AJM's predicted 25 man roster on Opening Day

by Adam J. Morris on Feb 21, 2009 2:22 PM CST Comment 96 comments

Jarrod Saltalamacchia

Taylor Teagarden

Chris Davis

Ian Kinsler

Omar Vizquel

Michael Young

German Duran

Nelson Cruz

Andruw Jones

Josh Hamilton

David Murphy

Frank Catalanotto

Hank Blalock

Kevin Millwood

Vicente Padilla

Matt Harrison

Scott Feldman

Brandon McCarthy

Frankie Francisco

C.J. Wilson

Eddie Guardado

Brendan Donnelly

Derrick Turnbow

Josh Rupe

Willie Eyre

Marlon Byrd gets traded. Dustin Nippert is released. Elvis Andrus spends 4-6 weeks in AAA.

Discuss.

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With his knee

I’m not sure Marlon is tradeable. It wouldnt shock me if the Rangers just ate Franky the cats salary and released him.

by BEW on Feb 21, 2009 2:26 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Same, on both counts.

They ate Broussard’s money, just a short year ago.

Go Strangers.

by hightowersmith on Feb 21, 2009 2:40 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Here's the thing

If Byrd is traded or d.l.’d, who is the 25th man?

That’s why I think Cat sticks.

by Adam J. Morris on Feb 21, 2009 3:34 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

why jones

why are u giving jones a spot

by bullfighter20032000 on Feb 21, 2009 3:57 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Because right now...

…I expect him to be the starting CF’er.

by Adam J. Morris on Feb 21, 2009 3:57 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

maybe so but i can’t c him even making the team

by bullfighter20032000 on Feb 21, 2009 3:59 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

What type of spring

do you think he would need to solidify that spot?

by Michael Cave on Feb 21, 2009 3:59 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Decent, not great

And if he makes the team, there’s not enough ABs to go around if you have him, Hamilton, Cruz, Byrd, and Murphy, with Blalock at DH.

by Adam J. Morris on Feb 21, 2009 4:03 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

So you figure JD’s announcements about Hamilton definitely starting in CF were before the org had even heard Andruw would be available to them?

Go Strangers.

by hightowersmith on Feb 22, 2009 5:31 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

What's the purpose of bringing up Andrus in six weeks?

Is he going to hit or field any better than Vizquel?

You watch too many movies Sax.

by oc on Feb 21, 2009 2:40 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

service time

is likely the only reason he won’t be up on opening day.

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

by t ball on Feb 21, 2009 2:41 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

That's not what I'm asking. What makes people think that Andrus will be ready to go six weeks into the season?

Make-up aside, there’s still a lot to be desired with this guy on both offense and defense.

You watch too many movies Sax.

by oc on Feb 21, 2009 2:50 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Well, I agree

and many here think he should be spending the entire season in AA/AAA, but they’re not going to do that.

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

by t ball on Feb 21, 2009 2:52 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

You don’t worry about his offense because you aren’t expecting him to come in and hit .300. Its all about his defense. If his high error totals in the minors have been because of more mental than physical then you look for that to improve. That shouldn’t take very long.

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 Feb 21, 2009 2:52 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

People were comparing this guy to Jeter a year ago, and if the perception is that he has the potential to hit like Jeter, then leave him down for his 20 year old season like Jeter was when he broke out as a star prospect..

Their numbers at 19 are not far off from each other.

You watch too many movies Sax.

by oc on Feb 21, 2009 3:07 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

If the Rangers feel he can handle the jump to the Majors mentally

and hold him back a few weeks to get an extra season out of him before he reaches FA, then why does it matter if he spends the season learning how to hit Major League pitching vs. hitting against AAA pitchers.

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

by Gdawg on Feb 21, 2009 3:32 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Because he likely won't be very much better than Vizquel on the major league roster.

You watch too many movies Sax.

by oc on Feb 21, 2009 3:51 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

But if brining him up 6 weeks into the season and letting him take a season worth of lumps this year makes him better in '10 and beyond, that's the real goal here, no?

I mean what’s the worst case scenario here? That he’s one or two wins worse than Vizquel over a full season?

The 40 Trumps All!!!

I hate Michael Young.

"I don’t have any respect for anybody on here. Everyone on here is a fucking asshole who thinks they’re god compared to everyone else." -iorange555, throwing one of his patented sandy-vagina'd hissy fits.

by thedirkatron on Feb 21, 2009 4:10 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

this

I don’t understand why its so terrible that Andrus will be taking Vizquel’s spot later in the season. The only issue I have with it is if struggling in the Majors would hurt Andrus’ development. The Rangers, who know enough about Andrus to make this kind of decision, obviously feel that he would only learn from his struggles and be able to handle it. As long as that’s the case, I have no problem with it.

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

by Gdawg on Feb 21, 2009 4:40 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Anyone else

concerned about Andrus’ wrist? 3rd straight day not taking bp…

Prolly nothing but, wrist problems always scare me.

My cool sig.

by Ryin A on Feb 21, 2009 4:42 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Like the Rangers have never been wrong about a prospect before.

The question is how much improvement can the Rangers expect out of Andrus in 2010 relative to how he’ll play this year, which is impossible to answer right now.

Of course the Rangers feel he can hold his own against older competition, but it’s not like he’s had a breakout minor league season, or enough to infer that he’ll have the bigs figured out by 2011.

You watch too many movies Sax.

by oc on Feb 21, 2009 4:52 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

What's the problem with Andrus playing in the Majors?

I don’t get what you think is the problem with having him play in the Majors vs. the minors. When do you think he should be playing in the Majors?

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

by Gdawg on Feb 21, 2009 5:04 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I have no problem with him playing in the majors.

In August.

You watch too many movies Sax.

by oc on Feb 21, 2009 5:05 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

So then

why does it matter to you so much if its May instead of August?

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

by Gdawg on Feb 21, 2009 5:40 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

So we can see if he's worth a damn in Triple-A?

Why do you care what I think?

You watch too many movies Sax.

by oc on Feb 21, 2009 5:42 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

"Why do you care what I think?"

umm, you posted something and I responded. That’s typically how any type of internet forum works.

You apparently think an extra 3 months or so in AAA is going to show us something about Andrus that we wouldn’t be able to find out otherwise. I don’t think 3 months in AAA can do that. If he is going to be up at any point next year, the only difference the timing can make is the service time issue or if you want to just give him a September call-up.

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

by Gdawg on Feb 21, 2009 5:55 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

How foolish of me... thinking an extra three months of seasoning could be such a bad thing.

You watch too many movies Sax.

by oc on Feb 21, 2009 6:07 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

It won't hurt him

But it won’t make him that much of a better player and definitely hurts his chances of being ready to handle Major League pitching in 2010

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

by Gdawg on Feb 21, 2009 6:17 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

using your logic

we should start the season with Borbon in CF, Smoak at 1b, and Holland and Feliz in the rotation….

"If you have a problem with me, you're probably a doucher."

by red shoe ranger on Feb 21, 2009 7:46 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

oh come on

thats a little foolish. surely you can recognize there is some nuance to this approach, that each player is different, has different areas of their game that need to be worked on, will respond differently to different playing environments, etc.

one of the primary reasons elvis is on such an accelerated timetable is his make-up and perceived ability to handle additional pressures. i would also add that factors external to the prospect affect his timetable. we could very well see borbon start the season in CF if there was a dearth of quality outfielders at the ML level and it was a nothing to lose kind of deal. but that is not the case, so it makes sense to leave him in AAA at let him work on some things till he gets called up sometime in the summer or september.

by Smoakin in the Boys Room on Feb 21, 2009 8:49 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

well

the reigning gold glove winner at ss and perhaps the greatest defensive shortstop in the history of the game are both on the roster, but o.k.

if a dearth of players at a position is a requirement I certainly see no reason Feliz and Holland cant take two of the five rotation spots.

Unless, of course, you believe in bringing people up when they are actually ready to be ML’ers. None of Holland , Feliz, Andrus, Smoak, or Borbon has proven that he is ready to be in the bigs.

The truth is the Rangers are jumping the gun a bit on Elvis. Do I really care? NO. It will make the season a hell of a lot more fun to watch, which is actually the reason I think this move is being made now. And if Elvis begins the season as the starting ss there will be no doubt that this is the reason for the move, which will be a sad commentary on Ranger’s mgt.

"If you have a problem with me, you're probably a doucher."

by red shoe ranger on Feb 21, 2009 9:50 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

i think the case for holland and feliz coming up is a lot weaker

they still have substantial areas of their game they need to work on, especiallt feliz. and it seems for pitchers you generally want to get that work done in the minor leagues where the stage isnt so great and mistakes can be afforded.

has elvis proven he is ready not be an everyday major leaguer? no, but he has evidently shown enough to the organization that they think he can provide a basic level of competence and that his growth and maturation will be enhanced, rather than stalled by enduring the trials of being a 20/21 year old rookie shortstop.

by Smoakin in the Boys Room on Feb 21, 2009 10:23 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

question...

seems like most people agree Andrus this year will give similar or slightly less production than vizquel, but is it just me or do you think a metcalf or arias or duran would be able to produce better this season. I still think that we could have had metcalf over at 3rd, young at SS, and sit down with young and tell him, hey we might move you over to 3rd during the season if we feel like andrus is ready and will help us win. In my mind a Metcalf/Young left side is > a Vizquel/Young infield for this year at least. And if metcalf produced in a big way it would greatly improve our versatility.

by rangerjake on Feb 21, 2009 5:25 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

x

And if metcalf produced in a big way it would greatly improve our versatility.

Metcalf isn’t going to do that. He’s not a good player. He isn’t going to hit in the majors.

I think if there was a decent chance he’d be productive, he’d be the third baseman this year.

by Adam J. Morris on Feb 21, 2009 5:30 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

The only Ranger to have 8 RBI

You watch too many movies Sax.

by oc on Feb 21, 2009 5:35 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

In one day.

You watch too many movies Sax.

by oc on Feb 21, 2009 5:35 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

small sample size alert

He does have a ops+ of 101 in his 217 ABs.

Elvis Andrus - 2009 AL Rookie of the Year

by RangerMad on Feb 21, 2009 6:17 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Your're missing the real point of why Andrus is being brought up and Vizquel brought on board

Michael Young no longer had the range to play short. Having him and his concrete shoes out there hurt our pitchers all last year. So the Rangers took some initiative, and moved his whiny ass over to third, where he has less of a chance of hurting our already sub-par pitching staff.

This wasn’t about offensive production, or Michael Young, this is about improving in the one area this team needs improvement the most: pitching and run prevention. And that’s why the Rangers would rather take the chance of throwing Andrus into the fire now than taking the miniscule chance that Metcalf’s (who has been a sub-par offensive 3B throughout his MiLB career) random flashes of power in his sporadic MLB playing time meant anything.

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.

by lonestarJon on Feb 21, 2009 5:37 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

…this is about improving in the one area this team needs improvement the most: pitching and run prevention.

Free signature for anyone who wants it.

You watch too many movies Sax.

by oc on Feb 21, 2009 5:49 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I'm not ignoring defense...

I’m just saying the Metcalfs > Vizquel offense outweighs the vizquel > young on defense… maybe its not the case but in my mind metcalf’s upside is a lot higher than vizquels…

by rangerjake on Feb 21, 2009 6:24 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I see where you're coming from

But I think you’re dead wrong, at least about Metcalf’s offense outweighing Vizquel’s defensive value.

In most cases I’m a proponent of offense over defense (see: Ramirez, Max and Saltalamacchia, Jarrod) but shortstop is one of the two positions on the field where I think you need premium defense, and don’t really have much of a problem sacrificing some offensive punch to get it (center field being the other).

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.

by lonestarJon on Feb 21, 2009 6:41 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

not only that

but if you want to buy into Metcalf’s offense at the Major League level as being somewhat close to what he can produce in the future, then his 3B defense leaves a lot to be desired.

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

by Gdawg on Feb 21, 2009 7:45 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I don't think that many LSB posts are fairly certain Andrus is ready.

I think they’re fairly certain he’ll be having his rookie season in 2009.

And That Happened: Sports with a Hint of Sarcasm

by philkid3 on Feb 21, 2009 5:43 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Well no shit. After the Michael Young debacle, the expectations for this kid multiplied tenfold.

You watch too many movies Sax.

by oc on Feb 21, 2009 5:47 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

i dont want to see byrd go

id rather see us cut cat if jones makes the team, which i hope he does. if jones can still play CF then having byrd as our 4th OF would make us pretty strong defensively out there.

by Smoakin in the Boys Room on Feb 21, 2009 2:40 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Byrd would be the 5th outfielder

Not the 4th outfielder.

by Adam J. Morris on Feb 21, 2009 3:35 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

well yes technically

which i think is kind of absurd, since he is really a better all around player than murphy, and in my little fantasy hypothetical id rather have him as our roaming utility outfielder.

by Smoakin in the Boys Room on Feb 21, 2009 4:23 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Here's the thing

You don’t need all those guys in the outfield. There’s not enough games to go around.

There’s no point in having both Byrd and Murphy and having them each get 100 starts.

Byrd is a f.a. after the season. Trade him, get something of value for him, make Murphy your 4th outfielder, and let Cat sit on the bench and get 100 PAs as an occasional pinch hitter/backup DH/backup 1B.

by Adam J. Morris on Feb 21, 2009 4:45 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Byrd

Trading him is fine and good, but what value does he really have right now given his injury and apparently lower status in the OF pecking order?

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

by rentz on Feb 21, 2009 4:51 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

thats what im thinking

even before the injury concern arose, im not sure he could have fetched us much. he might have more value at the deadline, which would mean we should utilize him as much as possible to cultivate that value. but i just dont see us being able to trade him right now for something that helps us long term. i could see us getting short term bullpen help or a utility guy or something, or possibly some young high upside (and unlikely to reach it) minor leaguers, but id rather have a year of byrd and a draft pick than that.

by Smoakin in the Boys Room on Feb 21, 2009 7:37 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

You think an injured Byrd is more valuable than a controllable Cruz?

You watch too many movies Sax.

by oc on Feb 21, 2009 4:54 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I don't know

by Adam J. Morris on Feb 21, 2009 5:24 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Replace Eyre with Nippert and I think thats pretty close

Although I think Byrd starts on the DL and not traded. Once he is healthy I think Cat is gone. Either we trade him for peanuts or simply release him.

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 Feb 21, 2009 2:41 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

+ at least 10

I don’t see how Eyre has shown anything worthy of replacing Nippert.

by bigskinny on Feb 21, 2009 2:48 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

are you guys brothers?

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

by Dirk Diggler on Feb 21, 2009 8:45 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I agree with all of that except

I think Byrd may not be healthy enough to be traded. Francisco opens with the club but gets released at some point.

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

by t ball on Feb 21, 2009 2:42 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Francisco?

You gotta be kidding right?

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 Feb 21, 2009 2:43 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Oops

I somehow typed that instead of Frankie Cat.

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

by t ball on Feb 21, 2009 2:52 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

OK

That makes a hell of a lot more sense

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 Feb 21, 2009 2:53 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Not sure about Frankie

getting released.

Scott Feldman for 2009 AL Cy Young
Scott Feldman for 2010 AL Scott Feldman

by Maximilian on Feb 21, 2009 2:47 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

is that what you are

calling Catalanatto these days?

by CS3 on Feb 21, 2009 2:48 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Duran

If he’s on the 25 out of the gate it’s only til Andrus arrives, and then he’s starting in AAA with Arias.

Go Strangers.

by hightowersmith on Feb 21, 2009 2:46 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

An alternative

If Duran hits well, then I can see the team releasing Vizquel and keeping Duran. I wouldn’t count on it, but I think it depends on how Duran plays this season.

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

by Gdawg on Feb 21, 2009 3:34 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I think

that Vizquel would have to absolutely fall on his face to be released. Like hitting around .100 and looking really bad in the field. I think Duran would benefit from some extended time in AAA. Last year his status really took a hit because he was promoted to quickly out of necessity.

by Michael Cave on Feb 21, 2009 3:56 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I think it comes down to

Duran being in this team’s future. If he shows he can handle a utility job right now, then I think the team will let him have the job. I have my doubts on whether he is ready to do that, but its not out of the realm of possibility for him IMO.

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

by Gdawg on Feb 21, 2009 4:42 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Yep. Releasing Vizquel would

make this team look like ubershit, unless he was atrocious, or he decided to hang em up.

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

by Rodney on Feb 21, 2009 4:49 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I'm not sure about Eyre..

What’s his situation? If he’s not on the 25 at the start of the season, can he leave? If not, I would prefer to have Nippert there just to make sure and give him some extra time with Maddux, but I’m not sure that it will be that big of an impact either way.

by CS3 on Feb 21, 2009 2:50 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

mine is the same

except sub Andrus for Duran
and sub Gabbard for one of Rupe/Eyre

Bobby Jindal '12

by dstar442005 on Feb 21, 2009 3:14 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

3 lefties

As long as Guardado and CJ are on the team, I can’t imagine the Rangers going with 3 lefties in the bullpen.

And are you assuming that Vizquel starts as the utility guy and Andrus is the starting SS?

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

by Gdawg on Feb 21, 2009 3:35 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

opening day and Cat

I’m as big a fan as any of Cat, but it just seems that it’s time to move on. There is a lot of redundancy between Blalock, Murphy, and Cat – with Cat easily being the weak link. Cat, especially with his huge buyout, will be unable to build any in-season trade value. I have no idea if JD & Co are willing to bite the bullet, but it seems pointless to keep Cat.

"A good start would be not giving up 900 runs again." -Jon Daniels

by Randy Richardson on Feb 21, 2009 4:16 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

+1

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.

by lonestarJon on Feb 21, 2009 5:06 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I'd rather get

a AAAA player who could play some defense or hit lefties. Hitting righties wasn’t much of a problem last year.

Get off my lawn.

by DJCahill on Feb 21, 2009 6:13 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

neither was hitting lefties

The Rangers had a 112 OPS+ against lefties compared to the rest of the league against lefties. They had an .800 OPS against them vs. an .822 OPS against righties. The Rangers didn’t punish lefties as much, but they weren’t having many problems against them offensively.

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

by Gdawg on Feb 21, 2009 6:19 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Willie fucking Eyre?

If the Rangers really keep him over Nippert, or anyone else for that matter, I will scream bloody murder.

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.

by lonestarJon on Feb 21, 2009 5:02 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

No disagreement.

At least with you. I will definitely disagree with Wash, JD or whoever is responsible for having Jones (without a much better turnaround than I expect) and/or Catalanotto on the 25 man roster.

Or the 40. . .

And That Happened: Sports with a Hint of Sarcasm

by philkid3 on Feb 21, 2009 5:41 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

That's about how I see the roster going as well

I think Jones starts as the CF with Cruz in left. Byrd has no trade value unless he proves he is 100% by the trade deadline. Catt will be gone in some fashion when Byrd comes off the DL. Andrus brought up at some point after his extra year kicks in – not sure how long they leave him there but I would imagine not more than 6 weeks. Duran the utility guy unless Arias reemerges with less of a girly-armed throw from short.

As for the back of the bullpen, I think it comes down to Nippert, Rupe, and Eyre for the long man, and I will go with Nippert. It is likely that Eyre will go through waivers and end up in OKC anyways. Gabbard could be a candidate as well but I think he is at a bit of a disadvantage, not yet healthy and switching roles.

My “Final 5” in the back of the pen:
Donnelly, Guardado, Turnbow, Eyre, Nippert – with Rupe or Madrigal interchangeable with any of those but going to AAA to provide depth when half the staff goes under the knife.

Spring Training is here & the Rangers' secretive stance on Injuries

by Goyogringo on Feb 21, 2009 5:51 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Don't know...

Injuries are king, and I imagine that at least a couple of pitchers will probably start the year on the disabled list.

The thing is that last year there was a bit of talk about the Rangers optioning Josh Rupe to the minor leagues. As it turned out, Rupe was on the Major League roster all year, which is why he has an option remaining. The Rangers hit some bad luck when it came to Brandon Boggs. When Marlon Byrd got hurt in April of last season, the Rangers briefly used Jason Botts until designating Botts for assignment. Once they dropped Botts on April 28th, they called up Boggs after an option had already been exhausted.

If the Rangers are going with Eddie Guardado, Derrick Turnbow, Brendan Donnelly and Willie Eyre to go with C.J. Wilson, then they are assuming a lot of injury risk. If Texas sends Josh Rupe, Warner Madrigal and Kason Gabbard to the minor leagues to the start the season then they’re likely going to do at least once this year, if not more, what they did with Brandon Boggs, use an option for a player who’s going to spend five months on the major league roster.

Hey, Nobody's Perfect: Blagojevich/Stevens '12

by YourNameHere on Feb 21, 2009 6:59 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Options

For guys like Rupe, Madrigal, and Gabbard, are we really that concerned about their options? Texas is going to have a lot of pitchers ending up in the bullpen over the next few years with guys like Diamond, Moscoso, and Hunter are probably destined for the bullpen while you still have some RP prospects like Laughter, Strop, and Jones soon. If those guys need to use another option next year, their futures as Rangers probably aren’t too good no matter what.

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

by Gdawg on Feb 21, 2009 8:02 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

exactly what I was about to write

Spring Training is here & the Rangers' secretive stance on Injuries

by Goyogringo on Feb 21, 2009 8:04 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Hmmm....

You’re talking about optioning Josh Rupe, who, had he been optioned last year, wouldn’t have any options remaining. So apparently you’re deeming something irrelevant (the decision not to option Josh Rupe in 2008) that was actually very necessary to enacting your current preferred plan of action.

I’ll admit that the future for Rangers pitching looks very promising, but I still don’t see any reason to burn options on Josh Rupe, Warner Madrigal and Kason Gabbard without compelling reason. I imagine Texas would have preferred it if Robinson Tejeda had had another option. And don’t forget that Texas has used options recently on Frank Francisco and Nelson Cruz, who they are counting on for 2009. Furthermore, from what I remember, you, Goyogringo, have been pretty down on a few of the names Gdawg1 mentioned, including Andrew Laughter and Beau Jones.

Hey, Nobody's Perfect: Blagojevich/Stevens '12

by YourNameHere on Feb 21, 2009 8:39 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

bullpen

Rupe shouldn’t be optioned unless absolutely necessary. Last year he was pretty good until he started getting violently overused. That could come back to bite him this year or if we manage him correctly he could be a big part of not only next year but down the road.

Madrigal probably should start off in AAA. He showed flashes last year which is good to see but he didn’t do anything to guarantee himself of a spot in the pen. Of course if he is obviously better than others then he should stay but I don’t see that happening and thus he probably could benefit from a little more time in the minors.

Gabbard will probably have to be optioned. He is coming off injury and with 2 lefties already locked into bullpen roles he isn’t really needed. Plus he can go down and get used to pitching out of the pen. Work on getting into a routine that helps him seeing as how he is transitioning from starter to reliever.

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 Feb 21, 2009 9:04 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Rupe

He shouldn’t be optioned. And options are nice. Their great purpose is in their name. They give the team options on pitchers they are unsure about. Texas would have liked another option on a guy like Tejeda, but I don’t think they are ever going to be that pissed off that they decided to cut ties with him. I think it will be the same with guys like Gabbard and Rupe (I do think Madrigal fits into a different group of pitchers than those two). Given the choice, Texas would rather keep those 2 than have to lose them. But in the long run, they just aren’t ever going to be productive enough to be difference makers and are very likely to be released within a few years anyways.

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

by Gdawg on Feb 21, 2009 9:42 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Actually

the only pitcher that I’m down on is laughter, never been “down” (depending on your ff) on jones, and I don’t particularly like Rupe, who is still swimming in the wake of Connor’s yearly praise for having the “best stuff.”

Not sure how relevant it is to introduce a fictitious Rupe algorithm that creates a “rupe without options.” If you are speaking in generalities, then yes, it is always good to preserve a players options, but in terms of these specific players, I don’t see their lack of options in ’10 as being very important now or later. As for Frankie and Cruz, you could say that the players forced the rangers to use their options because they were sent down for sucking or needing work.

My main point was that preserving options for 2010 for the pitchers under discussion is irrelevant. If they can’t win a bullpen spot next year from the younger arms who they will be in competition with, and the vets that they might sign, then they won’t be key players in the composition of next year’s bullpen and can always be traded if they have any value. They become the next littleton/Loe and the season will not hinge on those kind of transactions/dilemmas.

Spring Training is here & the Rangers' secretive stance on Injuries

by Goyogringo on Feb 21, 2009 9:42 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Boggs

I think his option situation beyond 2009 is irrelevant.

by Adam J. Morris on Feb 21, 2009 8:19 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Probably...

I was really arguing against using options on young pitchers for a slew of veteran relievers with long injury histories. I’m inclined to agree that Brandon Boggs, who turned 26 last month, won’t be optioned twice more. The Rangers did however option Nelson Cruz, who was born July 1st of 1980, in 2007 and then effectively again last season when they were able to get him through waivers in the Spring of 2008. But yeah, that was, for reasons most of the readers here are all too well aware, a pretty unlikely situation to reoccur.

Hey, Nobody's Perfect: Blagojevich/Stevens '12

by YourNameHere on Feb 21, 2009 8:58 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Cat

There just is not a good option. The team really needs a RH 5th OFer. Duran? Drop Cat and keep Arias? Let Arias be a back up IF. Duran a back up IF/5th OF. When Andrus is ready they will have to make a decision between Vizquel and Arias. But who is the 6th OF on the depth chart?

Elvis Andrus - 2009 AL Rookie of the Year

by RangerMad on Feb 21, 2009 6:24 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

My guess is...

…that the Rangers don’t want Arias and Duran both up here, sitting on the bench, and getting 100 PAs on the year.

The other OF is Brandon Boggs.

by Adam J. Morris on Feb 21, 2009 6:37 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

please slap me

How could I forget Boggs?

Elvis Andrus - 2009 AL Rookie of the Year

by RangerMad on Feb 21, 2009 6:53 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

same players, same results

by Stevoo on Feb 21, 2009 6:58 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

One other thing

This has 5 NRIs making the Opening Day roster.

There is one empty spot on the 40 man right now.

Hurley and Benoit are heading for the 60 day d.l.

Nippert, in this scenario, gets dropped.

That means one other player loses a roster spot.

by Adam J. Morris on Feb 21, 2009 6:59 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

hmm

If Arias shows he can play the left side of the IF I can’t see him being dropped. Metcalf would be my bet.

Elvis Andrus - 2009 AL Rookie of the Year

by RangerMad on Feb 21, 2009 7:06 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Yep

Or another pitcher is hurt and goes on the 60 day.

by Adam J. Morris on Feb 21, 2009 7:10 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Mine would be similar...

Replace Eyre with Nippert, replace Cat with Byrd, replace Duran with Arias.

Nippert has more value that Eyre right now imo. I think the Rangers are going to cut ties with Cat and teams will want to see if Byrd is healthy before they trade for him. I would like to see Duran play everyday in OKC. If Arias can throw he would be my pick for the utility IFer. Of course he probably won’t be able to, so then Duran would be the guy.

"The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance."-Socrates

by slc ranger on Feb 21, 2009 7:51 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

So no opening with only 4 starters

and carrying an extra reliever? I thought we didn’t need the 5th starter for a while..

"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

by tyd3311 on Feb 22, 2009 12:47 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

The Schedule

We’ll need a 5th starter on the 6th game of the season at the latest. If they prefer to give the opening day starter five days rest, then the #5 slots in for game #5. There’s only one off day in the first 10 days of the season this year.

by Andy Seiler on Feb 22, 2009 12:52 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs