Sunday morning things
by Adam J. Morris on Mar 30, 2008 10:18 AM CDT
47 comments
A whole lot of stuff out there this morning, the day before opening day...
Evan Grant has a good, and lengthy, piece up in the DMN about the Rangers move into rebuilding mode. Grant talks about how Thad Levine analyzed all 30 teams to see how different teams chose to try to build...the Rangers have ramped up their investment in amateur talent (Jon Daniels says they are among the top 10 in bonus money paid), and apparently are prepared to significantly increase payroll when they are ready to compete.
There's a lot of detail in there, that I'd recommend checking out...
Tim Cowlishaw predicts a .500 finish for this team. I think that's realistic. I may be drinking the Kool-Aid, but I've gone from, at the start of the spring, thinking 74-77 wins, to thinking this team should win 79-82 games. Coming out of spring training with only one significant injury, and with the front three of the rotation looking healthy, gives me some optimism.
And realistically, playing a bunch of games against the rest of the A.L. West is going to help your record. Seattle is a .500 team, Anaheim (without Kelvim Escobar for the year and John Lackey for an unknown amount of time) isn't much better than .500, and the 2008 Oakland A's have moved into Garret Anderson territory...getting overrated as a result of everyone proclaiming that they are being underrated, particularly if Huston Street and Joe Blanton get dealt this summer.
Evan Grant also writes that Ron Washington expects all of his starters to be able to go seven innings when the season starts, with each of them having pitched at least into the sixth inning this spring. Grant also says that Robinson Tejeda and Nelson Cruz have been told that they will be designated for assignment, while John Rheinecker will go to the 60 day d.l. However, one more move will have to be made to get everyone necessary on the 25 man roster...
The S-T has a bunch of stuff up as part of their season preview, with a focus on the rebuilding plan...
Jeff Wilson has a Q&A up with Jon Daniels on the rebuilding plan and the young players the Rangers are developing on the farm.
Wilson also provides the S-T's list of the Rangers top 20 prospects.
There's a story up on Hank Blalock trying to use the time he was on the d.l. last season to sharpen and improve his mental approach to the game. There seems to be a lot of talk that Blalock is back this year, that he's going to produce like the guy the Rangers had in 2003 and 2004, rather than the one Texas had in 2005 and 2006. Getting the early Blalock back would be a huge boost to this offense...
Randy Galloway has a typical rant up, predicting that the Rangers will go 70-92, that Nolan Ryan will fire everyone in the organization, that John Danks is on his way up and Brandon McCarthy is on his way to being an embarrassment...
And most importantly, that there is "no hope for this summer."
The last time there was this sort of doom and gloom about the Rangers was 2004.
Jim Reeves' column mainly re-hashes past Rangers failures, although when you lament losing Ryan Dempster -- who has basically had one very good season, and otherwise been a mediocrity -- it suggests you might want to do a little more research.
T.R. Sullivan runs down what the Rangers need to do to be serious contenders, although he focuses a little more on runs scored and RBIs and the like than I would think is necessary...
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Adam and the Angels
It seems like every year we read the same basic thing about the Angels on this blog. It goes a little something like this...
I just don't think they are really all that good and I don't see why everyone is picking them to win the division.
Meanwhile, they have made the playoffs 4 out of the last 6 seasons and came in 2nd place one other time.
I don't know why but It just strikes me as funny.
Better to be judged by 12 than carried by 6.
by DaheelzCM on Mar 30, 2008 10:48 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Angels....
The Angels have probably been the most disappointing division favorite in baseball the last few years. Their players simply aren't that good. Of course, this is all mitigated by the fact that no one on their team is really bad.
I see the Angels as frustrating, because I can't see why the Rangers can't put a better team on the field than LAA. I'm not convinced Lackey is an ace watching him. Colon was always fat. KRod's arm is always about to fall off, Garrett Anderson is the most overrated underrated player in baseball, as Adam says, Erstad was the most overrated player possibly ever, and their uber-prospects are always about to be all stars, then inevitably do nothing.
The Angels have a history of being frustratingly overrated, but there is no way for us to prove it because the rest of the division is always so mediocre that the Angels come out of it looking really good.
by JBImaknee on Mar 30, 2008 11:32 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
record
I'm thinking around .500 too. And I'm thinking everyone in the AL West will be around .500. There's going to be a lot of discussions around the trade deadline.
What happened to my old signature?
by WyoRanger on Mar 30, 2008 10:55 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
.500 record
I'm leaning that way, but I want to wait a bit. The 17th thru 23rd game of the season is against Boston and Detroit on the road. If we're a tick above .500 going into that murderous stretch we should come out with our dignity intact - then May is a month scheduled to really make some hay. We really don't wanna be 6-10 going into the 17th game of the season. Needa the good start real bad.
by shroomer on Mar 30, 2008 11:11 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Grandpa Urine
that was a classic article
by Dirk Diggler on Mar 30, 2008 11:04 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Umm...
I know Borbon had a good spring and is starting in Bakersfield, but does anyone else think Wilson saying he could make a push next year may be a little premature?
That said, I wish I still lived a couple hours away from Bakersfield so I could go see those kids play a few times. That should be a fun team to watch this year.
"The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance."-Socrates
by slc ranger on Mar 30, 2008 11:18 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
No
If he has a good start in Bakersfield I think he will move to Frisco very quickly. Spend the last half of this season there and even possibly get a September callup even if its for simply pinch running duties. Next year start in Frisco and move to OKC quickly and you could be looking at another September callup where he sticks for good.
His ML contract will accelerate his promotions and the way he moves through the system. The last thing the Rangers want is in 3 years to not know about him and he be out of options and they are in a situation like they are with Cruz and Botts this spring.
by bigsteve on Mar 30, 2008 11:24 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Above .500 finish
Am I right in remembering the Rangers played at or above .500 the second half of the season? They did that with a team a that was a lot worse than the one they are breaking spring training with. Pitchers were hurt, no power in the outfield, etc. It just doesn't seem to be that much of a stretch to believe that this team could actually finish above .500.
by walrus52 on Mar 30, 2008 11:22 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Debbie Downer here
Give me low 70's still, maybe 73.
by Brett Perryman on Mar 30, 2008 11:30 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Could be worse...
I just got back from So Cal where it was 90 a week ago.
Today it's 32 and snowing in Salt Lake. Damn this has been a long winter.
"The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance."-Socrates
by slc ranger on Mar 30, 2008 11:35 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
if the rotation melts down again
which isn't a stretch to imagine, and the bullpen doesn't dominate this year....very possible. I don't see a repeat of last year's April though. I think this offense is gonna rock.
by SteveP on Mar 30, 2008 11:59 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I get the feeling
You're right about our offense keeping us afloat early, but I'm extremely hesitant to say it will rock. Way I see it, our offense and rotation should be better, but it looks right now like our bullpen may be worse.
by brettgardner on Mar 30, 2008 12:25 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Last night's ch 21 preview show
The one thing I got out of it came during J.D.'s interview. He emphasized defense as the reason the club is going with Laird over Salty. I remember a similar J.D. quote regarding outfield defensive emphasis. If your pitching isn't top drawer, then you try to help the pitchers out any way you can - defense being one element under your control. So, we can field 3 CF'ers across the OF now. Similarly, Laird's improved handling of the staff and his arm quieting the opponent's running game is vitally important, in J.D.'s mind, for the good of team - doubly against the aggressive baserunning of our AL West nemeses, he added.
It kinda makes you wonder, with Laird and Tea's defense holding such high value with J.D., does Salty, no matter how he well he hits, really have a future here should his catching skillz remain unhelpful.
by shroomer on Mar 30, 2008 11:33 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Anyone else...
catch any of the game last night with the Dodgers and BoSox? 250 down the left field line in the LA Coliseum. The Dodgers played with a 5 man infied. And a record 115K fans went to the game, pretty crazy.
"The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance."-Socrates
by slc ranger on Mar 30, 2008 12:04 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Left fielder playing behind 2nd base
60-ft screen in LF
by shroomer on Mar 30, 2008 12:08 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
That picture
looks like a lot less than 250 feet down the line. Looks more like 170 or something.
Pretty cool...
by JBImaknee on Mar 30, 2008 12:19 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yeah
I think that the 250 was what it was when they played there briefly before moving to Dodgers Stadium. I think that last night it was more like 205.
by Brett Perryman on Mar 30, 2008 12:23 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yeah...
sorry, it was only 200 down the line and then they had that big screen 60 feet high.
"The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance."-Socrates
by slc ranger on Mar 30, 2008 12:26 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
So what happens if you're a centerfielder
and you climb the screen to the top and take away a homerun ball, would it still count as an out?
by Taylor on Mar 30, 2008 1:37 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Actually
That was Andruw Jones playing the 5th INF position - Andre Ethier and Matt Kemp are in the OF.
I watched it in it's entirety on TV out here - it was a pleasure, as always, to listen to Vin Sculley. He is the one thing about the Dodgers I like.
Wasn't much of a game though, as the Sox blasted a couple homers off Esteban Loaiza early, and where in control pretty much the entire game. Things did get tense in the bottom of the 9th, when Papelbon gave up a 2-run jack to Blake Dewitt (?) to get the Dodgers within 3 runs, and two more base hits brought the tying run to the plate, but Papelbon blew the guy (I think it was Jason Repko) away with a couple amazing fastballs to end the game. The final was 7-4 BoSox.
It was something to see, though, them playing that game with those whacked out dimensions. The camera angles where all horrible and out of place, and made it hard to judge balls and strikes and see certain plays,, but in an odd sort of way, that kind of added to the nostaliga rather than detracted from it. It was cool to watch, even though it was kind of a yawner of a ballgame.
by lonestarJon on Mar 30, 2008 11:56 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Nice interview by Jason, as always
Good to read his foot seems healthy and how much he seems to be commited to working on his K/BB ratio.
A working class hero is something to be.
by t ball on Mar 30, 2008 1:16 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
from the Grant article
I found this terribly disappointing.
when it comes to overall dollars spent on scouting and player development, which encompasses staff size and payroll, the Rangers still rank between 15th and 20th.
For all the talk about the newfound emphasis on scouting and development, we still aren't even in the top half of baseball. What's the friggin holdup? Our payroll is low, and I'm fine with that. Our draft policy seems to tend towards avoiding bigtime over-slot talents, I'm okay with that to a point. Our manager and GM are among the lowest paid in the game, which doesn't make any difference to me. But when they don't spend enough money to be in the top half of baseball teams in scouting and development, especially when this is supposedly the emphasis of the new management plan, then I think that is bullshit. For all the rhetoric that we've been fed, I would have assumed that our scouting and development budget was top ten or maybe even top 5.
For all those that love to bash Hicks, I think this is a perfect opportunity. Despite slashing costs in so many other areas, he still hasn't let loose of the funds to let JD get our scouting and development budget in the top half of the ML.
Pedro: "I wasn't cockfighting, I just have a wide stance."
by tricer on Mar 30, 2008 1:32 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Give Galloway credit
he owned up to his prediction back in 04 when he proclaimed 100 loses, and he also had the local beat writers on air and made them own up to their claims that the team would lose as well.
Not that it defends his article, I still think Danks is at best a #3 starter but man are we in a slump when it comes to developing starting pitchers.
Oh, and count me down for 80 wins.
by Taylor on Mar 30, 2008 1:36 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Galloway is an idiot
I never read him or listen to him anymore. I think he writes while he is drunk and talks out his ass on his radio show. Live long Grandpa Urine!
"My death certificate will probably say: 'Cause of Death: World Series.'" Jamey Newberg
by boomer1 on Mar 30, 2008 1:55 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Dallas sports radio sucks
With the exception of a few guys: Coop, Norm and Stern. I listen to Galloway sometimes but I turn my brain off when I do, I haven't listened to the Ticket since they valued schtick over sports, but it gets them ratings so whatever works for them.
by Taylor on Mar 30, 2008 1:58 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Grandpa'a a Fool!
McCarthy is great. Danks is horrible. JD took Chicago to the cleaners.
Anybody who thinks differently is clueless.
JD is the greatest GM ever! (Friends now?)
by Clueless on Mar 30, 2008 3:05 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
You missed one, Adam...
White Sox fans have aneurysm when Masset named 25th man because they "would lose him" if they didn't carry him north...
http://www.southsidesox.com/2008/3/30/378474/giving-the-masset-news-the
AIM: SouthSideCheat
by The Cheat on Mar 30, 2008 1:45 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
I've been accused...
...in the past of being anti-Masset (and anti-Danks), so I thought I'd steer clear of that one...
But I am surprised Masset made the cut...
by Adam J. Morris on Mar 30, 2008 1:56 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Why would
commentors there argue that keeping Masset is a face-saving exercise for KW? I would think the avg ChiSox fan or media type would feel pretty good about the Danks/BMac trade based solely on the two principals' post-trade performances.
by shroomer on Mar 30, 2008 2:00 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I'd say they're hedging their bets
with respect to the futures of Danks/McCarthy. The trade didn't have a clear winner or loser after year 1, and they're just guarding against coming out on the losing end in the future. (we're mostly pessimistic over there)
That being said, I would put the community expectations for danks at something like 180 innings of 4.60 ERA, ever-so-slightly below average (given the park) innings eater. But we see he has the potential for better as he matures and better controls his pitches.
AIM: SouthSideCheat
by The Cheat on Mar 30, 2008 2:11 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Bob Short
Bob Short was nothing more then a fast-buck artist, looking for a easy way to gain profits. His move to Texas was about as shortsighted a move as anything in the history of baseball. One only has to compare the growth of the Washington DC area with DFW, to see what a giant mistake it was. He didn't want to put any money into the team, and figured moving to a new area would cause more fan interest and profits rather then putting money into his team. The man was a nothing more then a petty thief, stealing the Washington team! He looked like a used car salesman.
by SanDiegoKev on Mar 30, 2008 5:30 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
DC
Why would you choose to share a market with another team when you can have a huge population and geographical market to yourself?
by Randy Richardson on Mar 30, 2008 5:53 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Let Baltimore move to Tulsa
For one thing, there is a lot of growth South of the Potomac,All of Virginia would be on the sphere of the Washington team. I think if they had stayed in that area, you would have had the Birds doing the moving thing, cause Baltimore is a city of almost no growth. That is why, peter Angelos was so opposed to a DC team. However, with his tactics, he became one of the most hated individuals in the DC area.
by SanDiegoKev on Mar 30, 2008 9:30 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
DC
A couple of things:
Angelos is a terrible owner, but you can't tell me that any other owner in his shoes wouldn't have fought a second team coming into the market.
I'm sure DC and NOVA can support a major league team these days, especially with the new stadium. But, from a business perspective an owner would be crazy to not jump at the opportunity to have a huge market to himself.
by Randy Richardson on Mar 30, 2008 10:06 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Growth
I am not sure I understand your point here. The DFW area has grown tremendously (and still is) in the past 30 years and is now the 4th largest Metro area in the country.
Better to be judged by 12 than carried by 6.
by DaheelzCM on Mar 30, 2008 9:36 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
The Pont was
That team didn't need to move, it moved only because Bob Short wanted to make a quick buck.. Today, the population of the DC - Baltimore area is 8,207,040.
by SanDiegoKev on Mar 30, 2008 11:33 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Reason?
Perhaps I missed it among the links and comments, but what in this post and its associated comments inspired such a rant? Especially one concerning events that took place more than 35 years ago?
by mgb5 on Mar 31, 2008 8:08 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Reeves dregged it up when he said about Short in his Sunday Column
"...wanted to do the right thing. His intentions were good."
I don't think ripping off an area's team, was "doing the right thing, then or now."
Does an area own a team or does the owner? Does Hicks have the right to move the Rangers tomorrow to anyplace USA or even Timbuktu if he feels like it?
I think what happened to Montreal and it's team was a travesty.
Luria ruins one team, and hey, lets give him another one to screw up the Marlins.
by SanDiegoKev on Mar 31, 2008 11:40 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
owners
Does an area own a team or does the owner?
The owner owns the team - this is the USA not the USSR. Now if there are contractual obligations and lease agreements those need to be met, otherwise the owner can do what he wants with approval of mlb.
The Giants and Dodgers moved to CA not because they were losing money, but because there was more money to be made. It broke a lot of hearts in NYC but it was good for both franchises and good for baseball.
by Randy Richardson on Mar 31, 2008 10:24 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
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