The standings
by Adam J. Morris on Apr 25, 2009 10:33 AM CDT
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Hmmm...I'm not sure how I feel about this.
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It's early...
but is everyone still on that A’s train? Not only do they not have the pitching, but all those vets they brought in to power up that offense have struggled.
Their TEAM has 5 HR’s this year. That’s right their entire team trails Nelson Cruz by 1 HR so far. Wow.
"The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance."-Socrates
Oakland's offense is epically bad
I mean, their offense is so bad it makes the Rangers pitching look average.
I find that amusing.
Epically bad, so far.
Beyond the Boxscore // Calling BJ Upton lazy is lazy.
by Sky Kalkman on Apr 25, 2009 10:56 AM CDT up reply actions
I'm only talking about so far
but they’d better hope Holliday figures out how to hit this year. Otherwise, their “no matter what, we’ll get two draft picks” deal won’t even be that.
It's like we're in bizzarro baseball world
"I'm against picketing, but I don't know how to show it." - Mitch Hedberg
Hello...Feldman...
"...like some Russian priest fresh off a bottle of potato vodka and a box of cigars." -t ball
by rangerdanger on Apr 25, 2009 12:42 PM CDT up reply actions
Seattle
better than anyone thought.
by icouldusesomebaseball on Apr 25, 2009 10:43 AM CDT reply actions
You mean for real overachieving, right?
The Marlins won 6 games against the Nationals, they can’t play them all year. Then they were swept by the Pirates, and have lost 4 in a row. They’ll still be doing well to be over .500 this year.
G G G E-flat_______ F F F D__________....
Marlins
I wonder which of their arb eligible players they will have to ditch next offseason.
If Josh Johnson is one of them, I’d sure love to see the Rangers make a strong play for him. His early season results have really verified what I was thinking about him this past offseason. He’s a stud and looks to be the specific type of pitcher that would be a good fit here.
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.
I'd give my left nut to have Josh Johnson and his GB/SO ridiculousness
Assuming he stays healthy this season, we’d probably have to give up an arm and a leg to get him though.
yeah, but we really need the type of pitcher that is going to cost an arm and a leg
and he would be one of the top choices that could be available, just because the Marlins are so cheap.
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.
We'd probably have to trade Marcus Lemon.
¡Prefiero morir de pie que vivir siempre arrodillado!
by inactive lsb user on Apr 25, 2009 2:21 PM CDT up reply actions
McCarthy has 2 legs and 2 arms avaliable
at least currently
Meh.
He turned 25 a few months ago and he’s under team control until 2012. They’d ask for Feliz++.
Again, this is all assuming he manages to stay healthy for the year.
I'd give it to them
He’s the real deal and IMO we have to get a TORG in here somehow if we are to be competitive next year.
I wouldn’t shy away from an offer of Feliz, a catcher, Lemon/Vallejo, and a couple of lesser chips like maybe Kenny Gomez and Omar Poveda. That’s a strong offer, but it certainly wouldn’t devestate our system.
One thing though, when you let Florida pick through the minor league system, you’d better expect that they are going to get a few gems. Seems that org scouts about as well as any.
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.
It pisses
me off when people talk about him on ESPN and other places like he just arrived on the scene. He was a badass in 06 then got injured. He’s recovered and is back to being a badass. No surprise.
"Come on man you have to admit the average guy in a baseball clubhouse...... is relatively a douchebag." BGL.
The 2008-2009 Dallas Mavericks are the biggest teases in the world.
"We love Wash.....As a team, we want Wash as the head of that team." Hamilton
Seattle's OF defense
has been unreal, but you’d still have to expect they can’t maintain a team ERA of 2.95. Washburn is due for some regression very soon. Still, Seattle has as good a chance as any of the other three. I think both the AL Central and West could end up with division winners under 85 wins.
G G G E-flat_______ F F F D__________....
I agree and disagree
Seattle can’t keep up the .650 winning percentage all year. And this division really looks like anyone can win it (I’d put everyone between 20% and 30% right now).
I think that whoever wins will have 90 wins though. One team will pull ahead, make a move or two to solidify their lead, the ones falling behind will trade their potential F.A.s (like Holliday, Beltre, Millwood, Lackey). The West will have one 90 win team, one in the 80s, and two in the mid 70s (unless Oakland just collapses…)
Yes, something like that could happen, too
that’s why I said “could” happen. I think one team gets lucky and wins about 87-88 games, but I’d be pretty surprised with 90 from any team in the West.
G G G E-flat_______ F F F D__________....
Sorting out
Both the West and the Central will get sorted out when teams in the divisions have played each other at least a dozen times. A lot remains to be seen in the way of matchups. And even then, it may come down to who is hot or lucky late season. I’ve always thought the West would go to whoever gets out early and stays in front, but this year I have to wonder.
"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 25, 2009 1:06 PM CDT up reply actions
I believe my pick was for an 84 game winner to win the division.
And part of that was because of a weak schedule.
The thing about Bedard
is the other shoe may drop on his being healthy at any moment. He’s like an older, more effective version of BMac
Not really.
He’s got an actual track record of success to fall back on.
Plus, like Al Green notes above me, he’s much more effective.
The 40 Trumps All!!!
"I guess it’s tough to look good when you play on the same team as Marcus Lemon." -Trip Somers.
"Congratulations, Mr. Somers. You just made THE LIST." -The Newberg, after reading the above comment.
by thedirkatron on Apr 25, 2009 11:39 AM CDT up reply actions
Do you want to bet on his health lasting for 30 starts?
Add to that Washburn being amazing so far and they are probably in for a real bad stretch soon.
And Endy Chavez isn’t posting a 123 OPS+ all season either.
By 2028, Mark Teixeira will be in the HOF.
-The Outlaw
There is good news here...
Most basic rule of statistics= Regression towards the mean.
Seattle will regress.
LA will get healthy and start winning more games.
Oakland’s offense has the ability to improve, even if just slightly.
So that leaves Texas, who has to be the X factor in this cluster fuck of a division. If Texas stays at or about 3 games above .500 through May, then we are solidly in place to make a run late in the season.
This is our year.
http://www.lonestarball.com/2009/1/29/739765/the-socket-joint-rotator-c
by FormerLSBUser on Apr 25, 2009 11:11 AM CDT reply actions
The good thing about Texas is that we really aren't playing that well
LAAAA won’t get healthy anytime soon to put together a good win streak. That gives the Rangers plenty of time to build a lead on them.
Oakland’s offense is going to improve a bit because Giambi is much better than how he’s playing, same with Holliday. The rest of their offense though is pretty weak and I think could reasonably be expected to stay pretty weak. I don’t see them improving anytime soon. Any improvement in their win percentage will be from their young pitching adjusting to the Majors which will take a little while.
Texas will probably see Millwood pitching more like he did in his last start at Toronto than before then, but the offense and defense should stay pretty much the same. I think Cruz/Young/Kinsler coming back down to Earth will be canceled out by Hamilton/Davis/Salty/Blalock/Murphy improving. Lets just hope that the bullpen holds up as they have in the past few days. FX2 is a beast and Wilson isn’t as bad as he’s thought of (he’s just really bad at the worst times). Jennings is a very pleasant surprise and maybe we can get something out of Gabb…I mean O’Day.
By 2028, Mark Teixeira will be in the HOF.
-The Outlaw
Pennant Race
Oakland – Holliday is gone by July probably. Less PED infusion, how good are those aging A’s hitters?
LAAA – Still dangerous.
Seattle – May over-achieve all year if pitching remains solid. They could add a bat in July too.
Texas – I agree with you. If we replace Eddie G with an improved pitcher, plus the recent changes, our bullpen (which cost us some games) could almost become a strength.
I gagree with all of this
In fact, I was actually scrolling down to just type two words. “Cluster fuck,” which PM took care of.
Hang in the hunt, at least put us in place to watch some meaningful baseball in July/Aug. That’s all I can hope for.
"...like some Russian priest fresh off a bottle of potato vodka and a box of cigars." -t ball
by rangerdanger on Apr 25, 2009 12:40 PM CDT up reply actions
Lets see
LAA
4-Oak
3-Bos
3-Sea
3-Minn
3-Det
1-Sea
Oak
4-LAA
3-Bos
3-Sea
3-Tor
3-@NY
1-TB
Sea
4-Minn
<strong>3-Oak
3-LAA
3-Det
3-TB
1-@LAA
Hummm.. Seatle has played Oak 3 times and LAA 4 times already, when both are in dire straights. They should be leading the division at that point.
Four Team Division
If we do win as fast as 2009, we should be setting up for a long and solid run ahead. What a statistical advantage we have in a 4 team division.
OT – I don’t know why (okay I do know why), but seeing Edinson Volquez struggle last night helps me feel better about that move.
The way I feel about it
of Oakland, Seattle and Texas, the three may be really close, rather than tiered in that order. And Texas isn’t putting enough room between themselves and the Angels to stay in it once (if) LA’s pitchers get healthy. But at the same time, I think that most people would be happy if Texas isn’t like double digits behind until late in the season, and that’s still possible.
by Brett Perryman on Apr 25, 2009 12:46 PM CDT reply actions
.500
Playing right around .500 into the summer always keeps my spirits up somewhat. When you are at or above that threshold, it still feels like the games have some real meaning, and the idea that stretching together a nice winning streak puts us right in the mix is pleasant as a fan, even if you know it isn’t likely.
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.
So the question really is - how many wins up on LAA do the Rangers need to be?
Seattle, Oakland, and Texas – one will fall apart, and one will manage to hold together well enough for a run.
But really, LAA, if healthy, is better than any of them. The question is how many games better? 10? Do the Rangers need a 10 game lead on LAA once Lackey et al., are healthy? Or is a 5 game lead sufficient?
Seattle regressing
Why is everyone so sure of this? Is it just completely bogus to think that Bedard and Washburn are pitching out of their minds for the same type of contract that Kevin Millwood wants?
Washburn?
Yes, it is. And before you reference everyone thinking Millwood will be great because he’s pitching for a contract, let me remind you that I don’t buy that theory.
by Adam J. Morris on Apr 25, 2009 1:46 PM CDT up reply actions
Washburn aside, Seattle still has the more superior combo of Bedard and Felix
If I’m the Rangers, I wouldn’t want to fall any more than six games back of the M’s this season. After a flurry of adequate moves this offseason, I shant dare to think of what kind of strings Z could pull at the trade deadline
by oc on Apr 25, 2009 1:55 PM CDT up reply actions
they don't have a ton of ammo to deal with
Clement, Aumont, and Morrow are the big trade chips they have and all of those have taken serious hits to their value, for differing reasons.
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.
I think you could build a package around Truinfel and Aumont
by oc on Apr 25, 2009 3:48 PM CDT up reply actions
Truinfel broke his leg.
"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 25, 2009 4:18 PM CDT up reply actions
Also, I wouldn't rule out the possibility of a sell-off.
He could do what Beane did last year and restock their farm system. They have the chips for that: Bedard, Washburn, Beltre
by oc on Apr 25, 2009 3:55 PM CDT up reply actions
Bedard and Felix are good
Then they have 2 Padillas and a Feldman, which doesn’t sound all that bad, but for a team that needs to live on run prevention – it’s not exactly promising. That bullpen is like a house on stilts on the gulf coast – it’s beautiful until everything comes crashing down at some unknown point in the future.
The offense should get a bit better, particular Beltre, but Branyan and Chavez will back peddle. For a team built on defense, they won’t have a lot of flexibility exchanging position players for offensive boosts. As tricer said below, I don’t think they will have much ammo to deal with either. They are a lot better than most give them credit for, but let’s not get over our heads now. They could still win the division given the general ineptitude of the entire division, but to think that they won’t regress is silly.
Sure
But he’s posting a 4.50 FIP. I don’t think he’s going to seriously regress from that.
by Adam J. Morris on Apr 25, 2009 2:13 PM CDT up reply actions
Bedard and King Felix will land safely on the DL -- as always
and if Millwood stays consistent, Padilla avoids a meltdown, McCarthy continues to stay healthy and improve, Holland gets 28-30 starts, and the offense gains some consistency on the road, (pause for breathe) the Rangers could be playing some meaningful games in Aug/Sept.
That's why they call them business sox
Felix - 190, 191, 200
innings pitched the last three seasons. Not sure why you think he is a good bet to see DL time.
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.
Maybe I exagerated
but he did sprain his ankle last year and ended up on the DL
That's why they call them business sox
The thing I'd watch out for
is that he has pitched a ton of innings at a very young age.
By 2028, Mark Teixeira will be in the HOF.
-The Outlaw
No. it sure isn't
Such is my optimism. The Rangers have a lot more “ifs” than the M’s
That's why they call them business sox
i feel like we should be running away with this division
I use to love to hit, I use to take it serious. I only got one at bat a year, maybe...but, I took it serious. I hit 1.000 one year, if i had another at bat, I'd hit 2.000...
Posted in the Crawdad Fanpost
If you aren’t in the mood for bad news, read no further.
Wilfredo Boscan to the DL. No details. Link courtesy of shroomer.
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.
Shit...
"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 25, 2009 2:46 PM CDT up reply actions
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