Saturday morning Rangers things

by Adam J. Morris on Oct 17, 2009 11:05 AM CDT Comment 42 comments

The Chicago Cubs have reportedly requested permission to talk to Rudy Jaramillo prior to his contract expiring on October 31. I can't imagine the Rangers will say no, and I suspect we'll find out pretty quickly that Jaramillo is joining the Cubs on a big, multi-year deal.

Richard Durrett asks if we, as Ranger fans, miss Vicente Padilla.

Personally, I could care less about Padilla right now. His performance has led some to rail about how stupid Jon Daniels is for getting rid of a terrific playoff-caliber starting pitcher and getting nothing in return. This is the same pitcher, of course, who was on waivers twice this year and wasn't claimed either time. And realistically, whether Padilla was here in Texas the rest of the way or not, he wasn't going to be back next season and wasn't going to get the Rangers into the playoffs.

Padilla was replaced in the rotation with Dustin Nippert, and then Brandon McCarthy. Nippert went 3-2 in Padilla's spot in the rotation after Padilla was released, with the Rangers being shut out in one of his starts and scoring just 3 runs in the other. They went 2-3 in McCarthy's starts in Padilla's spot post-release, but McCarthy pitched well, with two of the losses coming in games where the Rangers only scored 1 run, and the other loss coming in that awful bullpen meltdown against Tampa where O'Day, Wilson and Frankie all were terrible.

Point being...even if Padilla had stayed in Texas and had pitched as well he did in L.A., the Rangers likely would not have been one game better this year, and the Rangers still weren't going to exercise his options for 2010. So I don't care about Padilla being gone.

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I think the only mistake the Rangers made with Padilla

was signing him to a long term contract after he had his one good year.

Padilla is the ultimate short term contract only player. My guess is if LA locks him up, he will eventually be a nutjob for them.

"I don't condone steroids or any other type of growth hormones or anything else, but I could care less, and, for the most part, I don't think the fans give a (bleep). The people that care about it are the people that probably don't like baseball," - Jim Leyland

by DJCahill on Oct 17, 2009 11:16 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Agreed

3 years/34M for a nutcase like Padilla was a very bad mistake, especially considering they didn’t stick in a couple of team options. I don’t understand how they didn’t take into account his time in Arizona and Phily into account and realize how big of a mistake it would have been to give him that contract.

by behindthebag on Oct 17, 2009 11:32 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

They did stick in a team option for 2010

by Adam J. Morris on Oct 17, 2009 11:52 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Too little, too late

I’d say.

by behindthebag on Oct 17, 2009 11:57 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Hindsight is a handy tool

Neftali Feliz says sit your 5 dollar ass down before he makes change...

Hi, Keith. Is this the year Edinson Volquez finally wins RoY?

by Brian Thomas on Oct 17, 2009 5:59 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Couldn't?

by brettgardner on Oct 17, 2009 11:17 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I caught that...

I personally, could not care less.

by bhudson on Oct 17, 2009 11:54 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I logged in just to mention this. It bothers me to no end.

Lisa, if the Bible has taught us nothing else - and it hasn't - it's that girls should stick to girls' sports, such as hot-oil wrestling, foxy boxing, and such-and-such.

Rock Flag & Eagle Radio: Thursdays, 10 PM - 1 AM, on FM 88.7 The Choice, or online @ ktcu.net!

by Maximilian on Oct 17, 2009 12:07 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

The one that bothers me more

is when people say should of or would of when they mean should’ve/would’ve.

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

by t ball on Oct 17, 2009 5:16 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

The one that bother me most

is when after drinking heavily I end up taking a sexy lady into my bed and then committing various sexual atrocities against/upon her, only to wake up in the morning to find out that OH NO it was a dude!!!

The 40 Trumps All!!!

Beware 2011: The Fortypocalypse is Nigh...

by thedirkatron on Oct 18, 2009 3:33 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I miss Padilla...

Only partially because temperamental headcases that have authority issues need someone to root for, too.

"Blalock in the cleanup spot makes gives me agita." - Dustin

by benmor78 on Oct 17, 2009 11:22 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I liked him here

But understand cutting ties. I guess I admire one man contra movements. And when he gets it on, the man can pitch.

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

"Telephone, n. An invention of the devil which abrogates some of the advantages of making a disagreeable person keep his distance."
~Ambrose Bierce

by Ed Coffin on Oct 17, 2009 11:30 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

He can definitely pitch well

when he is on, however, at the end of the day, he was a 4.9 ERA pitcher for the Rangers.

Damn shame he can’t stay on, because I think he’d be a solid 2, maybe even a weak number 1, rather than back of the rotation filler.

by DJCahill on Oct 17, 2009 11:37 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

When he's on

he’s a solid #3 and a weak #2. If Padilla is your #2 and you’re a playoff team, you’re in trouble.

by Coolbean04 on Oct 17, 2009 12:53 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I don't miss Padilla.

I wanted to beat the shit out of him when the team was in Oakland and he smirked after Face got hit.

I pray like hell the Dodgers sign him to a multi-year deal so I can roflmao.

by jdh90 on Oct 17, 2009 11:45 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I miss Padilla

He was always entertaining, even if that soon turned to frustration. And what are sports if not entertainment?….That being said however, Padilla didn’t/wasn’t going to work here. Forgetting the fact that he alienated himself from the rest of the team, Texas isn’t exactly in the NL and isn’t playing in Dodger Stadium. It’s highly unlikely that he would have produced the same numbers here that he did there after he was cut

"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take"-Wayne Gretzky"-Michael Scott

by ReallyCreativeScreenName on Oct 17, 2009 1:36 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

The only use for Padilla the Rangers might have had is this...

For every first pitch swing and miss by the Rangers hitters, Padilla hits an opposing batter.

Wonderboy, what is the secret of your power? Wonderboy, won't you take me far away from the mucky-muck now. -- Tenacious D

by rooster on Oct 17, 2009 1:42 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Padilla hitting guys has been overblown

A baseball game is simply a nervous breakdown divided into nine innings.

by NothinG on Oct 17, 2009 3:06 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

On a more interesting note and one that very likely will have more influence on the 2010 season....

Scheppers made a nice debut in the AFL last night.

Wonderboy, what is the secret of your power? Wonderboy, won't you take me far away from the mucky-muck now. -- Tenacious D

by rooster on Oct 17, 2009 1:45 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Can you tell us a little more?

by Coolbean04 on Oct 17, 2009 2:33 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Not really. The line is below, and I know KLaw posted that his first 10 fastballs ranged 95-98.

Kinslerhomer posted something about Scheppers’ fastballs being high in the zone. I haven’t heard of any other eye witness reports.

Wonderboy, what is the secret of your power? Wonderboy, won't you take me far away from the mucky-muck now. -- Tenacious D

by rooster on Oct 17, 2009 3:15 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah

gameday had him up in the zone alot. Some of that might be from being really pumped up though.

The 2009 Texas Rangers offense: sigh...

by Kinslerhomer on Oct 17, 2009 3:22 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

being up in the zone with a high 98 mph fastball worries me less

than someone who throws 92. 98 fastball up in the zone is very difficult to hit. The problem is if the ball is belt high down the middle, but like you said it’s his first professional outing and he was probably pumped. I was too :)

A baseball game is simply a nervous breakdown divided into nine innings.

by NothinG on Oct 17, 2009 3:27 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Jason Grey of ESPN had this

Note: Strasburg was not the only one to hit 99 mph for me Friday. Texas Rangers prospect Tanner Scheppers hit 99 twice in a two-inning relief outing. That’s especially notable because he slipped in both the 2008 and 2009 drafts because of concerns about his shoulder.

Link

The 2009 Texas Rangers offense: sigh...

by Kinslerhomer on Oct 17, 2009 5:01 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Nice!

"Back on the scene, with a gangsta lean" RW
"When you have a weapon on your shoulder like he has, you can be cool." RW on Perez
And the little bastard threw it for a swinging strike three in a 3-2 count. He’s blessed. And ballsy.

by Rodney on Oct 17, 2009 6:27 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'm starting to get really excited about Scheppers.

Hank is 7 runs below a zombie replacement at first base. Do you realize how terrible that is? Zombie’s can’t think, they’re slow, and they’re often ejected from the game for eating opposing baserunners’ brains. - Ben quantifies Hank Blalock

by lonestarJon on Oct 17, 2009 6:46 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

'bout time!

Wonderboy, what is the secret of your power? Wonderboy, won't you take me far away from the mucky-muck now. -- Tenacious D

by rooster on Oct 17, 2009 7:40 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Scheppers line

2.0 1 0 0 1 2 0

A baseball game is simply a nervous breakdown divided into nine innings.

by NothinG on Oct 17, 2009 3:09 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

reply FAIL

A baseball game is simply a nervous breakdown divided into nine innings.

by NothinG on Oct 17, 2009 3:10 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Lemon in CF again this afternoon

Moreland is the DH.

A baseball game is simply a nervous breakdown divided into nine innings.

by NothinG on Oct 17, 2009 3:10 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Are they trying to make Lemon cs CF

or a super sub?

|Space for Rent|

by RangerMad on Oct 17, 2009 4:05 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Lemon

I could see him as a utility guy.

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

by rentz on Oct 17, 2009 5:30 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

With his on base skills, yet lack of any plus tools

That sounds like the perfect role for him. Maybe he can be our Maicer Izturis with a few more walks.

by lonestarJon on Oct 17, 2009 6:47 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I could see him as the perfect guy.

The 40 Trumps All!!!

Beware 2011: The Fortypocalypse is Nigh...

by thedirkatron on Oct 18, 2009 3:34 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Padilla

Because I like the Dodgers in the NL, I liked Padilla’s exit more than normal.

He’s perfect for the NL. And wow, his fastball moves as well as anyone I watch regularly.

I hope he helps the Dodgers win it all.

by 3Bagger on Oct 17, 2009 3:45 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

P S - Fat Chance

That the Dodgers win it all.

Talk about pitcher attrition? Who would want these 3 going into a World Series?

Kershaw, Padilla, Wolf.

Not good.

by 3Bagger on Oct 17, 2009 3:51 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I was glad when they let Padz go

And I still am. Vinnie was the worst starter on the entire team in pRAA (-13) this year. Nippert and B-Mac both put up better FIP’s (4.69 and 4.70 to Padilla’s 4.84) and much better tRA’s (5.43 and 5.21 to Padilla’s 6.09) while in the rotation this year.

Basically, Padilla was the worst starting pitcher on the entire team while he was here, and the guys we replaced him with outperformed him in just about every category.

Don’t see any reason to have regrets about that, regardless of two postseason starts.

by lonestarJon on Oct 17, 2009 6:54 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

No one with any sense or any grasp of the circumstances surrounding his release could possibly have any problem with the decision to cut ties with him when we did.

The 40 Trumps All!!!

Beware 2011: The Fortypocalypse is Nigh...

by thedirkatron on Oct 18, 2009 3:36 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yes, Adam

Jonny Boy is always right, regardless of the facts.

he dumped a pitcher that could have helped the Rangers make the playoffs…a pitcher that may help the Dodgers make it to the World Series…but JD was right, damnit!

Whatever.

by Clueless on Oct 18, 2009 2:39 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs