Saturday morning Rangers things
by Adam J. Morris on Sep 4, 2010 8:37 AM CDT
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PrintThat was a winnable game last night, against the team the Rangers are up against in the fight for home field advantage in the first round. And like a lot of winnable games that have turned into losses this year, this game featured an anemic offensive performance and questionable decisions that cost the Rangers on the scoreboard.
Julio Borbon's decision to throw to third base, missing the cutoff man, when he had no chance of getting Orlando Hudson, probably cost the Rangers a run, as the throw allowed Joe Mauer to advance to second base. Thus, Michael Cuddyer's grounder, which otherwise likely would have been an inning-ending double play, became a run scoring groundout.
Alexi Ogando was up 0-2 with two on and one out, but rather than putting his batter away, he left a slider up and over the plate, allowing a run scoring single.
And then there was Alex Cora getting gunned down at third in the ninth inning. The decision to try to advance was understandable, down one with one out in the 9th, but a great throw by Jason Repko turned Cora into the second out.
Of course, the Rangers wouldn't have been in that situation in the first place if the offense had done a better job against what was largely a collection of AAA pitchers. With the Twins having burned through their bullpen the night before and having to rely on a AAA callup to start yesterday's game, the offense could not capitalize.
Just disappointing all around. Well, almost all around...Derek Holland's performance was solid, despite being tagged with 4 runs allowed.
Jeff Wilson's game story talks about how last night's game highlights how the team is missing Frank Francisco, who Wilson suggests would have pitched in the 7th had he been healthy.
T.R. Sullivan's game story focuses on the key 9th inning play by Cora, who was thrown out trying to advance from first to third on Julio Borbon's single to right field. Michael Young is quoted as saying that Cora made the right decision, and just was thrown out on a perfect throw.
Evan Grant runs down the small things that led to the Rangers 4-3 loss last night, and suggests that last night's experience with Cora, a decent baserunner but not a burner, could lead to the Rangers accelerating the timetable for bringing up Willy Taveras.
Richard Durrett has some postgame quotes and thoughts, with Alex Cora saying you have to "tip your cap" to Jason Repko for a good throw. Cap tipping seems to be sweeping the organization.
Durrett also writes that Chuck Greenberg is on the road with the team, wanting to see some other parks around the league and how the handle various aspects of the fan experience.
Grant says that winning the West isn't enough for the 2010 Texas Rangers -- they need to win a playoff series, as well.
Sullivan's notes includes info on Clay Rapada, Michael Kirkman's future as a starter, and the signing of Mark Prior to a minor league deal.
Prior, of course, is 8 years removed from dominance, and is being signed to provide some depth for Oklahoma. He's not the guy who was the #2 overall pick in the draft. He's about as likely to ultimately have an impact on the major league club as any other random minor league free agent. Don't waste time and energy talking about how great it would be if he regained his form with the Rangers. It isn't going to happen.
And finally, Darren O'Day is apparently a trend-setter in the Ranger clubhouse, having started an iPad craze among the players.
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Harry and Ogando should not be used with runners on base. Inherited runners that is. O’Day and Oliver need that job.
Yeah...
I don’t understand why O’Day and Oliver weren’t used instead of those two as well. Was Oliver not available last night? Why go with Harrison and Rapada later on instead of Oliver and Kirkman.
"The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance."-Socrates
Wouldn't it be great if Prior regained his form with the Rangers?
by robert_d_wilfong on Sep 4, 2010 8:48 AM CDT reply actions
I'm much more interested about Darren O'Day starting an iPad craze.
I don’t always have sex with men…but when I do, I prefer Josh Hamilton. - AJM
by LSJ on Sep 4, 2010 8:52 AM CDT up reply actions
In Pigeon Forge, TN right now...
out the door to Dollywood
Be back with a review.
Have a good day.
"Sometimes you just want to sit back and watch somebody throw 100." - Jeff Passan on Neftali Feliz
"Baseball's all that's real" - JB
have fun Bub!
don’t mind us working scrubs because we’re just:
Workin` 9 to 5
What a way to make a livin`
Barely gettin` by
It`s all takin`
And no givin`
They just use your mind
And they never give you credit
It`s enough to drive you
Crazy if you let it
This shit ain't over til Bengie Molina sings.
Pretty cool place
went there a couple years back and really had a fun time in the entire town
Mavs MoneyBall!!
Dallas Stars Examiner!!
poster formerly known as hinduplaya
She did a terrible version of Stairway to Heaven.
Therefore I find her more annoying than she was when I found that out.
Genesis 1: 3-4 (Rangers Edition): And JD said "Let there be Lee," and there was Lee. And JD saw the Lee, that it was good: and JD divided the Rangers from the Angels. by Aquaman56
That's because you weigh about a buck twenty five...
…and the wind ends up blowing you down the road faster than Bengie can run. AJM on Aug 30, 2010
Challenge?
Look at the comments under Jeff Wilson's blog post on dallasnews.com. What a bunch of rocket scientists.- Keith Law
Did you call the hypothetical hardware store and buy a theoretical chain saw?
You just think it can't get worse
and then it keeps getting worse. I had to stop ’cause what has been heard cannot be unheard.
Another one
One more
Compared to The original
Dolly is an American institution.
Great songwriter, and the best female country artist ever.
'Waiting for a girl and she gets me into fights
Waiting for a girl we get drunk on Friday night'
by scoop16 on Sep 4, 2010 1:03 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
I like Loretta a lot, as well.
It becomes personal tastes at their point.
'Waiting for a girl and she gets me into fights
Waiting for a girl we get drunk on Friday night'
I don't normally have personal opinions on players
But I really dislike Julio Borbon. He’s just a dumb baseball player.
by LoneStarBallUser on Sep 4, 2010 9:42 AM CDT reply actions
So Judy did something
really stupid between the lines yet again?
In the past month he has now….
Overthrown a cut-off man in Minnesota.
Overthrown a cut-off man in Tampa.
Turned his back early on a ball in Tampa that he thought was going high off the wall that could have been caught if he hadn’t turned around so early.
Hit a ball off the wall in Tampa but had his head down when rounding second only to find out the 3B coach had held Spider Arias and was nearly caught at 2B. No actual consequences for this random act of stupidity (Tampa infielder dropped ball and Judy scrambled back).
In Baltimore, he swung and missed a strike 3 that got away from the catcher but Judy stood at home like the dumb motherfucker he is and was tagged out. Said he thought he fouled it off.
In Baltimore, two outs, runner on 3B and Judy on 1B. Judy tries to steal 2B but stops running because he thought the batter fouled off the pitch. Judy was meat at 2B.
In Baltimore, Judy slapped a base-hit and was promptly picked off.
In Arlington, he dropped a can of corn hit to him in CF v Boston.
These are all random acts of stupidity that have happened in the last 3 weeks….Judy Borbon is one of the dumbest baseball players I have ever seen …and that’s saying a lot.
Just for the heck of it…Judy’s post AS Break OPS sits at .541.
"Dying ain't hard. It's living that's hard."
"The Influence continues." Josey Wales (1/18/10)
holy shit I knew Borbon was fucking up a lot...
but that body of evidence is overwhelming. I had forgotten half of it. The 11 stolen bases while getting caught 7 times sure doesn’t help. I figured he’d have AT LEAST 30 or 40 sb’s by now based on my early season projections.
Meanwhile Murph in his last 31 games is hitting around .330 with an OBP around .450, taking out second basemen on double plays, making great running catches, getting tons of clutch 2 out hits and is 11 for 12 on stolen bases. Yeh Big Dog it looks like Judy’s pining for the pine. Wish granted!
This shit ain't over til Bengie Molina sings.
If someone will trade for him
based on his speed and reputation, I’d do it in a heartbeat.
"Look, we're basically on earth to shit and fuck. So unless your job's to help people shit or fuck, it's not that important, so relax."-https://twitter.com/shitmydadsays
Judy was really dumb at first when he came up last year but I thought that
was because he was a rook…and that’s what happens a lot of times with young players but he’s had nearly 600 plate appearances in The Show and he’s just as dumb now as he was when he first came up….and I despise players who are brain-dead motherfuckers because they will do something to get you beat when the stakes are the highest.
When I was at Spring Training last March, I noticed Judy jacking around with Tiny E right before the national anthem was about to be played and Nelson Cruz walked over and stood between them.
I saw Judy acting like a complete tool before a game we had with Detroit (in Arlington) this past April. A big hug with all kinds of wild hand gestures for one of the Tigers when he was doing sprints 10-15 minutes just behind 2B.
This past homestand, the television panned to the dugout right before the Rangers were about to take the field and there’s Judy jacking around and being silly with Tiny E once again.
Judy doesn’t change his ways or try to become a smarter ballplayer because he doesn’t have to…the manager keeps putting his dumbass in the line-up just about every game.
"Dying ain't hard. It's living that's hard."
"The Influence continues." Josey Wales (1/18/10)
Wasn't one of the arguments about Borbon originally
that because he came out of Tennessee, he would be a little more polished in the strategic details of the game (as college players tend to be) compared to other toolsy-type players? For some reason I remember that.
But he isn’t very smart out there. This team in general isn’t very smart on plays like that. On the basepaths they’re dumb, getting thrown out as the tying run in the 9th inning. Fielders throw to the wrong base. Ugh. People got upset in the post-game thread when someone said that Minnesota won because they played smarter than Texas… I don’t see how that is even up for debate, the Rangers play sloppy baseball (other than a few guys, like Hamilton), and they’ve been playing sloppy baseball for four years
Go Rice Owls!
I absolutely think Minnesota played and is smarter than Texas and it contributed to the loss.
I just don’t think it’s the primary reason they lost, which was just plain bad luck.
Yep.
Runs like a deer, jumps like a deer, thinks like a deer.
"Look, we're basically on earth to shit and fuck. So unless your job's to help people shit or fuck, it's not that important, so relax."-https://twitter.com/shitmydadsays
And from that cartoon, this great link:
My family is originally from a town in West Texas, about an hour away from the Mexican border. This is where I spent my summers learning how to cook these fabulous dishes from my grandmother.
Oh yeah!
"I support you, Wash; I’ve always supported you," Young said
"Back on the scene, with a gangsta lean" RW
Just stopping in to say good morning
We’re heading to Kansas City today for Royals/Tigers.
Also, we saw Scott Feldman at breakfast in the hotel this morning. He’s very very tall. That is all.
"I’ve been a Rangers fan all my life and I can tell you there’s been plenty of fucking crying in baseball…" - WhipSmart, 6.3.08
by Lisa W on Sep 4, 2010 9:45 AM CDT via mobile reply actions
Did you make him bus your table?
because he should be doing something to earn the money he’s getting.
Go Rice Owls!
If you're hungry later Oklahoma Joes has the best barbecue in town..
I had some yesterday…mmmmmm ….it’s at 3002 W. 47th ave. in Mission, KS…kind of a dive of a restaurant situated in a gas station and the line will be about 50 deep at least but so worth it.
This shit ain't over til Bengie Molina sings.
OT. I went back to see if was possible for him and yeah it is
http://texas.rangers.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=6075829
"I was going to say, 'You’re gay for Elvis.' But then I realized that I, too, am gay for Elvis." ~Adam J. Morris.
unpossible!
What is sort of ironic is that his first ML homerun was hit into the Rangers bullpen in RCF. Four of his six have been jerked down the LF line and the other is the clip you linked. He has totally given up on turning on the ball this year and is settling for soft LDs into RF.
http://www.hittrackeronline.com/detail.php?id=2009_3053&type=hitter
Who are you? Aquaman?
Ha!
That being said…..
IT’S COLLEGE FOOTBALL SATURDAY!!!!
(my wiener just moved a little.)
BTHO SFA!!!!
"Biggest mistake in DFW history?" - Bigger mistake in LSB history.
"Back in Irish's day you had to kill a man before you were taken seriously in polite society." - Aquaman56 06/25/10
Ummm...No.
Personally, I’ll be going back and forth between Wash/BYU and Oregon St./TCU.
"The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance."-Socrates
Go Beavers!!
"Dying ain't hard. It's living that's hard."
"The Influence continues." Josey Wales (1/18/10)
I don't think they show Baylor games outside of a 3 county radius of Waco.
You may be able to get them in West or Hillsboro or MAYBE Temple or Cleburne. But I think we’re okay, our TVs won’t be littered with teams running up the score on the Baylor Bears this year
Go Rice Owls!
Death, taxes and 4-8.
"Dying ain't hard. It's living that's hard."
"The Influence continues." Josey Wales (1/18/10)
That's right you're an Owl.
You’re going to war with a short stick but I would love, love, love to see you make that game competitive.
"Dying ain't hard. It's living that's hard."
"The Influence continues." Josey Wales (1/18/10)
Didn't see it posted in the PGT
Anyone gif when Hunter was horsing around in the dugout in the 6th inning I believe
At least the college football season is getting under way today.
Mizzou -12.5
Colo St. +13
Notre Dame -11.5
Okie St. -15
Just sayin’.
What do you think about Oregon State getting 13.5?
That seems like a lot of points to me but Hitzges had TCU as a double-play.
"Dying ain't hard. It's living that's hard."
"The Influence continues." Josey Wales (1/18/10)
The thing is...TCU wins games with a stifling defense
and that’s a big number for a team QB’d by Andy Dalton to cover, especially when it’s a top 25 team.
The Jerry Dome is going to be mostly empty tonight so it’s not like there’s going to be a huge home field advantage for the Frogs.
Norm said something about teams in TCU’s situation….real good team that lost a BCS game but brought back a lot of players the next year is something like 19-6 ATS. I’m not buying that TCU is like most of those teams that lost a BCS game.
I think staying away from it is the best call.
"Dying ain't hard. It's living that's hard."
"The Influence continues." Josey Wales (1/18/10)
Norm is the kiss of death.
TCU might be in trouble now.
I feel bad for horses that Norm picks.
'Waiting for a girl and she gets me into fights
Waiting for a girl we get drunk on Friday night'
As long as we're talking about off-topic shit that nobody cares about
Today is Non-League Day, all you footy fans. I’m gonna catch FC Dallas as they try to extend their unbeaten streak to 13 games.
by Past A Diving Michael Young on Sep 4, 2010 11:17 AM CDT up reply actions
I think that's a bit unnecessarily pessimistic on Prior
If you’d have played the ‘No such thing as a low-risk signing, because you only have so many roster spots’ card, I’d probably nod, solemnly, in silent agreement.
But the ’Ain’t happenin’!’ card, while it’s the most likely result, seems joyless and Cahill-like.
Look at the comments under Jeff Wilson's blog post on dallasnews.com. What a bunch of rocket scientists.- Keith Law
Did you call the hypothetical hardware store and buy a theoretical chain saw?
Aint happening this year
that’s for sure
Probably never happening that he looks like the Prior of old. Maybe he’ll be a serviceable reliever or something.
"Look, we're basically on earth to shit and fuck. So unless your job's to help people shit or fuck, it's not that important, so relax."-https://twitter.com/shitmydadsays
LMAO. Olney's headline: "Future is bright for Astros"
"I was going to say, 'You’re gay for Elvis.' But then I realized that I, too, am gay for Elvis." ~Adam J. Morris.
Happy College Football Day, everyone!
"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
Well
Here’s the thing.
Are you going to go look for a one year filler solution, and hope Borbon is ready in 2012?
Or are you going to look for a long-term solution?
Do you go ahead and deal Borbon now, or do you bring him back as the 4th outfielder next year, or do you plan on him spending all of 2011 in AAA?
You have to decide what the future of Borbon in your organization is so you can decide how you want to address improving CF.
by Adam J. Morris on Sep 4, 2010 11:59 AM CDT up reply actions
I'd get rid of Borbon.
This Thing’s window of opportunity is open this year and 2011…and then it’s time to reassess where you are.
Judy’s costing us games and whatever he brings to the table defensively is mitigaged by the combo platter of a Vagisil encased arm and a complete lack of intelligence.
Yes, I happily get rid of Judy Borbon…this is not Kenny Lofton circa 1995. Far from it.
"Dying ain't hard. It's living that's hard."
"The Influence continues." Josey Wales (1/18/10)
x
whatever he brings to the table defensively is mitigaged by the combo platter of a Vagisil encased arm and a complete lack of intelligence.
Wrong.
by Adam J. Morris on Sep 4, 2010 12:04 PM CDT up reply actions
Do you think he's a smart ballplayer?
"Dying ain't hard. It's living that's hard."
"The Influence continues." Josey Wales (1/18/10)
In terms of his baseball IQ?
Not particularly.
I don’t think he’s a Rube Waddell-type idiot manchild like you seem to think he is, though. He is, supposedly, one of the sharper guys on the team, off the field.
by Adam J. Morris on Sep 4, 2010 12:08 PM CDT up reply actions
He may be one of the sharper guys off the field...I could buy that.
Went to college, parents heavily into education, all that.
It’s simply not translating to the baseball field and he is barnone, the dumbest player on this team and it’s not close.
"Dying ain't hard. It's living that's hard."
"The Influence continues." Josey Wales (1/18/10)
We get it Josey....
you are stupid and dont think a young baseball player who is one of the best defensive players in baseball an improve…..
Josey Wales is stupid
You don't have to decide on Borbon's future
with the org until you find his replacement for 2011. You also have to consider if Vlad is coming back next year. Ideally, he goes to AAA next year and has to earn his way back to the MLs.
I think if that's your plan for Borbon...
…then you likely go ahead and move him this offseason. He has value, and I think there would be quite a few teams interested in him if you wanted to trade him.
by Adam J. Morris on Sep 4, 2010 12:09 PM CDT up reply actions
If they sign a 1 year stopgap
then you don’t trade him. He does need some refinement in AAA and he has value to the Rangers over the longterm.
Yep, exactly
better to trade him this offseason than to wait until the only thing we can get for him is Guillermo Moscoso
"Look, we're basically on earth to shit and fuck. So unless your job's to help people shit or fuck, it's not that important, so relax."-https://twitter.com/shitmydadsays
Bring him back as the starting CF next year.
He showed too much last year to give up on him. It’s been a bad year, but I still think he can be a good player.
'Waiting for a girl and she gets me into fights
Waiting for a girl we get drunk on Friday night'
I tell him it's not
a given that he’s going to be the starting CF next year and make him earn it…kind of the Chris Davis treatment.
If he shits the walls like Davis the first three weeks of 2011, he goes back to OKC.
"Dying ain't hard. It's living that's hard."
"The Influence continues." Josey Wales (1/18/10)
I fear turning him into Davis,
i.e. a guy who thinks too much at the plate about what he’s supposed to be. I want him to just play with a clear mind. Next year, that is, this year he doesn’t need to be a part of it.
'Waiting for a girl and she gets me into fights
Waiting for a girl we get drunk on Friday night'
I think part of his problem is
that he didn’t spend enough time in the minors and my hope would be that he’d get a little more polish down there.
Right now it seems as though he feels entitled to the postion with little motivation to change.
I’ve never watched Willy Taveras play but it’s hard to believe he’d be a worse option in the Year of It’s Time.
OT – Matt Leinhart released by Arizona.
"Dying ain't hard. It's living that's hard."
"The Influence continues." Josey Wales (1/18/10)
Willy Taveras
has a career wOBA of .300.
Over the last 3 seasons, his wOBA is lower than Borbon’s .285 this year.
He should've come out after his junior year.
SF would’ve taken him #1 overall, he’d have gotten a huge signing bonus, and probably would’ve got the Alex Smith treatment and still have a job.
Considering it’s gonna be Murphy/Hamilton/Cruz in the postseason, Tavares makes more sense to me as a pinch-running option. I still wanna keep Borbon for next year, because of what I saw last year. I think he can be a 10 homer/40 steal/.340-.350 OBP guy. With great range, and a poor arm.
'Waiting for a girl and she gets me into fights
Waiting for a girl we get drunk on Friday night'
He'd better learn to read pitchers.
No way he gets to 40 steals with a 61 percent steal percentage.
He should definitely have a red light most times on the basepaths.
"Look, we're basically on earth to shit and fuck. So unless your job's to help people shit or fuck, it's not that important, so relax."-https://twitter.com/shitmydadsays
Agreed
Taveras is not going to play every day.
He’s a pinch-runner (stole 68 of 75 bases two years ago) and late inning defensive replacment that has use in the post-season. You can live with his lack of production in September because the AL West title is on ice.
I can’t put Judy in post-season games because he’s too freaking stupid. Screwing up a relatively meaningless game in September (although I’d like to have HFA over the Twins) is one thing but I can’t live with another brain-dead moment from him in the post-season..
"Dying ain't hard. It's living that's hard."
"The Influence continues." Josey Wales (1/18/10)
Taveras has a sub-600 OPS in AAA this year
by Adam J. Morris on Sep 4, 2010 2:14 PM CDT up reply actions
I spot play him...
As mentioned above, you can live with the lack of production (Judy has hovered around a .500 OPS all season other than 3 weeks in June) because we have a big lead in the AL West.
Willy T has use in the post-season. He doesn’t waste his speed like Judy does…he can actually steal bases and from what I’ve heard, is a plus defender in CF.
"Dying ain't hard. It's living that's hard."
"The Influence continues." Josey Wales (1/18/10)
So he's a plus defender in CF
Where Borbon is a plus-plus defender.
I get it, Borbon makes fucking retarded mistakes in CF, but Taveras is hardly the answer.
I've been trying to convince my family of the magic of cumin. They won't listen to me. It makes almost everything better.- PhilKid3, 8/16/2010.
by Aquaman, Esq. on Sep 4, 2010 2:22 PM CDT up reply actions
You think Taveras is better than Borbon?
by Adam J. Morris on Sep 4, 2010 11:51 AM CDT up reply actions
not really
I just suspect Wash doesn’t like Borbon and is willing to risk Hamilton’s knee in order to not have Borbon out there. Simply adding Tavares would give Wash another guy to go to if he’s grumpy and not play Hamilton, who has no business in center.
Go Rice Owls!
If you think Wash doesn't like Borbon....
…you must have missed Josey’s post above, where he indicates that Wash is going to play Borbon every day no matter what.
by Adam J. Morris on Sep 4, 2010 11:59 AM CDT up reply actions
Without looking, I'd bet Judy
has been in the line-up in 85% of the games we’ve played in the last month.
"Dying ain't hard. It's living that's hard."
"The Influence continues." Josey Wales (1/18/10)
He was getting benched regularly from the ASB until Cruz got hurt
Once Nelson Cruz got hurt, yes, he started playing regularly again, because, you know, there weren’t really many other options to play in the outfield.
by Adam J. Morris on Sep 4, 2010 12:05 PM CDT up reply actions
LOL
Since August 14, the Rangers have played in 20 games and Judy started 17 of those games….which comes out to 85%.
Swear to the Big Man…that was just a guess by moi.
And if you’ll notice, the most recent shit-storm of stupidity that has rained down from Judy began on August 14 when he dropped that can of corn fly ball in the Boston game that helped cost us the game.
"Dying ain't hard. It's living that's hard."
"The Influence continues." Josey Wales (1/18/10)
Judy rode pine in 11 of 26 games before Cruz
was injured….that’s not being “benched regularly”…that’s a platoon.
"Dying ain't hard. It's living that's hard."
"The Influence continues." Josey Wales (1/18/10)
Borbon started 5 of the first 6 games after the ASB
After that he started 8 of 21 games and in 2 of those he got pulled in the 7th inning.
I wouldn’t necessarily call that a platoon
Considering after the ASB he's been
.245/.276 /.266 OPS .541, that’s probably too many games he’s been in.
"Look, we're basically on earth to shit and fuck. So unless your job's to help people shit or fuck, it's not that important, so relax."-https://twitter.com/shitmydadsays
For the record
I would just continue playing Borbon, I think he’s the team’s best long-term hope at CF right now.
Go Rice Owls!
umm, is there a certain Beltre you'reforgetting?
Roll with Borbon for another season, but find a back-up CF option to have as well so if Borbon needs to be sent down next season, you have an option still. If Borbon doesn’t do any better next season, then you have Beltre in the upper levels as a potential option and you can re-evaluate for 2012
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'd rather trade him
while he still has some semblence of value, rather than riding him into the ground like Laird and Chris Davis.
"Look, we're basically on earth to shit and fuck. So unless your job's to help people shit or fuck, it's not that important, so relax."-https://twitter.com/shitmydadsays
Trade him for what?
For the near future, this team is looking to contend and is going to need a CF. What we know Borbon brings to the table guaranteed is good CF defense, and that might be underselling it. What we don’t know is how his offense will be. He’s got potential offensively though and no matter how pessimistic you or Josey may be on his offense, there is still a good chance that he can be at least average offensively in 2011.
So again I ask, what are you looking to trade him for? Because unless there’s a CF coming back, you’re just creating a pretty big hole in CF and one that isn’t easy to fix. This isn’t like with Davis where there’s no amount of defense to make the lack of offense bearable. You can definitely live with an all-glove, no-bat CF. And that’s the likely worst case scenario with Borbon. So if you trade him, what do you do about CF for the next couple of seasons?
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,
obviously I don’t think he is the CF of our future, so I would trade for 1B, C, or 3B as well as CF. My guess is he is a defensive replacement bench OF at best.
"Look, we're basically on earth to shit and fuck. So unless your job's to help people shit or fuck, it's not that important, so relax."-https://twitter.com/shitmydadsays
CF of the future or not
I don’t care to debate that with you because I don’t really think Borbon is that CF either. But for the next couple of seasons at least, he’s the best CF option we have. Its funny that you say he’s a bench player at best when this season has shown that even when he is absolutely horrible offensively, he can still have value.
There are no good CF options in FA, maybe the Rangers could strike gold again and find another Byrd to pick up as an NRI, but even the all-defense, no offense guys aren’t too easy to find. So again, what’s your plan for CF once you trade Borbon?
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
When you are hanging
sub 600 OPS most of the year, it really doesn’t matter how good your glove is
"Look, we're basically on earth to shit and fuck. So unless your job's to help people shit or fuck, it's not that important, so relax."-https://twitter.com/shitmydadsays
There was a time when that thought process was believed to be true
But I’d like to think you know better than that. Say what you want about his bat, but his WAR still has him being worth 1.1 wins over a replacement player and that’s with being 12.5 runs below replacement. If you really think he’s going to continue being a .650 OPS/.285 wOBA player, then you’re still looking at a player who is above replacement as your CF. If you don’t think that he’s a guarantee to be that bad in the future, then you’re probably looking at a 2+ WAR player, and that’s being conservative.
When you can find a CF that can give you that at a reasonable cost, then you can start trading away our only CF option for the next 1-2 years. Maybe this time, you’ll respond with an actual solution for CF rather than continue your tirade against Borbon.
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
Considering Borbon's no better than the
disposable string of CFs we’ve run out the last half decade, and significantly worse than a lot of them, I don’t need to have a concrete plan to replace him. To act like you can’t get someone roughly equivalent to Borbon is just plain silly when he is roughly on par with Laynce Nix. If you can trade him and receive any sort of return at all for him, you can probably pick up the 1-2 WAR you lose by fixing 1B, C, 3B or other position.
From our history
2009 Byrd 3 WAR
2008 Hamilton, 3.8 WAR
2007 Kenny Lofton 2.5 WAR
2006 Gary Matthews 3.9 WAR
2005 Gary Matthews 2.7 WAR
2004 Laynce Nix .9 WAR
"Look, we're basically on earth to shit and fuck. So unless your job's to help people shit or fuck, it's not that important, so relax."-https://twitter.com/shitmydadsays
Okay, so you're solution is to just let things work themselves out
Brilliant strategy.
Look at your list of CFs over the past few years. The Rangers hit on a couple of NRIs, made a huge trade for one, picked up a good 1 year stop-gap in FA, and gave a prospect an opportunity. There are no FAs that fit the Lofton mold and you aren’t expecting to compete for the playoffs when you are banking your CF on an NRI. The only players in the minors that could be an option next year are Beltre (barely even worth mentioning as a remote possibility) and Gentry who doesn’t give you any offensive potential.
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 really don't think Gentry is a big downgrade
and you completely neglect any upgrade that occurs at other positions as a result of any trade.
"Look, we're basically on earth to shit and fuck. So unless your job's to help people shit or fuck, it's not that important, so relax."-https://twitter.com/shitmydadsays
If Borbon never hits
Than him and Gentry are pretty interchangeable, but Borbon has always been a more highly touted hitter and I don’t see any reason to think that tthe two are going to be equal offensively from here on out.
As for what we’re getting in a trade, I’m not neglecting it, but I just don’t think we’re going to upgrade that much at those positions with what we get in a trade. Borbon isn’t bringing back some stud catcher, and if he does then I’ll eat some crow on that one and be happy with the trade.
Any 1B you trade Borbon for has to be better than whatever Moreland does, which is a problem JD will have to deal with this offseason. You can’t rely on another young prospect with no real fall back option outside of Davis in AAA, but at the same time, you could end up paying for a 1B when there isn’t much of a need to. And right now, I think CF is a bigger concern for the Rangers than 1B with the emergence of Moreland and Hamilton’s health not looking to get better in the future.
And Borbon isn’t being traded for a 3B with the Rangers moving MY to DH. Its just not going to happen.
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
Personally,
I think this current defensive fad is grossly overrated, and metrics like WAR overvalue defense relative to offense. The Defensive fetishists, like #6org, Boston, and Oakland haven’t exactly covered themselves in glory.
If we can get one of the defensive fetish teams, like #6 org, to overpay for a limited player with zero baseball intelligence but a lot of speed and defense, we should try to swindle them.
"Look, we're basically on earth to shit and fuck. So unless your job's to help people shit or fuck, it's not that important, so relax."-https://twitter.com/shitmydadsays
Well, the defense thing has worked out pretty well for the Padres, Giants and Rays this year though.
And I don’t think you can call the Red Sox defensive fetishists, considering they’re second in baseball in wOBA.
I don’t always have sex with men…but when I do, I prefer Josh Hamilton. - AJM
by LSJ on Sep 5, 2010 9:58 AM CDT up reply actions
Prior...
Certainly not advocating that he is going to come back and be Mark Prior circa 2002, but to say that he has about the same shot of making an impact in the ML as “any other random minor league free agent” is a little silly. Most minor league free agents are available because the simply never had the talent. This is not the case with Prior, he has the talent. Prior was “the best college pitchger ever” before there was a Strasburg. Health can return a lot easier than some hack can all of the sudden just find talent. If Kerry Wood can make it back to the bigs in a 1-inning role, I don’t see why Prior couldn’t as well. Not saying it’s gonna happen, but I wouldn’t dismiss it before giving it a chance either.
Wood
Until 2009, he’d never posted an ERA+ of less than 100, except in 2000, his first season back from T-J. And he’s pitched in the majors every season since 2000.
There’s no comparison between Wood and Prior. Mark Prior hasn’t pitched in the majors since 2006, when he posted a 7.21 ERA in 43 2/3 innings.
Find me a pitcher who has basically missed 5 years due to injury, and then come back and done anything.
It just doesn’t happen.
So yeah, the chances of Prior contributing are about the same as someone like Warner Madrigal, who will be a minor league free agent this offseason, or any of about 100 other pitchers.
The idea he’s going to come back and do anything other than be filler is a pipe dream.
by Adam J. Morris on Sep 4, 2010 11:58 AM CDT up reply actions
Again...
I’m not saying it’s gonna happen, I know it’s a long shot. But the fact that you seem to already know for sure what’s going to happen and are completely dismissive is a little arrogant, don’t you think? But then again, you’ve known things in the past too, like “25 year olds aren’t all the sudden going to become good, it just doesn’t happen. Mike Young is what he is a .262 hitting back up 2B”
It is funny to me that...
…a few people feel the need, when they disagree with me, to go dig up what I said in 2002 about Michael Young.
Yeah, I was wrong about him. Young’s career path has been the exception.
And hey, maybe Mark Prior is the exception. Maybe he’ll be the first guy in history to miss 5 seasons because of arm problems, then come back to be a quality major leaguer.
But the chances of that happening are about the same as the chances that your random minor league NRI this offseason will end up being a quality major leaguer.
Hey, it happens.
The chances are just exceedingly rare, and I see zero reason to believe that Mark Prior is suddenly going to be 1) healthy, and 2) close to the same pitcher he was before he had all his injury problems.
by Adam J. Morris on Sep 4, 2010 12:21 PM CDT up reply actions
Agree...
It’s a long shot, it’s not likely to happen. I’m sorry for taking the dig at what you said 8 years ago. I’m sure it’s just me, but I often don’t understand why people can speak in such absolutes, that something is or isn’t going to happen when we really don’t know.
Also...
Given:
1) Prior’s relatively young age
2) His immense talent ceiling
3) modern medicine
Don’t you think if anyone was ever going to come back from those issues, a guy like Prior is the best candidate to do so?
So any thoughts on the Padres epic collapse?
8 straight losses… that’s going to be a pretty historic undoing if they keep this up
Go Rice Owls!
I'm starting to watch it with much interest.
I’d been expecting this all year and then just gave up at some point.
Wonder if we can trade Borbon this offseason
while he still has value.
"Look, we're basically on earth to shit and fuck. So unless your job's to help people shit or fuck, it's not that important, so relax."-https://twitter.com/shitmydadsays
I'm sure you could trade him
I’m not as convinced as you seem to be that he’s worthless, though.
by Adam J. Morris on Sep 4, 2010 12:00 PM CDT up reply actions
Adam
You’re a staunch defender of Judy.
What is it about him that you like so much?
"Dying ain't hard. It's living that's hard."
"The Influence continues." Josey Wales (1/18/10)
The fact that saying that...
…I’m not convinced he’s completely worthless makes me a “staunch defender” of him amuses me.
I don’t think he’s great. I think he is a plus defensive centerfielder who has enough offensive skills to make him a potential starter for the next few years.
I’m not ready to give him away, as you and Cahill appear to be.
by Adam J. Morris on Sep 4, 2010 12:07 PM CDT up reply actions
Adam,
Judy has been really bad for most of this year. The only reason his OPS for the year is above .550 is because of that 3 week hot streak he had in June.
Look at his splits everywhere else…April, May, July, August, second half…he’s simply awful.
When you throw in the fact that he has world class blinding speed but can’t steal bases, has a terrible arm and isn’t very smart…what the hell else do you need to see?
I’d rather see Willy Taveras right now in the Year of It’s Time.
"Dying ain't hard. It's living that's hard."
"The Influence continues." Josey Wales (1/18/10)
Why would you think
I would give him away? Have I said that anywhere? If you get starting CF value for him though, I’d take it and run. I see no reason not to shop him though, instead of holding onto him until every knows he isn’t all that good.
"Look, we're basically on earth to shit and fuck. So unless your job's to help people shit or fuck, it's not that important, so relax."-https://twitter.com/shitmydadsays
If he was worthless
you couldn’t trade him. I think because of his speed, he has more trade value than actual value though.
Stupid player plus no arm plus no strike zone judgement doesn’t add up to high upside to me.
"Look, we're basically on earth to shit and fuck. So unless your job's to help people shit or fuck, it's not that important, so relax."-https://twitter.com/shitmydadsays
I have no idea if this is true or not but does this go back to when Judy was drafted
by the Rangers?
Cahill hated the pick and Adam loved it? Just a guess.
"Dying ain't hard. It's living that's hard."
"The Influence continues." Josey Wales (1/18/10)
I know it is a very
Small sample, the 0-10 road record vs likely playoff teams, & that a lot of that is just ‘noise’ or bad luck but let’s face it:
This is a decent ballclub, sometimes good, sometimes pretty awful. The Rangers are extremely lucky that the A’s cannot score.
This is not ‘our year.’ But with the new ownership and enthusiasm going forward things look bright for the long term.
beneath the paving stones, the beach!
Cherrypick much?
0-10 road record vs likely playoff teams
A) Where did you come up with that? Why did you choose the endpoint you did – so you could make a point? Who do you consider a likely playoff team?
B) You know teams do worse on the road than at home, right?
C) You know teams do worse against “likely playoff teams”, right?
D) Most importantly, you know that last night was the first time in a long time that both Nelson Cruz and Ian Kinsler were in the lineup, right?
E) Anything can happen in the playoffs.
by Past A Diving Michael Young on Sep 4, 2010 1:19 PM CDT up reply actions
No one asked Wash why Cruz is running at 70%?
He has looked terrible since his return.
"I was going to say, 'You’re gay for Elvis.' But then I realized that I, too, am gay for Elvis." ~Adam J. Morris.
Nope...
We still have an hour and a half until “The Garrett Gilbert Era” begins!!!!!!!
Hook ’Em Baby!!!!!!!!!
Then it will be Connor Wood or some other top recruit.
Not sure why Little McCoy ever thought he would have a chance at QB. Just look at Sherrod Harris from Arl Bowie.
I've been trying to convince my family of the magic of cumin. They won't listen to me. It makes almost everything better.- PhilKid3, 8/16/2010.
by Aquaman, Esq. on Sep 4, 2010 1:55 PM CDT up reply actions
oh I see Darren Oliver has back problems still..
thanks Frankie, Josh and Darren with back problems. The rigors of the long season are catching up…time to rest up!
This shit ain't over til Bengie Molina sings.
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