Sunday morning Rangers things
by Adam J. Morris on Jul 26, 2009 10:24 AM CDT
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Print4.5 games out of first, after another game where the offense was an embarrassment.
You can probably stick a fork in the Rangers' playoff chances for 2009. And the irony is, the Rangers are going to miss out because they can't score runs, while the Angels are overcoming a shaky pitching staff with a lineup that is putting runs on the board.
Anthony Andro notes that yesterday's 16 Ks were a season high for the Rangers. Josh Hamilton, whose inability to hit has been crippling the offense all season, Andruw Jones, and Hank Blalock each K'd three times while hitting 3-4-5.
Richard Durrett has some thoughts on Derek Holland, who struggled again yesterday, and suggests that the Rangers need to prioritize trading for a starting pitcher to replace Holland down the stretch. The problem is, the Rangers also need help with their lineup...do you want to go trade for a DH and a starting pitcher, knowing that you are, at this point, probably not making the playoffs anyway? Do you add a starting pitcher and hope the lineup can get things going, or that Chris Davis can come back shortly and provide a spark? Or do you roll with the rotation as is, and hope that Holland can learn from what he's going through now and be better prepared to pitch in the rotation in 2010?
The Rangers, who have been going with a short bench for some time now, are apparently going to add a bench player by Monday, when the team starts its series with Detroit. With Matt Harrison done for the year, a 40 man roster spot can be opened up pretty easily by sliding him to the 60 day d.l.
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Give up on trying to win the AL West
or the Wild Card with almost 70 games left in the season (with 9 more games left with LAA) while being only 4.5 games out?
I don’t get it.
"Dying ain't hard. It's living that's hard."
" I don’t feel like arguing with laxtonto about it for the same reason I wouldn’t argue with him if he said the earth was flat. He’s a person who is happy with his head up his ass so why should I make him sad?"
I agree we are still in the playoff hunt.
Remember, the Rangers own the Angels in head to head games so there is still plenty of opportunity to catch up in the standings.
Signature! I don't need no stinking signature!!
by DerekSTheRed on Jul 26, 2009 10:36 AM CDT up reply actions
seriously WTF? The Angels CANNOT sustain their offensive production. It is just impossible
sooner or later they will start losing and we will be right there. Why? Because we are on their tails while maintaining a 4.2x team ERA
we're from Texas
CJ says "Relax"
We're 4.5 games back
that’s not exactly “on their tails.”
by Adam J. Morris on Jul 26, 2009 10:48 AM CDT up reply actions
BtB gave us a 13% chance to win the div. on Friday
it’s probably like 10 or 11% now. We are done.
The 2009 Texas Rangers offense: sigh...
by Kinslerhomer on Jul 26, 2009 10:55 AM CDT up reply actions
10% qualifies a "a shot"
Quick, I’ve got a number in my head. Someone guess.
the preceding post was a great success.
So you're telling me theres a chance!
2009 Texas Rangers: Why The Hell Not Us?--ghtd36 on May 13, 2009
yes sir there sure is!
About the same odds as being able to out eat Sidney Ponson in a hot dog eating contest…
The I.Q. test has been abolished.
It is now the Gardner Scale.
we have 10 head-to-head games left with LA. That alone is a chance to make up 10 games
Now it is very unlikely that we sweep them thru that, but going 7-3 against them makes up 4 games right there. Given their record against us, I would say they should be worried about us!
we're from Texas
CJ says "Relax"
exactly, AJM
I doubt the Rangers club house is looking at the 10 left vs the Angels, the 70 left overall and thinking, “well shoot, no playoffs for us this year.”
I don’t have many complaints, AJM, but I don’t like sportswriters/bloggers who make absolute statements like that (which are incorrect) only because probability says that the Rangers probably won’t make the playoffs, and therefore, you will not have been proven incorrect.
I equate that to the person that predicts a batter will get out and revels in being right.
I'm sure they aren't
And what absolute statement have I made?
by Adam J. Morris on Jul 26, 2009 11:08 AM CDT up reply actions
kind of absolute, lol
I just think the “put a fork in them” comment was unnecessary. Everyone realizes that there is an uphill battle to the playoffs, but to imply that the Rangers don’t have a chance, imo, is flat out wrong.
You know Bucky
Adam was frustrated just like the rest of us by this offense. I know I have said those words several times. It doesn’t help that the Angels are on a roll right now and coming back in the 9th in alot of games. Once the Rangers get on another winning streak we will all calm down.
2009 Texas Rangers: Why The Hell Not Us?--ghtd36 on May 13, 2009
So it's okay to panic
and claim we have no chance for the playoffs?
No sale.
"Dying ain't hard. It's living that's hard."
" I don’t feel like arguing with laxtonto about it for the same reason I wouldn’t argue with him if he said the earth was flat. He’s a person who is happy with his head up his ass so why should I make him sad?"
by Josey Wales on Jul 26, 2009 11:25 AM CDT up reply actions
Hey you spew doom and gloom all the time
pot calling the kettle black?
2009 Texas Rangers: Why The Hell Not Us?--ghtd36 on May 13, 2009
it's still a very defeatist attitude.
I expect more out of you, Adam.
"Hang-Dai, Wu...Hang-Fu$&ing-Dai"
by Walter Sobchak on Jul 26, 2009 7:20 PM CDT up reply actions
Someone should have told them the entire season rested on yesterdays game
I bet they could have kept it to 13 Ks.
the preceding post was a great success.
I think JD...
needs to find an opening for Feliz in the ‘pen. A lot of teams looking for help out there and I’d be shopping guys like JJ and Guardado big time.
I’d also start shopping Blalock. May not get much back for him, but he is clearly not part of the future here.
Stick Andruw Jones at the end of the bench and leave him there.
Sadly, the way Kinsler and Hamilton are hitting right now, I think the Rangers playoff chances are pretty much done as well. A lot of baseball left, but this team just hasn’t hit well enough to make this thing close down the stretch.
"The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance."-Socrates
bullpen
I also noticed warner madrigal has been pretty awesome lately in AAA…
And here in April we thought the bullpen was a total disaster sans Frankie.
the preceding post was a great success.
O'Day, CJ, Grilli have been great. Jennings has been ok and even EG is no sham of late
we're from Texas
CJ says "Relax"
Giving up trying to catch Angels conveniently protects JD
from the responsibility of making a move that fixes this offense and also gives him the greenlight to deal vets for more prospects so Baseball America looks upon us kindly in the off-season.
For the love of all things Great Game, stop protecting JD!!! He is responsible for this mess and it is up to him to fix it.
The history of trying to catch up when 4.5 games out might be daunting but it happens.
Look at the standings of July 23, 2004.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/games/standings.cgi?date=2004-07-23
The Rangers were 55-39 and led the A’s by 4.5 games and the Angels by 5 games. The Angels didn’t give up and ended up jumping both Texas & Oakland to win the AL West.
The move to give up on July 25 is beyond pathetic.
"Dying ain't hard. It's living that's hard."
" I don’t feel like arguing with laxtonto about it for the same reason I wouldn’t argue with him if he said the earth was flat. He’s a person who is happy with his head up his ass so why should I make him sad?"
How would you "fix" the offense?
The 2009 Texas Rangers offense: sigh...
by Kinslerhomer on Jul 26, 2009 10:41 AM CDT up reply actions
" " fail
didn’t mean to put that there.
The 2009 Texas Rangers offense: sigh...
by Kinslerhomer on Jul 26, 2009 10:42 AM CDT up reply actions
Kinslerhomer
Very simple.
They need more batters that get on base more often and somebody that kills LH pitching.
"Dying ain't hard. It's living that's hard."
" I don’t feel like arguing with laxtonto about it for the same reason I wouldn’t argue with him if he said the earth was flat. He’s a person who is happy with his head up his ass so why should I make him sad?"
by Josey Wales on Jul 26, 2009 10:42 AM CDT up reply actions
What's your ideal trade then?
Rather than just say we need better players, what is the move(s) you’d like to see JD pull off.
By 2028, Mark Teixeira will be in the HOF.
"I am one of the biggest Texas Ranger fans out there but I'm also one of the smartest. Deal with it."
-The Outlaw
I want Nick Johnson to become our DH
and the cost should not be much.
"Dying ain't hard. It's living that's hard."
" I don’t feel like arguing with laxtonto about it for the same reason I wouldn’t argue with him if he said the earth was flat. He’s a person who is happy with his head up his ass so why should I make him sad?"
by Josey Wales on Jul 26, 2009 10:45 AM CDT up reply actions
Probably not a bad move
its helped keep Blalock in the lineup most of the year.
What's the trade you are hoping he makes though?
What players do you think he’ll have to give up?
By 2028, Mark Teixeira will be in the HOF.
"I am one of the biggest Texas Ranger fans out there but I'm also one of the smartest. Deal with it."
-The Outlaw
What specific players and how?
The 2009 Texas Rangers offense: sigh...
by Kinslerhomer on Jul 26, 2009 10:45 AM CDT up reply actions
Adam Dunn.
done.
"Hang-Dai, Wu...Hang-Fu$&ing-Dai"
by Walter Sobchak on Jul 26, 2009 7:22 PM CDT up reply actions
You're so smart
You figured me out.
I’m just pretending we don’t have a shot because I want to protect Daniels.
You are so, so smart.
by Adam J. Morris on Jul 26, 2009 10:49 AM CDT up reply actions
There is no other logical reason to claim
you can probably put in fork in their playoff chances.
You are attempting to protect JD from high-profile failure.
Your boy is on stage this week and there are no acceptable excuses not to try and fix this thing.
"Dying ain't hard. It's living that's hard."
" I don’t feel like arguing with laxtonto about it for the same reason I wouldn’t argue with him if he said the earth was flat. He’s a person who is happy with his head up his ass so why should I make him sad?"
by Josey Wales on Jul 26, 2009 10:56 AM CDT up reply actions
God I swear Josey
You get more stupid as the days pass…
2009 Texas Rangers: Why The Hell Not Us?--ghtd36 on May 13, 2009
He doesn't get more stupid
he just says the same things in every post every day, we should try and stop repeating thread arguments
Are you giving up on this season?
"Dying ain't hard. It's living that's hard."
" I don’t feel like arguing with laxtonto about it for the same reason I wouldn’t argue with him if he said the earth was flat. He’s a person who is happy with his head up his ass so why should I make him sad?"
by Josey Wales on Jul 26, 2009 11:11 AM CDT up reply actions
Nope
I just think your “JD on a stage, time to shine” schtick is old and unproductive. I think you might have dropped something along those lines like 50-100 times already.
I always assumed
that it was the folks responding to him that were getting dumber and dumber, day by day.
"I saw a soldier try to dig a foxhole with his bare hands. He didn't notice that he'd torn off all his fingernails. I got him out of there quickly; not for his sake, but for ours. Fear is poison in combat...destructive, contagious." - Band of Brothers
DJ Cahill just entered the room
and everything just got a little more boring.
Colors ceased appearing, there is no FM radio and cable televsion is only a rumor.
"Dying ain't hard. It's living that's hard."
" I don’t feel like arguing with laxtonto about it for the same reason I wouldn’t argue with him if he said the earth was flat. He’s a person who is happy with his head up his ass so why should I make him sad?"
by Josey Wales on Jul 26, 2009 11:22 PM CDT up reply actions
Can YOU think of a logical reason that Adam
would now give up on the season?
I didn’t know last night was an elimination game or I would have paid more attention.
"Dying ain't hard. It's living that's hard."
" I don’t feel like arguing with laxtonto about it for the same reason I wouldn’t argue with him if he said the earth was flat. He’s a person who is happy with his head up his ass so why should I make him sad?"
by Josey Wales on Jul 26, 2009 11:09 AM CDT up reply actions
You figured me out
Because I don’t provide my opinions on here, or what I think.
This whole site is a mechanism for me to spin pro-Daniels propaganda.
by Adam J. Morris on Jul 26, 2009 11:20 AM CDT up reply actions 2 recs
Yes
This team, though it’s played well at times, is not good enough to place a solid bet on.
Offense is just too bad.
by brettgardner on Jul 26, 2009 11:37 AM CDT up reply actions
explain this "9/11 Truther" please
"Hang-Dai, Wu...Hang-Fu$&ing-Dai"
by Walter Sobchak on Jul 26, 2009 7:23 PM CDT up reply actions
What is hilarious about this is that it is the exact opposite of what you do
Is there any other reason you love Young and Blalock so much while you hate Cruz? Hell, you hate the Young extension because that is something JD did but still “love” the player because JD didn’t bring him in. Nolan was here to stop the stupidity and fixed the pitching and defense with the roster JD put together over the past few years (before Nolan even arrived), but the offense is completely on JD with Nolan having nothing to do with it (kind of like how he has very little to do with the defense and ML pitching staff).
By 2028, Mark Teixeira will be in the HOF.
"I am one of the biggest Texas Ranger fans out there but I'm also one of the smartest. Deal with it."
-The Outlaw
by Gdawg on Jul 26, 2009 11:25 AM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
If yesterday's game doesn't cause a lineup shake-up, I don't know what will
We can’t keep going Hamilton-Jones-Blalock. Go with Andrus/Murphy at leadoff followed by Young-Kinsler-Blalock and Cruz (hides the lefty bat in there). We need to dump Jones finally. Either bring Davis back up and have Blalock at DH or bring Willingham/Johnson/whoever in and stick them at DH with Davis staying in the minors a little longer.
Also, I’ll be pretty upset if we go after a SP right now. The weakest spot in the rotation is Holland and he’s probably got the most talent in the rotation and worth sticking with and developing in the number 5 spot.
By 2028, Mark Teixeira will be in the HOF.
"I am one of the biggest Texas Ranger fans out there but I'm also one of the smartest. Deal with it."
-The Outlaw
I totally agree..
I don’t know what the hell Worsh is waiting for it’s not like these guys have been slumping 2 weeks. Kins is hitting .220 with an OBP around .300 which includes May, June and July. Does he not want to bruise Ians ego because this is beyond dumb, he should of taken him off that spot weeks ago.
It’s time to mix things up! LONG overdue, wake up Wash!!!
The I.Q. test has been abolished.
It is now the Gardner Scale.
BG LAMF
We need to put you into the lineup. Time to MASH baby
by SaltyGoesYard on Jul 26, 2009 10:58 AM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
hell yeh Salts...
the worst I can do is swing and miss, which is all that’s been going on anyways.
The I.Q. test has been abolished.
It is now the Gardner Scale.
100% agree.
It’s just too bad that Wash doesn’t. It seems like he’s afraid to shake it up or change the lineup any further than burying Cruz into the 7th spot and shuffling around Byrd/Jones at cleanup.
I don’t understand how many MONTHS you need to see the offense utterly suck and fail over and over again before you make a major change in the lineup. Kins is a few games away from falling under .230 and he hasn’t spent even one game away from lead off? Jones is hitting below .230 now and he’s our fucking CLEAN UP hitter?! I mean are you kidding me Wash? It baffles me to see Cruz (our best player this year) slump for a week and immediately get benched and stuck into the bottom of the lineup, but Hamilton looks 10x worse yet stays at 3.
If it hasn’t changed by now, I just don’t think Ron himself will make a change.
by behindthebag on Jul 26, 2009 11:33 AM CDT up reply actions
after we shell Ponson today
All will be right in Ranger land…too early to throw in the towel
MLB Network = Awesomeness
by SMITTY on Jul 26, 2009 10:52 AM CDT via mobile reply actions
That requires the Angels to lose
That won’t happen. No-hit through three innings? Score nine runs in the fourth. Shut down the whole game by the starter and middle relief? Beat up on one of the best and most consistent closers in the entire game.
Look towards the future
Both Adam and Josey are right.
We are not making the playoffs this year, no matter how many times you beg the angels to “regress to the mean” or however the fuck you wanna put it. But we also need to make a move to get someone who we can control for a good amount of years who can make an impact, looking into our own minor league system is not gonna put us over the top next year.
Solid opinion, but I disagree
I believe Hamilton, Kinsler, Cruz, Davis, and Holland will improve upon this year dramatically, and I don’t see too many players that will digress other than maybe Millwood and Feldman. I think our team is under-performing greatly and still in a playoff run.
A few small additions can be made, and if we can combine something less than our offense last year with our pitching this year, we can be a very good team
Hope your right
but I dont know that Cruz can improve dramatically. He has been pretty good this year. Kins isnt going to improve until he stops that idiotic swing from the heels every time.
Seriously?
Ok wtf? The Rangers are only 4.5 games back with a lot of baseball left to play. The Angels are on a winning streak that is bound to stop. We have owned the Angels and just swept probably our biggest competition for the wild card—the RedSox. So why do I hear people giving up? Yes I understand the offense has been pretty bad but that doesn’t mean we need to give up on the Rangers’ chances for the playoffs. Think about it this way. If at this point the Rangers were 4.5 games ahead of the Angels, would we say we’ve got the division title for sure? I don’t think so!! So why don’t we give the despair and the giving up a rest and support a team with a real chance to make it to the playoffs?
IT DOES NOT MATTER IF YOU SWEEP THE ANGELS AND RED SOX
If you strike out 1000 times to the giants,mariners,royals,twins of the league.
by SaltyGoesYard on Jul 26, 2009 10:54 AM CDT up reply actions
Actually It's the other way around
We’ve beaten our biggest competition, have maybe the best division record, and are only 4.5 games behind a very hot team. We just got through the toughest part of our season and surely the Angels won’t stay hot forever and the rangers won’t be cold forever. I’m not saying everything is perfect but what’s up with “put a fork in them?.” And in the end it’s those teams that we really need to beat. Some people here sound like the world’s coming to an end every time the Rangers lose a game
This
well said
'Howard makes me fear the NKoreans less... If they shot anything at us, he’d be there to block it." - Aquaman56
"Also Ian’s season is following the same pattern as Ricky Martins Career. Both needed another hit, bad." - SaltyGoesYard
Good God - put a fork in them?
4.5 games to a team that’s won 8 straight? A lot of stranger things have happened. So our offense never picks up and/or the Angels never quit losing. The Rangers have kept pace pretty damn well.
Remember Red, hope is a good thing. Maybe the best of things. And no good thing ever dies.
"Did we give up when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?"
2009 Texas Rangers: Why The Hell Not Us?--ghtd36 on May 13, 2009
by boomer1 on Jul 26, 2009 10:57 AM CDT reply actions 2 recs
heh
that was funny. rec
'Howard makes me fear the NKoreans less... If they shot anything at us, he’d be there to block it." - Aquaman56
"Also Ian’s season is following the same pattern as Ricky Martins Career. Both needed another hit, bad." - SaltyGoesYard
you're on point today, boom
2 funny movie quotes…keep ‘em coming! We all need a laugh after watching Saturday’s game.
"Does this effectively hide my thunder?"
HELL NO!
and we’re not giving up now!!!
"Hang-Dai, Wu...Hang-Fu$&ing-Dai"
by Walter Sobchak on Jul 26, 2009 7:24 PM CDT up reply actions
10 games left vs the Halos. We could conceivably move 10 games on them. Unllikely, but possible
we're from Texas
CJ says "Relax"
Doom and gloom.
But didn’t it feel like we got owned by a Little League team last night?
by TooLegitToQuit on Jul 26, 2009 11:12 AM CDT via mobile reply actions
the Angels are overcoming a shaky pitching staff with a lineup that is putting runs on the board.
I don’t know the precedents or the Saber view, but that m.o. just doesn’t pass the eyeball test.
"[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 Jul 26, 2009 11:16 AM CDT reply actions
Angels and Rangers
Angels — 5.54 runs scored per game, 4.90 runs allowed
Rangers — 4.81 runs scored per game. 4.42 runs allowed
by Adam J. Morris on Jul 26, 2009 11:19 AM CDT up reply actions
I'm talking about sustainability
…not the games that have already been played.
"[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 Jul 26, 2009 11:21 AM CDT up reply actions
I just wish I knew how the Angels were able to do that
A team of crappy offensive players with their best bats constantly hurt, yet they still are scoring 5.54 runs/game.
By 2028, Mark Teixeira will be in the HOF.
"I am one of the biggest Texas Ranger fans out there but I'm also one of the smartest. Deal with it."
-The Outlaw
I was watching the game last night
Just stupid single after stupid single would fall in, they are defying all odds right now.
Look at Yahoo’s recap of the 4th:
-
C. Figgins homered to deep right
- B. Abreu singled to shallow right, M. Izturis scored
- K. Morales doubled to deep center, B. Abreu scored
- H. Kendrick singled to center, M. Napoli scored, H. Kendrick to second advancing on throw
- R. Willits singled to shallow left center, H. Kendrick scored, G. Matthews Jr. to second
- C. Figgins singled to shallow left, G. Matthews Jr. scored, R. Willits to third
- M. Izturis homered to deep right, R. Willits and C. Figgins scored
So they scored 9 runs on a bunch of lousy hits that had great placement and HRs by Chone and Izturis
more accurate depiction, too
- C. Figgins homered to deep right
- M. Izturis doubled to deep right center
- B. Abreu singled to shallow right, M. Izturis scored
- K. Morales doubled to deep center, B. Abreu scored
- M. Napoli singled to shallow right, K. Morales to third
- E. Aybar grounded into double play first to catcher, K. Morales out at home, M. Napoli to second
- H. Kendrick singled to center, M. Napoli scored, H. Kendrick to second advancing on throw
- G. Matthews Jr. walked
- R.A. Dickey relieved N. Blackburn
- R. Willits singled to shallow left center, H. Kendrick scored, G. Matthews Jr. to second
- C. Figgins singled to shallow left, G. Matthews Jr. scored, R. Willits to third
- C. Figgins stole second
- M. Izturis homered to deep right, R. Willits and C. Figgins scored
- B. Abreu singled to center
- B. Abreu to second on wild pitch
- K. Morales flied out to deep left
Hammy getting the day off.
2B Ian Kinsler, 3B Michael Young, LF David Murphy, CF Marlon Byrd, 1B Hank Blalock, DH Andruw Jones, RF Nelson Cruz, C Jarrod Saltalamacchia, SS Elvis Andrus
"Back on the scene, with a gangsta lean" RW
"you gonna lose your horse. seriously." FX2
And the little bastard threw it for a swinging strike three in a 3-2 count. He’s blessed. And ballsy.
That's a little better
Still would rather see Byrd 6th and Cruz 4th.
By 2028, Mark Teixeira will be in the HOF.
"I am one of the biggest Texas Ranger fans out there but I'm also one of the smartest. Deal with it."
-The Outlaw
moved back AJones
that’s a step in the right direction (the next one being removal from the offense).
No shit...
how the hell is AJ hitting ahead of Nellie?
Why does Wash not like Nellie in the middle of the order? He has been the best offensive player on this team. He hit him in the cleanup spot for a week or so earlier in the year and then drops him down. While he hits AJ in the middle of the order for 3 months (when he plays him) before he finally drops him down. I don’t get it at all.
And what will finally move Ian down as well? After today he may be hitting in the .230’s. Not good. I really want Kinsler to start hitting like he’s capable of hitting.
"The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance."-Socrates
That reminds me of something from earlier in the year too
Remember how much of a difference it made for AJ to hit in the middle of the lineup as opposed to where he was hitting with LA. Its funny to look back on early season things like that to see just how stupid they were.
By 2028, Mark Teixeira will be in the HOF.
"I am one of the biggest Texas Ranger fans out there but I'm also one of the smartest. Deal with it."
-The Outlaw
Maybe from a protect-your-resources perspective it makes sense to not make a move.
But, I really don’t think that’s the same thing as a stick the fork in them conclusion. 4.5 games isn’t an unprecedented amount. Realistically, the playoffs are a possibility. Realistically, they aren’t the front runners. Stick-a-fork-in-them is an unrealistic perspective at this point.
Wonderboy, what is the secret of your power? Wonderboy, won't you take me far away from the mucky-muck now. -- Tenacious D
I would stand pat right now.
I don’t think you make any white flag trades right now, but I wouldn’t be aggressive about adding anything at this point, particularly if it’s just a two-month rental.
You can’t trade for enough to fix the offense; either three or four start hitting and it improves internally, or it’s just not going to be good enough this year.
I would try to get Blalock, Padilla and Byrd through waivers, so if we fall out of it by the end of August, you can potentially deal them before the post-season roster deadline (since we clearly wouldn’t offer arbitration to Blalock and Padilla and probably not Byrd), although I’m really not sure how much good that would do.
If the offense gets better and we play our way back into it, then there will be pitching update available in August that has cleared waivers.
by Darrell McKown on Jul 26, 2009 11:29 AM CDT reply actions
great pitching on the farm today
SPO-3-DH Tullis/Ross
HIC-2:00- Font
BAK-8:00- Bleier
FRS-6:00- Poveda
OKC-4:00- Lizard
AZRL-pm- Melo?
"[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 Jul 26, 2009 11:29 AM CDT reply actions
Holland pitched pretty well yesterday.
The walks in the first inning looked more to me to be about the umpire not calling low strikes than Holland actually struggling. The pitches he threw in the first, low 93-94 mph fastballs, are the pitches I would want him to throw the next time he goes out there.
He threw a couple of nice sliders, and the fact that he doesn’t have another pitch might have played into the pre-game coaching by Maddux in which he was having Holland work on high fastballs, presumably as an out pitch. Holland didn’t do very well at getting those fastballs up in the zone during the game, and they got ripped.
That’s how it looked to me anyway.
Wonderboy, what is the secret of your power? Wonderboy, won't you take me far away from the mucky-muck now. -- Tenacious D
today's line up
against Sidney Ponson
2B Ian Kinsler, 3B Michael Young, LF David Murphy, CF Marlon Byrd, 1B Hank Blalock, DH Andruw Jones, RF Nelson Cruz, C Jarrod Saltalamacchia, SS Elvis Andrus and pitching for the Rangers … RHP Kevin Millwood
Elvis Andrus - 2009 AL Rookie of the Year
Mitch Moreland - 2009 Rangers Minor League POY
see a Rodney's posts above :D
By 2028, Mark Teixeira will be in the HOF.
"I am one of the biggest Texas Ranger fans out there but I'm also one of the smartest. Deal with it."
-The Outlaw
3-4-5-6
Murphy, Byrd, Blalock and Andruw
What a crew.
by Adam J. Morris on Jul 26, 2009 11:33 AM CDT up reply actions
I don't think this offense needs the injection of a 1B with a .256 OBP at this time.
Those 277 plate appearances earlier in the year were pretty conclusive.
"Dying ain't hard. It's living that's hard."
" I don’t feel like arguing with laxtonto about it for the same reason I wouldn’t argue with him if he said the earth was flat. He’s a person who is happy with his head up his ass so why should I make him sad?"
by Josey Wales on Jul 26, 2009 11:39 AM CDT up reply actions
Oh yes
We need the zesty freshness of a 1B with a .298 OBP.
by brettgardner on Jul 26, 2009 11:41 AM CDT up reply actions
What difference would it make?
If he does come back up and hits just like he did earlier in the year, what difference does it make to a team that lets Hochevar and co. strike us out 16 times and only manage 3 runs against them? (Your boy Blalock was really shitting his pants yesterday too with 3 Ks.)
By 2028, Mark Teixeira will be in the HOF.
"I am one of the biggest Texas Ranger fans out there but I'm also one of the smartest. Deal with it."
-The Outlaw
My boy Blalock
has carried the offense in July and with him in the line-up every day the team is 13-7.
The Great Hank Blalock War of June 2009 was fought and won and you need to move forward, Saddam.
"Dying ain't hard. It's living that's hard."
" I don’t feel like arguing with laxtonto about it for the same reason I wouldn’t argue with him if he said the earth was flat. He’s a person who is happy with his head up his ass so why should I make him sad?"
by Josey Wales on Jul 26, 2009 11:43 AM CDT up reply actions
You lost.
There’s no way to spin this. You were wrong.
by brettgardner on Jul 26, 2009 11:44 AM CDT up reply actions
I remember when Blalock having a .902 ops for a month as a 1b/dh
wouldn’t be considered a near miracle.
the preceding post was a great success.
I think it is within the realm of possibility..
…that Davis is the bench player called up.
I have thought more than once that they may be carrying just 3 bench players right now because the plan was for Davis to come up sooner rather than later.
by Adam J. Morris on Jul 26, 2009 11:45 AM CDT up reply actions
I thought Wash said he wants a MIF type so he could give Kinsler some time off.
I would like for them to called up Geman. He plays 3 IF positions and the OF.
Elvis Andrus - 2009 AL Rookie of the Year
Mitch Moreland - 2009 Rangers Minor League POY
They already have Vizquel
I think German most likely comes up, but if it isn’t him, I imagine it will be Davis.
by Adam J. Morris on Jul 26, 2009 11:48 AM CDT up reply actions
Boggs
I suspect it will be German, but I would like to see them call up Boggs and let him play.
by Darrell McKown on Jul 26, 2009 11:54 AM CDT up reply actions
Where though?
With Byrd, Murphy, Hamilton and Cruz this OF is already crowded.
"The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance."-Socrates
With this offense
It shouldn’t be hard to find at bats for anyone.
I would stick him in LF and see what he can do. He’s historically known the difference between a ball and a strike, which is a skill this team despirately needs right now.
by Darrell McKown on Jul 26, 2009 12:03 PM CDT up reply actions
Boggs just got off the DL.
The 2009 Texas Rangers offense: sigh...
by Kinslerhomer on Jul 26, 2009 11:55 AM CDT up reply actions
Disgusting
Cruz must have dropped a turd in Ron’s sandwich or something to have not been able to crack that.
by behindthebag on Jul 26, 2009 11:39 AM CDT up reply actions
Yep...
it makes zero sense. Using the guys Wash has in the lineup today this SHOULD be what it looks like :
Murphy
MY
Cruz
Kinsler
Blalock
Byrd
Jones
Salty
Andrus
I defend Wash a lot from people that think he’s the reason why this team struggles at times. However some of his in games decisions and lineups are puzzling at best.
"The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance."-Socrates
Okay...
that’s obviously not great. However look at the #‘s for Hamilton, Kinsler, and Jones in that time as well. Right now he’s the best option the Rangers have.
The only thing I can think of is that Wash is trying to take some pressure off him because of his finger and he knows Nellie isn’t at 100%. Still I think a 75% Cruz > 100% Jones, right?
"The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance."-Socrates
He's a fucking idiot for
sticking one of best run producers and power hitters in the bottom of the lineup ahead of guys with an OBP of under .300, with a line of .069/.250/.103 since a fluke 3 HR game and Marlon Byrd.
by behindthebag on Jul 26, 2009 11:50 AM CDT up reply actions
Nice lineup, there.
"Guys are visual creatures, that’s how we’ve been wired, for millennia…only fat and or ugly chicks use that word you just typed." - Rodney
by inactive lsb user on Jul 26, 2009 3:20 PM CDT up reply actions
Not exactly awe inspiring,
but what alternative lineup is going to overcome the overall crappiness of this offense, given what is available on the current roster?
Make a move....
If the price is right, JD should still pick up Halladay. Ace’s just don’t fall off a tree. You’ve gotta get them when you can.
What is the right price? Whatever it takes to keep Halladay from going to the Angels. I don’t care if Halladay goes to an NL team. Rangers shouldn’t cash in serious chips in their farm system to get Halladay at all costs. Let an NL team to do that.
Wonderboy, what is the secret of your power? Wonderboy, won't you take me far away from the mucky-muck now. -- Tenacious D
That's pretty much not gonna happen
Salary-wise it couldn’t happen. And, Halladay would veto the trade
The price
Here’s the likely price:
Justin Smoak, Martin Perez, and Blake Beavan
Would you do that?
And don’t say “only if we can work out an extension with Halladay beforehand.” That’s tantamount to saying “no.”
by Adam J. Morris on Jul 26, 2009 11:37 AM CDT up reply actions
Halladay
You can forget about him.
He’s not coming to Texas with the Rangers 4.5 games behind the Angels.
by Darrell McKown on Jul 26, 2009 11:39 AM CDT up reply actions
I'm not sure he would have in the first place
But I certainly don’t think he’ll come to a hitters’ park to play for a team that 4.5 games out of first place, chasing a team that has won consistently the past few years, and that has never done a think in its history.
by Darrell McKown on Jul 26, 2009 11:43 AM CDT up reply actions
Given his record in TBIA
And its’ ups and downs, Texas probably isn’t on his acceptable list of places in the first place.
"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 Jul 26, 2009 12:09 PM CDT up reply actions
You would
Give up a ton of your best prospects just to keep a guy from going to the Angels?
That’s not smart.
by brettgardner on Jul 26, 2009 11:38 AM CDT up reply actions
Everyone needs to realize that at the begining of the year
we would have been high-fiving each other with gettiing second in this division. We are overachieving our initial expectations and we’re baseing our new expectations on winning 95 games this year. Do you know how ridiculous that would have sounded on April 1st?
IMO we certainly should shoot for the stars now that we’ve seen we can pull a little magic off, but “sending everyone to the farm.. Fire RUDY!…JD is an idiot” kind of talk isn’t exactly on base if you ask me.
But on another point, Wash should probably realize that and shake the lineup a little since obviously it isn’t getting it done the past 2 MONTHS. Ian is not leadoff material with that upper cut and leading the team in RBI and HR, Cruz is tied in HR lead and batting consitantly 7thish while Druw is at .220 and can’t hit a tater to save his life after knocking 3 in that Angels game. Then there’s Josh… Glad he got today off.
.069/.250/.103
AJ since his 3 homer game. That’s right, .103 slg. Only 2 hits in 36 PAs of which 1 was a 2B.
Elvis Andrus - 2009 AL Rookie of the Year
Mitch Moreland - 2009 Rangers Minor League POY
Now I really want Davis back
Davis when he was at his worst was at least able to do that.
By 2028, Mark Teixeira will be in the HOF.
"I am one of the biggest Texas Ranger fans out there but I'm also one of the smartest. Deal with it."
-The Outlaw
No way. 1st base. He has the defense we need if we have to suffer through that K zone he has
Hank’s been great, but not that great.
He was underneath the .250 OBP mark on the season for 2 games this year
By 2028, Mark Teixeira will be in the HOF.
"I am one of the biggest Texas Ranger fans out there but I'm also one of the smartest. Deal with it."
-The Outlaw
And that's still better than what Jones has done recently
By 2028, Mark Teixeira will be in the HOF.
"I am one of the biggest Texas Ranger fans out there but I'm also one of the smartest. Deal with it."
-The Outlaw
eyeroll
I may have a thing against Davis. But it isn’t any more irrational as this hatred that you and others around here have for Jones. At least Jones has been good at times this year. Most of the Rangers have looked pathetic the past two months.
Go Rice Owls!
Everyone's been good at times this year
I don’t have hatred for Jones (yet). My problem with him is that he has a good few games every now and then and then goes back to being a crappy hitter. Up until now, he hasn’t really played enough for his season stats to take much of a dive after his early season hot streak. Now that he is playing everyday though, his season stats are reflecting his current talent level. And for the month of July, he’s hitting .176/.288/.510 with 3 of his 9 hits in that span coming in that 3 HR game.
And for those that think that’s just a slump, remember that he is now hitting .208/.304/.396 over his past 1120 PAs. In other words, I’m done with Jones as our DH. The guy has no future here and doesn’t cost anything to flat out release. See if you can get a Hamburger prospect or w/e, but he isn’t helping the team any more than Davis or some other AAA bat would. This isn’t as bad as the Sosa situation yet, but if something doesn’t change soon, then it can very easily be just as bad down the stretch.
By 2028, Mark Teixeira will be in the HOF.
"I am one of the biggest Texas Ranger fans out there but I'm also one of the smartest. Deal with it."
-The Outlaw
bull fuckin shit
there is no such thing as irrational hatred of jones
he sucks ass and the hatred of him is 100% rational
at the beginning of the year we all said we didnt want AJ b/c our idiot manager would start playing him everyday….we were right
.203/.254/.288
Hamilton since he was called up July 3. Maybe he should call CD and ask him what batting drills he is doing.
Elvis Andrus - 2009 AL Rookie of the Year
Mitch Moreland - 2009 Rangers Minor League POY
If we're throwing out numbers...
5 pitchers: Eyre, Feldie, Eddie, Grilli, and Mathis has a 0.00 ERA in last 7 games (17.2 IP) Then we have Nipp, BG Hunter, and CJ under 1.70 (19 IP) Doesn’t pitching win in the playoffs? That’s what I’m lookin on building.
I still say
that if the team is 6 games out by Thursday that they need to start selling. I’m pretty sure I’d take a package centered around Wade Davis from Tampa for Millwood…
Go Rice Owls!
Tampa
They are farther out of the playoff hunt than Texas is right now.
by Adam J. Morris on Jul 26, 2009 11:57 AM CDT up reply actions
I don't know if they should be buying or not
But they’ve definitely been rumored to be in the market for another starter.
I just am not happy about “sitting the deadline out” given where the Rangers are right now. I think if the team thinks they can compete – and there is reason to believe LAA has been lucky and the Rangers could take them out given the # of games remaining – then they should try to acquire a hitter who can, you know, get on base. But if they aren’t going to do that, for money reasons or because they think they are too far out, then they should sell. Because my guess is that this is a huge sellers market right now.
Go Rice Owls!
Selling
Realistically, I think Millwood is the only guy with much value that you would consider selling.
If you want to contend in 2010, he’s a valuable pitcher to have around.
by Darrell McKown on Jul 26, 2009 12:12 PM CDT up reply actions
Are Tampa fans saying their season is over?
This serial overreacting has got to stop.
Signature! I don't need no stinking signature!!
by DerekSTheRed on Jul 26, 2009 12:49 PM CDT up reply actions
.
"Back on the scene, with a gangsta lean" RW
"you gonna lose your horse. seriously." FX2
And the little bastard threw it for a swinging strike three in a 3-2 count. He’s blessed. And ballsy.
Tampa
If they deal for a pitcher, I suspect it would be Cliff Lee.
by Darrell McKown on Jul 26, 2009 12:05 PM CDT up reply actions
The hitting sucks because
there approach sucks. They are starting so early, they have no hope of adjusting on offspeed away. Their approach all year has been to get out front and pull everything.
Everyone talks about the Angels being “lucky” on bloops soft liners-that comes from their HC beating oppo into them constantly, which keeps them back a split-sec longer.
the Rangers are so early, they either pull everything foul, get the bathead out of the zone too early and miss, or roll over bounce to the 2b/SS.
Never argue with a fool. Onlookers might not be able to tell you apart.
When a young pitcher (Hochevar)
thinks to throw a 3-0 curveball in the dirt, and the hitter (Hamilton) can’t help but swing at it, that tells us all we need to know about our offense.
"A good start would be not giving up 900 runs again." -Jon Daniels
by Randy Richardson on Jul 26, 2009 12:12 PM CDT reply actions
i can't believe kinsler is threatening to go under .240
under .260 was frustrating enough
the preceding post was a great success.
Kinsler is a douche
and Newberg overplayed his hand with the constant comparisons with the Stars’ Morrow. I see very little from Kinsler that screams “leader”. His appearances on BaD Radio have only cemented my opinion of this guy. He is unable to see, or admit, to his faults as a hitter this year and went so far last week as to take a shot at all fans who say he “swings for the fences”. He was was very “tongue in cheek” when he stated that “all I do is swing for the fences, I want everyone to understand that right now”. I think he comes off as an arrogant prick on the radio and is a little too proud of his 20 homers. Dude is seriously miscast as a lead-off hitter and the Newberg’s in this world got suckered in by his high sock, shaggy hair, don’t I just wreak scrappy, appearance.
Who is to blame for this anemic offense. Dare I say Ron Washington? Yeah, I do. His lineups are a disaster and he seems content to let Rudy take all the heat(yes, Rudy does take heat, just not from the msm). Wash needs to step to the forefront of this disaster, take ownership of the teams approach at the plate, and state that jobs and batting order positions are on the line. To sit on his hands all year and watch the Titanic slowly disappear is unforgivable. If this is Wash’s team then he needs to get out in front of this, take a veiled shot or two at Rudy, and impose his will on the offense. Rudy may teach mechanics, but I sure as hell hope Wash is “teaching” his approach. If the players refuse to listen and/or adapt, sit there asses, I doubt seriously that the offense would suffer….
Adam Lambert is indeed a rock god,so suck it.
by red shoe ranger on Jul 26, 2009 1:28 PM CDT up reply actions
tl;dr
"Guys are visual creatures, that’s how we’ve been wired, for millennia…only fat and or ugly chicks use that word you just typed." - Rodney
by inactive lsb user on Jul 26, 2009 3:22 PM CDT up reply actions
dr because of doosh factor >1000
"Back on the scene, with a gangsta lean" RW
"you gonna lose your horse. seriously." FX2
And the little bastard threw it for a swinging strike three in a 3-2 count. He’s blessed. And ballsy.
15,000 posts
and yet infantility still reigns supreme. How many posts until one makes it in The Show anyway?
Adam Lambert is indeed a rock god,so suck it.
by red shoe ranger on Jul 26, 2009 5:27 PM CDT up reply actions
R'nt u fan C
with your prepubescent internet jargon…..
“too long; didn’t read.”
1. The inability to accept, understand or pay attention to information when not separated by a header.
2. The ability to arbitrarily read 400 small posts but not a long one.
3. A sign of ADD or lack of reading capability.
4. A very cheap response and an indication of lack of wit.
5. 90% of the time: A lie.
6. A desperate attempt at a comeback used by people who just can’t think of one.
7. Usually used by people who’ve been torn apart verbally but want one last attempt at looking witty.
8. Total failure at #7.
7. A sign that, not only is someone too lazy and stupid to read but, clearly, too lazy and stupid to even type out four words indicating such.
9. Collect every “tl,dr” post online, and you’ll have a good estimate of the number of lazy idiots on Earth, who currently have Internet access.
Adam Lambert is indeed a rock god,so suck it.
by red shoe ranger on Jul 26, 2009 5:15 PM CDT up reply actions
at
least we know YOU read the post. Congrats on your persistence and stamina. And here I was thinking ExtenZe was a gimmick.
Post.Fail.
by red shoe ranger on Jul 26, 2009 6:33 PM CDT up reply actions
is your chamber empty?
or is there more nut in that sack?
Post.Fail.
by red shoe ranger on Jul 27, 2009 12:39 AM CDT up reply actions
Except
You certainly didn’t tear him apart verbally, nor say anything especially witty to merit a response it kind.
You just rambled and posted boring shit.
by brettgardner on Jul 26, 2009 11:14 PM CDT up reply actions
meh
after seeing how you had a hard time deciphering Rick Sutcliffe quotes earlier this week I doubt seriously you can handle anything above a 4th grade reading level. I know , I know, you read a lot of lawyer-y books. Your very smart for your age….
Post.Fail.
by red shoe ranger on Jul 27, 2009 12:38 AM CDT up reply actions
go rangers!
" This is the inning that propels us to the playoffs. Mark it down."
- Rohn Warshington on Jul 27, 2009 9:19 PM EDT
5th inning against the Tigers
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