THE BALLPARK IN ARLINGTON

THE "IDIOTS" REVERSE THE CURSE

April 30, 2004 ... As if arriving in Texas at 4:30 a.m. EDT after playing a day-night doubleheader in Boston the day before was not burden enough, the Red Sox waited out a bizarre 3- hour-32-minute rain delay before their game against the Rangers was postponed.  The way things turned out, the Sox and Rangers could have played for nearly an hour and 45 minutes before the rain began. Rangers officials said they were led to believe the storm would strike about 8:30 p.m., about 25 minutes after the scheduled start time. In fact, the storm arrived at 9:49 p.m. At 11:10 p.m., Rangers officials announced the game would start between 11:30 and 11:35 p.m. But then the rain started falling heavily again, forcing officials to scrub the game.

One of the most popular teammates on last year's club, John Burkett, paid his first visit since he retired over the winter. Burkett, who went 12-9 with a 5.15 ERA last year and started two of the biggest playoff games in recent memory (Game 4 of the Division Series against the A's and Game 6 of the Championship Series against the Yankees), said he stopped by the clubhouse at the The Ballpark in Arlington "to meet the 2004 world champions."

As pleased as commissioner Bud Selig was to strike an agreement on drug testing that would clear the way for major league players to participate next year in a World Cup tournament, Ramirez and Ortiz expressed no interest in suiting up for the Dominican team. Ramirez said he would not play as long as it was voluntary, and Ortiz said it sounded too "boring" to participate.

Trot Nixon experienced some discomfort in his quadriceps Thursday, but Francona said it was nothing serious. Nixon is scheduled to DH in an extended spring training game today. He has not received a formal rehab assignment.