The Best 25?

by bronco28 on Mar 26, 2007 5:11 AM CDT Comment 24 comments

C: Laird / Ojeda
1b: Tex
2b: Kinsler
SS: Young
3b: Blalock
LF: Cat (Botts vs. LH)
CF: Lofton (Hairston vs. LH)
RF: Cruz
DH: Sosa

UT: Kata
UT: Hairston
OF: Botts

S1: Millwood
S2: Padilla
S3: Loe
S4: Wright
S5: Tejeda

CL: Gagne
SU: Aki
LR: Mahay
LR: Wilson
RR: Benoit
RR: McCarthy
RR: Frankie

Notes: The more I think about it, Wilkerson is the one wasting Botts's place on the roster; they could use a lefty killer and Botts is that.... Loe not only won the #5 job, he won the #3 job if you ask me.... Yeah, it sucks having Jamey Wright as your #4 starter, but that's the reality: this is still the Texas Rangers.... Go figure: One guy can't throw strikes with consistency and gets shipped out to Bakersfield; another can't throw strikes with consistency and gets a guarantee as the #3 man in the rotation.

Thoughts?

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McCarthy...

his big league CV suggests that the pen isn't the best place for him.

by benmor78 on Mar 26, 2007 5:16 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Apology

Sorry: I posted this diary before I was advised by a regular that I wasn't welcome on this site. Disregard.

Carry on and enjoy the season.

by bronco28 on Mar 26, 2007 5:18 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Wilkerson

is not taking Bott's spot, because Wilkerson can play in the OF. The only thing keeping Botts out of the Majors is his inability to play the OF.

It's better to know some of the questions than all of the answers.

by rooster on Mar 26, 2007 9:14 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

And

Sammy Sosa....

by FirebatM3 on Mar 26, 2007 9:27 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

who has the ability to play the OF.

It's better to know some of the questions than all of the answers.

by rooster on Mar 26, 2007 9:29 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Just barely

and is closing in on 40. I am not so heartbroken about Sosa over Botts as I don't think neither of the two will be that good. That said, I think it's a stretch to say that Sosa gets the nod over botts because of his OF ability. Rather, I think it's pretty obvious that name recognition had a lot to do with the decision.

by FirebatM3 on Mar 26, 2007 9:31 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Wilkerson can play the OF?

it wasn't readily apparent last year.

"I think that Donald Rumsfeld will go down in history as one of the worst secretaries of defense in history" -- John McCain

by DJCahill on Mar 26, 2007 9:33 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I agree

that at the moment, people who are angry about Sosa screwing Botts should really be mad at Wilkerson.

The biggest difference between Sammy and Brad is that we have all already watched Wilkerson fail in Texas...

by JBImaknee on Mar 26, 2007 9:30 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Oh please

Sosa have failed spectacularly in Baltimore. What's the difference? Both claimed they were hurt, both had troubles adjusting to a new league, and the only difference between the two is that one is 29 while the other is 39.

Also, for all those ppl who are jumping all over themselves about Sosa's spring, remember that his production so far has been very BA dependent. If he goes at his current pace, I don't think he posts a above-.300 OBP in the regular season.

by FirebatM3 on Mar 26, 2007 9:33 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I don't think Sosa is great either

and yes, he is a lot older, but right now, he is at least showing that he might be good...haven't seen anything promising from Wilk. And one month of decent hitting, albeit spring, is better than anything Wilkerson has put up since, from what I can tell, 2004.

I like Wilkerson, and wanted him to do well here. But I also don't have a problem with Sosa. My argument is against the irrational hatred of a guy who EARNED HIS JOB. I'm simply comparing that mindset to everyone's irrational love of a guy who has not earned his job here...

As for Botts - the guy was given ample opportunity to win a spot as a 4th outfielder/DH guy. He bombed in the outfield by . When you are 25 or whatever he is and limit yourself to one position, DH, you aren't going to win too many jobs out of camp by not fielding as well as the 39 year old washup next to you...

by JBImaknee on Mar 26, 2007 10:01 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

If you want to blame someone

for keeping Botts off the Rangers roster, blame Teixeira. Botts, from the reports I have read posted by Jamey and other minor league followers, has the ability to play 1B.

It's better to know some of the questions than all of the answers.

by rooster on Mar 26, 2007 9:30 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

As soon as I saw...

...the title and who the poster was, I knew that it was going to involve Brandon McCarthy being booted from the rotation...

by Adam J. Morris on Mar 26, 2007 11:22 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Blame?

You really want to know who's to blame for Botts going down to AAA again? It's Botts, period. He's had two years to shorten his swing, and from what I've seen this spring, he hasn't done it. While he is working hard at his defense, he still remains a major liability in the field. So a guy with a long swing that will be dominated by major league pitching, and also is a horrible defender won't make the major league team. Sounds like a pretty easy decision to put him back at AAA, maybe this year he'll actually shorten his swing and become a good major league hitter. Despite all that I've said, I do like Botts, but there comes a time when a player has to step up and until he does he will remain at AAA.

"My theory of hitting was just to watch the ball as it came in and hit it." --Tommy Lasorda

by BReed on Mar 26, 2007 12:11 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Botts

I don't see why it is a given that he's going to be dominated by major league pitching.

But if he is, then we might as well released him now.

by Adam J. Morris on Mar 26, 2007 12:15 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Why?

The only problem with Botts is his swing is painfully long. That should be easy to fix, which is why I'm frustrated that he hasn't shortened it in two years. I know a few of you have a big man-crush on Botts, and that's fine. But even you have to admit that a swing as long as his will make him extremely vulnerable to major league pitching. He can hit in the minors, I'll give you that, but big league pitchers will eat him up for lunch with that swing. He would connect on occasion, but he would also strike out more than Brad Wilkerson.

"My theory of hitting was just to watch the ball as it came in and hit it." --Tommy Lasorda

by BReed on Mar 26, 2007 12:25 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Question

Do you think the coaches have wanted him to work on shortening his swing?

He's been in the organization for something like 7 years. I've never heard anything about the hitting coaches wanting him to change his swing.

by Adam J. Morris on Mar 26, 2007 12:35 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I agree with this

you (breed) act as if botts' long swing is common knowledge and everybody told him to shorten it. first i'm hearing of it is this spring.

"I want him focused on figuring out a way to beat that lefty's ass." - RW

by ab03 on Mar 26, 2007 1:20 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Long swings

They're not necessarily an impediment either. Both Soriano and Vlad have pretty long swings.

Plus, Botts is 6'6." With a body that big, it's pretty hard NOT to have a long swing. See Richie Sexson.

by RCCook on Mar 26, 2007 1:37 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

And Adam Dunn

or Pat Burrell. All guys who are productive despite their long swings. The problem with Botts is his long arms, it's just difficult to shorten your swing when you have gorilla arms.

by FirebatM3 on Mar 26, 2007 1:59 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

that was my thought

when you are as big as botts how can you NOT have a long swing

"Pimps be damned, it's harder out here for a Rangers fan!" "If you don't throw strikes first, you're last."

by rentz on Mar 26, 2007 3:40 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yup

I've never heard anyone related to the organization complain about his "long swing." If Botts choked up and shortened it, everyone would complain that he's not taking advantage of his frame and is robbing himself of power.

Texas Rangers: baby step to 2007. Baby step to 2007.

by WyoRanger on Mar 26, 2007 3:50 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs