30-3

What do I always tell the Johntourage? Baseball is amazing because on any given day you'll see something you've never seen before. Texas' 30-3 win against Baltimore on Wednesday afternoon, for example. The records set are one thing, but consider just how freaky it is that the Texas Rangers, of all teams, did this.

Odd notes about the game you can swap with your buddies!

1. This is the same Texas Ranger team that was no-hit earlier in the season (I believe the only no-hitter of the season) by the Chicago White Sox and that was struck out 17 times just a couple days earlier by Johan Sanatana of the Minnesota Twins.

2. This is the same Texas Ranger team that last month traded its only bonafide slugger, Mark Texeira, to the Atlanta Braves.

3. Only hours earlier the Orioles had announced that manager Dave Trembley would return for the 2008 season. I hope you got that in writing, Skip.

4. That was only the first game of a doubleheader (Texas swept the twinbill, winning 9-7 in the nightcap) and yet in the first game alone the Rangers set a franchise record for most runs in a doubleheader.

5. The 30 runs were an American League record for runs in one game and the 39 in the doubleheader were also an American League record.

6. The last time any team scored more runs than this in the Majors, the American League was not yet born. The Chicago Colts beat the Louisville Colonels 36-7 on June 28, 1897. The ten other National League teams in that year? Boston Beaneaters, Cleveland Spiders, Washington Senators, New York Giants, Cincinnati Reds, Brooklyn Bridegrooms, Pittsburgh Pirates, Philadelphia Philles, St. Louis Browns and yes, the Baltimore Orioles.

7. After three innings at Camden Yards, the Orioles led by a score that would later, take away the dash between the digits, be the number of runs Texas would score: 3-0.

8. The Rangers' Travis Metcalf was making his Major League debut, and he was one of two Rangers to hit a grand slam.

9. Texas outscored its run total of the previous nine games combined (28) and also had more hits (29) than they made outs (27).

10. Somehow, and this may be where the MLB needs to amend its rules, a Ranger pitcher notched a save even though Texas won by a 27-run margin. Wes Littleton, by pitching three scoreless innings in relief when the outcome was still in doubt, earned a save.