Sunday morning things
by Adam J. Morris on Jul 20, 2008 10:47 AM CDT
71 comments
9.5 games out of first place. 6.5 games out of the wild card. BP puts the Rangers' chance of making the playoffs at 4%.
That's not a terrible place to be in, in what was expected to be a rebuilding season, but I think it is coming clear that this team isn't going to be in a playoff race the last couple of months, and needs to be looking to deal some vets, rather than holding and hoping to make a late run.
Jeff Wilson says the team isn't panicking, and thinks there's plenty of time to get back in the race. Evan Grant says these past two games have highlighted the problems the Rangers have to deal with.
Grant also says that roster moves are imminent, with German Duran being sent down today to make room for Vicente Padilla, and Taylor Teagarden and (probably) Warner Madrigal going down on Monday to make room for Eric Hurley and Scott Feldman. Feldman, Grant says, will be pitching just in relief the rest of the way, with the Rangers wanting to keep his innings total down.
Jim Reeves says the Rangers will probably try to move Hank Blalock and Frank Catalanotto, but otherwise are in a place where they can stand pat at the deadline. He also talks about the fact that the Rangers have out-performed the Braves since the Mark Teixeira trade (with a hat tip to Jamey Newberg), but also calls the pitcher the Rangers got back "Neftali Perez."
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I think the Rangers need...
to add a few players to that list Reeves has of Blalock and Cat. I think Byrd, Wright, and Guardado should also be dealt and if anyone would take Millwood and Vazquez they need to go as well.
Why do people keep calling Feliz “Perez”. This kid is going to force these guys to remember his name.
"The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance."-Socrates
by slc ranger on Jul 20, 2008 10:52 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Feliz / Perez
The brain can just auto-complete things, like when you start typing your name into Microsoft Word. You start typing Netfali, your brain just signals to your fingers to type Perez, even if you are expressly thinking Feliz. Reeves has probably only ever typed one name after the word “Netfali,” so “Netfali Perez” is basically one whole word that is on auto-complete in his head until he learns otherwise…
by JBImaknee on Jul 20, 2008 11:13 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Believe it or not...
I think the first usage of “Neftali Perez” was by Baseball America’s Jim Callis in a chat about the trade. Just a slip on his part, I’m sure, but someone else at BA also used it soon after. Given how little we all knew about Feliz/Perez at the time, that’s probably why it some in the local media used “Perez” when the trade occurred (and to this day, apparently).
Love of God and compassion and empathy leads you to a very glorious place, and science leads you to killing people. -- Ben Stein
by Lucas on Jul 20, 2008 11:37 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Grieve did it, too
in a broadcast last week. I can understand it happening off the cuff on a live broadcast or radio show, but for Reeves to get it wrong in print is pretty much inexcusable.
Time you enjoy wasting was not wasted.
by t ball on Jul 20, 2008 12:07 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Peter Gammons
just called Feliz, Neftali Perez on BBTN.
by coolaid on Jul 20, 2008 4:28 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
What is wrong with these people...
"Sooner or later, prospects kill you, because you hang onto them." - Greggo, 11/22/2005
by Agreen07 on Jul 20, 2008 4:39 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
At least
he mentioned the Rangers so thats a start.
by coolaid on Jul 20, 2008 4:44 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yeah the Rangers getting two separate segments on one broadcast with them also talking about Hamilton’s AS derby performance later on must be a first in quite a while.
by Kevin McBrayer on Jul 20, 2008 4:55 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
What did they talk about...
when they mentioned neftali perez feliz??
by tyd3311 on Jul 20, 2008 5:05 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
About how pretty soon
everyone will know his name, or at least think they do.
Time you enjoy wasting was not wasted.
by t ball on Jul 20, 2008 10:35 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I was joking actually
didn’t see the show.
Time you enjoy wasting was not wasted.
by t ball on Jul 21, 2008 11:03 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
its contagious
one writer reads and and writes it or says it, and the next does and before you know it they all are
"I'm against picketing, but I don't know how to show it." - Mitch Hedberg
by rentz on Jul 20, 2008 5:15 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
"Perez"
Perhaps people confuse Neftali’s name with Neifi Perez. That’s always been my theory anyway.
by naropean on Jul 20, 2008 12:14 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Of course
Don't knock masturbation, it's sex with someone I love .
by Brian Thomas on Jul 20, 2008 7:36 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
fwiw
Jeff Wilson says the team isn’t panicking, and thinks there’s plenty of time to get back in the race.
this is also the genius that said the rangers could be good if they had quality starting pitching as recently as last week.
by sam in so cal on Jul 20, 2008 10:57 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
poor reevo
we quit accidentally calling feliz neftali perez 9 months ago. get with the program reevo!
"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 20, 2008 11:02 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Evan Grant
“The question the Rangers still must answer: Can the rest of the staff learn their lessons well enough to keep the team’s playoff chances afloat?”
Please, Evan. It’s spun. This team just can’t pitch well enough to contend. Period. I am putting down my glass of Koolaid. SGY, you were right. Let’s just get things in place for next year.
There is no such thing as global warming. David Murphy was cold, so he turned the sun up.
by SarasotaRanger on Jul 20, 2008 11:10 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
I Think
a lot of Bubba’s have a block reading and writing Hispanic proper nouns and pronouncing them anywhere close to correctly. This just comes with living in and amongst some Texans.
I would be careful in who I trade before the deadline because some of these pieces will be needed as deal sweeteners this winter when Hamilton, Kinsler, and/or Young (contractually we should be so lucky) are traded for pitching. I don’t know how you could be in the position to sell any higher on the first two. I think that the best years of these players’ careers will be squandered in waiting on all the young pitching to arrive in ‘11 or ‘12.
By making good trades now for the right pitching and retaining enough offense, the Rangers can maximize their resources. Don’t we have enough potential high offense middle infielders to trade Kinsler to get what we are really lacking? Or Young to lesser degree?
by mcgee48c on Jul 20, 2008 11:22 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
I don't think...
...Kinsler, Hamilton, or Young are going to be dealt this offseason.
by Adam J. Morris on Jul 20, 2008 11:23 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
My meaning was to
say they should be traded to maximize our resources. It wasn’t really a prediction but an out of the box way of solving our obvious problems. I did also say “and/or” not “and”.
by mcgee48c on Jul 20, 2008 11:28 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
no, where not gonna start rebuilding all over again
‘09 and ‘10 we are gonna be good
Kinsler is the best player on the rangers(done), BENOIT SUCKS(done), bring up Harrison(done),new: Put Nippert in rotation, Mendoza to the pen, get Feliz to AAA by the end of the year, trade cat
by nice hands on Jul 20, 2008 11:33 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I actually don't think they need to be traded
I think we can maximize our return best by signing Sheets and trading a piece such as MB & Guardado for a quality SP.
"Sooner or later, prospects kill you, because you hang onto them." - Greggo, 11/22/2005
by Agreen07 on Jul 20, 2008 12:06 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
LOL.
Hamilton, Kinsler and MY? You fail.
There is no such thing as global warming. David Murphy was cold, so he turned the sun up.
by SarasotaRanger on Jul 20, 2008 11:24 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
simply put
yes. He failed big time
By 2028, Mark Teixeira will be in the HOF.
-The Outlaw
by Gdawg on Jul 20, 2008 11:51 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
we're not trading any of those 3 guys
young??? are you kidding
Kinsler is the best player on the rangers(done), BENOIT SUCKS(done), bring up Harrison(done),new: Put Nippert in rotation, Mendoza to the pen, get Feliz to AAA by the end of the year, trade cat
by nice hands on Jul 20, 2008 11:33 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Do you mean our
management won’t trade these franchise icons or you don’t think we can really do without one of them even if trading one of them goes a long way in fixing our pitching?
by mcgee48c on Jul 20, 2008 11:38 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
both
There is absolutely no way this team trades Hamilton or Kinsler when they are affordable, locked up here for many more years, and are having MVP seasons early in their careers when we can expect them to improve in the future. Young has a bad contract, is considered the face of the franchise, and is loved by the fans here as well as is having another good season. There isn’t much value for him on the market and there is no reason to be looking to shop him around.
By 2028, Mark Teixeira will be in the HOF.
-The Outlaw
by Gdawg on Jul 20, 2008 11:53 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
The first
Actually. You said we won’t because they are good (I agree, very,very good) and cheap not that we couldn’t do without one of them to bolster our pitching.
by mcgee48c on Jul 20, 2008 12:37 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Do you think
this team is one pitcher away from winning a WS? Right now, we have needed every single bit of that offensive production to be where we are. Another interesting thing to look at is this:
Rangers have allowed 579 runs
Rangers SP have allowed 509 earned runs
Our current Pythagorean is around 46-47 wins. I know that we would never have absolutely perfect defense, but if we only allowed the 509 earned runs than the Pythagorean is at 52 wins. If the defense, mainly the IF defense, stops blowing so hard, and we can get just slightly better SP (last year’s pitching would even do the trick), then this team would be right at the top of the division race. The answer doesn’t have to be just try and trade away MVP candidates for any one pitcher out there.
By 2028, Mark Teixeira will be in the HOF.
-The Outlaw
by Gdawg on Jul 20, 2008 12:43 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Question
Who do you think Kinsler or Hamilton - plus some of these “deal sweeteners” you think we need to include in this deal - would reasonably bring?
What sort of trade are you anticipating?
by Adam J. Morris on Jul 20, 2008 12:00 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
You don't think there's a market
for Kinsler and Hamilton? How about one of them for Liriano (with maybe something else coming our way from the Twins, a lot if its Hamilton)?
BTW, I’m anticipating no trade. I’m saying that from on the field needs and surpluses, the Rangers should be considering equalizing their talent by trading some of their offense for pitching. If trading the most valuable pieces of the offense is too much to comprehend, then everyone shouldn’t be too disappointed if our acquisition process fails to come up with the pitching we covet.
My deal sweeters comment was a failed attempt at irony or humor that I added as a way of turning the conversation to my point. If anyone is hung up on that, I didn’t mean for it to be a focus.
by mcgee48c on Jul 20, 2008 12:30 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
You would trade Hamilton or Kinsler for Liriano?
I don’t know if I would do that. And I don’t know that the Twins would do that.
But what I was trying to do was get you to provide some specific examples of pitchers you would be targeting, that you would want to deal Kinsler or Hamilton to land.
by Adam J. Morris on Jul 20, 2008 12:32 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
How about Hamilton
for that Volquez kid in Cincy. He’s really tearing it up.
by robert_d_wilfong on Jul 20, 2008 12:42 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Would you trade Hamilton...
...for Volquez, straight up?
by Adam J. Morris on Jul 20, 2008 12:52 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
noo way..
i would try and get another arm.. maybe a lefty.. in double or triple A
by tyd3311 on Jul 20, 2008 12:54 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
David Price?
"Sooner or later, prospects kill you, because you hang onto them." - Greggo, 11/22/2005
by Agreen07 on Jul 20, 2008 12:56 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Martha Raye
Time you enjoy wasting was not wasted.
by t ball on Jul 20, 2008 10:36 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Adam
I don’t know all the upper level prospect from other teams but Liriano was the example I knew. I’m not sure that I would trade one of them for Hughes without a lot coming back. Joba, yes, but with something good added.
Can you give an example of what you think would be needed to pry one of these from the Rangers? You don’t have to give a Hamilton example. I was really thinking more of Kinsler, but, in theory, no one should be ruled out,
by mcgee48c on Jul 20, 2008 12:47 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Of course....
Our offense would be god awful…
by Kevin McBrayer on Jul 20, 2008 1:08 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Maddux
I wish there were a way for the rangers to trade for Greg Maddux. Not really to help get the team to the playoffs, but to be a de facto pitching coach for the kids on the staff. Unfortuantely, I doubt he would accept a trade to a non-contending AL club, but it’d be worth asking (maybe with dangling a job offer in his post-retirement future)
Right now the pitching staff at any given time has a lot of very young guys (Hurley, Harrison, Feldman, Madrigal, Rupe, Nippert, Mathis) They need mentorship, and for some reason I don’t have the feeling that they get it from Kevin “Can I get another catcher?” Millwood and Padilla. Mark Connor never pitched in the big leagues, and while he may be good at teaching guys the physical side of how to pitch (the Rangers guys all have good stuff), I am beginning to worry that he isn’t communicating the mental aspects of the game. These kids are having trouble hanging on when guys get on base and their stuff drops from 100% to 90%. I read about how Maddux has helped fix that with the young pitchers in LA and San Diego just by being on the staff.
by JBImaknee on Jul 20, 2008 11:25 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
If we keep giving up 14 runs a game
I bet either Cruz or Bradley is gone by month’s end too.
by Plano Fan on Jul 20, 2008 11:29 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Trading off top line offensive palyers for rent a pitchers
to come here is a bust always has been, always will be, because as soon as a top of the rotation (1 or 2) guy plays here and watches his era sky rocket he will be gone very quickly and then you have nothing to show for loosing 3 of the best players in BB. the secret to pitching in Arlington is to develop young sinker ball pitchers and pitchers who can throw 95 plus for 7 or 8 innings, also find a relief pitcher and a right handed power hitter and this team will be ready to contend next year.
by TRFAN on Jul 20, 2008 11:50 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
"the secret to pitching in Arlington is to develop...pitchers who can throw 95 plus for 7 or 8 innings..."
Hold on, I’m gonna go get pen and paper…
Don't knock masturbation, it's sex with someone I love .
by Brian Thomas on Jul 20, 2008 7:43 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Please make a note of this...
it ONLY works in Arlington.
"The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance."-Socrates
by slc ranger on Jul 20, 2008 11:04 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
The secret to hitting in arlington is...getting hitters who have 900 OPS.s
Don't knock masturbation, it's sex with someone I love .
by Brian Thomas on Jul 21, 2008 3:24 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Here is Michael's take on Milton Bradley
Michael Young at the All-Star game on Milton Bradley: “Everyone – and rightfully so – has given Josh tons of credit for the season he’s had. But if Milton’s not (hitting) behind him, he doesn’t have 95 RBI. He’s got 95 walks.”
And I agree, the rangers should try to re-sign milt now, not later, and let go of any ideas on trading him, he fits well with this team and he is happy here, that means something.
by TRFAN on Jul 20, 2008 12:02 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Wouldn't there still be the option
of trading Bradley, then trying to re-sign him after the season?
TB has a black hole at DH as well as a cornucopia of young starting pitching. I doubt they’d miss Edwin Jackson during their stretch run since they could just replace him with Sonnanstine or call up Niemann or any of the other 40 pitching prospects at AA or higher that are almost ready to go, e.g. Houser, McGee, Davis, Price, Cummings, etc.
Jackson for Bradley? Jackson throws 98 mph and would immediately be our most talented starter. Next year he might make a good closer option too (if he’s willing) if C.J. isn’t the answer (which he still could be) and there aren’t any FA legit established closer options this offseason (which aside from Rodriguez who’ll be massively expensive, there won’t be). Jackson is also still only 24 and 3 years away from free-agency.
by Rangerchick on Jul 20, 2008 12:16 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Trade and resigning him in the offseason
has little chances of working with Bradley. Based off some quotes from him over the past, he wants to stay put on one team and be given the chance to be a part of a team for more than just half a season. If we trade him, he is likely to just go and take the biggest offer out there in the offseason and not really see Texas as a good fit for him.
By 2028, Mark Teixeira will be in the HOF.
-The Outlaw
by Gdawg on Jul 20, 2008 12:37 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
We don't want to hurt Bradley's feelings
because he’s so sensitive and if we trade him and try to resign him, he’ll be hurt and won’t want to come back anymore even if we pay him millions of dollars….Wha wha
"Sooner or later, prospects kill you, because you hang onto them." - Greggo, 11/22/2005
by Agreen07 on Jul 20, 2008 1:02 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
TB doesn't seem interested
in Bradley. I’ve checked out their boards and they mention him hardly at all. They mention guys like Bay, Nady, Holliday. Some fans seem to like the idea but I have not seen any media reports of Tampa’s interest. The fans on the blogs seemed to think Bradley would cost more than they would be comfortable giving up.
Time you enjoy wasting was not wasted.
by t ball on Jul 20, 2008 1:01 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I'm not sure
why they’d think Bay or Holliday wouldn’t cost as much as Bradley would as those guys are signed through ‘09 while Bradley’s a FA after the year.
by Rangerchick on Jul 20, 2008 1:25 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Signed through '09
I’d assume that’s part of the point of Bay or Holliday instead of Bradley. Both of them can play the OF, too, whereas Bradley is more of a DH right now.
Time you enjoy wasting was not wasted.
by t ball on Jul 20, 2008 2:39 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Maybe my expectations are too high,
but it sure seemed liked the “chopper” by Gomez in the 5th inning should have been an out and not a double. I guess that is up for debate. But I think emphasizes the fact that there is limited range at 3rd base.
Morneau hit that curve ball like he knew it was coming. Did he guess right or it Harrison/Ramirez tip the pitch?
by T Coleman on Jul 20, 2008 12:29 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Nelson Cruz
I know I’m in the minority here, but I would really like to see the Rangers call up Cruz one more time before they give up on him.
by Wemedge on Jul 20, 2008 12:36 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
I'm with you
on giving him one last shot IF the Rangers can’t trade him for anything…with the way he’s been decimating triple-A, maybe he’s figured things out. What’s the worst that could happen? He comes up and sucks, then he’s gone. But if he comes up and starts mashing like he’s been doing in OKC, then that’s a pretty nice little piece there (which, if you really want to get rid of him, makes his trade value that much higher). It’s not like him coming up and possibly sucking is going to blow our shot at the WS this year. I’d rather know for certain what a guy (with potential) has got before giving up on him.
"Does this effectively hide my thunder?"
by Bob Loblaw on Jul 20, 2008 1:15 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
What if he's in between?
What if he comes up, and puts up a .275/.325/.425 line?
Even if you get rid of Byrd, you’ve got Boggs, Murphy, Hamilton, and JMJ vying for playing time in the outfield next year. You supposedly want to bring Bradley back, and if you make him a full-time DH, that means you definitely have to deal two of your catchers this offseason, since you can’t, say, take Max and make him a DH.
And that’s so that you can keep around a guy who is 28 years old, and who you still don’t know if he can be a regular contributing outfielder.
by Adam J. Morris on Jul 20, 2008 1:26 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
catchers
Why would we have to trade two catchers in that scenario? Laird would be in his FA year, Salty could back him up and then one of Max or TT could be in OKC for callups. We would only have to trade one and then in 2010 everything would be worked out naturally.
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 Jul 20, 2008 1:33 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Laird is 2 years away from free agency.
Using Saltalamacchia as a backup isn’t a real good use of resources, and it doesn’t make a lot of sense, to me, to have Teagarden or Ramirez down in AAA all year next year.
by Adam J. Morris on Jul 20, 2008 2:13 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Well if he is a 275/.325/.425 guy
you can still cut him if you want. But to not even give him one more shot to see if he can replicate these numbers at the Major League level is crazy…especially for a team that isn’t in contention.
"Sooner or later, prospects kill you, because you hang onto them." - Greggo, 11/22/2005
by Agreen07 on Jul 20, 2008 1:45 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
i agree to some extent
looking at guys like ludwick, hafner, pena, monroe, gonzo, etc. who were sort of on the cusp of big league success but never really put it together for us but went on to develop into fine players elsewhere, some as late-bloomers, makes me hesitant to jettison cruz just yet…but if we get a reasonable offer (young pitching) i think we should do it.
by Smoakin in the Boys Room on Jul 20, 2008 2:09 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
about time.....
” I think it is coming clear that this team isn’t going to be in a playoff race the last couple of months”-AJM
It’s been clear for quite some time now…...You, the master sabermatrician, should know that if anything is unsustainable it would be the Rangers win % from the last 2 months. I guess you only break out your saber on ex-rangers….poor Galarraga.
I've got a laptop for pleasure.....The Rangers for pain.
by red shoe ranger on Jul 20, 2008 5:12 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Huh?
I’ve been saying for some time that I don’t think this team is a playoff contender.
by Adam J. Morris on Jul 20, 2008 5:18 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
then
why the phrasing, “I think its coming clear…..”? I thought that meant that something that was previously unclear is now being made clear….....alas, you now say it was clear along. Oh well. At least we know all ex-ranger pitchers really suck.
I've got a laptop for pleasure.....The Rangers for pain.
by red shoe ranger on Jul 20, 2008 7:32 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Some of us...
have been clear on this since the start of the season. Others see the team playing well and think maybe we could get lucky.
We all still cheer for the Rangers to win and would love them to do so, but with this teams pitching reality should be setting in even for the most optimistic fans right now.
"The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance."-Socrates
by slc ranger on Jul 20, 2008 11:08 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
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