T.R. Sullivan stuff

by Adam J. Morris on Jul 13, 2007 11:32 AM CDT in News

T.R. Sullivan's blog post this morning includes some trade talk:

Rangers officials are saying there appears to be more interest in Akinori Otsuka and a greater need for setup relief than there is for Eric Gagne or a closer. They'll also tell you that no club has really expressed an interest in Sammy Sosa and they have no intention of just letting him go.

I'm not sure if the more significant Otsuka interest stems from the notion that he'd be less expensive, because he's not a closer, or because he'd be under team control through 2009, meaning he isn't just a rental, like Gagne.

And no club is interested in Sammy? Gee, I wonder why that would be...

Sullivan and Durrett have now weighed in on the "he won't be released" side, with Grant on the "he will be released" side.

If he's not released, that's bad news for Jason Botts, unless the Rangers have already decided to keep him around all of 2008 as their DH.

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Comments

Sosa

No matter which side of the argument you're on, he has no value to the Rangers in 2008 and beyond, so get rid of him in whatever manner is necessary.

by t ball on Jul 13, 2007 11:29 AM CDT reply actions

Yep,

Its time to sweep away the Wilkersons, Sosas, Loftons etc who aren't part of this teams long term plans and play Cruz and Botts and Diaz and anyone else who might be part of the long term plan.

by DJCahill on Jul 13, 2007 11:39 AM CDT up reply actions

I know Diaz had a good stretch

but I don't think he is an everyday player. And really I don't know if Cruz will ever be able to get over his curve ball hitting troubles. If Nellie could just find his "Nellieness"!

by OKC Ranger Fan on Jul 13, 2007 11:41 AM CDT up reply actions

After tex is traded

Wilkerson will be resigned, maybe for a few years, this is always the strategy of a chronic non-contender, cheap!

"I am in a world of shit" Full Metal Jacket

by SanDiegoKev on Jul 13, 2007 12:24 PM CDT up reply actions

Lofton

I for one am hoping he signs on for another year in 2008. This could be accomplished even if he is traded, of course. I just hope he'll be back. I don't think any internal options will work out as well, and I'm not too excited about shelling out for Torii Hunter since he'll be coming off a career year.

loves me some "loves me some"

by trza on Jul 13, 2007 2:01 PM CDT up reply actions

down below in this thread...

...you admit that the 08 team is likely to be bad (I agree), so why sign a 41 year old CF for a team that should be rebuilding? It would serve absolutely no purpose.

I think it would be better to find a reclamation project, or run some combo of Byrd, Mahar, and Boggs in CF.

Next year is probably going to be a lost season as far as wins and losses, but I would at least like to see some young players get some development time - rather than running forty-somethings out there.

Me and Billy the Kid never got along. I didn't like the way he cocked his hat and he wore his gun all wrong.

by tricer on Jul 13, 2007 2:14 PM CDT up reply actions

agreed

Let's see what we have in the youngsters (Mahar, Boggs) rather than sign Kenny Lofton. He's done well for what he was brought in for, but even if we were to be competitive next year I'd still rather fill the CF spot with Boggs and/or Mahar.

Too bad Guzman has regressed and played himself out of consideration. I was hoping he'd be here already so these Lofton questions wouldn't have even been raised...

by HypoLuxa on Jul 13, 2007 2:34 PM CDT up reply actions

Why does next year

have to so bad? If the team has under preformed so far (the starting pitching definitely falls into that category), then common sense tells me they are more likely to improve next year. We have the opportunity to sign a bat or two for the outfield. Kinsler, Byrd, Cruz, Botts are year more experienced. History tells us that Blalock, Teixeira, and Young will be healthy.

If the Angels continue to play like they have for the last 2 weeks then the Rangers could feasibly get back into this race. This is especially true if Teixeira, Kinsler, and Blalock come back and produce like they have shown that they can. Also, Padilla can't possibly suck this bad all year.

Ephesians 1:3-10

by kwellborn on Jul 13, 2007 2:48 PM CDT up reply actions

Fair enough

I guess I was saying that Lofton is likely a better option than anything we have internally, and that I'd rather give him a one year than sign Hunter. But I understand where you're coming from.

Dig the Joe Ely reference, by the way.

loves me some "loves me some"

by trza on Jul 13, 2007 2:59 PM CDT up reply actions

Live at Liberty Lunch...

...has been in my CD changer for a few months straight. Great live album that gets better the more I listen.

Me and Billy the Kid never got along. I didn't like the way he cocked his hat and he wore his gun all wrong.

by tricer on Jul 13, 2007 3:19 PM CDT up reply actions

Ahh the Liberty Lunch

Was such a great venue...I saw acts from KMFDM to Morris Day and The Time to Bjork, to Breedlove...what a great venue and great memories...

by HypoLuxa on Jul 13, 2007 3:41 PM CDT up reply actions

No Value?

What about in a straight left/right platoon with Cat?

by Excel Hearts Choi on Jul 13, 2007 12:08 PM CDT up reply actions

Nope

He's only going to get worse. I'd rather see Byrd/Diaz/Cruz be a platoon with him next year.

by badradiorules on Jul 13, 2007 12:15 PM CDT up reply actions

Just saying...

If they won't cut Sosa, why not get him out of the DH spot by platooning him with Cat. Even if he does regress, there are not that many lefties. So Sosa won't be taking up lots of AB's, and Botts can takeover at DH.

As for next season, I wonder if Byrd can lock down a starting position all by himself.

by Excel Hearts Choi on Jul 13, 2007 12:21 PM CDT up reply actions

I thought you meant 08

For him, I'd like to see Byrd keep it up and earn a job, but I don't know that he can. I'd like to see them get a RF in a trade/free agent/Cruz? maybe. They are stuck with Cat in LF and I don't think Byrd is a CF anymore.

by badradiorules on Jul 13, 2007 12:49 PM CDT up reply actions

Who

do you send down to make room for Botts then. Diaz, maybe more so than Botts, has earned a chance to get some big league at bats. If we are giving up on this year, I say trade Cat, Sosa, Vasquez, Wilkerson and Lofton.

Ephesians 1:3-10

by kwellborn on Jul 13, 2007 2:51 PM CDT up reply actions

Cat

He's under contract thru 2009, with an option for 2010.

by Adam J. Morris on Jul 13, 2007 3:17 PM CDT up reply actions

Damn shame

Hopefully JD realizes that you don't lock up aging, limited players like Cat to multiyear contracts.

by DJCahill on Jul 13, 2007 3:21 PM CDT up reply actions

Cat

3/13.5mil is pretty inexpensive these days. For example, Jason Kendall's 2007 salary is 13mil. 13.5mil represents a year and a half's salary for Julio Lugo.

by Randy Richardson on Jul 13, 2007 3:38 PM CDT up reply actions

You say inexpensive...

...I say ineffective.

Me and Billy the Kid never got along. I didn't like the way he cocked his hat and he wore his gun all wrong.

by tricer on Jul 13, 2007 4:33 PM CDT up reply actions

Ineffective

you're right, he had a very ineffective first half. Personally I think he'll rebound in the second half.

"Hopefully JD realizes that you don't lock up aging, limited players like Cat to multiyear contracts."

I was responding to this comment and I just meant to point out that Cat's contract is by no means onerous or significant in regard to the team's bottom line.

by Randy Richardson on Jul 13, 2007 4:44 PM CDT up reply actions

Catt rebound

Maybe, but a lot of hitters like him hit the wall at about his age.

Go to his baseball-reference page and take a look at the 10 most similar hitters. Nearly all of them fell off very suddenly at about Catt's age. In fact most of the similar hitters to Cat went from productive to out of baseball within a short time.

Me and Billy the Kid never got along. I didn't like the way he cocked his hat and he wore his gun all wrong.

by tricer on Jul 13, 2007 5:11 PM CDT up reply actions

fwiw

BP's PECOTA system, which projects future performance based on the performance of several dozen similar players, pegged him in the .270s in EQA over the next few years.

by Adam J. Morris on Jul 13, 2007 5:33 PM CDT up reply actions

BP book

also had this to say about the Cat:

"...any corner outfielder that does not hit for power needs to do a lot of other things well to be worth putting in the lineup five times a week. While Frankie the Cat will be drawing walks well into [the future], a slow thirtysomething that relies on hitting .300 has more yellow flags than a NASCAR race. The Blue Jays are waving a red one at the right time."

Also the PECOTA comps are:

Barney McCosky (63 OPS+ at age 33, out of baseball shortly after),

Russ Snyder (OPS+ of 90,72,61 from age 34)

Rusty Greer (out of baseball at 33)

Ken Griffey (productive player until age 40)

I'm just saying that it is entirely possible that Catt is finished as a productive player. Plenty of similar players were done at around his same age.

Me and Billy the Kid never got along. I didn't like the way he cocked his hat and he wore his gun all wrong.

by tricer on Jul 13, 2007 6:13 PM CDT up reply actions

The real cost isn't the money

its the clogging of the roster spot on a bad player if he, like a lot of his Pecota and Baseball Reference Comps, are done at a relatively young age.

Why don't we dump Cat now? Because he has a multiyear contract.

Why might we not dump Cat next year if he still looks done? Because he has a multiyear contract.

by DJCahill on Jul 13, 2007 7:03 PM CDT up reply actions

And why does it hurt so bad?

because we forfeited the 16th pick in the draft to sign him.

Me and Billy the Kid never got along. I didn't like the way he cocked his hat and he wore his gun all wrong.

by tricer on Jul 13, 2007 7:41 PM CDT up reply actions

Cat

I'm sure all owners would like nothing more than not having to deal with multi-year contracts, but they're a fact of the game.

by Randy Richardson on Jul 13, 2007 7:42 PM CDT up reply actions

While its worth signing one

for an irreplaceable talent, its probably not worth signing one for a guy whose speed is a memory, who has no arm, has never had any power, and pretty much is at best a one trick pony who gets on base against righties.

Sadly, it looks like even that one last trick has left him.

by DJCahill on Jul 13, 2007 11:48 PM CDT up reply actions

question

what is your opinion of the 3yr/13mil contract DeRosa signed with the Cubs?

by Randy Richardson on Jul 14, 2007 12:01 AM CDT up reply actions

This may be an idiotic thought

but Botts gets written about a lot in DFW papers it seems and I wonder if his reputation will draw some fans. I sometimes think Sammy is just being kept around these days for attendance reasons. Botts, though, may be someone that brings fans just because people think he has a great future ahead of him.

P.S. As I write this I really do think I have lost my mind. I knwo in OKC Botts is really thought highly of. And for good reason.

by OKC Ranger Fan on Jul 13, 2007 11:34 AM CDT reply actions

I don't think it's an idiotic thought...

...as much as it's missing the mark in terms of active and passive fans. In my opinion, the name Sammy Sosa carries a lot of weight with people that go to games for the social aspect of baseball. At this point in his career, Botts only carries weight with people who study the game. Passive fans simply don't care about Botts because the vast majority of them wouldn't have a clue who he is...

With that being said, I still say dump Sosa and bring up Botts. If the attendance suffers as a result, that's not my problem, although the lack of revenue could make Hicks more apprehensive about opening up his wallet in the off season...

"Hello, win column..."

by rangersfan34 on Jul 13, 2007 11:44 AM CDT up reply actions

How about a picket!

Botts for DH!
Let's picket at arlington stadium at the next game

Hello

by madyp on Jul 13, 2007 11:51 AM CDT reply actions

Or a walk-out...

...like they did in Pittsburgh.

"Hello, win column..."

by rangersfan34 on Jul 13, 2007 12:05 PM CDT up reply actions

Sosa can stay with the Rangers...

if he fades into the background as a bat off the bench, ala Rueben Sierra.

But, JD has to say he's not going to let him go, otherwise he wouldn't receive any offers, because everyone would just wait for Sosa to be releasaed. Wait... JD isn't receiving offers. So, everyone must believe the Rangers are going to release him, or they must not be interested. Either way, a reasonable use of Sosa is a big stick on the bench it seems. Let's see if Washington is willing to finesse that into reality.

People rarely live up to their baby pictures.

by rooster on Jul 13, 2007 12:09 PM CDT reply actions

Last year

Matt Stairs was dealt twice at a similar age, similar production. If that can be done, surely we can get rid of Sosa for a A- bullpen catcher and a bucket of balls.

by badradiorules on Jul 13, 2007 12:18 PM CDT reply actions

Exactly

I say keep him around, we'll be able to trade him to a team which, at the deadline, panics when they notice they don't have any right handed bats off the bench.

We won't get anything good, but that isn't the point. You can get a high risk low A player for him, and who knows what happens then...

by JBImaknee on Jul 13, 2007 12:35 PM CDT up reply actions

Matt Stairs was traded

for almost literally nothing. Getting crap for him isn't worth adjusting anything on your major league team. And when we got Stairs, he had been hitting .261/.352/.429 in half a season and was coming off a .275/.373/.444 400 AB season. That's a little more impressive than what Sosa has been doing for the last two-and-a-half years.

by Brett Perryman on Jul 13, 2007 4:00 PM CDT up reply actions

Literally nothing

is all we need to clear off a roster spot and help Hicks save face and not DFA a guy that made Hicks a lot of money in the first half.

Stairs numbers weren't very good when the Rangers traded him for nothing. I don't think anyone expects to get return for him, but I'm pretty sure with his salary and his numbers vs. left-handed pitchers someone will give you future considerations or cash for him to be a platoon player.

by badradiorules on Jul 13, 2007 4:30 PM CDT up reply actions

Stairs

The Rangers put him on waivers in September, so he could be claimed by a team in a playoff race.

With the expanded rosters in September, there was more room to add someone like Stairs (or Sosa).

by Adam J. Morris on Jul 13, 2007 4:35 PM CDT up reply actions

Oh

I was thinking they got cash or future considerations for him.

I still think someone will take Sosa if they basically give him away.

by badradiorules on Jul 13, 2007 4:39 PM CDT up reply actions

I dont think Sosa

Was a terrible idea, and I think it turned out as a success, but that was the first half and we are out of the running.

Now it phsyically pains me, to check Bott's line each night and see the monster numbers he is throwing up, as he rots a little bit more each day in Triple A.

I honestly feel bad for him, to the point where I really want to beg JD if I see him at a resturant or out somewhere, to bring him up.

by TexGoesYard on Jul 13, 2007 12:24 PM CDT reply actions

Re: Otsuka

The Tigers haven't given any indication as to what they plan to do, but it seems like they're more interested in Otsuka than Gagne, since I don't think Jim Leyland has any intention of taking Todd Jones out of the closer role.

http://www.blessyouboys.com/

by Ian Casselberry on Jul 13, 2007 1:09 PM CDT reply actions

Has there

been any chatter about the possibility of signing Gagne to an extension? I have mixed feelings about him signing. I think we have a couple of guys that could step into the closer roll if he leaves and if we can get a good return for him then I am not hurt by it. I like the guy and obviously he is better than any closer we have had in a while. Any contract needs to have some sort of injury clause or be largely incentive based (appearances and games available for example). I mean if he wants to be here then can't be a bad thing.

Ephesians 1:3-10

by kwellborn on Jul 13, 2007 1:55 PM CDT reply actions

Gagne

The only problem is that a closer has little value for a bad team, which if we are being honest, is likely what the Rangers are going to be in 2008. I'd love to see Gagne come back, but I'm not convinced it'd be the best allocation of resources.

loves me some "loves me some"

by trza on Jul 13, 2007 2:04 PM CDT up reply actions