More Andruw Jones nonsense
by Adam J. Morris on Mar 24, 2009 12:29 PM CDT
101 comments
Remember how Nelson Cruz was going to hit cleanup against lefties?
Well, nevermind...the Rangers are apparently looking at Andruw Jones as the cleanup hitter against lefties.
Because, you know, he was so awesome against lefties the past two years.
So, apparently, in the minds of our hitting coach and manager:
Andruw Jones > Nelson Cruz
0 recs |
101 comments
|
Email
Print
Comments
I hate this team so much sometimes.
www.mavsmoneyball.com
by Wes Cox on Mar 24, 2009 12:31 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Sometimes
It is very hard to bea fan of this team
by BEW on Mar 24, 2009 12:31 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Jones
This is good. Jones has plenty to time left to prove Rudy wrong.
Elvis Andrus - 2009 AL Rookie of the Year
by RangerMad on Mar 24, 2009 12:35 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Rudy is stubborn
good luck
Another one bites the dust! And another one, and another one, and another one bites the dust!
by NothinG on Mar 24, 2009 12:44 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Guhhhhh...
Anyone want to get a pot together to Tonya Harding Andruw Jones?
Will Salty and Davis be Traded at ASB?
"They say brevity is the key to wit, so shut the f*ck up." Dad
by RangerFloppy on Mar 24, 2009 12:35 PM CDT reply actions 1 recs
Maybe
this is just an agreement between Hicks and Boras. You keep/play ‘Druw and I’ll tell every team that Strasburg won’t sign with them. Then of course we get him.
And now I’m gonna go ask out every hot girl I see.
"I saw your act, just didn't make it for me. Just a lot of fluff."
by scoop16 on Mar 24, 2009 12:36 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Channeling Scott Lucas
There is no such thing as a low risk signing.
Doctor please. Some more of these.
by tricer on Mar 24, 2009 12:39 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
We do this every freaking year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! F*CK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I thought it be all warm and shitty, but it just tasted like normal beer. It was still cold.
by RA Dickey on Mar 24, 2009 12:41 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
right there with you
this couldn’t be more frustrating
Another one bites the dust! And another one, and another one, and another one bites the dust!
by NothinG on Mar 24, 2009 12:42 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Jesus Christ Adam did you forget to change your tampon this morning
"This is what I’m considering for today in Peoria,"
Nelson is hitting 5th. They didn’t drop him down to 7th or 8th but 5th.
Oh and by the way ITS A SPRING TRAINING GAME
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 Mar 24, 2009 12:41 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
eh
i’m just going to keep my mouth shut
it is ST but i also think the chances of jones hitting cleanup just increased a little bit.
not going to jump to conclusions but not going to get on somebody for thinking it might actually happen.
Ceterum censeo Cat esse delendam - Cahill the Elder
by ab03 on Mar 24, 2009 12:49 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
umph
When I see a solar eclipse I think "oh no, is the moon eating the sun"
by Section 339 on Mar 24, 2009 1:00 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
sweeeeeeeeeeet!
"Hang-Dai, Wu...Hang-Fu$&ing-Dai"
by Walter Sobchak on Mar 24, 2009 1:01 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
A tampon comment?
Really?
That’s the best you can do?
by Adam J. Morris on Mar 24, 2009 1:03 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
My head is spinning
I am in no way trying to justify this, I think its a stupid idea, but is there a possibility that the thinking is by putting Hamilton in front and Cruz behind Jones, Jones will get better pitches to hit? I may be reaching but I am trying to find anyway possible to understand.
by texasbuckeye on Mar 24, 2009 12:50 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Better pitches won't help him
He is a fat, out of shape formerly good player whose best days are way behind him. Also, why throw him good pitches when he will swing at every breaking ball in the dirt?
by uthornfan on Mar 24, 2009 1:01 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Not sure if Cruz will be better
as a cleanup hitter, but I am a hell of a lot more interested in finding out if he is than in finding out if Jones has anything left.
G G G E-flat_______ F F F D__________....
by t ball on Mar 24, 2009 12:51 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
x
Even for an admitted Cruz hater like myself, I completely agree.
by FuturePants on Mar 24, 2009 1:00 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
What a load of crap.
I would MUCH rather see Nelly out there hitting cleanup – it’s pretty much do-or-die time for him.
"You got a guy coming up there who can’t hit water if he fell out of a boat." - Tom Grieve on Richie Sexson, 5.8.2008
"I’ve been a Rangers fan all my life and I can tell you there’s been plenty of fucking crying in baseball…" - WhipSmart, 6.3.08
"When it comes to Jeff Mathis, the story ends with us putting one in his earhole." - AJM, 7.7.08
by lisa w on Mar 24, 2009 12:52 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
I would rather see Phil Nevin out there than Andruw Jones
I bet Nevin could hit better than .158 or whatever Jones hit last year.
by uthornfan on Mar 24, 2009 1:02 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I love how he went from not making the team
on Friday to our cleanup hitter on Tuesday.
I thought it be all warm and shitty, but it just tasted like normal beer. It was still cold.
by RA Dickey on Mar 24, 2009 12:53 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
AJM as Sylvester Stallone in
"...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 Mar 24, 2009 12:55 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Where are all those people who loved Jones coming here?
That bandwagon sure emptied pretty fast
By 2028, Mark Teixeira will be in the HOF.
-The Outlaw
by Gdawg on Mar 24, 2009 1:01 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
All this talk about DHing, and now cleanup and whatnot has obviously discouraged me, but..
Still, nothing has actually happened yet. Its just theories and possibilities.
But god wash… its getting so hard to defend you.
the preceding post was a great success.
by DSheppard on Mar 24, 2009 1:06 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
What I hate
is just that there was never a good ending to this thing. The best case scenario was that the team wasn’t fooled by some ST stats or his work with Rudy and then just cut him. Right now, we’re seeing something much closer to the worst thing that could have happened with Jones.
And before there is some smart ass response to that, yeah Jones could have hit 100 HRs this year or he could have gone nuts and broke Feliz’s arm. I’m talking about realistic outcomes of the Jones signing.
By 2028, Mark Teixeira will be in the HOF.
-The Outlaw
by Gdawg on Mar 24, 2009 1:21 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
So the best case was he wouldn't make the team?
Then why even sign him to bigin with?
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 Mar 24, 2009 1:52 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I don't know
Probably because of the concern over the Byrd, Boggs, and Murphy injuries.
By 2028, Mark Teixeira will be in the HOF.
-The Outlaw
by Gdawg on Mar 24, 2009 2:17 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
This is just the news we needed
to pass up Bleed Cubbie Blue!!! Good Job Wash! Way to think of LSB!
Get off my lawn.
by DJCahill on Mar 24, 2009 1:02 PM CDT reply actions 2 recs
is Andruw playing the field every time he's in a game for us?
is he DHing at all?
my true hopes are that we trade/cut Cat, trade Hank and acquire more future pitching depth a la Moscoso/Melo, and roll with Andruw at DH and keeping Cruz playing more of the field than not…then re-assess two months into the season with Max and Boggs as possibilities and further down the line, Smoak, Golson and Borbon
"Hang-Dai, Wu...Hang-Fu$&ing-Dai"
by Walter Sobchak on Mar 24, 2009 1:03 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
I'm for that
but we would have to take on most if not all of both Blalock’s and Cat’s contracts.
Honestly, I would take Max now and let Andruw Jones go. If we could play him every day at DH, I’d much rather have the upside of Max than Andruw Jones blocking prospects or cutting current young players playing time.
Another one bites the dust! And another one, and another one, and another one bites the dust!
by NothinG on Mar 24, 2009 1:17 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Our Team is Stupid...
Good lord I must like kicking my own ass b/c that is the only logical explanation for why i continue to root for this team…what a joke
we need to hope 2 things happen to close out ST…
1) AJ absolutely sucks…like Ks in every AB kinda sucks
2) The Rangers cant trade anyone to make room for AJ
by Horns130 on Mar 24, 2009 1:03 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
The distrust in Davis is annoying me.
Can he at least fail to hit lefties in the major leagues for a month before we platoon him for… another lefty.
the preceding post was a great success.
by DSheppard on Mar 24, 2009 1:04 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
no joke
Hamilton had 32 Home Runs last year.
Bradley 22
Kinsler 18
…..and Davis had 17 in way less ABs than the other three on this list. It pisses me off that Davis would be the one getting the short end of the stick. He has had success at every stop and has proved that he can handle his own in the pros. 295 ABs is a good sample size.
If this plays out like it is looking, i’m for firing Wash and Rudy. Our hitting coach is getting too much pull
Another one bites the dust! And another one, and another one, and another one bites the dust!
by NothinG on Mar 24, 2009 1:28 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
why fire Wash and Rudy
The poor decision making rests on the shoulders of their boss.
Doctor please. Some more of these.
by tricer on Mar 24, 2009 1:36 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
blame for keeping both of them employed
as far as i know daniels doesnt set the lineup
"I'm against picketing, but I don't know how to show it." - Mitch Hedberg
by rentz on Mar 24, 2009 1:45 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
right
but he is responsible for the man that does set the lineup. In the world that I work in, having an inept subordinate reflects poorly on those responsible for the bottom line that is affected.
If I’m consistently running projects that show a net loss, and my excuse is always that the field supervisors are a bunch of idiots, my boss will tire of that in about 2 seconds and tell me to see to it that they improve, or get more competent personnel working for me, or else he will get someone that can handle things better.
IOW, if somebody I hire repeatedly does stupid stuff, at some point it is MY fault for not hiring better or replacing them.
Doctor please. Some more of these.
by tricer on Mar 24, 2009 2:38 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Jackass
So when the President (Nolan), the manager (Wash) and the hitting coach (jaramillo) all lobby for him to stay he should just tell them to fuck off?
give me a break…your josey wales pussy is showing
an organization has more than 1 person making decisions
by Horns130 on Mar 24, 2009 8:02 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
brilliant reply
Yes, sometimes the person in charge has to tell those that work for them to fuck off.
Curious what you do for a living?
Doctor please. Some more of these.
by tricer on Mar 24, 2009 8:19 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I'm a student
Understanding relations is irrelevant to the topic at hand.
Furthermore, at some point even you have to admit that the team attitude and ability to function together has to factor in there as well
Also, if it is true that Nolan wants AJ as well, that puts even more pressure on JD
A team like this cant necessarily be treated like a standard business enterprise
Lastly, you know tons of managers get their way in sport…the manager has as much pull as the GM often times simply b/c they are more publicly recognized and acknowledged when it comes to success or failure
by Horns130 on Mar 25, 2009 4:04 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Davis playing/not playing isn't on Daniels.
Don’t be silly.
by FuturePants on Mar 24, 2009 2:24 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I'm a project manager
And if one of the field supervisors indicates to me that he is planning on doing something incredibly stupid, and then I empower him to go ahead and do it, then I am ultimately responsible for the stupid act. I don’t see how this situation is any different.
Doctor please. Some more of these.
by tricer on Mar 24, 2009 2:33 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Because Daniels doesn't submit the lineup card.
If it gets extreme, Daniels can impose a mandate (Botts playing over Sosa) or fire Washington. Both have happened in the past, so to blame Daniels for this is nothing but silly.
Don’t be silly.
by FuturePants on Mar 24, 2009 4:22 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
OK
Humor me, I’m just curious what type of work you do?
Doctor please. Some more of these.
by tricer on Mar 24, 2009 4:46 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Why
Is that the only relevant factor here?
by brettgardner on Mar 25, 2009 8:15 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I think people tend to see things through their own unique perspective that is formed from their life experiences.
A school teacher, for example, probably doesn’t have a relevant perspective for how corporate decisions are made and the ramifications of such.
Doctor please. Some more of these.
by tricer on Mar 25, 2009 9:45 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
That's a pretty ridiculous
Generalization. You have absolutely nothing to quantify that except a “gut-feeling”.
by brettgardner on Mar 25, 2009 10:39 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Agreed
a school teacher might very well grasp corporate decision making. Assuming they would not would be just as stupid as assuming tricer doesn’t know anything about baseball because he’s not a baseball player.
G G G E-flat_______ F F F D__________....
by t ball on Mar 25, 2009 1:36 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
It's irrelevant what I do.
What IS relevant is how a baseball team operates, and you are ignoring that – instead trying to force generalized ideas of a construction site onto the Rangers, which is silly. You’re being silly. Don’t be silly.
by FuturePants on Mar 25, 2009 9:46 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Let me simplify my stance
Poor decisions by Ron Washington reflect poorly on JD.
Doctor please. Some more of these.
by tricer on Mar 25, 2009 9:56 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Sure, fine.
But that is not what you have been saying. You have been suggesting that a failure to play Chris Davis every day should result in the firing of Jon Daniels.
by FuturePants on Mar 25, 2009 10:58 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yawn
I’ll believe it when I see it. Until then, its just posturing.
by JBImaknee on Mar 24, 2009 1:07 PM CDT reply actions 1 recs
I wonder
if Milton is getting a laugh over this
by tangiers on Mar 24, 2009 1:09 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
He only giggled,
then winced when he broke three ribs.
In related news, Bradley told ESPN the broken ribs were all the fault of the Texas Rangers.
"...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 Mar 24, 2009 1:12 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
damnit
I drafted him in my fantasy league. F-ing Rangers
"Hang-Dai, Wu...Hang-Fu$&ing-Dai"
by Walter Sobchak on Mar 24, 2009 1:20 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
career numbers vs. LHP
not bad.
Stability is key, and JD is a Beast.
Jindal - 2012
"AMMIITAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABHH!!!"
by Longhorn on Mar 24, 2009 1:11 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Ditto his career numbers against righties
He’s not been very good against them the past two years, though.
by Adam J. Morris on Mar 24, 2009 1:21 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
k, lets assume he stays and plays
would you be okay with him if he put up Sammy Sosa numbers (overall, not just against lefties) and plays his regular, solid CF D?
Stability is key, and JD is a Beast.
Jindal - 2012
"AMMIITAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABHH!!!"
by Longhorn on Mar 24, 2009 1:30 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
oops
that was suppose to be a reply to AJM.
Stability is key, and JD is a Beast.
Jindal - 2012
"AMMIITAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABHH!!!"
by Longhorn on Mar 24, 2009 1:31 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Can he still be a solid defender in center?
Not doubting you, just wondering.
by uthornfan on Mar 24, 2009 1:51 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
If he provided a way to move Hamilton out of CF until Borbon comes up then yeah, this makes a certain amount of sense
But the thing is, reports of his defense this spring have been disappointing, and the team wants him to DH, not play CF, leaving his only value in Rudy’s belief that he can revive his bat.
She was a grand old lady...
by lonestarJon on Mar 24, 2009 6:33 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
This wouldn't be smart
but I could probably live with it…as long as they don’t decide that he’s the answer for the every day woes.
Ceterum censeo Cat esse delendam
by Brett Perryman on Mar 24, 2009 1:37 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
I could actually see Jones being
this year’s Eric Gagne or Kenny Lofton. If we can throw him out there in favorable situations, have him hit .250 with decent power, maybe we can use him to raid Atlanta’s farm system some more.
by dan2 on Mar 24, 2009 1:41 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
that's what I'm thinking...
the Ranger Brass is thinking. If you can parlay this has been into someone who’s rocking by the all star break and get a good prospect for him it’s not a total loss.
YES of course it will cost a few players some at bats but if we got something good back that’s not so bad. I don’t see us getting much for a Cat that has fleas, heartworm, hairballs, and can’t catch a ball too well.
Josh Hamilton puts his pants on one leg at a time just like you.But once he gets his pants on he hits baseballs 420 feet.
by BigGuns on Mar 24, 2009 1:47 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I thought about this too..
…but it begs the question. At what point do we focus on just building the best big league team possible instead of giving up major league development time to show off comeback players?
by GhettoBear04 on Mar 24, 2009 3:16 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
When our rotation features
Neftali Feliz and Derek Holland. :)
Besides, I think we should always be making moves to restock our farm system. Once we’re dominating the league with our mega-rotation of Feliz, Holland, Perez, Main, and Beavan, we should still continually strive to have the best farm system in baseball.
In the grand scheme of things, reducing a few players’ at bats for a small part of the season in exchange for some top quality prospects is a pretty good move. Plus, ostensibly, you’re getting decent production from the player. If Jones comes up and hits .095 for the first two weeks, we’ll just cut him.
by dan2 on Mar 24, 2009 3:24 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
If Jones has
a couple more games like today JD will probably sign him to a 3 years/$13.5M deal , plus 2012 club option with a 2M buyout.
Elvis Andrus - 2009 AL Rookie of the Year
by RangerMad on Mar 24, 2009 11:05 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
You really think that if Andruw puts up an .800ish OPS and intermittently plays in the outfield, he's going to bring back anything of real value?
by Joey Matschulat on Mar 25, 2009 1:22 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
If he does that
he will be a much better player than Cat, the player he would be replacing. He would also be more tradeable than Cat.
"The idea that the Rangers are going to be a solid contender for a number of years is a fantasy." - Adam J. Morris
by DJCahill on Mar 25, 2009 5:37 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
|
v
Ceterum censeo Cat esse delendam
by Brett Perryman on Mar 25, 2009 8:08 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
You can't really be more tradeable
when you have zero trade value.
By 2028, Mark Teixeira will be in the HOF.
-The Outlaw
by Gdawg on Mar 25, 2009 8:46 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
So, a really bad cold
is better than pneumonia, ok.
G G G E-flat_______ F F F D__________....
by t ball on Mar 25, 2009 1:37 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Jones vs. Cruz
Jones is only three years older than Cruz, so it’s not as though you have some really old guy taking ABs away from a legitimate prospect. Odds are they both will suck.
I didn’t have a problem with bringing Jones in here under the thought that he could play a good CF, thus allowing Hamilton to move to a corner, and serve as a bridge to Borbon later in the season. However, this idea of him being a right-handed DH seems foolish. I’d rather see Boggs or Ramirez in that role.
by Darrell McKown on Mar 24, 2009 1:55 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Woo, another chance to defend cruz.
Cruz still has a very high ceiling and is under cheap team control for a long time. He still matters.
Jones may still have a high ceiling if a miracle strikes, but even if he somehow gets it together he probably just leaves next year.
And there are real reasons to think Cruz’s 2008 month of mlb success meant something as it wasn’t just that he hit a few homeruns, he took walks at a much better rate and his approach was legitimately good (swinging at everything was a previous downfall).
The optimism with cruz isn’t just among a few ranger fans, he has gotten a lot of national mention for what he could do in 2009. Hitting .335 with 60 homeruns in a year will do that, no matter what levels it happens in.
Check his projections
http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=2434&position=OF
(summary: ~.860 ops, 30 homeruns)
the preceding post was a great success.
by DSheppard on Mar 24, 2009 2:27 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Cruz
Of course, there was optimism about him before the 2007 season when he was handed a starting job and proceeded to give us an OPS of .671 in about 100 games.
I hope he proves the trend wrong, but expecting guys to breakout during the season they turn 29 isn’t a high percentage move. Odds are much better that we are looking at Marlon Byrd or Josh Hamilton in RF by July.
by Darrell McKown on Mar 24, 2009 2:56 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Just curious, did you watch him much in his mlb stint last year?
the preceding post was a great success.
by DSheppard on Mar 24, 2009 3:05 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yeah, I did
He had a nice month. I don’t think overcomes a bad MLB career.
by Darrell McKown on Mar 24, 2009 3:24 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
My opinioin of Cruz
Is no news at all. Fact is, he could be the Rangers most effective run producer. I really, really like his revised approach.
"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 Mar 24, 2009 6:07 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
No.
Andruw won’t hit cleanup.
Michael will.
He did hit cleanup in one of the pre-exhibition intrasquads, after all.
by Jamey Newberg on Mar 24, 2009 2:28 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Sammy Sosa Part II
cept this won’t turn out as well……….
by Dans on Mar 24, 2009 3:26 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
The greater question is who is the best
recent Rangers spare? Sosa, Nevin, Hidalgo, Jones, the list just goes on and on…..
I thought it be all warm and shitty, but it just tasted like normal beer. It was still cold.
by RA Dickey on Mar 24, 2009 4:16 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
It's about assets, boys!
Surprised to see so many people missing the whole issue.
We’re not talking about a washed up ballplayer, but rather a probable HoFer still at a young age, who, for whatever reason has lost his way. The chances are better than zero that he’ll regain his form, especially if there is support in the organization that he will do so. From there, he becomes yet another bargaining chip…at which point catcher will no longer be the only position of strength to trade from.
But I don’t see it getting that far. Injuries in the outfield will happen, like usual and we’ll be needing outfield help without tapping too soon into the younger talent. Honestly, I’m glad for Jones, since it gives the team options (assuming he regains form) instead of bringing up guys like Borbon too soon.
And the thought that management are worried about Davis is ridiculous. When it matters, he will produce. Hell, how many slow starts did Rusty Grier have, only to finish over .300 yet again? You are what you are, and Davis will continue to be what he is.
by Bats and Balls on Mar 24, 2009 6:27 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
x
We’re not talking about a washed up ballplayer
I’m pretty sure the Dodgers might disagree with that.
She was a grand old lady...
by lonestarJon on Mar 24, 2009 6:35 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
You think a team that...
…spends a zillion on Manny in this economy is qualified to make such judgments?
Weren’t there some injury issues with Jones that started his downslide? That can wreck a swing. At least it did my golf game.
by Bats and Balls on Mar 24, 2009 6:48 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Knee problems, yeah
But the guy hit .158/.256/.249 last year, and his VORP was -17.3, third to last in the entire major leagues (only Corey Patterson and Tony Pena Jr where worse). That’s not he’s-lost-his-swing-because-he’s-injured bad, it’s he-shouldn’t-even-be-playing-in-the-majors bad.
She was a grand old lady...
by lonestarJon on Mar 24, 2009 6:58 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Perhaps...
…but it seems more like he’s lost his swing because he’s developed some bad habits. That makes more sense given the thought that Rudy thinks he can fix him.
Regardless, I think amid all the excitement with the direction this thing is heading, we’re all putting a little too much stock in the happenings of ST.
In the same vein, if you are trying to rebuild a player’s confidence, you don’t stick him 9 in the order. When it’s ST, why not stick him at 4?
by Bats and Balls on Mar 24, 2009 7:31 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Because cleanup isn't where you stick a guy who's trying to get his swing back
Even in spring training. Cleanup is where you stick a guy who you know can drive in runs, and Andruw still hasn’t proven he can do that yet – which brings us to the reason why all this is so scary, and that’s the the manager and coaching staff have decided a guy coming off the worst season of his entire professional career is better at driving in runs than guys who have proven they deserve jobs this spring (Cruz and Blalock).
She was a grand old lady...
by lonestarJon on Mar 24, 2009 7:38 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I think there’s value to something like this conversation…
“Andreu, we still believe you can so this. Let’s see you knock in some runs from the 4 hole tonight.”
“Thanks, Wash, we’ll see what happens.”
Might be a little silly, but Wash has done stranger things with the lineup this ST.
Scary? Nah, not yet. Now I’d be made this move in May, then I’d be worried indeed.
by Bats and Balls on Mar 24, 2009 8:47 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Maybe you're right
I think though Ron’s reputation thanks to the Sosa experiment in 2007 is what people are afraid of here (I know I am). Hopefully this hand-wringing is all for naught, but Wash tends to see the results of these kinds of experiments through his own patented shade of lenses.
She was a grand old lady...
by lonestarJon on Mar 24, 2009 9:17 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Welcome to the blog, B & B
the issue is that Jones has shown precious little evidence of having anything left and this team has a habit of sticking with the “veteran presence” in the lineup far past their expiration date.
G G G E-flat_______ F F F D__________....
by t ball on Mar 24, 2009 8:01 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Thanks...
…for the welcome t-ball! I’ve enjoyed reading Adam and the perspectives of the forumites here. It’s a smart group. That’s why I thought there was a bit of kneejerking here.
No doubt, what is fueling the thread is the thought that their is no “no-risk” trial. I don’t agree with that necessarily. Jones is not 36, like a Sosa or a Nevin or a Galarraga. While there is a lightning-in-a-bottle aspect to it, it’s not like the potential for great reward is not there. If the risk is that Cruz and Blaylock and Boggs and Byrd have to share a few bats here and there early in the season, a season where the team isn’t expected to compete for the division, then so be it. And I disagree that Jones has shown nothing. Obviously, Rudy thinks he has.
Again, these are the Rangers. While we hope that this Ryan inspired team might get more innings from the pitchers, there is no guarantee for the outfielders, or anybody who is sharing those ABs. Blaylock will likely get injured again, usually right before you’re ready to trade him. Somebody like Murphy will go down again. Cattalanotto is a spare part now, and likely won’t make the team. Cruz still hasn’t proven much at the major league level. Byrd might be traded (we don’t know).
So, by the ASB, we’ll probably be looking to fill holes in the OF. Boggs will still get his ABs (I hope so, he’s the underrated one) and this team will likely be too tempted to bring up a Golson or a Borbon…and I don’t want to see that until 2010 or later.
We around here seem too certain that Jones is wasting our time. I’m not so sure..at least not yet.
Thanks again for the welcome!
by Bats and Balls on Mar 24, 2009 8:40 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
We are knee jerking
but for cause, given the history, unfortunately.
G G G E-flat_______ F F F D__________....
by t ball on Mar 24, 2009 11:43 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
How does Jones fit into this quote?
To try and get where we want to be and win a championship, we want to get all our championship players on the field," Daniels said
http://tinyurl.com/daniels-quote
Elvis Andrus - 2009 AL Rookie of the Year
by RangerMad on Mar 24, 2009 11:15 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
Related FanPosts on Lone Star Ball
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Recent FanPosts
Big League Stew - MLB - Yahoo! Sports
- How a Chicago guy learned to love Albert Pujols of St. Louis
- Bud's All-Star tie tops our non-steroid controversies of decade
- D12: Revisiting the Twins decision of Mauer over Prior (again)
- After locking up of AL MVP, it's time for Twins to lock up Mauer
- November means R&R for Raiders fan CC Sabathia and others
Certain photos copyright © 2009 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
