Daniels on a "short leash"?
by Adam J. Morris
on Apr 26, 2008 12:50 PM CDT
Everyone's favorite former DFW baseball writer, Gerry Fraley, has a new column up where he addresses Jon Daniels' job security:
As general manager of the Texas Rangers, Jon Daniels has tried mightily to restore order to an organization that disintegrated into chaos during John Hart’s tenure. Daniels has made significant strides in rebuilding a broken player-development system and has brought together the elements of the organization that drifted apart under Hart.
That said, Daniels is on an increasingly short leash for one reason. In his tenure, the Rangers have made a series of spectacularly bad decisions on pitchers. Armando Galarraga threatens to join the list.
Galarraga, a 26-year-old rookie righthander, has made two strong starts for Detroit. The Rangers dropped Galarraga from the major-league roster last winter even though he had one option season remaining and traded him to the Tigers for minor-league outfielder Michael Hernandez, who was released during spring training.
The deteriorating Rangers could use Galarraga now. They could also use righthander Chris Young, sent to San Diego in the Adam Eaton deal after the 2005 season; and lefthander John Danks, traded to the Chicago White Sox for righthander Brandon McCarthy before the 2007 season.
Eaton spent one injury-riddled season with the Rangers, and McCarthy is currently on the disabled list. They are a combined 12-14 with the Rangers.
Chris Young has 21 wins in two-plus seasons with the Padres. After going 6-13 as a rookie last seasons, Danks is 2-1 with a 3.04 ERA in four starts this season and has 14 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings.
None of this sits well with the organization’s new president: Hall of Fame pitcher Nolan Ryan.
Fraley seems to be saying flat out that Ryan is unhappy with Daniels, or at least his handling of the team's pitching, which is not something that has been said directly by anyone in the D/FW media, to date.
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i don't know who this guy you speak of is...
just got ownaged
by Longhorn on
Apr 26, 2008 12:55 PM CDT
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agreed
he should be on a short leash. i really like JD and he says all the right things. the steps he has made to restore our farm have been awesome. but it will be hard for him to live down the decisions he has made with our pitching staff. it is unfortunate, because some of it is dumb luck, but if this team limps to another 4th place finish without seeing serious progress at the major league level, then he deserves to be unemployed.
by clark on
Apr 26, 2008 12:56 PM CDT
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F Him...
He sounds like a typical DMN blog poster.
Whatevah!!!
...it's the weekend, so why the hell not?
by Rodney on
Apr 26, 2008 12:57 PM CDT
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Screw Fraley...
I don’t buy anything he’s selling. Screw Nolan Ryan as well, the guy is a figure head and nothing more. JD shouldn’t have a short leash right now. Yes he has made a couple bad moves but the good out way the bad. I understand the Young deal being bad but the Danks deal was not his fault and Galarraga hasn’t had enough time to show anything yet. How about taking a bottom feeding minor league system and putting them into a top 5 system in one year.
"The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance."-Socrates
by slc ranger on
Apr 26, 2008 1:00 PM CDT
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CWS have a double header
Pitchers Danks then Masset. He’s made a lot of blunders but I think he might be turning the tide and maturing as a general manager, by building through the farm. But if he is on a short leash you can’t really blame ownership, the results speak for themselves. Time to jinx Danks: no-no through five.
by sprite on
Apr 26, 2008 1:06 PM CDT
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Broken up...
...by the first guy up in the 6th…
by Adam J. Morris on
Apr 26, 2008 1:16 PM CDT
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good
that proves, once again, that it was a good idea to trade him
by bronco28 on
Apr 26, 2008 1:19 PM CDT
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now a 2-run homer
he really does suck, doesn’t he?
by bronco28 on
Apr 26, 2008 1:21 PM CDT
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Help me out
Is this schtick, or are you suggesting that I (or others) say he sucks?
by Adam J. Morris on
Apr 26, 2008 1:22 PM CDT
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HR
by former Ranger Guillermo Quiroz. There goes the shutout….
by chrisR on
Apr 26, 2008 1:22 PM CDT
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wrong
Daniels has made one bad deal.
The Tex deal was excellent. The Gagne deal was excellent. The Lofton deal was off the charts. And I’m told that McCarthy is actually a great pitcher, so that’s going to be a win too…just not right now (especially not right now, since Danks is perfect through 5 IP today).
Chris Young & Gonzalez was horrible of course.
Choosing Jennings over Galarraga is understandable. If Jennings gets on a little run going into July - and he could - then he’s got great trade value. Worthwhile risk.
The rest of the moves were just moving bodies around. Inconsequential.
by bronco28 on
Apr 26, 2008 1:08 PM CDT
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the young deal
what annoys me the most about that deal is the rumor that we could have done the trade substituting laird for CY. Even at the time of the trade, i dont see why you would choose to put a pitcher in over a catcher.
not that laird/a-gon for eaton/aki would have been a great trade either.
Gerald Laird is my hero.
by DSheppard on
Apr 26, 2008 1:13 PM CDT
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Soriano?
that wasn’t a bad deal? Brad F’n Wilkerson and Armando Galarraga? for a 40/40 guy?
And you cannot count the trades for Tex and Gagne as great yet. Hopefully the kids pan out…....
by coachh on
Apr 26, 2008 1:27 PM CDT
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Yes you can.
Tex wasn’t going to resign, Gagne is old. Period. Prospects that don’t pan out doesn’t make it a bad deal, you take your chances.
by MeanMr.Mustard on
Apr 26, 2008 1:28 PM CDT
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If the Tex prospects don't pan out
It is absolutely a bad trade, when there were other offers on the table, and there had to have been some say in which prospects were acquired.
by venturafearsnolan on
Apr 26, 2008 1:34 PM CDT
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Dont confuse the result with the decision
If someones asks you to choose between pujols and broussard for one game, pujols goes 0 for 5 and broussard hits a homerun it doesnt mean pujols was the wrong decision.
Gerald Laird is my hero.
by DSheppard on
Apr 26, 2008 1:43 PM CDT
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The other trades involve prospects too
prospects inherently possess risk. You trade 1 very good major leaguer for several prospects in hope that at east 1 of those prospects turn into a very good major leaguer as well (or several turn into above average ones). Beyond the trade, it’s a matter of development.
by Telegraph on
Apr 26, 2008 1:44 PM CDT
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what were the alternatives?
the money they took off the books by trading Soriano turned into Millwood. Fine by me.
did Daniels turn down a better offer for Soriano?
by bronco28 on
Apr 26, 2008 1:37 PM CDT
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the McCarthy trade is already a bust.
...even as an average starter, the fact that Danks continues to take the mound is reason enough.
"There's something to be said for just plugging away and not feeling very sorry for yourself.'' - Terry Francona
by oc on
Apr 26, 2008 4:07 PM CDT
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disagree...
Danks has not pitched enough to know what he will be. I think it’s still to early to say the trade is a failure. Obviously the McCarthy injury is frustrating though.
It looks bad now, but McCarthy could come back and be a better pitcher than Danks.
"The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance."-Socrates
by slc ranger on
Apr 26, 2008 4:12 PM CDT
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yeh but WHEN and for WHO?
I have to agree with OC, as time goes on you can only keep candy coating this one up to a certain point. Sooner or later we need some results, and the sooner part keeps getting pushed back.
The "Electrician" was born 7/16/07 11:53 PM EDT
http://www.lonestarball.com/2007/7/16/213154/893
by LAMuscleFag on
Apr 26, 2008 4:14 PM CDT
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The more starts
BMac loses, the more likely it is the trade is a bust.
"Before I leave, I once again condemn the despicable buffoonery of D.J. Cahill." - Huck
by DJCahill on
Apr 26, 2008 4:23 PM CDT
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Danks will have already pitched twice as many innings as McCarthy when he comes back from the DL.
...considering the on-going injuries to our rotation… the fact that he’s a lefty, and two years younger… that’s a bust.
footnote: Danks has only surrendered one HR in five starts this season… a drastic improvement over last year.
"There's something to be said for just plugging away and not feeling very sorry for yourself.'' - Terry Francona
by oc on
Apr 26, 2008 4:25 PM CDT
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+1 ******** SIGH ********
The "Electrician" was born 7/16/07 11:53 PM EDT
http://www.lonestarball.com/2007/7/16/213154/893
by LAMuscleFag on
Apr 26, 2008 4:35 PM CDT
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+1 ******** SIGH ********
The "Electrician" was born 7/16/07 11:53 PM EDT
http://www.lonestarball.com/2007/7/16/213154/893
by LAMuscleFag on
Apr 26, 2008 4:38 PM CDT
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Unconditional Love
can be a beautiful thing…but not for a MLB GM.
For a group of stats/numbers proponents, as well as the frequent calls for concrete evidence to support opinions, I find the constant defenses of JD on emotional bases somewhat disingenuous.
Yeah, yeah…I’m an idiot…but not empirically!
I'd rather be Blind, Crippled, & Crazy
by Clueless on
Apr 26, 2008 1:22 PM CDT
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I don't get your whole line
of repetitive posts. Nearly every JD fan here admits he is not perfect. Everyone here will tell you the SD trade sucked balls and some other decisions have been bad. But overall the team seems to finally have a direction for the first time in several years.
You say people here deny Daniels has ever done anything wrong. You’re worse, you deny he’s ever done anything right. Like all GMs he’s a mixed bag. He’s not the best, but he’s far from the worst.
I basically like the general direction Daniels is going while I dislike some of the steps he’s taken along the way. That is the basic opinion of many here, and it seems balanced to me. Why don’t you offer a balanced criticism instead of merely repeating the same post over and over.
...and curse Sir Walter Raleigh, he was such a stupid git.
by t ball on
Apr 26, 2008 2:28 PM CDT
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Of course he's had some successes and some failures
It just feels like the failures are far more frustrating than the successes are satisfying.
by venturafearsnolan on
Apr 26, 2008 2:48 PM CDT
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I can understand that
though in time the Gagne and Teixeira trades might be seen to be as big on the positive side as the SD trade was on the negative side. In the long term you have to realize how important things like the revamping of the scouting department, new academy in the DR, hiring of Colborn, etc. might be, too. That is one of the reasons I support Daniels. He’s doing behind the scenes things to try to improve the long term picture that most fans won’t ever give him credit for and that might not pay off until after he’s gone. That is the kind of GM I want.
...and curse Sir Walter Raleigh, he was such a stupid git.
by t ball on
Apr 26, 2008 2:56 PM CDT
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Bingo!
“That is one of the reasons I support Daniels. He’s doing behind the scenes things to try to improve the long term picture that most fans won’t ever give him credit for and that might not pay off until after he’s gone. That is the kind of GM I want.”
t ball…Now I do totally agree with you as to the above. He has overachieved in these areas, and should be rewarded…perhaps as Vice-President of Player Development..whatever.
He is a talented competent guy…just not as a major-league GM in the narrow area of stocking the Rangers with playoff-caliber players.
Perhaps some people begrudge the call for JD to be replaced as GM as a demotion.
How about as a horizontal move? No shame in that.
I'd rather be Blind, Crippled, & Crazy
by Clueless on
Apr 26, 2008 3:23 PM CDT
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Come on
That’s like telling Ron Washington we are going to fire him as the manager, but he can stick around as 3B coach and infield coach.
by Adam J. Morris on
Apr 26, 2008 3:28 PM CDT
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OR
like being fired and then promoted to Special Consultant to Tom Hicks.
Why has this become an ego thing, and worrying about hurt feelings?
This is a business. Ask Tom.
I'd rather be Blind, Crippled, & Crazy
by Clueless on
Apr 26, 2008 3:34 PM CDT
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It isn't
I’m saying, it is unrealistic to tell Daniels, we are demoting you, but want you to hang around in a lesser capacity.
I don’t know that Daniels would do that, and even if he would, I don’t think it is something that would be a good idea.
This is a business. How many businesses put someone in charge of, essentially, a major division, and then come back after a couple of years and say, it isn’t working, how about we demote you and have you answer to someone new who is taking over your job?
by Adam J. Morris on
Apr 26, 2008 3:37 PM CDT
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Almost Same Page
You’re right, given that scenario.
But I said a horizontal move, or a promotion…different responsibilities.
Maybe it can’t be done, but a division of duties makes sense.
I'd rather be Blind, Crippled, & Crazy
by Clueless on
Apr 26, 2008 4:15 PM CDT
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Fair Enough
My posts probably are too repetitive, but I believe that I only post in reaction to comments that try to exonerate JD, while condemning either Hicks, Hart, Showalter, or, incredibly, Nolan Ryan, who’s been here two months. I’ll admit that I get too one-toned, and I’ll apologize here and now for that.
That being said, I’ll disagree with your statement that a majority here have a balanced view either.
In fact, the few who actually have called for JD’s firing are regularly lambasted or insulted.
I agree that he is a mixed bag of results. I like many of his deals, dislike more of his deals, and do believe that the farm system is improved. However, that improvement came as a result of circumstances and failure, not as a conscious plan from the get-go.
Here’s an explanation of the root of my opinion: I believe that Tom Hicks hired JD as a cheap frontman designed to buy another couple of years with the fans. Rebuilding was not the plan when JD was hired. Given that premise, and the fact that the talk immediately started as to how the Rangers were going to be contenders in 2007, JD, being unqualified for a major-league GM, made crucial mistakes and gave away players that had come up through the Ranger system, certainly not in line with a rebuilding strategy. the result was disastrous. Nevertheless, the fact that he was young, and that he hired a rookie manager, allowed Hicks to buy some more time. Due to the horrendous start of the 2007 season, the ONLY course of action which could salvage things was to bail on all of your veteran players and pick up prospects. Which was good…but it wasn’t planned, and JD still can’t evaluate major-league talent.
He’s a good guy…he was put in an untenable situation…he is in over his head…he should be in charge of the farm system, while an experienced major-league GM should be in charge of the Rangers.
He needn’t be fired…just relocated in the same manner that many have been relocated in the Empire of Hicks. That’s a Win-Win-Win-Win situation, and I don’t see the problem with it.
I'd rather be Blind, Crippled, & Crazy
by Clueless on
Apr 26, 2008 3:05 PM CDT
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I'm so god damned tired of hearing about Nolan Ryan
He can go away now.
"Sabean did a good job on selling high on Liriano." -Excel Hearts Choi
by thedirkatron on
Apr 26, 2008 1:22 PM CDT
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Damn him
He wants accountability for poor decisions and the team to improve.
HOW DARE HE!?
by venturafearsnolan on
Apr 26, 2008 1:34 PM CDT
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Just a question.
And don’t look it up.
Who was the team president before Nolan?
And how many times did we hear about him?
"Sabean did a good job on selling high on Liriano." -Excel Hearts Choi
by thedirkatron on
Apr 26, 2008 1:53 PM CDT
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Well put.
Though, that is not necessarily a slam dunk good thing.
...and curse Sir Walter Raleigh, he was such a stupid git.
by t ball on
Apr 26, 2008 2:29 PM CDT
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What bothers me about this
is people are talking about Nolan Ryan making all these decisions that are the GM’s decision to make. If you want Nolan making GM decisions, then make him the GM.
The one thing I worried about more than anything else when Nolan was named president was that the chain of command would get all sorts of muddled.
If Nolan is really making these types of decisions, then that sucks, cause having a team president who is always going to be second guessing and going over the head of the GM is a fucked up way to run an organization.
"Sabean did a good job on selling high on Liriano." -Excel Hearts Choi
by thedirkatron on
Apr 26, 2008 2:58 PM CDT
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Which, unfortunately,
would be par for the course with Hicks and the Rangers both.
...and curse Sir Walter Raleigh, he was such a stupid git.
by t ball on
Apr 26, 2008 2:59 PM CDT
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Nolan has to "appear" to be doing something...
...because the general public concensus of Hicks and Daniels isn’t very favorable.
Ryan is fresh air. as far as John Q. Ranger Fan is concerned, he isn’t responsible for the past failures…
it’s a stunt. just like everything else.
"There's something to be said for just plugging away and not feeling very sorry for yourself.'' - Terry Francona
by oc on
Apr 26, 2008 4:16 PM CDT
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Seconded
The Cult of Ryan has always baffled me.
I once sat across from a guy in a San Diego casino who berated me for challenging his ridiculous assertion that Ryan was a better pitcher than Roger Clemens. Surprisingly, he sucked some ass in hold em, too.
"For the record, I did not and do not like the Volquez trade, even though Hamilton is awesome and our best player and I think he’s going to be one of the best players in baseball." philikid3
by Brian Thomas on
Apr 26, 2008 2:54 PM CDT
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Ryan
He is a blank slate, someone who people who are unhappy with the Rangers can project on. He’ll come in, clean up, fire everyone, takes names, blah blah blah…
by Adam J. Morris on
Apr 26, 2008 2:59 PM CDT
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Yup
Wish I had said it that well.
If I hear one more bad Nolan metaphor about how Nolan needs to fix things (“Come on, Nolan! Fire some Texas high heat at the boy blunder! LOL at my own joke!“), I’m going to pull a Miles on my computer.
"Sabean did a good job on selling high on Liriano." -Excel Hearts Choi
by thedirkatron on
Apr 26, 2008 3:02 PM CDT
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Out Way?
What good moves do you speak of? JD should be fired!!! Plain and simple. Those trades last year definitely do not count as good moves (they may look good, but who knows if any of those kids will pan out)
Imagine this team if you will:
C Laird
1B Texiera
2B Kinsler
3B Blalock
SS Young
LF Catalanotto
CF Mathews
RF Soriano
DH Adrian Gonzalez
SP Chris Young
SP Millwood
SP Padilla
SP Danks
SP Volquez
Cl Coco
RP Wilson
RP Benoit
RP Francisco
RP Wright
RP Littleton
RP Rupe
That team would compete…..........................
by coachh on
Apr 26, 2008 1:25 PM CDT
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GMJ sucks
And are you arguing that the Rangers should have signed Cordero this offseason to be their closer?
by Adam J. Morris on
Apr 26, 2008 1:26 PM CDT
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Is that Gary Matthews Jr. in Center?
No thank you. I’d do Hamilton for Volquez 1000 times over
by MeanMr.Mustard on
Apr 26, 2008 1:26 PM CDT
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not when your pitching staff is in shambles.
"There's something to be said for just plugging away and not feeling very sorry for yourself.'' - Terry Francona
by oc on
Apr 26, 2008 4:27 PM CDT
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Also
You list Soriano…
He was a free agent. Do you think the Rangers should have matched the roughly $140 million over 8 years the Cubs gave him?
by Adam J. Morris on
Apr 26, 2008 1:26 PM CDT
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+1
"For the record, I did not and do not like the Volquez trade, even though Hamilton is awesome and our best player and I think he’s going to be one of the best players in baseball." philikid3
by Brian Thomas on
Apr 26, 2008 2:49 PM CDT
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I flip a coin
and because nobody can tell me for certain that it will land on heads, therefore it must land on tails.
I am off to Vegas baby!
by Telegraph on
Apr 26, 2008 1:29 PM CDT
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You dont judge deals by what happens afterward.
well you do and the media does, but losing/winning trades after the initial judgements is more luck than anything….
no matter what happens, the tex trade was a good decision. and for the same reason the danks/mccarthy trade was not a bad trade. it just turned out bad.
we all know the young trade was terrible for day 1, but otherwise I think JD has been pretty unlucky w/ injuries to and performances of some of his acquisitions.
although letting galarraga go was pretty blah. he certainly isnt proven yet though.
Gerald Laird is my hero.
by DSheppard on
Apr 26, 2008 1:36 PM CDT
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Once again, the Soriano trade
Are you REALLY arguing we couldn’t have gotten more than Brad Wilkerson and a throw-in to the said horrible Young trade?
by venturafearsnolan on
Apr 26, 2008 1:37 PM CDT
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Prospect wise, probably
but the rangers were making an effort to win now at the time. I dont know if there was a better mlb player offered. There is a reason the trade was not perceived all that poorly at the time.
you have to remember soriano did not have great seasons as a ranger and his defense was getting more poor attention, his value was down a bit.
and hell, his value should have been sky-high in the midst of his huge ‘06 and the nationals couldnt even get an offer they dealt worth pulling the trigger on.
i dont think its safe to assume JD had a lot of good offers to choose from.
Gerald Laird is my hero.
by DSheppard on
Apr 26, 2008 1:41 PM CDT
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I'll argue that
It is no secret that John Hart had tried and failed to trade Soriano for a solid year and a half to no avail.
Personally, I was a little disappointed with the return we got, but if a 18 months go by, and you are still coming up with nothing, maybe you take what you can get and save the 11 million.
Besides, if you are so sure sure of yourself, why don’t you post some links of baseball cognoscenti panning the trade at the time it went down?
"For the record, I did not and do not like the Volquez trade, even though Hamilton is awesome and our best player and I think he’s going to be one of the best players in baseball." philikid3
by Brian Thomas on
Apr 26, 2008 2:49 PM CDT
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there's no way
that Soriano and Millwood could have both been on this team
Daniels could only afford to sign Millwood by getting rid of Soriano’s salary
by bronco28 on
Apr 26, 2008 1:39 PM CDT
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JD's trades
The Gagne deal doesn’t count as a good move?
David Murphy’s contributions alone make that a great trade, never mind what Gabbard and Beltre wind up doing.
"I dont care to debate with a troll." - Sharky
by RCCook on
Apr 26, 2008 1:39 PM CDT
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+1
The Murph is a BEAST!!
The "Electrician" was born 7/16/07 11:53 PM EDT
http://www.lonestarball.com/2007/7/16/213154/893
by LAMuscleFag on
Apr 26, 2008 1:45 PM CDT
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