Some linkaliciousness

by Adam J. Morris on Apr 17, 2008 1:00 PM CDT Comment 24 comments

A round of up some things of interest from the last couple of days...

Jon Heyman talks about the worst free agent signings ever, and only one Ranger signing makes the cut -- the Ho, of course. Part of what sucked about the Ho was the trickle-down-suckiness effect, since we ended up stuck with Phil Nevin because of the Ho, and insisted on giving him ABs, then got JHJ for Nevin. We would have been better off, ultimately, just releasing the Ho.

Our old friend Gerry Fraley says Jon Daniels and Ron Washington are not making a good impression on their new boss, although he also says that the Ranger offense "remains stuck in the homer-or-nothing mode," which I don't think is really the case at this point. The team is 6th in the A.L. in homers and 8th in runs scored, which doesn't really support Fraley's contention.

David Pinto wonders, in the context of last night's game, why Toronto, with a 7 man bullpen, doesn't have a long man. I think part of the problem is that the closest thing Toronto really has to a long man is Brian Tallet, who came in for Litsch in the 6th, was ineffective, and got yanked without finishing the inning.

Kevin Goldstein has a Future Shock 10 Pack featuring ten players who made BP's top 100 list, but who are off to bad starts this season, and one Ranger, Eric Hurley, is included. At this point, I'm not really worried about Hurley, and I think it will help relieve some of the pressure to have him come up immediately. I'd like to see him have a solid season, maybe come up in August and pitch some out of the pen, and be ready to win a starting job for 2009.

We have another Age-Gate casualty...Miguel Tejada is actually 33, not 31, and turns 34 next month.

FJM amuses me. This recent piece, I thought, was particularly entertaining, if only because one of the people who wrote the underlying item is named "Iggy."

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Hope I'm wrong, but...

it’ll take a dumpy mess of a start to this season, much like last year’s, to cut Wash off at the knees this year. He’ll probably be around for next year.

I don’t think the Rangers are the “home run or nothing” offense of 2003, but they sure as hell aren’t baserunning, bunting, or executing fundamentals worth a crap to be an efficient offense.

There is no such thing as global warming. David Murphy was cold, so he turned the sun up.

by SarasotaRanger on Apr 17, 2008 1:22 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

That Houston trade just keeps looking worse.

Im not sure which side got the worst. Both teams look like they got the shit end of the stick.

Adam loves him some Lard

by NYTXFAN on Apr 17, 2008 1:31 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Baltimore

I’m pretty sure they got Matt Albers(11.1IP 1ER 25 YR) Luke Scott (.383/.442/.596 29YR) Dennis Sarfate (95-98MPH FB but no control) Troy Patton(Highest ceiling but out for the year) and somebody else who I can’t recall.

Houston got stuck with a soon to be 34 year old SS who needs to change positions, makes way to much money and has a questionable bat going forward.

White Women!

by nikpin on Apr 17, 2008 4:01 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Houston

traded for Michael Young?

I don't want to play golf. When I hit a ball, I want someone else to go chase it. ~Rogers Hornsby

by RangerMad on Apr 17, 2008 9:14 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Heh.

Whatever gets you through the night, 'salright, 'salright.

by t ball on Apr 17, 2008 11:12 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

+1

A Lonestar in California - 2.0

by lonestarJon on Apr 18, 2008 3:16 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Hypothetical

If you are barreling down the road at about 80 mph, and Gerry Fraley is blocking your path on the right, the Ho is in the middle, and Rex Hudler is obstructing the left, which way do you swerve?

Rex Hudler is in demand as a motivational speaker.

by Brian Thomas on Apr 17, 2008 1:32 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I go

into a power slide and take all three out.

Fishing in the rivers of life. All bound for Mu Mu Land.

by Escher on Apr 17, 2008 1:35 PM CDT up reply actions 2 recs

hahaha + 1

talk about some gnarly road kill.

That David Eckstein is soooo cheap when he was with the Angels he would go to the library to use the computer because he didn't want to buy one for himself.

by LAMuscleFag on Apr 17, 2008 2:07 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

This...

is the correct answer.

Bonus: Rev Halofan is in the passenger seat without his seatbelt on.

by ghostofErikThompson on Apr 17, 2008 3:36 PM CDT up reply actions 2 recs

Well done sir.

Fraley. Wow. Still taking shots at Daniels and Washington.

Not sure why he feels the need to do that. He clearly didn’t have a quote or any communication with Ryan on the subject. Just felt like spewing some hate about JD and Worsh, I guess.

Who made the comment that a Fraley article should be coming soon as well, when I said that Reeves would throw one out there focusing on Worsh v. Hillman?

On the Worsh v. Hillman debate…. Is that really the debate? Shouldn’t it be JD v. Moore. Moore became the KC GM 1/2 year after JD was named the Rangers GM. I can’t do a full analysis right now, but I’ll throw some things out and let others add to the pile.

JD’s first offseason brought Millwood, and a trade for Padilla.
Moore’s first offseason brought Meche (after they couldn’t land Padilla, who was signed by JD), and a trade for Brian Bannister.

Who did better on building the front end of the rotation?

Moore has provided an exceptional support system for Greinke, which played a big role in getting Greinke back to the majors. He looks like he’s becoming the dominant pitcher everyone envisioned on draft day. Moore brought in Tony Pena and Gathright to improve infield and outfield defense, though I don’t know if Pena can remain a starter with his inability to hit. Picked up their close Soria as a Rule 5 and brought in Mahay as a FA. Lots of moves that have improved the talent level of the ML team. Hillman looks like a solid managerial hire.

by rooster on Apr 17, 2008 1:33 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Rotation

I would say the 2006 Millwood/Padilla combo is better than anything Meche/Bannister could throw out there. And if the beginning of this season is any indication it looks like it will be better again. So i’m not really sure where you are going with that one. Oh yeah I do. You are focusing on 2007 and determining that that year is what their entire careers are based on.

by bigsteve on Apr 17, 2008 2:37 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Hmm?

If Moore called and said he’d be willing to trade Padilla for Bannister straight up, I’d take it and run. Padilla is consistently inconsistent. You say not to take one year in isolation, but the truth is he’s only had two good years and one OK one. Best case for him is average.

I’m sure I’d do the same for Millwood. Add to that Meche and Greinke, and I don’t see how you could deny that KC has a better front-end than we do.

by brettgardner on Apr 17, 2008 4:02 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Not really going anywhere with it. Just conglomerating the information for a reasonable discussion.

Before we hear any more unreasonable opinions being spouted from the media. 2006 is on the table, but Moore wasn’t a GM then.

I think the comparison of the front end of the rotation might end up seeming like a wash. Bannister looks a freak of the Jamie Moyer type. In the end, I think both did what they had to do: stabilize the front end with something respectable, even if it isn’t a rotation with an Ace.

I think it’s kind of strange how similar the philosophies of the two organizations seem to be, now that JD has gone on a build from within approach: stabilize the front end, strong defense up the middle, draft power arms and talent up the middle. That’s the main reason I like to compare the two. They seem to have similar philosophies, though very different starting points in terms of ML personnel. And, it will be interesting to see who gets back to the top first.

My point is that if JD brings in a lot of talent, it probably doesn’t matter if the manager is Wash or Hillman, though I’m certain that will be a large part of the opinion that comes from Reeves or Galloway.

by rooster on Apr 17, 2008 4:12 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

one difference

is that KC has a couple of uber studs getting ML experience, starting last year. Texas hopes that they have a couple that will start getting ML experience next season. So KC’s rebuilding effort has to be about 2 years ahead of ours.

I also like the youth in the KC rotation much better than our guys. Judging by what is at the AA level to the ML, I think the Royals will likely have a better team than us for the near future.

Pedro: "I wasn't cockfighting, I just have a wide stance."

by tricer on Apr 17, 2008 9:05 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

That could very well be.

And, unlike the claims that will be presented in the scathing opinion articles we’re going to see, I think it will have little to do with the manager. The talent level just favors KC largely because they have drafted ahead of the Rangers in the first round in all but two years since 2000 (01 and 04), and the majority of those years have been top 5 picks. However, the Rangers have enough talent in the minors and financial wherewithal that they can get something done on the trade front or in the FA market. The Royals really have to go with their young guys, because they don’t have the minor league depth of the Rangers. Moore is in a position that has a smaller margin for error.

The talent level 2-4 years from the majors clearly favors the Rangers.

by rooster on Apr 18, 2008 11:51 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

2-4 years

I agree. In the short term, KC is likely to have both a stronger lineup and a rotation with a higher ceiling. 2-4 years from now the Rangers might lap them if at least a few of these guys pan out.

I like what Moore has done, and I think he has a lot in common with Daniels as far as being willing to take big risks in hope of a big payoff.

Whatever gets you through the night, 'salright, 'salright.

by t ball on Apr 18, 2008 12:01 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Ah, the Fralester

Somewhere, a Golden Corral is missing its biggest patron.

Texas > Detroit...for now

by RangerMoto on Apr 17, 2008 1:36 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

HR or Nothing?

“The team is 6th in the A.L. in homers and 8th in runs scored, which doesn’t really support Fraley’s contention.”

I don’t agree with Fraley, this team seems a lot more small ball-ish this year than most, but if they are 6th in HRs and 8th in runs scored, that means that they are scoring less “manufactured” runs than the other teams. in order to be “non HR or bust”, they would need to be ranked higher in runs scored and lower in HRs…. IMO

by Topgun22 on Apr 17, 2008 2:16 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

HR or nothing

I think that discrepancy is solely due to lack of succes with RISP, which simply has to improve.

Other stats: The Rangers are 9th in BA and 7th in OBP which suggests that their patience is paying off. Also, the Rangers lead all of MLB with 33 doubles.

by Randy Richardson on Apr 17, 2008 3:17 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs