Tuesday morning stuff

by Adam J. Morris on Jan 20, 2009 9:26 AM CST

Well, we talked about Frankie Francisco avoiding arbitration and the supposedly-imminent Omar Vizquel signing last night. Nothing much else out there today.

There is a Jim Reeves column about Michael Young moving to third base and what that involves, which includes some comments from Buddy Bell (who spent a little time at shortstop in 1979 before returning to third base) and Barry Larkin (who moved from shortstop to third base late in his career).

That's about it

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A couple quotes

from that article I found funny. First, from Larkin:

You lose a lot of your athleticism when you move over to third base; you lose all of your communication base."

I don’t think you lose your athleticism, guessing he meant to say you use it in a different way.

Then, from Buddy Bell:
It’s much easier to move left than to move right.
Subjective, perhaps. Just trying to have a chuckle before spending the rest of my morning in excruciatingly boring meetings.

G G G E-flat_______ F F F D__________....

by t ball on Jan 20, 2009 9:38 AM CST reply actions

Larkin is slightly biased of course

as he admitted on TV last night.

by Brett Perryman on Jan 20, 2009 10:05 AM CST up reply actions

interesting...

“That was one of the things that I was initially angry about out. I’m not in the middle of the field anymore,” Young said. “You’re putting me in a corner now, and you’re asking me to learn it right away.”

I’m pretty sure we asked him to move before Christmas to give him 2 + months to get used to the idea, then go through all of Spring Training to get used to the move…instead of asking him to “learn right away” in the middle of the year.

"Hang-Dai, Wu...Hang-Fu$&ing-Dai"

by Walter Sobchak on Jan 20, 2009 11:04 AM CST reply actions

havn't you heard

Its standard practice to give a 24 month warning of any position changes.

the preceding post was a great success.

by DShep on Jan 20, 2009 11:11 AM CST up reply actions

ego ego ego

by Brett Perryman on Jan 20, 2009 11:11 AM CST up reply actions

Young

Nobody puts Baby in a corner…

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

by RCCook on Jan 20, 2009 11:19 AM CST up reply actions 1 recs

First thing I thought of, heh.

Go Strangers.

by hightowersmith on Jan 20, 2009 12:06 PM CST up reply actions

Adam, when does the podcast come out?

"No... JD has been exposed as a kid who trades his remote-controlled helicopters for paper airplanes, then fails to consider the feelings of the paper airplane when he refolded it into a hat." -Telegraph.

by Kinslerhomer on Jan 20, 2009 11:13 AM CST reply actions

Probably tomorrow, I think

It was me, Jamey and Evan. Some good stuff, I think

by Adam J. Morris on Jan 20, 2009 11:21 AM CST up reply actions

Cool, thanks.

by Kinslerhomer on Jan 20, 2009 11:24 AM CST up reply actions

I remember when the Rangers

put Bell at SS for some games in 1979.

He was the SS for 16 out of 23 games from August 5-27 and the Rangers record in those games was 5-18.

The reason Bell had to play SS was to get Soderholm’s bat in the line-up and to stabilize the defense. The Rangers had erred by thinking 21 year old Nelson Norman aka “Manos de Oro” was ready to play every day in The Show.

Norman had a .525 OPS and made 24 errors in 142 games.

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

by Josey Wales on Jan 20, 2009 11:55 AM CST up reply actions

Nelson Norman

I remember going to JC Penney’s that year, and getting his autograph. I think I still have it around somewhere.

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

by RCCook on Jan 20, 2009 11:59 AM CST up reply actions

Around the same time the Rangers

made the move of Bell to SS, they also had some kind of waiver paperwork screw up where they had to give up Oscar Gamble (who I loved) in order to acquire Mickey Rivers.

I remember a big stink and Al Oliver almost leading a mutiny because of the utter incompetence of the front office plus he had to play a helluva lot more CF.

That team started the season something like 52-38 and were neck and neck with the Angels but started to slowly slide after the AS Break. The Gamble f’up seemed to be the straw that broke the camel’s back and helped send them into a 10-31 post AS Break death spiral.

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

by Josey Wales on Jan 20, 2009 12:09 PM CST up reply actions

You love the random replies huh?

"He will not coddle them. Nolan Ryan doesn’t coddle." - Jeff Passan

by Dirk Diggler on Jan 20, 2009 12:58 PM CST up reply actions

Lots of useless

Ranger minutae rattling around in my brain, Diggler, although today’s mention of the Buddy Bell move to SS in ’79 and the Nelson Norman parallel is a little ironical.

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

by Josey Wales on Jan 20, 2009 1:06 PM CST up reply actions

Judging from the lack of comments today...

…most of us are a little bored of this offseason, maybe? Adam, you need to install a countdown clock that counts down to pitchers and catchers, the full squad workouts, then opening day. Why don’t you go ahead and make that happen, mmmkay? Thanks.

My Music Blog

by FuturePants on Jan 20, 2009 12:49 PM CST reply actions

He’s had one of those before. I remember obsessing over it hourly.

by Brett Perryman on Jan 20, 2009 12:55 PM CST up reply actions

You can check it here:

http://texas.rangers.mlb.com/index.jsp?c_id=tex

"...my balls are really like a veiny flesh color" blueballlefty on Jun 4, 2008 7:44 PM EDT
"you gonna lose your horse. seriously." FX2
Yes we can! November 04, 2008

by Rodney on Jan 20, 2009 1:08 PM CST up reply actions

But then

they’d be constantly refreshing tr.com not LSB

by Brett Perryman on Jan 20, 2009 1:13 PM CST up reply actions

Yep, but that's one I found.

You can also d/l a yahoo widget that does it, or a neater version free here.

"...my balls are really like a veiny flesh color" blueballlefty on Jun 4, 2008 7:44 PM EDT
"you gonna lose your horse. seriously." FX2
Yes we can! November 04, 2008

by Rodney on Jan 20, 2009 1:28 PM CST up reply actions

OBTW,

I wish AJM would put one up too.

"...my balls are really like a veiny flesh color" blueballlefty on Jun 4, 2008 7:44 PM EDT
"you gonna lose your horse. seriously." FX2
Yes we can! November 04, 2008

by Rodney on Jan 20, 2009 1:29 PM CST up reply actions

+1

Give me Sheets or give me Offseason Blues Part III.

by inactive lsb user on Jan 20, 2009 1:48 PM CST up reply actions

+2

by Kinslerhomer on Jan 20, 2009 1:51 PM CST up reply actions

+3

That Gold Glove for Young was the worst thing that could have happened to Texas - now the guy really believes he's good at short. - Keith Law

by LSJ on Jan 20, 2009 3:04 PM CST up reply actions

+4

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

by Gdawg on Jan 20, 2009 4:13 PM CST up reply actions

Rich with a few notes from camp:

http://rangersblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2009/01/a-few-notes-from-pitching-camp.html

by Kinslerhomer on Jan 20, 2009 1:14 PM CST reply actions

Blalock (if he's still here)

to clean-up is better than having Cruz (who has never had a full year of major league success) do it.

Given his career numbers, I’m more inclined to hit Blalock second and Hamilton fourth (break-up the leftys).

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

by Josey Wales on Jan 20, 2009 1:19 PM CST up reply actions

Boy, the comments on the DMN blog

Those are some seriously jaded people and/or serious pricks.

by Brett Perryman on Jan 20, 2009 1:58 PM CST up reply actions

I just hope to god

The majority of them don’t actually care enough about the Rangers to create accounts here.

That Gold Glove for Young was the worst thing that could have happened to Texas - now the guy really believes he's good at short. - Keith Law

by LSJ on Jan 20, 2009 3:05 PM CST up reply actions

Jeff Wison was some more notes and my favorite:

Brandon McCarthy has a problem a lot of us would like. He can’t eat enough food. His 7,000 calorie a day diet has made him hate eating.

http://startelegramsports.typepad.com/foul_territory/2009/01/notes-from-the-winter-camp.html

by Kinslerhomer on Jan 20, 2009 4:49 PM CST up reply actions

Anthony Andro*

by Kinslerhomer on Jan 20, 2009 4:53 PM CST up reply actions

And oddly

Andro says this:

Feliz doesn’t speak English very well, but one statement he made translated easily. It was 102. That’s the fastest he’s been clocked at throwing a fastball. Yikes.

And DMN says this:

No one was throwing close to 100 percent. That wasn’t the point of the camp.

I guess Happy didn’t get the memo?

"...my balls are really like a veiny flesh color" blueballlefty on Jun 4, 2008 7:44 PM EDT
"you gonna lose your horse. seriously." FX2
Yes we can! November 04, 2008

by Rodney on Jan 20, 2009 5:17 PM CST up reply actions

I think 'Happy' just meant that thats the fastest he's been clocked at period, not today.

by Kinslerhomer on Jan 20, 2009 5:26 PM CST up reply actions

Oh, maybe I misread it.

"...my balls are really like a veiny flesh color" blueballlefty on Jun 4, 2008 7:44 PM EDT
"you gonna lose your horse. seriously." FX2
Yes we can! November 04, 2008

by Rodney on Jan 20, 2009 5:29 PM CST up reply actions

"No one was throwing close to 100 percent."

Well I think Feliz was throwing 102%. :)

Elvis Andrus - 2009 AL Rookie of the Year

by RangerMad on Jan 20, 2009 7:40 PM CST up reply actions

Reeves suggestion for Face as team captain

I think that is a horrible idea. My idea of team captain would be somebody that puts the team first, and I think we have a pretty clear picture that Face doesn’t fit that description.

"To be ignorant of one’s ignorance is the malady of the ignorant."

by tricer on Jan 20, 2009 2:04 PM CST reply actions

Agree

He’s one of the last guys I’d want as captain. But I’m of the opinion that having a captain on a baseball team is idiotic.

Mike Grouse Interview - Rangers' Midwest Cross Checker

by Andy Seiler on Jan 20, 2009 3:52 PM CST up reply actions

Did Young put the team first

when he volunteered to play SS in 2004?

What about missing a total of 5 games in 2008 when he had two broken fingers – as a SS in the major league?!?!?

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

by Josey Wales on Jan 20, 2009 4:03 PM CST up reply actions

Yes

which is why this episode was disappointing.

by Brett Perryman on Jan 20, 2009 4:10 PM CST up reply actions

Actually

it would have probably been better for the team if he had sat down and let the fingers heal. He might have hit better if they had healed, depending on how long they would have to had a replacement.

G G G E-flat_______ F F F D__________....

by t ball on Jan 20, 2009 4:12 PM CST up reply actions

While that's true

I think it’s fair to say that he was doing it to help the team (in his mind). The team wasn’t telling him to sit, unlike in this instance.

by Brett Perryman on Jan 20, 2009 4:15 PM CST up reply actions

I don't see it as disappointing at all.

I betcha Michael Young is universally respected in the Ranger clubhouse and one of the reasons why is because he’s not afraid to speak up to management.

Ultimately the Rangers had him by the short-hairs because they control the checkbook but part of this was Young’s way humiliating somebody (JD) that nobody in the room respects and by proxy, preserving his credibility on the team.

The other parts of this were Young’s wounded pride and the fact that the team does not have somebody ready for The Show that is taking his place.

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

by Josey Wales on Jan 20, 2009 4:21 PM CST up reply actions

I think it was definitely in big part a matter of wounded pride.

by Brett Perryman on Jan 20, 2009 4:28 PM CST up reply actions

Nope

it was Young wanting to embarrass JD.

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

by Gdawg on Jan 20, 2009 6:35 PM CST up reply actions

Sure - FOTF as team captain

As was mentioned, it’s an idiotic, meaningless title just like “Gold Glove Winner.” If it soothes his delicate ego, I’m all for it.

I need to think something lasts forever, and it might as well be that state of being that is a game; it might as well be that, in a green field, in the sun.

by WyoRanger on Jan 20, 2009 6:52 PM CST up reply actions