Sunday morning Rangers stuff
by Adam J. Morris on Sep 27, 2009 9:31 AM CDT
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PrintTwo games in a row where the bats have come alive. And Kevin Millwood looked okay, too.
Jeff Wilson says that last night's game shows why the Rangers need to keep Marlon Byrd, as Byrd's go-ahead grand slam fueled the huge 11 run fifth that turned the game around.
Ron Washington wants Byrd back, and says if Byrd comes back next season, he'll be the team's starting centerfielder.
Meanwhile, Julio Borbon, the team's purported centerfielder of the future, will supposedly get some time in center field before the season ends, once the Rangers are eliminated from playoff contention.
I'll talk more about the Byrd situation tomorrow.
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I usually never join in on the Wash dog pile.
But his blind loyalty of Marlon Byrd is annoying.
I like Byrd, but to simply anoint him as next years starting CF is maddening.
"Sometimes you just want to sit back and watch somebody throw 100." - Jeff Passan on Neftali Feliz
by Cecilio's Guante on Sep 27, 2009 9:47 AM CDT reply actions
right there with you
Marlon Byrd’s UZR in CF is -4.5 and UZR/150 is -6.6. He is in the bottom half defensively. I think we can get better defense from Borbon. I really hope Byrd becomes out of our price range. I just don’t think we should spend that money on him. He is having a career year the likes of MB and Derosa had and I think and hope he’ll sign elsewhere.
I love him as a player, but Wash will screw around too much with the lineup. Borbon would probably only play against righties which is stupid.
A baseball game is simply a nervous breakdown divided into nine innings.
Don't forget
Gary Matthews jr. and his career year turning into $55 million.
Absent a new owner this winter...
the Byrd situation is going to sort out pretty simply.
"[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 Sep 27, 2009 10:44 AM CDT up reply actions
Ehh
Nothing wrong with Wash supporting a current player. Whether he’s a future player isn’t totally his call.
Remember Red, hope is a good thing. Maybe the best of things. And no good thing ever dies.
I wish he'd support a current player
named Nelson Cruz.
"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 27, 2009 11:32 AM CDT up reply actions 3 recs
Agree 114.5%
Remember Red, hope is a good thing. Maybe the best of things. And no good thing ever dies.
When Wash tells management that he wants Byrd back...
…JD, Nolan, et al should nod politely, thank him for his input and promptly drop the issue for good once Wash leaves the room
I have no objection to man walking on the moon.
by Chad Crudup on Sep 27, 2009 9:52 AM CDT via mobile reply actions 1 recs
Pretty much agreed
I suspect they will talk to his agent and at least figure out what Byrd wants. But the problem is we could well end up with a situation where we have to chose between Byrd and Cruz. And I’m sorry that Marlon’s career years aren’t as good as what Nellie has produced.
We just got Byrd’s best years for a low salary. Now its time to be smart and let someone else pay him for those years.
What do voluntary mean?
Byrd
He’s going to want his one big contract and it’s his only chance to get one. I like byrd and would love to see him back, but not at the price he’s going to command.
"I'm against picketing, but I don't know how to show it." - Mitch Hedberg
Byrd and to a lesser extent Blalock/Jones
are unfortunately the type of players you can’t afford to give Wash. He makes mediocre veterans into more than they are. I like Byrd. Hes been a good player this year. He is not a cleanup hitter. Blalock has been a bad player this year, he shouldn’t be hitting #5 every day. Its working at the moment, so I guess one could say this entire pseudorant is off base, but Wash likes putting scrubby bench players into the heart of the order rather frequently.
In two years I’d be almost willing to bet that what ever team gives Byrd his likely 3-4 year deal is going to be seriously regretting it, and I hope its not us.
What do voluntary mean?
x
I like Byrd. Hes been a good player this year. He is not a cleanup hitter. Blalock has been a bad player this year, he shouldn’t be hitting #5 every day.
And the better options would be??? Hammy has been hurt, Cruz hasn’t earned any trust…who else to put in the 4/5 hole?
Just because you don’t have the prototypical (whatever spot) hitter, you still have to fill spots 1-9.
"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.
Cruz hasn't earned any trust?
he wasn’t given any chance to earn trust or ever shown any confidence from the manager. Cruz should have been hitting cleanup at the beginning of the year, yet he’s been jacked around all year. Cruz still has cleanup hitter numbers – 32 bombs and 20 SBs. What should he do to earn trust? hit 40 HRs?
A baseball game is simply a nervous breakdown divided into nine innings.
100+ ABs in the 4 hole?
.231 BA.
Don’t just throw something out, do a little research, huh?
"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.
SSS much?
Remember Red, hope is a good thing. Maybe the best of things. And no good thing ever dies.
It's the only sample in his career to go off of.
"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.
I don't believe...
…that Cruz is inherently incapable of hitting cleanup.
by Adam J. Morris on Sep 27, 2009 11:40 AM CDT up reply actions
No, but how many players are hitting cleanup the season after
they are DFA’ed?
"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.
But how many players have the sort of season Cruz has had,
period, after they’re DFA’d?
I think the “lack of trust” and “random benching” angle is overplayed here at LSB, but the Rangers (and Washington) do seem to be somewhat tentative when it comes to Cruz (and his future with the club), and it’d be nice to know what they’re seeing, hearing, or thinking that’s driving that…
Your 2009 Texas Rangers: "Can't take a fucking to save their lives" (lisa w, 2009).
I completely agree
It would be very nice to know what is in their collective heads. As I said on another point, I highly doubt any player sitting or playing is entirely Wash’s decision…I really don’t think he has that kind of power/pull yet.
"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.
I'm not sure why such a ruckus has been raised
about the number of games Cruz hasn’t started this year.
By my quick count, he started all but nine of the games in the first half of the season ~ and, excluding his time on the DL, all but eight of the games so far in the second half. (He also logged appearances in several of the games he didn’t start.) So injury aside, the Rangers basically had him on pace for 140 starts in his first full MLB season. That doesn’t seem unreasonable…?
Your 2009 Texas Rangers: "Can't take a fucking to save their lives" (lisa w, 2009).
(All said, by the way, in general agreement
with your points above, Rodney.)
Your 2009 Texas Rangers: "Can't take a fucking to save their lives" (lisa w, 2009).
Cruz
Is a sort of a baseball paradox (never mind I absolutely like him in the Ranger lineup and as a burgeoning success story). He is a RH power hitter with reverse splits who is big man clumsy fast and by the numbers is a terrific outfielder and despite a Herschel Walker frame can steal bases and move up on batted balls and has a cannon throwing arm and uses it well but occasionally to the incorrect base or cutoff and has streaks where he is invincible and streaks when he can’t hit and tends to play year around for at least four years and surely must be tired but has teammates and broadcasters saying they can’t even move the weight he lifts daily and ………………
Well, maybe he’s the equivalent of a nuclear arsenal. Don’t use it until it’s a necessity. Or not. And pardon the deliberate run on narrative above.
"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 Sep 27, 2009 1:15 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
I take your points, Ed,
and agree with many of them.
There was a period here not so long ago, however, when any time Cruz didn’t appear in the starting lineup, there was much wailing and gnashing of teeth. A consensus seemed to be building that Washington hated him, or didn’t trust him, or would refuse to play him every day for some other reason.
I realize that Hamilton’s back injury changed the equation, and it’s impossible to say what might have happened had Hamilton been available every day through the end of the season.
But it stands to reason that Washington (perhaps among others) was concerned about Cruz wearing down over the course of the year. That’d certainly fit the facts that Cruz started every game but one in April, every game but two in May, and every game in June until the 24th ~ after which he started sitting more frequently, and for longer spans…
Again, however, I do think the organization seems to retain a certain degree of ambivalence about Cruz, and I wonder if that’s just because there’s concern that he’ll never round into the full package (gradually minimizing his streakiness and defensive lapses, say, and improving his contact rate) ~ or whether something else (or, maybe multiple something-elses) are going on.
Your 2009 Texas Rangers: "Can't take a fucking to save their lives" (lisa w, 2009).
That doesn't make it larger.
Your 2009 Texas Rangers: "Can't take a fucking to save their lives" (lisa w, 2009).
Thicker is more important.
"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.
This...
Cruz hasn’t earned any trust
Is just stupid.
"The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance."-Socrates
Kinslerhomer is gonna have a cow..
each and every GDT if Byrd’s in center next year.
Now apparently Wash doesn’t have much defensive confidence in either Borbon or Cruz according to Reeves.
http://www.star-telegram.com/sports/columnists/jim_reeves/story/1638002.html
HH is that a sock in your puppet or are you happy to see me?
Cruz
He’s actually the teams best defensive outfielder according to the numbers.
I just don’t get why wash seems to dislike cruz so much. He’s the teams best offensive force this season and is the best defensive outfielder (sure he makes some bad plays from time to time) yet he seems destined to be a part time player or get traded.
"I'm against picketing, but I don't know how to show it." - Mitch Hedberg
Because
We have so many better options for DH. Between the two I think you should be playing Cruz in the OF consistently over Murphy. I don’t get why we haven’t seen one of our All Stars for what would be 3 days at this point. It just doesn’t make sense.
What do voluntary mean?
Borbon in left field
As I said in the podcast, if Reeves is right, and Borbon is “at best” a left fielder, then you have to trade him this offseason.
by Adam J. Morris on Sep 27, 2009 9:59 AM CDT up reply actions
yep true..
I have a feeling the Rangers won’t come up with Byrd’s money…so this will wind up being a moot point in the final analysis.
HH is that a sock in your puppet or are you happy to see me?
Paying for 2 years of past performance
for a 32 year old player is almost never a good idea. But I am really worried that we are going to do it.
What do voluntary mean?
I'm ok with that
especially with how Gentry’s been looking. I think that kid’s got a future in the bigs…
A future as a 5th outfielder?
Maybe.
A future as a starting outfielder on a playoff-caliber team? No.
by Adam J. Morris on Sep 27, 2009 10:23 AM CDT up reply actions
Really?
He still needs seasoning in AAA, but I think saying he’ll only ever be a 5th outfielder is extreme. What if he has a season in AAA next year like he did in AA this year? Will you still be saying that? How has his season in AA compared with Borbon’s in AA?
x
How has his season in AA compared with Borbon’s in AA?
Here’s the most important thing in comparing their AA seasons:
Gentry: Age 25
Borbon: Age 22
And Borbon was still better.
by Adam J. Morris on Sep 27, 2009 11:14 AM CDT up reply actions
I have no issue with Borbon in LF
It’s a speed field in Arlington and to a degree in Seattle, and there are other quickstep successes playing LF (Crawford, for one). Never ignore defensive enfironment needs.
"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 Sep 27, 2009 11:34 AM CDT up reply actions
Agree
I like gentry and Ive seen him a lot in frisco, I think he could make a decent 4th/5th outfielder in the bigs but he’s not a starter on a playoff caliber team as you say.
"I'm against picketing, but I don't know how to show it." - Mitch Hedberg
What also concerns me about Borbon
is that everyone is expecting him to have a breakout year next season. I think there’s going to be a significant adjustment period where you’re not going to get a whole lot of production out of him and I don’t know that fans in Texas have the patience to deal with that. Just look at how Michael Bourn performed in his first full season…
Borbon in left
What are Reeves/Wash basing that on?
His arm?
Bad routes?
"[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 Sep 27, 2009 10:51 AM CDT up reply actions
X
It’s been written in many articles That Borboun needs work on his technique with throwing. I’m sure he’ll be in CF when deemed ready. And I am 100% positive that the GM & Manager are on the same page regarding player usage.
by Rodney on Sep 26, 2009 8:47 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
HH is that a sock in your puppet or are you happy to see me?
Heh
Top of the World, Ma!
"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.
My Theory on Julio Borbon's Throwing Arm
by Mrs. Miss Anne Elk
He can’t combine velo and accuracy. To hit the target he has to take tons off.
Ughhhhhhh. No! No! No!
If Byrd stays,Wash goes.
Byrd goes,Wash stays.
They need to sign the prenup already.
by TooLegitToQuit on Sep 27, 2009 10:09 AM CDT via mobile reply actions
5 Games Out
Could the Angels be reaching for their throats with both hands?
Coolstandings says the Rangers playoff odds increased from 1.1% to 2.7% last night.
"we’re a bunch of knee-jerking yahoos who like new and shiny things." -- FirebatM3 July 10, 2009
Beats the Eff out of
Being buried by Memorial Day
"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.
yep and I really hated having to wear these to the games...not fashionable!
HH is that a sock in your puppet or are you happy to see me?
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