Ha! I laughed at this one, HEHE!

by NYTXFAN on Jul 22, 2008 8:27 PM CDT

Baseball America's projected 2011 lineup for your Texas Rangers:

PROJECTED 2011
LINEUP

Catcher	Taylor Teagarden
First Base	Jarrod Saltalamacchia
Second Base	Michael Young
Third Base	Chris Davis
Shortstop	Elvis Andrus
Left Field	Engel Beltre
Center Field	Julio Borbon
Right Field	Josh Hamilton
Designated Hitter	Ian Kinsler
No. 1 Starter	Eric Hurley
No. 2 Starter	Neftali Feliz
No. 3 Starter	Michael Main
No. 4 Starter	Blake Beavan
No. 5 Starter	Brandon McCarthy
Closer	Kasey Kiker

WTF is Kins doing in the DH role? WTF is Salts doing playing 1st base(even though we were gonna try him there)? And why is Young back at second? I mean this was written last year but I got a kick over it.

Anyway, check out the SP. AWESOME! I'd love that rotation and I wish it was here right now.

Kiker as the closer is interesting. Small, intimidating pitcher. I like it.

Awesome outfield!

Im drooling just thinking of how good this team can be.

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Comments

Kiker a closer?

Really? I’m not so sure about that one.

Baseball Is My Boyfriend
"How about Hurley?" - Me
"Not my first choice...but I wouldn't look away." - RachelB

by The Best Micah on Jul 22, 2008 8:39 PM CDT reply actions

Kiker as closer

I think it makes sense. He has suffered from some arm fatigue the past two seasons in part because of the occasional max effort in his delivery. He has limited size and some have questioned his ability to withstand the rigors of pitching 175+ innings a season.

Considering Kiker already has a bat -breaking plus fastball that he could probably keep in the mid-90s in short bursts and a change that has been inconsistent this season but still has plus potential. He could be a monster in relief.

I’m sure you’ve seen Kiker before but I’ll just reiterate that the kid is mean on the mound. He is only 5’10’’ but he is an intimidator. He looks like he hates hitters. He has the juice for pressure situations. Remember when he dialed it up to 97 last season in the playoffs? Crazy movement as well.

That said, I still hope Kiker develops into a top of the rotation starter. But at this point, I think it is entirely possible that ends up in the pen. Given his stuff, I’d don’t think that will be a bad thing at all.

Give it a Name

by jparks77 on Jul 22, 2008 9:08 PM CDT up reply actions

sweet a new sig,

sorry miles, but you got bumped buddy. this one was too good to pass up.

"I’m sure you’ve seen Kiker before but I’ll just reiterate that the kid is mean on the mound. He is only 5’10’’ but he is an intimidator. He looks like he hates hitters. He has the juice for pressure situations."
-Jason Parks on Jul 22, 2008 10:08 PM

by Jayslick on Jul 22, 2008 11:28 PM CDT up reply actions

Is that a good or bad thing?

Give it a Name

by jparks77 on Jul 23, 2008 8:24 AM CDT up reply actions

good thing.

one of the cooler things ive read about a pitcher in a while, even if he is a little ways off.

by Jayslick on Jul 23, 2008 10:06 AM CDT up reply actions

if bmac is still around

and is a #5 starter, something is funky. that is a very young rotation though

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

by gossamer on Jul 22, 2008 8:41 PM CDT reply actions

2007 draft

If Beavan and Main make into the Rangers rotation like suggested above, then the 2007 draft might be considered the best in Rangers history.

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

by RangerMad on Jul 22, 2008 8:55 PM CDT reply actions

Yep

I gagree

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

by boomer1 on Jul 22, 2008 8:57 PM CDT up reply actions

2003

Danks, Kinsler, Feldman, Littleton doesn’t look too bad

And 2006 already has Davis, Kiker, Holland, Lemon

I think that those both figure to rival those five first rounders plus whatever else might develop (and right at the moment, nothing else looks great, though a few guys certainly have a chance), based on impact players if nothing else.

by Brett Perryman on Jul 22, 2008 9:46 PM CDT up reply actions

I would change

1b Chris Davis
2b Kinsler
3b Young
DH Mad Max

Salty gone in a trade for Bowden or Masterson
Laird for Ian Kennedy

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

by boomer1 on Jul 22, 2008 9:01 PM CDT reply actions

Smoak anyone?

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

by Agreen07 on Jul 23, 2008 1:37 AM CDT up reply actions

Laird for Ian Kennedy????

really?

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

by Agreen07 on Jul 23, 2008 1:38 AM CDT up reply actions

Normy sems to think so

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/blog/shutdown_corner/post/Stuff-You-Need-Brett-Favre-action-figure-bench?urn=nfl,93739

by BudLight on Jul 23, 2008 7:26 AM CDT up reply actions

only Laird

Laird for Kennedy! Wow. Only Laird?

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

by RangerMad on Jul 23, 2008 7:59 AM CDT up reply actions

I'd be stunned if the Yanks do that

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

by Agreen07 on Jul 23, 2008 10:44 AM CDT up reply actions

Laird for Kennedy

I think you’re more likely to get Ted Kennedy than Ian Kennedy, but I’d go ahead and ask. Ian Kennedy is good, but he’s not Hughes, Kershaw, or Buchholz.

Time you enjoy wasting was not wasted.

by t ball on Jul 23, 2008 12:29 PM CDT up reply actions

Hurley a #1?

Seems a little optimistic.

McCarthy will probably be a quadriplegic by ‘11, or at least in traction.

by Rangerchick on Jul 22, 2008 9:01 PM CDT reply actions

spot on

by SteveP on Jul 23, 2008 1:45 AM CDT up reply actions

wow, this is like

4 months old.

"that suzuki guy should go back to making cars" - My girlfriend after C.J.'s close in game 2

by tdi1985 on Jul 22, 2008 9:28 PM CDT reply actions

Or five

Baseball Time in Arlington

by jamcadbury on Jul 22, 2008 9:46 PM CDT up reply actions

yeah so what,

it still made me laugh.

The bloggerformelyknownasBigBaddBubbaJ

by NYTXFAN on Jul 23, 2008 5:39 AM CDT up reply actions

not only do they look good

but they can actually succeed in the majors. feliz is basically a no-brainer and hurely has done nothing but prove he is a great pitcher and not to mention that is excluding free agents, tommy hunter, matt harrison, and feldman

Feliz and Hurley. The 1-2 punch of the future

by Steal Home on Jul 23, 2008 12:09 AM CDT reply actions