Rangers have a move coming

by Adam J. Morris on Dec 16, 2007 8:24 PM CST in News Comment 76 comments

The Rangers have recently added Milton Bradley, Ben Broussard, and Kaz Fukumori.

Before this flurry of moves, the 40 man roster was full. Akinori Otsuka has been non-tendered, and Nick Gorneault was DFA'd, but there's still one more move that should be coming.

Running down the list of candidates, I'm guessing one of these six players will end up getting DFA'd on Monday:

Josh Rupe
Robinson Tejeda
Bill White
Chris Shelton
Nelson Cruz
Jason Botts

Tejeda, Cruz and Botts are out of options, and all of them are iffy to make the 25 man roster out of spring training. Rupe hasn't been able to stay healthy. White is a good arm, but a guy who was picked up as a minor league free agent.

But Shelton is the one I'm starting to think is the most likely to go. Shelton was picked up before the Rangers grabbed Broussard. On a team that is only going to keep 4 bench players, keeping Shelton means only one backup infielder and one backup outfielder.

It occurs to me that the Rangers may prefer to simply run Broussard out there everyday at first base, or else have Jarrod Saltalamacchia play first base against lefties (and yes, I know that the team has said they want him to stay behind the plate).

With someone having to get the axe, I think Shelton is the most likely candidate right now, with Tejeda and White fairly close behind.

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If we DFA shelton because of broussard

it was a stupid move to get broussard.

more expensive, under control for less time, cant hit lefties, probably not much better if he is at all.

by DSheppard on Dec 16, 2007 8:08 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

I think its

going to be Scott Feldman

"Dwyade is to basketball what the 40 is to the Rangers." -thedirkatron

by coolaid on Dec 16, 2007 8:10 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Still think

Bill White should be the one to get the axe...

Scot Baio is 45 a single

by miles on Dec 16, 2007 8:11 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Robinson Tejeda

"2008 should be about rebuilding, 2009 about taking a step forward. 2010 is the target year." -AJM

by dstar442005 on Dec 16, 2007 8:32 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Tejeda

I don't think he will ever "get it" and be a consistent major league pitcher, but I hope he gets one more chance before we DFA him. Shelton and Broussard are similar enough that I can see that move being made, but I also think Bill White gets the axe.

by uthornfan on Dec 16, 2007 8:34 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Bill White

is a nice guy. I got his autograph in Corpus Christi last season. HOWEVER, he is JUST a guy. Nothing Special.

Tejeda can still throw 95 mph.

Sorry, Bill.

by timraub on Dec 16, 2007 9:44 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

shelton

i say he goes as well. broussard is better than shelton anyway, makes sense.

by ab03 on Dec 16, 2007 8:46 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

broussard - shelton

Curious why you think Broussard is better. Shelton is younger and for his career has a higher BA, higher OBP, higher SLG, and higher OPS+.

Maybe you like Broussard's music so that makes up the difference?

LF platoon = Catalanatto and Byrd. CaTyrd for short?

by tricer on Dec 16, 2007 8:56 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

so everyone doesn't have to look it up

Broussard(31) 267/328/458; 107 OPS+
Shelton (27) 281/348/477; 115 OPS+

LF platoon = Catalanatto and Byrd. CaTyrd for short?

by tricer on Dec 16, 2007 9:00 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

hate to keep replying to myself

But I keep checking back in to see if someone can explain to me why Broussard is perceived to be better than Shelton, even though Shelton is younger and a better hitter.

LF platoon = Catalanatto and Byrd. CaTyrd for short?

by tricer on Dec 16, 2007 10:40 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

he put up a .870 ops including a .299 average

in 400 at bats in 2006..

by DSheppard on Dec 17, 2007 12:03 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

er.

2005.

so in his first year with significant at bats he had a very solid year, then he started off great in 06. then did poorly the rest of the year.

its not a great track record, but its as good or better than broussards and hes younger/under control.

by DSheppard on Dec 17, 2007 12:05 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

April 06

I see what you are talking about. After his magical month in April 06, he really sucked the rest of that year, never slugging .370 in any of the other months. And then last year, in almost 500 AAA at bats he went .269/.381/.420 which is certainly nothing special from a 1B. So it has been almost 2 full seasons since he has really produced, which is pretty troubling.

But he was pretty consistently good in 05 at age 25, going .299/.360/.510 in almost 400 ML at bats. That is about equal to the best season in Broussard's career.

I guess the 2 of them are pretty close to equal overall, but Broussard can't hit lefties and is 4 years older - so if we don't have room for both, I guess I'd rather it be Shelton that we keep.

LF platoon = Catalanatto and Byrd. CaTyrd for short?

by tricer on Dec 17, 2007 12:04 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I don't get it.

why would we trade for Shelton anyway then? It seemed obvious to me that we would get Broussard, so why trade for Shelton. DFA Broussard instead of Shelton. Shelton>Broussard.

I thought the whole point of going out and getting a 1B was to get a platoon partner for Cat, or get R/L 1B platoon, which is what we did. If we DFA one of them, DFA Broussard, because that would give AB's to Cruz.

"2008 should be about rebuilding, 2009 about taking a step forward. 2010 is the target year." -AJM

by dstar442005 on Dec 16, 2007 8:59 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

because it wasn't obvious

we would get broussard? seems like a very low risk move to make sure that if you got frozen out of broussard that you could at least nab shelton.

by ab03 on Dec 17, 2007 8:17 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I hope its not Tejeda...

I saw some pretty good efforts just never got it consistent. I wanna see him one last time to make sure he can't go to another team and win...

by corbsclinton on Dec 16, 2007 8:55 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Bill White...

would not be shocked at anyone else, including Feldman, except Cruz/Botts.

"The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance."-Socrates

by slc ranger on Dec 16, 2007 9:13 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Scott Feldman

Scott Feldman should be added to the list.

by doolindalton on Dec 16, 2007 9:17 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Shelton

no way he goes or should go. It should be out of the 3 easy choices: Cruz, White, Tejeda.

by Longhorn on Dec 16, 2007 9:33 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Feldman has a special place in my heart

"He's a sidearm puncher too!"

by Nichols22 on Dec 16, 2007 9:34 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Cruz

by Randy Richardson on Dec 16, 2007 9:35 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

White

or Cruz

by Lucas on Dec 16, 2007 9:47 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Scott Feldman

I mean we want to get rid of the worst player in baseball.

by SaltyGoesYard on Dec 16, 2007 10:02 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

This Feldman hate is mystifying

Guy's younger than Loe, Tejeda, Gabbard, Wilson, Francisco, Littleton, Galarraga, Kometani, Ingram, and Rupe. Had a nice start in '05 and a respectable '06. Career minor ERA of 2.57, only six homers allowed in 140 innings.

One bad year and people are throwing him under the bus.

by Lucas on Dec 16, 2007 10:13 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

+1

Catch a Tiger by it's tail and slam it down!Boomer Sooner!

by boomer1 on Dec 16, 2007 10:16 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Feldman

I don't get it either. I think some people are just being ridiculous for its own sake.

by Randy Richardson on Dec 16, 2007 10:47 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah

One of those things I've given up responding to.

He generates an irrational level of hostility.

by Adam J. Morris on Dec 16, 2007 10:51 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Always seems to be someone...

each year. Before Feldman, one of the popular punching bags was Mike Lamb while he was here. Sure he was a butcher with the glove, but he wasn't too bad offensively.

There's also been numerous other relievers who have been punching bags despite being serviceable.

Stars in a Texas Night Sky, a Dallas Stars blog from a fan's perspective.

by rangers85 on Dec 17, 2007 12:03 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Littleton

gets punched for no apparent reason.

"Why am I the only guy who's got bio information on here? I mean shit where do you guys work anyway?" - BGL

by Chase Irwin on Dec 17, 2007 12:05 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

hmm?

i perceive him as a fan favorite.. everyone wanted him up last year. actually thats one of the reasons feldman was getting bashed, because it was perceived that the better sidearming righty was in the minors (which imo is true... but i do expect feldman to get time this year).

he may have taken criticism when he struggled but he wasnt a punching bag guy imo.

by DSheppard on Dec 17, 2007 12:26 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I'm not one of the haters

and I certainly don't want to just cut the guy, but you have to admit that he was tough to watch last season. Almost 2 baserunners an inning is ugly. And 32 walks in 39 innings is something much worse than ugly.

LF platoon = Catalanatto and Byrd. CaTyrd for short?

by tricer on Dec 17, 2007 12:11 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Feldman

He is young, and reached the bigs young, but his ML peripherals are bad. I seem to remember him appearing for a lot of mop-up innings, and not for the close situations. That hasn't helped his reputation.

I don't know his profile. What kind of career do you predict for him?

Go Strangers.

by hightowersmith on Dec 17, 2007 12:56 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Career

No idea. He might have already washed out. Texas converted him to a 3/4 delivery for the AFL with so-so results (3, HR, 8 BB and 16 K in 17 innings).

But again, his minor-league record is solid, as was much of his first two seasons in Texas. This season, it certainly didn't help that he was optioned five times. (Not saying he didn't deserve it, just that it made a bad situation worse for him.)

I'm not in love with the guy or anything. I just don't think he's the one you cut right now.

by Lucas on Dec 17, 2007 9:00 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Tejada = Benoit???

Give him about 3 more years and maybe he'll figure it out.

Sayonara Feldman.

by rraider9199 on Dec 16, 2007 10:14 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Saltalamacchia

for Carl Crawford? what? It's coming across the wire.... jk

"2008 should be about rebuilding, 2009 about taking a step forward. 2010 is the target year." -AJM

by dstar442005 on Dec 16, 2007 10:53 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Lame

Super lame.

by Wonko.The.Sane on Dec 16, 2007 10:55 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

that's

what I was going for.

"2008 should be about rebuilding, 2009 about taking a step forward. 2010 is the target year." -AJM

by dstar442005 on Dec 16, 2007 10:57 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Bill White

carried a 4.44 ERA in Frisco this past year, as a 29 year old. He is a nice lefty arm, but he should be the obvious choice to go. He will almost certainly pass through waivers and could be resigned to another minor league deal with a major league invite this spring.

by clark on Dec 17, 2007 12:27 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

Gotta be

White, you can find/develop a left-handed specialist anytime

Rupe - Too much potential to DFA
Tejada - Throw him in the pen and see if he can turn into Benoit
Shelton - one of the few young bats with potential in the upper levels of the organization, and oh THIRD CATCHER
Cruz - wouldn't mind it, but worth one last chance
Botts - see Cruz

by badradiorules on Dec 17, 2007 1:01 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

I was with you all the way

Until Botts.

I'm still a semi-believer.

Why do you hate freedom?

by Brian Thomas on Dec 17, 2007 3:55 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I agree with a lot of people here.....

You've got to DFA White.

29-yo LH relievers who have a 4.44 ERA in AA ball are EXACTLY the definition of fungible.

Besides, he has the best shot of getting through waivers, and therefore, keeping him.

There's no reason to be talking about DFA'ing Shelton (who I feel has a much better shot at doing something significant with this team than Broussard would).

Someone would almost definitely take a flyer on Shelton. Not so likely with White.

Tejeda might work out as a reliever, Shelton has only 2+ years of MLB service time, so could be around when we have a shot at the playoffs, Feldman is still pretty young with a good minor league track record. Cruz and Botts have glimmers of possibility being in their peak years, and with good minor league track records.

I really don't understand the obsession with AA MEDIOCRE LH relief pitching. Especially, when we're not looking to really contend this next year.

Req

by Requiem on Dec 17, 2007 3:21 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

I hope it's Botts

And hope he catches on with a team that can actually give him the shot he deserves.

He's one of my faves, and he's never going to get his shot here.

He's on the short list of guys I root for after they're gone.

"God plays by his own rules, folks. And HGH is f***ing legal as hell up in heaven." -Andy Pettitte

by thedirkatron on Dec 17, 2007 3:45 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

The list of bad baseball players?

Like Corey Patterson?

"As of now they're (The Astros) world series favorites. Period." - Sharky

by DJCahill on Dec 17, 2007 7:19 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!

You're so funny!

Like a comedian, only funnier!

Waaaaaaay funnier.

"God plays by his own rules, folks. And HGH is f***ing legal as hell up in heaven." -Andy Pettitte

by thedirkatron on Dec 17, 2007 12:06 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I've thought about this

and if you are pitching this guy within an organization, what do you say?

Positives: He's huge, ball jumps off his bat, will hit for moderate power, will get on base at a pretty good rate.

Negatives: He's going to need a full season and ,regardless of production, play everyday. He can't play a position. He can't run.

As a Rangers fan, I'm really rooting for this guy, but if he doesn't perform this year, he has noone to blame but himself. Not many guys that have performed the way that he's performed have continued to get opportunities.

by badradiorules on Dec 17, 2007 12:49 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Yep,

he's a tough man to hide on a roster when he is not hitting, he's got a real ugly swing, and he hasn't hit much with it.

Tough for me to see him being a consistent major league hitter. Maybe a guy who crushes mistakes, but thats about all I see. I doubt BGL or BGR would have much fear in pitching against him.

"As of now they're (The Astros) world series favorites. Period." - Sharky

by DJCahill on Dec 17, 2007 1:31 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

That's the problem, though

If he actually did crush mistakes, he'd be usable. I think, even in the big leagues, you are going to get enough mistakes that if you crushed most of them, you'd be okay. He just hasn't showed that he can do that at the ML level.

by badradiorules on Dec 17, 2007 3:36 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Great insight

Thanks, seriously.

"God plays by his own rules, folks. And HGH is f***ing legal as hell up in heaven." -Andy Pettitte

by thedirkatron on Dec 17, 2007 6:23 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Botts

Botts is much faster than people realize and what opportunities has he really been given? 244 at bats spread out over three seasons isn't what I would call much of an opportunity. They need to cut him loose so he can catch on elsewhere and prove the Rangers talent evaluators wrong yet again.

by jparks77 on Dec 17, 2007 5:40 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

At the production level

that he's given, that's more than most former 46th rounders that can't play a position ever get.

by badradiorules on Dec 17, 2007 11:40 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Well I disagree

But by this point more than enough digital ink has been spilled making the pro-Botts case.

Even if you don't agree with it, you at least know what it is.

So let's just agree that you think Botts sucks, and that I think he could be productive if given the right opportunity to succeed, and just move on.

No need to rehash the same arguments again and again.

"God plays by his own rules, folks. And HGH is f***ing legal as hell up in heaven." -Andy Pettitte

by thedirkatron on Dec 17, 2007 6:33 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

what is the right opportunity for Botts?

how many at bats does he deserve before you pull the plug on him?

I'm not real vocal one way or the other on Botts, and I'm not trying to dig up an old argument, but seriously, how many months of consecutive playing time do you think he deserves so that it will be considered a fair opportunity?

My answer would be a couple more months, and I think he has a better chance to get a couple months worth of steady at bats here than anywhere else. I mean, can you think of another ML team that has such a hole at DH that they would just trot Botts out there for a couple of months regardless of results?

LF platoon = Catalanatto and Byrd. CaTyrd for short?

by tricer on Dec 17, 2007 9:41 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

The D-Rays

ran Greg Norton out there for a .705 OPS over 200 AB's.

"Why am I the only guy who's got bio information on here? I mean shit where do you guys work anyway?" - BGL

by Chase Irwin on Dec 17, 2007 10:27 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I'm guessing...

they were forced to because of injuries? Otherwise they had Gomes, Crawford, Upton, DYoung for the OF/DH last season.

My point is that there probably isn't a team in the ML that would go into next season with Botts as plan A for the DH spot. I think he will have a better opportunity here than he would get anywhere else.

Other teams are basically giving away guys like Shelton and Broussard and those guys are ~800 OPS hitters that can actually play a position. Botts can't field, and he still needs to prove that he can hit.

LF platoon = Catalanatto and Byrd. CaTyrd for short?

by tricer on Dec 17, 2007 10:38 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Don't get me wrong

I don't think that Botts sucks. I actually think that he has the ability to become a nice complimentary hitter, ala Lee Stevens, and should be given a few months this season.

However, for him personally, if he does end up getting the axe, he has noone to blame but himself. The bottom line is that he's been given three shots to show something (one a pretty extended look) and hasn't shown anything. Guys with less talent have been given shorter looks, done well, and earned extended looks.

My question is, how long is this organization on the hook for giving this guy at bats with zero results. He's not a 23, he'll turn 28 this season. The deer in headlights look should be far gone and he should be mature enough to handle the expectations.

As for the old line of "he's a slow starter when he moves up." To me and if I'm a talent evaluator, I read that as a guy who is slow to make adjustments. In the minor leagues, once he made the adjustment to the talent level, he was fine. However, in the big leagues, with advanced scouting, he's going to have consistently make adjustments and I don't know that he will be capable of doing that.

by badradiorules on Dec 17, 2007 11:37 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

given a shot

say what you want about what you think botts is, but don't say he's been given a shot. 27, 50, and 167 AB's. the first two seasons are nothings and the last season wasn't even consistent playing time that reached 200 AB's. that is not a real look. Put it this way, if someone put up good numbers over those same AB's, it's not like we'd be counting him as a good player. In fact, the Rangers have seen some production out of a player for limited AB's and definitely don't have faith in the production (Murphy).

use the long swing as evidence, not his "shots."

by ab03 on Dec 18, 2007 1:38 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Excatly

IMO, he's only gotten one real shot, the last two months or so of last season. And, no, he didn't impress. I don't see how anyone could realistically call the 27 or 50 AB seasons an actual shot.

I would love for the team to offer the kid some support for once. Come out and say that he's going to get regular AB's at either DH or LF every single day until the All-Star break. Let him attempt to get comfortable up there. Jerking him in and out of the lineup and having him constantly looking over his shoulder isn't the way he should be handled, imo.

If he can't hack it, let him prove once and for all that he can't hack it.

That's all I want.

But he's not going to get that.

I really think Edgardo Alfonzo has a better shot of breaking camp as our regular DH than Botts does.

"God plays by his own rules, folks. And HGH is f***ing legal as hell up in heaven." -Andy Pettitte

by thedirkatron on Dec 18, 2007 2:11 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Sadly

They may have made that decision already. I hope not, but like I said before, if they have Botts has no one to blame but himself if they have.

27 and 50 ABs aren't much, but they are shots. Don't you think if he'd done well in those stints they would've been longer? I do (see Byrd and Murphy).

Two months is ample time to show SOMETHING. Salty didn't put up great numbers in his two month shot, but he showed us flashes of brilliance. And he's 22.

by badradiorules on Dec 18, 2007 11:06 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Don't you think

that if he'd done well, those stints would be longer. To me and again, I'm a supporter of Botts, he hasn't earned a shot.

If two months of playing everyday isn't a shot for a former 46th round pick that can't play a position, what is. He's not a mega-prospect. He's a 28 year old that is supposed to be able to hit.

Again, I ask, how many more ABs is this organization on the hook for without getting any results? 200? 400? 600?

by badradiorules on Dec 18, 2007 10:58 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

what the hell are you talking about

in 27 AB's he went 8-27 and there wasn't anybody on that team that was going to get benched for him

2006 is only slightly better chance but i'm pretty sure he was getting sent down anyway then too.

2007 is really the only extended look but plenty of players have absolutely sucked for their first 200 AB's. you have no idea what you are saying if you think his first chances with the club were enough.

i guess this type of thinking is what got Hafner traded after 62 AB's. and go look at Agon's numbers after his 150 ab season with the rangers.

by ab03 on Dec 18, 2007 2:04 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

You

like a lot of other people here think that the only way to evaluate a player is stats. Over the long haul, yes, stats give you a good indication of what you have. If you aren't considered, because of swing mechanics/approach/bat speed/etc, to be a big league hitter, you better show something when you get the opportunity.

The Hafner trade was awful. The AGon trade was awful. But, I think if the organization was in the state that it is now when they were coming up, they would be every day guys. Those guys were also younger when they struggled at the big league level.

Maybe I'm not stating my point very well, but it is twofold. One: I don't think that the Rangers have ever thought that Botts could be a big league DH and he's done nothing to show them different when given the opportunity. Two: which is a question that I'll ask you. How long is this organization on the hook for giving him at bats with very little results? 200ABs? 400? 600?

by badradiorules on Dec 18, 2007 2:21 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

another 200 AB's

and adrian gonzalez's swing i'm pretty sure was considered long when he came up too.

and i have no idea what your second paragraph means. those guys would have gotten extended looks despite their horrid stats but botts shouldn't?

your point is fine, its just terrible. you can't expect botts to produce anything meaningful in stints less than 50 AB's. he might as well be playing the lottery with the variation in the pitchers he's seeing over that time span.

160 AB's is a better indicator, but to write off someone's career in 160 AB's is ludicrous. and, it's not like he was absolutely terrible. He has a pretty good walk rate.

but this "nobody to blame but himself" argument is the real problem. he has lots of things to blame. he should have been getting regular ab's in the big leagues since 2005 and he shouldn't have had to play behind phil nevin. he might never be good, but if this is all we see of him, then we can't say we got a good look at him.

by ab03 on Dec 18, 2007 2:45 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

yeh thats right AJM....

I mean ab :) he should be given until the all star break before they decide if he stays or not.

"Take this offer and shove it !!" Hunter,Gagne, Jones, Fuku

by LAMuscleFag on Dec 18, 2007 7:53 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Obviously

we disagree on some things. Except for the fact that we are both rooting for Botts. I don't think that I'm stating the point on "shots" clearly. 50 ABs isn't long enough to show what kind of hitter you are, but it does give the field staff a chance to see you. If you have something, they will see it, regardless of your success. And even if you are blocked at that time, you can put yourself at the top of the list when a spot opens up.

Also, you are right about great players who were bad in their first 200 ABs. I would venture to guess most of those that you are talking about were big time prospects who were thrown in the deep end at a young age. How many marginal prospects that couldn't play a position were given 400+ ABs with very little success at 27+ years of age. And if the organization gives up on him after 400+ fruitless ABs and he pulls a Lee Stevens/Jack Cust in 3 years is the organization on the hook for that?

I don't know. It's hard for me to see how him and Cruz can be so successful at the AAA level and have no success at the big league level. However, the organization obviously values him very little and there has to be a reason for that. All jokes and past mistakes aside, I assume that they know more about what they are talking about than anyone on here.

by badradiorules on Dec 19, 2007 12:05 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

maybe

if we were talking about a different organization I'd agree with you.

I'm sure there are some people with the rangers that are good at scouting talent but everybody doesn't always get an equal say.

again, I don't disagree that with the current make up of the team, it will be hard to get botts AB's and I don't particularly disagree with any of the moves being made this offseason (signing bradley). I just don't think its fair to say he had his shot and blew it. he had a better shot than most but considering how much he got dicked around early on, you can't call it a fair shake.

he should have had an extended look when he was 25+ or 26+

by ab03 on Dec 19, 2007 2:07 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

If its anyone other than

Cruz, Botts, White, or Feldman, its a disgrace.

by Nichols22 on Dec 17, 2007 8:40 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

I think

the real disgrace will be if it is Botts.

by jparks77 on Dec 17, 2007 8:45 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Botts and Cruz

barring a really bad Spring need to be in our starting lineup, with Rheinhecker we have no need for White. Soooooooooooo it we should cut White or (one good month) Shelton

by rldwb on Dec 17, 2007 8:53 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

I'll be surprised if it's Shelton

27 years old
Put up 870 OPS in his first season
Very good minor league hitter
good defensively in his full year as a starter

After his great April a few years ago, he basically had two horrible months in May/June. He was starting to come out of it in July (730 ops) but the Tigers traded for Sean Casey and that was it for Shelton (28 abs after). Which was pretty stupid.

Who knows if he is better/worse than Broussard, but he is definitely another potentially good-average option. We don't have a lot of those at first base.

Nelson Cruz needs to go.

by Trip on Dec 17, 2007 9:04 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

the 40

I predict Bill White.

In the case of Tejeda though, it's almost more telling if he's left on.

Despite his age, how surprised would anyone be if he gets whacked?

Go Strangers.

by hightowersmith on Dec 17, 2007 9:28 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

Don't know how true it is...

But the word around the park last season was that Robinson was undergoing some personal issues (not Juan type personal issues) which affected his pitching. Like I said, don't know how true it was, but assuming it is true, I say you have to give him another shot.

To me the obvious choice is Bill White. Not a huge loss if someone claims his, but if he clears you can sign him to a minor league deal.

I don't get the hate for Scott either. I love Wes, but the reason he was in the minors for a lot of the year last season was because he was pitching like a minor league pitcher, not because of Scott. however, I predict a bounce back season for both of them...

http://www.mvn.com/milb-rangers

For old times sake...C'mon Kelly! :-)

by Beverly23 on Dec 17, 2007 8:49 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs