25th Man Poll
by Randy Richardson on Feb 3, 2010 11:20 PM CST
50 comments
We've had a lot of discussion about this lately, so why not more? I vote for Gentry, he can backup Borbon in CF, pinch run for Vlad late in games, and he has options remaining. The main issue I have with Baldelli is that if you add him, you have three of thirteen position players with chronic injury issues (Baldelli, Hamilton, and Vlad - I guess you could also throw Salty into this category if you wanted to). This would mean Greene and Murphy as backups at 1B, which isn't ideal, but then again no roster is going to be perfect.
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I'll go with Baldelli because he's a paisano
"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
by jam0152 on Feb 3, 2010 11:31 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
I'll go with Gentry
because even if we do sign Baldelli he’ll be hurt by the end of ST and end up starting the season on the DL.
Rangers pitchers and catchers are scheduled to report on Thursday, February 18.
by shroomer on Feb 3, 2010 11:32 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
not necessarily a bad thing if the club feels Gentry needs a longer look,
It would def be believable.
The bloggerformelyknownasBigBaddBubbaJ
by NYTXFAN on Feb 4, 2010 7:45 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs
My guess is it's Matt Brown.
He’s here, he’s cheap, he can play the IF corners (something the Rangers seem to want) and he’s crushed lefties in the minors. He also shouldn’t play enough for the fact that he can’t hit right-handers to be a real problem.
I’d be down with Baldelli if he can play first base, though I still don’t know why he’d want to come here and play 5th string OF.
Morality you can fake. Fun you either have or you don't.
by lonestarJon on Feb 3, 2010 11:38 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
Baldelli
From his perspective, I think the Rangers would be a good fit. Like the article shroomer has in the fanshots says, Baldelli knows his limitations at this point. If healthy he could easily get 200+ ABs.
by Randy Richardson on Feb 3, 2010 11:57 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
That should make me laugh, but I once paid real actual human money to see a Ranger game and had to watch him fucking play for us.
Hate him so much.
The 40 Trumps All!!!
"Don't let the haircut fool you. I'm exceedingly wealthy." -Bill Gates.
by thedirkatron on Feb 4, 2010 6:58 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs
actual human money as opposed to dog or cat money?
"JD gets complete blame or credit for what happens in 2010 and I think Nolan wants it that way. JD is paid to be a real GM and needs to start performing like one." - Josey Wales
by Michael Cave on Feb 4, 2010 8:19 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs
I think probably Matt Brown cause he's a 1b/3b who can hit lefties (.303/.377/.495), and we need someone who can backup 1b and/or pinch hit late for Borbon or Davis versus a LOOGY.
But Boggs is a possibilty if he’s healthy, and maybe Gentry if Wash falls in love with his plussy CF defense and decides he needs some speed off the bench.
The 40 Trumps All!!!
"Don't let the haircut fool you. I'm exceedingly wealthy." -Bill Gates.
by thedirkatron on Feb 4, 2010 6:57 AM CST reply actions 0 recs
Brown makes sense...
But Im really thinking Gentry gets the nod from Washington.
He plays good defense in the OF and is speedy, makes for a pretty good bench player / 5th outfielder.
"I'm against picketing, but I don't know how to show it." - Mitch Hedberg
by rentz on Feb 4, 2010 7:09 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs
Yah, but the who backs up 1b?
And who pinch hits for Julio (and, to a lesser extent, CD) late in games if a team throws a LOOGY at them?
I could see us going with Gentry for the reasons you mentioned, but the team did kind of come out and say that they’re more than content to roll with Hambone as the team’s backup CF’er this year, so it’s not like backup CF’er is a huge need on the team right now.
I think in the end it’ll be a RH’d bat who can play a little 1b, and right now that’s looking like Brown.
The 40 Trumps All!!!
"Don't let the haircut fool you. I'm exceedingly wealthy." -Bill Gates.
by thedirkatron on Feb 4, 2010 8:28 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs
Brown
Like I said, I think Brown makes sense but I could really see Washington going with Gentry for the reasons I mentioned.
I think it really comes down to how well Greene does in the super-sub infielder role in spring training since there was mentions of him playing 1b some.
But really Brown does make the most sense because he can backup both infield corners without having to rely on Greene playing out of position at 3b and 1b. However this is the same manager that thought Kata had such a good spring he deserved a roster spot.
"I'm against picketing, but I don't know how to show it." - Mitch Hedberg
by rentz on Feb 4, 2010 8:36 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs
However this is the same manager that thought Kata had such a good spring he deserved a roster spot.
Yeah, cause a 1st year rookie manager totally controls the 25 man roster…
"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 Feb 4, 2010 8:56 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs
You don't believe he had any input?
he’s not totally to blame, but the guy gets enamored with the fringy utility guys
"I'm against picketing, but I don't know how to show it." - Mitch Hedberg
by rentz on Feb 4, 2010 9:46 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs
I think he had input, sure
But hardly the final arbiter. Regarding fringy guys, this roster has had a lot of those lately more due to lack of overall talent than anything else, imo. He’s also enamored with MY and Ian.
"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 Feb 4, 2010 9:51 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs
Wash sees these fringy utility IF and sees himself as a young lad.
"What ... 92 miles per hour?" Feldman scoffed. "That's not gas. Feliz throws gas."
by NorCalRangersFan on Feb 4, 2010 11:25 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs
To me, the problem
with Brown is that if you want to give Borbon a day off against a LHP (which I think the team wants to do a lot of – he only had 19PAs against LHP last season), you move Hamilton to CF and put Murphy in LF and Murphy sucks against LHP.
by Randy Richardson on Feb 4, 2010 10:40 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs
You could throw Vladdy out in LF and have Brown DH.
And I could also say then that the problem with going with someone other than a RH 1b-type is the exact same thing… only substitute Chris Davis for Julio Borbon. (That’s assuming the Murphsquito would be our backup 1b if we took someone like Gentry or whoever.)
The 40 Trumps All!!!
"Don't let the haircut fool you. I'm exceedingly wealthy." -Bill Gates.
by thedirkatron on Feb 4, 2010 1:52 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
x
I’d prefer to never see Vlad set foot on the grass portion of the field. Greene could occasionally spell Davis against LHP.
by Randy Richardson on Feb 4, 2010 4:39 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
I'd prefer that as well.
But we’re not talking D-Tron and Randy’s Excellent Happy Fun Time Non-Sexual Baseball Lineup Adventure here, we’re talking how the actual lineup might be set up, and I’m afraid we have to accept that Vlad is (unfortunately) probably going to play the OF for us some this year.
He still thinks he can, and ya just know there’s no way Wash is gonna let a veteran-y guy like Vlad rot away on the bench as a DH. I mean, he’s a vet!!!
“Yah… of the French and Indian War”
/tball.
The 40 Trumps All!!!
"Don't let the haircut fool you. I'm exceedingly wealthy." -Bill Gates.
by thedirkatron on Feb 4, 2010 5:00 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
In all fairness
Vlad was underage when he enlisted, but they weren’t too strict back then.
Freude, schoener Goetterfunken,
Tochter aus Elysium,
Wir betreten feuertrunken,
Himmlische dein Heiligtum.
by t ball on Feb 4, 2010 5:08 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
German
Has played every position except pitcher and catcher. Career OBP .358 in 992 AB’s.
At 32 years old, stole 35 at OKC last year.
by Evil Monkey on Feb 4, 2010 7:35 AM CST reply actions 0 recs
Seems that if the Rangers
were considering him, they wouldn’t have brought Greene in. Although, German can’t really play shortstop.
by Randy Richardson on Feb 4, 2010 10:35 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs
How about you keep all of your man polls to yourself, ok?
This isn’t the kind of place where you go showing off your man poll.
by cmkelly29 on Feb 4, 2010 7:38 AM CST reply actions 0 recs
Other!
I vote for Bill Stein.
"we’re a bunch of knee-jerking yahoos who like new and shiny things." -- FirebatM3 July 10, 2009
by Oddibee on Feb 4, 2010 9:57 AM CST reply actions 0 recs
I'd have to go with Baldelli
the guy still has a career OPS of .831 against lefties. I’d assume you can get him here on a minor league deal.
A baseball game is simply a nervous breakdown divided into nine innings.
by NothinG on Feb 4, 2010 9:57 AM CST reply actions 0 recs
Gentry
love the cannon, love the speed, maybe he can be taught to play some first
I did not ask you if you have herpes. I said is that a hairpiece?!?
by BigGuns on Feb 4, 2010 10:14 AM CST reply actions 0 recs
Needs more time in AAA unless you are pidgeonholing him as nothing more than a 5th OF for his career right now
Bryan Smith (12:17:17 PM PT): Justin Smoak and Josh Hamilton. The AL West might just have found their Bash Brothers, v. 2.0.
by bigsteve on Feb 4, 2010 10:22 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs
I don't think more time in AAA is going to make him anything more than a 5th OF.
Morality you can fake. Fun you either have or you don't.
by lonestarJon on Feb 4, 2010 8:13 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
lol I almost said that but I wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt....
I did not ask you if you have herpes. I said is that a hairpiece?!?
by BigGuns on Feb 4, 2010 10:40 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
But to become a good fifth outfielder...
I think that he needs to spend some time in Oklahoma City learning the nuances of being a fifth outfielder. He needs to get acclimated to sitting at the end of a bench (not falling over), spitting (not into the wind), and scratching (pace yourself, or you’ll develop a callus). By the All-Star break he should be ready to be sit on the bench in a Major League Clubhouse.
by YourNameHere on Feb 5, 2010 12:41 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs
I think he needs to play more so in case something happens and we need him to play more than once a week
I just don’t see given Baldellis price why we would just sit a young guy like Gentry on the bench when he could be playing everyday. I think he could become a nice 4th OF type player if everything falls right. But if a couple of our OFs go down with injury I would hate to ask Gentry to come off the bench cold and try and play in the majors when he has very little experience above AA
Bryan Smith (12:17:17 PM PT): Justin Smoak and Josh Hamilton. The AL West might just have found their Bash Brothers, v. 2.0.
by bigsteve on Feb 5, 2010 10:11 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs
1B?
1B is an important offensive position and Gentry can’t cut it there.
A baseball game is simply a nervous breakdown divided into nine innings.
by NothinG on Feb 4, 2010 12:35 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
hopefully with Davis getting his shit together and possibly Smoak helping out...
there won’t be much of a need for a first baseman off the bench.
I did not ask you if you have herpes. I said is that a hairpiece?!?
by BigGuns on Feb 4, 2010 1:52 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
Esteban German
Career OPB+ vs. LHP of 108, and can play every position except catcher and CF.
by Darrell McKown on Feb 4, 2010 10:27 AM CST reply actions 0 recs
Boggs or Baldelli
Both guys will learn to play first base but that shouldn’t be a big deal.
"Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection we can catch excellence." -- Vince Lombardi
by coolaid on Feb 4, 2010 1:44 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
What is Boggs' status?
Is he healthy?
Will he ever be?
The 40 Trumps All!!!
"Don't let the haircut fool you. I'm exceedingly wealthy." -Bill Gates.
by thedirkatron on Feb 4, 2010 1:58 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
Smoak up by midseason?
Don’t forget how aggressive this front office has been with guys they believe in. Elvis, Hunter, Holland…if they think a guy is ready to contribute they will not hesitate to bring him up and shove him out there. If Smoak shows he’s handling breaking stuff well I would not be at all surprised if he came up when they needed someone in case of injury or suckitude.
Depending on circumstances, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Smoak up by the All-Star Break. If Vlad is hobbled or just plain old and sucky…if Davis can’t figure it out…
Freude, schoener Goetterfunken,
Tochter aus Elysium,
Wir betreten feuertrunken,
Himmlische dein Heiligtum.
by t ball on Feb 4, 2010 5:11 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
Rocco Baldelli...
Adding Rocco Baldelli seems like a pretty good idea, especially if he could handle some time at first base. If I was sure that the “25th Man” was going to be sparingly used, then I’d advocate Craig Gentry, who I imagine would be a great pinch runner/defensive replacement. However:
a) Josh Hamilton missed more than two months with injuries in 2009
b) Nelson Cruz was on the DL during 2009 and got inflammation in his ankle during Winter League Baseball
c) First baseman Chris Davis hit .238/.284/.442 in the Major Leagues last year. Against left-handers, the line was .189/.235/.311.
d) Julio Borbon only had 16 at bats against Major League left-handers last season (.125/.125/.125). At Triple-A in 2009, his line against left-handers was .265/.343/.315. In 2008, between Bakersfield and Frisco he hit .273/.314/.378 against southpaws.
e) Vladimir Guerrero missed almost two months of last season.
All things considered, I’d say the Rangers might want to operate under the assumption that they might need another “starter.” While not great, otherwise he wouldn’t be available, Baldelli might be the best option at the moment. If cheap enough, he likely wouldn’t be too hard to move if necessary.
by YourNameHere on Feb 4, 2010 9:49 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
I see
points a through e, the only problem with Baldelli is his injury history – can he be healthy and do all the things the Rangers would need him to do?
by Randy Richardson on Feb 4, 2010 11:37 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs
Maybe...
I don’t know one way or the other about whether or not Rocco Baldelli can be healthy. But if the Rangers sign him and he can, then all the better. If not, as long as they’re not removed from the 40-Man Roster, Craig Gentry and Brandon Boggs would be only a few hour bus ride away. As long as Baldelli isn’t asking for too much money, I think he’s worth pursuing.
by YourNameHere on Feb 5, 2010 12:11 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs
I'm not completely
opposed to the idea of having Baldelli – he’s a great add if healthy. I would definintely want the Rangers to bring him in on an NRI to give them Spring Training to evaluate his health/stamina/abilities without having wasted a roster spot on him if they don’t feel he can be productive.
by Randy Richardson on Feb 5, 2010 12:57 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs
Hack F. Blalock!
"Josey drives to games???
I always assumed he rides in on his high horse"
jam0152
Martin Perez, "Mucho queso"
by RangersSD on Feb 6, 2010 11:02 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
NRI
with a minor league contract? Would ya?
"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
by DJCahill on Feb 9, 2010 7:35 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs
No.
Morality you can fake. Fun you either have or you don't.
by lonestarJon on Feb 9, 2010 7:54 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs
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