Thursday a.m. stuff

by Adam J. Morris on Mar 20, 2008 10:30 AM CDT in News

No major league game yesterday, so it is pretty quiet on the spring training front...

Evan Grant's story this morning talks about how there is an epidemic of practical jokes that has erupted in the Rangers camp...

Richard Durrett discusses the catching situation, and he also mentions the possibility of Taylor Teagarden making the team as a backup catcher. I've yet to hear one person make a decent case as to why a guy who only caught a handful of games last season, and who has played less than 100 games the past two years, and who had a pretty scary spike in his K rate after moving to AA last season, should start the year as a backup catcher in the majors.

Personally, I'm okay with a Laird and Melhuse tandem. Saltalamacchia's bat was a disappointment after coming over in the Teixeira trade last season, and his defense isn't a strength. He's just 22. I don't have an issue with him spending a couple of months in AAA, and having Laird catch regularly in the majors.

I think the option many have urged -- dumping Laird now for whatever you can get -- is short-sighted. I might be in the minority, but I still think Laird can be a nice major league starting catcher, and if he puts up a .250-260 EQA or so, he's going to have value, whether to the Rangers or another team.

Jeff Wilson says there was praise for Kason Gabbard's performance in the minor league game yesterday, with Mark Connor saying that Gabbard looked much better (and like the guy they had last season before his injury).

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Your Texas Rangers..

Building for 2012!!!

Yessurr!!!

by Jukebox Joe on Mar 20, 2008 10:36 AM CDT 0 recs

The rebuilding starts...

next year!!!

Hambone, Hambone where you been? I been around these bases, and I'm going again.

by tricer on Mar 20, 2008 10:47 AM CDT up 0 recs

True.

Because by then it will become apparent that the Rangers will not be able to resign Salty, and, so, they'll trade him for another round of prospects that are 2-3 years away.

Vitamin B12. You can get it in cereal or by an injection in the buttocks. Only one of the two ways ensures mutant muscle growth.

by rooster on Mar 20, 2008 11:59 AM CDT up 0 recs

LOL

so it's a perpetual rebuilding plan? Isn't that special!

Kataphilia = an intense fascination for those of inferior skill sometimes brought on by ingesting massive amounts of sunflower seeds.

by LAMuscleFag on Mar 20, 2008 12:12 PM CDT up 0 recs

+2

"The back of our rotation ... One guy that couldn't break a mirror with his fastball and another that could break a mirror just by looking at it." - Tricer

by Chase Irwin on Mar 20, 2008 11:45 AM CDT up 0 recs

Patience

Dump Laird now and you get nothing. Assume he regresses to the mean a bit after a terrible offensive 2007, and he has some value.

Then you get to have your cake and eat it, too. Laird brings a little value in trade; Salty starts after honing his defense a bit in OKC; They get more time to gauge Teagarden and Ramirez.

Patience, Salty is only 22, it's not like you're wasting his prime. Ditto with Hurley.

A working class hero is something to be.

by t ball on Mar 20, 2008 10:54 AM CDT 0 recs

Who is this Ranger Hemmoroid model?

Matt Kata?

http://www.asylum.com/2008/02/25/mens-most-embarrassing-health-problems-hemorrhoids/

Kataphilia = an intense fascination for those of inferior skill sometimes brought on by ingesting massive amounts of sunflower seeds.

by LAMuscleFag on Mar 20, 2008 11:04 AM CDT 0 recs

jerry hairston jr

Theory: Jeter wears rings on fielding hand,rendering fielding borderline impossible.

by rentz on Mar 20, 2008 1:40 PM CDT up 0 recs

You think Wash and JD

can talk Sid Bream out of retirement?

Yessurr!!!

by Jukebox Joe on Mar 20, 2008 12:15 PM CDT 0 recs

+1

Agree with you 100% on your catching opinions. Do not understand why we are a minority, it seems so obvious.

by RingoRanger on Mar 20, 2008 12:48 PM CDT 0 recs

I Know Why

More drama can be squeezed out of the other point of view.

by mcgee48c on Mar 20, 2008 2:51 PM CDT up 0 recs

Maybe

But I think the line of thought that other GMs will see Laird improve his batting in the first month or two and suddenly think that his career stats should be ignored, basically relies on an assumption that they are complete idiots. And I don't think that is the case.

Any fluctuation in the market for Gerald Laird will be because of injury or something to increase the demand for a near replacement level catcher. The world of baseball knows what kind of hitter Gerald Laird is, and a month or two aren't going to change the mind of anybody.

Hambone, Hambone where you been? I been around these bases, and I'm going again.

by tricer on Mar 20, 2008 6:10 PM CDT up 0 recs

You forget

There's already been teams asking about Laird. His trade value has obviously been restored by his spring run, that's no longer really an issue.

The issue is, the Rangers are in love with Laird, they have been since they got him from Oakland. They're still, to this day, waiting for this guy to hit, something that you'd have thought they'd have figured out is not going to happen. They just can't learn to let go, like a little child with his blankie.

A Lonestar in California

by lonestarJon on Mar 20, 2008 6:16 PM CDT up 0 recs

Here check this out:

http://trsullivan.mlblogs.com/trsullivan/2008/03/light_trade_win.html

A Lonestar in California

by lonestarJon on Mar 20, 2008 6:31 PM CDT up 0 recs

His career stats

You act like he's been worthless his entire career.

He was solid for his age and level with the bat in the minors in 2002 and 2003.

He won the job out of spring training in 2004, hit well until he got hurt, and then came back and tried to play with a bad thumb, which jacked up his final numbers.

He hit very well in the minors in 2005. He hit well in the majors in 2006. In 2007, he sucked.

It seems like you have decreed that 2007 is his true level of performance, and his track record from 2002-2006 should just be ignored (and no g.m. would look at anything but what he did in 2007 if he plays well this year).

by Adam J. Morris on Mar 20, 2008 9:55 PM CDT up 0 recs

Melhuse

neither he nor the electrician are on the 40, correct? So that's two spaces we need to clear. Possibly one for Mench or Ponson, too... though that's looking pretty unlikely at least to start the season.

You have to assume one of Crotts will be jettisoned, and probably Tejeda.

Who else is a candidate to come off the 40 to clear room? Loe? Feldman? And/Or do we have some guys headed to the 60-day that will clear some room?

What's the over/under on how long it takes for Dwyade to show up at Heat practice limping on the wrong leg?

by thedirkatron on Mar 20, 2008 5:57 PM CDT 0 recs

Rheinecker

will start the season on the 60 day dl.

by Randy Richardson on Mar 20, 2008 6:03 PM CDT up 0 recs

Rheinecker

will go to the 60-DL and create a space.

And I'm not so sure that Tejeda will be dropped. I don't know what happened to him last year, but he has the potential to go to another team and hurt us. A lot moreso than Botts IMO.

It's easy to forget that Tejeda was an above average ML pitcher at age 22 and 23. I'd hate to give up on him too soon, especially considering the flock of lesser-talented pitchers that we woul replace him with.

Hambone, Hambone where you been? I been around these bases, and I'm going again.

by tricer on Mar 20, 2008 6:05 PM CDT up 0 recs

Lets keep

Tejeda and dump Arias. Maybe he could be pit on the 60 day DL.

"This has been a team effort. No one or two guys could have done all this." - Casey Stengel, after the Mets lost 120 games in 1962

by RangerMad on Mar 20, 2008 6:15 PM CDT up 0 recs

Tejeda

It's not just the 40 man, he's out of options and would have to be kept on the 25 man roster. I just don't see that happening.

by Randy Richardson on Mar 20, 2008 6:20 PM CDT up 0 recs

Why not?

Tejeda has some good stuff, and he's settled down this spring after a rocky start - I think he's done well enough to stay on the team.

One thing about Tejeda, if we DFA him we will lose him. DH's with no real defensive positions and RF's who can't hit are one thing, but a fairly young arm with a blazing fastball is another - he'll get snapped up by somebody who needs extra bullpen or even starting help.

A Lonestar in California

by lonestarJon on Mar 20, 2008 6:24 PM CDT up 0 recs

Tejeda

I haven't heard much to suggest the Rangers are considering him as a solid bullpen option. I'm not sure whether he'd clear waivers, but there are numerous pitchers out there who have had some success in the past but not lately.

by Randy Richardson on Mar 20, 2008 6:37 PM CDT up 0 recs

well

the newspapers said one thing left for him to do to try to prove himself was pitch on back to back days. He threw a quick 15 pitches one day, getting 3 consecutive outs, and then came in to get 2 out the next day. Success, and checked off that obstacle...

"Look at our current situation with that camel fu#%er over in Iraq. Pacifism is not something to hide behind."

by Walter Sobchak on Mar 20, 2008 8:23 PM CDT up 0 recs

I sure don't see

12 better pitchers that are going to make this team.

Hambone, Hambone where you been? I been around these bases, and I'm going again.

by tricer on Mar 20, 2008 6:24 PM CDT up 0 recs

12 pitchers

Millwood, Padilla, Jennings, Gabbard, Mendoza, Wilson, Benoit, Guardado, Fukumori, Littleton, Francisco, Wright.

by Randy Richardson on Mar 20, 2008 6:30 PM CDT up 0 recs

Francisco

Has not looked that good this spring. The Rangers seem to want him to develop his offspeed pitches more. I really think he's gonna star the season at AAA.

Littleton has struggled his last two outings, and that's starting to put some doubt into things.

Mendoza will not be needed as the 5th starter till April 12th. Till then, the team can carry an extra bullpen arm or position player.

A Lonestar in California

by lonestarJon on Mar 20, 2008 6:34 PM CDT up 0 recs

In what is supposed to be a

rebuilding year, I wouldn't give away an arm like Tejeda, especially to keep lesser talented pitchers with options like Gabbard, Mendoza, Francisco, and Littleton on the big league team. And keeping Jamey Wright instead of Tejeda is just bad decision making for a rebuilding team.

Hambone, Hambone where you been? I been around these bases, and I'm going again.

by tricer on Mar 20, 2008 7:37 PM CDT up 0 recs

And for the record

I don't think Tejeda will ever amount to anything great. I just think he has a better chance than some of the other arms we have, so I'd rather not give him away until he has been given some more chances, or someone clearly better takes his spot.

Hambone, Hambone where you been? I been around these bases, and I'm going again.

by tricer on Mar 20, 2008 9:13 PM CDT up 0 recs

Tejeda

Well, he's definately not going to start games for the Rangers, at least at the beginning of the year. I wouldn't be upset if they kept Tejeda in the bullpen and sent Frankie down, but on the other hand, if they feel they've seen enough to make a judgment on Tejeda than I'm alright with that too.

As for Wright, yes the Rangers are rebuilding, but he had a good year last year and I'm all for having him in the bullpen again. It's possible to balance rebuilding and competing at the same time.

by Randy Richardson on Mar 20, 2008 11:17 PM CDT up 0 recs

balancing b/n rebuilding and competing

I think it is easier to hit your mark if there is a single, well-defined target.

Most of the guys that we are talking about are fringe types that will probably never make much difference anyway, but if it were me, I'd always err to the side of the younger guy with more upside unless I was pretty sure that I had a contending type club.

Hambone, Hambone where you been? I been around these bases, and I'm going again.

by tricer on Mar 20, 2008 11:35 PM CDT up 0 recs

I disagree,

I think you go with the young guys who are ready, but also utilize veterans who are capable and can mentor the younger players and provide extra competitive value.

by Randy Richardson on Mar 20, 2008 11:40 PM CDT up 0 recs

+ 1

Kataphilia = an intense fascination for those of inferior skill sometimes brought on by ingesting massive amounts of sunflower seeds.

by LAMuscleFag on Mar 20, 2008 11:44 PM CDT up 0 recs

Ugggh, darn Wash and his "win-now" mode

There's NO real reason to pick Mench above Botts unless you're pretty certain that you can sneak Botts through waivers.

OTOH, you're certain that Mench can get sent to Oklahoma. Ugggh, the reason why we don't know about Botts is just because of this wrong-headed thinking continuing until September the past 2 years.

Req

by Requiem on Mar 20, 2008 8:32 PM CDT 0 recs

Mark Conner

Doesn't he always say that every pitcher looks good?

It's hard to try to look like a chump when you're so pretty.

by Clueless on Mar 20, 2008 9:54 PM CDT 0 recs

Salty

"Saltalamacchia's bat was a disappointment after coming over in the Teixeira trade last season..."

.251/.290/.431 and 7 HR in 167 AB in the second half of his age-22 rookie season is disappointing? Certainly, it would have been nice to have seen him perform better at the plate (particularly with his walk rate), but that hardly strikes me as disappointing, given the circumstances.

Baseball Time in Arlington

by jamcadbury on Mar 21, 2008 12:41 AM CDT 0 recs

It should also be noted

That Salty was forced to play first base more once he came over from Atlanta.

In Atlanta, he spent the the vast majority of his time behind the plate: 25 games, 187 innings, at catcher, versus 14 games, 103 innings at first. After coming over, however, he spent 24 games at first (199 innings) and 22 games (185 innings) at catcher.

And his batting splits while playing first and catching are quite dramatic: .203/.236/.346. at first base, versus .325/.373/.503 while catching.

Therefore, I think it's safe to assume that the reason Salty's numbers dropped after coming to Texas was because he was being forced to spend more time at the unfamiliar position of first base (where he has admitted he is uncomfortable at), not because there's any great flaw in his offensive game.

If there was any dissapointment, it was the handling of Saltalamacchia by the Rangers: they should have yanked Gerald Laird, who was having a horrible season, and a horrible second half, out from behind the plate and made him the backup instead of bouncing Salty back and forth.

A Lonestar in California

by lonestarJon on Mar 21, 2008 1:01 AM CDT up 0 recs