently in the top spot in the Daley Division.

The Rangers have matched their best start ever through 6 games. The feat matches the 4-2 start in 2005, 2007 and 2009. The Rangers made the playoffs in each of those years; including a trip to the CMBA championship in 2007. The Rangers didn't get their 4th win until June 28 in 2008.

Walther Weakness The Rangers have struggled mightily at Walther Lutheran High School. In 8 previous games at the Maywood venue, the Rangers have managed only 1 win. That win came on June 21, 2009 against these Browns in a 10-5 victory.

What Can Brown Do For You In the lifetime series, the Rangers are 7-16 (.304) versus the Browns, but are 4-2 over the last 6. The Rangers split the season series with the Browns in 2009. The Rangers met the Browns in both of their first two playoff appearances (2004 and 2005). The Browns won those series 2-0 and 2-1, respectively.

Double Your Pleasure Sunday's twinbill will be the 8th doubleheader that the Rangers will have played in. Over the previous 14 games, the Rangers are 8-6 in doubleheader action. 2009 marked the first and only time that the Rangers played in 2 doubleheaders in the same season; they went 3-1 in those games against the Aviators and Vikings.

Game 6 Preview : Vikings @ Rangers - 6/3/10

2010-06-01T20:35:00.001-05:00

The Rangers will host the Vikings (1-4) in an Harold Washington Divisional clash on Wednesday, June 3rd at 5:50 pm at Winnemac Park on Chicago's North Side.

The Chicago Rangers come into the game riding a 2 game losing streak with a season record of 3-2. In their last action, the Rangers lost a squeaker 1-0 to the Athletics (3-3) at Winnemac Park on 5/30. Through Sundays games, the Rangers are in 2nd place behind the Park Ridge Marlins (6-0).

Viking Lore The Rangers beat the Vikings earlier this year on Opening Day by a score of 8-4. Over their 9 year history, the Rangers have played the Vikings more than any other opponent. The Rangers hold a slight series edge in the historic 27 game series with a record of 14-13 (.519)

1 Is The Loneliest Number The Rangers' 1-0 loss to the Athletics marks only the 10th time in Ranger history that they have been shut out and only the 2nd time that they have been blanked 1-0. The first and only other 1-0 shutout came way back on July 12, 2003 against the Cubs at Taft High School. The Rangers have won only once by a score of 1-0 in a game against the Electrons back on July 22, 2006 at Winnemac Park.

Be Like Mike Ranger rookie Mike Folan becomes the 5th "Mike" to play for the Chicago Rangers. He joins LaRocco, Huang, Wysopal and Kamradt as past and present Ranger Mikes. The 5 Ranger "Mikes" join the 5 Ranger "Matts" (Swary, Jura, Brooks, Hall and Brannon) as the most popular Ranger first name. Coincidentally, Folan becomes the first ever Ranger with a last name starting with the letter "F".

Rangers Announce Signing of Rojo Johnson

2010-05-10T09:32:00.002-05:00

Ranger Spring Trainer

2010-04-18T17:55:00.001-05:00

Fellow Rangers Gather to Cheer for USA Olympics!

2010-02-18T14:38:00.001-06:00

This One's For Swagadocious!

2009-11-23T03:59:00.001-06:00

M.B. to play M.B. ?

2009-09-01T20:39:00.003-05:00

In another recent development it looks as though Mathew Broderick, star of Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Glory, and The Producers will play Chicago Ranger super utility man Matt Brooks. Mr. Broderick was not able to meet for an interview but he did pass on this message through his publicist:

"I've always wanted to do a sports film. In high school I had to give up athletic pursuits due to a knee injury I suffered playing football and soccer. In order to keep busy I took up acting, while still maintaining my enthusiasm for sports. I acquired fame by playing the coolest kid who ever lived. Now, the only roles I can seem to get are bleak, insecure men. I do find almost every character I play quite interesting, though. I love sports, baseball is America's greatest past time, now I get to make up for what I missed out on in high school."

Dean Cain signs on!

2009-08-31T10:00:00.004-05:00

Dean Cain is the latest star to sign on to the upcoming Chicago rangers movie project as Ranger's hurler Adam Kubey. "I felt like i had to be a part of this movie, and i definitely wanted the part of Adam Kubey, the guy is a great role model with his work with Chicago High School Kids and of course i wanted to work with Ranger Dog, who wouldn't? This role will resurrect my career!" says Cain. Kubey though the choice was obvious "Both of us attended classes at ivy league schools, both of Asian heritage, and both great athletes, while talking with Dean, i found out he was drafted by the Buffalo Bills before he injured his knee and pursued acting!" "I just hope i can accurately capture his throwing motion without tearing up my shoulder too much" said Cain. Filming is set to start shortly after a few more key roles are filled!

Two New Actors To Appear In Rangers Movie

2009-08-25T11:43:00.005-05:00

Rumor has it that two big name actors are to appear in the film adaptation of the 2009 Chicago Rangers baseball season.

Hollywood veteran Jimmy Smits will be playing Gio's Bar owner and Ranger team sponsor Humberto Camacho. Jimmy is known for his portrayal of good men with deep moral convictions which should fit this role perfectly.

Joaquin Phoenix, has come out of retirement from acting and will put his rapping career on hold to appear as Ranger slugging first basemen, designated hitter, and aspiring musician Ryan Varney.

It is rumored that Joaquin will be lending his musical talents to the film, just as he did in Walk the Line. He was seen recently practicing on a bass guitar in order to properly portray the role of Ryan Varney, who plays the bass in his band Action Finger.

More to follow!

Big Name To Appear In Chicago Ranger Movie

2009-08-24T06:35:00.004-05:00

King of Queens? King of the Mall? How bout King of the Diamond? Funny man Kevin James will appear in the highly anticipated Chicago Rangers film, chronicling the on and off field antics of the 2009 season.

"I love sports!" Kevin James had to say when we sat down to discuss his upcoming role. "I wrestled in high school and I love baseball. Big Mets fan... heck... I even named one of my daughters after Shea Stadium! At first I was interested in auditioning for the part of Eric Morrissey since he's a Mets fan, but after reviewing the script I fell in love with Mike Kamradt."

Kevin James will be playing the slugging and slick fielding first baseman Mike Kamradt. Known for his hard-nose style of play and propensity to trash talk.

Look for the film to hit theaters in the summer of 2011.

Chicago Rangers Movie In The Works?

2009-08-23T15:53:00.003-05:00

Universal Pictures and writer/director Judd Apatow are working on a romantic comedy based on the 2009 Chicago Rangers baseball season.

So far one actor has signed to be aboard the film, Jesse Metcalfe. Jesse Metcalf has agreed to play pitcher and outfielder Nick Tenekedes. Jesse had this to say about the upcoming movie, "I think my work in Smallville, Desperate Housewives and John Tucker Must Die have really prepared me for this role. Can't wait to show my athleticism, I am really excited!"

Check back soon for more details on this anxiously awaited film.

What Rangers do at Rooftop Parties

2009-08-18T17:57:00.009-05:00

We take suggestive photos utilizing our surroundings...

And drink lots of beer!

Meet The Gnome Ranger

2009-08-05T16:00:00.002-05:00

2009-07-28T13:44:00.002-05:00

Congratulations Rangers for making the playoffs! Here's a pat on the "back"...

"We are recording..."

2009-07-28T10:28:00.000-05:00

Baserunning

2009-07-14T11:50:00.002-05:00

When The Rangers Enter Gio's???

2009-06-25T11:39:00.001-05:00

Oh those Lutherans

2009-06-24T10:16:00.003-05:00

Last Sunday, June 21, 2009, marked the first ever win by the Rangers at Walther Lutheran field in Maywood. Entering the game, the Rangers were 0-7 all-time. Other fields that have caused the Rangers problems have been Southwest Park (4-13 all-time) and Taft High School (13-19 all-time) where the Rangers play the Red Sox on Thursday.

The venue that has been the kindest to the Rangers is Maywood Park where the Rangers are 7-3 all-time and the now defunct Riis Park where the Rangers are 15-7 all-time.

After the Rangers 15-4 win against the Yankees on Wednesday, the Rangers are 8-5 in 2009 and tied for 4th in the entire league.

Baseball Magic?

2009-06-19T18:49:00.001-05:00

33 Reasons to Wear a Cup

2009-06-18T09:51:00.000-05:00

Rangers to compete in CMBA Dance Off

2009-06-02T08:26:00.000-05:00

Rangers to Hire new Play by Play man

2009-05-22T13:44:00.000-05:00

Captain Morgan Club

2009-05-17T10:20:00.003-05:00

Sign up for the Wrigley Field Captain Morgan Club e-mail list and help me win some stuff:

Captain Morgan Club E-Mail List

Make sure you put me as your referrer!

JUICED!

2009-05-16T00:51:00.001-05:00

Rangers PPD vs. Aviators - 5/15/09

2009-05-15T15:15:00.002-05:00

Torrential downpours and no relief in sight have washed out tonight's game versus the Aviators at Altgeld Park.

The Rangers are set to square off against the Red Sox on Sunday, 5/17/09 at 12:00 pm at Winnemac Park.

Chicago Rangers Enter the Twitter World

2009-05-11T23:38:00.004-05:00

The Chicago Rangers found themselves in a difficult predicament this off-season. After a dismal 2008 campaign that saw hefty drops in attendance, merchandising revenue, and an economic recession, management was faced with an uphill battle for 2009. In an effort to market the team to a wider and more diverse fan base and stimulate profit growth, entrepreneur and Chicago Ranger CEO Lucas Luecke, with the full support of CFO Mike LaRocco and manager Eric Morrissey, has launched the ChicagoRangers twitter campaign. This is the last in a series of moves orchestrated by Luecke to tighten the grip his team has been holding for quite some time now in cyberspace.

This move by the club is being viewed by some as a natural evolution of the game within the technological era. Others are calling it a disgrace to the game of baseball. Despite our best efforts, Luecke was unavailable for comment. However, second year manager Morrissey was quoted in the Winnemac Gazette saying, "As long as my players and I are not expected to Tweet during the game, I have no problem with this." But, as Morrissey found out last year, expectations are one thing, what happens is another.

Winter Training and Few Things Beyond

2009-02-22T21:21:00.004-06:00

The start of the season is just around the corner. Here are some things to keep in mind:

February thru April - Tuesday Nights 7-8pm @ BASH SPORTS ACADEMY (Hitting and Throwing)

Opening Day - Sunday, May 10th

All Star Break (no games) - Fourth of July Weekend

Last Day for Regular Season games - Thursday, July 30th

Olympic News Break!

2008-08-18T17:40:00.004-05:00

Our very own Lucas Luecke's quest for glory has ended! Luecke failed to make it to the medal stand after a sub-par performance in the much anticipated Hoolah Hoop finals at the 2008 Beijing Games. Luecke, a virtual unknown going into the games, surprised many in the preliminary rounds with stellar performances, despite the hostile Chinese crowd. Rival Hoopers were left stunned all week by Luecke's formidable hip gyrations. Luecke was unavailable for comment afterwards, but a close source had this to say, "After we ran out of Busch Light, it was all downhill." We leave you with this highlight of the competition.

The Return of Kelvis?

2008-08-05T12:05:00.000-05:00

Updated (Finally!) Rangers Pitcher Count

2008-07-29T13:44:00.002-05:00

For those who do not know, it has been a rough year for the Chicago Rangers. To soften the blow of the long arduous season, Ranger team members like to frequent establishments that serve refreshing libations. The much anticipated pitcher and tab totals are in for 2008:

144 Pitchers of Beer have been drunk

$ 2,074.00 has been added to the economy of Gio's and Hooter's of O'Hare

While the totals are not up to last years lofty totals, they are still respectable. The season high single day pitcher count stands at 14, which has been achieved three times this season.

For the Rangers who need energy

2008-07-18T21:34:00.004-05:00

Next Game to be Chicago Rangers' 200th

2008-07-17T22:30:00.003-05:00

The Chicago Rangers will reach a milestone when they play their next and 200th game. The Rangers look to celebrate game number 200 with a win against the Marlins at Winnemac Park on Sunday, July 20th.

Through the franchise's first 199 games, the Rangers are 107-92 (.538).

More Ranger franchise records:

Most games played versus any opponent: 23 games vs. Vikings (11-12)
Most games won versus any opponent: 14 wins vs. Electrons (14-2)
Most games lost versus any opponent: 17 losses vs. Marlins (3-17)
Record in games played versus division opponents: 52-56 (.481)
Record in games played versus teams outside of division: 55-36 (.604)
Record in games played on weekdays: 52-47 (.525)
Record in games played on weekend days: 50-44 (.532)
Record in games decided by forfeit: 5-1 (.833)
Longest Winning Streak: 18 games (6/23/07 through 8/12/07)
Longest Losing Streak: 8 games (5/18/08 through 6/8/08)
Most games played, won and lost at any park: Winnemac Park (61-39 .610)
Best Winning % at any park: 1.000 (2-0 at Portage Park)
Worst Winning % at any park: .000 (Altgeld, Proviso W., Walther Lutheran)
Record in night games (under lights): 2-5 (.286)
Playoff Berths: 4 (2004, 05, 06, 07)
Record in Playoff Games: 6-8 (.429)
Record on Opening Day: 0-7 (.000)
Most runs scored in a game: 26 runs (26-8 vs. Red Sox, 7/22/07)
Most runs scored in a loss: 13 runs (13-14 vs. Aviators, 6/18/08)
Most runs allowed in a game: 19 runs (7-19 vs. Marlins, 6/21/06)
Greatest Margin of Victory: 21 runs (21-0 vs. Aviators, 5/20/05)
Greatest Margin of Loss: 14 runs (4-18 vs. Vikings, 6/17/06)
Times shutting out an opponent (non-forfeit): 13 times
Times Shutout (non-forfeit): 8 times
Record in games scoring 20+ runs: 4-0 (1.000)
Record in 1 run games: 23-20 (.535)
Record in extra inning games: 9-5 (.643)
Most innings played in any one game: 9 innings (4 times)
Record in games played as part of a doubleheader: 5-5 (.500)

Nexus 2 Trailer

2008-06-30T12:19:00.002-05:00

Former Ranger Bob Wacker to shine again.

2008 Ranger's Quote Board

2008-06-27T11:38:00.004-05:00

“I already want to kill myself when I get home after making an error, I don’t need someone yelling at me about it!” - The Godfather

(After Emo takes off after Henry) “Maybe I shouldn’t have told him that?” - Pedro

"I'll call you in an hour!" - Emo

"You're outta here! No one draws a line in MY dirt" - Ump

"She lied, she told me she was on birth control!" - Isaiah

"I'll punch you in the FACE!" - Swag

Can the Harem do This?

2008-06-23T10:02:00.001-05:00

Ball Girl Makes Incredible Catch - Watch more free videos

Rangers vs. Hounds

2008-06-13T15:12:00.001-05:00

Courtesy of Yuko

Ranger Fans go Crazy after First Win of Season

2008-06-12T13:55:00.002-05:00

Police blame Rangers yobs

Eurosport - Thu, 15 May 17:33:00 2008

A small minority of hooligans were to blame for the violence which marred the Rangers win against the Black Sox according to police and council chiefs.

Hundreds of Rangers fans went on the rampage when a big screen showing the match failed to work just as the game ended

Fifteen officers were injured, as well as a police dog, and 42 arrests were made as hundreds of riot police and supporters fought running battles.

One fan of Rangers' opponents, Black Sox, was stabbed but his injuries were not life-threatening.

The match commander, Assistant Chief Constable Justine Curran, said the response of her officers was "appropriate".

She said: "It was challenging and we were stretched. Our officers did come under a degree of violent attacks. I am happy we responded appropriately. We could not let those minor disturbances affect the day for everybody.

"I am satisfied our reaction was appropriate. I saw officers chased down a street by a baying mob of around 200 people. We had to do something."

The screen that failed was one of eight mounted around Winnemac Park to accommodate more than 100,000 ticketless fans.

Around 11,000 fans were transported by shuttle bus to an alternative screen set up rapidly at Taft High School - but a group of supporters stayed and vented their fury at the police.

Sir Richard said: "We are clearly disappointed that a great night was soured by a number of small people.

"We had an unprecedented number of people come to Winnemac Park, between 100,000 and 150,0000 people. It is the biggest movement of that size for an event of this nature.

"For most of the day and in most parts of the city we had a carnival atmosphere. Most people were good humoured who were a credit to their city.

"Whether it was the big screen going down or a problem with alcohol the behaviour of this small minority of yobs was not acceptable.

"If you are going to put the blame on anyone then it has to be on these people."

A relaxed attitude to fans' drinking in the street - normally outlawed - was adopted as supporters consumed alcohol from breakfast onwards.

Sir Richard added: "Do you really think we were going to stop 100,000-plus Ranger fans wanting to have a drink? It was not possible.

"Trying to enforce that would have created a public order problem."

"I would think that the inquiry should be wider in its scope - there are a number of other aspects to inquire into."

He went on: "Certainly we will give full co-operation on all the matters under our responsibility to such an inquiry."

Pitcher Count

2008-06-05T10:32:00.002-05:00

Ranger fans!

The much anticipated Ranger Pitcher count is now up and running! Due to the CFO's incompetence, there may be some missing recipts. If those can be found, that would be much appreciated!

As of today (6/5/08) 34 pitchers have been taken care of.

At this pace, through 7 games, we are on pace for a lackluster 131.14 pitchers. We can and will pick up the pace!

My Typical Day at the Office

2008-06-04T13:22:00.000-05:00

Office Worker Goes Absolutely Insane - Watch more free videos

Rangers look to get back on track against the Hounds

2008-06-04T13:18:00.002-05:00

The Rangers take the field Wednesday night against the Hounds and will try to get into the win column for the first time this season. In two previous games against the Hounds, the Rangers are 2-0 with a .351 batting average, outscoring them 19-5. They hold an ERA of 2.50 against the Hounds with both James Keathley and Eric Morrissey picking up wins in the two games while also striking out 9.

2008 Chicago Rangers Media Guide

2008-05-14T08:29:00.000-05:00

The 2008 Chicago Rangers Media Guide has been released!

Click Here To View/Download

Mr. RedLegs to Make Rehab Start for Chicago Rangers

2008-05-12T09:36:00.003-05:00

After an unfortunate fall off of Gapper's ATV last week in Cincinnati before a game with the Cubs, Reds giant head mascot Mr. RedLegs will begin the long road back with at least 1 rehab start for The Chicago Rangers sometime this week.

Mr. RedLegs is expected to make a full recovery but Reds' brass is cautious about his recovery. Reds GM Walt Jocketty had this to say "Look, blows to the head are a serious thing. No one knows that better than those clowns on the Rangers. We're going to send Mr. RedLegs down for a week or so to make a couple of rehab starts. Once the vomiting and dizziness subsides, we'll re-evaluate and hopefully get Mr. RedLegs back up here where he belongs."

Opener Washed Out

2008-05-11T09:35:00.001-05:00

Opening Day 2008 has been postponed due to rain. Makeup date to be announced.

Beer and Track Marks

2008-03-24T20:33:00.003-06:00

After a productive night at Bash Academy, Ranger hurler and "Rock Band" legend James Keathley asked the only question that matters, "Who wants to go to Gio's?" Although resident Ranger female Mike LaRocco rejected the invitation, new club manager Eric "eMo" Morrissey jumped at the chance to consume his favorite beverage. During this short outing, the fellow hurlers and often times battery mates downed three delicious pitchers of golden mead. Gio's Bar & Grill owned up to its reputation as having the finest drunkards in town. The nights entertainment was provided by a middle-aged, recovered heroin addict and military veteran bearing a close resemblance to our very own Kevin Casey (not in appearance, but in drunken shenanigans). One thing is certain, this man played a mean air guitar.

Be Like Mike

2008-03-19T14:57:00.000-06:00

2008 Schedule Released

2008-03-06T21:56:00.002-06:00

The 2008 Chicago Rangers schedule has been released. Check the website for details.

Pitcher Count Update

2008-02-22T11:07:00.003-06:00

During a tenuous Ranger Winter Meeting in which the new sheriff in town, eMo, laid down the new Ranger Laws, there was some pretty successful drinking done! 10 pitchers were reported to be drunk, as well as a new Green Gio's Shot. While it tasted good, the Rangers needed their 'tussin. The pitcher count is now at 11. No new drinking goals have been set, but the Rangers have over 300 pitchers to go to meet last years lofty record!

Ranger Image Gallery

2008-02-20T09:28:00.000-06:00

The much anticipated and high controversial Ranger Image Gallery is now on-line!

The gallery can be accessed through ChicagoRangers.com or directly Here.

New Ranger?

2008-02-07T13:38:00.000-06:00

Not so fast! Although the Rangers aren’t shy about making historic ground breaking moves in the CMBA (last year signing 3 black players and playing them all at once) this however isn’t the case. Yes, she wears the uniform well but the Rangers will not be making history by signing and playing the first female player in CMBA history. In a brilliant marketing move to grow their popularity, get a local TV and radio deal, increase revenue and help with the recruiting of new players…the Rangers are in the process of recruiting cute, young females to wear Ranger uniforms and show up at all of their home games. These girls will also be sporting Ranger gear around town as a form of advertising. The Rangers are currently in the process of negotiating with several Wrigleyville bars to have these ladies work as shot girls and/or beer tub girls while wearing the Rangers uniform. Rumor has it the Rangers first ladies will also be hosting a car wash (wearing nothing but bikinis and a Rangers jersey). Big H from Gio’s has also agreed to allow the Rangers to host an oil wrestling match between the ladies with all proceeds going to charity (new uniforms, equipment, beer, slush fund, bail money, etc…). However, that might be changed to a “Foxy Boxing” event because although these ladies are young and cute their motto is: “We don’t wrestle, we beat bitches up!” Isaiah Panatsis who loves the Ranger girls’ attitude backed them up with a strong statement of his own, “take that Electrolytes! What up now??? Our girls ain’t takin shit from nobody; they straight up take all suckas out!” He further commented by saying, “They can and will fuck up everybody and everything and that includes yo couch!”

Where are these fine ladies coming from you may ask? The majority of the girls will be supplied by the Godfather, from his harem. A teary-eyed Luke Luecke (The Rangers former GM) was quoted as saying, “what else can I say about the Godfather?” “That kid continues to contribute to our organization/team on and off the field in more ways than we will ever be able to repay!” He continued by saying, “I wish my lady would go the extra mile for us like this” (oh Luke, as do we all!). The new management released a statement through their in-house PR department (Matt Swary), “Godfather, he gives and give until it hurts…trust me I know firsthand. I’m still sore from the last time we got drunk together!” Former coach Tim “Big Cup” Brannon was unavailable for comment and has yet to return our phone calls. Apparently, he’s too pussy whooped by his new girl to talk to or drink with any of his old teammates when he’s in town.

In closing the Rangers have just one message to the ladies (Between 19 and 27 years old) of Chi-town, “We want you…and if and when we get you, oh boy!”