Sunday a.m. things
by Adam J. Morris on Feb 15, 2009 9:51 AM CST
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PrintJeff Wilson has a story up this morning on Elvis Andrus, who, of course, is under the spotlight this spring.
Jason Jennings says he may be willing to start the season in the minors to work on his arm strength. T.R. Sullivan has a similar story on Jennings up. I'm getting the sense, from the sound of what I've been reading, that Jennings is expected to end up in the rotation sooner or later...presumably, he's the first guy in line when someone in the Opening Day rotation goes down.
And...well, that's it for now, it appears.
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Oh no...
that’s not all.
I’ve found a pitcher for the Rangers here.
Just scroll down a little and there he is.
"The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance."-Socrates
middle click with your mouse
Opens everything in a new tab. I never click on a link without doing so.
LOL Sorry the Sooners will score more that 14. - boomer1
Yah I know all about that
that’s not the point
"He will not coddle them. Nolan Ryan doesn’t coddle." - Jeff Passan
by Dirk Diggler on Feb 15, 2009 2:12 PM CST up reply actions
Every time Andrus opens his mouth, I'm more impressed
He just confirms everything I’ve read from scouts and others in the game: he just flat gets it. He seems to understand the position that he’s in (and the inevitable pressure that comes along with it), but he doesn’t seem intimidated by it. He’s confident in his abilities and has a clear grasp of what he is expected to do, but he doesn’t seem too cocky about it. He’s respectful and openly a fan of his elders on the roster who have more SS experience, but he doesn’t say it in a way that makes you worry about him being a starry-eyed 20 year-old kid.
If the club was ever going to put a prospect in this position, I think they picked the right guy.
Keith Law: (1:45 PM ET ) I think Michael Young should shut his mouth and move to third base.
I have never seen Andrus play
and will keep an open mind going forward but -
I am beginning to wonder if he’s the type of player who will make those of us who like sabermetrics a little batty.
Tons of athletic ability, makes unbelievable mouth-watering Ozzie plays but is so polarizing because he doesn’t get on base enough, doesn’t hit for enough power and will make as many boneheaded errors as flashy plays.
Once again, I have no idea if that’s the type of player he will be but it’s the sense that I’m getting from what I have read.
"Dying ain't hard. It's living that's hard."
by Josey Wales on Feb 15, 2009 10:24 AM CST up reply actions
part of my understanding about his defense
is that usually thats WHEN he makes the overwhelming majority of his errors – when he gets to a ball that nobody thinks he can get to then makes the error trying to throw the guy out at 1b
i read somewhere he just needs to learn to hold onto the ball and he would cut the # of his errors by a lot
Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.
by knockoutking on Feb 15, 2009 10:46 AM CST up reply actions
Ozzie Smith
Something I’ve always wondered- while he was a great fielder, one of the best shortstops of all-time with the glove, how does a guy with a career .337 OBP and .328 SLG wind up in the Hall of Fame?
Smith hit 28 HR in his entire career- 11 more than Chris Davis has. I know Smith was a pretty prolific base-stealer, but other than that, he was fairly useless offensively.
"I dont care to debate with a troll." - Sharky
He was the last of an era...
The slick-field, no-hit shortstop that was all the rage up until the 80’s. I grew up on the likes of Bud Harrelson, Don Kessinger, Mark Belanger, Bert Campaneris, et al. , and to tell you the truth, I kind of miss the days where not every player had to be an OPS machine to have a distinguished career.
I know those days are gone, but man those were some fine players whether they could hit or not.
philkid has the stats
ozzie isc compared to vizquel but he is such a better player by stats
but yea, thats kind of my general viewpoint…was he THAT good with the glove (best defensive player ever?)
from b-r.com
Black Ink: Batting – 2 (587) (Average HOFer ≈ 27)
Gray Ink: Batting – 51 (486) (Average HOFer ≈ 144)
HOF Standards: Batting – 30.9 (254) (Average HOFer ≈ 50)
HOF Monitor: Batting – 142.5 (92) (Likely HOFer > 100)
Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.
by knockoutking on Feb 15, 2009 11:14 AM CST up reply actions
Jaffe's JAWS system
The JAWS system has Smith has the 5th highest ranked shortstop, a ways behind Honus Wagner, a little behind Cal Ripken Jr., and just barely behind Robin Young and Arky Vaughan.
Now, BP’s defensive stats are highly suspect, so I think you can reasonably argue that they are overstating his defensive contributions.
Still, though, I think he’s a HOFer.
by Adam J. Morris on Feb 15, 2009 11:22 AM CST up reply actions
i want to see ozzie's +/-
lol but who would go back and do that
Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.
by knockoutking on Feb 15, 2009 11:31 AM CST up reply actions
Bill James said in his Historical Abstract
that Ozzie was #2 all-time defensively and #7 overall.
"Dying ain't hard. It's living that's hard."
by Josey Wales on Feb 15, 2009 11:54 AM CST up reply actions
wait what
- overall SS?
who was #1 btw?
Scout: He was a first-round pick right? Got a huge bonus?
KG: Oh yeah.
Scout: Well, he spent a lot of it on milkshakes.
by knockoutking on Feb 15, 2009 12:10 PM CST up reply actions
had a smoking hot wife.
Keith Law on Greg Golson, "He's similiar to Cameron and Hunter in that all three are black."
How many other shortstops
Can say they played for a division winner in Texas AND appeared in a quality baseball movie?
Keith Law: (1:45 PM ET ) I think Michael Young should shut his mouth and move to third base.
You crossed the line with “quality baseball movie” lol
Keith Law on Greg Golson, "He's similiar to Cameron and Hunter in that all three are black."
I was 10 years old when it came out
And obsessed with baseball trivia and strategy. It was really the perfect movie for my childhood.
Keith Law: (1:45 PM ET ) I think Michael Young should shut his mouth and move to third base.
Where the Mariners win the pennant?
You just don't know when to keep your mouth shut, do you Saxy boy?
by oc on Feb 16, 2009 2:31 AM CST up reply actions
Yeah, it was the one kid's and/or baseball movie
That didn’t have a happy ending. That was an amazing catch by Griffey to rob Lou of the home run.
Of course, the best part of that one-game playoff was when Jonathan Silverman made that arrogant punk Griffey look like a fool with the hidden-ball trick.
Keith Law: (1:45 PM ET ) I think Michael Young should shut his mouth and move to third base.
Bill James SS Rankings
Offensive – Wagner, Yount, AVaughan, George Davis, Ripken
Defensive – Wagner, Ozzie, Bill Dahlen, Rabbit Maranville, Pee Wee Reese
Overall – Wagner, Vaughan, Ripken, Yount, Banks
This list was compiled after the 2000 season -
ARod was # 17 (no doubt a top 10, maybe higher after 2003), Campy was # 22, Belanger was #52, Kessinger was # 72.
"Dying ain't hard. It's living that's hard."
Good stuff, Josey
I never had seen those rankings before.
Honus doesn’t get near enough credit in this day and age. I just looked at his b-r page, he put up sick numbers year-in and year-out for two solid decades.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/w/wagneho01.shtml
Keith Law: (1:45 PM ET ) I think Michael Young should shut his mouth and move to third base.
Those of us who like sabermetrics
understand the stupidity in using errors to judge defense and understand the value in having a good fielding SS with good base stealing skills and a solid OBP. The power is nice, but from the SS position, its not exactly expected.
By 2028, Mark Teixeira will be in the HOF.
-The Outlaw
Errors are still influential, though
Hope you mean "the stupidity in only using errors to judge defense
That's what I mean
Citing errors and only errors is stupid.
By 2028, Mark Teixeira will be in the HOF.
-The Outlaw
agree
I too, have been very impressed with what he’s said the last couple of days. Sounds thoughtful and mature for a 20 year old.
"A good start would be not giving up 900 runs again." -Jon Daniels
by Randy Richardson on Feb 15, 2009 12:28 PM CST up reply actions
Hows about a 6 pack?
"...my balls are really like a veiny flesh color" blueballlefty on Jun 4, 2008 7:44 PM EDT
"you gonna lose your horse. seriously." FX2
Yes we can! November 04, 2008
I am embarrassed
But, I am really excited about Jennings, again. He can be a great #4 for us, I think. Possibly better
I don't want to see Jennings be next in line
I don’t mind giving him another chance if he is looking healthy finally, but for me, Nippert should be the next in line guy. I think a healthy Jennings probably is next and then you try guys like Gabbard and Mendoza if you need a spot start until late June/early July when Holland and Hunter should be more ready to handle the Majors.
By 2028, Mark Teixeira will be in the HOF.
-The Outlaw
Well...
…if Nippert doesn’t stick in the bullpen out of spring training, he won’t have the chance to be the next in line guy.
by Adam J. Morris on Feb 15, 2009 12:51 PM CST up reply actions
true
but I’m expecting Nippert to make it through ST and be the long man out of the bullpen
By 2028, Mark Teixeira will be in the HOF.
-The Outlaw
I don't know
4 guys are locks.
That leaves three spots, with Turnbow, Eyre, Nippert, Gabbard, and Donnelly all in the mix.
by Adam J. Morris on Feb 15, 2009 1:50 PM CST up reply actions
Your 4 locks
Is it CJ, FX2, Guardado, and Rupe? And couldn’t we also use an 8 man bullpen early in the season? If so, it gives you a little extra evaluation time.
Gabbard probably starts the season in the minors since you aren’t going to have a 3rd lefty in the bullpen. Nippert and Madrigal I think are pretty good bets to make it with the best of Eyre, Donnelly, and Turnbow filling out the rest of the bullpen. I don’t think Turnbow is healthy and if that’s true, it will show in ST.
By 2028, Mark Teixeira will be in the HOF.
-The Outlaw
Yes, that's the four
And couldn’t we also use an 8 man bullpen early in the season?
I don’t think so. You’ve got 9 games in the first 10 days of the season. You could, I guess, option Harrison to start the year and skip your 5th starter the first time around, but you’d still need someone to start April 15, unless you want to pull a long man from the bullpen for that purpose.
If one of the starters is hurt, I could see them going with an 8 man pen for a week or so until that starter is ready to be activated, but otherwise, I think it is unlikely.
by Adam J. Morris on Feb 15, 2009 2:09 PM CST up reply actions
My best guess right now...
would be Fx2, BGL, Eddie, Rupe, Nippert, Eyre and one of Turnbow/Donnelly. Although I wouldn’t be surprised if both Turnbow and Donnely make the team because they show they are healthy in ST and Eyre gets the boot.
It is looking like Gabbard and Madrigal will start the season in OKC. I really like Madrigal and think he could take the Fx2 route from last year. Remember Frankie started last year at OKC too.
"The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance."-Socrates
Rupe is no lock
with his option to play with. If any of the vets out-pitch him I think they (should) get the nod. But then, I’m no Rupe fan…
I highly doubt Rupe doesn't make the team
I think he’s pretty overrated by some people, but he was pretty good last year before getting overworked. I can’t imagine the Rangers trying out another arm at the expense of Rupe’s roster spot, even with the option to work with.
By 2028, Mark Teixeira will be in the HOF.
-The Outlaw
Well
I don’t really care who is next in line as long as they are only holding a spot for holland. All those spot-holders are nothing more than 5th starters or future bullpen guys in all likelihood. What bothers me is if they had hoped that jennings could be the 5th starter all along in lieu of Feldman. I would like to see how feldman continues to fare as a SP especially with a year under his belt, and an off-season/ST to prepare as one. I don’t see why he can’t continue to improve and give us another option for this year and 2010. Even If he is relegated to the bullpen in 2010, he’ll be a better pitcher for it and he will likely still be with the team whereas Jennings likely won’t be. I see Jennings being granted FA by the end of his out clause (4/25) if there are no major injuries to deal with by that time, or he just stays in our system until another club offers to put him on their 40.
Sunday spring update, p.m. edition:
Sunday spring update, p.m. edition
Long day today on the back fields of the Surprise Recreation Campus. That can happen when 27 pitchers are throwing bullpen sessions and batting practice. The position players who couldn’t partake in the live BP sessions will take their own cuts once the pitchers finish up. And if any of them want to do some infield work, manager Ron Washington has volunteered to help.
<>The bright spot of the day was been right-hander Brendan Donnelly, who threw with Nolan Ryan observing. The team president walked away impressed with Donnelly, who was signed to a minor-league deal only a few days ago. Derrick Turnbow, another right-hander in camp on a minor-league deal, impressed Washington. Donnelly and Turnbow are coming off injuries the past few seasons.
<>The notables who faced the pitchers during BP were Ian Kinsler, David Murphy, Justin Smoak and Elvis Andrus. Once catchers had finished their duties for the day, they traded their gloves for bats and hopped in the cage.
— Jeff Wilson
"It doesn't look like he's trying. It kinda pisses me off," "He could throw 110 if he tried. The way it explodes out of his hand is really something special." ~ B-Mac on Feliz.
Was Turnbow injured?
I thought the wheels just fell off for him, head case, mechanics, etc.?
Injured:
<>Derrick Turnbow said his arm feels as good as it ever has after taking five months off for a torn rotator cuff. The injury did not require surgery — Turnbow says he’s lucky that it didn’t — and he was able to strengthen it through a rehab program. The Scottsdale resident has thrown multiple bullpen sessions in the Phoenix area while also continuing a rehab program three days a week
"It doesn't look like he's trying. It kinda pisses me off," "He could throw 110 if he tried. The way it explodes out of his hand is really something special." ~ B-Mac on Feliz.
by Kinslerhomer on Feb 15, 2009 2:20 PM CST up reply actions
"Turnbow impressed Washington"
So I take it he sucked, then.
Yeah. Spies. They're little guys with beady eyes and long fingernails. They plant bugs that can pick up the hush of a man's heartbeat - or the whisper of a falling hair.
Yeah
That bar has been proven to be set pretty low.
"My mother always taught me that if the only thing you have to say is,
‘(Expletive) Dave Samson,’ then don’t say anything at all.
So I’m not going to say anything at all.
Is my mother the greatest or what?"
- Mariners GM Bill Bavasi, after signing Ichiro to a $90 million contract
Neftali vs.Smoak:
"It doesn't look like he's trying. It kinda pisses me off," "He could throw 110 if he tried. The way it explodes out of his hand is really something special." ~ B-Mac on Feliz.
Funny how Neftali
turned around and watched it go out.
Keith Law on Greg Golson, "He's similiar to Cameron and Hunter in that all three are black."
SI on Hicks
To the best of my knowledge, no baseball owner has taken responsibility for the infiltration of steroids in the sport. This would seem to suggest that being the boss means not having to be held accountable. Management hasn’t exactly stepped up to the plate and taken some of the blame, either.
It’s difficult to believe smart businessmen don’t know what’s going on in their own companies. But there’s that old baseball adage that says what you see here stays here. Or maybe Texas Rangers owner Tom Hicks isn’t that smart, at least when it comes to baseball.
Hicks recently said he felt “betrayed” and “deceived” by Alex Rodriguez because A-Rod had assured Hicks that he wasn’t taking any banned substances, which everyone now knows wasn’t the case.
If Hicks wants to plead ignorance and point the finger at A-Rod, he shouldn’t expect any sympathy. There’s a lot of blame to be spread around, and it’s been rightfully directed at A-Rod, baseball commissioner Bud Selig and the union. But when are Hicks and his fellow owners going to look in the mirror?
This was not the first time that Hicks was duped. Agent Scott Boras has made it a practice of fleecing Hicks — first with A-Rod ($252 million), then Chan Ho Park ($65 million), and later Kevin Millwood ($60 million).
Under Hicks the Rangers have become baseball’s version of the Oakland Raiders, except there is no commitment to excellent and championships. What the Rangers have employed is a lengthy list of players linked to steroids or ones with questionable character. The 2002 Rangers might be the most combustible mix of players on the same team in any sport.
A-Rod, Juan Gonzalez, Ivan Rodriguez and Rafael Palmeiro have either tested positive for steroids or were implicated in the Mitchell Report as suspected users. Carl Everett was a controversy waiting to happen and he wore out his welcome on several teams. Ruben Rivera once stole Derek Jeter’s glove and sold it to a memorabilia dealer when both were teammates on the Yankees. Kenny Rogers once assaulted two cameraman and Hideki Irabu allegedly assaulted a bartender in Japan last year. John Rocker verbally assaulted New Yorkers and half the world. He was also in the Mitchell Report, along with former Rangers pitchers Ismael Valdez and Steve Woodard.
In 2003, the Rangers added reliever Ugueth Urbina. The last anyone has heard from him, he was serving 14 years for attempted murder after reportedly attacking some farms with a machete and attempting to set them on fire after dousing them with gasoline.
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones might be the ringleader of the biggest circus in Dallas and Mavericks owner Mark Cuban’s outspoken nature has cost him millions, but at least their teams have been perennial contenders and both have made some decent decisions. Hicks hasn’t made any decent decisions (other than trading A-Rod) and the Rangers have averaged 77 wins since 2001 and finished an average of 21 games out of first place.
If Hicks wants to best serve the Rangers fans, he should sell the team because he apparently doesn’t know anything about baseball. As they say, his track record speaks for itself.
Is it Spring Training Yet?
lol
Straight thuggin’ in Arlington…
Just Sign Him '09 --- Wait, didn't know about the flexor tendon thing.....gimme a second...
Put me on that long list
Calling for Hicks to sell the team.
Keith Law on Greg Golson, "He's similiar to Cameron and Hunter in that all three are black."
What a fucking hypocrite
“There’s a lot of blame to be spread around, and it’s been rightfully directed at A-Rod, baseball commissioner Bud Selig and the union. But when are Hicks and his fellow owners going to look in the mirror?”
Perhaps Heuschkel can point me to the muckraking expose he penned to properly lambaste and decry the steroid debacle before it b
it became the trendy cause du’jour? Cause, you know, in my unsolicited opinion, maybe some of these sanctimonious pansies in the national media ought to be taking a gander at their own douchey mugs. Where were YOU, Mr. 4th Estate, when all this was going down?
Ugh. How irritating.
I'm Matt mutha-effing Bush, bitches, and mutha-eff East County.
...at the time, I wasn’t being truthful with myself. How could I be truthful with Katie Couric or CBS?
by Brian Thomas on Feb 15, 2009 10:21 PM CST up reply actions
Good point
and I’d add that it’s completley unfair to single out the Rangers in the steroid mess, as if every other team didn’t have users, and every other sport didn’t have a problem.
G G G E-flat_______ F F F D__________....
The Rangers are
the highest profile roid team though, thanks to Canseco, Raffy, and now Arod.
However, I think its pretty clear that almost all players were using PEDs of some form or another.
Get off my lawn.
I have a Rangers program from 2001
On the cover: Arod in the center, surrounded by Ivan, Raffy, Galarraga, and Caminiti
"My mother always taught me that if the only thing you have to say is,
‘(Expletive) Dave Samson,’ then don’t say anything at all.
So I’m not going to say anything at all.
Is my mother the greatest or what?"
- Mariners GM Bill Bavasi, after signing Ichiro to a $90 million contract
Oh and Velarde's on their as well
"My mother always taught me that if the only thing you have to say is,
‘(Expletive) Dave Samson,’ then don’t say anything at all.
So I’m not going to say anything at all.
Is my mother the greatest or what?"
- Mariners GM Bill Bavasi, after signing Ichiro to a $90 million contract
More from Surprise:
"It doesn't look like he's trying. It kinda pisses me off," "He could throw 110 if he tried. The way it explodes out of his hand is really something special." ~ B-Mac on Feliz.
This quote
Don’t be surprised if they don’t try to help [the pitchers] in other, more subtle, ways, too. Like growing the grass longer in the infield at The Ballpark in Arlington.
Glad they’re taking a look at that…didn’t some other team’s coach comment on our super-fast infield last year?
Future Rangers - Minor League Information
by fightingengineer on Feb 15, 2009 3:28 PM CST up reply actions
The ChiSox announcers wouldn't shut up about the grass last year.
"It doesn't look like he's trying. It kinda pisses me off," "He could throw 110 if he tried. The way it explodes out of his hand is really something special." ~ B-Mac on Feliz.
by Kinslerhomer on Feb 15, 2009 3:30 PM CST up reply actions
I know without a doubt
the infield turf will be a little longer this year. I have been told this from someone on the inside.
Keith Law on Greg Golson, "He's similiar to Cameron and Hunter in that all three are black."
Thats good to here, thanks.
"It doesn't look like he's trying. It kinda pisses me off," "He could throw 110 if he tried. The way it explodes out of his hand is really something special." ~ B-Mac on Feliz.
by Kinslerhomer on Feb 15, 2009 3:37 PM CST up reply actions
No problem
I know the asst. groundskeeper
Keith Law on Greg Golson, "He's similiar to Cameron and Hunter in that all three are black."
Our infield may play fast
But I certainly wouldn’t base anything on what those morons have to say. Hawk Harrelson may be the most annoying announcer in the history of announcers.
Keith Law: (1:45 PM ET ) I think Michael Young should shut his mouth and move to third base.
+1 he's horrible.
"It doesn't look like he's trying. It kinda pisses me off," "He could throw 110 if he tried. The way it explodes out of his hand is really something special." ~ B-Mac on Feliz.
by Kinslerhomer on Feb 15, 2009 4:32 PM CST up reply actions
Maybe after Rex Hudler
Yeah. Spies. They're little guys with beady eyes and long fingernails. They plant bugs that can pick up the hush of a man's heartbeat - or the whisper of a falling hair.
You can put it on the board....
I was watching the ‘93 season recap on MLB network yesterday and heard that stupid home run call of his from an old replay…I had no idea he’s been doing that for 16+ years. If I had to listen to that every time a Ranger hit a home run, I’d just start following another team. No team is worth that.
Future Rangers - Minor League Information
by fightingengineer on Feb 15, 2009 5:22 PM CST up reply actions
Professor Reeves
All over the motive for the Andrus/Young move – and in such a timely manner…
by Brett Perryman on Feb 15, 2009 4:33 PM CST up reply actions
Tuglett DFA'd
"It doesn't look like he's trying. It kinda pisses me off," "He could throw 110 if he tried. The way it explodes out of his hand is really something special." ~ B-Mac on Feliz.
No!!!
But he has a cute little moniker!! All of the board’s hopes now rest with Lil Danny Ray.
by Brett Perryman on Feb 15, 2009 4:36 PM CST up reply actions
Is ur name in reference to former Ranger minor leaguer Mike Zywica?
"My mother always taught me that if the only thing you have to say is,
‘(Expletive) Dave Samson,’ then don’t say anything at all.
So I’m not going to say anything at all.
Is my mother the greatest or what?"
- Mariners GM Bill Bavasi, after signing Ichiro to a $90 million contract
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