Happy birthday, Larry Walker

by Adam J. Morris on Dec 1, 2008 2:45 PM CST Comment 45 comments

Happy birthday to Larry Walker, who turns 42 today.

Walker, you may remember, came thisclose to being a former Ranger. In 2004, John Hart traded one of my favorite prospects, diminutive RHP Erik Thompson, along with a minor league shortstop who was a late round draft choice in 2003 to the Rockies for Walker.

However, Walker had a no-trade clause, and ended up vetoing the trade. He ended up being dealt a couple of weeks later to the Cards for three scrubs.

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Vote IKe!

"...my balls are really like a veiny flesh color" blueballlefty on Jun 4, 2008 7:44 PM EDT
"you gonna lose your horse. seriously." FX2
Yes we can! November 04, 2008

by Rodney on Dec 1, 2008 2:54 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

I hate that punk bitch.

I still say we make the playoffs in ’04 if he accepted that deal.

The 40 Trumps All!!!

There are two kinds of men in this world: Men who make jump throws, and men who wish that they were Derek Jeter so that they could make jump throws.

by thedirkatron on Dec 1, 2008 2:56 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

thank God he didn't

You realize the SS in that deal was Kinsler, right?

In memory of Ulysses Simpson Grant Stoner. RIP Lil Stoner.

by tricer on Dec 1, 2008 2:57 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Yes.

Unless it’s just a horrible, horrible deal I always take the playoff trip cause anything can happen in the playoffs.

The 40 Trumps All!!!

There are two kinds of men in this world: Men who make jump throws, and men who wish that they were Derek Jeter so that they could make jump throws.

by thedirkatron on Dec 1, 2008 2:59 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Yes. He does.

45-35
Jindal '12

by Longhorn on Dec 1, 2008 2:59 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I'm so happy he didn't come

losing Kinsler to give a fairly mediocre team an outside shot of the playoffs would have sucked.

Nolan Ryan is the Greatest Pitcher ever, because Google says so.

"BTW I’m officially welching ab03. Yeah I planned too all along, but I figured I’d try to get off the hook with double or nothing first."- Sharky

by DJCahill on Dec 1, 2008 2:59 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Like the Cards when they won it, huh?

45-35
Jindal '12

by Longhorn on Dec 1, 2008 3:00 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

yes because walker was a huge part of it

he who went 3-28 and didnt even play in the WS

by studcrackers on Dec 1, 2008 3:04 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

OPS+ 143

turrible.

45-35
Jindal '12

by Longhorn on Dec 1, 2008 3:12 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

actually, what the hell are you talking about?

45-35
Jindal '12

by Longhorn on Dec 1, 2008 3:20 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

i was looking at

his 05 post season #’s, i forgot he was there for 2 seasons

my mistake

by studcrackers on Dec 1, 2008 3:27 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

heh

i was looking at his numbers post trade and postseason that year…extremely delicious.

But the original point I was trying to make is that the cards(’06) were a mediocre team that got in and went on to win the WS.

All we can ask for is to get into the playoffs, then, anything can happen…

45-35
Jindal '12

by Longhorn on Dec 1, 2008 3:33 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

i imagine we

would have faced the yankees and lost in 3, that’s never happened before

by studcrackers on Dec 1, 2008 3:40 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Then why even bother going to the playoffs at all if you're too scared of losing to the Yanks?

The 40 Trumps All!!!

There are two kinds of men in this world: Men who make jump throws, and men who wish that they were Derek Jeter so that they could make jump throws.

by thedirkatron on Dec 1, 2008 3:50 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

it was a joke

by studcrackers on Dec 1, 2008 3:52 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Okay. Some people really do feel it's useless to try to make the playoffs unless you have an absolute juggernaut of a team.

And I’ve never understood those sentimonies.

The 40 Trumps All!!!

There are two kinds of men in this world: Men who make jump throws, and men who wish that they were Derek Jeter so that they could make jump throws.

by thedirkatron on Dec 1, 2008 4:02 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

A valid retort is

how many times has Ian Kinsler led the Rangers to the playoffs?

by JBImaknee on Dec 1, 2008 4:31 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

"sentimonies"?

by NorCalRangersFan on Dec 1, 2008 5:15 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Yes. Stop being so pedantory

Those who would sacrifice liberty for safety deserve neither.

by Brian Thomas on Dec 1, 2008 5:18 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

1/100th of money

Nothing pithy here. Please move long.

by WyoRanger on Dec 1, 2008 5:39 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

It's a perfectly cromulent word.

The 40 Trumps All!!!

There are two kinds of men in this world: Men who make jump throws, and men who wish that they were Derek Jeter so that they could make jump throws.

by thedirkatron on Dec 2, 2008 3:10 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

That raises an interesting question.

When your team has a shot at the playoffs, even if the team is mediocre, do you go for it and trade good prospects for a key veteran or two? Or do you do you keep the prospects and hope you have a better team in a year or two? I think must people on this board would say the former, but players get injured or don’t pan out, and the team might never get close again.

I propose a 5-year moratorium on trading any young Ranger pitchers who throw over 90 mph.

by Ajax68 on Dec 1, 2008 4:02 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

if not for injuries

he’d probably be a HoFer, though it looked like he did consistently play around 130 games

by studcrackers on Dec 1, 2008 2:58 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Perhaps that's what happened to Erik Thompson...

He heard the news of this impending deal and headed on over to Colorado and John Hart never bothered to call him and tell him to come back.

He is now covertly pitching under the name Franklin Morales.

by ghostofErikThompson on Dec 1, 2008 3:01 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

So in other words

Happy “Thank God Walker decided to say no to us and go suck it up in the STL and start the downpart of his career when the injury bug finally hit him while our All-Star 2nd Baseman Ian Kinsler is here to stay and not living it up in Colorado” Day

In Smoak We Trust

by Smoak Some on Dec 1, 2008 3:24 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

um...

that trade wouldn’t have been today…

by fds on Dec 1, 2008 3:50 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs

So ...

if we had made the trade would the tread-water Chris Young and John Danks trades not been made because the rebuilding process woulda begun sooner?

by shroomer on Dec 1, 2008 4:06 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

No we'd have made the playoffs instead of finishing 3 back and stormed to a world series title

and we wouldn’t care so much about the Danks trade cause every time we started hanging our heads about it we’d realize we were wearing our ‘04 World Champion t-shirts. That’s the kind of thing that I’d imagine would cheer a fan up in times of hardship.

And can we stop calling it the Chris Young trade? He was the third best player in that trade. It’s like calling the Hambone/Volquez trade the Danny Ray trade.

The 40 Trumps All!!!

There are two kinds of men in this world: Men who make jump throws, and men who wish that they were Derek Jeter so that they could make jump throws.

by thedirkatron on Dec 1, 2008 4:21 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Sorry ...

the Billy Killian trade then.

by shroomer on Dec 1, 2008 4:51 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

The Terrmel Sledge trade

by venturafearsnolan on Dec 1, 2008 6:21 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Mench to Japan

good to know we have such a fertile farm system for Japanese baseball. He’ll make $2M next year, but hopefully he doesn’t get big headed about his newfound stardom.

Meyer, you’re next, buddy.

by clark on Dec 1, 2008 4:10 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Mench'll be big headed regardless.

by JBImaknee on Dec 1, 2008 4:31 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

that was my sly

attempt at humor…

by clark on Dec 1, 2008 4:46 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Drew Meyer couldn't hit the freaking Mendoza line in Japan.

The 40 Trumps All!!!

There are two kinds of men in this world: Men who make jump throws, and men who wish that they were Derek Jeter so that they could make jump throws.

by thedirkatron on Dec 1, 2008 4:34 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

but could he hit the mendoza line if...

luis mendoza pitched to him every time?

by studcrackers on Dec 1, 2008 4:57 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

now THAT

is a conundrum.

In memory of Ulysses Simpson Grant Stoner. RIP Lil Stoner.

by tricer on Dec 1, 2008 5:03 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

it's a mystery wrapped around a riddle inside an enigma with conundrums surrounding on all sides

That’s what I used to tell my squids when they were learning warhead on forehead troubleshooting 101.

To a man/woman, they never got the ref…

Those who would sacrifice liberty for safety deserve neither.

by Brian Thomas on Dec 1, 2008 5:22 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Well, to be fair, everything is tough when you're a squid trying to learn warhead on forehead troubleshooting 101.

Whatever the hell that means, ya freaking weirdo.

The 40 Trumps All!!!

There are two kinds of men in this world: Men who make jump throws, and men who wish that they were Derek Jeter so that they could make jump throws.

by thedirkatron on Dec 2, 2008 4:52 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Pesci in JFK

I added the conundrums on all sides part.

That’s how I do.

Those who would sacrifice liberty for safety deserve neither.

by Brian Thomas on Dec 2, 2008 8:48 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

by t ball on Dec 2, 2008 12:32 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Have you ever read any James Elroy?

Fantastic historical conspirafiction:

http://www.amazon.com/American-Tabloid-Novel-James-Ellroy/dp/037572737X/ref=pd_cp_b_1?pf_rd_p=413864201&pf_rd_s=center-41&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=037572740X&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1P894NHJYAJYSFX5KXRG

Those who would sacrifice liberty for safety deserve neither.

by Brian Thomas on Dec 2, 2008 12:59 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs