As mentioned in the previous post, the Ranger offense has improved considerably over 2004, particularly in terms of reaching base (despite a slightly lower walk rate). On the whole, they aren't responsible for the team's middling performance. Still, most Ranger fans reasonably appreciate that the offense could stand to improve. Across the universe of message boards, informed and discerning fans grouse about hitting with runners in scoring position, advancing runners, too many strikeouts, and so on.
Humbug. The Rangers just don't have enough talent:
2005 OPS and OPS+ for Players with 50 At-Bats:
Player OPS OPS+ Career OPS+ David Dellucci .925 142 92 Kevin Mench .933 140 106 Mark Teixeira .930 139 116 Michael Young .863 125 92 Alfonso Soriano .870 122 111 Hank Blalock .840 118 108 Rod Barajas .740 92 60 Richard Hidalgo .693 79 114 Laynce Nix .668 73 80 Sandy Alomar .648 72 87 Chad Allen .649 71 80 Gary Matthews .615 60 882005 OPS and OPS+ by Position:
Pos OPS AL Rank OPS+ AL OPS+ C .708 6 85 83 1B .924 1 137 108 2B .867 2 121 96 3B .836 5 117 105 SS .840 2 119 94 LF .982 1 152 105 CF .605 14 58 96 RF .708 13 83 109 DH .788 7 107 106
Richard Hidalgo has been a poor man's Brad Fullmer with a pretty rich man's salary. Laynce Nix has shown absolutely no improvement beyond a slight reduction in strikeouts and some balls sprayed to the opposite field. The bench would embarrass Joe Torre. Everyone else is pulling their weight.
Everyone? Even Rod Barajas?
Remember Lisa Simpson's trepidation at entering the "Little Miss Springfield" pageant (sponsored by Laramie Cigarettes), and Bart grudgingly telling her she wasn't ugly? Sure you do. Just as grudgingly, I say the following: Rod Barajas has performed respectably. History suggests he'll recede, but if he somehow continues to bat .260 with power and a not-too-terrible walk rate, he'll have earned John Hart's graciously tendered $1.8 million.