Guillermo Pimental, Jurickson Profar, and the Rangers
by Adam J. Morris on May 27, 2009 12:03 PM CDT
148 comments
Kiley McDaniel has a lengthy piece at BP today, highlighting the prime Latin American talent available once the signing period starts on July 2. Of particular note for Rangers fans are some comments in the Guillermo Pimental section:
Pimentel is another controversial prospect, but not because of his talent. Instead, it's because he allegedly agreed to a verbal deal with the Rangers, and then went into hiding beginning in the first week of February. Other clubs have been effectively blocked from seeing him, and a few have lodged formal complaints with MLB.
* * *
The video below also illustrates the last negative on Pimentel: teams simply haven't seen him. A number of clubs were on him before early February, and most have likely seen him before, but he was not available to be crosschecked by the decision makers. That makes this video quite rare, and many teams don't have any video at all of Pimentel; some joke that he's a Sidd Finch-like character. This footage was taken late in January, just before he stopped working out for clubs:
* * *
Projected Team: The Rangers are obviously my prediction here, but it isn't a slam dunk. I've been told that the Rangers have been disciplined for similar actions in the past, and they're allegedly doing the same thing with another high-profile prospect this year, SS/RHP Jurickson Profar from Curacao, with a deal done at $750,000. The punishment in the past was a slap on the wrist—not being allowed to sign the player until July 9th. It's unclear when or if a formal investigation will occur or what the possible penalties might be, but there has been some speculation that the Rangers may be barred from signing Pimentel.
Projected Bonus: The number associated with all of this Rangers talk has been $2 million, which sounds about right for a discounted bonus five months ahead of the signing period. I'll stick with that, with the understanding that he's worth much more.
You have to think that this is some of the fallout from the Michael Ynoa signing last year, when the A's, some believe, reached an early deal with Ynoa. McDaniel appears to be suggesting that the lesson that the Rangers took from losing out on signing Ynoa is that, if teams aren't going to be sanctioned for cutting early deals, then they might as well go ahead and cut early deals of their own.
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Why would
a prospect go into hiding and take themselves off the market? I understand why clubs do it, I don’t know why players agree to it.
"I'd praised catcher Max Ramirez two weeks ago, but after his continued struggles I'm increasingly convinced he's not going to pan out." - crops.mlblogs.com
by DJCahill on May 27, 2009 12:09 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
maybe their handler does it?
maybe they love the team in question
maybe it is for developmental reasons (i think its BS though)
maybe they dont think they can get a higher offer
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.
-
Scout to KG: On Sandoval: "Man, that fat [expletive]-er can hit."
by knockoutking on May 27, 2009 12:14 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
handler is my guess
"I just want to comment on how it’s become like a common thing in the [MLB] for guys to fall in love with [the Rangers’s] sloppy seconds." (thanks cstorm)
by ab03 on May 27, 2009 12:30 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
id agree with what ajayem said above
and i have said it before
i think taht after they left the yona case alone (MUCH higher profile player/bonus/case than any currently on the market) there is no way they step in with a 750k bonus or anything near that
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.
-
Scout to KG: On Sandoval: "Man, that fat [expletive]-er can hit."
by knockoutking on May 27, 2009 12:15 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Hey MLB
Bite me. We’re the first place Texas Rangers and we’ll do what we want to. Deal with it
Well, thats what a Boston or NY fan would do. Being a Ranger fan I am noit quite as good at arrogance as some.
by BEW on May 27, 2009 12:22 PM CDT reply actions 1 recs
You took the first step
Keep rolling with it.
2009 Texas Rangers: Why The Hell Not Us?--ghtd36 on May 13, 2009
by boomer1 on May 27, 2009 12:34 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Wah....of course if it was the Red Sox or the Yankees...the outcry would be....awww, it's just the money talking....but since our Rangers' supposedly are at the forefront....maybe there should be sanctions to block these atrocities from happening!!!
by DCRanger on May 27, 2009 12:40 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
But isn't MLB secretly doing behind the scenes stuff to improve baseball in DFW?
Someone else’s theory who lives closer to me than most of you.
by Mark from OC on May 27, 2009 2:02 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
stuff to improve baseball in DFW?
like what?
Adam Lambert is indeed a rock god,so suck it.
by red shoe ranger on May 27, 2009 5:37 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Search Rev Halo fan
GDT when we swept the Halos.
2009 Texas Rangers: Why The Hell Not Us?--ghtd36 on May 13, 2009
by boomer1 on May 27, 2009 5:42 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
According to the Rev
MLB is taking a page out of David Stein’s playbook.
You really should look it up. Way way asaninely ridiculous, even tounge in cheek as it is.
Also, Kinsler is plate-crowding cheater who should do a 3 to 5 in Leavenworth.
I'm Matt mutha-effing Bush, bitches, and mutha-eff East County.
"I'm as passionate and knowlegeable as any fan out there." Josey Wales
by Brian Thomas on May 27, 2009 7:15 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
It's crazy seeing the Rangers
with the best record in the AL….I like it.
by cspott on May 27, 2009 12:52 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
and 2nd best overall
amazing
"Hang-Dai, Wu...Hang-Fu$&ing-Dai"
by Walter Sobchak on May 27, 2009 1:25 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
im rec'ing this
given time and success, hopefully we too can become arrogant trashy fans who demand everything goes our way and based on our market size and support and the MLB must cower our whims
mormons stole me and held me against my will with Oklahoma beer and 12+ hour work days.
by Jayslick on May 27, 2009 4:13 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
kiley
was one of the 2 that ran saberscouting right?
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.
-
Scout to KG: On Sandoval: "Man, that fat [expletive]-er can hit."
by knockoutking on May 27, 2009 12:26 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Yes
That was a real good site last year.
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by t ball on May 27, 2009 1:27 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
one of the best
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.
-
Scout to KG: On Sandoval: "Man, that fat [expletive]-er can hit."
by knockoutking on May 27, 2009 1:37 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
is it really Ynao
Inoa => Ynao?
"I just want to comment on how it’s become like a common thing in the [MLB] for guys to fall in love with [the Rangers’s] sloppy seconds." (thanks cstorm)
by ab03 on May 27, 2009 12:30 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Yes, Somebody clear this up
I’ve seen his name spelled 12 different ways, and there’s only four letters… allegedly.
by chase182 on May 27, 2009 12:33 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
No, it's Ynoa
Go Rangers...don't suck...
by Kinslerhomer on May 27, 2009 12:34 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
he said he wanted to be called yona
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.
-
Scout to KG: On Sandoval: "Man, that fat [expletive]-er can hit."
by knockoutking on May 27, 2009 1:01 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Since he keeps changing his name
I think I’m just going to call him Yoda because I feel like it.
by TRanger on May 27, 2009 1:50 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
heh
tall one, is he
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.
-
Scout to KG: On Sandoval: "Man, that fat [expletive]-er can hit."
by knockoutking on May 27, 2009 1:59 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Since we missed out on signing Inoa
…can we still sign Ynoa?
by jcAustin on May 27, 2009 3:20 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
can't we just give the A's Blalock
and call it even?
Man, I love winning! You know? It's like better than losing!
by SteveP on May 27, 2009 12:35 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Way back machine right there
Turns out Grady Fuson wan’t even worth a bag of corn nuts(cool ranch style).
2009 Texas Rangers: Why The Hell Not Us?--ghtd36 on May 13, 2009
by boomer1 on May 27, 2009 12:37 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
In deference to AJM...
gotta go with jalapeno corn nuts (and a bean pie, of course)
by Topgun22 on May 27, 2009 2:33 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
The A's? They already got Ynoa
we’re even now.
BTW, doesn’t this all make sense a little more that when the Ynoa shenanigans came to light, there were some statements from JD saying that we were never really in on Ynoa and that it wasn’t a big deal.
"I just want to comment on how it’s become like a common thing in the [MLB] for guys to fall in love with [the Rangers’s] sloppy seconds." (thanks cstorm)
by ab03 on May 27, 2009 12:37 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
your recollection of the Inoa incident is way off base
JD raised holy hell b/c the rangers were willing to pay more and were held away from signing him b/c he was hidden and had agreed to a deal prior to the deadline. nothing happened. mlb told the rangers to cry them a river, so i assume that the ranger have done it with every player theyre after, deciding to say, “if you cant beat’m, join’m”
balls to the wall, go all out. MLB has shown repeatedly that its the wild west on the Foreign FA market and anything goes, whether its Matsuzaka or Inoa or Pimental, they let it all go, and they cant stop now they have the prior track record.
PS: any1 else think teams like the mets and yanks and dodgers have been doing this shit for 50 years?
mormons stole me and held me against my will with Oklahoma beer and 12+ hour work days.
by Jayslick on May 27, 2009 4:21 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
that was so 2008
you didn’t get the updated 2009 response from JD on Ynoa
and don’t ever use “any1”
"I just want to comment on how it’s become like a common thing in the [MLB] for guys to fall in love with [the Rangers’s] sloppy seconds." (thanks cstorm)
by ab03 on May 27, 2009 4:24 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
hey grammer bitch, get in line
theirs a mess of people in front you with the same bit.
gotta wait your turn if your gonna go that route, newb
mormons stole me and held me against my will with Oklahoma beer and 12+ hour work days.
by Jayslick on May 27, 2009 4:41 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
The Rangers are flaunting the rule...
knowing that the crackdown will come after this year regardless of their actions.
There’s no benefit for the Rangers to force a crackdown, which will marginalize their better-than-average access to this talent pool, but that’s what the appearance is of.
by 3hacks on May 27, 2009 12:40 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
So if they don't do anything about the A's and Ynoa, and they do something about the Rangers and Pimental, should there be a grievance or a lawsuit or something?
by Inkara1 on May 27, 2009 12:41 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
yes.
go at Selig with great vengeance and furious anger
"Hang-Dai, Wu...Hang-Fu$&ing-Dai"
by Walter Sobchak on May 27, 2009 1:27 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
And then wage a war against all humans
because you say “we are the CYUH!”?
by jwiscarson on May 27, 2009 2:06 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Clubs filing complaints and being vocal against the Rangers: A's and Nationals.
The reasons these are my bets are (1) the Nationals were hit hardest of all teams in penalties for kickbacks with handlers and they would want others to have similar stiff penalties, and (2) the A’s have obvious reasons (competitive balance, Ynoa).
Wonderboy, what is the secret of your power? Wonderboy, won't you take me far away from the mucky-muck now. -- Tenacious D
by rooster on May 27, 2009 12:54 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
what was the nationals "hit"
losing rijo and bowdeN?
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.
-
Scout to KG: On Sandoval: "Man, that fat [expletive]-er can hit."
by knockoutking on May 27, 2009 1:02 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
+ smiley is what like 21 lol
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.
-
Scout to KG: On Sandoval: "Man, that fat [expletive]-er can hit."
by knockoutking on May 27, 2009 1:02 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Well there were rumors last year
That the reason the Nats decided to not sign Crow was because Selig gave them a mandate to follow the signing bonus guidelines or else they’d suffer more serious penalities for those kickbacks.
by TRanger on May 27, 2009 1:53 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
whaaaaaaat
wow
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.
-
Scout to KG: On Sandoval: "Man, that fat [expletive]-er can hit."
by knockoutking on May 27, 2009 1:59 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
In my younger days I thought I would never live to see a worse commish than Bowie Kuhn
but I believe I have
by BEW on May 27, 2009 4:13 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I'm sure the Cards are still mad about Martin Perez
by Brett Perryman on May 27, 2009 1:04 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I haven't heard that story
Were they in on him before the Rangers got him?
2009 Texas Rangers: Why The Hell Not Us?--ghtd36 on May 13, 2009
by boomer1 on May 27, 2009 1:05 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
here
One day they finally came to me and said that I need to be home by July 2nd, because I was going to be signed. So of course, that day I was at home just waiting and hoping and waiting and hoping they would arrive. At 11:30 in my house I signed. The next day, the St. Louis Cardinals called me and said, "Martin, we want to offer you $600,000," but I had to tell them that I signed with the Texas Rangers.
Go Rangers...don't suck...
by Kinslerhomer on May 27, 2009 1:07 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
"Sweet Josephine!
God hath smiled upon us today!"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xPYChyfxWNs
"Hang-Dai, Wu...Hang-Fu$&ing-Dai"
by Walter Sobchak on May 27, 2009 1:29 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Doesn't seem though
that the Rangers did anything wrong, there. That would simply be sour grapes for the Cards.
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by t ball on May 27, 2009 1:30 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
My recollection
from a different source than Martin himself, something like this BP article, was that they did allege wrongdoing.
by Brett Perryman on May 27, 2009 1:51 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
This isn't good
MLB has a history of treating the Rangers much harsher than most other teams, the clearest examples being the Fuson fine and the Francisco suspension.
I wouldn’t be surprised at all to the Rangers barred from signing Pimentel after MLB looked the other way last year when the A’s agreed to the deal with Ynao early.
by Darrell McKown on May 27, 2009 1:11 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
what's the backstory
on the fuson fine?
go here to view my blog: http://dirtfromd.blogspot.com
by studcrackers on May 27, 2009 1:15 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
They asked for permission to interview him for the GM job
then hired him for basically the same job with a big raise. Beane flipped out and demanded Blalock (who was like a top five prospect in baseball) for compensation, and the compromise wound up being a hefty fine.
by Brett Perryman on May 27, 2009 1:28 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
what a douchebag Beane can be
"Hang-Dai, Wu...Hang-Fu$&ing-Dai"
by Walter Sobchak on May 27, 2009 1:30 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I always thought
the Rangers got off fairly light on the Fuson fine, especially since it was a pure lateral move, and he never became a GM.
I always thought when they released Fuson, they should have doubled the fine.
"I'd praised catcher Max Ramirez two weeks ago, but after his continued struggles I'm increasingly convinced he's not going to pan out." - crops.mlblogs.com
by DJCahill on May 27, 2009 1:32 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yep
And the fine split equally between Hicks, Hart, Hershiser, and Showalter, since they all stabbed Grady in the back.
"I dont care to debate with a troll." - Sharky
by RCCook on May 27, 2009 1:34 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
It's pretty hard to stab a guy in the back
that’s already lying flat on his back.
by twinkilling on May 27, 2009 1:47 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Dumb
Aren’t you the one that did that dumb try standing up your boss analogy, too?
I'm Matt mutha-effing Bush, bitches, and mutha-eff East County.
"I'm as passionate and knowlegeable as any fan out there." Josey Wales
by Brian Thomas on May 27, 2009 7:18 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I think that they should have given Beane the option to not release him
I didn’t get how it was spilled milk. No need for penalties, just don’t allow the transaction if it’s not within the rules. Then if the Rangers want him they can negotiate with Beane and A’s ownership, just like in any lateral move.
by Brett Perryman on May 27, 2009 1:34 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
That would have been
the best solution if they jumped on it quickly. Unfortunately, Fuson was on the job for a decent amount of time and Oakland was deprived of his services when they finally got around to ruling on it, right?
"I'd praised catcher Max Ramirez two weeks ago, but after his continued struggles I'm increasingly convinced he's not going to pan out." - crops.mlblogs.com
by DJCahill on May 27, 2009 1:37 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Definitely by the time they ruled on it
but they didn’t have to allow the status quo while they investigated, and I doubt if they had to take that long. As I recall, Hicks pretty much knew what he was going to get all along, and Selig waited a long time to announce anything, presumably to let some bad feelings subside. Hicks’ contention was also that he was in constant contact with the commisioner’s office during the process.
by Brett Perryman on May 27, 2009 1:42 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I think the fine
was $400K, which is pretty small beer to disrupt your opponent and upgrade your front office.
I mean, why wouldn’t a club with a hole at hitting instructor just pay Rudy, tell the Rangers they are taking him as “manager in waiting” and have him be your hitting instructor.
"I'd praised catcher Max Ramirez two weeks ago, but after his continued struggles I'm increasingly convinced he's not going to pan out." - crops.mlblogs.com
by DJCahill on May 27, 2009 1:45 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Or
do what we did with Fuson with a Logan White
by Brett Perryman on May 27, 2009 1:46 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
We wish
I'm Matt mutha-effing Bush, bitches, and mutha-eff East County.
"I'm as passionate and knowlegeable as any fan out there." Josey Wales
by Brian Thomas on May 27, 2009 7:23 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Logan White
He already has more power than the g.m. in L.A. anyway.
by Adam J. Morris on May 27, 2009 9:51 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I don't think Beane wanted him around that much
to not allow the transaction. He wanted to use the incident as leverage to get something.
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by t ball on May 27, 2009 1:56 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Well, I guess you don't get something
if you don’t ask for something.
I don’t think Fuson has gone on to cover himself in glory with San Diego.
"I'd praised catcher Max Ramirez two weeks ago, but after his continued struggles I'm increasingly convinced he's not going to pan out." - crops.mlblogs.com
by DJCahill on May 27, 2009 2:02 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
there
recent 10 game winning streak from out of nowhere notwithstanding.
Adam Lambert is indeed a rock god,so suck it.
by red shoe ranger on May 27, 2009 5:45 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I always thought it was ok...
…since he was anointed the “GM-in-waiting” and was placed in charge of certain contract negotiations and items well outside the realm of a Scouting Director. It was iffy, but I could always understand the Rangers position, especially since Hicks was adamant that he was in contact with MLB the entire time. Beane demanding Blalock was ridiculous, even moreso when former ESPN boardies speculated he would “settle” for Catalanotto.
The big issue, as you point out, comes from the fact that he was never got what he was promised. We were pretty lucky that the case was “closed” before the back-stabbing occurred.
by txtwstr7 on May 27, 2009 2:39 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Except you could
hire a batting or pitching instructor, make them bench coach, and call them “Managers in waiting”.
Hire pretty much anyone, and make them VP of whatever made up name you want to come up with.
MLB probably should have stepped in instantly and said either make him the GM or let the As keep him.
"I'd praised catcher Max Ramirez two weeks ago, but after his continued struggles I'm increasingly convinced he's not going to pan out." - crops.mlblogs.com
by DJCahill on May 27, 2009 2:48 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
The difference...
…in my opinion was that Fuson did actually get authority exceeding the scouting director mantra, in line with his new position. He got to negotiate contracts and make trade decisions, based on his authority as the “GM-in-waiting.” Two specific instances were Fuson engineering the Pena trade and singularly negotiating the Kenny Rogers contract.
If a bench coach was able to individually manage two games a week in line with his title as a “Manager in Waiting”, I think that’s different from what you are saying…
I think there is some room in between a black and white “GM or Not GM” stance by MLB, but I thought the entire episode was poorly handled, especially if Hicks told them exactly what was going on.
by txtwstr7 on May 27, 2009 3:04 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Except that
If I recall correctly, it was the largest fine of it’s type in MLB history, by far.
by Darrell McKown on May 27, 2009 3:30 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
What I never got
is the equivalency between a front office guy and a top prospect. They are so incredibly unrelated that it’d just set a ridiculously bad precedent to make such a mapping. Beane should have known that.
The draft does seem like the one place where the league should have power – if a team violates rules flagrantly, then they lose a draft pick. Say the Ynoa thing or the Pimental thing – if these rules are being blatantly broken despite the A’s and Rangers being told not to do it, then punish them with taking away their 2nd round pick or 3rd round pick.
Similarly, if a team negotiates with a player or hires away a Fuson while he is under contract with another team, transfer a 4th or 5th round pick from the aggressor to the victim club.
Forcing teams to transfer actual players is playing with fire. But in some way, draft picks are essentially the property of the league until they are handed out to the clubs. Use that as the stick.
PhD
by JBImaknee on May 27, 2009 1:41 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
More likely they'd penalize the team with not being able to sign players from that country for a while.
Like they did with the Dodgers after the Beltre fiasco came to light.
The 40 Trumps All!!!
Chris Davis will be fine. Relax.
by thedirkatron on May 27, 2009 3:06 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
got any links to that stuff?
love to read about it
mormons stole me and held me against my will with Oklahoma beer and 12+ hour work days.
by Jayslick on May 27, 2009 4:27 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Here's a pretty good NYTimes article.
Excerpt(s):
Finding the Los Angeles Dodgers guilty of a foreign transgression for the second time in six months, Commissioner Bud Selig shut down their base of operations in the Dominican Republic for a year yesterday, but allowed them to retain the good young third baseman they had signed a year early.
Selig did not declare the third baseman, Adrian Beltre, a free agent because, he said, the investigation of the underage signing turned up evidence that Beltre knew well before this year that the Dodgers had falsified his birth date and that he himself had used the falsified date on a variety of documents.
Besides closing the Dodgers’ highly rated baseball academy at Campo Las Palmas, a blow to the organization’s player development program, Selig prohibited the Dodgers from scouting or signing first-year players who live in the Dominican Republic. He also fined the club $50,000 and suspended for one year each two employees, a current one and a former one, who have been integral to the Dominican operation.
The 40 Trumps All!!!
Chris Davis will be fine. Relax.
by thedirkatron on May 27, 2009 4:52 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Signing underage kids
This is completely an unsubstantiated question, but doesn’t that risk running afoul US labor laws? At which point, does that not explain why MLB has to crack down very, very hard on that?
I have an irrational hatred of Chris Davis because his Ks are way too ugly and irrational liking of Matt Harrison because he's a lefty - deal with it.
by JBImaknee on May 27, 2009 6:35 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Compensation
The Rangers should have given them Drew Meyer and called it good.
by Shotgun_twelve on May 27, 2009 2:26 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
If Selig cracks down on the Rangers
I will go burn down his house unless D.A. Tron beats me to it.
2009 Texas Rangers: Why The Hell Not Us?--ghtd36 on May 13, 2009
by boomer1 on May 27, 2009 1:18 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I'm with you
"Hang-Dai, Wu...Hang-Fu$&ing-Dai"
by Walter Sobchak on May 27, 2009 1:30 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
i'm not.. i'm not big on crime.
That would suck though if he cracked down on the Rangers after not with the A’s last year
by Mike E on May 27, 2009 1:36 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Selig is a terrible commissioner
and no one who was an owner should be allowed to be the commissioner. he is biased and looks out for his own interests, not the interests of baseball.
If a woman has to choose between catching a fly ball and saving an infant's life, she will choose to save the infant's life without even considering if there are men on base. ~Dave Barry
by NothinG on May 27, 2009 3:11 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I don't see how they have any grounds to do that
not that Selig is consistent or anything, but it would just make no sense. They just need to find a comprehensive solution moving forward and enforce it. The Rangers would flip their lid if they nailed them after the way MLB responded last year to their complaint.
by Brett Perryman on May 27, 2009 1:24 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Exactly, and the Rangers would be right in doing so.
You cannot have two standards.
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by t ball on May 27, 2009 1:32 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Could MLB bar a player from signing with a team?
That would open up a huge can of anti-trust suits. It’d be one thing if the rules expressly stated that if you negotiate or sign a player prior to the deadline that you lose rights to the player, but that is so ridiculously unenforceable that it’d just decay into arbitrary rulings.
Really, each of these events just send the league careening towards an international draft. And blah blah Puerto Rico blah blah – it doesn’t matter. At some point, the league has to even the playing field and eliminate the back room deals. The draft is obviously the only way of doing it, because other systems only will encourage cheating or arbitrary punishments.
PhD
by JBImaknee on May 27, 2009 1:36 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I don't know how close
they ever came on this, but there was talk of them rescinding signings (and making the players FAs) when they found out about guys falsifying their ages in the opposite direction of the usual, 15 year olds claiming to be 16 year olds. And that was well after their signing. I think that just ended in minor sanctions too, though.
by Brett Perryman on May 27, 2009 1:49 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Adrian Beltre and Rafael Furcal
are the first 2 that come to mind for that
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.
-
Scout to KG: On Sandoval: "Man, that fat [expletive]-er can hit."
by knockoutking on May 27, 2009 2:00 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
id hate an international draft
i dont like the draft itself, players have the right to sign with the team willing to pay them the most and for the team they want, in USA as well, the draft is used to take power from the clubs and give it to the league regarding player acquisition, that as much a part of it as a fair talent distribution.
if it was my call their would be no draft, and the idea of an international draft is complicated by the fact that a lot of sovereign foreign countries might just not recognize the concept that their citizens rights were draftable.
venazuela, DR, Korea, sure as hell arent puerto rico
mormons stole me and held me against my will with Oklahoma beer and 12+ hour work days.
by Jayslick on May 27, 2009 4:36 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Heh.
a lot of sovereign foreign countries might just not recognize the concept that their citizens rights were draftable.
That’s a pretty ridiculous sentiment.
You’re not really drafting away their “rights”.
You’re simply telling them that if they want to come to this country and perform a certain sort of job for this certain company, they have to abide by the rules of the company.
I don’t see how any soveriegn country could/would have any ground to stand on here.
See also: the NBA.
The 40 Trumps All!!!
Chris Davis will be fine. Relax.
by thedirkatron on May 27, 2009 4:58 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
NHL though has had a lot of problems with drafting Russians...
Russia seems very reluctant to allow their young players to leave the country.
Ron Washington...giving hope everywhere to the kids who eat lead paint chips of being a big league manager when they grow up since 2007.
by rangers85 on May 27, 2009 7:00 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yes, but that's unrelated to the draft I think.
Even if we let the Russian hockey players go UFA rather than draft I still think Russia would have a problem letting their players out of the country.
They’re a lot like China and Cuba like that.
The 40 Trumps All!!!
Chris Davis will be fine. Relax.
by thedirkatron on May 27, 2009 7:48 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yes
they just want to keep the talent, they don’t object to the draft on some kind of patriotic or legal grounds.
G G G E-flat_______ F F F D__________....
by t ball on May 27, 2009 8:18 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Oops
hit post too soon, stupid touchpad thing. I think all three of those countries, and to a certain extent, Japan as well, want to keep their talent at home for reasons of national pride, face saving. They don’t think the draft is wrong or illegal. Japan is different, obviously, in how organized and professional their baseball is, so they have more practical and immediate reasons to try to keep mlb from raiding their larders.
G G G E-flat_______ F F F D__________....
by t ball on May 27, 2009 8:23 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I never understood
why folks thought we got off hard on the Francisco suspension.
I don’t think there are many businesses they won’t come down on you hard for banging a paying customer across the face with a chair. Generally, assaulting customers is frowned upon.
"I'd praised catcher Max Ramirez two weeks ago, but after his continued struggles I'm increasingly convinced he's not going to pan out." - crops.mlblogs.com
by DJCahill on May 27, 2009 2:56 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yup. Except at Hooters. There you gotta pay extra for that.
The 40 Trumps All!!!
Chris Davis will be fine. Relax.
by thedirkatron on May 27, 2009 3:03 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Very nice!
I miss 1989. I miss 1996. Please make me miss another season in 2008.
by Chaim Witz on May 27, 2009 3:47 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I agree
You’ve got more of a leg to stand on to claim that MLB hates the Braves because of the John Rocker suspension.
I’m a little surprised the penalty wasn’t harsher than it was.
I’m also surprised that people seem to be so supportive of Frankie for throwing a chair in the stands, but want to crucify Kenny Rogers for pushing a cameraman.
by Adam J. Morris on May 27, 2009 3:23 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Rocker
So am I alone in thinking he’s the model for Kenny Powers?
"I dont care to debate with a troll." - Sharky
by RCCook on May 27, 2009 3:47 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
i thought he was obviously the model
not identical but close enough. even had the subway line in the show.
then again, there are plenty of overrated fastball relievers you can draw from.
"I just want to comment on how it’s become like a common thing in the [MLB] for guys to fall in love with [the Rangers’s] sloppy seconds." (thanks cstorm)
by ab03 on May 27, 2009 3:53 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
1. One of Will Ferrell’s funniest characters was when he did Rocker on the Weekend Update yelling at New Yorkers.
2. Kenny Powers’ racists stuff is almost identical to Rocker’s.
by Brett Perryman on May 27, 2009 4:21 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I can bow hunt!!!
mormons stole me and held me against my will with Oklahoma beer and 12+ hour work days.
by Jayslick on May 27, 2009 4:36 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
#2
Definitely.
Though I wish Rocker had said anything half so funny as Kenny Powers’ speech to his nephews in episode 2 about how the plague came from “a disgusting birdbath in someone’s backyard where rats made sex to birds and created a whole new kind of AIDS.”
"I dont care to debate with a troll." - Sharky
by RCCook on May 27, 2009 4:36 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Is that show any good?
I read some horrible reviews, but have heard good things too.
"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 May 27, 2009 5:25 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I thought it was dumb.
It had a few funny moments, but I didn’t like it at all.
But some people really like it.
I’d certainly give it a shot, especially if you’re a fan of that sort of show.
The 40 Trumps All!!!
Chris Davis will be fine. Relax.
by thedirkatron on May 27, 2009 5:46 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
its ok
lots of vulgarity, just as a heasd up
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.
-
Scout to KG: On Sandoval: "Man, that fat [expletive]-er can hit."
by knockoutking on May 27, 2009 5:47 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Thanks.
I’m not much of a sitcom guy, it seems to be the same stupid things over and over.
Hmm, maybe I’ll try it once.
"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 May 27, 2009 6:07 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Eastbound & Down
If you’re a fan of Will Ferrell’s style of humor, you’ll probably like it.
I thought the first two episodes were the funniest. It wasn’t a great series, but definitely entertaining on a short-season run.
"I dont care to debate with a troll." - Sharky
by RCCook on May 27, 2009 7:06 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I must be the exception. I love Ferrell’s style of humor, but I think that it may need Ferrell to carry the style. There were scenes where I was picturing Ferrell delivering them, and just that was making me chuckle more than the actual scene. McBride is funny. I just don’t know that he can pull off Ferrell.
by Brett Perryman on May 28, 2009 12:14 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
It was uneven, but had a lot of potential
Danny McBride, however, is unquestionably a talented up and comer, as is Jody Hill, his co-creator and frequent director.
I actually didn’t care for Ferrell much in the bits he had.
They only had 6 episodes before they segued into the lameass “look at HBO, we’re so diverse” No 1 Ladies Detective Agency.
If you saw the very mediocre Pineapple Express, you saw McBride steal every scene he was in. Same for the mostly half funny Tropic Thunder. He broke onto the scene w/ The Foot Fist Way, which is a good little indie flick to check out. Low budget breakout a la Bottle Rockets.
Think a dose of Ferrellesque humor. without the dumb as a fern aspects, and a lot more drug use and Rockerspawned xenophobia.
I'm Matt mutha-effing Bush, bitches, and mutha-eff East County.
"I'm as passionate and knowlegeable as any fan out there." Josey Wales
by Brian Thomas on May 27, 2009 7:43 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Just finished Let the Right One In. See it?
It’s very good.
The 40 Trumps All!!!
Chris Davis will be fine. Relax.
by thedirkatron on May 27, 2009 7:49 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
No
I haven’t had much luck w/ Scandinavian films. Most of the ones I’ve seen keep me leading me on, implying that there is this big payoff at the end, if only I lumber through the agonizingly slow 1st and 2nd acts, but alas, el fin = no payola. Could just be the sample size, of course but the lemons zeros are piling up.
But i’ll check it out on your recommendation.
I'm Matt mutha-effing Bush, bitches, and mutha-eff East County.
"I'm as passionate and knowlegeable as any fan out there." Josey Wales
by Brian Thomas on May 27, 2009 8:33 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yah, that scene tends to be art fag central.
But this movie is very good.
It’s got that art house kind of pacing, but there’s an actual story going on and some cool stuff goes down.
It’s far from perfect and the translation is rough at times (the studio took some flack for their choices and says they plan on shipping new copies of the movie with a different translation starting sometime in the future… maybe), but I liked it quite a bit.
The 40 Trumps All!!!
Chris Davis will be fine. Relax.
by thedirkatron on May 28, 2009 8:28 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
McBride is funny, but the show didn’t do it for me. I don’t really get the humor in the way over the top cussing.
The principal guy was pretty funny for a while. I think that guy is good.
by Brett Perryman on May 28, 2009 12:12 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yah. I love me some lowbrow humor, but that was a little lower brow than I find funny.
Seemed like most of the show’s humor was derived from McBride cursing in situations where it was inpropriate for him to be cursing.
I ended rolling my eyes and/or making dismissive wanking motions through most of the first few episodes, then gave up on it.
I would’ve loved the crap out of that show when I was 15.
The 40 Trumps All!!!
Chris Davis will be fine. Relax.
by thedirkatron on May 28, 2009 8:26 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
most def
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.
-
Scout to KG: On Sandoval: "Man, that fat [expletive]-er can hit."
by knockoutking on May 27, 2009 5:09 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Is it better to throw a baseball at them or punch them in the face?
MLB thought so…..
by Darrell McKown on May 27, 2009 3:28 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
That type of behavior
should not be tolerated in any club in MLB.
by cspott on May 27, 2009 4:10 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
You really think MLB was overly harsh with the Francisco suspension?
Man, I’ve defended what he did harder than most, but he had to be suspended.
Even if that douche did deserve to socked, 2Frank still tried to hit a fan with a f——ing chair.
You gotta sit for that.
The 40 Trumps All!!!
Chris Davis will be fine. Relax.
by thedirkatron on May 27, 2009 3:03 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Francisco
Sure, he needed to be suspended for several games. But he lobbed a chair in the stands and got a 17 game suspension (the rest of the season). Compare that to:
Albert Belle threw a fastball at a fan from 15 feet, nailed him in the chest, and got 6 games.
Chad Kreuter went into the stands in Chicago, punched a fan several times, and got 8 games.
Now, is lobbing a chair into the stands really twice as bad as entering the stands to punch a fan in the face, or almost three times as bad as throwing a baseball at a fan from five years away?
by Darrell McKown on May 27, 2009 3:22 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
All of those
should have resulted in longer suspensions.
G G G E-flat_______ F F F D__________....
by t ball on May 27, 2009 3:32 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
this
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.
-
Scout to KG: On Sandoval: "Man, that fat [expletive]-er can hit."
by knockoutking on May 27, 2009 5:09 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
It's all relative
Maybe they should have resulted in longer suspensions, but they didn’t.
If those guys had gotten 20 games, then giving Francisco 20 games would have been fine.
Instead, MLB elected to “get tough” with the Rangers, with the former general manager of the A’s and mentor to Billy Beane playing a prominent role in the process.
by Darrell McKown on May 27, 2009 5:42 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I imagine the suspension for Albert "Don't call me Joey" Belle would have been less if he was standing at least a decade away.
I miss 1989. I miss 1996. Please make me miss another season in 2008.
by Chaim Witz on May 27, 2009 3:51 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I don't see the trouble. It's not like the Rangers are locking up ALL Latin American prospects...
just the best ones!
Wonderboy, what is the secret of your power? Wonderboy, won't you take me far away from the mucky-muck now. -- Tenacious D
by rooster on May 27, 2009 1:40 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Not even the best ones
just more than their share. And come on, Boston and the Yankees have top guys sewn up too. It’s out of control. The idea that they pick out the Rangers and let everyone else continue to break the rules is sour grapes slash paranoia.
by Brett Perryman on May 27, 2009 1:44 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
jurickson profar
is quite possibly the greatest name ever
by dustinvandeman on May 27, 2009 1:56 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
I haven't heard of him since he left Tatooine...
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 May 27, 2009 2:55 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
If I could
I would knife you right now
"Hustle doesn't cost a dime and it looks good." - Pete Rose as Channeled by Marcus Lemon
by FirebatM3 on May 27, 2009 3:23 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I hate that stupid animated character as much as the next guy
but come on, there are some good visuals there.
by Brett Perryman on May 27, 2009 4:21 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Make no mistake about it...
…the Rangers were furious over the Ynoa situation last year. At Newberg Night, Daniels was very measured in his response to a Ynoa question, but he strongly implied that improprieties occurred (i.e. secret agreement before the deadline) and the Rangers let MLB know how they felt about it. The precedent has been set.
If the Rangers lost the player as a punishment, the front office would publicly freak out and make direct comparisons to the Ynoa situation. With that argument in their hip pocket, I dont see how MLB can change the penalty on essentially the same problem from last season.
Moving forward, there needs to be more clarity and certainty over the punishments, if they plan on increasing them…
by txtwstr7 on May 27, 2009 2:29 PM CDT reply actions 1 recs
not only Ynoa
but whoever else this year that has been locked up by other teams. i guarantee the Rangers aren’t the only ones.
If a woman has to choose between catching a fly ball and saving an infant's life, she will choose to save the infant's life without even considering if there are men on base. ~Dave Barry
by NothinG on May 27, 2009 3:13 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
The Blue Jays
lost on a walkoff. They are in complete free fall mode.
"Hustle doesn't cost a dime and it looks good." - Pete Rose as Channeled by Marcus Lemon
by FirebatM3 on May 27, 2009 4:21 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
example number one
on enjoying this and hopefully it holds together because this thing can come crashing down on us and our high hopes dashed.
Of course, the faster they fall out of the race, the more likely they’ll be open to a deal for Halladay
If a woman has to choose between catching a fly ball and saving an infant's life, she will choose to save the infant's life without even considering if there are men on base. ~Dave Barry
by NothinG on May 27, 2009 4:29 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
The thought of Halladay in our rotation
makes me extremely happy. What’s the likely hood of that happening/ who would we have to deal to the Jays?
by cspott on May 27, 2009 4:33 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Very slim / Everyone.
The 40 Trumps All!!!
Chris Davis will be fine. Relax.
by thedirkatron on May 27, 2009 4:59 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
The Jays
I think they are just burnt out. They have had 2 off days since the beginning of the season. Thats just insane. I hope they bounce back once they start getting days off but I don’t know if the damage has already been done
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 May 27, 2009 5:30 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Ynoa
Anyone heard any updates on the kid. I remember hearing in spring that he either didn’t show up or left camp for personal reasons. Is he back and pitching or still gone?
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 May 27, 2009 5:31 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
He's waiting till
his signing bonus becomes Tax extempt, which should be around draft time
"Hustle doesn't cost a dime and it looks good." - Pete Rose as Channeled by Marcus Lemon
by FirebatM3 on May 27, 2009 5:45 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
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