Wednesday morning Rangers stuff

by Adam J. Morris on Sep 23, 2009 10:07 AM CDT Comment 52 comments

I'm ready for the season to be over.

Ron Washington felt Nelson Cruz made the right decision in going after the ball in the second that resulted in two Oakland runs scoring.

Josh Hamilton says he's ready to come back as a DH.

Eddie Guardado is considering retirement.

Justin Smoak is hammering the ball at the Baseball World Cup.

Gil LeBreton thinks the Rangers did the right thing in letting Kevin Millwood get his 180 innings.

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9 bombs in 10 games?

I am fully confident and comfortable in putting unachievable expectations on his shoulders for next season, and then quickly calling his career over as soon as he drops below them.

by SaltyGoesYard on Sep 23, 2009 10:13 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

awesome!

yeah, we have to remember that he is supposedly facing talent below or around AA.

A baseball game is simply a nervous breakdown divided into nine innings.

by NothinG on Sep 23, 2009 10:24 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

The good news is that this is what he should be doing to these type of pitchers

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 Sep 23, 2009 11:42 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

We're still playing baseball?

It looks like just going through the motions.

by De Peche Ranger on Sep 23, 2009 10:13 AM CDT via mobile reply actions 0 recs

I need baseball, I need Rangers baseball….Regardless a bad Rangers game is better than no baseball at all. I’m riding this ship until it pulls into port. Not to mention this has been a great season overall. None of here thought they would have done as well as they have and for this reason it give me hope going into Winter that they will build on this season next Spring.

Go RANGERS!!

2009 Texas Rangers: Why The Hell Not Us?--ghtd36 on May 13, 2009
In the interest of quicker games Ron should just tell the ump he's pulling the Feliz card and the ump should rule the inning over.--Sherman McCoy on Sept. 4, 2009

by boomer1 on Sep 23, 2009 10:15 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

It may have come up short at the end

but it’s been a great ride this season, none of us expected this.

"I'm against picketing, but I don't know how to show it." - Mitch Hedberg

by rentz on Sep 23, 2009 10:25 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Part of me agrees with AJM...

…but at the same time, baseball is just so…perfect. Games almost every day, a new matchup every three days or so, a beautiful game.

College/pro football just don’t give me as much satisfaction. Granted, I’m going to my first Stars game Thursday ($499 season tickets, baby!), and that will soften the blow.

If anything, I’m really ready to go back to Surprise in March.

"I love winning." - rockin_rangers, on May 16, 2009

by ghtd36 on Sep 23, 2009 10:32 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Adam – you say that now, but 6 months is a long time. I was where you are over the weekend, but have decided to enjoy these last 2 weeks. I’m going to miss it something fierce. I am really interested in seeing Feldman’s and Holland’s remaining starts, particularly.

I agree with ghtd36 – I am ready for Spring Training NOW.

Jack Daddy

by Jack Daddy on Sep 23, 2009 11:36 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Ummm

I’m riding this ship until it pulls into port.

I’m picturing the scene from Jurassic Park: The Lost World where the ship with the tyrannosaurus crashes into the dock and all the crew are already dead.

"What ... 92 miles per hour?" Feldman scoffed. "That's not gas. Feliz throws gas."

by NorCalRangersFan on Sep 23, 2009 1:12 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I always feel the same way at the end of baseball season

I never want to see it end, because I enjoy it so much. But at the same time, I’m also ready to go into the offseason and see what can be done about fixing some of the holes on this club, and get that clean slate next spring.

I just wish the offseason wasn’t so freaking long.

Hank is 7 runs below a zombie replacement at first base. Do you realize how terrible that is? Zombie’s can’t think, they’re slow, and they’re often ejected from the game for eating opposing baserunners’ brains. - Ben quantifies Hank Blalock

by lonestarJon on Sep 23, 2009 6:43 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'm a little concerned...

with the velocity Feliz has shown lately. Is it just because he isn’t getting enough time to warm up before coming in? Is it because he’s pitching every third day?

The Feliz that sits at 92-94 and is a little erratic is okay but, I want the guy who throws 100 and strikes everyone out.

Oh, and that game last night sucked balls.

"The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance."-Socrates

by slc ranger on Sep 23, 2009 10:23 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I'm not sure

His K for the third out was 96 and higher than his previous FBs. I’m wondering if the Rangers are just trying some different things with him; i.e a game plan doesn’t only include blowing everyone away. My concern is him missing often with his offspeed stuff.

Remember Red, hope is a good thing. Maybe the best of things. And no good thing ever dies.

by WyoRanger on Sep 23, 2009 10:29 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

i tend to agree on both counts

his velocity of his fastball and control of his offspeed stuff has worried me. his fastball progression last night 92, 91, 92, 94, 92, 93, 93, 93, 92, 92, 92, 93, 92, and 96. He didn’t throw an offspeed pitch for a strike.

A baseball game is simply a nervous breakdown divided into nine innings.

by NothinG on Sep 23, 2009 10:45 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Could be that they are grooming him for a starter's role

And telling him to hold back on his fastball a bit to prepare him for what it will be like to throw 75+ pitches in the Majors. He won’t be able to throw 99+ over 7 innings.

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 Sep 23, 2009 11:45 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

YOU SHUT YOUR MOUTH

Feliz will throw 100mph every pitch of every start and set a record for CGSOs in 2010… just wait and see!!

Grieve: The Yanks have struggled so far. - Lewin: Yeah, cry me a bag of money.
Dykstra has all the money!
ElectricOkra.com

by WhipSmart on Sep 23, 2009 11:53 AM CDT up reply actions 1 recs

Okay

I can live with 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

by Gdawg on Sep 23, 2009 11:54 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

WhipSmart

That comment reminded me of this:

"I cannot believe how fucking off base I was about Tiny E before this season. The Kid is great and is going to become a star."

- Wails

by RCCook on Sep 23, 2009 12:02 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I miss Billy Mays

their Pitchmen series was fun to watch.

by swampdonkey on Sep 23, 2009 1:16 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

+1

It was a pretty solid show.

"I love winning." - rockin_rangers, on May 16, 2009

by ghtd36 on Sep 23, 2009 1:44 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

rec

"Back on the scene, with a gangsta lean" RW
"When you have a weapon on your shoulder like he has, you can be cool." RW on Perez
And the little bastard threw it for a swinging strike three in a 3-2 count. He’s blessed. And ballsy.

by Rodney on Sep 23, 2009 1:06 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Kinsler question

I don’t record the games nor do I know how to do this. I would be interested in seeing a side by side video of Ian when he is locked in vs the popup Ian. Also a side by sde of Ian and MY.

My theory is that Ian is pulling his head up off the ball and looking out into LF as his bat goes through the zone. This is something that is easily recognizable and fixable. Anyone up to the task?

Elvis Andrus - 2009 AL Rookie of the Year
Mitch Moreland -Tom Grieve Rangers Minor League Player of the Year
Martin Perez - Nolan Ryan Rangers Minor League Pitcher of the Year

by RangerMad on Sep 23, 2009 10:24 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Clearly Rudy and Ian aren't..

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 Sep 23, 2009 10:53 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

just keep swinging, it'll work itself out,...right?

A baseball game is simply a nervous breakdown divided into nine innings.

by NothinG on Sep 23, 2009 10:55 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yesterday Eddie considering retirement? Bullshit...

…he owes it to us to sign with an AL team for ’10 so we can get achance to tee off on his “fastball” for a change.

I have no objection to man walking on the moon.

by Chad Crudup on Sep 23, 2009 10:33 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I heard he has a change up now.

"The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance."-Socrates

by slc ranger on Sep 23, 2009 10:36 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Remember when there was such a thing as a "slowball"?

That’s Eddie’s out pitch.

"I love winning." - rockin_rangers, on May 16, 2009

by ghtd36 on Sep 23, 2009 10:43 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

does it actually turn back time?

"Does this effectively hide my thunder?"

by Bob Loblaw on Sep 23, 2009 11:06 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

You can't turn back time

if it hasn’t arrived yet.

by swampdonkey on Sep 23, 2009 1:18 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Guardardo is a great guy

Not a very good pitcher, unfortunately.

by Grammar Police on Sep 23, 2009 5:04 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Wash thought Cruz made the right decision?

"If we don’t make that mistake there in the second inning, it’s a 1-1 ballgame," manager Ron Washington said. "He tried to make a play and didn’t make it."

Washington would have liked to have seen Cruz play it safe on the Daric Barton liner with Jack Cust at first base, but the All-Star raced in and tried to make a diving, backhanded catch.

"If he stays back and lets it bounce, we keep them at first and second," Washington said. "The next guy (No. 8 hitter Cliff Pennington) pops out, and we go into the sixth in a 1-1 tie."

by Jamey Newberg on Sep 23, 2009 10:50 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Yeah...

that was a bad decision by Nellie there.

"The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance."-Socrates

by slc ranger on Sep 23, 2009 10:55 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

To be clear...

I’m not sure I agree with Wash myself. If Cruz hadn’t tried to backhand the ball and played it properly , he probably makes the catch, or at least keeps the ball in front of him. I was OK with him going for the catch. It was an awful decision to try backhanding it, though.

But the way I read that article, I don’t see how you can say Wash “felt Cruz made the right decision.”

by Jamey Newberg on Sep 23, 2009 10:56 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Why beat around the bush?

Wash needs to just come out and say that he’s not pleased with Cruz’ baseball IQ, or whatever the personal issue is with him. To keep taking veiled shots at him and benching without explanation, does not seem to be the most diplomatic solution.

"Nothing we do here has a point" - Czar Morris

by Chase Irwin on Sep 23, 2009 1:12 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

i'm get too emotionally involved when it comes to Ranger baseball

gotta try and look on the bright side, or I’ll die young. this season shows that the young talent in place is poised to win. The rangers are on the upswing.

And, at least we got Scheppers out of the draft
and Daniel Gutierrez can make up a little bit for the loss of Purke

A baseball game is simply a nervous breakdown divided into nine innings.

by NothinG on Sep 23, 2009 11:10 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I* type fail

A baseball game is simply a nervous breakdown divided into nine innings.

by NothinG on Sep 23, 2009 11:11 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

repeated from the last thread

Wondering how everybody feels about Holland/Feliz compared to Anderson/Cahill.

I’m not sure what our duo will end up as, but the A’s duo looks like a #1 and a #2 starter to me. Both those guys have been in the big leagues all season and seem to be getting stronger, while Holland and maybe Feliz as well, seem to be struggling, running out of gas.

If given the choice, which pair would you pick and why?

"You can probably stick a fork in the Rangers' playoff chances for 2009." - AJM on 7/26 with the team 4.5 games out

by tricer on Sep 23, 2009 11:55 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I still go with Holland and Feliz

When in doubt, go with the flamethrowers. Both of these guys are struggling now, but they have shown many flashes of greatness this season. Also, I think Anderson is the only one that has shown he can be a top of the rotation pitcher. Cahill’s K rate has been horrible all season and he doesn’t have the kind of control to overcome 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

by Gdawg on Sep 23, 2009 12:02 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Holland /Feliz

Have much higher ceilings. I’m not sure I agree that Cahill is a TOR guy. He seems like a three at best, probably a four on a good team.

That's why they call them business sox

by egriffey on Sep 23, 2009 12:06 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I think Anderson has ace ceiling

Not sure how you can have much higher than that. Most people around here probably wouldn’t know it, but Anderson has had better velocity than Holland this year, and much, much better secondary offerings and command.

"You can probably stick a fork in the Rangers' playoff chances for 2009." - AJM on 7/26 with the team 4.5 games out

by tricer on Sep 23, 2009 12:09 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

His FB velocity on average is .1 better

That’s not really having better velocity.

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 Sep 23, 2009 12:19 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

whatever

You referred to Holland as a flamethrower, I just didn’t know if you realized that Anderson throws just as hard, but with secondary pitches and command that are light years ahead.

"You can probably stick a fork in the Rangers' playoff chances for 2009." - AJM on 7/26 with the team 4.5 games out

by tricer on Sep 23, 2009 12:28 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I did

I was talking about the duos as a whole. Anderson throws as hard as Holland, but Cahill throws in the upper 80s/low 90s while Feliz as we know reaches triple digits.

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 Sep 23, 2009 12:32 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'm not saying Anderson isn't a bad-ass

I’m saying the combo of Feliz/Holland has a collectively higher ceiling than Anderson/Cahill. But that’s because of Cahill not Anderson. Anderson scares me.

That's why they call them business sox

by egriffey on Sep 23, 2009 12:27 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Both?

I’d take Anderson over Holland and Feliz over Cahill.

It’s an incredibly hard decision to make if I had to take one or the other but I’d probably take Anderson/Cahill long-term.

by LiamP on Sep 23, 2009 12:19 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Not that impressed with Cahill, and his delivery seems iffy.

I noticed his ball pick-up when he was pitching against us and it struck me as quite weird.

I’d have to defer to Kyle or Trip, but I don’t think this is the best way to pick up the ball, stressing the shoulder too much, by not swinging the ball down and back with the elbow.
The inverted W that you see seems to add a lot of extraneous motion to his delivery which could break down his shoulder faster. He doesn’t let the strongest muscles in the arm do the work of loading the ball, but rather forces it on his shoulder joint rather abruptly.

"Nothing we do here has a point" - Czar Morris

by Chase Irwin on Sep 23, 2009 1:28 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

During the broadcast, IIRC

Josh mentioned that Cahill was having mechanical issues that needed to be tweaked mid-season. So maybe they are already aware of his risk factors and are attempting to mitigate them before they accrue.

"Nothing we do here has a point" - Czar Morris

by Chase Irwin on Sep 23, 2009 1:30 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Did a quick search, Kyle has covered this briefly.

http://www.drivelinemechanics.com/2008/12/12/690925/pitching-mechanics-trevor

Cahill’s arm action really puzzled me for a long time. My immediate thought after looking through the video was: “Hrm. I see a lot of hyperabduction and forced scapular loading. Not good.”

However, if you look very closely, you will see that he starts to rotate his shoulders before his foot plants and his hips have maximally opened. This is an inefficient throwing pattern and will lead to decreased velocity. As such, the perceived concept of forced scapular loading might actually be due to the fact that he turns his shoulders a bit earlier than he should, and his arm is passively entering the shoulder horizontal abduction phase.

"Nothing we do here has a point" - Czar Morris

by Chase Irwin on Sep 23, 2009 1:39 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

In that ballpark yeah.

The 2009 Texas Rangers offense: sigh...

by Kinslerhomer on Sep 23, 2009 2:01 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

after giving it some thought

I guess I would pick them Anderson, Feliz, Holland, Cahill.

Anderson is just so much further along in his development than any of the other three.

"You can probably stick a fork in the Rangers' playoff chances for 2009." - AJM on 7/26 with the team 4.5 games out

by tricer on Sep 23, 2009 2:38 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Lisa, if the Bible has taught us nothing else - and it hasn't - it's that girls should stick to girls' sports, such as hot-oil wrestling, foxy boxing, and such-and-such.

Rock Flag & Eagle Radio: Thursdays, 10 PM - 1 AM, on FM 88.7 The Choice, or online @ ktcu.net!

by Maximilian on Sep 23, 2009 4:04 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs