Goldman: The Rangers are cursed

by Adam J. Morris on Jun 13, 2008 10:03 AM CDT Comment 58 comments

BP's Steven Goldman has a piece up in the New York Sun, comparing the Rangers and the Mets, reviewing some Rangers history, and calling the Rangers "cursed."

Goldman, as it turns out, also wrote the Rangers chapter in this year's BP, which was basically a review of how crappy the organization has been over the years (and which I discussed here).

I probably shouldn't get so irritated about this sort of stuff, but...you know, this is one of those things where I feel like I can complain about this stuff, because I'm a Ranger fan. But some New Yorker who hasn't lived through this shouldn't be coming in and doing this.

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Curses

It was entertaining when just a few teams had long-standing curses (Cubs, Red Sox), but now all the talk of different teams and cities being cursed is lame. Sometimes a team just sucks and sometimes a team can suck for a really long time.

by Jack Nicholson 1974 on Jun 13, 2008 10:09 AM CDT reply actions 1 recs

+1

"Typical woman. 'Give me' 'Give me' 'Give me'

I’ll give ya something.

1. A backhand
2. A stuffing
3. $500 if you promise never to post here again"

~ The Immortal, BG

by Chase Irwin on Jun 13, 2008 10:10 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

dont we generally have it worse than any goat curse though?

we’ve won one playoff game since we got here in 1971, not even then cubbies can claim that. i dunno about a curse, but man, its close to one if it isnt.

"There is no reason for me to move to third base," Young said.
-FOTF 5/20/2008

"Well, we are one of the cheapest teams in Major League Baseball"
-Tom Hicks 4/8/2008

by Jayslick on Jun 13, 2008 10:22 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

If anything

Our curse was running into one of the best dynasties ever assembled in the late 90s Yankees.

Bryan Smith (12:17:17 PM PT): Justin Smoak and Josh Hamilton. The AL West might just have found their Bash Brothers, v. 2.0.

by bigsteve on Jun 13, 2008 10:28 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah...

I have felt for a while now that if the Rangers had pulled out game three of the 1996 ALDS they would have at least made it to the World Series to face Atlanta.

by ghostofErikThompson on Jun 13, 2008 6:12 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

The World Series is far and away

the most difficult sport to capture a championship in… fewest number of teams make the playoffs; no salary cap, so the big market and big dollar teams buy up the top dollar free agents (even though smart small market/money teams can compete);.... basically you can’t suck and get in like sub-,500 NBA/NHL teams. You can have a winning percentage of .600+ and miss the wild card. In short, it’s difficult enough to even get there. As such, teams are prone to coming up short year in and year out based on luck and anything less than stellar team management. If the Rangers are cursed by anything, it’s ignorance in recognizing that good pitching always beats good hitting.

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

by SarasotaRanger on Jun 13, 2008 10:27 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Agreed

Although…the NCAATournament is up there too…for the exact opposite reasons. They let everyone with a pulse into the field and you get one shot at each team you play. No room for error.

I guess it was the beatings made me wise. But I'm not about to give thanks, or apologize.

by TheJeezus on Jun 13, 2008 10:45 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Although I should've stated this before...

I was referring to professional sports. I agree totally that the NCAA tourney is nearly impossible to win. Great teams can have one off night and come up short. I’m a UT grad, so, if the Vols would’ve made it all the way… as a 2 seed, which is normally a great seed…, they would’ve had to beat Louisville, UNC, Kansas, and Memphis (again). That is nothing short of impossible.

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

by SarasotaRanger on Jun 13, 2008 12:05 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Don't say that to brettgardner

he’ll go off about how the NBA is the hardest sport to win in. Which given the Donaghy allegations, it may be true if you are on David Stern’s black list…

by JBImaknee on Jun 13, 2008 11:11 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

NBA Championship

Only a handful, or two, of teams have won it in last 25 years.
Doesn’t have the # of different winners as WS.

"lol " - CI

by Clueless on Jun 13, 2008 6:59 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Goldman had it all correct...

he was right on the mark about the rangers stats and team history, shitty, yes, but cursed? could be.

by TRFAN on Jun 13, 2008 10:17 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Hamilton is stretched in center field. Frank Catalanotto is now incapable of running down balls in left. Young catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia, the prize of the Teixeira deal, has stalled despite promising good batting numbers because in just 20 games behind the plate he has allowed 14 passed balls or wild pitches (the distinction between the two is often arbitrary), made three errors, and has thrown out just two of 21 runners attempting to steal.

all 3 of those criticisms appear to come from someone not paying any attention to the team

although i do like this phrase describing the rangers:

primal strain of thwarted ambition

by tangiers on Jun 13, 2008 10:18 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

sums it up perfectly

Rare Gnats Sex

by ab03 on Jun 13, 2008 11:21 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Rangers Defense

The Rangers have had good defense and bad, sometimes even at the same position:

Position Name Rate (from BP
Catcher Salty 71
Catcher Laird 104
First Broussard 100
First Shelton 92
First Cat 87
Second Kinsler 89
Third Blalock 85
Third Duran 79
Third Vazquez 85
Short Young 109
Short Vazquez 113
Left Boggs 90
Left Cat 62
Left Murphy 95
Center Byrd 107
Center Ham 75
Center Murphy 100
Right Bradley 82
Right Byrd 86
Right Ham 121
Right Murphy 109

Strangely, it seems the best defensive alignment in the outfield for the team would be Murphy in left, Byrd in Center, and Hamilton in right with Bradley DH’ing. My guess is that Bradley needs another year to recover from his hamstring problem. Hamilton does seem stretched in center, though its probably more his routes on fly balls and not range. Murphy can play anywhere, and Cat can’t play anywhere. Young is still a plus on defense at short, which means no reason to move him to third. Kinsler on the other hand, might be better off moved to third. Shelton is the best of whats left at first, though Broussard certainly didn’t look like average defensively.

Adding it all up you get a subpar defense which could be better with a better alignment. I remember spring training, when they talked about wanting 3 centerfielders. It seems that they accomplished that. (though I would say that it was at the cost of Botts, which many would say was no loss). Cat will never play the OF again here (I hope). The pitching, however….. no solutions there. Hurley, the home-grown star who’s finally arrived. We can only hope that he actually shows it. My hope is that the strikeout rate he showed in the minors translates.

by iblum on Jun 13, 2008 1:08 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

He doesnt DIVE for the freakin ball!!!

Young is still a plus on defense at short, which means no reason to move him to third.

"There is no reason for me to move to third base," Young said.
-FOTF 5/20/2008

"Well, we are one of the cheapest teams in Major League Baseball"
-Tom Hicks 4/8/2008

by Jayslick on Jun 13, 2008 1:24 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

i had a guy walk up to me yesterday and say,

“There’s a lot of suffering that goes along with that hat”

for some reason, it home, but at least he had the empathy with me.

"There is no reason for me to move to third base," Young said.
-FOTF 5/20/2008

"Well, we are one of the cheapest teams in Major League Baseball"
-Tom Hicks 4/8/2008

by Jayslick on Jun 13, 2008 10:20 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Catholic?

Were you wearing your Pope hat?

I guess it was the beatings made me wise. But I'm not about to give thanks, or apologize.

by TheJeezus on Jun 13, 2008 10:41 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

nope, unfortunately i was rocking the classic look

(bought it a week ago and have had more compliments than any ranger hat ive had in years)

"There is no reason for me to move to third base," Young said.
-FOTF 5/20/2008

"Well, we are one of the cheapest teams in Major League Baseball"
-Tom Hicks 4/8/2008

by Jayslick on Jun 13, 2008 11:29 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

That is my favorite hat as well

I have one of those too (haven’t worn it in a while)

by JBImaknee on Jun 13, 2008 11:33 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Alot of truth in that article

I will have to say this though, im starting to read more and more little blurbs on how Texas is “turning it around” or is a well run orginization then i have since the Doug Melvin Era

by laxtonto on Jun 13, 2008 10:24 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

irritating

I agree. Let’s sweep em, that’ll shut em up.

- "If you keep hitting me you're going to break my spirit" -Bullwinkle

by jcAustin on Jun 13, 2008 10:28 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Mets fans are crybabies

I was exiled to New York for two years and had to listen to cry baby Mets fans whine about their problems. I’m sorry, they’ve been to as many World Series as Rangers have been to playoffs. The Mets just suffer in comparison to the Yankees.

by texnykazrus on Jun 13, 2008 10:41 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Who cares about ignorant

Mets reporters. F ‘em.

by Agreen07 on Jun 13, 2008 10:44 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

agreed.

after living out that way for several years… i can promise you, if you’re a writer on the east coast, more often than not you truly have no idea whats going on in anywhere else… and what you do “think” is pretty much all half-truth based opinion… wastes

To be fair... You are a fan of School of Rock so your ability to judge anything is VASTLY overrated!!!!
~King Billy Royal, Minor League Ball

by ivysafety39 on Jun 13, 2008 10:48 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Question?

Who suffers more: the Ranger fan who gets one playoff win every quarter-century, or the Bills/Mets/Mavs fan who gets taken to the brink and is consistently let down?

I’m not asking which situation you would prefer, just which fan endures more heartache?

I guess it was the beatings made me wise. But I'm not about to give thanks, or apologize.

by TheJeezus on Jun 13, 2008 10:47 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Mets

Reminds me of this Seinfeld quote…

TLady: I have one seat in first class, and one in coach. The price is the same since your flight was canceled.

The two have that uncomfortable politeness that only comes about when you’re down to the last piece of pizza. Jerry breaks the silence:

Jerry: I’ll take the first class.

Elaine: Jerry!

Jerry: What?

Elaine: Why should you get the first class?

Jerry: Elaine, have you ever flown first class?

Elaine: No.

Jerry: All right then. See? You won’t know what you’re missing. I’ve
flown first class, Elaine—I can’t go back to coach. I can’t… I won’t…

by Agreen07 on Jun 13, 2008 10:51 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Greatness of Seinfeld

The only problem with sports is that we’ve all flown first class with a team at some point…

I guess it was the beatings made me wise. But I'm not about to give thanks, or apologize.

by TheJeezus on Jun 13, 2008 10:54 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

not with the texas rangers...

by Agreen07 on Jun 13, 2008 11:03 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

right...with different airlines

cowboys, stars, longhorns, etc.

I guess it was the beatings made me wise. But I'm not about to give thanks, or apologize.

by TheJeezus on Jun 13, 2008 11:06 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

zing

"Typical woman. 'Give me' 'Give me' 'Give me'

I’ll give ya something.

1. A backhand
2. A stuffing
3. $500 if you promise never to post here again"

~ The Immortal, BG

by Chase Irwin on Jun 13, 2008 12:31 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

That Mavs Finals loss

still stings more than anything else I’ve encountered as a sports fan.

W: "Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we."

by hubcityraider on Jun 13, 2008 10:56 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I read the title of your comment

and then I threw up a little bit in my mouth…that’s how bad it was. My Dad had Vietnam, Democrats had Mondale…I have Wade.

I guess it was the beatings made me wise. But I'm not about to give thanks, or apologize.

by TheJeezus on Jun 13, 2008 11:01 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

+1000000000000000000000

by Agreen07 on Jun 13, 2008 11:03 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I just wish there was more criticism

of the refs in that series…only bill simmons was willing to do it. Most recently he referred to the 2006 miami heat as the “06 Miami Salvatores” ...of course referring to nba ref Bennett Salvatore.

by Agreen07 on Jun 13, 2008 11:04 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

havent cheered for a NBA game or team since that playoff series

i dont trust a league where officials can do that in the most important games.

"There is no reason for me to move to third base," Young said.
-FOTF 5/20/2008

"Well, we are one of the cheapest teams in Major League Baseball"
-Tom Hicks 4/8/2008

by Jayslick on Jun 13, 2008 11:31 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Thats me

I’ve lost faith in the NBA

Joe Morgan: (On Jay Bruce) I think he will. He brings energy to the team, and besides that, he is a pretty good hitter.
Ken Tremendous: I like that the #1 reason he will help his team is: "energy," and the distant #2 reason is: "ability to hit baseballs."

by TheBZA on Jun 13, 2008 9:03 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Same here

by Brett Perryman on Jun 14, 2008 7:20 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Goldman's piece

Is actually fairly well written, and for consumption in the Sun, re Mets fans. I think he could put a different spin on the same data if he were guested in the Star-Telegram.

Heck, there may even be some artificially inseminated empathy for the Rangers during the Mets series. Or, shock and woe in Queens if the Rangers take the series. :)

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

by Ed Coffin on Jun 13, 2008 10:49 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I agree

That is as good a summary of the Rangers as you’ll ever see in a different city’s paper.

Almost everything they say is true, other than Hamilton being stretched in CF. Salty has been a disappointment behind the plate (sorry LSJ). Cat is not as good as we had hoped for. The Rangers cannot develop pitching, the only guys tehy did develop (Brown, Rogers) left once they got good (Rogers came back, of coruse). There is a long line of Ed Correa’s and Bobby Witts that shoudl have been great but weren’t.

Just because it isn’t fun to hear, doesn’t mean it isn’t true

by JBImaknee on Jun 13, 2008 11:21 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

yeah, someone explain to me

how Hamilton is “stretched” in center.

by SteveP on Jun 13, 2008 11:25 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

i don't get

how Salty has been disappointing behind the plate. we knew he wasn’t great to begin with. he’s better than what he showed last year. he’s getting better despite not being able to play everyday.

by tangiers on Jun 13, 2008 4:22 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

He hasn't been bad

but he’s not throwing runners out at all. He doesn’t have to be Laird back there, but he needs to get more than 10% (I’d like to see 25% or so). Yeah, yeah, I know that basestealing doesn’t mean that much; but when you have a pitching staff that tends to get erratic and distrcated by anything, the last thing they need is to be worried that some team’s backup catcher is going to steal on them because Salty can’t throw anyone out.

Put it another way – Salty’s defense hasn’t made Laird expendible yet. And I was hoping that it would have by now….

by JBImaknee on Jun 13, 2008 5:31 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Why would you get irritated at it

The Rangers are one of the worst franchise in baseball. You’d be hardpressed to name a handful that are worse.

You’d start with Tampa Bay, but they are actually a good team this year. You could talk about the Padres, but they are also playing well, and have been to the WS a couple of times.

Once you get past those 2 franchises, you run out of every franchise that has a lower franchise W-L percentage.

Even the sad sack franchises of today, like KC and Pittsburgh, have past glory eras to point back to. All we have are 3 division winners where we won a total of one playoff game.

Its tough to objectively name many franchises that are worse.

Sharky said it, I believe it, that settles it

by DJCahill on Jun 13, 2008 11:16 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

The thing that is painful about the Rangers

is that rarely are they completely devoid of talent like the Royals and Pittsburgh have been lately. Since 1987, there has always been one potential hall of famer on this club. Obviously not all of them turned out the way we wanted, but there was always somethign exciting to watch

1987-1991: Ruben Sierra and then Nolan Ryan
1992-2000: Ryan, Julio Franco, Juan Gonzalez, Pudge Rodriguez, Raffy Palmeiro, Jose Canseco, Will Clark
2001-2004: ARod and a little Pudge and Michael Young thrown in there
2005-2007: Young, Mark Teixeira
2008: Josh Hamilton, Young, Kinsler

That is a long streak of very good players that few teams could compete with. (I think for a while Texas had the longest streak of having at least one player who started the all-star game – probably due to Pudge and ARod alone).

Sure Sierra and Canseco bombed, Juan Gone and Raffy’s careers collapsed away from Arlington. But Pudge and ARod are going to be inner circle hall of famers and probably Raffy and possibly Young (if he gets 3000 hits) will be in Cooperstown someday as well. The Rangers are very good at getting enough talent to tease us with, but not enough to follow through with. In a way that is our curse – to see greatness in front of us failing to be great…

by JBImaknee on Jun 13, 2008 11:32 AM CDT up reply actions 1 recs

Worse franchises

I can name two easily, one in our own division: the Mariners and Nationals/Expos.

Granted, there are certainly mitigating circumstances with the Nats (particularly when they were in Montreal) and the M’s have won a playoff series, but both teams have a record of futility every bit as deep as the Rangers’.

Intereresting to know that Goldman wrote the Rangers’ BP chapter. I would have expected better from him- he’s one of my favorite writers there after Will Carroll, Chris Kahrl, and Joe Sheehan.

"I dont care to debate with a troll." - Sharky

by RCCook on Jun 13, 2008 11:38 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Mariners

have winning percentage on us, have one more playoff run on us, and have actually been to the ALCS. While they aren’t a great franchise, I certainly think you have to give the nod to them over us.

I’ll give you the Nationals though.

At any rate, I view any Rangers are Bad, or Rangers are cursed articles, like I would an article that says Water is wet, or the sun rises in the east. Its a little redundant, but tough to get irritated at.

Sharky said it, I believe it, that settles it

by DJCahill on Jun 13, 2008 12:03 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

what's the big deal?

we’re either cursed, or we’ve historically sucked for good reason. which is worse?

by SteveP on Jun 13, 2008 11:16 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

OT - Newsreaders

I’ve always used iGoogle but it’s simply quit updating all the feeds – very frustrating. If I have to rebuild my newsreader I might as well upgrade to a better one. Any suggestions?

Meno said he uses bloglines once – I’ll look into that one. Any other newsreaders out there that folks are simply ga-ga over as far as ease to use and reliability?

Rangers Farm Probables

by shroomer on Jun 13, 2008 11:17 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

One of my good friends

Uses Google Reader. I’ve stuck with iGoogle even though I despise the name and it’s incredibly buggy.

by jwiscarson on Jun 13, 2008 11:45 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I use rssowl. No complaints.

Signature! I don't need no stinking signature!!

by DerekSTheRed on Jun 13, 2008 2:21 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

not gonna say i disagree with him

but he really should have provided a little bit more.

http://www.buchanan4pres2008.org/
NIXON: NOW MORE THAN EVER

by gossamer on Jun 13, 2008 11:38 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Sounds pretty much right.

No need for anybody outside of the organization/fans to pay close attention to us untill we make some noise.

Untill then, just expect this.

by SaltyGoesYard on Jun 13, 2008 11:51 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Well, a special Friday the 13th article

Rangers own Joe Hardy now, so the curse can be broken. Hopefully, the Devil wasn’t involved.

by SanDiegoKev on Jun 13, 2008 12:39 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

non curse question

TEX is 5-6 so far in june.

can the team go 8-8 the rest of the month (42-42), or does .500 get away from TEX here?

it’s not a terribly tough road ahead (a lot of road actually w/ 10 of 16 away from arlington), but i fear the skid.

by sam in so cal on Jun 13, 2008 2:50 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Mets Series, this road swing, and the next 10 days

I was thinking earlier in the week how important this series is to both teams. The Mets really need to turn it around. They are 7.5 back right now and a sweep for the rangers would have a shot at them ending up double digits back and the panic button start to flash. The Rangers are 7.5 back and if they lose ground on the Angels much more they will have to think about selling high on fellas who wont be around. .500 is great to aim for but .500 and 10-13 games out? both teams are in similar situations looking ahead on the season and neither can lose any games really.

either way this series goes it could change either teams thinking on this season. This road trip is pretty important. 7-10 games can be made up but you dont wanna be too far behind at the ASB.

should be interesting

"There is no reason for me to move to third base," Young said.
-FOTF 5/20/2008

"Well, we are one of the cheapest teams in Major League Baseball"
-Tom Hicks 4/8/2008

by Jayslick on Jun 13, 2008 3:01 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

sweep?

i was not considering sweep one way or another, and i am surprised that a conversation about a sweep would be initiated – especially TEX winning three on the road in NY.

i was guessing if TEX would win 1 game or 2 against NYM, ATL, WAS, HOU, PHL.

i might could see TEX being swept by NYM – TEX has been swept twice in 3-game series (TOR, DET) and once in a 4-game series (BOS), but hopefully you aren’t waiting for TEX to get the broom out against NYM. TEX is yet to sweep anyone.

my position is different. i would say that anything above .500 is great , even with LAA running away and hiding. winning the division is not realistic, but the team playing competitive baseball and preparing for 2009 will have to be fine.

by sam in so cal on Jun 13, 2008 4:18 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs