Monday morning Rangers things
by Adam J. Morris on Oct 5, 2009 10:02 AM CDT
210 comments
The first day of the Ranger offseason. I thought I'd use one of the happier photos from the season just past this morning.
Anthony Andro said yesterday's game was a fitting end...solid enough pitching to win, but the bats didn't get the job done.
Jeff Wilson doles out grades for the Rangers this year. There are several in the "???" category -- in particular, giving Hank Blalock a C, despite the fact he was pretty much useless this year, and Chris Davis a C-, when he was also terrible and got demoted mid-season, suggests that there's a curve at work.
But the grades for the outfielders are what jumped out at me...Marlon Byrd got an A, David Murphy got a B+ (along with a note that he needs to play regularly in 2010), and Nelson Cruz got a B-.
Let's run down their numbers this year:
Byrd: .283/.329/.479, .272 EQA
Murphy: .269/.339/.446, .269 EQA
Cruz: .260/.332/.524, .283 EQA
So Cruz was the best hitter of the three, was above-average defensively in right field, but gets the lowest grade of the three? And Murphy -- who can't hit lefties, and who wasn't great offensively this year anyway -- needs to play regularly?
It seems like there's a push among those who cover the Rangers to have a Borbon/Byrd/Murphy outfield next season, with Hamilton DHing and Cruz shipped off. That's not a playoff-caliber outfield, and I don't understand how it is that a team that's biggest problem this year was its lack of offense should address that by replacing its second-best offensive player with guys who hit worse.
Evan Grant runs down four questions the Rangers have to answer, and the Byrd situation is one of the big ones:
A year ago, six months ago, even three months ago, Byrd and his representatives chased after a two-year deal that would now look quite affordable. Instead, he goes into free agency knowing that the best financial decision would be to test the market, which may yield a three-year deal worth about $20 million. While manager Ron Washington strongly endorses bringing Byrd back, it's unclear if the club will have the financial wherewithal to make such a bid. It's just as unclear if Rangers management would rather have Byrd or would rather turn the position over to a younger, cheaper alternative such as Julio Borbon.
The last sentence gives me a little bit of hope that some sanity will be applied to the outfield situation.
Andro's notes mention that King Felix slapped around the Rangers this year, and that Blalock isn't nostalgic about his time with the Rangers coming to an end.
Wilson runs down the team's 10 most significant games this year.
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Cruz gets so much hate
if he wasn’t benched and had gotten more ABs by being in the cleanup spot (where he should have been from the beginning) Cruz’s numbers would be even better. We do not need Byrd. In fact, Byrd playing here would be to the detriment of Borbon, the shipping off of Cruz, and probably very little, probably zero improvement in our approach at the plate, as Byrd is a leader and is not a patient hitter.
A baseball game is simply a nervous breakdown divided into nine innings.
by NothinG on Oct 5, 2009 10:10 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Cruz hate
It’s starting to really piss me off. The guy was a top 20 OF in all of baseball and he gets a B- and a ticket out of town?
"You can probably stick a fork in the Rangers' playoff chances for 2009." - AJM on 7/26 with the team 4.5 games out
by tricer on Oct 5, 2009 10:33 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
According to Fangraphs value metric, the following OF all rated as LESS valuable than Nelson Cruz
Jason Bay
Curtis Granderson
Hunter Pence
Shane Victorino
Johnny Damon
Bobby Abreu
Andre Ethier
Carlos Lee
Nick Markakis
Magglio Ordonez
Grady Sizemore
"You can probably stick a fork in the Rangers' playoff chances for 2009." - AJM on 7/26 with the team 4.5 games out
by tricer on Oct 5, 2009 10:38 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
That's a pretty hefty list
if Cruz had more than 460 ABs this year, his value would be even higher.
A baseball game is simply a nervous breakdown divided into nine innings.
by NothinG on Oct 5, 2009 10:43 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
also remember that Cruz is still pre-arb
so his contributions cost about 400K and will next year as well.
"You can probably stick a fork in the Rangers' playoff chances for 2009." - AJM on 7/26 with the team 4.5 games out
by tricer on Oct 5, 2009 11:08 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Send a question about it to the Evan Grant chat
by Adam J. Morris on Oct 5, 2009 10:44 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I can't get that link to work at my office computer
could somebody else please send him a pointed question to see if we can find where this is originating from? Like JBI mentions below, there has to be some voice in the org that just doesn’t value the Cruz missile appropriate to his level of production this past season.
"You can probably stick a fork in the Rangers' playoff chances for 2009." - AJM on 7/26 with the team 4.5 games out
by tricer on Oct 5, 2009 11:07 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I would like to know where the Cruz hate is coming from
It is so uniform across the media that the them cannot have spontaneously arisen. Not if these guys were paying attention to the same club we were.
Someone is playing the media, calling in favors or whatever to get a coherent anti-Cruz message out there. Maybe Rudy or Wash, trying to force JD’s hand? Or maybe JD working the media to soften the blow when he dumps an all-star. Who knows. But this is too well orchestrated to be random.
Go Rice Owls!
by JBImaknee on Oct 5, 2009 11:03 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
If it's Rudy
I’d understand – would bet a lemon soda that Cruz basically snubbed him after the Servais alteration in his stance.
"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 5, 2009 11:05 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yep...
seems like most people in the organization and media are on board with Nellie being okay, but not as good as what many of us see.
I just don’t get it either.
"The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance."-Socrates
by slc ranger on Oct 5, 2009 11:07 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Who's Marlon Byrd's agent?
I could see him bad mouthing Cruz to make Byrd look better.
by MikeEl on Oct 5, 2009 11:07 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Very disappointing ending to
the season.
The Ranger 29-31 record after July 31 was 4th in the AL West.
Per Cruz….he’s not 25 years old, can’t hit LH pitching and is prone to several episodes of defensive stupidity.
"Dying ain't hard. It's living that's hard."
"Ranger players, especially veterans, weren’t surprised that Daniels couldn’t find a deal"
by Josey Wales on Oct 5, 2009 10:14 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
I'm glad you've figured out...
…from 150 PAs this year that Cruz “can’t hit LH pitching,” and is one of the extraordinarily rare reverse-platoon-split types — despite the fact he’s hit lefties better than righties in AAA — and that it isn’t just a small sample size issue.
by Adam J. Morris on Oct 5, 2009 10:17 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Cruz has 347 plate appearances in The Show v LH pitching
yet you choose to focus on the 37 appearances he had in 2008 (when he hit .419) as the proof that he can hit LH pitching.
In the other 310 plate appearances v LH pitching in The Show, he’s hitting .227. As late as mid August, Cruz was hitting somewhere between .210-.220 v LH pitching. Did I mention that he turns 30 years old next year?
I don’t give a rat’s ass what a 28 year old Nelson Cruz does against LH pitching in OKC – I care about what he does with the big club and what he did in September 2008 was an aberration.
"Dying ain't hard. It's living that's hard."
"Ranger players, especially veterans, weren’t surprised that Daniels couldn’t find a deal"
by Josey Wales on Oct 5, 2009 10:27 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
He didn't hit LHP or RHP in the majors prior to 2008
This is the first time he’s ever shown a significant reverse platoon split.
You’re being stupid, for whatever reason. I’m not going to continue to argue this point with you.
by Adam J. Morris on Oct 5, 2009 10:29 AM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
What the hell? Cruz couldn't hit LH pitching in The Show during 2006, 2007 or 2009...
are you saying his stats this year v LH pitching are some kind of aberration even though he turns 30 years old next year?
That’s ridiculous and something I would expect his mother to say.
"Dying ain't hard. It's living that's hard."
"Ranger players, especially veterans, weren’t surprised that Daniels couldn’t find a deal"
by Josey Wales on Oct 5, 2009 10:38 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I'm saying he didn't hit any pitching in the majors in 2006 and 2007
And he’s never shown a reverse platoon split.
You are the one who is basing your position entirely on what he’s done in 2009, and based on that, are claiming Cruz is one of these extraordinarily rare, 1 in a million reverse platoon split cases.
Which is why you are being stupid, and are having to resort to things like saying that it is what his mother would say.
by Adam J. Morris on Oct 5, 2009 10:41 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I'm basing my evaluation of Cruz on his age
and his entire body of work, not just 2009.
Your hopes are hung up on what Cruz did in 10% of his appearances v LH in The Show in September 2008 (when you bleeping know September stats are treated differently) while I’m basing my evaluation on the other 90%.
"Dying ain't hard. It's living that's hard."
"Ranger players, especially veterans, weren’t surprised that Daniels couldn’t find a deal"
by Josey Wales on Oct 5, 2009 10:46 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
If you're basing your evaluation of Cruz on his entire body of work...
…then we probably want to assume he can’t hit anybody, since he has a sub-800 OPS for his career in the majors.
As for you continuing to say I’m “hung up” or basing my opinion on September 2008:
by Adam J. Morris on Oct 5, 2009 10:49 AM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
Nelson Cruz is an odd duck on several levels
but I think it would be very foolish to count on him as the answer to this team’s problem with LH pitching.
You’re asking a major league player who turns 30 years old next year to do something he’s never done in his life – hit LH pitching in The Show.
Smart organizations don’t do that.
"Dying ain't hard. It's living that's hard."
"Ranger players, especially veterans, weren’t surprised that Daniels couldn’t find a deal"
by Josey Wales on Oct 5, 2009 10:52 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Oh ... my ...... gawd
It isn’t simply a LHP issue, and it isn’t a defensive issue despite eyeball critics who don’t understand that an out is an out. I’ve never seen such fervent discourse over a non-issue (albeit it makes an interesting argument).
The second best player on this team is mislabeled, misassigned, and evidently mishandled. That’s all it’s about.
"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 5, 2009 10:57 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
It's also his age, Ed.
If he was 24-25 years old, there would be room for growth but in all likelihood, this is the finished product.
"Dying ain't hard. It's living that's hard."
"Ranger players, especially veterans, weren’t surprised that Daniels couldn’t find a deal"
by Josey Wales on Oct 5, 2009 11:01 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
That's true JW
But check around the AL outfielders by age. I don’t advocate putting NC-17 into a ten year strategic plan. But he won’t “age” much until about 34 or so IMO, endorsed by Tom Greive who is astonished by his workout regimen. Call him a three year or four year solution until Beltre (or someone better) is ready.
"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 5, 2009 11:07 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
This is funny
I love that Adam sent two more posts after he said he wasn’t going to continue to engage in this argument. :)
I will choose not weigh in on the argument re/ the player. I think he had a nice season and is a nice player. I think to expect tremendous improvement out of him is probably a stretch given his age, but why do we need it? Isn’t his current production pretty good for a $400K player? Arb is still a yr away. If they move him, it makes WORSE the platoon situation this team has (I will trust AJM that this year was an aberration) and you BETTER bring in a SIGNIFCANT upgrade, because you’ll pay 10X just to get the SAME player on the open market (i.e., Byrd). Why would you do that?
I will never agree that he is a plus defender, but who cares if we agree? Makes baseball fun. If there was not divergence of opinion, and everyone peformed what their book said they would, why bother to play the games. We could all just play strato.
Jack Daddy
by Jack Daddy on Oct 5, 2009 3:22 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
is this your new thing now??
how much more of this crap will you dish out before you get banned is the big question.
A baseball game is simply a nervous breakdown divided into nine innings.
by NothinG on Oct 5, 2009 10:41 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Try to talk about the
Great Game, NothinG.
"Dying ain't hard. It's living that's hard."
"Ranger players, especially veterans, weren’t surprised that Daniels couldn’t find a deal"
by Josey Wales on Oct 5, 2009 10:49 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I actually agree with Josey here
So many people here want so bad for Nellie to succeed and want Josey to be wrong that it blinds you to his warts. Minor league numbers can only carry you so far in the majors. If Cruz was 25 or 26 then yeah, you could argue that his minor league numbers are more indicitive of future performance. But hes not. Hes almost 30 years old. He mashed minor league pitching for a long time yet couldn’t translate that to major league success until September of last year. So why did he struggle before in the majors?
All this talk about Nellie being benched too much is silly too. The guy was on pace to play about 140 games if he didn’t get injured. He got alot of rest in the 2nd half and im pretty sure that had alot to do with the fact he has played baseball non-stop for about 3 years now. Hopefully with a full offseason of rest if hes back here next year he can play 140+ games with no injuries. And maybe his days off will be spaced out more instead of the way they were this year.
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 Oct 5, 2009 10:51 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
You agree with Josey...
…that Nelson Cruz has an inherent reverse platoon split and is incapable of hitting lefties in the majors?
Really?
by Adam J. Morris on Oct 5, 2009 10:53 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yeah
I don’t think he should be benched against them necessarily but I also don’t believe hes our answer to a RH bat that kills lefties. Before last September Cruz’s minor league stats had never translated to the majors, including his splits against LHP. So now all of a sudden because he had a good season overall even though he continued to struggle against lefties we are supposed to forget about everything prior?
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 Oct 5, 2009 10:56 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Maybe Cruz finds it v LH pitching but the
overwhelming amount of evidence is that he can’t.
"Dying ain't hard. It's living that's hard."
"Ranger players, especially veterans, weren’t surprised that Daniels couldn’t find a deal"
by Josey Wales on Oct 5, 2009 10:58 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
is this going to be your new thing
now that Blalock has played his last game as a Ranger?
by MikeEl on Oct 5, 2009 11:04 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Banking on Cruz hitting LH pitching in The Show next year
as a 30 year old when he’s never done it for an extended period of time, is stupid.
We need a monster who torches LH pitching in The Show and Nelson Cruz isn’t that player.
"Dying ain't hard. It's living that's hard."
"Ranger players, especially veterans, weren’t surprised that Daniels couldn’t find a deal"
by Josey Wales on Oct 5, 2009 11:11 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Overwhelming evidence?
At worst, with the sample size in the minors vs the sample size in the majors, his time from 2006-2008 is worth a credibility rating of ~30%.
Looking at Cruz’ numbers, there is a very definate shift between his 06/07 numbers to his 08/09 numbers.
Against LHP, his OBP – AVG is quite nice (.085 as compared to .067), and this is one of the less variable stats.
His ISO (you might argue) is vastly worse against LHP. However, using some simple regression to the (his) mean, his predicted LHP ISO should be 25 points higher than what it was and his ISO vs RHP should be ~30 points lower
This doesn’t even contemplate normalizing the BABIPs or any of his minor league numbers. Not to mention, I’m using his ML career averages (all 1019 ABs, not PAs since I’m not including walks/OBP).
There is still uncertainty surrounding Cruz and we cannot say with any real certainty that Cruz is no good against LHP and has a crazy reverse platoon split.
by Trickman on Oct 5, 2009 11:32 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
This is a very terse post.
I’m not sure I’m following your logic, and double negatives are always hard to figure out.
I think you’re saying he a good year against LHP next year is very possible.
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 5, 2009 11:35 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Sorry, double negatives do suck.
Simple answer: Yes, Cruz could turn around and do very well against LHP next year.
Long answer: What I was trying to get across is that, quite simply, we don’t know Cruz’ true talent level yet and strictly using his full ML career as his average is a struggle with futility.
His split stats are still unreliable and have a ton of room for shifting from sheer variance from his career mean.
Simply performing 200 PA regression to his career mean (as stated by “The Book”), we get a Cruz that is not nearly as bad against LHP.
300 PAs is an insignificant sample and contains far too much noise to start shouting that Cruz sucks vs LHP.
by Trickman on Oct 5, 2009 11:43 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Adam, just so we're clear on your position with Cruz...
you think he can hit LH pitching at an acceptable level in The Show based on what he did in AAA (as a player in his mid to late 20’s)?
By doing so, you are dismissing what he’s done v LH pitching in The Show (or consider those 347 plate appearances not as important)?
"Dying ain't hard. It's living that's hard."
"Ranger players, especially veterans, weren’t surprised that Daniels couldn’t find a deal"
by Josey Wales on Oct 5, 2009 11:08 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
do you just ignore points that are made against you?
i’m going to finally get that troll script working
A baseball game is simply a nervous breakdown divided into nine innings.
by NothinG on Oct 5, 2009 11:12 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I don't really worry about
the points made against me.
Go get a troll script and don’t be late for the meeting.
"Dying ain't hard. It's living that's hard."
"Ranger players, especially veterans, weren’t surprised that Daniels couldn’t find a deal"
by Josey Wales on Oct 5, 2009 11:18 AM CDT up reply actions 4 recs
lol
genius
I don’t really worry about
the points made against me.
Can’t ever lose an argument that way. I should’ve thought of that.
"He will not coddle them. Nolan Ryan doesn’t coddle." - Jeff Passan
by Dirk Diggler on Oct 5, 2009 11:20 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I think he cant lay off the breaking ball/change up from a lefty coming into him and down
Thats what I think
TCU AD/PR Student: I Need A Job
by PM Productions on Oct 5, 2009 12:42 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
The guy was on pace to play about 140 games if he didn’t get injured
That is the problem Bigsteve. Wash was going to sit him for ~20 games even though he is one of the top hitters on the team. Nellie should have played in ~140 games this year.
Elvis Andrus - 2009 AL Rookie of the Year
Mitch Moreland -Tom Grieve Rangers Minor League Player of the Year
Martin Perez - Nolan Ryan Rangers Minor League Pitcher of the Year
by RangerMad on Oct 5, 2009 10:57 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Sitting for 20 games is not a big deal
THats 3 times a month. The problem is he only missed 4 games in the first 3 months of the season. If his days off were spread out more evenly it wouldn’t be an issue because he wouldn’t be missing multiple games in a row
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 Oct 5, 2009 11:00 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
"for whatever reason"
As opposed to the rest of the time HOW?
by venturafearsnolan on Oct 5, 2009 1:31 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Nellie's splits
He also has a .302 BaBIP v. righties and a .270 against lefties. Some of his “inability” to hit lefties can be attributed to bad luck.
It breaks your heart. It is designed to break your heart. The game begins in the spring, when everything else begins again, and it blossoms in the summer, filling the afternoons and evenings, and then as soon as the chill rains come, it stops and leaves you to face the fall alone. You count on it, rely on it to buffer the passage of time, to keep the memory of sunshine and high skies alive, and then just when the days are all twilight, when you need it most, it stops.
by WyoRanger on Oct 5, 2009 10:18 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
how old are Byrd and Murphy?
Cruz is only 1 year older than Murphy and younger than Byrd
A baseball game is simply a nervous breakdown divided into nine innings.
by NothinG on Oct 5, 2009 10:21 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Cruz consistently hit LH as well or better than RH in the minors.
The track record is there.
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 5, 2009 10:27 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Cruz's minor league stats never translated to the majors until September of last year
So why should his splits be any different?
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 Oct 5, 2009 10:53 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Really?
People point to Nelson Cruz’s impressive minor league track record as an indicator he is going to be a good player. Yet before September of last year in considerable playing time in the majors those same minor league numbers had never translated to major league success. But now that he had a good season people want to point to his minor league career as proof hes gonna continue it when in the past that hasn’t been correct. He sucked before this year against LHP and he sucked this year against LHP. HE may have found something against RHP but he hasn’t found anything yet against LHP and to think its finally gonna happen when hes 30 years old seems like a real big stretch to me
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 Oct 5, 2009 11:03 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
You're arguing something different than Josey
Your position is that Cruz is going to go back to sucking.
Josey’s is that Cruz is a reverse-platoon-split guy, even though he’s never been that before this season.
by Adam J. Morris on Oct 5, 2009 11:15 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
No I don't think hes gonna go back to sucking
But overlooking what hes done at the major league level, including what he did in his turnaround year, and simply going off his minor league splits as a 30 year old is a huge stretch in my eyes. If hes a 25-26 year old then yeah I could see room for improvement. But hes 30 years old, never hit LHP in the majors aside from one month. Expecting him to be a lefty killer middle of the order masher against LHP is too much IMO.
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 Oct 5, 2009 11:23 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
x
Expecting him to be a lefty killer middle of the order masher against LHP is too much IMO.
Who is expecting that?
by Adam J. Morris on Oct 5, 2009 11:25 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Thats the impression I get
What do you expect him to be against LHP? You bring up his September 08 against LHP when he OPSed over 1200 as an indication he can hit them. That led me to believe he can be a guy who hits for power against lefties.
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 Oct 5, 2009 11:29 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I expect that his splits...
…won’t be much different than the splits most righthanded hitters have. I think he’ll hit lefties a little better than he’ll hit righties next season.
by Adam J. Morris on Oct 5, 2009 11:31 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
And those thoughts regarding Cruz
are based on hope (vomit blood) and nothing you’ve seen to date in The Show.
Maybe he does find it at 30 years old but it’d be foolish to count on him.
"Dying ain't hard. It's living that's hard."
"Ranger players, especially veterans, weren’t surprised that Daniels couldn’t find a deal"
by Josey Wales on Oct 5, 2009 11:38 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
No, they aren't
They are based on what his splits historically have been, and what RH hitters in general do.
by Adam J. Morris on Oct 5, 2009 11:42 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Up until this year
His historical stats had not translated into major league success. And even this year they didn’t against LHP. I think Cruz could improve against LHP but if he hits better against LHP than RHP next year I feel it will be because his RHP splits dramatically decline
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 Oct 5, 2009 12:06 PM CDT via mobile up reply actions 0 recs
So you're arguing that he's going to suck... I understand that argument
I was confused by your point bc I thought you were using it to show why he’s a reverse-split hitter
by BuckyB on Oct 5, 2009 12:40 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Um. One season in the majors is a pretty short record.
He went back to AAA in 2008, made specific adjustments that translated to success at the majors in September 2008 and carried over to one of the better OF seasons in the majors in 2009. He hit LHP just fine in the minors in 2008, while making his adjustments. I don’t see any reason to not include his 2008 performance in an analysis of Cruz.
I think we’re primarily arguing over whether it should Cruz or Murphy in the field. This whole argument has nothing to do with whether Cruz is The Answer vs. LHP for the Rangers.
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 5, 2009 11:30 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
This Byrd - Cruz thing is getting a lot of momentum
Regarding Nellie, the media isn’t a big fan and Wash seems indifferent.
Regarding Byrd – Wash, MY and the media adore him. I’m guessing that translates to casual fans wanting him back regardless the cost.
Someone needs to put a penny on the track of this locomotive.
It breaks your heart. It is designed to break your heart. The game begins in the spring, when everything else begins again, and it blossoms in the summer, filling the afternoons and evenings, and then as soon as the chill rains come, it stops and leaves you to face the fall alone. You count on it, rely on it to buffer the passage of time, to keep the memory of sunshine and high skies alive, and then just when the days are all twilight, when you need it most, it stops.
by WyoRanger on Oct 5, 2009 10:14 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
We've been over this before
Murphy is far too white and scrappy not to be playing every day.
by LiamP on Oct 5, 2009 10:20 AM CDT via mobile reply actions 0 recs
I know he had some epic meltdowns, but did CJ really deserve a C?
I don’t get to see a lot of games, but the impression I got around here is that he was generally good with occasional bouts of horrid, which would seem to put him above the suffering suckitude that was 1B this year.
by other_shoe on Oct 5, 2009 10:26 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
No...
he doesn’t deserve a C. In fact, I’d give him an A-. He had a couple games that he really struggled in, however every player will have a bad game or two.
The guy was great this year.
"The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance."-Socrates
by slc ranger on Oct 5, 2009 10:46 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
CJ was one of our best pitchers this season
and easily one of top 5 performers. I would have given him an A-.
Jeff Wilson has his head up his ass.
"Dying ain't hard. It's living that's hard."
"Ranger players, especially veterans, weren’t surprised that Daniels couldn’t find a deal"
by Josey Wales on Oct 5, 2009 10:48 AM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
+1
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 5, 2009 7:16 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
That had to be one of the more striking errors in judgement
I saw on that list. Wilson had his struggles but he did pitch effectively in far more games than he didn’t, and wasn’t injured. I think he should at least be on the same level as Frankie.
B+
by MikeEl on Oct 5, 2009 10:52 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
He also gave Salty a C. Really? CJ and Salty got the same grade. How the hell did you get that job, Jeff Wilson?
Salty was about 98% as bad as Chris Davis was and his only excuse was that he tried to play hurt after June 1. Salty (along with Davis) should have been given F’s.
If the injury had no effect on his hitting, the centerpiece to the Mark Teixeira Trade is a bust.
"Dying ain't hard. It's living that's hard."
"Ranger players, especially veterans, weren’t surprised that Daniels couldn’t find a deal"
by Josey Wales on Oct 5, 2009 10:56 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Salty did show a huge improvement defensively this year
so I don’t think you could say his season was a complete failure. C- sounds about right.
by MikeEl on Oct 5, 2009 10:57 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I'm OK with Borbon-Byrd-Hamilton with Murphy as the 4th OF.
I can’t imagine it a good personnel decision to run with Borbon-Byrd-Murphy and Hamilton at DH. If Cruz is traded, it needs to be for a TORP, and they need to address the DH position in FA.
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 5, 2009 10:30 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
I'm glad you're...
okay with that, but it wouldn’t happen. Murphy would play over Borbon.
And if this offense loses Cruz it won’t be pretty.
"The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance."-Socrates
by slc ranger on Oct 5, 2009 10:48 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
You ain't gonna get
a TORP with Cruz headlining the deal.
"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 5, 2009 10:49 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I don't disagree with that.
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 5, 2009 10:51 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
That's a fact
TORP’s require asset packages that fill gaps and populate futures
"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 5, 2009 11:00 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yep,
most TORP packages gut your system. Thats why I generally am against most realistic TORP packages folks come up with. Tough to make one without Feliz, Smoak, or Holland headlining the deal.and sometimes 2 of 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 5, 2009 11:01 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Hypothetical
Tampa offers you Bossman Jr for Cruz. Would you do it?
by LiamP on Oct 5, 2009 11:46 AM CDT via mobile up reply actions 0 recs
Bossman has been pretty bad the last couple of years, so...
no
A baseball game is simply a nervous breakdown divided into nine innings.
by NothinG on Oct 5, 2009 12:06 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Still
Big upside offensively, elite CF defense and he’s several years younger than Cruz.
I ask this because, based on the Jackson trade last year, Tampa’s payroll issues and Des Jennings being ready to take over, Upton is almost guaranteed to be dealt somewhere.
by LiamP on Oct 5, 2009 12:18 PM CDT via mobile up reply actions 0 recs
his upside is speed
we have plenty of speed, but we can’t afford to give up the power that Cruz provides. It is an interesting discussion, but I, also, don’t think Borbon is as bad defensively as he is made out to be by Wash etc. We’ll see.
A baseball game is simply a nervous breakdown divided into nine innings.
by NothinG on Oct 5, 2009 12:26 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Upton has (had?) the potential to hit for power
He’s also been a 10+ UZR guy in CF with a cannon for an arm. Regardless of how much Borbon’s liabilities in CF have been trumped up by Worsh, he will never be as good defensively as Upton.
by LiamP on Oct 5, 2009 12:36 PM CDT via mobile up reply actions 0 recs
Glad you ran to your UZR spreadsheet, because there's a good school of thought that he might be the laziest centerfielder out there
Saw some plays on the last homestand that support that idea
by oc on Oct 5, 2009 1:12 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Have another
bonghit.
"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 5, 2009 2:15 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
You're right
Maybe I should’ve pointed out that 2 seasons worth of UZR data is just a little more meaningful than your observations over the course of a 3 game series. Maybe I should’ve pointed out that Upton was called lazy for not running to 1st base, not for anything related to his defense.
Of course, given who I’m talking to, it would’ve been pretty pointless to do so, so I think my original response was pretty appropriate.
by LiamP on Oct 5, 2009 2:40 PM CDT via mobile up reply actions 0 recs
Oh horseshit, if you follow the Rays you'd understand these aren't isolated incidents
by oc on Oct 5, 2009 2:44 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Please
Ask RJ or Sky or anyone else that follows the Rays if Upton’s an elite-level defensive player or not. Shit, make a post on DRaysBay if you want.
by LiamP on Oct 5, 2009 2:48 PM CDT via mobile up reply actions 0 recs
those guys that mention (very knowledgable fans)
View Bossman Jr in a similar light to the way we would view Elvis if he had 35 hr power potential.
"You can probably stick a fork in the Rangers' playoff chances for 2009." - AJM on 7/26 with the team 4.5 games out
by tricer on Oct 5, 2009 3:31 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I'd be all over that
and I’m one of Nellie’s biggest advocates here.
"You can probably stick a fork in the Rangers' playoff chances for 2009." - AJM on 7/26 with the team 4.5 games out
by tricer on Oct 5, 2009 1:15 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
And in other news
Police in the Detroit suburb of Birmingham, Mich., were called to Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera’s home early Saturday morning for what was classified as a “family trouble” call, the Detroit News reported Monday.
The incident, reportedly recorded in the department’s police log, occurred the same day Cabrera showed up at Comerica Park for that night’s Tigers game against the White Sox with bruising visible on the left side of his face.
by MikeEl on Oct 5, 2009 10:32 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Adam, don't forget about Richard Durrett over at ESPN Dallas
One of his posts today: Postseason position analysis: First base
The 2009 Texas Rangers offense: sigh...
by Kinslerhomer on Oct 5, 2009 10:32 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
and he has his Rangers
The 2009 Texas Rangers offense: sigh...
by Kinslerhomer on Oct 5, 2009 10:35 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
his awards are pretty accurate
A baseball game is simply a nervous breakdown divided into nine innings.
by NothinG on Oct 5, 2009 10:39 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Agreed
Best rundown on players yet published in MSM
"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 5, 2009 11:02 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Player most in the Ron Washington mold: Marlon Byrd
No contest there.
Elvis Andrus - 2009 AL Rookie of the Year
Mitch Moreland -Tom Grieve Rangers Minor League Player of the Year
Martin Perez - Nolan Ryan Rangers Minor League Pitcher of the Year
by RangerMad on Oct 5, 2009 10:50 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
If Cruz is run off
and we have a Byrd/Murphy/Borbon OF next year, we can kiss off competing next year due to lack of offense.
"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 5, 2009 10:42 AM CDT reply actions 1 recs
True dat
The 2009 Texas Rangers offense: sigh...
by Kinslerhomer on Oct 5, 2009 10:44 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yep
I assume that if that’s the plan, we’re going to trade C.J., Frankie, and any other close to f.a. players and go back into rebuilding mode.
by Adam J. Morris on Oct 5, 2009 10:44 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
If we don't get on a playoff trajectory for 2010
I’ll be ready for the new ownership to bring in new management. Get someone who wants to build a major league franchise as well as a farm system.
"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 5, 2009 10:45 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Really Think That?
Adam – I like reading your stuff and listening to your podcosts (perhaps a kindrid spirit being a dallas lawyer to your houston ilk), even if I don’t always agree with everything you say. However, this is the 2nd time I’ve seen you make this statement. I haven’t followed you ENOUGH to know if you are being tongue in cheek or serious. Surely you don’t think (a) this management would look to go backward in their rebuilding mode or (b) that a trade of Cruz ABSOLUTELY equates to such a move?
Regarding the former, that just seems ludicrous and regarding the latter, I know you are a super smart guy and I know you can conceive of a move where that wouldn’t be the case. I haven’t studied the RH corner outfield bat market closely (and matched it to teams in need of young pitching — who isn’t?) but you could conceive of a trade where they offered say Tommy Hunter, Michael Main, TT and Cruz for RH corner OF that is far superior (beyond reproach) to Cruz. I am not advocating it, merely pointing out that Cruz COULD be moved in a win now move that clearly brings in a strong RH bat. I personally think Hamilton is much more likely to fit that profile (why not get the Yankees or the Red Sox to pay full retail?), but I’m just saying…
Jack Daddy
by Jack Daddy on Oct 5, 2009 3:55 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I'm being a little tongue-in-cheek
But I also don’t want a repeat of 2005, where we have obvious weaknesses that we don’t act serious about fixing.
An outfield of Borbon, Byrd and Murphy isn’t an outfield of a team that is serious about being a playoff contender.
by Adam J. Morris on Oct 5, 2009 4:16 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Fair Enough
on the one hand, I agree that isn’t a playoff OF, but I’m not sure that Borbon, Byrd, Cruz is either — i assume in each case Hamilton is the DH? I think what they do in the OF is the SINGLE biggest determinative factor in whether this thing competes over the next 2 years.
When I look at this season and line it up to the 1986 season, the similiarities are STRIKING:
1. chased the Angels the whole way, never able to catch them or fall away (87 wins each season)
2. a TON of youngters at ML level, both rotation (witt, correa and guzman) and in field
3. several of the hitters never progressed to be either stars (Buechelle and Inky) or even good (oddibe, the Governer, Stanley).
4. wacky LH reliever (mitch williams)
5. Oak team that seemed far back but was developing a ton of good young players.
6. Crazy depth on farm (Kevin Brown, gonzo (signed that year) for sure, and I think Palmer was there. I am pretty sure they had Kenny. Not sure about Pudge in 86 – think he was more 87)
7. veterans that were big in 86 and never really again (Gary Ward = Marlon Byrd/ Parrish = ?)
Injuries more than anything (correa and guzman) derailed that team, but not being able to develop mcdowell, inky, stanley and browne played big parts. of course then they added to it by bringing in pameiro, franco and nolan but it never went anywhere.
My point is, that team had some holes that were never addressed and they pretty much waited a couple of years (89) to really supplement it. By then, the pitching prospects had flamed out.
Maybe I have no point at all, I just am struck by how similar 86 and 09 were.
Let’s hope
Jack Daddy
by Jack Daddy on Oct 5, 2009 4:31 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Concur...
In fact, not only am I fine with letting Byrd walk, but I’d try and deal Murphy as well. His value probably won’t get any higher and he can’t hit LH pitching. One of the biggest problems this team has right now.
I’m fine with a OF of Hamilton/Borbon/Cruz with Boggs or Gentry as the 4th OFer. Of course that assumes that Josh is healthy enough to play the OF next season which is a big question mark at this point. That OF alignment also means the Rangers need to pick up another OF/DH bat. Which they need to do anyway. That player could split time between the OF/DH with Hamilton as well.
"The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance."-Socrates
by slc ranger on Oct 5, 2009 10:54 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yeah, if you can get starting OF value
for a 4th/platoon OF like Murphy, you’d be silly not too.
"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 5, 2009 10:56 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
What happens if Borbon struggle next year?
There is a big drop off from Murphy to Boggs to Gentry.
Elvis Andrus - 2009 AL Rookie of the Year
Mitch Moreland -Tom Grieve Rangers Minor League Player of the Year
Martin Perez - Nolan Ryan Rangers Minor League Pitcher of the Year
by RangerMad on Oct 5, 2009 10:59 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Murphy...
isn’t the answer to that problem if it happens anyway. He can’t play CF.
"The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance."-Socrates
by slc ranger on Oct 5, 2009 11:02 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yep
The thought that Murphy is the answer to anything other than “whats a real good 4th OF/ Platoon 3rd OF” to have, is fairly silly. If he had Byrds glove, he’d have more value.
"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 5, 2009 11:04 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
My guess with Jeff Wilson's "grading system"
is that it was based just as much on living up to potential. Byrd and Murphy get A’s because that’s probably the most you can expect out of them offensively. Cruz gets a B because while he had a better season offensively, he still could have been better.
by MikeEl on Oct 5, 2009 10:56 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
So, Cruz is held to a higher standard
in his first full season?
"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 5, 2009 10:57 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I guess so.
Weren’t there a lot of plate appearances late in the season with men on base where he failed to drive in runs? (Before he lost playing time). He wasn’t the only guy struggling, but he did have his struggles at times. I’d still give him an A- on the production he did have though…
by MikeEl on Oct 5, 2009 11:00 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
The only reason its his first full season
Is because he has sucked prior to this season
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 Oct 5, 2009 11:04 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Outside of his HR's, did Cruz have a good year?
Seems people might be a little too focused on his HR’s while overlooking that the rest of his game wasn’t all that hot this year?
by twinkilling on Oct 5, 2009 1:04 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Hard to say
From my POV yes, he contributed significantly to the run prevention component of winning games – for every uncertain route coming in, he caught at least one ball going back or into the gap, and his range based metrics were damn good. And the HR total is less significant than his HR rate (per AB’s). I think some of us also view his improvement at taking walks (improved, not yet great) helps. FWIW opposing managers were more prone to intentionally walk him than other Ranger hitters in RISP situations.
"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 5, 2009 1:09 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yes, he had a good year outside of his HR's.
"The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance."-Socrates
by slc ranger on Oct 5, 2009 1:12 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
and don't forget his
20 stolen bases.
by jcAustin on Oct 5, 2009 1:23 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
do we care?
On offense, he didn’t hit that great, but he did steal 20 bases with a great percentage. He was underrated defensively. and he did hit 33 homers, which still counts.
by iblum on Oct 5, 2009 1:54 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Ugh. From Onley
3. Rival executives are already speculating about Kevin Towers’ possible connection to the Texas Rangers if — and it’s a big if — Dennis Gilbert’s group wins the bidding for the team. Towers and Gilbert are longtime friends.
The 2009 Texas Rangers offense: sigh...
by Kinslerhomer on Oct 5, 2009 10:57 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
This
The 2009 Texas Rangers offense: sigh...
by Kinslerhomer on Oct 5, 2009 11:00 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Gilbert's the agent and Greenberg's the guy that want Nolan
right? I’d much prefer Greenberg.
In a slight defense of Towers, I’d say his biggest problem in San Diego was finding a scouting director who didn’t draft 1st round duds.
by MikeEl on Oct 5, 2009 11:02 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Kevin Towers is awful
Please no.
Go Rice Owls!
by JBImaknee on Oct 5, 2009 11:01 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Towers raped JD on a trade
and SDO played very well down the stretch this year.
I’d have to look at his career in SDO closer to better assess but yeah, that’s intriuging.
"Dying ain't hard. It's living that's hard."
"Ranger players, especially veterans, weren’t surprised that Daniels couldn’t find a deal"
by Josey Wales on Oct 5, 2009 11:04 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
He sucks
The 2009 Texas Rangers offense: sigh...
by Kinslerhomer on Oct 5, 2009 11:05 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
No, he doesn't
Towers isn’t a bad g.m.
And the reality is that there’s a pretty decent chance that whoever comes in is going to bring his own people in to run the front office.
IF there is a change, better Towers than, say, Tim Purpura (who people were saying Nolan was going to bring in to replace Daniels).
by Adam J. Morris on Oct 5, 2009 11:16 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Hell no on Purpura.
The guy did ok as an assistant, but showed absolutely ability to take the reins when he was promoted. If the Astros hadn’t let Hunsicker go in favor of Purpura, they may still have a good team and farm system, while the Rays may not have made the WS last year.
by MikeEl on Oct 5, 2009 11:19 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I think it'd be shocking
if whoever bought the team threw Nolan and JD out immediately, given where this club is.
Though I would agree that their leash would get considerably shorter.
Go Rice Owls!
by JBImaknee on Oct 5, 2009 11:21 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Oh boo hoo.
Lets all cry for hours about a trade 4 years ago. WHAAAAA WHAAAA WHAAAA!
I think it is pretty obvious that JD in 2009 is not JD of 2005.
And fwiw, my basis for hating Towers is not entirely on his ability to build a winning team. Obviously SD has made the playoffs periodically in the past decade (though I’d argue that has much more to do with the pathetic NL West). But I don’t think you can realize how boring and painful Kevin Towers teams are to watch. And don’t blame $$$ or anything like that. It is his approach. The product Kevin Towers has routinely put on the field in Petco is awful. It has zero entertainment value. And that is why people in the 7th biggest city in the country refuse to pay money to go to games in a new ballpark. Because they are BORING. And I don’t think fans in DFW will support a Rangers club that is boring, any more than they support the ones that were losing.
Go Rice Owls!
by JBImaknee on Oct 5, 2009 11:14 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Murphy
MUrphy started the season 0-23. Since then he was a very respectable 283/346/471 hitter and he crushed RHP. I fully believe he should be an everyday player against RHP.
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 Oct 5, 2009 10:58 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Olney:
AL Rookie of the Year:
1.Elvis Andrus
2.Rick Porcello
3.Andrew Bailey
The 2009 Texas Rangers offense: sigh...
by Kinslerhomer on Oct 5, 2009 10:58 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
I'm conflicted.
I want to say Olney shows a lot of sense placing Andrus at the top of the list, but then he has Porcello at #2.
by MikeEl on Oct 5, 2009 11:03 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Me too.
Poor Niemann. Also Brett Anderson.
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 5, 2009 11:33 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Brett Anderson is getting snubbed quite a bit
hardly even being mentioned.
A baseball game is simply a nervous breakdown divided into nine innings.
by NothinG on Oct 5, 2009 11:44 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
The combo of Anderson and Cahill
scares me. They will make for some tough series for the Rangers.
Elvis Andrus - 2009 AL Rookie of the Year
Mitch Moreland -Tom Grieve Rangers Minor League Player of the Year
Martin Perez - Nolan Ryan Rangers Minor League Pitcher of the Year
by RangerMad on Oct 5, 2009 11:57 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
OT. A's Mortensen charged with DUI
The 2009 Texas Rangers offense: sigh...
by Kinslerhomer on Oct 5, 2009 11:00 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
New Coen brothers movie
Crisp, thematically brave, and – best of all – totally hilarious.
"[Font} doesn't turn 19 until the end of May and his heater can already hit 99 on the gun. That's baseball porn." - Jason Parks
by hightowersmith on Oct 5, 2009 11:37 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
I don't normally cream my shorts for Coen Bros. movies
But I can’t wait to see this one.
by brettgardner on Oct 5, 2009 12:25 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Evan Grant
says the next wave of talent won’t come up to The Show until 2011 (which is something I tend to believe unless Smoak surprises and Boggs rebouds).
We’re in a spot similiar to 2004 but this team is losing quite a bit of talent that contributed which means JD doesn’t have the luxury of whiffing again at the Winter Meetings.
"Dying ain't hard. It's living that's hard."
"Ranger players, especially veterans, weren’t surprised that Daniels couldn’t find a deal"
by Josey Wales on Oct 5, 2009 12:15 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
who are we losing aside from Byrd maybe?
by MikeEl on Oct 5, 2009 12:16 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
nevermind, I forgot who was posting...
by MikeEl on Oct 5, 2009 12:16 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Blalock & Jones gave this team 42 HR's & 110+ RBI that need to be replaced.
I don’t think it would be wise to bring back Byrd for several reasons and he hung up a 20/89 that’s going to need to be replaced.
So we’re at 62 HR & 199 RBI from vets that will need to be replaced.
Somebody is also going to need to replace VPadilla’s 110 IPs and is Ichabod McCarthy (17 starts) coming back?
"Dying ain't hard. It's living that's hard."
"Ranger players, especially veterans, weren’t surprised that Daniels couldn’t find a deal"
by Josey Wales on Oct 5, 2009 12:28 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Oh, no!
How are we going to replace our replacement-level DHs, Blalock and Jones???
by Adam J. Morris on Oct 5, 2009 12:34 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
But we're dealing with a GM
who thought trading AGonzales, CYoung, Soriano and John Danks for three bags of shit out of somebody’s front yard was a good idea.
"Dying ain't hard. It's living that's hard."
"Ranger players, especially veterans, weren’t surprised that Daniels couldn’t find a deal"
by Josey Wales on Oct 5, 2009 1:03 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Adrian Gonzales
This argument gets old. His career high MINOR LEAGUE HR total was 18 at a 3rd year AAA player. He had years of 5 HR’s, 3 HR’s, 2 HR’s thrown in there. In 2 stints in “The Show” as you like to put it, he hit .229 with 7 HR’s and 24 RBI’s in 192 AB’s. I don’t truly believe anyone was sold on him based on his minor league history and his short stint in the majors. I’m sure someone will claim they were, but I don’t really buy it.
"calmer than you are dude" Walter (Big Lebowski)
Hello Win Column!!!
by Arlington Stadium Legend on Oct 5, 2009 1:47 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
If MLB will let us acquire a batter who can hit 2 or 3 times in the lineup
then this argument makes sense
by BuckyB on Oct 5, 2009 12:42 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Ahahahahaha...
Seriously, how are the Rangers going to replace Blalock, Jones, and Padilla?
I’ve got an idea. How about replacing them with players that don’t suck? Obviously HR’s and RBI’s are all that matter with an offensive player, that’s all that needs to be replaced.
And how can the Rangers replace a pitcher who threw 110 innings? Hardly any pitchers throw 110 innings now days.
The Rangers are losing Byrd and little, if nothing, else.
And yes, Chris Young may as well be a bag of shit on a lawn right now.
Your arguments just keep getting better.
Ahahahaha.
"The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance."-Socrates
by slc ranger on Oct 5, 2009 1:11 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Little Boy Donuts
biggest weakness has always been assessing the needs of the major league club and then acquiring major league players to fix that weakness at the moment.
We saw it after 2005 & 2006.
We saw it at the 2008 trade deadline, last year’s Winter Meetings and the 2009 trade deadline.
"Dying ain't hard. It's living that's hard."
"Ranger players, especially veterans, weren’t surprised that Daniels couldn’t find a deal"
by Josey Wales on Oct 5, 2009 1:20 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Thank goodness Nolan...
…is about to fire Little Boy Donuts for his incompetence.
by Adam J. Morris on Oct 5, 2009 1:35 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Adam
Do you feel confident in JD’s ability to assess the needs of the major league club and then acquire major league players to fix that need?
If yes, please show your work.
"Dying ain't hard. It's living that's hard."
"Ranger players, especially veterans, weren’t surprised that Daniels couldn’t find a deal"
by Josey Wales on Oct 5, 2009 1:52 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
it isn't always as easy as
locate a need, fix the need. Multiple things have to happen for those needs to be fixed with major league player acquisitions. Trades, you need a willing partner. Free agents, you need the money and the commitment of the player. If it was as easy as you say it is, every team would be really good and no G.M. would ever get fired.
"calmer than you are dude" Walter (Big Lebowski)
Hello Win Column!!!
by Arlington Stadium Legend on Oct 5, 2009 1:57 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
With Milton Bradley
being shown the door, it was very easy to see that we were going to need to replace his ability to get on base.
When the team rocked a .315ish obp at the AS Break (and everybody knows that AL teams with obp’s below .320 don’t make the playoffs,) the weakness was very easy identify.
"Dying ain't hard. It's living that's hard."
"Ranger players, especially veterans, weren’t surprised that Daniels couldn’t find a deal"
by Josey Wales on Oct 5, 2009 2:00 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I didn't say anything about how hard it was to identify
if you had reading comprehension skills, you would see that. Everyone of us on here identified that as the club weakness. My point is this isn’t MLB ‘09 where you can force the computer to trade you whatever you want for your team. You have to find a willing trading partner with the guy you want willing to take back what you are comfortable sending away. To say Daniels didn’t see the weakness is stupid considering the front office said on multiple occassions late that the team was giving away AB’s to easily.
"calmer than you are dude" Walter (Big Lebowski)
Hello Win Column!!!
by Arlington Stadium Legend on Oct 5, 2009 2:03 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
So you're giving credit to JD for recognizing the problem...
what about doing nothing to fix said problem other than hoping it would go away?
That was JD’s trade deadline strategy – hope.
Billy Beane & Sarah Palin told us long ago that “hope is not a strategy.”
"Dying ain't hard. It's living that's hard."
"Ranger players, especially veterans, weren’t surprised that Daniels couldn’t find a deal"
by Josey Wales on Oct 5, 2009 2:08 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I used to think this was a bit
but you might really be retarted. Did you read my post at all? You don’t know what his strategy was. You don’t know what offers were on the table. All you know is no deal was made. Again, it’s not MLB 09. He can’t force the Cardinals to trade us Pujols for Vizquel. With the insane jump in the value of prospects lately, I imagine all deals Daniels tried would have cost too much in terms of prospects. When those guys panned out, you would be on here 4 years from now bitching about how Daniels traded those guys for bags of poo.
"calmer than you are dude" Walter (Big Lebowski)
Hello Win Column!!!
by Arlington Stadium Legend on Oct 5, 2009 2:11 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Milt
One player does not team OBP make. (sounds like Yoda if you say it out loud). The whole team wouldn’t get on base. Note that I didn’t say “couldn’t”.
It breaks your heart. It is designed to break your heart. The game begins in the spring, when everything else begins again, and it blossoms in the summer, filling the afternoons and evenings, and then as soon as the chill rains come, it stops and leaves you to face the fall alone. You count on it, rely on it to buffer the passage of time, to keep the memory of sunshine and high skies alive, and then just when the days are all twilight, when you need it most, it stops.
by WyoRanger on Oct 5, 2009 2:39 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Do you really feel that you are the only one who realizes what a poor GM JD is?
That your ability to asses a GM is better than people around the country whose jobs are to follow baseball; better than Nolan’s?
by BuckyB on Oct 5, 2009 2:00 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Does JD still have the "learning mattress" to fall back on
or is he now considered a true gm (who has been castrated by the Team Prez)?
"Dying ain't hard. It's living that's hard."
"Ranger players, especially veterans, weren’t surprised that Daniels couldn’t find a deal"
by Josey Wales on Oct 5, 2009 2:03 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I'll show his work...
Cruz
Hamilton
Andrus
Feliz
Salty
Murphy
MaxRam
O’Day
Byrd
Holland
Borbon
Hunter
Davis
Smoak
Perez
Main
Beavan
Kiker
All players that Little Boy Donuts drafted or acquired. Hard to argue with all that talent, unless you’re ignorant and have a previous agenda.
"The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance."-Socrates
by slc ranger on Oct 5, 2009 2:15 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
He needs to get better
at acquiring Major league players, now that the team is on the threshold of competing.
"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 5, 2009 2:17 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
This is true...
but the team is on the threshold of competing because of all the young talent that he has acquired and is now contributing.
"The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance."-Socrates
by slc ranger on Oct 5, 2009 2:19 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yep,
but his acquisition of MLB ready talent is probably the area of the game that looks the weakest, and it will be the most important area going forward. Its no longer only about building the farm.
This team has a window open, and it isn’t indefinite. I would assume if they don’t make the playoffs in a few years, it will be time for a new GM. He’s 4 years in, and I imagine at some point, 6 years, 7 years, 8 years, he has to make the playoffs, then start making progress in the playoffs.
"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 5, 2009 2:28 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I just hope...
he has the resources to acquire that ML ready talent. His hands were tied this year with all the financial trouble HIcks is in and that isn’t likely to change ’til this team has new ownership. Then who knows what will happen.
"The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance."-Socrates
by slc ranger on Oct 5, 2009 2:33 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yeah, if we don't get a decent owner
the franchise is probably hosed. The new owner will probably be the most important offseason acquisition.
"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 5, 2009 2:36 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Was going to comment
That doing peer deals to acquire MLB talent has had a couple of boundaries. The first being the policy that the MLB roster would be built from within, and the second being that signing FA’s (and I’d guess Rule 5’s) or making trades would be “player specific”. Not sure if the trade scenario is included in the player specific guideline. In precis, ownership rules.
Edit: I see Dan already commented as such.
"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 5, 2009 2:40 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
October 2005 -This team was one year removed from winning 89 games
with a lot of young talent in place or in the pipeline plus the 2006 payroll was bumped 21%.
The difference this time around is that we’re losing significant contributions plus if anything, the payroll appears to be going down.
"Dying ain't hard. It's living that's hard."
"Ranger players, especially veterans, weren’t surprised that Daniels couldn’t find a deal"
by Josey Wales on Oct 5, 2009 2:41 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
So in 4 years on the job he took over
a team (one year removed from winning 89 games) and the best he could do is build a team that won 87 games?
Thanks.
"Dying ain't hard. It's living that's hard."
"Ranger players, especially veterans, weren’t surprised that Daniels couldn’t find a deal"
by Josey Wales on Oct 5, 2009 2:18 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
You're welcome.
"The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance."-Socrates
by slc ranger on Oct 5, 2009 2:19 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Quiz time
Ok, Josey, without looking it up. Who had the higher batting average, Chris Davis or Hank Blalock this year? Who had the higher on-base average?
by iblum on Oct 5, 2009 1:50 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
wrong thread.
"Dying ain't hard. It's living that's hard."
"Ranger players, especially veterans, weren’t surprised that Daniels couldn’t find a deal"
by Josey Wales on Oct 5, 2009 1:51 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
C'mon
whats wrong? chicken? don’t know. heck, its right down below in the same thread.
Or, would answering correctly cause your brain to explode.
by iblum on Oct 5, 2009 1:55 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
All Josey/Hank/Davis talk is to be confined to Josey/Hank/Davis FanPost
You can find it on the rec’d FanPosts right now.
by Adam J. Morris on Oct 5, 2009 1:58 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Did he answer the question there?
My apologies sir.
by iblum on Oct 5, 2009 2:12 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Im starting to get the impression that Nellie must be a real douche to the coaches
I can’t think of any other reason why he’s not being sold to the fan base… the guy put up some gaudy numbers (i.e. HR/AB)
by BuckyB on Oct 5, 2009 12:44 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Grading system
It seems to me that this grading system was based on three things: 1) C = replacement level. 2) perception 3) expectations.
lets break them down:
Name Grade Stats WARP2 (from bp)
Elvis Andrus A .267/.329/.373 33 steals 4.9
Marlon Byrd A .283/.329/.479 89 RBI 3.5
Scott Feldman A 17-8 4.08 111 ERA+ 4.5
Neftali Feliz A 1-0 1.74 259 ERA+ .677 WHIP 1.2
Darren O’Day A 2-1 1.94 232 ERA+ .952 WHIP 2.1
Michael Young A .322/.374/.518 4.2
Tommy Hunter B+ 9-6 4.10 110 ERA+ 2.2
David Murphy B+ .269/.338/.447 3.6
Julio Borbon B .312/.376/.412 19 steals 1.0
Frank Francisco B 2-3 3.83 25 saves 2.3
Dustin Nippert B 5-3 3.88 1.5
Kevin Millwood B 13-10 3.67 123 ERA+ 3CG’s 4.7
Nelson Cruz B- .260/.332/.524 30-20 6.2
Ian Kinsler B- .253/.327/.488 30-30 7.1
Omar Vizquel B- .266/.315/.345 1.6
Ivan Rodriguez C+ .245/.279/.388 0.9
Jarrod Salty C+ .233/.290/.371 0.8
Hank Blalock C .234/.277/.459 0.0
Esteban German C .304/.360/.391 19 games 0.1
Derek Holland C 8-13 6.12 2.28 K/BB – 0.3
Brandon McCarthy C 7-4 4.62 98 ERA+ 1.0
Doug Mathis C 0-1 3.16 24 games 0.9
CJ Wilson C 5-6 2.81 14 saves 3.5
Chris Davis C – .238/.284/.442 0.0
Willie Eyre C- 0-0 4.50 17 games 0.1
Matt Harrison C- 4-5 6.11 74 ERA+ 0.1
Guillermo Moscoso C- 0-0 3.21 10 games 0.1
Eddie Guardado C- 1-2 4.46 38.1 innings in 48 games 0.4
Josh Hamilton D+ .268/.315/.426 1.3
Taylor Teagarden D+ .217/.270/.374 1.9
Jason Grilli D 2-2 4.78 9.2 K/9 30 games 0.6
Jason Jennings D 2-4 4.13 109 ERA+ 44 games 1.0
Vincente Padilla D 8-6 4.92 92 ERA+ off-field problems 1.3
Pedro Strop D 0-0 7.71 7 games – 0.1
Andruw Jones D – .214/.323/.459 1.1
Joaquin Arias F .000/.000/.000 0-8 in 3 games -0.2
Kris Benson F 1-1 8.46 didn’t pitch that well -0.6
Warner Madrigal F 0-0 9.95 13 games -0.3
Josh Rupe F 0-0 15.43 4 games -0.3
and some incompletes I’m uninterested in.
some comments: Overscored: Neftali Feliz, Julio Borbon, Dustin Nippert
Darren O’Day, Derek Holland. These are all understandable in that there
was no expectations coming in and that there is promise here beyond the stats.
Underscored: Cruz, Kinsler, Wilson, Taylor Teagarden, Josh Hamilton,
Andruw Jones. again, Expectations play a role, but here the issue is defense and
secondary skills. Cruz, Kinsler, Teagarden, and Hamilton are all better
defensively then their rep. Kinsler’s rep is high, but he’s even better than that,
Gold Glove quality, IMO. Teagarden is the same, but I don’t think the league
can live with another no-hit all glove catcher. Cruz is that rare, “looks bad, fields
good” type of player (like Byrd is). BP credits Cruz with more runs defensively than
offensively. Hamilton just wasn’t as bad as it seemed, though in his case it was
all expectations. Same could be said of Andruw Jones, but his 2009 really was a bounce back
for him. Bouncing back to 2007, that is. Intersting note: Jones’ ISO was second only
to Cruz’ on the team. CJ’s issue, not so sure there. Maybe people just
don’t really know how to rate relievers. He pitched often, He pitched better than Frankie,
and he did his job, whether it was setting up or closing. And, as far as I know, he didn’t
bitch and moan when Frankie came off the DL and pushed him out of the closer slot.
by iblum on Oct 5, 2009 1:48 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Good stuff
Yet I have the same old reservations about a grading system (over a season). The slash data and extrapolated calculations end up being linear, or normalized, lumping together lots of per instance data. The end numbers portray the ‘season value’ of the players, but don’t take into account the ups and downs of daily (and sometimes extended) play.
No idea how to calculate it, but I’d love to see some tabular form of ‘situational wins’ that portray the results a player produces when that result is significant to wins or losses. Some method by which solo HR when six runs behind in the eighth inning on the road just don’t add to a score, and by which a <1.00 WHIP is discounted when a team is seven runs up from the fourth inning on (although that one is more important than the isolated HR).
Perhaps I’m naive about any such ‘stress data’, or just not aware of one of the measured valuation contents.
"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 5, 2009 2:35 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Are you familiar with WPA?
Elvis Andrus - 2009 AL Rookie of the Year
Mitch Moreland -Tom Grieve Rangers Minor League Player of the Year
Martin Perez - Nolan Ryan Rangers Minor League Pitcher of the Year
by RangerMad on Oct 5, 2009 2:49 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I'll try to get familiar
Thanks!
"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 5, 2009 2:51 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
And along that same train of thought
Fangraphs has Ian with a WAR of 4.3 in 2009 vs 4.2 in 2008. Does anyone think Ian had a better year in 2009 than 2008?
Elvis Andrus - 2009 AL Rookie of the Year
Mitch Moreland -Tom Grieve Rangers Minor League Player of the Year
Martin Perez - Nolan Ryan Rangers Minor League Pitcher of the Year
by RangerMad on Oct 5, 2009 2:53 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Ian:
WAR is an accumulation stat, and Ian played in 20 more games this year than last year.
Broken down:
Ian this year was worth 12 batting runs, 8 fielding runs, 21 replacement runs, 2 positional runs.
Ian last year was worth 29 batting runs, -8 fielding runs, 20 replacement runs, 2 positional runs in less playing time.
So basically, his fielding improved by almost 20 runs, his batting decreased by almost 20 runs and he played more time, so he was worth fewer WAR / 600 PA than he was last year.
So no — he had a much worse year. If he had been 20 batting runs (~ halfway between last year and this year) then he’s a 5+ WAR player.
by Trickman on Oct 5, 2009 3:25 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
defense
Was he really that much better defnesively this year? Especially when you consider the… year to year accuracy of the defensive stats.
I need to read up on WAR and similar stats.
Elvis Andrus - 2009 AL Rookie of the Year
Mitch Moreland -Tom Grieve Rangers Minor League Player of the Year
Martin Perez - Nolan Ryan Rangers Minor League Pitcher of the Year
by RangerMad on Oct 5, 2009 3:51 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Read
The 2009 Texas Rangers offense: sigh...
by Kinslerhomer on Oct 5, 2009 4:12 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
CJ's 3.5 WAR s behind only Feldman and Mealwood
yet he got a C? Also Fangraphs has his value as 9.1 mill, in front of Mariano Rivera, Papelbon, and Nathan.
we're from Texas
CJ says "Relax"
by eclou on Oct 5, 2009 2:47 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
For all the talk about this being a great season and whatever
This team was in first place for a good month-and-a-half, two month… all the way uptil fuggin July.
And finished 10 GAMES OUT. They couldn’t even finish in single digits in games back!
A success?
I guess?
Eighty-seven wins is great, but man… when the dog days kicked in, this looked like the same ol’, ‘Bobby-V, first-at-the-Break, second-at-the-end’ Texas Ranger teams I grew up watching…
Just a bunch of musclehead dickfaces trying to go yard in every AB with lots of late-inning meltdowns
by oc on Oct 5, 2009 1:56 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
If they start strong and struggle late...
…they are the same ol’ fading, can’t get it done in teh second half losers as always.
If they struggle early and start strong, well, of course they played well once the pressure was off and the games didn’t mean anything.
by Adam J. Morris on Oct 5, 2009 1:59 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I would agree
with the approach aspect of that more than the fade late etc. It did seem once the pressure got taken up a notch, the majority of the guys resorted to the swing from your heels do it all yourself mentality that plagued the Rangers for years.
"calmer than you are dude" Walter (Big Lebowski)
Hello Win Column!!!
by Arlington Stadium Legend on Oct 5, 2009 2:01 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
It's why I stopped watching late
To celebrate a Kinsler 30/30 year when all he did was drop his back shoulder and hit ball after ball into the air was somewhat silly to me. If a guy hits .250 with 30 HR’s and kills the offense from the leadoff spot for part of the year, should we really celebrate it?
"calmer than you are dude" Walter (Big Lebowski)
Hello Win Column!!!
by Arlington Stadium Legend on Oct 5, 2009 2:08 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
it was obviously his goal
maybe he will stop his huge uppercut swing next year. maybe not, but Kinsler even with his 30/30 season was probably my biggest dissappointment. His approach and suckage post April were nothing to celebrate.
A baseball game is simply a nervous breakdown divided into nine innings.
by NothinG on Oct 5, 2009 4:04 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
This is two years in a row they spit the bit down the stretch.
One year they were on the fringe of the race, one year they were right in the middle of the race.
"Dying ain't hard. It's living that's hard."
"Ranger players, especially veterans, weren’t surprised that Daniels couldn’t find a deal"
by Josey Wales on Oct 5, 2009 2:01 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
DIAF!
ok, here’s some vitriol:
Name the last Rangers team which played a meaning game as late as this one did.
They were eliminated on September 29th! 29th!
by iblum on Oct 5, 2009 2:10 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I absolutely agree!!
Wash is an idiot!!
by bspate on Oct 5, 2009 3:51 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
OT: Brrrr, it's cold in the Twin Cities
A bit off topic, but the DAYTIME temperature in Minneapolis will be 48 degrees tomorrow—sure hope Twins fans and players are still looking forward to their spanking, new outdoor stadium
by davea on Oct 5, 2009 2:51 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Imagine what it will be like in early April or October in the future
…with their new outdoor stadium. Not fun, I’ll bet.
by FuturePants on Oct 5, 2009 3:11 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
MLB started this year a week later -- a mistake
and we’ll see if the playoffs reach November on how things are in NY or Boston or Philly. Last year there were snow storms. Are we to expect anything different?
A baseball game is simply a nervous breakdown divided into nine innings.
by NothinG on Oct 5, 2009 4:08 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Idle question
Did we make a shit-load of errors the last two months of the season that I don’t remember?
I monitor the number of errors a team commits during the year from time to time and my recollection is that the Rangers had one of the lowest error totals for most of the season but they ended up with the third most E’s (107) in the AL (still only gave up 41 unearned runs).
"Dying ain't hard. It's living that's hard."
"Ranger players, especially veterans, weren’t surprised that Daniels couldn’t find a deal"
by Josey Wales on Oct 5, 2009 4:04 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
x
Did we make a shit-load of errors the last two months of the season that I don’t remember?
Yes. Errors totals were up dramatically teh last 6 weeks or so.
by Adam J. Morris on Oct 5, 2009 4:16 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Wonder if the team was distracted in some way?
They could pitch, hit or catch the ball.
Steve Henderson out in Tampa as hitting coach….is that where Rudy J goes?
"Dying ain't hard. It's living that's hard."
"Ranger players, especially veterans, weren’t surprised that Daniels couldn’t find a deal"
by Josey Wales on Oct 5, 2009 5:30 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Premature posting - hate it when that happens
Should read “They couldn’t pitch, hit or catch the ball.”
"Dying ain't hard. It's living that's hard."
"Ranger players, especially veterans, weren’t surprised that Daniels couldn’t find a deal"
by Josey Wales on Oct 5, 2009 5:31 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
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