Monday morning things

by Adam J. Morris on May 19, 2008 10:55 AM CDT Comment 29 comments

Well, that was a nice comeback try, that ended just a bit short. Still a real nice homestand, and if the Rangers can go 5-5 on this coming road trip, then I think I'll feel okay about where this team stands.

In young pitching news, Tommy Hunter has been promoted to Frisco, and Thomas Diamond is expected to join the Frisco rotation in the next week or two. With Hunter and Diamond both joining the RoughRiders, I am wondering if Matt Harrison won't be making the move to Oklahoma.

Ian Kinsler explained after the game why he made the decision to try to score from third on the Michael Young popout, a decision that looked particularly bad after the Rangers got the game to within one.

T.R. Sullivan has a brief draft preview, saying that the Rangers are going to look more on the college side this year than they have the past couple of seasons. He also confirms something I had been thinking about, in looking at the past few drafts -- that the Rangers make Texas and surrounding-area players something of a priority in scouting. When you look at the fact that John Danks, Thomas Diamond, Johnny Whittleman, Matt West, Blake Beavan, and Kasey Kiker have all been taken with first or second round picks in recent years, it suggests that the team has been following the Atlanta philosophy of focusing close to home. And it makes you wonder if someone like Tech's Roger Kieschnick might not end up being the pick in the 2nd round, if he's there...

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Kieschnick

I would be very happy with him in the second.

I would not be happy with Shooter Hunt over Hosmer if he’s available, though I could live with Hunt over Scheppers and Melville.

Like Firebat’s been saying, I hope the Rangers get their HS pitchers by ponying up the dough in rounds 3-5 and later.

by naropean on May 19, 2008 11:24 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Is that Brooks Brother?

by corbsclinton on May 19, 2008 3:55 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

They're like

distant cousins

by Brett Perryman on May 19, 2008 4:32 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Drafting Texas kids

With as good as Texas prep school and college baseball is (as well as surrounding states), it makes sense for the team to focus resources there. I was disappointed when Texas passed up Jake Arrieta of TCU last year – he was considered a supp 1st or 2nd round talent, but slipped I think to the 3rd or 4th due to contract concerns. He’s been doing pretty well for Baltimore I think.

by JBImaknee on May 19, 2008 11:24 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

This year is a horrible year for Texas players

Most people seem to think that there won’t be a single player drafted in the first round from Texas. There are some 2-3 rounders in the state, but most of the top college players have big questions. Roger Kieschnick can’t hit for average or play defense. Kyle Russell can’t hit with wooden bats. Jordan Danks doesn’t have the power you want or expect for a guy his size. etc…

As far as the high school crop, I don’t know if the players have questions about them or they just aren’t that good, but I haven’t seen any in the first round projections. Most years I like drafting Texas kids, but this year I wouldn’t mind staying away from them.

by uthornfan on May 19, 2008 11:33 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'm not saying they should only draft Texas guys

I’m just seconding the notion that it makes sense for your scouting department to be experts on them. Often being experts means knowing skip by them.

You’re right though that the Texas college’s are kind of void of good prospects right now. UT has been disappointing, Rice is full of freshmen and sophomores, and the Aggies odn’t really have anyone draft eligible worth getting excited about. I think Andrew Kashner of TCU is a pitcher who may go in the late or supplemental 1st. Normally I’d be touting Cole St. Clair from Rice, but his injury concerns are even more daunting than most Rice guys normally have. He may be a good 3rd rounder if he slips that far.

None of the UT guys excite me. Kyle Russell especially seems like a bust pick waiting to happen

by JBImaknee on May 19, 2008 11:46 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I know what you were saying

I wouldn’t mind the Rangers taking Danks in the third round, because even if he doesn’t hit for power, he is an on base machine and plays plus defense. I don’t have any interest in Russell because he has never shown he can hit with a wooden bat, or anyone on the Aggies.

I would be fine with us never drafting a Rice pitcher. Each first round Rice pitcher has had major surgery within a couple of years of being drafted, even if they were healthy while they were at Rice. St. Clair has been injured way too much and when I saw him this year, his stuff was very ordinary. He went from high 90s and unhittable to high 80s and very hittable. I’ll have to pass on him.

by uthornfan on May 19, 2008 12:01 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Your title

is the first thing that came to mind for me when I read the note about them liking to draft kids from here. This season might be a good time to go another direction a little more.

by Brett Perryman on May 19, 2008 1:39 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Totally agree on Arrieta

He lasted until the fifth round.

by clark on May 19, 2008 12:08 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Kinsler's blunder

That’s probably the most angry I’ve been at one of our own players this year.

I literally had to turn the game off and leave the room cause I was about to pull a Miles on my coffee table, so I didn’t hear what was said about it. That had to be the stupidest shit I’ve ever seen. I’m getting mad again just thinking about it. What the hell was he thinking!? So freaking dumb. He should’ve been benched, then gang-beaten after the game. Oh, and possibly killed. What a stupid, stupid freaking play.

The 40 trumps all!!!

by thedirkatron on May 19, 2008 11:28 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I read his "reasoning" and...

...there is still no excuse for that bonehead move. Bradley up with 1st and 3rd one out? Yeah, I think I would have liked our chances of scoring (at least) a run in that inning if Ian plants his ass on 3rd like he should have.

Right around the time all the young talent is ready to contend is when the organization will realize that Ron Washington is the wrong man for the job.

by Chad Crudup on May 19, 2008 11:55 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

completly agree

He simply didn’t think. That was the first out and one of the best hitters in baseball this season (Bradley) was coming up. I don’t like to discourage aggressive play, but in this case it wasn’t an aggressive play – it was just plain stupid.

by Randy Richardson on May 19, 2008 6:09 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

FOTF

I thought MY let us down in the 8th yesterday. At least I think it was the 8th. Dude needs to start coming through in those situations. I can live with no power, but he needs to get a hit when we need it.

by OKC Ranger Fan on May 19, 2008 11:31 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

It happens

Already commented on his “Oh NO I didn’t do THAT” look at the time, but it was forgotten with Kins’ attempt to go home on the catch. MY isn’t (and can’t be) 100% successful. He did hit to right with RISP in maybe two of the previous four such situations, and even last night, got the ball going precisely the direction he wanted … just bloopy and not the liner he wanted. He has moderate power, can turn to left-left center (or) push to dead right IF the pitch is prime for it. It’s like he wants to go to the oppositve field as his first choice, though. Heh, I too would like to plug in the line drive to right/right center “on demand”, like TAG called for more than once. But even at his past rate of success, you can not just “count on it”.

"He uses statistics as a drunken man uses lamp-posts... for support rather than illumination." - Andrew Lang (1844-1912)

by Ed Coffin on May 19, 2008 11:49 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Kasey Kiker

not to be a picker of nits, but does Kasey Kiker really count as a “close to home” guy?

According to Mapquest, his hometown is about 755 miles from Arlington.

The 40 trumps all!!!

by thedirkatron on May 19, 2008 11:35 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

in the article

it states

One concern for the Rangers is that this is a weak year in Texas and the Midwest . The Rangers have been focusing hard on their home territory, as two of their last five top picks have come from Texas.

"Popularity is fleeting. … Principles are forever." - George W. Bush

by Longhorn on May 19, 2008 11:55 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs