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Texas Rangers play by play man Dave Barnett has been out of the Rangers booth since a bizarre incident June 16th when he began rambling incoherently on-air.  At the time, we weren’t quite sure what to make of it, but it was revealed Barnett had suffered a serious migraine.  The last update was Barnett missing a few games to undergo medical tests.  Now, the Rangers announcer has said in a statement that he will take an indefinite leave of absence, likely for the rest of the 2012 season.  Via the Star-Telegram… 

“I want to thank everyone for your kind sentiments and words of encouragement over the last couple of weeks,” Barnett said. “It has meant a lot to me during what has been a very difficult time. Effective immediately, for health reasons I will be taking an indefinite leave of absence from my broadcasting duties that I expect to last for the remainder of the season.”I would ask that you please respect the privacy of me and my family during this time. Thank you once again for your support.”

Hopefully the extended time away from the booth will allow Barnett to fully recover from these medical ailments as it is serious enough to likely keep him out for the entire season.  Fans outside Texas may remember Barnett from his college football work at ESPN in the earlier parts of the decade.  We certainly wish Dave Barnett a full recovery and hope he’s able to return to the booth as soon as possible.

[Star-Telegram]