Taylor Teagarden an Olympian

by Adam J. Morris on Jul 16, 2008 2:08 PM CDT

The USA Olympic baseball roster has been released, and Ranger catching prospect Taylor Teagarden is among those named to the team. Teagarden is one of two catchers on the roster, with Lou Marson joining him.

Before people start freaking out about how bad it is for a prospect to be yanked over to China in the middle of the season, be aware that A's prospects Brett Anderson and Trevor Cahill -- two of their most highly regarded pitchers -- are also on the team.

I think this is something that could end up working to the Rangers' advantage, since Teagarden will presumably leave Oklahoma around the time Gerald Laird is ready to return, freeing up a spot in AAA for Jarrod Saltalamacchia or Max Ramirez.

Congratulations to Taylor, who hopefully will represent the U.S. -- and the Rangers -- well in Beijing.

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no trade

Looks like Laird is here to stay until the off season. Who do the Rangers send down? My bet is on Saltalamacchia so that he can play everyday.

"An effortless 98" - Scott Gardner after Neftali Feliz's first AA pitch

by RangerMad on Jul 16, 2008 2:15 PM CDT 0 recs

Why do you say that?

"Sooner or later, prospects kill you, because you hang onto them." - Greggo, 11/22/2005

by Agreen07 on Jul 16, 2008 2:44 PM CDT up 0 recs

NR

I don’t think Nolan Ryan wants to trade his starting catcher in the middle of a playoff run. :)

"An effortless 98" - Scott Gardner after Neftali Feliz's first AA pitch

by RangerMad on Jul 16, 2008 2:54 PM CDT up 0 recs

Uhh that's a disgusting thought

"Sooner or later, prospects kill you, because you hang onto them." - Greggo, 11/22/2005

by Agreen07 on Jul 16, 2008 3:12 PM CDT up 0 recs

please god!

"Do they know who I am? Do they know my status? Thats what I thought."
-Miles 6/21/08

.501 or bust!

by Jayslick on Jul 16, 2008 8:41 PM CDT up 0 recs

Maybe they'll see if they can trade Salty.

by philkid3 on Jul 16, 2008 3:43 PM CDT up 0 recs

I find it interesting

that they included Stephen Strasburg, a college pitcher, on the list. He is the early favorite to go No. 1 in the 2009 draft (and yes I know a lot can change between now and then.) I like putting him on the team since he is very highly regarded. Eugene Espineli is also on the team. Interesting since when he was at UT he had a big bag of nothing. He transferred to TCU and apparently is still in the minors and putting up good numbers as a LHP out of the bullpen. Not really a prospect, but I guess you need LHP relievers on the Olympic team as well.

by uthornfan on Jul 16, 2008 2:18 PM CDT 0 recs

PTBNL

1 spot left. Any chance it’s for Davis, assuming he’s sent down? I don’t think that it’s likely, but you never know.

by LiamP on Jul 16, 2008 2:23 PM CDT 0 recs

I think it will be MaxRam who goes to OKC...

...where he can play catcher everyday. He would then be called up to play catcher later in the year if Laird or Salty are traded or injured or to be the everyday DH (and sometimes platoon partner at 1B) if Bradley is traded.

Physician: Primum non nocere

Batter: First, make no out

by Chad Crudup on Jul 16, 2008 2:23 PM CDT 0 recs

Marlins are looking for a young catcher

Why not see what we could get for either Salty, Max or Laird?

"Would you mind walking a time or two so I could drive in some runs"? Milton Bradley

by boomer1 on Jul 16, 2008 2:27 PM CDT 0 recs

Salty for Volstad?

Warner Madrigal makes Ezequiel Astacio look downright handsome.

by tricer on Jul 16, 2008 2:29 PM CDT up 0 recs

That's one trade I'd do in a second

Only problem is, the Marlins would laugh us out of their office in 0.001 seconds.

A Lonestar in California

Classic iorange555: "lmao too bad i watched [the all-star game] at a friends house ;[ much funer on here"

by lonestarJon on Jul 17, 2008 6:27 AM CDT up 0 recs

I don't think they are necessarily going young

Supposedly they inquired about Pudge.

by LiamP on Jul 16, 2008 2:30 PM CDT up 0 recs

As a stop gap maybe

There is a reason the Tigers are not playing him every day. I think if you offered them one of the 3 they might make an offer on one of them. If you could get a nice top of the order pitching prospect back you do it.

"Would you mind walking a time or two so I could drive in some runs"? Milton Bradley

by boomer1 on Jul 16, 2008 2:42 PM CDT up 0 recs

I don't disagree

What I’m saying is that I don’t think they’re necessarily focusing on young catchers. They just need anyone better than the junk they’re currently throwing out there. It’s not a situation like Boston, for example, where they’ll live with Varitek for now and just look for a long term solution.

by LiamP on Jul 16, 2008 2:51 PM CDT up 0 recs

I can agree with that

"Would you mind walking a time or two so I could drive in some runs"? Milton Bradley

by boomer1 on Jul 16, 2008 3:04 PM CDT up 0 recs

Salty...

...send his ass back to Chinatown.

by oc on Jul 16, 2008 2:27 PM CDT 0 recs

Not sure I would put it quite that way

But he is the one who I would like to see somewhere else.

Laird for President

by rldwb on Jul 16, 2008 5:35 PM CDT up 0 recs

Cool

good for him, and good for the Rangers temporarily.

Time you enjoy wasting was not wasted.

by t ball on Jul 16, 2008 2:29 PM CDT 0 recs

max

hold on to him he is a beast and is going to provide us with a lot of offense in the future. He has looked pretty good at C. From early reports I thought he would stink it up behind the plate but has held his own send him back to OKC to catch everyday and get his ABs. Hopefully Salty starts to get some hits so he will improve his trade value in the offseason.

by mai on Jul 16, 2008 2:39 PM CDT 0 recs

Makes You Wonder

He was sent from Atlanta for Wickman, and then traded for Lofton. He must have done something wrong to be traded for so little. Maybe he is just finally putting it all together.

by Excel Hearts Choi on Jul 16, 2008 2:45 PM CDT up 0 recs

I think it just shows how some teams...

...will overpay at the deadline when they feel they are one piece away from a championship.

Physician: Primum non nocere

Batter: First, make no out

by Chad Crudup on Jul 16, 2008 2:56 PM CDT up 0 recs

That....

or both teams can’t adequately judge the defensive abilities of a catching prospect.

by Excel Hearts Choi on Jul 16, 2008 3:02 PM CDT up 0 recs

plus^2

Josh Hamilton is better than you.

by Longhorn on Jul 16, 2008 3:09 PM CDT 0 recs

In other news

Clemens had a package delivered from steroid distributor Kirk Radomski to his attention / in care of Brian McNamee.

I wonder if his wife opens his mail cause thats a federal offense too.

Clemens = screwed

by corbsclinton on Jul 16, 2008 3:20 PM CDT 0 recs

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/8348574/Report:-Radomski-gives-feds-evidence-on-Clemens

by corbsclinton on Jul 16, 2008 3:22 PM CDT up 0 recs

Rocket....

is going down. It’s going to be a while from now, but the feds are going to get him.

by bdavison94 on Jul 16, 2008 3:41 PM CDT up 0 recs

He's a loser at life

"Sooner or later, prospects kill you, because you hang onto them." - Greggo, 11/22/2005

by Agreen07 on Jul 16, 2008 3:49 PM CDT up 0 recs

gives me 1 reason to watch the Olympics

i guess

Greatest Inventions Ever? 1. TiVO, 2. Boobs, 3. Baseball

by willamos2 on Jul 16, 2008 3:22 PM CDT 0 recs

BMX racing?

"Do they know who I am? Do they know my status? Thats what I thought."
-Miles 6/21/08

.501 or bust!

by Jayslick on Jul 16, 2008 8:45 PM CDT up 0 recs

so can a player on the olympic roster

be traded? i would imagine so, but it would be interesting to see it happen.

by clark on Jul 16, 2008 3:27 PM CDT 0 recs

I have no complaints whatsoever.

I love the idea of a Ranger playing in the Olympics.

by philkid3 on Jul 16, 2008 3:42 PM CDT 0 recs

Me too

Teagarden will bring home the gold for both Texas and the USA

by JBImaknee on Jul 16, 2008 3:45 PM CDT up 0 recs

Yep

And it temporarily frees up the Catcher logjam. It’s win/win.

Plaschke: Scioscia, the former Dodgers catcher, is the model manager who has created an atmosphere of winning.
Junior:It's that simple. Mike Scioscia brings a Glade Plug-In labeled "Winning™" into the clubhouse and everyone who breathes it in gains 15 points in average.

by TheBZA on Jul 16, 2008 3:46 PM CDT up 0 recs

did you guys see

that our 8th round pick Bianucci signed?

http://www.capecodonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080712/SPORTS01/80712011

by clark on Jul 16, 2008 4:18 PM CDT 0 recs

wow

that’s awesome news. I really think the Rangers found a good prospect there but was scared that he was never gonna sign getting drafted so low.

""If they'd have told me you can make the team but you've got to shine the shoes, I'd have been there shining shoes." -Bradley

by ab03 on Jul 16, 2008 9:45 PM CDT up 0 recs

I like it...

let MaxRam catch everyday at OKC when he goes.

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

by slc ranger on Jul 16, 2008 6:30 PM CDT 0 recs

Baseball...Olympics

I thought they got rid of it? Guess not.

Anyway, I personally think we should boycott the China games but I guess that would make us look hypocritical.

by Black Francis on Jul 17, 2008 1:21 AM CDT 0 recs

Bah...

Whatever. I think the extra ramifacations to the rest of the roster just shows a lot of indecision on the part of the organization however. If Nolan Ryan really thinks he needs Laird for a playoff run this year, we are in deep, deep trouble both for now and in the future. The last thing we need is a mini-Tom Hicks kneejerking his way around the front office, and I fear Nolan may turn into just that if we get a whiff of catching the Angels before the trade deadline here.

A Lonestar in California

Classic iorange555: "lmao too bad i watched [the all-star game] at a friends house ;[ much funer on here"

by lonestarJon on Jul 17, 2008 6:31 AM CDT 0 recs