Looking ahead

SPORTING GOODS

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you your 2007 World Series champs....the Texas Rangers!

Buck Showalter was fired as manager of the Texas Rangers on Wednesday, ending
four seasons in which he was never able to get a team with several young
All-Stars above third place in the AL West.

The last two teams that fired Showalter won the World Series. He was fired by the Yankees after 1995, Yankees win in '96; he was fired by the Diamondbacks in 2000, Dbacks win in '01. Smart strategy for the Rangers to wait until they have a nice team that has underachieved a bit, then cash in on the "Fire Buck and Win the World Series" plan.