Monday morning things
by Adam J. Morris on Jun 16, 2008 8:52 AM CDT
57 comments
Splits of the doubleheader yesterday, split on the road trip. You'd liked to have gone 4-2, given that the Mets are struggling and the Royals are the Royals, but going .500 on a road trip isn't something to beat yourself up over.
Still...this is a reminder that this team is what it is. It is a .500 team, give or take a couple of wins. That's better than what a lot of folks thought it would be this offseason, but it isn't a team that is going to make noise in the playoff race, or should be buying instead of selling come late July.
Oddly enough, another team in that category is the Atlanta Braves, who are a half-game worse than the Rangers right now in terms of record, and who are just a game closer to first place in their division. Mark Teixeira, of course, welcomed the trade to the Braves because he wanted to play for a winner, but it is sounding like he'll be on his third team in a year in another 6 weeks if the Braves don't turn it around. Teixeira, of course, will be making his return to TBIA on Tuesday, when the Braves start a three game set at Texas, but Michael Young says the team has moved on without Teixeira, and he feels better about the direction of the team now than he did when the trade was made.
Kason Gabbard threw strikes yesterday, which made folks happy, since that was what he was sent down to AAA to work on. He's got a chance to solidify his spot in the rotation, but Luis Mendoza had another strong start in Oklahoma yesterday, going 7 innings on just 80 pitches, walking no one and striking out 5 batters. If Gabbard goes back to his nibbling, walking ways, Mendoza could end up back in Texas and in the rotation.
Jeff Wilson talks about Milton Bradley's huge defensive play in game 1, that helped end a big inning for the Mets. Bradley couldn't have made a better throw from right field on the fly 'em out/throw 'em out double play where Brian Schneider was out by a couple of steps at the plate.
Finally, Hank Blalock is going to go on a rehab assignment this week at Oklahoma, and if all goes well, should be activated on Friday.
0 recs |
57 comments
Email
Print
Comments
Gabbard
Tons of groundballs, too.
All the chatter in yesterday’s minors thread, especially about promoting Mayberry, Davis and Max, really forces attention back to Milton.
If the team can deal him, Laird, and Blalock, it appears there’s depth in the system to replace them, and see what you’ve got. Cause I agree: as constituted, the team’s looking like a .500 club.
I can’t get excited about Mendozas and Gabbards in the rotation, though maybe in different roles. JD has to realize that dealing Bradley - and I mean just gouging a team with him - for a solid young starter and/or a stud for the 7th/8th is what the big club requires.
JD’s got to keep looking big picture.
Go Strangers.
by hightowersmith on Jun 16, 2008 9:01 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
I think that...
...if the Rangers are going to get a solid young starter, they are going to have to deal Saltalamacchia to do it.
And I think it is quite possible that that goes down.
by Adam J. Morris on Jun 16, 2008 9:04 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Sure
Sounds like TR’s roughly in agreement too, from his weekend notes.
Go Strangers.
by hightowersmith on Jun 16, 2008 9:06 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I wouldn't
be surprised to see JD acquired a young power arm for the bullpen. Someone to pitch the 8th and potentially be a closer if CJ comtinues to struggle. It would be much cheaper than a young starter.
Brandon Boggs 2008 Texas Rangers ROY
by RangerMad on Jun 16, 2008 9:42 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Next year
we could move CJ to the rotation, the new power arm to closer and bring up one of the young guys to fill the set-up role. I’d like to see one more trade and a 2009 rotation of Milwood, new guy/McCarthy, Padilla/McCarthy, Hurley and CJ.
by Jack Nicholson 1974 on Jun 16, 2008 9:49 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
CJW
I think the success of former relievers converting to starters in the last couple of years (Looper, Duscherer, Dempster) makes it more likely that Wilson would be considered again as a starter. I’m all for it. If he can keep his walks down, I think he’d be a good starter.
"You’re the only here who contributes schtick only." - brettgardner
by trza on Jun 16, 2008 9:52 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
To be contenders
Millwood, Padilla, and Hurley need to be #3, #4, and #5.
McCarthy needs to be gone.
We need a very strong LHP for #1 or #2.
"I'm extremely complex. I'm not easy to understand." - a) Charles Manson, b) Madonna, c) Milton Bradley.
by Clueless on Jun 16, 2008 11:37 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
McCarthy still can be good
he just needs to get healthy and get back to pitching.
"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 16, 2008 12:00 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Dealing Salty
I’m on board with it if that’s what it takes to get a solid, major league-ready pitcher here. Off the top of my head I can’t remember which teams have a strong need for catcher… help me out here.
If the Rangers stay close to contending I think we’ll start to see them mentioned in any trade talks involving pitching (already seen some Sabathia rumors today). Given both the the team’s need for arms and the deep minor league system it’s understandable. It seems obvious to me, though, that the team should rather be a seller and would seek to acquire a young arm in exchange for a valuable commodity like Salty or Bradley.
...and curse Sir Sidney Ponson, he was such a stupid git.
by t ball on Jun 16, 2008 10:08 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Son of a bitch
3rd new name for me by the allstar break?
by SaltyGoesYard on Jun 16, 2008 10:12 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
MurphyGoesYard or KinslerGoesYard
I don’t think they’re going anywhere. Probably the safest choices for you out there. And both will hit more homers than Salty this year anyway.
Of course, maybe someone will snap those up like people snap up domain names. You’d better hurry up, or you’ll be left with SheltonGoesYard…
by JBImaknee on Jun 16, 2008 11:05 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
DavisGoesYard
"The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance."-Socrates
by slc ranger on Jun 16, 2008 11:08 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
No
If Salty was traded, SGY would have to make his new name synonomous with whoever Salty got traded for. If it was a pitcher, I imagine he’d become something like “_K’sSide.
by lonestarJon on Jun 16, 2008 7:49 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
why
not Feldman lose his spot instead of gabbard?
by icouldusesomebaseball on Jun 16, 2008 9:54 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Please...
are you being serious????
There is no such thing as global warming. David Murphy was cold, so he turned the sun up.
by SarasotaRanger on Jun 16, 2008 9:57 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Short answer
Feldman has pitched better than Gabbard.
However, if Feldman tanks, he could lose his spot.
by Adam J. Morris on Jun 16, 2008 9:58 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Feldman
If you take out his last start, where he went 5 1/3, he has gone I believe 8 straight starts with at least 6 innings. Now, the way the bullpen is pitching, outside of Eddie and Rupe, the most important thing a starter can give is solid innings. That makes Feldman more valuable in the rotation than Gabbard, who if I am correct, has not given 6 innings (not counting AAA starts) since before he got injured in Boston.
"I'll take Clemens over Millwood and Padilla anyday.." - bosoxsiempregirl
^^^^ Wow, I would too. I guess that makes me the next John Schuerholtz.
LSB Facebook group ----->> http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=33345329288
by hinduplaya on Jun 16, 2008 10:07 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
OfcourseOfcourseOfcourseOfcourseOfcourseOfcourseOfcourseOfcourse
OfcourseOfcourseOfcourseOfcourseOfcourseOfcourseOfcourseOfcourseOfcourseOfcourse
by brettgardner on Jun 16, 2008 10:15 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
What about trading for Jeremy Sowers?
Young, lefty, some success in the majors. The Indians seem to have soured on him. I bet we could get him fairly cheaply.
by texnykazrus on Jun 16, 2008 10:16 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Low ceiling guy
He’s a #4/#5 type. We have plenty of those to sift through already.
by Adam J. Morris on Jun 16, 2008 10:42 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Blalock
Where is he going to go for his rehab assignment? Frisco I assume since Davis has 1B locked down in OKC
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 16, 2008 10:25 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
The Daily Okie
They think he’ll meet up with the Redhawks when they get to Nashville.
See Da Prez today, Opryland tomorrie. Life’s a whirlwind, Fester.
BTW, the Daily Okie has a sorta interesting article up about how the Rangers micro-manage development thru the use of modern technology. Can’t stop science.
by shroomer on Jun 16, 2008 10:32 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
He will still...
go to OKC I imagine, and Davis will just DH while he is there.
"The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance."-Socrates
by slc ranger on Jun 16, 2008 10:50 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
New Poll Question
When did the Simpsons poll question go up? I just noticed it.
If I vote 25 times, do I get free Ranger tickets?
It's baseball. You don't always get what you want, and you don't always want what you get. --Ed Coffin
by txranger7 on Jun 16, 2008 10:46 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Huh.
Adam, how can you not have Lurlene up there?
Or is that his Vegas wife? I can’t remember if he goes to Vegas with her…
Go Strangers.
by hightowersmith on Jun 16, 2008 11:16 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Rangers Tickets
You should but I haven’t received anything. I heard after the all-star voting is done from someone.
This is the Texas Rangers, professional destroyers of hope, we're talking about. - BAC
by nikpin on Jun 16, 2008 11:46 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
heh
I think you misread that one….
by Dirk Diggler on Jun 16, 2008 11:47 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Misread?
What did I misread? Or are u talking to HTS? Freaking 2.0
I think Homer met Lurlene in a bar and she was a country singer or something. I can’t remember the Vegas wifes name though.
This is the Texas Rangers, professional destroyers of hope, we're talking about. - BAC
by nikpin on Jun 16, 2008 11:56 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
You misread
that he wants to know if he votes 25 times on the simpsons poll does he get Rangers tickets.
Nevermind, it was a dumb joke by him anyway.
by Dirk Diggler on Jun 16, 2008 12:00 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Gabbards Start
I really didn’t think it was that bad. He’s always going to walk as many or slightly more than he K’s. Hes going to put a lot of people on base and routinely rely on ground ball double plays. I think with better IF defense behind him he could be an adequate #4 starter who gives you 6 innings a start with 3 to 4 ER a game. Someone who is never going to overwhelm the other team, but always keep you in the starts.
If you look at just this last game in the bottom of the third when he allowed his first two runs he should have been out of the innings 1-2-3. But Salty let the ball get under him on the K, in what arguably was a very blockable ball. It was recorded a wild pitch instead of an error and the inning was kept alive. Then 3 bloop singles follow, 1 of which Byrd lost in the mid-afternoon sun which should have ended the inning a second time. I don’t know how many extra pitches Gabbard had to throw b/c of the defensive miscues but thats got to be frustrating.
In the 6th inning
This is the Texas Rangers, professional destroyers of hope, we're talking about. - BAC
by nikpin on Jun 16, 2008 12:15 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Gabbard
He’s always going to walk as many or slightly more than he K’s.
If that’s the case, get rid of him now. A pitcher isn’t going to be successful if he does that.
by Adam J. Morris on Jun 16, 2008 12:19 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Wording
I probably shouldn’t have used always but that seems to be the way it’s trending. If he eliminates so many of those walks with DP is it as big of a problem?
This is the Texas Rangers, professional destroyers of hope, we're talking about. - BAC
by nikpin on Jun 16, 2008 12:26 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Woops
Posted that one prematurely…
In the 6th inning with the bases loaded and two outs Randolph pinch hits this catcher who apparently hasn’t been in the big leagues since 1999 or something ridiculous. Gabbard gets ahead 0-2 with him flailing at the 2nd pitch changeup. The next pitch is a curveball which is thrown on the outside middle part of the plate catching the black. The hitter punches the ball down and it gets through the IF for a 2 run single. Why he threw him a hittable pitch up 0-2 I will never understand but that was it for Gabbard.
This is the Texas Rangers, professional destroyers of hope, we're talking about. - BAC
by nikpin on Jun 16, 2008 12:24 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Threadjack
Should I go to Tuesday’s game (Hudson vs Padilla) or Wednesday’s (Reyes vs Hurley)
I’d like to see Hurley’s first home start, but the thought of booing Tex in his first at bat is quite appealing as well.
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 16, 2008 12:23 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Wednesday
I’ll be out there seeing Hurleys home debut.
This is the Texas Rangers, professional destroyers of hope, we're talking about. - BAC
by nikpin on Jun 16, 2008 12:27 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
We'll be at both
They are both on the mini plan we have. It’s going to absolutely kill us for the rest of the week work-wise, though.
"You got a guy coming up there who can’t hit water if he fell out of a boat." - Tom Grieve on Richie Sexson, 5.8.2008
by lisa w on Jun 16, 2008 12:57 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yeah, same here
I have tickets for both, but only have the energy for one. I’ll be going to 2 games at NYY and 1 at NYM this week, so I figured I’d limit myself to one Rangers game.
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 16, 2008 1:30 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Booing Tex
I don’t get why you would want to boo Tex. He has been the brightest spot on some pretty bleak teams. Yeah, he turned down Hick’s offer for an extension, but Hicks is not an innocent party in that exchange. I think is better after having traded Tex, but we will never know for sure.
by Excel Hearts Choi on Jun 16, 2008 1:59 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Crap
It should have read, “I think the team is better after having traded Tex…”.
by Excel Hearts Choi on Jun 16, 2008 1:59 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Not the situation.
I just think Tex is a first class douche.
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 16, 2008 2:14 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Tex
I don’t fault him for turning down the extension, but from everything I heard/read he seemed like an asshat.
This is the Texas Rangers, professional destroyers of hope, we're talking about. - BAC
by nikpin on Jun 16, 2008 2:29 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Don't Recall
I remember that both parties (Hicks and Tex) came off looking bad at the end of his (Tex’s) time in Texas. However, I have forgotten much of the details as Daniels did such a good job of maximizing the value of Tex. As such, my memories of Tex are mostly positive. Of course, this does not mean he is not a douche. Oh, Kinsler, Murphy, Bradley, and Hamilton has also made me quickly forget the whole Tex debacle.
by Excel Hearts Choi on Jun 16, 2008 2:37 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
There are a lot of folks who fall in that category
If you booed every one of them at a Rangers game, you’d be out of breath by the 4th inning.
by Adam J. Morris on Jun 16, 2008 2:44 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Hurley..
I somehow managed to luck into a corporate suit behind home plate for Hurley’s start Wednesday. I can’t wait to see what the kid has to offer, I never saw him pitch in the minors.
by Topgun22 on Jun 16, 2008 3:56 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Haha..
That should read corporate suite…
by Topgun22 on Jun 16, 2008 4:01 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Sweet.
"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 16, 2008 4:53 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Recent FanPosts
Big League Stew - MLB - Yahoo! Sports
- After locking up of AL MVP, it's time for Twins to lock up Mauer
- November means R&R for Raiders fan CC Sabathia and others
- D12: Honeymoon over for big Bobby Jenks and Ozzie Guillen?
- Timmy is so wicked: Lincecum's hair grows with his legend
- D12: Strasburg feels 'pop' in knee, scares Nationals to death
Certain photos copyright © 2009 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
