All-Decade Rangers Team
by Adam J. Morris on Mar 16, 2010 11:01 AM CDT
54 comments
T.R. Sullivan asked various folks to cast their votes for the Rangers' All-Decade Team for the Aughts, and you can see the results and the accompanying story here.
Some interesting selections, and some choices that highlight how weak the Rangers were in a couple of areas in particular in the last decade.
Check it out...
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GMJ?
The outfield has been pretty horrible this decade.
We need to not always make hard work out of sex- Rick Carlisle.
Those are the two that jumped out at me
Although where’s Phil Nevin?
"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.
Both were
excellent players as Rangers, who were grossly underappreciated while here.
"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
Yeah, looking at it, GMJ isn't a terrible representative.
But the fact that he had a pretty average year, an All-Star level year, something in between and nothing else is pretty indicative of how sad this decade has been when that’s the best we have to offer in the outfield.
Don't sell Byrd short
8.6 WAR over his 3 seasons here without ever getting a chance to be a full time starter. His defense ranged from average to good and he was always good offensively. Seeing as how the Rangers OF this past decade has had few players that have played multiple seasons here and even fewer that were actually good (see Nix and Mench). Having a good player like Byrd or GMJ here for a few seasons is all it takes to make the Rangers all decade team in the OF.
Another good season from Cruz though and that’s going to start changing.
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 actually pretty surprised when I looked it up
but GMJ was worth 9.6 WAR with the Rangers over 3 seasons. In 2004 and 2005, his only value was from his defense, but he was apparently good enough according to UZR to be worth 5.4 wins over those 2 seasons. Kind of goes to show you how much a good defensive CF can be worth.
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
It was a very good year
followed by a meh, but still halfway decent, year (thanks to his defense surprisingly enough). He’s not too far from where GMJ and Byrd are in the WAR rankings.
Of course, its also funny looking at how these guys match up in WAR trying to get an overall picture of things knowing that the people who voted on these guys more likely than not did not look past the things that TR listed like AS games and highlight moments.
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 question
mike young there at 3rd. it really should be blalock. but i guess young has to be on the team somewhere.
as far as how week the outfield has been, i’m sure kevin mench is number 4 or 5 on that list.
Can we stick him at DH in an all-decade team?
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
Well MY has to be on the list somehow
and pushing blalock out is the better choice than kinsler or arod
"He will not coddle them. Nolan Ryan doesn’t coddle." - Jeff Passan
by Dirk Diggler on Mar 16, 2010 1:00 PM CDT up reply actions
Wait ...
Soriano had two “excellent” seasons in Texas?
"Ok, post your favorite moment of the Tom Hicks era
Mine is today when he sold the team." - t ball
Soriano
Two all-star seasons. OPS’d over 800 both seasons at the 2b position. He was a butcher in the field but still gave us excellent offensive production relative to his position.
He had two of his worst years with the bat.
His OBP in particular was really bad. Throw in his horrid defense and you had a player that wasn’t very good.
"Ok, post your favorite moment of the Tom Hicks era
Mine is today when he sold the team." - t ball
Outside of Kinsler's
‘08, Soriano’s years are up there with the best offensive years for a Rangers 2B.
Then again, the early years of the decade were mostly Young’s noodle bat he had when he played 2B.
"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
Young at 2B actually beats out Soriano's WAR here by .1 wins
Soriano’s second season here wasn’t as bad since he actually was more of the 30-30 player we thought we were getting although the OBP still left a lot to be desired. His first season here saw him hit for a lot less power, steal fewer bases (at a worse rate), and his OBP wasn’t much better to make up for that. And he was an absolute butcher in the field. His bat just wasn’t able to make up for it anywhere near enough to make him that good of a player. And it should also make us very thankful for having a true elite 2B here now with Kinsler.
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
Young's noodle bat. . .
. . . still managed to have as good a year in ‘03 offensively as Soriano ever had, and that’s including Sori’s baserunning.
Just listing OPS ignores two things.
1) Hitters park and, more importantly, 2) below average OBPs, which is far more important than equal to slugging. And he was atrocious in the field. Soriano as a Ranger was more like average. Excellent is definitely taking it too far.
Soriano
Is it wrong that I’d still like to cock-punch John Hart for trading for that lazy SOB?
"He's not coming back. That chick was like, the Pele of anal."
-- Sterling Archer
Not at all.
Worst trade ever.
"Ok, post your favorite moment of the Tom Hicks era
Mine is today when he sold the team." - t ball
To this day
I have no idea how the fuck the Rangers were on the line for millions of dollars of A-Rod’s contract when he was traded to the MFY
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
Padilla at #4?
Ugh.. might as well put Sir Sidney on the list.
(Wife) "So what do you want to watch on the T.V.? UFC or porn?"
(Husband) "Hmm... well, porn, I guess."
padilla
was definitely a top 5 start for the rangers. it helps that he probably is in top 2 or 3 in innings pitched
Yep, Padilla's a no-brainer on the list.
'Waiting for a girl and she gets me into fights
Waiting for a girl we get drunk on Friday night'
I don't know
The outfield might not be. Catcher certainly won’t. First base probably won’t. Shortstop won’t.
by Chris Martin on Mar 16, 2010 12:51 PM CDT up reply actions
I don't know
then again, I have fairly high hopes for Smoak. I think he has a chance of producing as much as Teixeira did while here. I think he has a chance to be a 900 OPS guy.
"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
It will be tough beating Tex's Rangers seasons significantly
Its very, very unlikely that the Rangers can beat Pudge and A-Rod at C and SS too. You’re talking about 2 of the all time best at those positions. Then again, you are also only talking about 3 seasons each at those positions, so Elvis’ overall Rangers tenure (or at least the next decade) could end up beating out A-Rod depending on how you are choosing your all-decade team.
But the OF will definitely be better with actual OF talent rather than hitting on some NRIs for a few years like with GMJ and Byrd. The pitching will be infinitely better and I don’t think there’s much of an argument there.
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
Yeah
C and SS are out of reach, but I think Teixeira’s 901 OPS as a Ranger may be in range, especially if Smoak is the 1B and not Davis.
"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
SS out of reach.
Even if Andrus’s ten year production essentially doubles A-Rod’s three year (which is very possible)?
I mean, I think this is way to debatable a point to simply put down as definitively out of reach, because it will come down to how you weight a difference in total time played. I think the best season or three year span for a shortstop is out of reach, but I don’t think a better decade is.
I don't think Tex's OPS is out of reach
Even with Davis being that 1B (because that likely means he has things figured out) and I do think Davis is at least as good as Tex defensively. I just think that there’s going to be plenty of debate about who was the better 1B and that we aren’t likely to have a 1B who we can say was clearly better than Tex was while here.
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 would be stunned
if CDavis ever had a high enough OBP to challenge a 900 OPS, given his minor league strikeout and walk rates.
"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
Pitching "infinitely better"
Jose Guzman, Edwin Correa, Bobby Witt, Edinson Volquez, Thomas Diamond, Eric Hurley, John Danks, and Colby Lewis would like to have a word with you about counting chickens.
by Chris Martin on Mar 16, 2010 5:16 PM CDT up reply actions
I'll bet outfield will be.
That outfield has roughly two or three average seasons, two or three All-Star-caliber years, one or two in between and one bad year.
I’ll bet Borbon will have close to seven average or better years all by himself, if not better, this decade. If Cruz repeates ‘09 and Hamilton returns to ’08 form, even if they only do it for a year or two, it’s already pretty comparable, if not better, just from this year’s OF.
Also, shortstop might be. Elvis will probably never have a year better than — or even close to — what A-Rod did three times, but his 10 years might be better overall.
Catcher, no way. Unless we trade for Wieters.
heh, get out of my head
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 to take a crack at this just so I can feel optimistic.
C – Jarrod Saltalamacchia
1B – Justin Smoak
2B – Ian Kinsler
SS – Elvis Andrus
3B – Jurickson Profar (Came up at 19 and won the MVP at 20.)
OF – Julio Borbon
OF – Nelson Cruz
OF – Josh Hamilton
DH – Chris Davis
SP – Neftali Feliz
SP – Martin Perez
SP – Derek Holland
SP – Wilmer Font
SP – Tommy Hunter
SU – Guillermo Moscoso
CL – Pedro Strop
MGR – Nolan Ryan
Scheppers?
"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.
I seriously doubt
Saltalamacchia will be the Catcher of the decade.
I also have to believe that a lot of our best players of the ‘10s decade aren’t part of the organization yet.
"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
I don't think hes a lock, or even necessarily likely.
But I think there’s a real good chance and he’s already in the organization. Obviously I wasn’t just making people up.
I think Salty (and Sickels agreed a while ago) has it in him to have a handful of average years with a good year here or there. I’d be willing to bet if someone spends half the decade at one position being average to above average, they stand a good chance in the argument of the best at the position.
Reading Jparks' ST notes yesterday
reminds me that there is still a lot of good young catching talent in this system, just no immediate options. I think that if Salty isn’t at least average 2 years down the line, then the Rangers will be able to go in another direction.
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
Yeah
Only 4 or 5 of those listed for the Aughts were in the organization in March, 2000.
by Adam J. Morris on Mar 16, 2010 2:03 PM CDT up reply actions
Carl Crawford takes a COF spot.
'Waiting for a girl and she gets me into fights
Waiting for a girl we get drunk on Friday night'
I don't think I'm supposed to be angry after reading that,
but I am.
"Big whoop, wanna fight about it?"
Is it strange
that I think we have 10 pitchers that could be on that list right now?
"Hang-Dai, Wu...Hang-Fu$&ing-Dai"
by Walter Sobchak on Mar 16, 2010 12:43 PM CDT reply actions
Johnny Oates
1 full season and 28 games in another and a combined record of 82-108. As sad as it is Buck and Wash are both more deserving.
2000 wasn't Pudge's best year
1999 was: 144 Games, 199 hits, 35 HR, 113 RBI, 25 SB, with a .332/.356/.558.
Feliz NaviWHOA
The sad but obvious
May I point out that 4 of the 9 non-pitchers on that list have been linked to steroids in some degree. It is kind of a shame. I doubt it would much better for any other team, but it stinks to have it sitting there staring you in the face. My first thought was “ARod and GMJ? They both used steroids,” but then I thought there is a good chance Pudge and Palmeiro did as well.
Consider the dead horse beaten.
Ephesians 1:3-10
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