Salty and Cruz continuing to hit in DWL

by NothinG on Dec 7, 2008 3:06 PM CST Comment 34 comments

Going into the winter meetings, this makes Salty that much more attractive.
With Leones del Escogido in 12 games and 41 ABs

BA: .390
OPS: 1.439
HR: 6
Runs: 14
RBIs: 14

Also important, he has walked 12 times compared to 7 strikeouts.

Salty has been alternating as the Catcher with Miguel Olivo lately. The days he's not catching he is the DH. He has 1 error, but I don't know runners success rate against him stealing bags. He has 3 passed balls. I think these are Salty's most important stats. If he can improve defensively to at least become avg, I think that is a huge deal.

Nelson Cruz
You gotta like the fact that he is still mashing the ball.
with Gigantes in 22 games and 83 ABs

BA: .373
OPS: 1.132
HR: 8
Runs: 16
RBIs: 29

Cruz has, also stolen 4 bases with only 1 CS.

Do you feel comfortable with Cruz manning RF?
I'm starting to, but I'm still skeptical whether he'll be able to consistently hit in the Bigs..

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Cruz

Do you feel comfortable with Cruz manning RF?

Cruz will be next year’s Ryan Ludwig.

by clark on Dec 7, 2008 3:11 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

wow

Ludwick.

by clark on Dec 7, 2008 3:11 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I hope so

Wait 'til the year after next

by NothinG on Dec 7, 2008 3:13 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I hope its only if

next year’s Ryan Ludwig is as good as this year’s Ryan Ludwig

By 2028, Mark Teixeira will be in the HOF.
-The Outlaw

by Gdawg on Dec 7, 2008 5:40 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I love it

"Sooner or later, prospects kill you, because you hang onto them." - Greggo, 11/22/2005

by Agreen07 on Dec 7, 2008 5:43 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Trade his ass, NOW!

meet me at the mawwl... it's goin dowwn...

by oc on Dec 7, 2008 8:50 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

The ideal situation...

regarding Cruz to me is to deal Byrd over the offseason and have a Murphy, Hamilton, and Cruz outfield. Give Cruz the first half of the year starting everyday and if he falters then put Borbon in a center and slide Hammy to right.

by erikj07 on Dec 7, 2008 3:12 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Why Murphy instead of Byrd?

by LiamP on Dec 7, 2008 3:12 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Eff me.

I suck at reading.

by LiamP on Dec 7, 2008 3:13 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

No

Keep Byrd. Role out with Byrd, Hammy, Cruz OF. Murphy as the 4th OF. Boggs goes to OKC playing everyday. If Cruz falters then we are covered. If he doesn’t then look to trade Byrd at the deadline where you can get a pretty nice piece for him hopefully. He should be a type A FA (worst case is type B) next winter and can play all 3 OF positions. I can’t think of a contender that wouldn’t want that type of player going into the stretch run.

Bryan Smith (12:17:17 PM PT): Justin Smoak and Josh Hamilton. The AL West might just have found their Bash Brothers, v. 2.0.

by bigsteve on Dec 7, 2008 3:20 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I disagree...

I don’t think its realistic for this team to have Murphy as the 4th OF. Byrd has plenty of value right now and considering the “cost cutting” mode this team is in right now it makes the most sense to to deal Byrd and allow for Murphy to continue his development.

by erikj07 on Dec 7, 2008 3:37 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

OF

You gotta realize how our OF is gonna work. Hamilton isn’t gonna play 160 games in CF. And as long as Hank is healthy at DH then whenever Hammy needs a day of rest he is simply gonna move over to RF. I would expect him to play 60 or so games in RF this year. When that hapens I think our OF will be Murphy/Byrd/Hammy. Cruz will probably be the guy left out. I haven’t heard anything about Cruz playing LF from what i know he is almost strictly a RF. And seeing as how Washington was reluctant to play Boggs in CF last year I don’t see him all of a sudden being comfortable with him out there next year. Thats what would have to happen if Byrd is traded. I don’t think you can trade Byrd until Borbon, or Golson, is fully ready.

Bryan Smith (12:17:17 PM PT): Justin Smoak and Josh Hamilton. The AL West might just have found their Bash Brothers, v. 2.0.

by bigsteve on Dec 7, 2008 4:06 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Murphy...

you deal him rather than Byrd at this point imo. He may be more attractive for some teams rather than Byrd and we have enough LH hitters already. I think he may bring back a better prospect than Byrd right now anyway.

Hold onto Byrd ’til the deadline and if there is a market for him then you can deal him. If not you just keep him. Plus if Cruz falters the Rangers will need Byrd to be there to take his spot.

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

by slc ranger on Dec 7, 2008 3:25 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

if Cruz falters...

then why not slide Hamilton into RF and have Borbon in center? Borbon will be ready by midseason IMO. That would be by far the best defensive alignment as well.

by erikj07 on Dec 7, 2008 3:39 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Borbon...

I hope he’s ready by the ASB as well, but I don’t want to count on him this year. If he tears up OKC and shows he has improved his plate discipline then fine. However I’m fine with keeping him in OKC all year as well.

And remember we have Boggs as well. I believe he will get a shot before Borbon will this year.

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

by slc ranger on Dec 7, 2008 3:45 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Boggs

Washington didn’t seem comfortable giving him a shot in CF last year so why do you think things will change all of a sudden?

Bryan Smith (12:17:17 PM PT): Justin Smoak and Josh Hamilton. The AL West might just have found their Bash Brothers, v. 2.0.

by bigsteve on Dec 7, 2008 4:07 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

So much depends

on what Wash had for lunch.

by Keynes on Dec 7, 2008 4:34 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

so much depends

if wash is coaching this team at the ASB

Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.

by knockoutking on Dec 7, 2008 8:58 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I believe in cruz.

And very much want him in the opening day OF.

the preceding post was a great success.

by DSheppard on Dec 7, 2008 3:13 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

I think that's pretty much a lock

I'm undefeated in fights. Have I been in any? No. Thats because people know my f'ing status. Don't mess with the elite. - Miles

by Dirk Diggler on Dec 7, 2008 3:15 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Salty

So hes caught in 6 games I take it and has 1 error and 3 passed balls? Not exactly the numbers I was hoping to see. His offense looks great. But those defensive numbers don’t give me much to smile about.

Bryan Smith (12:17:17 PM PT): Justin Smoak and Josh Hamilton. The AL West might just have found their Bash Brothers, v. 2.0.

by bigsteve on Dec 7, 2008 3:29 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

I for one

dont think its anything to worry over. If you check the box scores after the games you can see some of these guys catch up to 10 pitchers per game. Pitchers that they have never caught before so a few passes balls shouldnt concern anyone. His defense and offense have been turning heads.

by 3bagbeast on Dec 7, 2008 6:54 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Salty

I think we should contemplate a lil bit longer before we trade salty over the other 3. I am not saying he is better then TT, but what if he struggles next year and salty proves to be a star?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXWLfIgc0nA

by mchang4 on Dec 7, 2008 3:29 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

umm im concerned...

not only about TT’s long term offensive capability, but I still have serious concerns about his health. I wouldn’t trade Salty unless a we got back a legit young ML ready pitcher who can slide into the rotation immediately.

by erikj07 on Dec 7, 2008 3:41 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Yay

Good things

by Brett Perryman on Dec 7, 2008 3:45 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Cruz has been playing baseball year-round now for two straight years...

At some point, you’re gonna get tired, right?

Or injured?

meet me at the mawwl... it's goin dowwn...

by oc on Dec 7, 2008 4:02 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Good point

He’s basically been fighting for his career that long, and you’d argue that it has been worthwhile, but you can’t just play year round indefinitely and not fade.

by Brett Perryman on Dec 7, 2008 4:21 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Cruz isn't like most mere mortals

He can play year round and only get more energy.

By 2028, Mark Teixeira will be in the HOF.
-The Outlaw

by Gdawg on Dec 7, 2008 5:42 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Has Cruz continued his breakthrough from this season of walking more and K'ing less.

Cruz and BMac are equally big wild cards on the team. If Cruz goes from nothing to All Star numbers this year, the whole offense goes from good to evil. If BMac is mid-rotation or better caliber that opens a lot of possibilities at the trade deadline. If both BMac and Cruz are this good, it probably means something else would have to go really, really wrong for the Rangers to be out of at least wild card contention.

I don’t think anyone could possibly devise a credible statistical projection of Cruz that would have a range of possible outcomes smaller than replacement level to All Star.

Go Rangers!

by rooster on Dec 7, 2008 4:46 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

I don't think

Last year’s lineup minus Bradley + All Star Numbers from Cruz makes this lineup evil.

But, I agree with your overall point.

I'm undefeated in fights. Have I been in any? No. Thats because people know my f'ing status. Don't mess with the elite. - Miles

by Dirk Diggler on Dec 7, 2008 4:53 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

you are forgetting

a full season from Davis at a higher level of production than last year. Plus Bradley only really played for 70% of the season last year. If Cruz gets 600 ABs + Davis + full season of Kinsler and Murphy, then the lineup will be much better

by Baseball North on Dec 7, 2008 5:19 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs