Khalil Greene being out indefinitely, and the Ranger utility infielder situation
by Adam J. Morris on Feb 22, 2010 11:59 AM CST
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PrintSo, there are updates from around the interwebs about the Khalil Greene situation, but they boil down, to, no one knows what is going to happen with Greene, and the Rangers have to move forward accordingly.
Anthony Andro has an update on the S-T blog, with Jon Daniels saying the team hasn't decided what to do.
Richard Durrett says that the Rangers could seek to put Greene on the restricted list, or just void his contract, while going through the implications of the situation.
Evan Grant looks at the internal options that the Rangers have available to replace Greene as the utility infielder.
Felipe Lopez's name has been brought up, but I can't imagine he'd agree to take a cheap deal to be a backup in Texas, given that there are three solid starters in place and not much reason to believe you're going to get significant playing time.
At this point, it looks like Joaquin Arias has to be considered the favorite to break camp as the utility infielder, assuming that his shoulder can handle playing shortstop. Arias's throwing arm has been, for several years now, the big question for the guy who was once seen as the prize from the Alex Rodriguez deal, a guy described as Alfonso Soriano with gold glove defense at shortstop before he basically stopped developing, then missed a season with shoulder problems.
If Arias can throw, you are probably best off going with him for the time being and seeing what happens with Greene. Grant brings up the possibility of re-opening the Mike Lowell trade discussions, if that's the case, since there's some question as to whether Arias has the arm strength to play third base, but it seems like if his arm strength won't let him handle third base, it isn't going to be good enough to play shortstop, either.
Plus, with Vlad Guerrero now in place, Lowell is a bench bat who would start the 4 or 5 games Michael Young sits this year, and otherwise would be handling first base against some lefty pitchers. For a couple of million dollars and Max Ramirez, you'd like to think you could get something better than a 25th man.
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Arias' arm/shoulder
if it really is healthy it seems like they’d just go with him unless turning over stones produces something. But if his arm isn’t strong, SS will be just as bad as 3B. Throws from in the hole are just as long or even longer than throws from where the 3B plays.
Freude, schoener Goetterfunken,
Tochter aus Elysium,
Wir betreten feuertrunken,
Himmlische dein Heiligtum.
I remember all reports from winter ball being very positive on his SS play
But that may just have been trade posturing for all we know.
"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.
Well, the last time we jumped a guy from being the youngest dude in the Texas League to the majors
it turned out pretty good, so that’s obviously a logical course of action, right?
Look at the comments under Jeff Wilson's blog post on dallasnews.com. What a bunch of rocket scientists.- Keith Law
Curse your sudden but inevitable betrayal!
Right!
Let’s just roll with Profar
"Drinks are on me if Lewis posts >168IP and an era lower than 3.86." by RangerMad on Jan 20, 2010 12:36 PM PST
The sad thing is
I could actually see that argument being made here.
‘Elvis was pretty awesome, and he jumped from AA to the majors, so Lemon could TOTALLY do it!’
It’s be as silly as arguing that since one guy did something that’s pretty far out of the ordinary- even if it happened, like, 17 years ago- that it could be done again this year.
Look at the comments under Jeff Wilson's blog post on dallasnews.com. What a bunch of rocket scientists.- Keith Law
Curse your sudden but inevitable betrayal!
I love what you did there.
I should call you the Gambler from now on.
"grilled cheese punches like a bitch" -Gdawg
"i feel like k-rod after a save." -by reagan on Jan 23, 2010, that glorious day Hicks was out of our lives.
I'm sure he meant to continue
Marcus Lemon…is not an option right now in any way whatsoever.
Freude, schoener Goetterfunken,
Tochter aus Elysium,
Wir betreten feuertrunken,
Himmlische dein Heiligtum.
is a spare who won't make the majors.
"I don't condone steroids or any other type of growth hormones or anything else, but I could care less, and, for the most part, I don't think the fans give a (bleep). The people that care about it are the people that probably don't like baseball," - Jim Leyland
Umm, I know you did not just openly antagonize Dirk like that
The guy was killing orphans this morning. He’s not a fellow you want to poke at.
"Dying ain't hard. It’s living in the wake of a thorough public humiliation that’s hard.--JDT217
Agree about Lowell
though you’d think that at this point, if Boston really doesn’t want him, the Rangers could probably get him for less than MaxRam + $2 million of salary (or whatever it was).
At some point this spring, some utility guy who can throw 140 feet in the air will be looking for a job.
What about Esteban German?
Go Rice Owls!
Sit tight
They could probably get a UIF off the waiver wire at the end of March.
Vladimir Guererro - 2010 AL MVP
Lowell...
I don’t see how he solves anything. He can’t play SS, and to give him a couple mil. and give up MaxRam seems pointless imo.
If the Rangers did get Lowell they would probably still have to have Arias on the roster. They still need a backup SS. Like you said, MY isn’t going to sit often. If he has to have a day off I’d rather the Rangers went with Arias or even CD than with Lowell. I’m willing to bet that Lowell is as big of an injury concern at this stage in his career as Arias is.
"The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance."-Socrates
Lowell would be the 25th man
We would have both Lowell and Arias. Arias to play SS and 2B and Lowell to play 3B and 1B.
Lowell doesn’t make sense now that we have Vlad
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.
Also...
I’m sure Felipe Lopez doesn’t want to go somewhere and be a UTIF, but ST is already here. His options have to be very limited. I would have to think that he would at least consider a deal for 2.5 – 3 mil at this point. Who else needs a starter right now?
I’d rather the Rangers do that then deal MaxRam for Lowell and pay him basically the same thing. Lowell does nothing for the Rangers imo.
"The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance."-Socrates
Ray Olmedo
That made a laugh a little…and then throw up in my mouth a little.
Also, the comma usage in this post is staggering.
Purgatory's kind of like the in-betweeny one. You weren't really shit, but you weren't all that great either. Like Tottenham.
by TheJeezus on Feb 22, 2010 12:22 PM CST reply actions 2 recs
Good god
I don’t know if I’ve ever seen so many commas in such a small space in my entire life
"He do what he do" - Ron Washington
by dustinvandeman on Feb 22, 2010 12:30 PM CST via mobile up reply actions
I know a guy, on another forum, who uses, commas, like I am using, them now. He is very smart, to talk to, but his, writing style would, kill Superman.
"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.
Joe Crede
Other than Felipe Lopez, Crede is probably the only other players on the FA market that one can consider to be better than your internal options. He still plays excellent 3B defense, passable with the bat, with potential of covering SS if needed. On the other hand, he is without a doubt looking for a full time 3B job though – not sure if any team is still in need of such a thing. The chances of him accepting a utility infielder job is nevertheless a whole lot higher than Lopez.
Crede one game ever at SS
Though more believable than Damion Easley
"Hell's frozen over, Pigs are flying! The Saints have won the Super Bowl"
That was mainly based on his good 3B defense
Which gives that possibility, even though the skill sets are different
Still with the 'Stros, isn't he?
Look at the comments under Jeff Wilson's blog post on dallasnews.com. What a bunch of rocket scientists.- Keith Law
Curse your sudden but inevitable betrayal!
the Astros signed him earlier this offseason
"Drinks are on me if Lewis posts >168IP and an era lower than 3.86." by RangerMad on Jan 20, 2010 12:36 PM PST
I suppose you could make hte case with Lowell
That he’s a good enough 3B option that Face could move over to short or second if he needed to in a pinch, and we’d have Stevie German and whoever else plays short at OKC if we needed a body (science forbid) for an extended period of time.
But that sucks a lot.
Look at the comments under Jeff Wilson's blog post on dallasnews.com. What a bunch of rocket scientists.- Keith Law
Curse your sudden but inevitable betrayal!
If you move Young
back to SS, you won’t ever get him off there again
"calmer than you are dude" Walter (Big Lebowski)
by Arlington Stadium Legend on Feb 22, 2010 12:45 PM CST up reply actions
I dunno, even Mikey seemed to realize how face-meltingly awesome Elvis was there
But, yeah, I can see your point.
‘See, I played SIX WHOLE INNINGS there! I still got it! I totally almost got that slow grounder that came two feet to my left too!’
Look at the comments under Jeff Wilson's blog post on dallasnews.com. What a bunch of rocket scientists.- Keith Law
Curse your sudden but inevitable betrayal!
I was being sarcastic
but yeah, that would create a funny hypothetical if he made some great play and then refused to move back to 3B
"calmer than you are dude" Walter (Big Lebowski)
by Arlington Stadium Legend on Feb 22, 2010 12:50 PM CST up reply actions
The sad thing is
your sarcastic hypothetical was pretty darned believable.
Gah, Micheal Young, why do you ever have to talk? Just keep hitting like last year and don’t totally embarrass yourself on defense and I can like you again.
Look at the comments under Jeff Wilson's blog post on dallasnews.com. What a bunch of rocket scientists.- Keith Law
Curse your sudden but inevitable betrayal!
OT: My last two posts are both titled 'The sad thing is'
I would be sensing a trend, but then I titled this one ‘OT: My last two posts are both titled ’The sad thing is’’
Look at the comments under Jeff Wilson's blog post on dallasnews.com. What a bunch of rocket scientists.- Keith Law
Curse your sudden but inevitable betrayal!
No, no
he is taunting Cust by tossing the ball around his face after he caught it.
Freude, schoener Goetterfunken,
Tochter aus Elysium,
Wir betreten feuertrunken,
Himmlische dein Heiligtum.
Haha...
Out of curiosity, I went to the mlb.com video recap for this game, Arias was at 2nd, Elvis at short… I’m sorry that I did. Clicking the link is not for the faint of heart. This game was one of the lowlights of the Rangers season. Right at their absolute offensive worst, their defense let them down.
This is the game where Arias ranged in front of Elvis to get a ground ball, ruining the DP chance, then threw late to 1st, missing the chance to salvage an out. (0:55)
On another, he dropped back 1st base side to get a high chop hit, but drew Blalock off the bag with a lazy off target rainbow throw. (1.23)
What in the hell was that rainbow throw?
He was 15 feet away from 1st! He damn could have ran it to the bag quicker.
"You promised me, Eckstein, that if I followed you, you would walk with me always. But I noticed that during the most trying periods of my life, there have only been one set of prints in the sand. Why, when I have needed you most, have you not been there for me?" David Eckstein replied, "Because my little legs had gotten tired, and you were carrying me." And I looked down and saw that I was still carrying David Eckstein.
Then he grounded out weakly to second.
Thank you very little
Freude, schoener Goetterfunken,
Tochter aus Elysium,
Wir betreten feuertrunken,
Himmlische dein Heiligtum.
I remember being in that game day thread.
Holy. Crap. That was not a pretty one.
"grilled cheese punches like a bitch" -Gdawg
"i feel like k-rod after a save." -by reagan on Jan 23, 2010, that glorious day Hicks was out of our lives.
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