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On German

I'm surprised about how much complaining there is about Franklyn German being DFA'd today, given how much complaining there usually is when he's brought into the game.

With the Rangers needing a fresh arm in the pen who can given them innings, after the wringer the pen has been through the past two days, calling up Loe makes sense.  And to make room for him, the Rangers really had three choices, assuming they didn't put someone on the d.l.  They could option Doug Mathis, they could option Josh Rupe, or they could cut ties with Franklyn German.

Despite German's gaudy ERA, he hasn't been that good this season.  He's allowed a lot of inherited runners to score, and he's got a lousy K/BB rate (15/13 in 21 2/3 IP).  He's throwing strikes only 57% of the time (compared to 62% on average), and throws a first pitch strike only 40% of the time.  I think the Rangers were willing to take a flyer on him because he's a big guy who throws hard, they need some strikeout guys in the bullpen, and they felt maybe they could catch lightning in a bottle.  But his career-long control problems continued to be an issue here, and at the end of the day, he was expendable.

I'm guessing the team is going to have Kam Loe up for a few days, send him back down on May 25 to make room for A.J. Murray, and have Doug Mathis go back to the bullpen.  I think, as much as anything, this is a sign of how much the Rangers like Mathis and Josh Rupe, who they clearly preferred to keep up in the majors, rather than having them do the OKC shuttle.

My bigger issue with German isn't cutting him loose now, but in putting him on the 40 man roster (and on the 25 man roster) at the start of the season, rather than letting him pitch in Oklahoma and seeing how he did there before committing to him.  And clearly up a 40 man slot probably was somewhat of a consideration, given that Thomas Diamond will have to be activated from the 60 day d.l. soon, and given that Nelson Cruz may end up coming back to the majors before too long.

German didn't suck this year, but he wasn't anything special, either, and with Frankie Francisco re-establishing himself and with Warner Madrigal progressing, I think the team felt there were better options than German for the flamethrowing righty role in the pen.  I wouldn't have minded sending Mathis or Rupe down and keeping German around, but given that I didn't think German necessarily should have been here in the first place, I don't have an issue with cutting him loose now.

UPDATE -- Evan Grant says it was primarily a matter of German walking too many batters and allowing too many inherited runners to score, with Frank Catalanotto and Josh Rupe's situation also playing a role.

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Re: complaining...

Everyone complains about everything in the game thread…

People just have to disagree with every move made, no matter what.

German was a beast, lets bring back Alfonseca to take his place…

And the erasor.

""I want George W. Bush to say, "All things equal, I screwed up this country far worse than I did the Texas Rangers."" - Chris Ballard

by miles on May 21, 2008 5:25 PM CDT   0 recs

and yet during the winning streak

it was a very happy time.
crazy how these things work.

almost like there is some connection between the rangers winning/losing and how people react….

Gerald Laird is my hero.

by DSheppard on May 21, 2008 6:50 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

heh

"When I am pissed off, I get angry." - Miles 5/06/08

by Chase Irwin on May 21, 2008 7:46 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

go look at those gameday threads

just as much complaining in there about moves as any other thread

Rare Gnats Sex

by ab03 on May 21, 2008 10:12 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Mathis

showed incredible poise in his first three outings. That is what made last night so unexpected for me, an admittedly optimistic Rangers fan. I like the idea of breaking pitchers into the big leagues in a bullpen role, and this applies to almost every pitcher. I especially like the idea with Mathis. I am glad they are keeping him around.

by clark on May 21, 2008 5:29 PM CDT   0 recs

complaining

It seems like a lot of people around here have gotten used to complaining as a first reaction to any news about the team. It’s annoying. Now I’m complaining. Crap!

German hasn’t been good this year. I agree that it’s not a big deal that he’s getting cut.

"You’re the only here who contributes schtick only." - brettgardner

by trza on May 21, 2008 5:30 PM CDT   0 recs

yep

i make it a point to complain about every other move at first.

it’s more fun to complain

send me nominations for the Hall of the Very Good
http://www.buchanan4pres2008.org/
NIXON: NOW MORE THAN EVER

by gossamer on May 21, 2008 5:33 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

For me...

It’s not that German was DFA’d. I’m ok with that.

What puzzled me was that they did it and brought up Loe. I realize they need a fresh arm in the pen and if Loe is only up for a week or so then that’s fine. I wasn’t sure when Pirate or Wes last pitched.

I do think it’s kinda funny that he gets DFA’d a night after he went 3 2/3 with 0 ER, even though he didn’t look that good and allowed a couple more inherited runners to score. While Mathis got blitzed in 2 1/3.

Either way German is no big loss.

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

by slc ranger on May 21, 2008 5:35 PM CDT   0 recs

Damn

I was hoping someone would charge the mound again and German would get to act as bouncer.

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

by t ball on May 21, 2008 5:38 PM CDT   0 recs

BTW

If Michael Young was really a team player, he’d offer to come out of the bullpen on occasions like this.

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

by t ball on May 21, 2008 5:53 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Madrigal

He is certainly one to keep an eye on. He is already on the 40, and has been successful so far. I am really pulling for him, so we can lay claim to grand larceny against the Angels.

But in the mean time, I hope Kam can have success.

by srptex on May 21, 2008 5:47 PM CDT   0 recs

I agree with everything you said, AJM

He should never have started the season on the 40 man roster.

I don’t have any inkling why people would complain that German is gone – he’s not that good a pitcher, and I’m frankly suprised he lasted as long as he did.

I’ll be interested to see what Kam Loe’s got now – before spring training, I thought he’d be one of our long men in the bullpen this season, but with the way he pitched in the spring, and at the start of the year in OKC, it allowed the emergence of Josh Rupe as a servicable long man. I’m thinking this might be Kam’s last chance to impress the Rangers. For his sake, I hope he can.

A Lonestar in California - 2.0

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

by lonestarJon on May 21, 2008 6:33 PM CDT   0 recs

If every pitcher I didnt trust in our bullpen were DFA'd

there wouldnt be a whole lot left.

Gerald Laird is my hero.

by DSheppard on May 21, 2008 6:43 PM CDT   0 recs

The 40 Trumps All!!!

The 40 trumps all!!!

by thedirkatron on May 21, 2008 6:51 PM CDT   0 recs

With Lerch

they can play the adams family theme, and watch him perform like the stiff he is.

by SanDiegoKev on May 21, 2008 7:17 PM CDT   0 recs

+1 Adam,

couldn’t have said it any better.

The bloggerformelyknownasBigBaddBubbaJ

by NYTXFAN on May 21, 2008 8:23 PM CDT   0 recs

this team certainly like to drop players a day after they give you something...

Botts was let go after that 10-0 beatdown Vinny hung on the Twins. if my memory serves me correct, he homered in that ballgame. he also struck out two or three times.

Franklyn was cut after he threw… what… three scoreless innings yesterday?... but, after walking in an inherited runner, mind you… the first batter he faced, on four pitches, no less…

Adam Melhuse?..... eh… i wish he’d come back as a coach.

by oc on May 21, 2008 11:09 PM CDT   0 recs

-1

""I want George W. Bush to say, "All things equal, I screwed up this country far worse than I did the Texas Rangers."" - Chris Ballard

by miles on May 22, 2008 12:39 AM CDT   0 recs

reply

to steve

""I want George W. Bush to say, "All things equal, I screwed up this country far worse than I did the Texas Rangers."" - Chris Ballard

by miles on May 22, 2008 12:39 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

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