ARLINGTON, Texas — When it comes to working down on the farm, well, the Texas Rangers are a bunch of city slickers compared with the Kansas City Royals.
At least that was the result of Saturday's Farm and Ranch Day at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. The Royals bested the Rangers in both cow milking and egg tossing before facing each other in baseball. Then the Royals beat the Rangers, 4-1, in a 10-inning affair.
Rangers closer Joe Nathan was the impartial judge of the pregame contests, while Rangers public address announcer Chuck Morgan served as the on-field emcee.
First the team of Rangers pitchers Derek Holland and Justin Grimm challenged Royals infielders Chris Getz and Elliott Johnson in the egg toss.
Backing up after each successful toss, both teams reached the edge of the tarp laid down along the third base foul territory. No doubt thanks to several of their teammates egging them on.
Ultimately, Holland couldn't handle one long toss from Grimm and the yolk was on him.
Then the competition moved to the cow milking where Rangers reliever Robbie Ross took on Royals catcher George Kottaras.
It was a bad sign when Ross' bovine partner kicked the milk pail over just before the competition began.
When the contest started, it was no contest. Kottaras used the soft hands of a catcher to out-milk Ross.
That's the second cow-milking loss in two years for Ross, who lost to the Angels' Kole Calhoun in Anaheim last season. Obviously, Ross is more familiar working in a bullpen, not a cowpen.
As for the game, the Royals took a one-run lead in the top of the 10th when David Lough was hit by a Ross pitch with the bases loaded. Then Kottaras added a two-run double for some insurance.
Follow Keith Whitmire on Twitter: @Keith_Whitmire
