New T.R. Sullivan mailbag

by Adam J. Morris on Apr 20, 2009 3:02 PM CDT

Questions about David Murphy's poor start, Andruw Jones' hot start, and the mess that is the bullpen, among other things...

Tweet Comment 29 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

Last couple of mailbags he’s been sticking around and answering extra questions in the comments section. He’s doing it again today if anybody has anything.

by TXHC on Apr 20, 2009 3:28 PM CDT reply actions

How do you honestly feel about Jones now?

As oppose to 3 weeks ago…

by octoberty on Apr 20, 2009 3:32 PM CDT reply actions

Trade him

Baltimore has this injured minor league catcher who’s obviously a bumb, so we should trade Andruw Jones for him. Whats his name again? Matt Walters? Matt Whiter? something like that

by iblum on Apr 20, 2009 5:22 PM CDT up reply actions

Just what we need

Another freaking catcher. :-)

by mgb5 on Apr 20, 2009 5:37 PM CDT up reply actions

No crazily one-sided trade scenarios? Disappointing.

by nivarsity on Apr 20, 2009 3:33 PM CDT reply actions

This is exactly

what I was about to post.

Although there is one wheels-off trade proposal in the fanpost section to satisfy your appetite.

by bhudson on Apr 20, 2009 3:54 PM CDT up reply actions

Mmm-what?

Davis may seem vulnerable because he’s off to a slow start but his importance to the franchise’s future can not be overstated.

by Snark on Apr 20, 2009 3:59 PM CDT reply actions

Davis will be the most important player in this history of Rangers baseball..

If he does not succeed, players will begin to develop painful boils, leading to to a resurgence in the plague. The entire city will have to be razed.

See, it IS possible to overstate his importance. ;)

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 21, 2009 12:08 PM CDT up reply actions

The Cowboys draft thingee

Was worth a chuckle. Should have added, Nelson Cruz might be a fearsome wideout.

"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 Apr 20, 2009 4:52 PM CDT reply actions

Cruz

Not a good route runner.

by mgb5 on Apr 20, 2009 5:36 PM CDT up reply actions

Sure he is

Zigs when you’d think he’d zag, great hands, can outrun the coverage, and would squash most secondary players like windshield bugs.

"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 Apr 20, 2009 7:05 PM CDT up reply actions

Zigs when you’d think he’d zag, …

Only good if the quarterback knows that, too. :-)

by mgb5 on Apr 20, 2009 7:34 PM CDT up reply actions

UZR begs to differ

Ceterum censeo Cat esse delendam - Cahill the Elder

by ab03 on Apr 20, 2009 7:46 PM CDT up reply actions

NFL scouting combine stats

You think they have UZR in there, too? (They just might, I suppose)

by mgb5 on Apr 20, 2009 7:50 PM CDT up reply actions

Deep, deep stuff

What statistics do you think are best for evaluating players and pitchers?
— Robert M. Dallas, Texas

Most players are evaluated with an endless array of statistical categories and on-base percentage is big for many people. I like OPS, which is on-base plus slugging percentage. For pitchers, baserunners per nine innings and strikeout-to-walk ratio are pretty good indicators, but I still like ERA and batting average against. I also think on a single night, a team’s ability to hit with runners in scoring position is the single most important determining factor on who wins or loses a baseball game. Not the only one. Far from it. But the most important one.

No shit, Sherlock.

Also, I love the way he slams OBP and proceeds to say his favorite offensive stat is OPS. Heh.

Coach Washington inspires me to be an hero.

Hello Win Column

by LSJ on Apr 20, 2009 7:12 PM CDT reply actions

And the next question, geez

Does Nelson Cruz swing for the fences every swing on purpose? Why can’t he swing for contact, and has Rudy Jaramillo talked to him about it yet this year? He seems to be all or nothing (home run, pop up, or strikeout).
— Tim S. Greenville, Texas

Actually, Jaramillo talks to all hitters about their “two-strike approach,” which means cutting down the power of their swing and putting the ball in play. Cruz, with seven walks and 10 strikeouts in 45 at-bats, is doing better than Josh Hamilton (12 strikeouts, three walks) and some of the other guys. But Cruz needs to be what Mark Teixeira once said about himself: a power hitter whose job is to hit for power and drive in runs.

What the fuck does that even mean? Aside from facepalm?

Coach Washington inspires me to be an hero.

Hello Win Column

by LSJ on Apr 20, 2009 7:17 PM CDT up reply actions

I don't know.

I’m still counting the many, many ways in which Chris Davis’ importance to the franchise’s future can be overstated.

by Snark on Apr 20, 2009 7:52 PM CDT up reply actions

Ummmmm...

T.R. said that Davis’ value to the Rangers future can not be overstated. Meaning, Davis is really important to this teams future.

What exactly do you find objectionable about that statement?

by Topgun22 on Apr 20, 2009 9:48 PM CDT up reply actions

Yikes.

Don’t pay any attention to that whooshing sound above your head.

by brettgardner on Apr 20, 2009 11:13 PM CDT up reply actions

You know

I’m not really sure it’s necessary for you to rip TR like this every time. I mean, we get it…..

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

by Dirk Diggler on Apr 21, 2009 7:29 AM CDT up reply actions

Sorry

I really shouldn’t read MLB.com mailbags. The concentrated dumb just makes my head spin.

Really though, I’m not sure why AJM gives these things their own individual post on the front page every time if the purpose isn’t to give a forum for nit-pickers like me to ridicule them in. Between the people writing in and his responses to them, his mailbags have been little more than a sideshow for stupidity for a long time, and have are usually good for little else than picking apart.

Actually, if TR where smart he would stop doing these mailbags, because they’ve really exposed him as a bit of an ignorant old codger. Although, to his credit he hasn’t made any brazen generalizations about statistics in his last few… just his brand of completely meaningless fake analysis.

Coach Washington inspires me to be an hero.

Hello Win Column

by LSJ on Apr 21, 2009 8:03 AM CDT up reply actions

I think TR

once posted that his management really wants him to do the mailbags.

"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 Apr 21, 2009 8:08 AM CDT up reply actions

Maybe Adam links to these

because he links to EVERYTHING locally published. Since the mailbags aren’t part of the morning paper cycle, he can’t just include them in another post, so they get their own.

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 21, 2009 9:06 AM CDT up reply actions

the evolution of baseball Jesus

Seems like you have come full circle. Started out knowing everything and got knocked down several pegs by the collective wisdom of the board which lashed out at you pretty hard. Then for a while you were somewhat moderate in your opinions and more interested in asking questions and soaking up some knowledge. Now you know everything again. But this time you know it all, even more than the first time you knew it all, and feel obligated to castigate everyone that doesn’t know it all as well as you.

If you take the worst pitching staff in baseball, then add Kris Benson and Jason Jennings, what do you have???

surprise!!! You have the worst pitching staff in baseball, that's what.

by tricer on Apr 21, 2009 9:24 AM CDT up reply actions 1 recs

Haha

now that’s deep.

I'm all Washed out.

by inactive lsb user on Apr 21, 2009 11:35 AM CDT up reply actions

'Bout time you dropped that loser

of an avatar.

"Back on the scene, with a gangsta lean" RW
"you gonna lose your horse. seriously." FX2
Yes we can! November 04, 2008

by Rodney on Apr 21, 2009 1:03 PM CDT up reply actions

I know where I get ABs.

Washington is no doubt looking for more opportunities to get Jones in the lineup. His problem is that he already has a gridlock in left field with Murphy/Byrd, so it’s either at the expense of Chris Davis at first base or Hank Blalock at designated hitter. Davis may seem vulnerable because he’s off to a slow start but his importance to the franchise’s future can not be overstated.

I’d be about ready to make room for ABs at Hamilton’s expense. I’d be real tempted to let him know if he can’t work a walk in his next few games, he’s gonna be taking a day or 2 off a week to work in the batting cage to learn the strike zone. I think he is sitting on 11 days since his last walk, and if the streak makes 2 weeks, I think I play Byrd in CF for a game to let Hamilton think about his swing at everything approach.

"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 Apr 21, 2009 8:55 AM CDT reply actions

Hambone's approach

I agree that it’s horrible. It’s kinda funny that 2009 Hamilton looks a lot like 2007 Nellie Cruz, and 2009 Nellie Cruz looks a lot like 2008 Hamilton.

If you take the worst pitching staff in baseball, then add Kris Benson and Jason Jennings, what do you have???

surprise!!! You have the worst pitching staff in baseball, that's what.

by tricer on Apr 21, 2009 9:27 AM CDT up reply actions

Yup

Hamilton has looked helpless and overmatched at the plate this year.

I say give him 2-3 days, put Byrd in center and see how Jones looks in left (or even center).
I’m having trouble believing that all of a sudden Jones went from no-bat decent D centerfielder last year, to decent-bat horrible defensive DH.

If his bat has really recovered, and it isn’t just a temporary fluke, then where’s his glove? Could spring break have been him worrying about his knee?

by Trickman on Apr 21, 2009 10:49 AM CDT up reply actions