Today's transactions

by Adam J. Morris on May 11, 2008 6:44 PM CDT Comment 59 comments

In case you missed it, Kevin Millwood was placed on the disabled list today, and the Rangers purchased the contract of Doug Mathis. After needing 8 1/3 innings from the bullpen yesterday, Mathis was added so that the Rangers had a fresh arm in the pen. Millwood's spot in the rotation can be skipped, meaning that the Rangers don't have to use someone to replace him until May 20, and I guess Mathis could end up getting that start.

In addition, the Rangers announced that Kaz Fukumori cleared waivers and has been outrighted. This clears a spot on the 40 man roster, which they'll need before too long to make room for John Rheinecker or Thomas Diamond.

I thought Fukumori might be a possible 40 man casualty, given how he's struggled, and given that the Rangers, at this point, probably wouldn't have been devastated if a team claimed Fukumori and took his $3 million, 2 year contract off their hands. He stays under team control, and I'd guess he probably won't be back in Texas until August, at the earliest.

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When did Fukumori get DFA'd?

This is the first I’ve heard of that.

A Lonestar in California - 2.0

David Murphy rocks, so Ellsbury can just go get himself a taco or something.

by lonestarJon on May 11, 2008 6:50 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

He wasn't DFA'd

He was put on waivers. And apparently, it was sometime last week.

by Adam J. Morris on May 11, 2008 7:03 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Huh

They sure kept it quiet…

A Lonestar in California - 2.0

David Murphy rocks, so Ellsbury can just go get himself a taco or something.

by lonestarJon on May 11, 2008 7:09 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

you cant designate someone in AAA, heh.

Gerald Laird is my hero.

by DSheppard on May 11, 2008 7:25 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Well, you can

The Jays just designated Gustavo Chacin for assignment, and he’s in A ball.

DFA’ing a player means you have 10 days to trade, waive or release him. It is generally done to immediately clear a 40 or 25 man roster spot for a player, without having to make a decision right then about what to do with him.

In this case, they just wanted to slip in through waivers. DFAing him would have been an unnecessary step.

by Adam J. Morris on May 11, 2008 7:42 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

ah

did not realize that. so whenever a DFA results in clearing waivers, that means the rangers at some point after the DFA actually have to waive the guy?

interesting.

Rare Gnats Sex

by ab03 on May 11, 2008 7:44 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yep

so whenever a DFA results in clearing waivers, that means the rangers at some point after the DFA actually have to waive the guy?

That is correct.

They have 10 days to do it, so they can spend a week shopping him around and gauging interest, and then either pull the trigger on a deal, or go ahead and take their chances putting him on waivers.

But they have to actually make another move with the player within 10 days of DFAing him.

by Adam J. Morris on May 11, 2008 7:59 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

i stand corrected

just used to seeing players DFAd from the majors or released from the minors

thanks for the explanation.

Gerald Laird is my hero.

by DSheppard on May 11, 2008 7:45 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

the bullpen has given up 10 runs in 2 games...

...yech…

by oc on May 11, 2008 7:03 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

3 earned runs in 8 2/3 yesterday...

not exactly terrible.

today, terrible.

Gerald Laird is my hero.

by DSheppard on May 11, 2008 7:26 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

8 1/3

Gerald Laird is my hero.

by DSheppard on May 11, 2008 7:26 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

+1

by rcreative on May 11, 2008 7:33 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

a definite sign they're gassed...

...off day on Thursday helps… but we definitely need El Toro and Scooter Feldman to give us some innings against Seattle

Vicente Padilla is... EL TORO!

by oc on May 11, 2008 7:40 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

in retrospect

i blame today on millwood.

Gerald Laird is my hero.

by DSheppard on May 11, 2008 7:47 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah...

what the hell does your groin have to do with pitching anyway?

Perhaps he was not doing enough Tai-bo lately and his crotch was out of shape.

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

by slc ranger on May 11, 2008 7:49 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

something like that

Gerald Laird is my hero.

by DSheppard on May 11, 2008 8:10 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

is it my imagination?

or do we have a lot of million dollar contracts on spec that we’re now eating?

All Aboard Von Ryan's Express!

by Clueless on May 11, 2008 7:41 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

broussard and fuku

Rare Gnats Sex

by ab03 on May 11, 2008 7:42 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Better to eat those small one's...

than the 10+ mil a year contracts. As ab03 says I can only think of Broussard and Fuku.

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

by slc ranger on May 11, 2008 7:47 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Just taking a shot in the dark here.....

Hurley throws next on Thursday, May 15th. If he has another good start like his last, that gives him 3 decent starts in his last four. His next start after the 15th would be the 20th. What’s the possibility that they would keep that 40-man spot open for him and let him make the 20th start at that time?

I’m still staying with my first prediction that he isn’t called up until the first or second week of June but just feeling out the idea from the rest of the LSB’ers.

by sidebar54 on May 11, 2008 8:12 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

5% chance of that happening.

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

by slc ranger on May 11, 2008 8:19 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I dont think he gets called up until

he starts showing a lot more consistancy. Sure he has had two good starts and maybe by next week three, but that doesnt warrant a call up. He still has a lot to prove in AAA, imo.

The bloggerformelyknownasBigBaddBubbaJ

by NYTXFAN on May 11, 2008 8:19 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I actually agree 100% about....

that Hurley needs to show consistency before being called up.

I found this thread over on Newberg. Might be worth reading regarding Hurley. Just fwiw.

http://forum.newbergreport.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=4379

by sidebar54 on May 11, 2008 8:26 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Heck with the change

if he can throw that splitter as an out pitch.

"I hope it's a special dumb person hell so that I don’t have to meet up with you after I die."

- The D-tron

by Chase Irwin on May 11, 2008 9:08 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

+1

by coolaid on May 11, 2008 9:10 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah...

when I read it, I said the same thing. The fact that fifty percent of his strikeouts the other night were with the split is a very good sign for him. Glad he scrapped the change. From the looks of it, that is what was being tatered all over the field.

by sidebar54 on May 11, 2008 9:12 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Just so I understand ...

The discarded change-up is the Vulcan, right? The splitty is a whole different animal, no?

BTW, and FWIW, the OKC homepage now has E-Train going Friday instead of Thursday.

Rangers Farm Probables

by shroomer on May 11, 2008 9:22 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Shroom...

I believe you’re right shroom. No more Vulcan change. Just straight split finger.

by sidebar54 on May 11, 2008 9:24 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yes

The vulcan is a “split-finger” change-up held between the middle and ring finger. That grip allows for a larger velocity drop, but also doesn’t allow as sharp of a downward/arm side break.

The traditional split-fingered fastball is held between the pointer and middle finger and obviously doesn’t have the same velocity drop, but creates sharper movement. The split usually isn’t used as a change-up as it is a better pitch if it is thrown -4-6 MPH off of the fastball. You really would rather have -10-12 MPH off of your fastball on your change-up.

by badradiorules on May 12, 2008 9:28 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Changeup...

Changeup’s are not a requirement to pitch in the big leagues. Look at those that throw splitfingers. Smoltz, Clemens, Contreras, Zambrano…. That’s just to name a few. Mostly “power pitchers” that the change just isn’t very effective for them.

However, something I have noticed about those pitchers such as Smoltz and Zambrano, they have the ability to throw two types of sliders along with the splitfinger pitch. They can throw a slider for a strike at 80-82. But they can also throw a harder slider around 87-88 to see if guys will fish for it. All this, of course, revolves around the lower to mid 90’s fastball.

Hurley has the ability to have the same type of stuff. If Hurley can string together a few starts like his one the other night, he will be banging the door down come mid June.

by sidebar54 on May 12, 2008 9:47 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

If he has added a splitter and already has a plus slider,

mixed with a consistant fastball in the mid to upper 90’s, then we have the making of a good pitcher, imo. A change up doesnt make a pitcher. He still needs to work on the splitter, imo, and in a couple months maybe see what you got.

I can understand the argument of starting his arb. clock early and only getting a few months of Hurley, but Im okay with that. I’d rather see him up in Arlington when he is 100% ready.

The high pitch count is just really stupid. WTF is he doing throwing 118 times. That’s just F’n stupid.

The bloggerformelyknownasBigBaddBubbaJ

by NYTXFAN on May 11, 2008 9:14 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Maybe Adam can help us out.....

I think Hurley signed in the middle/end of June in 2004. Being that this is considered his fifth year of pro ball (part of 04, all of 05, 06, 07, and part of 08) does his “clock” start after his sign date (middle/end of June) or once put on the 40-man roster? I have heard both things.

by sidebar54 on May 11, 2008 9:23 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

40 man roster

by Adam J. Morris on May 11, 2008 9:27 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I know there is a date for this but I cant remember?

The date where options start. I could swear there is a loop hole where you could bring them up early enough to not burn one of the options. Have and will we pass that when he is brought up?

The bloggerformelyknownasBigBaddBubbaJ

by NYTXFAN on May 11, 2008 9:32 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

If a player is on the 40 man roster...

...and spends less than 20 days in the minors in a season while on the 40 man roster, the option isn’t used.

If Hurley is called up now, and doesn’t get sent back down again, no option is used.

If he is called up now, and gets sent back down later, but spends less than 20 days in the minors before he is recalled, an option isn’t used.

by Adam J. Morris on May 11, 2008 9:37 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

So...

being that he has to be added to the 40-man roster this winter, if he is brought up this season and not sent back down, is it a bad thing that we bring him up in say, June or July?

by sidebar54 on May 11, 2008 9:42 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Not really

Other than it possibly impacting his arbitration status. But even then, I think the chances of that mattering are slight.

by Adam J. Morris on May 11, 2008 9:44 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'm sorry Adam.....

It may be a dumb question, but what do you mean by the chances of him not making arbitration are slight? Sorry… don’t mean to sound dumb. Just not sure how it all works.

by sidebar54 on May 11, 2008 9:46 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Arbitration

It could impact him if he becomes a “Super 2” arbitration-eligible player. Of all players with between 2 and 3 years of service time, those players in the top 16% in service time are arbitration eligible. Everyone else has to wait until they have 3 years.

I don’t think calling him up in June or July would be likely to make him a Super 2.

by Adam J. Morris on May 11, 2008 9:50 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

So when would his first arb year kick in?

The bloggerformelyknownasBigBaddBubbaJ

by NYTXFAN on May 11, 2008 9:49 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

If he were called up this year...

...and weren’t a Super 2, his first year of eligibility would be after the 2011 season.

by Adam J. Morris on May 11, 2008 9:51 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Wow

I stand firmly corrected about Mathis. I thought there was no way this organization would add Mathis before Hurley moreso because of the pr aspect than the actual baseball one. I wonder what kind of effect this will have on Mathis. Going from pitching every 5 days in the minors to coming to the bigs and being in the bullpen then possibly getting a start. I can’t see that being helpful for him. I understand the need for fresh arms but I would have thought there was someone else they could have brought up. Good luck to the guy.

by bigsteve on May 11, 2008 8:47 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Rheinecker

I kind of forgot he existed.

...and curse Sir Walter Raleigh, he was such a stupid git.

by t ball on May 11, 2008 9:29 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Rheino > Eddie G...

for loogy in the pen.

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

by slc ranger on May 11, 2008 9:32 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

+1

"I hope it's a special dumb person hell so that I don’t have to meet up with you after I die."

- The D-tron

by Chase Irwin on May 11, 2008 9:34 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Agree,

The bloggerformelyknownasBigBaddBubbaJ

by NYTXFAN on May 11, 2008 9:34 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

this stupid ass flagging shit,

I flagged my own comment by accident. WTF is up with that AJM? That should definitly change. One of the little things they need to tinker with. Maybe you could help pass the word to the right people.

The bloggerformelyknownasBigBaddBubbaJ

by NYTXFAN on May 11, 2008 9:36 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

What should change?

by Adam J. Morris on May 11, 2008 9:56 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

You shouldnt be able to flag your own comments.

The bloggerformelyknownasBigBaddBubbaJ

by NYTXFAN on May 12, 2008 6:50 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Try

cutting down on the espresso, ferret fingers.

...and curse Sir Walter Raleigh, he was such a stupid git.

by t ball on May 12, 2008 7:46 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

there is the tball we all know and love,

I knew I could count on you to help, lol.

The bloggerformelyknownasBigBaddBubbaJ

by NYTXFAN on May 12, 2008 8:15 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

? it has a purpose

if you accidently flag one of your posts its not like its going to auto-ban you.

first ive heard of anyone doing that. it requires 2 clicks….

Gerald Laird is my hero.

by DSheppard on May 11, 2008 10:13 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Stop trying to Rec your own posts...

you can’t do it.

Stars in a Texas Night Sky, a Dallas Stars blog from a fan's perspective.

by rangers85 on May 12, 2008 12:25 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I didnt I flagged it.

The bloggerformelyknownasBigBaddBubbaJ

by NYTXFAN on May 12, 2008 6:50 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Amidst the blowout against Fresno

Tx2 with his first XBH @ OKC, an RBI-triple. He also drew a BB.

"I hope it's a special dumb person hell so that I don’t have to meet up with you after I die."

- The D-tron

by Chase Irwin on May 11, 2008 9:47 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

whoops

wrong thread

"I hope it's a special dumb person hell so that I don’t have to meet up with you after I die."

- The D-tron

by Chase Irwin on May 11, 2008 9:48 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

the pitching staff

is it me or does this staff seem like they like the DL more than taking the ball and going at it? What does Mark Connors say about that? He seems quiet about the fact that the pitchers here in Texas seem to spend more time on the DL that just about any where.

¡yo soy Horsedooty!

I soloed in the mile high club.

by Sr Horsedooty on May 12, 2008 10:36 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

He might say...

...if you like pitchers who “take the ball and go at it” even when injured, you should love Jason Jennings’ performance this season. :-)

by mgb5 on May 12, 2008 11:46 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

pitching staff

I did not say that at all. I am questioning why the guys that the Rangers put out there can’t seem to stay off the DL. Look at last year and this year and tell me why they seem to be hurt all the time. I was at the home opener this year and say Jason Jennings make a fool of himself that day.

¡yo soy Horsedooty!

I soloed in the mile high club.

by Sr Horsedooty on May 12, 2008 2:59 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs