Perhaps I am being overly optimistic but I just don’t think the pitching situation is as dire as it seems. If the Rangers add a guy like Sheets in Free Agency, then make a deal for another pitcher, which is very possible, then I think the rotation could be pretty decent next year. Let’s say that next year’s rotation is Sheets, Padilla, Trade guy, McCarthy and Hurley, would you really feel that pessimistic about things. It’s not as if a total rebuild is necessary here, just some healthy pitchers.

….he had a rocky start to his tenure, pressing[or allowing depending on who you ask] a couple trades… over the last year and a half, how could you not point to the personel improvement at all levels and say JD is doing a much better job…

Could it be the reason Nolan’s not bringing his own people in is he agrees with how JD’s been doing?

Trading and drafting talent hasn’t been a problem for two or three years running. Unless you want to judge the Danks trade as is, and hold it up over LA signings, the Teixeira deal, and the last three drafts, this team has done nothing but shovel talent in.

What would Nolan do? Could Nolan have dealt Laird+ for Volstad?

Maybe if Nolan wants to gut the org of its pitching coaches.

How is it that the Rangers have always had bad pitching? Even when they’ve had an ace or a top reliever, the rest of the staff has been weak. Looking back over the rosters for the past 20 years, I do not see a staff that I would regard to be solid from top to bottom.

Back when Bush was owner, there used to be a guy who sat behind the dugout and all game long yelled “More pitching, George. More pitching.” Now we need that guy more than ever.

games and counting……..

He was a good man.

or does his walking out on Seattle make him forever untrustworthy?

Jim Reeves says that adding Justin Smoak gives Daniels more flexibility to make a move to bring pitching to Texas.

Personally, I think it is more likely that Jon Daniels will be here next year than Chris Davis. Given that the pressure is building for the Rangers to win really soon, they need to make a move to acquire some arms. Signing a Sheets or Burnett only half-solves the problem of the rotation.

Davis is the #1 trade chip the Rangers have and would consider moving in the right deal (they aren’t trading Feliz). If Nolan really needs to “win now” – what is more likely, firing a GM who has rebuilt the farm system and brought the team to the brink? Or trading the biggest trade chip or two for a starting pitcher? Smoak allows Davis to be dealt without a long-term blow to the organization.

Think Chris Davis + Elvis Andrus could get Matt Cain? Before you laugh – have you seen the Giants offense lately?

Anyone hear whether/where he’s reporting this season?

you think that will happen as well?

It’s the same line of reasoning thinking JD might be gone after this year…

The state of pitching prospectdom in the Rangers system is truly impressive, both in terms of depth and talent. In the wake of the great leaps forward taken by guys like Neftali Feliz and Derek Holland, some of the others have been lost in the shuffle, including 2007 first-round pick Michael Main. Main missed the first half of the season recovering from a rib-cage injury, but he’s been impressive since his return, with a 2.25 ERA in six starts for Low-A Clinton while recording 28 strikeouts in 28 innings and limiting opposing batters to a .221 average. A scout who recently saw Main noted plenty of good in the here and now, combined with a good amount of room for future improvement. “The stuff is there, but it needs to be refined,” explained the scout. “I saw him up to 94 mph on the fastball with good life, and his curveball is a real downer with a pretty sharp break. His delivery is solid and he’s aggressive, and really he’s got everything you want to see in a kid his age.” As for the improvements Main needs to make, the scout felt that Main would perfectly capable of reaching them. “He’s so athletic and thin and lean—there’s not a lot of pitchability right now, but I can see it coming. You add the physical maturing that’s clearly still to come, and he could really turn into something.”

I hope this does NOT happen, i want a guy on the Rangers who dreamed his entire life of being a Ranger, Not a Yankee or Red Sox Player, But a Texas Ranger, he has the talent and he wants to be here, that DOES mean something, CD should be an untouchable in my opinion.

no he’s not.

Daniels is succeeding with his back-up plan only after he set this team back a couple of years. the farm being restocked isn’t a product of “JD Wizardry”… it was a last resort to save his job.

if he was fired this offseason, i certainly wouldn’t be outraged.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/columns/story?columnist=crasnick_jerry&id=3535432&lpos=spotlight&lid=tab4pos1

Richard Durrett says Millwood got booed

he SHOULD get booed.

he has provided NOTHING to this team – a team that needs pitching more than anything. he’s the “ace” of the staff (although we all know that he is not an “ace” in the other sense of the word – the “ace” not an "ace").

when he signed with the team, he was expected to contribute positively, and he has been a HUGE disappointment.

dl millwood gets two thumbs down, and my only regret was that i was watching on directv in so cal, unable to boo him, too.

So when can we expect to see him get playing time at the major league level? September 09?

but so is Smoak.

A decision will have to be made in a year or two.

via the FWST blog..

Kameron Loe has made the drive in from Triple-A Oklahoma, presumably for bullpen help, and Tommy Hunter is on his way back to the minors. The Rangers have used their three primary long relievers the past three days. The move could save Dustin Nippert for a start Tuesday. He could also be used Sunday if Vicente Padilla has to be scratched. No one seems to be certain if Padilla threw a bullpen session Friday.