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Thursday a.m. stuff

Th_buckykatt_tiny by Adam J. Morris on

Nice win yesterday...the Rangers are now at 77-82, and if they can somehow sweep the season-ending series against Anaheim, they will end up exactly where I predicted they'd be before the season, 80-82 and in 2nd place. 

I'm not counting on a sweep, though...

Evan Grant has some follow up comments from Nolan Ryan, with Ryan saying he expects Ron Washington and Jon Daniels to be back, but not coming out and saying that they will be back.  He also says that payroll isn't going up significantly and that the Rangers aren't going to be big players in free agency.  Jeff Wilson says the decision to keep the current management team intact reflects a belief that the current plan is a good one.

Randy Galloway throws a semi-coherent tantrum over Ryan not cleaning house, and suggests that either Tom Hicks intervened or else Ryan has somehow been brainwashed.

 

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I think Ryan

said that they would return pending final approval from ownership. A meeting in about 2 weeks for the final decision. His statements make it sound like a formality.

by mcgee48c on Sep 25, 2008 10:19 AM CDT   0 recs

It really is getting silly

to harp on the pitching without mentioning the defense. Galloway and others focus on the pitching as if ERA is the only measure. The Rangers’ pitching would not have been very good in any case. But with even league average defense the picture would look much less bleak at the major league level.

Ryan should be meeting with the fielding instructors this offseason, not the pitching coordinators. Looking for reasons why our top pitching prospects didn’t succeed in the majors? Don’t forget to put defense on your list.

In essentials, unity. In non-essentials, liberty. In all things, love.

by t ball on Sep 25, 2008 10:26 AM CDT   0 recs

Yep,

I honestly believe that our defense is so bad, it’s worth about a half a run of ERA for most of our pitchers. FIP and DIPs and Defensive Efficiency tend to support that. I think this team could benefit more than most by restructuring their up the middle defense.

"Oh well, McCain is pretty communist anyway,... we can be 70% communist with McCain,"-Sharky

by DJCahill on Sep 25, 2008 10:34 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

half a run

Seems about right to me. And that would move team ERA from 5.41 to about 4.90. And better defense would also likely help starters stay in games a tad longer and relieve the beleaguered bullpen.

In essentials, unity. In non-essentials, liberty. In all things, love.

by t ball on Sep 25, 2008 11:30 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

You'd think...

…Ryan would be ultra irritated by all the errors as a former pitcher. I bet errors behind them infuriates pitchers.

by FuturePants on Sep 25, 2008 11:35 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Defense

Cowlishaw’s column today included mention of the D.

The bleakness comes through more effectively, actually. And that’s after overcoming the desire to firebomb the ballpark.

Go Strangers.

by hightowersmith on Sep 25, 2008 11:02 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Knowing Cowlishaw

He’s right, but for the wrong reasons. Texas has the worst fielding percentage and highest error total in the majors (and I presume that’s what he’s referencing), but that alone does not even begin to fully account for why this team is on a historically futile pace fielding-wise.

FYI, the difference between the Rangers’ ERA and FIP this year is -0.55 runs. It’s been a bit more than a half a run.

Baseball Time in Arlington

by Joey Matschulat on Sep 25, 2008 11:32 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

I caught galloway on the radio for about 30 seconds yesterday as i scanned around.

He seemed quite distraught.

Yesterdays game was great.

the preceding post was a great success.

by DSheppard on Sep 25, 2008 10:29 AM CDT   0 recs

I read Galloway's column...

…and just like he said, what Ryan said about JD & Wash was an unexpected punch.

I can’t imagine the Rangers would keep this failed bit of management around just because they believe next year is going to be more of the same.

The thing is, I don’t know how this thing can be expected to play out any different than it did in 2008 with everybody coming back.

"Dying ain't hard. It's living that's hard."

by Josey Wales on Sep 25, 2008 10:39 AM CDT   0 recs

And how the hell are they

going to sell more tickets?

"Dying ain't hard. It's living that's hard."

by Josey Wales on Sep 25, 2008 10:39 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Remarkable likeness

Josey Wales : Randy Galloway :: Peas : Carrots

What's the rumpus?

by Hypo-Luxa on Sep 25, 2008 10:41 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

I'd suggest

that it is not about 2008 or 2009 or any single season. It’s about a long term plan.

In essentials, unity. In non-essentials, liberty. In all things, love.

by t ball on Sep 25, 2008 11:31 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

tball, there's no immediate end

in sight.

With rare exceptions, It almost always takes young pitchers 2-3 years before they get going and these young pitchers the Rangers have on the way aren’t going to be here until 2010 or beyond and that means we’re most likely into 2012 before things have a reasonable chance to change.

"Dying ain't hard. It's living that's hard."

by Josey Wales on Sep 25, 2008 11:37 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

2012

It might be that long, yes. But I believe that if Daniels had not dealt away Chris Young and Gonzalez, Soriano, Danks and Galaragga, they would still not be contending even though your opinion of him might not be so caustic. They’d be the Astros, always a bridesmaid.

If it takes until 2012, so be it. If they stick to the plan and build from within the organization will be better off for it. I prefer that to a quick fix mentality like Houston the Yankees that does whatever possible to plug holes. Personally I think 2010 is a reasonable goal for contending. With such a good solid core of position players, and several young pitchers already in Arlington, there’s a good opportunity to add to that by then. You don’t have so many holes that you’d have to strip the minor leagues bare to do it.

In essentials, unity. In non-essentials, liberty. In all things, love.

by t ball on Sep 25, 2008 12:58 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Young pitching

What would the management alternative to JD be? Are you saying a more competent GM would deal the young guys (eg, Holland, Feliz) for effective-in-2009 veterans?

Incidentally, Nolan’s sticking with the JD regime because the org’s too deep into “develop from within” management.

Go Strangers.

by hightowersmith on Sep 25, 2008 1:31 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Management alternative to JD?

Brian Cashman.

"Dying ain't hard. It's living that's hard."

by Josey Wales on Sep 25, 2008 1:32 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Because he has accomplished so much

with so little. If you got $200 million, and are good with not making the playoffs, he is your man.

"Oh well, McCain is pretty communist anyway,... we can be 70% communist with McCain,"-Sharky

by DJCahill on Sep 25, 2008 1:34 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Are you kidding?

Cashman’s product was mediocre this year, with less to look forward to than JD. I’d rather have this farm and this nice, lean payroll.

Needless to say though, you couldn’t have taken Joba from him at gunpoint. Or even Kennedy.

Unless you’re referencing the Hughes-led trade package for Santana. It’s published that JD was in on that bidding too, though.

Go Strangers.

by hightowersmith on Sep 25, 2008 2:22 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Galloway

Y’know when I first moved back to the DFW area in 2006 I had already read Seasons in Hell, the awesome book by Shropshire, which mentions Galloway as a young redneck reporter following the Rangers. So in light of his cameo’s in this great book and the length of time he’d been in the arena (especially for the Rangers) I gave him a large amount of slack for his rants, his propensity to call everyone an idiot and to form entire arguments upon determining whether he can call someone an idiot. Fast forward a few years and it is quite clear he has no idea what the hell is going on in this town.

His ideas and rants are those of the out-of-touch Ranger fan. Which would be fine if he didn’t have a freakin column in the paper and his own radio show.

This latest column just shows how much of a self-serving eedjit he really is. He’s been fondling Nolan’s nutsack ever since he came aboard and now instead of saying, hmmm..maybe I should get behind JD since my Great Leader is behind him, he throws Nolan into the same muck he placed JD seemingly from Day One.

What's the rumpus?

by Hypo-Luxa on Sep 25, 2008 10:40 AM CDT   0 recs

Galloway's ideas are for the out-of-touch Ranger fans?

 In what way specifically?

"Dying ain't hard. It's living that's hard."

by Josey Wales on Sep 25, 2008 10:58 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

One example

the one rant he had before this season about JD’s trades and not one of the returns being on the roster. He cited that as a HUGE indictment on JD. Now, if you want to get MLB ready players as your primary trade returns you can look at the Pirates and their trade history the past couple of years. What has it gotten them?

I doubt Galloway would even recognize half of the names that will show up on the Community Top 10 prospects in the system.

What's the rumpus?

by Hypo-Luxa on Sep 25, 2008 11:12 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Another

From today’s column:

“By the way, where is the pitching? Better yet, can anyone point to any progress made this season in young pitchers who are close to being major-league ready? Those farm system products, who have proved to be major-league ready, all throw for other teams because of disastrous trades, excluding Josh Hamilton.”

Matt Harrison- third most wins in the AL since his debut, behind Cliff Lee and Burnett.

Frankie Frank. Neftali Feliz. Tommy Hunter going from a 1st-rounder in 07 to the majors this year. Derek Holland. Eric Hurley got hurt, but also didn’t get his ass handed to him in his brief major-league trial, either.

But none of that apparently matters in Galloway’s world. The Rangers are the most fucked-up major-league organization that’s ever existed, and Daniels has never made a correct move without having someone to hold his hand like he’s fucking five years old. What a load of crap.

"I dont care to debate with a troll." - Sharky

by RCCook on Sep 25, 2008 11:20 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

I'd tap the brakes on Matt Harrison

until further notice.

He got 9 wins (three against Oakland) because the Rangers scored more than 8 runs per start for him.

He’s not failed by any means but I’m not expecting him to win 15-20 games next year.

"Dying ain't hard. It's living that's hard."

by Josey Wales on Sep 25, 2008 11:23 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Not true about Galloway

not knowing names of minor league players. I’ve heard him talk about them in the past on his show.

What’s wrong with wanting to acquire major league talent? The Red Sox, White Sox, Mets, Orioles, Devil Rays, Twins, Phillies (to name only a few) did quite well this year in picking up healthy, ready to play major league talent.

"Dying ain't hard. It's living that's hard."

by Josey Wales on Sep 25, 2008 11:30 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Hamilton

Bradley, Harrison, Murphy, Madrigal, Saltalamacchia. That’s a pretty nice bunch of ML ready talent.

In essentials, unity. In non-essentials, liberty. In all things, love.

by t ball on Sep 25, 2008 1:01 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Acquiring ML talent

isn’t a bad thing at all. However, if it is your barometer for judging a trade then it’s an extremely faulty measure. And a lot of the teams you listed above dealt minor leaguers for their ML ready talent. When you are trading ML players you have less of a likelihood of acquiring ML talent in return especially when you’re selling to a playoff contender who cannot spare much if any from their ML roster.

What's the rumpus?

by Hypo-Luxa on Sep 25, 2008 1:05 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

galloway

whats sad is that galloway influences the opinion of thousands of rangers fans around the area. i just hope that hicks and ryan dont cave in to this bullshit.

by Fireal20 on Sep 25, 2008 10:50 AM CDT   0 recs

Galloway...

He looks at the losing record and sees failure, without even noticing the good things that happened this year (Hamilton, Kinsler, Davis, Harrison, Murphy, and to a lesser extent Teagarden, Cruz, Hurley, etc). And he has no clue of what most of us are excited about that’s happening down on the farm. I doubt Galloway has ever heard the name Derek Holland.

by Topgun22 on Sep 25, 2008 11:07 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

He has heard the name

Jose Cuervo though.

"Oh well, McCain is pretty communist anyway,... we can be 70% communist with McCain,"-Sharky

by DJCahill on Sep 25, 2008 11:13 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Newberg's fist report from AZ is up

for those of you who are not subscribers

One of the interesting tidbits from yesterdays action: Lemon to second for the first time in his Milb career.

by Goyogringo on Sep 25, 2008 11:11 AM CDT   0 recs

I think Galloway sees a GM

that …

- gave a 33 year old SS a 5 year/$ 80 million extension. Probably not a big deal on a team with a large market payroll but this team plays with a small market payroll and $ 16 million eats up 23% of a $ 70 million payroll.

 - traded CYoung/AG for a bag of rocks and a perpetually overworked 36 year old Japanese relief pitcher that couldn’t throw harder than 91 mph.

- traded Soriano for Wilkerson & Galarraga and then DFA’d Galaragga to make room for mf’ing Jason Jennings (who cost more than $ 4 million and was done before May 10)..

- hired Ron Washington.

- brought in Sammy Sosa to be the DH of the team and then let the rockhead manager let him hit 315 times v. right-handed pitching mostly as the clean-up hitter even though his OPS v. those pitchers was under .700.

- thought it was a great idea to offer Barry Zito a 6 year / $ 99 million contract.

- failed to land Zito and in desperation, traded John Danks for Brandon McCarthy because he thought the team was close to contending for the AL West division in 2007.

- who thought signing a 40 year old Kenny Lofton to play CF would help the 2007 Rangers win that year.

- thought signing Ben Broussard was a great, albeit expensive ($ 3.85 million) idea. Broussard was flushed out before May 15.

Galloway really isn’’t out of touch. He just wants to know why the F Boy Blunder still has a job when he has been beyond incompetent.

"Dying ain't hard. It's living that's hard."

by Josey Wales on Sep 25, 2008 11:22 AM CDT   0 recs

Galloway

what bothers me most about him is summed up in your final sentence “boy blunder”.
If you are going to be a professional columnist and talk show host at least have the decency to use a persons name and not come up with a not so clever insult just because they are young.

And to be fair, I also felt it was wrong when mike ryhner used to call parcells “the new jersey con man”

"I'm against picketing, but I don't know how to show it." - Mitch Hedberg

by rentz on Sep 25, 2008 11:25 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

and

around and around we go….Where it stops I sure as hell would like to know…

What's the rumpus?

by Hypo-Luxa on Sep 25, 2008 11:25 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

You said Galloway appealed to the out of touch

Ranger fan.

I’m far from out of touch with this team and today’s Galloway column is spot-on.

"Dying ain't hard. It's living that's hard."

by Josey Wales on Sep 25, 2008 11:33 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

But that is only because

Hicks and JD apparently ran over your cat and pissed in your cheerios

By 2028, Mark Teixeira will be in the HOF.
-The Outlaw

by Gdawg1 on Sep 25, 2008 12:11 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Ok

so he appeals to out-of-touch fans as well as those who can’t seem to step away from the axe-grinder.

if he’s as plugged in as you intimate, he sure has some pretty lame and outdated takes.

What's the rumpus?

by Hypo-Luxa on Sep 25, 2008 1:09 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

I don't know if Galloway is plugged into the Rangers

and sometimes his writing wanders but his takes on JD have been largely accurate.

"Dying ain't hard. It's living that's hard."

by Josey Wales on Sep 25, 2008 1:15 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Why

Do you think Galloway’s takes are accurate? I’ve seen one accurate line in his columns. That he feels like Ryan punched him in the jaw with a confirmation of continuity of the team’s plan. You continue to make statements and seldom qualify them as just opinions. Galloway is antediluvian, and that takes some saying (I’m older).

"He uses statistics as a drunken man uses lamp-posts... for support rather than illumination." - Andrew Lang (1844-1912)

by Ed Coffin on Sep 25, 2008 1:43 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

I don't have Galloway columns wallpapered in my

office so I can’t give you specific takes, Ed.

I do know that Galloway gave JD a year to get his stuff together as the GM (which I did as well) and then started his criticisms. Given the performance of this thing since JD took over (3 years ago and the 4th & 5th years look to be no better), I believe those criticisms to be very fair.

When you say to me “You continue to make statements and seldom qualify them as just opinions” what are you asking or saying to me?

I do write in a stye that’s not milquetoast and I don’t believe in softening anything I convey in here.

I think the words, “Just my 2 cents” or “IMO” are a waste of space and redundant. Of course it’s your opinion, you wrote it!!

And major props for dropping in the term “antedilluvian” because you sent me scurrying for a dictionary.

"Dying ain't hard. It's living that's hard."

by Josey Wales on Sep 25, 2008 1:56 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

One year?

Ok so if a GM fucks up after 1 year, the book is closed on him for good? he can’t improve and he can’t be worth keeping?

I don’t see how you can judge ANY GM on just one year of work.

What's the rumpus?

by Hypo-Luxa on Sep 25, 2008 2:10 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

My judgment on JD is now based on

3 full years of incompetence.

"Dying ain't hard. It's living that's hard."

by Josey Wales on Sep 25, 2008 2:16 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Its actually 1 disappointing year

that you just keep saying happened 3 times.

By 2028, Mark Teixeira will be in the HOF.
-The Outlaw

by Gdawg1 on Sep 25, 2008 2:27 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Bingo

In essentials, unity. In non-essentials, liberty. In all things, love.

by t ball on Sep 25, 2008 2:41 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

1 disappointing year???

The team at the major league level is basically where it was in September 2005.

75-80 wins with no immediate change in sight.

"Dying ain't hard. It's living that's hard."

by Josey Wales on Sep 25, 2008 2:44 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

and the minor league system is where it was in 2005

and there is a lack of (young) talent at the major league level just like there was in 2005 right?

hell, if you were an a’s fan you would be saying fire billy beane i bet

as a matter of fact i think that you could probably say there is only 1 successful, non failure GM in the majors. and that ONE guy is the team that wins the WS

getthefuckoverit

who would you rather have as gm? melvin?

"I don’t know of a single thing Obama’s done except talk and write." - Newt Gingrich

by knockoutking on Sep 26, 2008 11:31 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

If the Ranger minor league system was in such bad shape

in 2004, how come there were so much top end talent in cupboard from top to bottom?

"Dying ain't hard. It's living that's hard."

by Josey Wales on Sep 27, 2008 12:37 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

There was top end talent

but not as much, and there weren’t nearly as many players with major league ceilings as there are now. This view is nearly unanimous. You are the only holdout. But I’m sure it’s you that are right in all your humble wisdom and everyone else must be wrong.

In 2004 the Rangers had a handful of terrific prospects. In 2008 they have more talented arms than any other team in baseball, with the possible exception of the A’s, and depth at nearly every position as well. The 2004 system would rank in the middle, the 2008 system ranks right at the top.

In essentials, unity. In non-essentials, liberty. In all things, love.

by t ball on Sep 27, 2008 1:53 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Consider this

In adjudging milquetoast or any other descriptive about on’es commentary. Given the same content, the difference between blowhard and sage is presentation. Both present useful information. In one case, presentation causes argument and rebuttal and ad hominem shots. In the other case, presentation causes people to digest it, quote it, and consider it useful. Hope that helps.

"He uses statistics as a drunken man uses lamp-posts... for support rather than illumination." - Andrew Lang (1844-1912)

by Ed Coffin on Sep 25, 2008 3:02 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

"Given the performance of this thing since JD took over (3 years ago and the 4th & 5th years look to be no better)"

How do you think the 4th and 4th future years appear to be no better? I’m a lifelong Ranger fan, and although I am slightly disappointed in this year’s squad not finishing over 500, this is probably the most excited I’ve ever been about the Ranger future. Holland, Feliz, CD, Davis, Kinsler, Tea/MaxRam/Salty, Cruz, Hambone, Mad Dog, Hurley, Harrison, Hunter, Andrus, Frank Frank…..those are all key pieces to the puzzle to put together a legit contender, which is something that has never, ever, ever existed in Arlington. Correct me if I’m wrong, but weren’t most of those JD acquisitions (all besides Cruz, Frank Frank, Kinsler and Hurley)? This is a good, good time to be a Ranger fan..the future is quite bright..to say that the 4th and 5th years are already failures is a very shortsighted thing to say. The 4th and 5th years might be the best years this franchise has ever had.

"Does this effectively hide my thunder?"

by Bob Loblaw on Sep 25, 2008 4:37 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Yep

And Cruz was a JD acquisition in the Milwaukee deal. He was possibly the centerpiece of the deal, since Lee was clearly a rest of the season rental.

"He uses statistics as a drunken man uses lamp-posts... for support rather than illumination." - Andrew Lang (1844-1912)

by Ed Coffin on Sep 25, 2008 5:15 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

thanks, Ed

I got a bit mixed up there.

"Does this effectively hide my thunder?"

by Bob Loblaw on Sep 25, 2008 5:19 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Ah, here we go.
but this team plays with a small market payroll

But they’re in a big market. What’s your point? That Hicks just pockets anything under a large payroll?

traded CYoung/AG for a bag of rocks

Yeah, that sucked. We all know.

traded Soriano for Wilkerson & Galarraga and then DFA’d Galaragga to make room for mf’ing Jason Jennings

Totally sucked as well, but contributed to us being able to have a payroll like a small market team, which you seem to advocate above, so which is it?

hired Ron Washington

Well, sorta. By all accounts Hicks wanted him just as much as JD.

thought it was a great idea to offer Barry Zito a 6 year / $ 99 million contract

Just like a lot of people did at the time; he had had great success in Arlington over the course of his career. But, we aren’t paying Zito, so what’s the problem?

failed to land Zito

Um, you were just comlaining about offering a K to Zito, now you complain that we didn’t sign him? That is extremely self-contradictory.

traded John Danks for Brandon McCarthy

Hindsight. At the time didn’t look that bad, except for people like myself who simply didn’t like letting a lefty go for a righty.

who thought signing a 40 year old Kenny Lofton

Uh, that was a productive sign. Plus, we have Max Ramirez and Lofton is still retired. Why do you have a problem with this move?

brought in Sammy Sosa to be the DH of the team and then let the rockhead manager let him hit 315 times v. right-handed pitching mostly as the clean-up hitter even though his OPS v. those pitchers was under .700.

That is a complaint about Washington, not JD. I suggest making a new post entitled, “Galloway sees a manager who…”

thought signing Ben Broussard was a great, albeit expensive ($ 3.85 million) idea. Broussard was flushed out before May 15

Broussard was demanded by Washington, the front office allowed his demands to be met. More of a Washington and Hicks deal than a complaint about JD.

Galloway really isn’’t out of touch. He just wants to know why the F Boy Blunder still has a job when he has been beyond incompetent

No, Galloway is in fact an idiot.

by FuturePants on Sep 25, 2008 11:32 AM CDT to parent up   1 recs

traded Soriano for Wilkerson & Galarraga and then DFA’d Galaragga to make room for mf’ing Jason Jennings

IIRC there were many out there, both on this site and otherwise who thought the deal was not a bad one (ME INCLUDED)

and if you thought that galaragga would be this good you are a liar. if anyone did.

"I don’t know of a single thing Obama’s done except talk and write." - Newt Gingrich

by knockoutking on Sep 26, 2008 11:35 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Galarraga isn't this good

he’s been one of the two or three luckiest pitchers in baseball this year. Daniels isn’t stupid, he’s unlucky. Fire him and hire someone luckier I guess.

In essentials, unity. In non-essentials, liberty. In all things, love.

by t ball on Sep 26, 2008 11:47 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

JD isn't stupid

but keeping Mendoza over Galaragga was a stupid move.

Galaragga may never again have a season this good, but I’d bet that he will always be much, much better than Luis freaking Mendoza. It was a horrible job of talent evaluation, and JD admitted as much.

"So he tore it up in AA. Yippee. ...Max Ramirez be damned." - bigsteve

by tricer on Sep 26, 2008 9:23 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

I agree

I and I think most here wanted Galarraga over Mendoza.

In essentials, unity. In non-essentials, liberty. In all things, love.

by t ball on Sep 26, 2008 11:23 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Just to be clear

I wanted to keep Galarraga also

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 Sep 27, 2008 1:30 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Im not trying to make excuses

But go back and look at their stats from 2007 and try and find a reason to keep Galarraga over Mendoza. Mendoza is younger, and had an ERA under 4 in AAA in 2007 and then had success, albeit in a very small sample size, in the majors in September. Galarraga had the better overall minor league track record but hadn’t put up an ERA under 4 above rookie ball in the Texas organization. His ERAs weren’t necessarily bad in the minors in 2007 but once he got to Arlington he didn’t exactly light the place on fire. The younger guy had the better numbers so I can see why they went with Mendoza. The only thing Galarraga had going for him was his strikeout rate compared to Mendozas.

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 Sep 27, 2008 1:30 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Mike Doocy is an Idiot

Last night I was flipping around local news and right at 10:30 at the very last segment, Mike Doocy, after recapping the day game, says something to the effect that the only hope for this team is for Tom Hicks to “write the big check this winter.”

Really? The only hope? Mike Doocy sucks.

by FuturePants on Sep 25, 2008 11:24 AM CDT   0 recs

Listening to or reading Galloway's crap is a total waste of time

He’s just another blow hard who thinks he knows it all, when in fact he shouldn’t talk baseball at all. He doesn’t even like the traditional stats much less the in depth ones.

Revenge of the Birds

by cgolden on Sep 25, 2008 1:28 PM CDT   0 recs

I love it when the Musers

parody GAC. That is some radio gold.

I'm undefeated in fights. Have I been in any? No. Thats because people know my f'ing status. Don't mess with the elite. - Miles

by Dirk Diggler on Sep 25, 2008 1:45 PM CDT   0 recs

KLAW summary

http://proxy.espn.go.com/chat/chatESPN?event_id=22667

Niel (Dallas): What team has the most pitching in their minor league system?

SportsNation Keith Law: (1:08 PM ET ) Texas. Tampa, Boston, San Francisco too.
Jay, Melville: Keith, Keith, Please compare the abilities of Justin Smoak and Pedro Alvarez.What is their ETA for the majors? Thanks

SportsNation Keith Law: (1:58 PM ET ) I prefer Smoak – switch-hitter, more patient, better pitch recognition, plus glove at 1b. Both are quick movers, in the majors inside of 24 months.
Matt (Cambridge): How does Lars Anderson project against guys like Smoak, T. Snider, Alvarez, and Villalona? How about a gut-feeling ranking?

SportsNation Keith Law: (2:12 PM ET ) Hm. Smoak, Anderson, Snider, Alvarez, Villalona.
Landon, Cali: One of your ESPN colleagues, Jim Callis, said right now he would put the Rangers over the A’s as the best system in baseball because the Rangers are loaded at every position it seems. Agree?

SportsNation Keith Law: (2:41 PM ET ) Yes, although my main reasons would be a longer list of legitimate prospects and more top-shelf guys. Other than Inoa, I’m not sure there’s an Oakland prospect who’d crack Texas’ top 4. And I do like Cahill and Anderson – I just like Texas’ best guys (Feliz and Smoak in particular) more.
clayton (dallas): Do you see Michael Maine’s late hand break as worrisome for the future?

SportsNation Keith Law: (2:42 PM ET ) No.
Hank (Dallas): Keith, who do you think is better longterm, Holland or Feliz?

SportsNation Keith Law: (2:54 PM ET ) Feliz.

And for old time’s (and Nelson Cruz haters’) sake.

Jibraun (Los Angeles, CA): Ryan Ludwick has the 23rd highest VORP in the majors this season. Do you still believe his performance to be a fluke this season?

SportsNation Keith Law: (1:06 PM ET ) Absolutely. What you see from Ludwick this year may or may not be all that.

Go Strangers.

by hightowersmith on Sep 25, 2008 2:33 PM CDT   0 recs

BA TX League Top 20

Says this guy.

Four in the 10 ain’t bad…

1 – Dexter Fowler
2 – Chris Davis
3 – Kyle Blanks
4 – Vin Mazzaro
5 – Elvis Andrus
6 – Daniel Cortes
7 – Jess Todd
8 – Julio Borbon
9 – Max Ramirez
10 – James Simmons
11 – Aaron Cunningham
12 – Kila Ka’aihue
13 – Daryl Jones
14 – Steve Garrison
15 – Will Inman
16 – Jon Jay
17 – Kevin Jepsen
18 – Fernando Salas
19 – Casey Weathers
20 – Chris Johnson

Go Strangers.

by hightowersmith on Sep 25, 2008 2:36 PM CDT   0 recs

interesting

2 in the top 5 isn’t bad. fortunately i got to see a lot of those guys.

Let me say blanks is a VERY large man. I sat first row next to the visitors dugout when the missions were in town, he’s huge and gets very very angry when he strikes out.

"I'm against picketing, but I don't know how to show it." - Mitch Hedberg

by rentz on Sep 25, 2008 2:40 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs