Horns & Aggies living in perfect harmony

convincing anyone that the Rangers couldn’t spend $20+ million more and still be profitable.

the Yankees have something like $75M coming off the payroll next year and Steinbrenner has already said he wants to go after a top FA pitcher.

I think we’ve got a shot at Sheets though.

seems like theres a new one every other day. when did we start a GM-in-training program around here? I must have missed out.

is awful. Doesn’t K anyone, gives up too many home runs.

That’s the worst type of pitcher you would have in Arlington.

As long as the Rangers try and get CC or Sheets. I don’t think they will get either, and if they don’t then I’m ok with them going with what they have ’til 2010. Hunter, Harrion and Mendoza should start in AAA, but a rotation of Millwood, Padilla, BMac, Hurley, and whatever starter we get in a deal for one tof the catchers is fine by me.

Ha you seriously just lost some credibility in my book. But thank you for making my coworkers look at me wondering why I almost fell out of my chair from laughing so hard. Oh and you owe me a new keyboard because apparantly coke and electronic equipment don’t mix very well

is behind all of those guys?

Might I suggest a little Nolan Ryan in the bullpen also

There’ll be a couple of good FA pitchers beyond C.C., Sheets, and Burnett (who undoubtedly will opt out). What about Ollie Perez who has been on fire recently and is still young, is lefthanded, and can K people?
When’s the last time we’ve had a pitcher with all three of those traits? Why not bring Ryan Dempster home? He’s having a great year as a starter and also offers versatility in that he has closing experience. I imagine they’d both come a lot cheaper than C.C. et al.

Stick with the plan.

A lot of people are bitching about the kids being ineffective, but they’re kids and are facing the likes of NYY and BOS on the road. That’s bound to be ugly. This time of year the young guys are starting to get tired, too.

The Rangers aren’t going through these growing pains for nothing. I guess I wouldn’t be surprised if they went after one big free agent, but I sure wouldn’t look for a complete overhaul with outside talent.

First, minor league numbers aren’t a good basis to evaluate what a player’s ready for. Down there they work on things…they’re development leagues. When I see Eric Hurley pitch, I don’t think he’s very far off from being a bona fide MLB pitcher. How good of a MLB pitcher he could be God only knows, but he’s better than his minor league numbers indicate. I think if he went back and was told to get those guys out, he wouldn’t have much of a problem doing it. Just like you can tell Nelson Cruz to go to OKC and knock the cover off the ball. Doing it in the bigs is a different story, and that’s what they play for down there. Not for numbers.

You’re right that they’re not ready. Not this year, obviously, or the results would be better. But pitchers can turn it around. Look at Volquez.

Over the winter the whole organization will get together and discuss what’s going on. I’ll eat my shoe if they end up doing what you’re talking about: signing two big free agents and giving up a load of prospects for pitchers that 15 other teams will be bidding for. I think it’s much more likely that they go hard after one free agent, which if they land him would give them a half-way decent 1 and 2. The 3, 4, and 5 spots will likely be filled internally with Millwood in the mix.

But with this team free-agency can be just as dangerous as going with youth. Millwood was coming off an AL ERA title, was he not? Park had great stuff for the Dodgers. They spent millions and millions on those guys only for both of them to be horrible. I don’t really care to see that again.

There’s no such thing as a playoff caliber offense. The Rangers had juggernaut lineups in the late nineties with serviceable starters and pretty damn good bullpens. They went nowhere because they Yankees had a lineup that was about as good but pitching that was much better. And unless you’re the Yankees, you can’t put together a rotation the way you’re talking about doing it. Many, many teams have tried and went down in flames. You don’t look at your offense and think it’s so great that you go to desperate lengths to acquire the pitching to go with it.

And I wouldn’t worry about keeping the lineup together. I have a feeling they’ll do that.

Young pitchers can come along really quickly. Be patient and realistic.