Hypothetical
by Escher on Apr 15, 2009 9:26 AM CDT
74 comments
Hypothetically speaking, if the Rangers continue this slide and drop the next 10 or even 8 of the next 10 games does Washington get fired? Also, would JD be fired along with him? I'm attaching a poll for Wash's replacement in the event that he did get fired.
wash, wash, wash, wash, wash, wash,wash, wash, wash, wash, wash, wash,wash, wash, wash, wash, wash, wash,wash, wash, wash, wash, wash, wash,wash, wash, wash, wash, wash, wash,wash, wash, wash, wash, wash, wash,wash, wash, wash, wash, wash, wash,wash, wash, wash, wash, wash, wash,wash, wash, wash, wash, wash, wash,wash, wash, wash, wash, wash, wash,wash, wash, wash, wash, wash, wash,wash, wash, wash, wash, wash, wash,wash, wash, wash, wash, wash, wash,wash, wash, wash, wash, wash, wash,wash, wash, wash, wash, wash, wash,wash, wash, wash, wash, wash, wash,
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I dont think JD should go...
I hope they let us ride out another couple of years, and then see where we are.
by brandallini on Apr 15, 2009 9:38 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
I agree about JD
but Wash needs to go. JD is not responsible for how this team plays on the field and for his lack of use of some of the resources JD has given Wash ie the bench. He hasn’t used 1 bench guy in the game. Wow, what an in-game manager. WoooHooo
The "Fire Wash Watch" is on. I say he's gone by April 26th.
by NothinG on Apr 15, 2009 9:44 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
not that I disagree
but JD did play a big role in determining which players the team chose to start the season with..i.e the BP situation
Support your local Scott Feldman
"Josh Hamilton doesn't act like he is Josh Hamilton. He acts like a guy who knows a guy who knows a guy named Josh Hamilton."
by Martijn1309 on Apr 15, 2009 10:35 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
But I think the evidence is fairly clear...
that the budget played a big factor in building the pen. Hicks was willing to pony up for Sheets, but I think that signing bullpen arms to seven-figure deals wasn’t going to get approved. I give JD credit for finally convincing Hicks to build from the bottom up, although I think Hicks’ finances helped open his eyes to the merits of building that way. However, once he convinced Hicks to build that way, it seemed to become more and more difficult to sign any high$ filler guys.
The Texas Rangers have been synonymous with explosive firepower ever since they emptied 130 rounds into Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow in 1934. - Alyssa Milano
by bking on Apr 15, 2009 10:54 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I would replace JD in a heartbeat
if this team could bring in a man who actually knows how to build a major league roster, instead of just a farm system. I nominate Gerry Hunsicker, who a) built a highly competitive Astros team from ’95 through ’04 and then went to the Tampa Rays (who have also had some recent success) as senior vice president of baseball operations.
I am still waiting for someone to give anything resembling a valid reason JD should not be fired, other than the fact that he used a bevy of high draft picks and admittedly shrewd trades in the summer of ’07 to restock our farm system. He has not shown the ability to field a competitive major league team, to accurately access pitching, or to bring in proper leadership for the team he assembles. The love around here for JD is just baffling.
What is this, Horseville? Because I'm surrounded by naysayers.
by clark on Apr 15, 2009 9:48 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
What was the
Astro’s payroll from ’95 to ’04? Is the senior vice president of baseball operations responsible for constructing the ML roster?
I am still waiting for someone to give anything resembling a valid reason JD should not be fired
As you said, his task in the summer of ’07 was to rebuild the farm system. He did that. Now his new objective is to take that talent and build a winning ML team. You want to fire him 3 months or so into that process?
Elvis Andrus - 2009 AL Rookie of the Year
by RangerMad on Apr 15, 2009 10:02 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
his task since he was hired
has been to build a winning major league team. he did a fine job in the summer of ’07 of trading his assets, and the Teixeira and Lofton trades especially have proved fruitful. But how long can he live off of those two trades, when almost every other move he has made has backfired?
What is this, Horseville? Because I'm surrounded by naysayers.
by clark on Apr 15, 2009 10:10 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Ok, now that's exaggerating by a lot
to say that almost every other move has backfired. Ridiculous, in fact. He’s made some big errors, but that’s a gross overstatement.
G G G E-flat_______ F F F D__________....
by t ball on Apr 15, 2009 10:17 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
okay
i don’t have a percentage for you. but the bottom line is, to date, he has made a lot of mistakes that have had a large and immidiate impact on the success of the major league club, whereas his better moves have not been able to benefit the big league roster. He has made some shrewd one year signings, and I was even starting to believe that he might make it at the end of last season. But this offseason sealed the deal in my mind. This bullpen looked attrocious entering the offseason, got worse when Benoit was injured, and then was never addressed. Until I hear proof that JD wanted to address this issue but Hicks did not financially allow it, I cannot back JD. The Padres, Orioles and Marlins somehow assembled better pitching staffs and bullpens this year than the Rangers.
What is this, Horseville? Because I'm surrounded by naysayers.
by clark on Apr 15, 2009 10:21 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Long term picture
I think that they looked at their internal options and decided that guys like Cruz weren’t much better than guys that are ready or almost ready. I think they looked at Diamond, Moscoso and Feliz and Holland all as potentially better bullpen options later this year and were hoping that the current bullpen could muddle through until they were ready.
I think they know that this is not their year, yet, so why go out and make a bunch of short term signings? I would have signed Cruz, but by himself he wasn’t going to mean much of a difference. Besides signing Cruz, what would you have done with the bullpen? I would have put Jennings into the rotation instead of Benson and signed Cruz, and while those seem like decent ideas to me I can’t say the team would definitely be better right now because of them.
I think this past offseason they were just biding their time. Difference makers were not going to sign here (except those with few options, like Sheets) and other teams are holding onto their tradeables very tightly.
G G G E-flat_______ F F F D__________....
by t ball on Apr 15, 2009 10:29 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
i would argue
that they should have patched some holes to make this team more competitive because of the elephant currently sitting on our front page. this team has very few fans right now. winning would bring those fans back. if this team invests a small percentage of what it was willing to pay Sheets into guys like Cruz and Ohman or Beimel, then this team is 5-3, maybe even 6-2, and fans are gearing up for a big weekend series against the Royals. Instead, they are reeling through a 5 game losing streak and we are reading stories about record lows in attendance.
What is this, Horseville? Because I'm surrounded by naysayers.
by clark on Apr 15, 2009 10:33 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Beimel
A guy pitching home games in Chavez Ravine, with that walk rate…
This is so knee jerk. The team hasn’t even consummated a bad start yet.
"[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 Apr 15, 2009 10:37 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
5-3? 6-2?
You are assuming an awful lot, there. There have been many, many little things in each of the last 5 games that would change the current record, but you simply cannot assume that signing one or two of those guys would have done it.
If your current rant against Daniels is based on the lack of action on the bullpen this offseason, I’d say big deal. The April 2009 bullpen is not going to be the same as the May 2009 bullpen, and it sure as hell won’t be the same as the April 2010 pen. And none of those moves would have really changed the outlook of the team this year. This team is still about an 80-win club on paper, just like it was when they were 3-0. If they signed two of the names you listed above, maybe they are an 81 or 82, or even 83 win club. Big deal.
G G G E-flat_______ F F F D__________....
by t ball on Apr 15, 2009 10:40 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
heres the better question
does it matter if this team is 5-3 vs 3-5 right now?
really and truly
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 Apr 15, 2009 10:52 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
the record
doesn’t matter at all. it is the construction of the team that I have sited all along as the problem. this isn’t a knee jerk reaction to a five game losing streak. I have been bitching about this bullpen all spring.
What is this, Horseville? Because I'm surrounded by naysayers.
by clark on Apr 15, 2009 10:54 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I can vouch for this
I have been bitching about this bullpen all spring.
"He will not coddle them. Nolan Ryan doesn’t coddle." - Jeff Passan
by Dirk Diggler on Apr 15, 2009 10:55 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I was waiting for that.
What is this, Horseville? Because I'm surrounded by naysayers.
by clark on Apr 15, 2009 10:56 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
so if they are 3-5 with about the same bullpen stats
but ohman, cruz and guadin instead of eddie, madrigal and jennings what would your gripe be?
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 Apr 15, 2009 10:58 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
it wouldn't be much of a gripe
but we wouldn’t be 3-5 and we wouldn’t have those same stats if those other guys were here (except Gaudin, I never wanted him).
What is this, Horseville? Because I'm surrounded by naysayers.
by clark on Apr 15, 2009 11:01 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
well going from
3-0 to 3-5 does cause some concern.
Elvis Andrus - 2009 AL Rookie of the Year
by RangerMad on Apr 15, 2009 10:59 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I don't think 5-3
is a drastic assumption. 6-2, perhaps.
In most cases the April bullpen wouldn’t matter, and the May bullpen could be much better. But knowing how important this April is to this team, it wasn’t fair to Wash to enter the year with such a horrible bullpen.
What is this, Horseville? Because I'm surrounded by naysayers.
by clark on Apr 15, 2009 10:53 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
And 3-5, 6-2, 8-0
none of those should be deciding the team’s overall direction a week into the season. Not fair to Washington? Whatever. I’m concerned with the overall direction of this team, not his job. And him being fired is a LOT less dangerous to the future of this team than replacing the GM.
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by t ball on Apr 15, 2009 10:55 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
the GM
put him in place. they should be tied together, at least to some degree.
What is this, Horseville? Because I'm surrounded by naysayers.
by clark on Apr 15, 2009 10:57 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Blame Daniels
for hiring him, but I wouldn’t tie them at the hip. All things considered, I still think Daniels is better overall at his job than Washington at his.
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by t ball on Apr 15, 2009 11:04 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
you think?
I still thinkDaniels is better overall at his job than Washington at his.
if daniels was fired today, he would almost be sure to get another shot somewhere else as a GM
i dont know if you can say the same thing abotu RW
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 Apr 15, 2009 11:05 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Thank you...
You have just stated my thoughts precisely. Please get out of my head now.
Rivalries aside, RIP Nick Adenhart 04/09/2009.
"if daniels was fired today, he would almost be sure to get another shot somewhere else as a GM
i dont know if you can say the same thing abotu RW" - knockoutking
by hillcrest on Apr 15, 2009 11:58 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
and what do you mean
by “three months into that process?” do you mean to imply that he was not trying to build a winning team prior to January or February of this year? Because that would explain a lot.
What is this, Horseville? Because I'm surrounded by naysayers.
by clark on Apr 15, 2009 10:15 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I said "Now his new objective is to take that talent and build a winning ML team"
His farm system was crowned #1 this past winter which is ~3 months ago. Now he needs to take that talented farm system and translate that into a winning ML team. The question now becomes: How long does he have to do that?
Elvis Andrus - 2009 AL Rookie of the Year
by RangerMad on Apr 15, 2009 10:23 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
he doesn't deserve a clean slate
just because some publications deemed his farm system the best. that doesn’t wipe his past mistakes clean. so i don’t view him as being three months into any new phase. His objective from the beginning was to make smart decisions to help build a competitive major league team. JD is a wonderful farm director miscast as a GM, just like RW is a wonderful coach miscast as a manager.
What is this, Horseville? Because I'm surrounded by naysayers.
by clark on Apr 15, 2009 10:31 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
sure he does
considering that those past mistakes were made when he was under the plan to try to make the team competitive right then. as soon as mid 2007 rolled around and the decision was made by the entire front office to go the route of punting a couple of years and building within, ive been on board with pretty much all of his decisions
by Fireal20 on Apr 15, 2009 11:52 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
There are questions, to be sure,
about Daniels’ ability to finish the job, but the GM’s #1 job is acquiring talent and he has acquired a hell of a lot of it. He has also made some very astute signings on short term contracts, Gagne, Lofton, Bradley…that kind of thing can be very important in finishing out a contending club.
He’s done enough to warrant the chance to see it through. I’d give him through 2010, with the expectation that the club is very well positioned to contend both immediately and in the long run at that time. The long run is mostly taken care of, so this year and next offseason is all about shaping the 2010 roster. His job depends on those moves if I am making the decision. I have enough questions about his roster management decisions that I’m willing to say that, despite the incredible job he’s done rebuilding the player development machine. If he can’t finish the job, get a GM who is better at constructing a major league roster to take advantage of his work on that machine.
G G G E-flat_______ F F F D__________....
by t ball on Apr 15, 2009 10:16 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
this is my viewpoint
evaluate in 2010
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 Apr 15, 2009 10:38 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
hunsicker?
really?
ugh
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 Apr 15, 2009 10:37 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
in 9 years with the Astros
he won the division 4 times and finished second another 5 times. and this was before they became big spenders. they did that through a farm system that developed pitching. and that doesn’t even take into account that the team he constructed got to the WS the year after he left. I would say he has a winning track record.
What is this, Horseville? Because I'm surrounded by naysayers.
by clark on Apr 15, 2009 10:56 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
JD won't get fired...
bbtia doesn’t think so, even if it’s a catastrophic season.
"[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 Apr 15, 2009 9:53 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
If they drop 10 in a row...
…Washington is gone before #10.
by Adam J. Morris on Apr 15, 2009 9:56 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
you mean his sunflower seeds
(Wife) "So what do you want to watch on the T.V.? UFC or porn?"
(Husband) "Hmm... well, porn, I guess."
by mtex on Apr 15, 2009 10:05 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I agree
being swept on this homestand should cost him his job. Wouldn’t it be ironic if they have a 1-5 homestand, the fire RW talk gets to a roaring boil and then the team goes 5-1 on the road trip to save his job. Would the team let themselves get into that position again?
Elvis Andrus - 2009 AL Rookie of the Year
by RangerMad on Apr 15, 2009 10:31 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
everyone's willingness here
to completely make RW the scapegoat (and don’t get me wrong, he should be fired) and yet place no blame on THE MAN WHO ACTUALLY ASSEMBLED THE TEAM is baffling to me.
What is this, Horseville? Because I'm surrounded by naysayers.
by clark on Apr 15, 2009 10:35 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
You don't fire...
the GM after he has just put together the 1 farm system in baseball while the owner obviously won’t allow him to spend the $ at the ML level to compete right now. You have to give him a year or two to see how some of those players do in the majors.
It’s not that hard to understand.
"The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance."-Socrates
by slc ranger on Apr 15, 2009 10:42 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Sheets?
"[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 Apr 15, 2009 11:07 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Sheets...
was a one time offer type guy. This has been talked about before. When you have a chance to get an ace for 2/20 then you do it. He was the exception to the rule.
We have seen all the financial problems Hicks is in right now. He probably thought he could get a good return on his investment on Sheets. Signing lesser known players wouldn’t do much for attendance, et al.
"The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance."-Socrates
by slc ranger on Apr 15, 2009 11:43 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
But Washington's job
is to win right now with the players he has, Daniels has a much wider responsibility. It is not the fault of either man that Wilson is such a goofball, or that Kinsler didn’t tag up.
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by t ball on Apr 15, 2009 10:42 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
whats wrong with the man who assembled the team
they have stars at 2b and CF, have good young players (at the ML level) at C – x2 1B, one corner OF, SS.
they have a 3b solution for the next few years
they have multiple pitching prospects who should be in the majors in the next 2 years
the bullpen isnt great…ok? who would they have gotten for less than it cost to get juan cruz and made a difference?
dont get me wrong, id have loved to see the rangers sign some of ohman, cruz, mahay, etc — but if he wasnt going to get the money for cruz (that late into FA and at a lesser rate) who else should he have signed? i mean, did you want 2002ish all over again (TVP, petrovesk, etc)?
at the end of this year the bullpen could include players like diamond, moscosco, strop, feliz/holland, etc — a young bullpen.
going into next year the rangers are essentially set (for the next few years) at C, 1B, 2B, 3B, SS and one OF position (depending on cruz).
how has he done such a horrible job at assembling the team? if he signs sheets and sheets has pitched as good as millwood has, are you still bitching about him?
what would you say if he signed ohman/mahay, gaudin and cruz and they cratered the first 2 weeks of the season? then its on him for assembling a bad bullpen
the fact of the matter is that he has done part of his job, which is to create/stockpile talent. he has done a portion of the second half of his job, which is to get those players on the major league field (has done a good job of setting up the position players — with the rangers having their starters set at 6 of the 8 positions — possibly 7 of the 8 positions depending on cruz this year)
he has young players in position to earn spots in the bullpen at AA and AAA
so what exactly is the problem? what do you blame him for NOT doing this offseason? what moves should he have made?
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 Apr 15, 2009 10:48 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
all i can say is
this team should be competitive this year for exactly the reasons you listed. this team has a good offense, a passable rotation, and some key cogs in the bullpen. just one or two legitimate upgrades (let’s say Cruz (or even Kiko Calero) for Mad Dog and Ohman for Guardardo) completely changes the anatomy of this team. The fact that we are so close to being competitive but that those minor changes went unaddressed is the real root of my ire.
What is this, Horseville? Because I'm surrounded by naysayers.
by clark on Apr 15, 2009 11:00 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
so if they go out and had
ohman instead of guardado, 2 of calero/gaudain/cruz instead of jennings or madrigal but had the same results what would you be complaining about?
anyway, what if he was under salary constraints and couldnt sign anyone other than sheets/anyone else big budget? what would you say then?
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 Apr 15, 2009 11:04 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
i would say
that he should quit, because g-managing a team that cannot afford to sign a couple of effective FAs who directly address the key needs for this team at below market rates cannot be much fun. With his intelligence/education, he could have been an i-banker.
What is this, Horseville? Because I'm surrounded by naysayers.
by clark on Apr 15, 2009 12:59 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
i-banker
Heh, that doesn’t seem like much fun right now, either.
G G G E-flat_______ F F F D__________....
by t ball on Apr 15, 2009 1:20 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
so which is it then
did he 1) not have the financial freedom to sign the players or 2) is he not smart enough to tell the “good” players from the bad or 3) did he think that the current bullpen would be as good/better without the FA players
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 Apr 15, 2009 1:42 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
i am thinking
it is something resembling d) all of the above.
What is this, Horseville? Because I'm surrounded by naysayers.
by clark on Apr 15, 2009 1:57 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Completely changes the anatomy
I think you’re a bit optimistic there. I understand (and share) your frustration, and I am impatient for the team to be in contention again. But we’re going to have to count on a lot of luck to contend in 2009, even if they had signed Cruz and Ohman, who just weren’t going to make a difference of more than a game or two. The two combined for a value of 1.5 wins last year, whoopee.
G G G E-flat_______ F F F D__________....
by t ball on Apr 15, 2009 11:09 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
a couple bullpen arms wouldn't have helped
our baserunning mistakes, being in the right place on the field, and overrall bad fundamentals.
Although, I agree Cruz could have impacted this team in a positive way, there are still alot of question marks on this team, and right now those question marks are being answered in the way that the Rangers didn’t want.
The "Fire Wash Watch" is on. I say he's gone by April 26th.
by NothinG on Apr 15, 2009 11:31 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Exactly...
adding a couple arms to the ’pen would probably help a little.
But if you think it’s the key to this team being more competitive this year then I think you’re being very optimistic.
"The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance."-Socrates
by slc ranger on Apr 15, 2009 11:46 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
in my mind
the bullpen was the quickest and most effective way to upgrade this team while also staying in rebuilding mode. They didn’t need to sign a mildly effective starter because they have Holland and Feliz, and possibly Sheets, ready to step in later this year. But signing a couple of effective, priced-under-market FA relievers to 1 or 2 year deals does not harm our long term rebuilding plans.
Also, I think you underestimate the effect on a team when there is zero faith in their bullpen. Hitters start to press and managers make poor decisions and leave guys in too long, and the team as a whole starts to lose confidence. I think, with a good bullpen, this team wins the last game in Detroit to avoid a sweep. They probably make the first Orioles game much more competitive despite Padilla’s start, and I think the team has a much better chance of winning last night’s game as well. these players are so used to losing that it is fast becoming a part of this team’s culture, and that culture breeds stupid mistakes like baserunning errors. bad baseball, i think, is contagious.
What is this, Horseville? Because I'm surrounded by naysayers.
by clark on Apr 15, 2009 1:05 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Blame Hicks for being unwilling to spend money on a bullpen arm
Not JD.
by hiafex on Apr 15, 2009 1:06 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
do we know for a fact
that Hicks was unwilling to spend any money on a bullpen arm, or is that what we have assumed, seeing as there was money for Sheets.
What is this, Horseville? Because I'm surrounded by naysayers.
by clark on Apr 15, 2009 1:17 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I'm pretty sure that it has been established
That the only player that Hicks was willing to raise the pay-roll for was Sheets.
by hiafex on Apr 15, 2009 1:18 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
yeah it's that whole player-specific thing
Here Hicks says:
How much are you planning on slashing the budget for 2010?
We have three veterans in (Hank) Blalock, (Vicente) Padilla and (Frank) Catalanotto whose contracts expire this year that total over $20 million in payroll. In each case, we have young players coming up that we feel very positive about that may be as good or better than the veterans that are leaving. So we’ll have to make a decision later about whether we want to bring the veterans back or not. Whatever we do, we’ll be a better team next year than this year. That gives us the ability to free up resources to go find a Ben Sheets-type pitcher and if that guy is out there, we’ll do it. We’re not going to do a 7- or 8-year contract with one of Scott Boras’ pitchers or anybody like that because we don’t believe in that.
We have not reduced our budget $20 million. We have great young players to replace them. We may bring some of the veterans back. But it’s up to how they perform. We haven’t set the budget for 2010.
Sounds to me like if there’s a Sheets type pitcher available — they’d get him — otherwise they are banking on young guys filling holes instead of signing FA’s.
"He will not coddle them. Nolan Ryan doesn’t coddle." - Jeff Passan
by Dirk Diggler on Apr 15, 2009 1:26 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
So...
You just said this
this team should be competitive this year for exactly the reasons you listed.
If the team should be competitive, and JD put that team together… Shouldn’t he be safe and the manager be blamed for the record?
by hiafex on Apr 15, 2009 1:00 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
exactly
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 Apr 15, 2009 1:42 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Moreso...
if they don’t win the Royals series, he’s done.
With the “Red Out” campaign designed to bring more and more fans to the ballpark, this is a stage set up to make an impression on fans. If they draw over 25k to each of the three games and get wrecked, Nolan/JD/Tom will see that as a lost chance to get a stronghold on possible consumers.
Rivalries aside, RIP Nick Adenhart 04/09/2009.
"if daniels was fired today, he would almost be sure to get another shot somewhere else as a GM
i dont know if you can say the same thing abotu RW" - knockoutking
by hillcrest on Apr 15, 2009 12:00 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Heh
They have to face Meche, Greinke and Davies.
"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 Apr 15, 2009 12:20 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Somewhat stoked...
going Saturday and get to see Greinke v. Millwood.
Rivalries aside, RIP Nick Adenhart 04/09/2009.
"if daniels was fired today, he would almost be sure to get another shot somewhere else as a GM
i dont know if you can say the same thing abotu RW" - knockoutking
by hillcrest on Apr 15, 2009 12:24 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
if we lose tonight.....
… then the off day tomorrow could quite possibly be used for a going away party for Mr. Washington, I for one would be wearing a great big party hat dancing around with streamers.
by blueballlefty on Apr 15, 2009 10:05 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
you can also take into account
that cleveland is the only team we have beaten. their record after us is 1 – 4, ours is 0 – 5.
It looked good those first few games because we weren’t playing a good opponent.
The "Fire Wash Watch" is on. I say he's gone by April 26th.
by NothinG on Apr 15, 2009 11:34 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Cleveland is good
8 games is a virtually meaningless sample size.
That’s why this whole argument is pretty dumb.
by nivarsity on Apr 15, 2009 1:53 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Wash will be gone...
by the end of April if they have a losing record. Nolan will give the job to Jackie Moore for the rest of the year.
JD isn’t going anywhere.
"The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance."-Socrates
by slc ranger on Apr 15, 2009 10:18 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Further Hypothetical
Anyone think Art Howe comes back to replace Wash (or the interim) after this season?
Would Nolan allow JD to go out and get an “unproven” again or would this be a complete “Jr., this is who you are hiring” scenario?
Rivalries aside, RIP Nick Adenhart 04/09/2009.
"if daniels was fired today, he would almost be sure to get another shot somewhere else as a GM
i dont know if you can say the same thing abotu RW" - knockoutking
by hillcrest on Apr 15, 2009 12:26 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
good question
I could see NR having a list of 3-4 and JD adding a couple of names to it. In the end I think one of Nolan’s names would win out.
Elvis Andrus - 2009 AL Rookie of the Year
by RangerMad on Apr 15, 2009 12:54 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
If the Rangers want to fire Wash
They’ll find a time. A five-game losing streak would be as good as any.
If Washington is a guy they want to fire, he’s no better or worse a manager today than he was last week, or than he will be in May.
by nivarsity on Apr 15, 2009 1:56 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
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