Tuesday morning things

by Adam J. Morris on Mar 27, 2007 9:27 AM CDT in News

5th starter is still the big story out there today, and we are still getting different messages from different outlets...

T.R. Sullivan says that the Rangers are "headed towards" Jamey Wright as the 5th starter, although he acknowledges there has been growing support for Kam Loe.

But Sullivan also quotes Ron Washington as saying that he was pleased with how Jamey Wright pitched yesterday, and with Wright's performance in camp, despite Wright's 5.82 spring ERA.

Evan Grant says that the decision has been made that Wright and Loe will both make the team, but there still is no decision on who will be the 5th starter and who will be the long reliever. The issue, as Grant reminds us, is that the 5th starter will only be used three times in the first month of the season, making that role a lot less meaningful until we get around to May.

Dave Sessions says that Wright is the favorite for the #5 slot, and has some quotes from Wright in his article today about how the Rangers signed him to be in the rotation, and that's where he expects to be.

Also from Grant's notes, 2005 4th rounder Shane Funk has been released, and the Rangers are no longer shopping for a backup catcher -- either Miguel Ojeda or Chris Stewart will apparently make the 25 man roster.

Despite suggestions from Washington to the contrary, Grant reports that Frank Catalanotto will not play against lefties, and Kenny Lofton will not face many lefties. That's good news...Washington's comments that seemed to indicate that Cat was going to be facing lefties regularly had me worried...

Dave Sessions says that Sammy Sosa has earned the right to be the everyday DH this spring, and walks through the "regular" Ranger lineup, which features Kenny Lofton and Frank Catalanotto 1-2, with Ian Kinsler hitting 9th.

I don't like Kinsler hitting in the #9 slot (although he'll hit 2nd against lefties, when Cat is out), but I have to believe that, if Kinsler hits the way I think he'll hit, he'll be higher up in the lineup before too long this season.

And out of Chicago, there's another column about how smart Kenny Williams was in getting John Danks for Brandon McCarthy.

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Comments

Ian Kinsler

losing ABs to others on this team is kind of silly.

Jamey Wright, getting the nod, despite a bad spring training and a career record of sparedom is silly. I can understand taking a chance on Loe, I can understand taking a chance on the Leftyness of Chen, but I don't understand taking a chance on a guy with zero upside like Wright.

"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 27, 2007 9:38 AM CDT reply actions

Yep.

by hightowersmith on Mar 27, 2007 9:51 AM CDT up reply actions

Kinsler

is tearing the cover off the ball this spring and hit .292 against RH'ers last year, .21 points better than his BA against LH'ers, and he's going to hit 9th against RH'ers?

by Rangerchick on Mar 27, 2007 11:10 AM CDT up reply actions

If you sit

Cat and Lofton against lefties, and you probably ought to sit Blalock, who exactly plays against lefties?

"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 27, 2007 9:39 AM CDT reply actions

sitting blalock

who plays third in lieu of blalock? hairston or kata?

I thought the whole point was blalock isn't going to be sitting at all. Isn't that what my signature was referring to?

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

by ab03 on Mar 27, 2007 9:45 AM CDT up reply actions

Yeah,

I'd like a better backup option if Blalock continues to fail to hit against lefties. You have to admit, there is some chance that Blalock will never be able to hit well against lefties.

"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 27, 2007 9:55 AM CDT up reply actions

i admit it.

i just don't know if the rangers would be willing to give up on him midseason.

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

by ab03 on Mar 27, 2007 12:51 PM CDT up reply actions

From various sources ...

Matt Jaimes, Brandon James, Shane Funk, Ben Crabtree, Johnny Washington,
Shannon Wirth, Austin Weilep, Jared Sandberg and Brian Nelson were all released.

Rangers Farm Probables

by shroomer on Mar 27, 2007 10:25 AM CDT reply actions

I find it interesting that Loe is aligned

with Tejeda. Wash is on record saying that Tejeda will start the home opener, but if Tejeda walks 3 or 4 folks, does anyone think he could be sent to AAA to work out the kinks?

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

by rooster on Mar 27, 2007 11:07 AM CDT reply actions

I doubt it

The organization is committed to Tejeda and McCarthy.

And one of the things they've been ripped for in the past, and that they seemingly are trying to get away from, is playing rotation roulette, where they give a guy a spot, and then after a bad outing or two, drop him and plug someone else in there.

Barring a complete meltdown, Tejeda is going to get at least the first couple of months.

by Adam J. Morris on Mar 27, 2007 11:12 AM CDT up reply actions

which is what should happen

These young pitchers aren't going to learn how to pitch in the majors by going to AAA. They need to have success and failures at the major league level.

"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 27, 2007 11:15 AM CDT up reply actions

All very good points.

It's more likely that this is a dress rehersal for their regular season roles.

Too bad for Kam.

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

by rooster on Mar 27, 2007 11:55 AM CDT up reply actions

Tejeda and McCarthy

I think, barring a total meltdown, they need 30 starts each. Even if one ends up with an ERA of near 6, they need to stay. It takes a lot of ML starts for a guy to develop and we need to see what we have. Even if one is tanking through June I hope we stick with them. The real fear is what if Padilla or Millwood gets hurt or tanks. Then the real problems start. Pitching pisses me off.

by pblack on Mar 27, 2007 1:08 PM CDT up reply actions

I swear Chicago writers must be half retarded

"it's a wonder he didn't stick with the pitching-challenged Rangers last year."

This quote comes directly from the article

Team ERA's last year:
Texas-4.60
Chicago-4.61

Team road ERA's (to help offset park factors):
Texas-4.51
Chicago-4.82

by hurley325 on Mar 27, 2007 11:37 AM CDT reply actions

pitching

just goes to show you that no matter how much the rangers pitching improves they will always be considered "pitching hungry" to the mass media.
And their park will always be considered the most homer prone park, even though it's not

"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 27, 2007 11:49 AM CDT up reply actions

The thing that bugs me

Is that, because of 2005, every reporter now believes AL Chicago is a mecca for pitching and Williams is a genius when it comes to pitchers.

2005 was a perfect storm; almost every pitcher, from starters to bullpen, turned in career years at the exact same time and they were incredibly healthy. Here are a couple of examples:

Neal Cotts 2005: ERA 1.94, WHIP 1.11
Neal Cotts 2006: ERA 5.17, WHIP 1.63
Cliff Politte 2005: ERA 2.00, WHIP 0.94
Cliff Politte 2006: ERA 8.70, WHIP 2.07

Not to say that Williams doesn't deserve a little credit, but far more credit should go to blind dumb damn luck.

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

by WyoRanger on Mar 27, 2007 11:56 AM CDT up reply actions

nail on the head

Chicago's 2005 owes as much to luck as good managing and GMing. Everything went right for that pitching staff that year. They'll finish 4th in the AL Central this year unless everything miraculously goes right again.

by t ball on Mar 27, 2007 12:26 PM CDT up reply actions

I was going to post much the same thing.

But, you beat me to it. Nearly every WSox pitcher had a career year in 2005. Williams put the team in a position that it could get lucky.

I see some parallels with Williams and JD in that JD has raised the talent level of the pitching staff to the point that a perfect storm could occur in Texas, though it is far from an expected outcome, much like 2005 in Chicago.

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

by rooster on Mar 27, 2007 1:01 PM CDT up reply actions

Chen/Loe/Wright

I watched the game last night, and watched Wright spare me to death. I started thinking - what has this guy done this spring to warrant a job? Why is Chen being pushed out the door? Chen is a lefty, has had a better career than Wright, had a better spring training than Wright, and is younger than Wright...so what gives?

Shouldn't this talk be about Loe and Chen making the squad?

And then the quote that pisses me off - that the Rangers signed him (Wright) to be in the rotation and that is where he expects to be? They also signed you to get people out jackass, but you seemed to forgot about that lately. Idiot.

Bruce Chen is getting screwed worse in this deal than Loe is.

"Everyone in the world thinks they know everyhing" - DStar

by Mike Simonek on Mar 27, 2007 3:01 PM CDT reply actions

I've always thought

Chen just flat rubs people the wrong way.

I am fairly stunned that no pitching coach, and no team out of the 8 he has played for in the past, wanted him in spring when he was basicly free. It's inexplicable for a lefty who has had success in the past.

"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 27, 2007 3:06 PM CDT up reply actions

Chen

I've heard he's got some coachability issues, and as you said, just seems to rub people the wrong way.

by RCCook on Mar 27, 2007 4:00 PM CDT up reply actions

Funk

Boy, I guess it doesn't really matter how a prospect/draft pick doesn't work out if he doesn't work out, but that guy really busted. He is now a 4th round pick who, when he is cut, has a career ERA of 8.57. Now that's a bust.

by Brett Perryman on Mar 27, 2007 8:40 PM CDT reply actions