Wednesday a.m. stuff

There's not even

a lot of guys I’m looking forward to for September callups, mostly because, due to injuries, most of the folks I’d want to see, have already been called up.

What's the secret to a long life? "I masturbate a lot"-Ernest Borgnine. http://www.bestweekever.tv/2008/08/14/icymi-ernest-borgnine-reveals-his-secret-for-everlasting-youth/#onepage

by DJCahill on Aug 20, 2008 9:45 AM CDT 0 recs

September callups.

I’d like to see Teagarden get some more starts behind the plate. And I wouldn’t mind getting a look at Borbon.

by Athos on Aug 20, 2008 9:56 AM CDT up 0 recs

September callups

Looks like we will have to make a decision between Cruz and JMJ as to who to callup in September.

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 Aug 20, 2008 9:57 AM CDT up 0 recs

I think we've got enough folks to watch behind the plate

Until they deal someone, I wouldn’t mind seeing Teagarden stay down. I’m not sure he can raise his value by playing in the majors, but he can probably drop it.

What's the secret to a long life? "I masturbate a lot"-Ernest Borgnine. http://www.bestweekever.tv/2008/08/14/icymi-ernest-borgnine-reveals-his-secret-for-everlasting-youth/#onepage

by DJCahill on Aug 20, 2008 10:02 AM CDT up 0 recs

Since I see Teagarden as our frontline catcher of the future ...

I’m not particularly worried about where his value sits at the moment. I doubt he could seriously hurt it over the month of September under any circumstances. If/when we have trade casualties this winter, Saltalasuckia needs to be the one to go.

by Athos on Aug 20, 2008 10:18 AM CDT up 0 recs

I'd have no problems if they dealt salty

but I do think they need to clear up some space with Laird and/or Salty in the offseason before Teagarden comes up.

I was somewhat disappointed we didn’t see someone moved either last offseason or midseason this year.

What's the secret to a long life? "I masturbate a lot"-Ernest Borgnine. http://www.bestweekever.tv/2008/08/14/icymi-ernest-borgnine-reveals-his-secret-for-everlasting-youth/#onepage

by DJCahill on Aug 20, 2008 10:22 AM CDT up 0 recs

seeing Teagarden

K in almost 50% of his major league ABs is going to make us miss Salty real quick.

by clark on Aug 20, 2008 10:31 AM CDT up 0 recs

I doubt that.

Even if Tea K’s that much, the improvement in defense behind the plate will at least make crappy hitting bearable. And I seriously doubt Tea K’s that much.

by Athos on Aug 20, 2008 10:34 AM CDT up 0 recs

looking at his stats

what part makes you think he will be able to hit in the big leagues? beyond the local boy sentiment (which sure as hell didn’t matter with Young and, to a lesser extent, Danks) and his neat game winning HR back in July, what has he done beyond his hot streak in ’07, which featured an unreal BABIP.

by clark on Aug 20, 2008 10:44 AM CDT up 0 recs

So I guess his 2007 season doesn't count?

I guess it shouldn’t, because an OPS of over 1.000 for the season doesn’t really help your argument, does it? That’s one hell of a long “hot streak.” He also hit well in Spokane before getting hurt. And even as horribly as Tea has hit this season, he’s still hitting better than Saltalasuckia—while playing vastly superior defense, which is more important for a catcher. If he can put up a .750 OPS consistently while playing great defense, I’ll be more than happy with that.

by Athos on Aug 20, 2008 10:55 AM CDT up 0 recs

Give it up

Athos…no one around here appreciates catcher defense, evident by the fact that Sunny isn’t even in the top 8 Best Ranger poll.

he’s still hitting better than Saltalasuckia—while playing vastly superior defense...Athos

by Escher on Aug 20, 2008 11:08 AM CDT up 0 recs

2007 should count

but so should 2008. And as you point out, the truth is probably somewhere in the middle. But I would like to see him hit better in AAA before annointing him as the next Rangers starting catcher.

by clark on Aug 20, 2008 11:11 AM CDT up 0 recs

I don't see a lot

in this years stats that make me think he couldn’t benefit by sitting in the minors, and letting the Rangers deal 2 of Salty, Laird, and Ramirez.

What's the secret to a long life? "I masturbate a lot"-Ernest Borgnine. http://www.bestweekever.tv/2008/08/14/icymi-ernest-borgnine-reveals-his-secret-for-everlasting-youth/#onepage

by DJCahill on Aug 20, 2008 10:58 AM CDT up 0 recs

keep Max

don’t trade away the RH bat we need to put between Hambone and Crush.

Warner Madrigal makes Ezequiel Astacio look downright handsome.

by tricer on Aug 20, 2008 11:01 AM CDT up 0 recs

absolutely true

good point.

by clark on Aug 20, 2008 11:08 AM CDT up 0 recs

Concur...

I’m all for keeping TT and MaxRam.

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

by slc ranger on Aug 20, 2008 6:04 PM CDT up 0 recs

I'd like to see Board Game back next season.

And maybe with this light season of DH duty behind him, we can get him some time in RF next season so MaxRam can DH some.

And I still think the Galaragga fiasco is attributable to the pitching instructors and scouts we have at the ML level having no clue what they are doing.

by Athos on Aug 20, 2008 9:49 AM CDT 0 recs

I don't know about that

He was 25, with an ERA of 4 and middling peripherals in AA last year.

Even this year, he’s been very fortunate in terms of his BABIP.

He’s had a nice season, but I’ll be very surprised if he continues to be even an average major league starter.

by Adam J. Morris on Aug 20, 2008 9:59 AM CDT up 0 recs

Galaragga

had better stats and stuff than the pitchers that were kept when he was given away. Giving Jason Jennings a ML deal and cutting AG is an unmitigated failure of the organization.

And his peripherals seem to indicate that he will at least be a serviceable ML starter. His slider is a plus pitch, very good. It’s maddening that we can’t get a young pitcher that can take the ball every fifth day, yet we gave one away that has nearly 140 ip under his belt with a 137 ERA+ and a 1.163 whip. I don’t understand how any Ranger fan would not be upset about this. JD admitted that he and his staff were upset about the poor evaluation of this pitcher.

Warner Madrigal makes Ezequiel Astacio look downright handsome.

by tricer on Aug 20, 2008 10:12 AM CDT up 0 recs

who are you talking about?

140 ip under his belt? Thats not Galarraga is it?

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 Aug 20, 2008 10:20 AM CDT up 0 recs

Galarraga

has 139.1 ip in the ML this season, plus another 12 in AAA.

http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=4222&position=P

Warner Madrigal makes Ezequiel Astacio look downright handsome.

by tricer on Aug 20, 2008 10:22 AM CDT up 0 recs

I thought you were talking about before we gave him away

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 Aug 20, 2008 10:26 AM CDT up 0 recs

139.1

Galaragga is two outs away from hitting the 140 inning mark this season.

by uthornfan on Aug 20, 2008 10:24 AM CDT up 0 recs

+ 1

I could barely watch the game last night. It was sooo annoying and frustrating.
Yeh I know it’s beating a dead horse, but the stench of the ‘dead horse" lingers most when he’s doing to your team what he’s been doing to a lot of teams and that’s being a solid starter. That’s something that we don’t have. I believe Mr. Heika used the term “somewhat unstoppable” not unstoppable.. that’s pretty accurate. WHO do we have that is “somewhat unstoppable”. Noone.

"Well you didn't tell me that you were a Rangers fan" the psychiatrist says to his patient. "That explains a lot!"

by LAMuscleFag on Aug 20, 2008 10:20 AM CDT up 0 recs

Galarraga and Danks

will be the two most oft-cited reasons when JD is let go this offseason.

by clark on Aug 20, 2008 10:20 AM CDT up 0 recs

And a BABIP of about .240

He’s 26 years old and has had a fluky season. Good for him.

I didn’t want him to be cut, but I certainly didn’t think at the time signing Jennings and letting Galarraga go was a mistake. There are other guys — Tejeda and Cruz in particular — I’d have whacked before Galarraga, but when you’ve got a 26 year old pitcher on his last option and with no real success above AA (and not a ton of success in AA), I think it is understandable why they’d let him go.

by Adam J. Morris on Aug 20, 2008 10:22 AM CDT up 0 recs

well...

we need to ask a very fair question:

why was he so bad here and so much better there?

can we not coach pitchers? hard to believe that chicago/cincinati/detroit can change a guy overnight, so i don’t know if that is the sole reason – although ev made a small change in the offseason that seemed to have a positive impact this season.

is is our evaluation of talent? well, we end up with these guys (draft/trades), so we see their potential at some point.

is it a failure to allow them the time necessary to fully develop? maybe.

there can be a host of reasons why danks/ev/galarraga were better off elsewhere, but there is a very common thread that needs to be addressed. many here seem to cite numerous seemingly relevant reasons why it was good to get rid of all these young guys that were quickly (w/n 1-2 seasons or 1-2 months) better than what we received in return. i am not one of them. this team needs pitching, and other teams are benefiting from “lucky” seasons while we sport the worst ERA in baseball that demoralizes the fans.

at some point it’s a well-established pattern that disproves the whole “luck” theory.

i want more accountability and less excuses.

by sam in so cal on Aug 20, 2008 4:31 PM CDT up 0 recs

Well Dank's credits his success to learning the cutter from Buehrle

So, that is more the right place at the right time category. Gallaraga falls more into the fielding adjusted ERA of a 4.30 and a BABIP of .251.

Most of this is more a sample size issue by just looking at the ones that got away and done well.

No one mentions the Juan Domiquez, Ricardo Rodriquez, Matt Riley, Pedro Astacio, Ryan Dreese, Nick Regilio, Franklyn German , Rick Bauer , Daniel Haigwood, or Bill White’s that have been DFA through the years.

by laxtonto on Aug 20, 2008 4:59 PM CDT up 0 recs

no

that’s more of a “a pitching coach (or someone of influence) should have given him the tools necessary to reach his full potential here” category

hoping that your young pitchers pick up pitches/tools from veterans is a completely horrendous approach to player development.

all teams sift through dozens of prospects on a continual basis, but i cannot think of another team that has been fleeced in the manner that the rangers have recently.

to be fair, don’t include ev in this b/c hamilton is playing better than anyone could ever have expected, but i still don’t necessarily think that the rangers got over on cincinnati – it’s a draw. i do think that cincy had a better grasp on his potential than the rangers did.

florida, montreal, etc had economic constraints that precluded them from keeping the likes of pedro martinez and josh beckett, so that doesn’t count.

chris young hasn’t been consistently great, but he’s better than our other alternatives. having the #6 ERA in the AL would look good here (danks), and galarraga is another example (as discussed) that demonstrates our team has some issues.

by sam in so cal on Aug 20, 2008 5:50 PM CDT up 0 recs

what stats are you referring too?

Galarraga had his best season with the rangers (in AA). To give Detroit credit for his success is just stupid.

by Goyogringo on Aug 20, 2008 5:21 PM CDT up 0 recs

?

i don’t understand your question

are you saying that galarraga’s AA season with the rangers was better than his current season? i don’t follow.

i agree that it is stupid to give detroit credit for a guy that has pitched well from day one when day one was a month after he left texas. they had no time to make any changes that would explain why he was pitching better.

that supports my theory that there is a fairly significant problem that AFAIK has not been addressed.

1. why are some pitchers better when they leave? – markedly better in more than one instance
2. why do we not get this potential out of the pitchers that three other teams have in the last two years? – again not isolated instances
3. do we have a significant problem evaluating the progress of our prospects?

by sam in so cal on Aug 20, 2008 5:38 PM CDT up 0 recs

when discussing raga

you ask, " why was he so bad here…cant we coach pitchers….?" When was Raga bad here and when was he poorly coached?

by Goyogringo on Aug 20, 2008 5:44 PM CDT up 0 recs

oh i see

i was being a smart ass.

i was trying to make a point that someone thought he was disposable (as if he were so bad that there’s no place for him on the team). so bad here that we would let him walk…

i understand your point, and i was not clear.

to my point, the rangers did not bring out his potential and subsequently misjudged his ability.

i should not have said that he was not coached very well.

to your point, if he was so good, why did we let him leave for nothing?

by sam in so cal on Aug 20, 2008 5:57 PM CDT up 0 recs

How do you know that the

rangers organization wasn’t instrumental in facilitating his best minor league season (in AA, 07) after his previously miserable 1 1/2 seasons in the minors?

Also, how do you know that the rangers weren’t high on raga? The decision to DFA someone often is decided by the perceived chances that another team will claim the player and the chances that he makes the active roster. Based on Detroits actions after they acquired him, both teams thought the same of him, a player with potential, who merits an assignment to AAA.

by Goyogringo on Aug 20, 2008 11:03 PM CDT up 0 recs

maybe detroit is as lucky

as raga with his “lucky” BABIP

by Goyogringo on Aug 20, 2008 11:04 PM CDT up 0 recs

my opinions on matters like these are contained in the following tome:

http://www.lonestarball.com/2008/8/15/594495/poochy-vs-mjh#8128869

by Goyogringo on Aug 20, 2008 11:53 PM CDT up 0 recs

I don't necessarily disagree.

But right now, an “average” ML starter would look pretty good around here.

by Athos on Aug 20, 2008 10:15 AM CDT up 0 recs

You need to stop turning up your nose

at average major league starters. You used to do that with Doug Davis.

This team could go places if it had a rotation where no one was worse than an average major league starter. When you discard cheap, average major league starters for trash like Jennings, you become the Rangers.

What's the secret to a long life? "I masturbate a lot"-Ernest Borgnine. http://www.bestweekever.tv/2008/08/14/icymi-ernest-borgnine-reveals-his-secret-for-everlasting-youth/#onepage

by DJCahill on Aug 20, 2008 10:18 AM CDT up 0 recs

I'm not turning up my nose at an average ML starter

I’m saying that I don’t think he’ll be average going forward.

As for Davis, my point with him was that he wasn’t going to continue to be successful with the type of peripherals he had in Texas. He was much better in terms of his K rate once he left Texas (and Toronto).

by Adam J. Morris on Aug 20, 2008 10:24 AM CDT up 0 recs

so how many more starts

does Raga need to prove you right or wrong so that we cease with the vague BABIP references?

by Goyogringo on Aug 20, 2008 5:23 PM CDT up 0 recs

This from the Det board.

They do a real good in depth analysis of Galaraga and even they think that alot of this is smoke and mirrors

http://www.blessyouboys.com/2008/8/17/595433/projecting-armando-galarra

As far as BABIP goes, he will adjust to league average in his career.

Everyone does, there is an extremely small contingent, less than 3%, that can maintain a BABIP for an extended career under .296, with only knuckelballer mainting the rate at which Galaraga does. Its just like there is an extremely small contingent of hitters that can maintain year in and year out a BABIP above .320.

Look at it this way, Galaraga has the 3rd lowest BABIP in all of baseball. Only behind Duchescher and Wakefield.

by laxtonto on Aug 20, 2008 6:19 PM CDT up 0 recs

nice but...

it seems that 1/2yr of low BABIP can be explained away but surely not 1 full year? more to the point, “luck” surely has a rational explanation right, like new pitcher on your team, new pitcher in a league, but are there cases when a pitcher has been “lucky” for an entire season? or two? The argument for Raga’s “lucky” year would be strengthened (and be more relevant) if someone compared his first half stats to his second and weakended if there isn’t too great a differential.

I guess the other issue that I have with this line of critique of Raga is that people seem to be arguing against the perception that he is a top rotation guy, but If you never imagined Raga in that capacity then extremely low BAPIP #s wont really make that much of a difference next year in how you evaluate him.

If you saw his ceiling as a #3 and a likley # 5 at the beginning of the season, and he puts up a projected line of 4.25/+27hits/.267BAA (FIP adjusted, compared to this yr with no changes in his other peripherals), then the the “real” Raga (the one who isn’t ptiching this year apparently) and the “lucky” Raga (the one who is) will still be a valuable #4starter. And this doesnt take into account the likelihood that he becomes a better pitcher in his second yr.

Perhaps the BABIP card is simply being (over)played to thwart the appropriation of Raga’s excellent season as a symbol of the failings of the organization generally. Other than that I think he will have a nice season next year as #4 starter and may even throw up #s that are better than projected.

by Goyogringo on Aug 20, 2008 9:02 PM CDT up 0 recs

It is entirely possible

to have a full season that just happens to be pretty lucky, just like an entire season can be unlucky. Carlos Silva has been pretty unlucky this year. His ERA is 6.36, but some metrics show him to be about league average. Matsuzaka, Saunders, and Galarraga are some that are living on borrowed time in a sense.

Galarraga will likely be very pedestrian next year, and lots of people will wonder what happened to him.

Few here, certainly not Adam, thinks that Galarraga should have been let go instead of someone like Tejeda. There were other choices. But for people to rank this right up there with the San Diego trade is patently ridiculous.

Time you enjoy wasting was not wasted.

by t ball on Aug 20, 2008 9:20 PM CDT up 0 recs

It is entirely possible

to have a full season that just happens to be pretty lucky

not if you’re a ranger.

the personnel decision to let the guy go (just before he was ready to be "lucky") isn’t necessarily as bad as “trading” young, but it seems to be a pattern that collectively is borderline concerning.

Galarraga will likely be very pedestrian next year, and lots of people will wonder what happened to him.

i’m sure we’ll be too busy concerning ourselves with how great jennings is to notice how much galarraga has dropped off next year…

that brings up a point – has anyone seen anything in the way of a proposed rotation that includes jennings? i forgot we had him until yesterday – easy to do when a guy singlehandedly ruined our season (obviously kidding – kind of…)

by sam in so cal on Aug 20, 2008 9:41 PM CDT up 0 recs

that happens A LOT around here

Perhaps the BABIP card is simply being (over)played to thwart the appropriation of Raga’s excellent season as a symbol of the failings of the organization generally.

by sam in so cal on Aug 20, 2008 9:45 PM CDT up 0 recs

Nah

the beef I have with these discussions of Galarraga (and in reading the really half-cocked stuff at the DMN blog) is that a lot of posters are putting losing Galarraga on a par with losing Chris Young and John Danks. There is just no comparison. To me, it’s much more like losing Tejeda.

Time you enjoy wasting was not wasted.

by t ball on Aug 20, 2008 11:19 PM CDT up 0 recs

actually that was a dig at you sam

Raga is a back of the rotation starter and neither team expected more than that from him, not even detroit who assigned him to AAA to start the season. I was trying to expose the hype from both Raga camps: those who say he is an accident (the BABIP folks) and the folks like yourself who extoll him as the Ranger’s missing link.

by Goyogringo on Aug 20, 2008 11:44 PM CDT up 0 recs

not missing link

better than jennings?

you tell me.

by sam in so cal on Aug 21, 2008 9:53 AM CDT up 0 recs

thanks for that article lax...

by Goyogringo on Aug 20, 2008 11:07 PM CDT up 0 recs

np man

by laxtonto on Aug 20, 2008 11:40 PM CDT up 0 recs

+ 1

"Well you didn't tell me that you were a Rangers fan" the psychiatrist says to his patient. "That explains a lot!"

by LAMuscleFag on Aug 20, 2008 10:34 AM CDT up 0 recs

that's fine and all

but we sure as hell could’ve used his “abberation year” if that is what this is. I don’t think it is, and I don’t think he would’ve posted any better than a 4.00 ERA here, but I think we would all be pretty happy with 12 wins and a 4.25 ERA out of him right now. compared to what, 3 wins, and double the ERA at 8.13? simply disgusting.

"So you have no frame of reference here, Donny. You're like a child who wanders into the middle of a movie and wants to know... "

by Walter Sobchak on Aug 20, 2008 7:37 PM CDT up 0 recs

you think that our pitching coaches could just look at his slider??

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

by Steal Home on Aug 20, 2008 11:54 AM CDT up 0 recs

Bradley

I don’t know how he would react to this type of offer but I think a low guaranteed money with incentives is the best course of action.

2 year 13 million guaranteed. 1 million dollar bonus at each level of PAs (300,400,450,500,550) brings the potential deal to 23 million over those two years. have an actuator clause where if he reaches 900 PAs over the first two years it triggers a 3rd year with the same incentives but an initial base of 9 million. If he doesn’t reach 900 PAs we would still hold the option in case its due to some freak injury or something that causes him to not reach it.

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 Aug 20, 2008 9:55 AM CDT 0 recs

If he doesn't react well

Let someone else sign him and take the picks

by Telegraph on Aug 20, 2008 11:35 AM CDT up 0 recs

i was/am a HUGE fan, but i was pushing for a trade

now we have a guy that never plays and that few(er) teams want. i honestly think that there was no market for him, or the team would have moved him.

maybe the rangers could pay him on a game-by-game basis – much like a stripper. just as a strip collects her money at the cage at the end of her shift, MB could stop by JD’s office and get $50,000 per game that he plays.

in all seriousness, his agent (if he’s remotely intelligent) will encourage him to play wherever he gets the highest guaranteed money. the over/under is 100 games each season, and that’s not worth much. i agree with your thinking steve, but no one in their right mind would take that deal.

(feel free to cite numerous examples to the contrary, but it’s so one-sided for a guy that is always hurt and is on his last contract)

by sam in so cal on Aug 20, 2008 4:43 PM CDT up 0 recs

That's the kind of deal...

that Board Game will have to take imo. His injury history will obviously be strongly considered by any team offering him a deal.

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

by slc ranger on Aug 20, 2008 6:07 PM CDT up 0 recs

I've been wondering

how much of a pain in the ass it must be for you to keep writing these daily updates as crappy as this season has turned out to be.

I think the things worth watching and getting excited about are McCarthy’s performance the rest of this year and the performance and development of Feliz/Holland/etc in the minors. If these guys could develop like Shields/Sonnanstine/Price 2.0, there’s your pitching solution long term.

Aikman and Bradshaw?

Please. They are in the same league as Trent Dilfer and Jim McMahon as QBs who were taken to the SB by great Defenses and great Running Games.
-DJCahill

by SarasotaRanger on Aug 20, 2008 9:56 AM CDT 0 recs

Feliz/Holland/Hunter/Harrison

It’s nice seeing the development.

That said, it would be shocking if JD didn’t acquire a substantial, accomplished veteran presence for the front of the rotation this winter. Those young guys deserve the reps without all the pressure to perform.

And let’s not talk about Millwood and Padilla. I wonder how many franchises outside Arlington would think about cutting Kevin this winter…

Go Strangers.

by hightowersmith on Aug 20, 2008 10:02 AM CDT up 0 recs

I'm for that too. Bring on whomever to improve this team now.

I just think the youth movement will be the foundation for long term success.

Aikman and Bradshaw?

Please. They are in the same league as Trent Dilfer and Jim McMahon as QBs who were taken to the SB by great Defenses and great Running Games.
-DJCahill

by SarasotaRanger on Aug 20, 2008 10:24 AM CDT up 0 recs

might as well put millwood on waivers

maybe a team is dumb enough to claim him

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

by Steal Home on Aug 20, 2008 12:25 PM CDT up 0 recs

This is actually a decent idea

by Telegraph on Aug 20, 2008 12:50 PM CDT up 0 recs

i think i wanna give a season to nolan

of running Millwood into the ground with a conditioning regiment before i completely give up on him, but i see what your saying.

"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 Aug 20, 2008 3:50 PM CDT up 0 recs

I don't know about shocking

I’d probably place even money on it at best.

Offense doesn't doubt me, but my first and primemost thing is defense and punt return and kickoff return

by zywica on Aug 20, 2008 12:59 PM CDT up 0 recs

Adam is just getting excited

about the season ending so he can get on with his true love of writing about the top 50 Rangers of all time.

What's the secret to a long life? "I masturbate a lot"-Ernest Borgnine. http://www.bestweekever.tv/2008/08/14/icymi-ernest-borgnine-reveals-his-secret-for-everlasting-youth/#onepage

by DJCahill on Aug 20, 2008 10:02 AM CDT up 0 recs

He is waiting for the top 40 to make it into the big leagues

by Telegraph on Aug 20, 2008 11:51 AM CDT up 0 recs

MJH

Absolutely crushes it at the Rangers blog.

Required reading, especially for the Sabathia/Sheets peanut gallery.

Go Strangers.

by hightowersmith on Aug 20, 2008 9:59 AM CDT 0 recs

+1

I enjoyed that.

by aggierangerfan00 on Aug 20, 2008 10:10 AM CDT up 0 recs

So, are you advocating

doing nothing? Improving the pitching staff is going to take action with cash and/or prospects in trade. There is no reward without risk, and though it’s fashionable right now to say “build from within” that approach also has risks — guys not panning out at the top levels, injuries, misevaluation, etc.

The Rangers are going to need to do all three smartly to contend in either 2009 or 2010. There is a strong core of bats in or entering their primes right now. Try to find the right deal (without going bat shit crazy like SF with Zito, etc.) for a free agent, try to get a young starter through trade, AND patiently groom your farm hands.

In trade the Rangers are probably going to have to accept someone else’s trouble if they’re not willing to give up have of the their top 10 prospects. Greinke, Olsen, Myers, etc. These are the guys that might be available for less than a ridiculous price.

Time you enjoy wasting was not wasted.

by t ball on Aug 20, 2008 10:12 AM CDT up 0 recs