Kevin Goldstein Chat

Jake (Houston): Any hope for Rangers prospects Danny Gutierrez or Neil Ramirez?

Kevin Goldstein: I think there is lots of hope for both. Ramirez flashed good stuff at times this year, while Gutierrez really has the makeup concerns over anything he does on the mound. He just has to get his head screwed on straight.

Mario66 (Toronto): Would you use Scheppers as a starter or reliever?

Kevin Goldstein: 100% reliever, and get him to the big leagues as soon as possible, because you know he's going to break at some point.

Jason Grey on Moreland

Mitch Moreland, Texas Rangers: Moreland hit .324 and slugged .536 at low Class A last year, then hit .331 and slugged .527 between high Class A and Double-A this year, and has convinced scouts here that his bat is legit. He fell to the 17th round in the 2007 draft partially due to concerns about his bat speed, but he knows how to hit and hasn't stopped since becoming a pro. He profiles as a future big league regular.

Ben Badler on Tanner Scheppers

Tanner Scheppers has created buzz by pitching in the mid- to high-90s for Surprise. A likely top 10 pick out of Fresno State in the 2008 draft prior to hurting his shoulder that April, Scheppers opted not to sign with the Pirates when he slipped to 48th overall in the draft that year. After rehab and pitching for the St. Paul Saints in independent ball this spring, he signed with the Rangers for $1.25 million as the 44th overall selection. One scout pointed out that Scheppers still has a hitch in the back of his delivery, but he’s flashed plenty of arm strength in his brief appearances. "He’s got a pretty good idea of what he’s trying to do, especially for not being in pro ball," Phelps said. "I know he played one year in the independent league after he got drafted, but for a young kid he’s pretty mature and he’s got a pretty good idea of what he’s doing. He’s got that plus fastball, he’s got good angle with it. He doesn’t have the command with it yet, but when he gets the command, he could be something pretty special. "With that arm speed, he’s got a curveball that has big bite and can be a plus pitch for him. The changeup he’s still developing, he’s still trying to trust and use it in the game. When you’ve got that big plus fastball a lot of times it’s tough for him to start working in that changeup, but I think over the next few years he’ll develop that."

Rangers are in on Noel Arguelles

@kileymcd Noel Arguelles bidding is getting heated with TB, TOR, TEX, BOS, OAK as the interested. Too early to handicap leader or bonus now.

Fantasy Basketball

I have setup a rotisserie scoring basketball league. Anyone interested in joining leave your email in the comments or send me an email at tyd3311@yahoo.com It'll be a live online draft, which is scheduled for Sunday night as of right now, but can be changed if need be.

Tanner Scheppers looks like the real deal

"Tanner Scheppers, a supplemental pick by the Texas Rangers this year who signed for first-round money, was even more impressive than Cashner, sitting at 95-98 with a vicious curveball with hard, late two-plane break. He appeared to be amped up for the short outing; I doubt he'd sit at that velocity as a starter, but even 92-95 with that breaking ball would get hitters out multiple times per game. His arm works well, and his potential to be a front-line starter is really just a question of the state of his shoulder."

Kid with Cerebral Palsy

So there's this little girl with Cerebral Palsey. They need a little less than $30k to buy her a van with a wheelchair lift. Please consider donating a buck or two. Every little bit helps. This isn't fraud or anything. One of my friends' kids goes to school with the girl. Just trying to do something positive in the world for a change. LINK

K-Law on Feldman

John (Dallas) Is Feldman's year a complete fluke? Has there been an improvement in stuff? Keith Law (1:26 PM) Not a fluke. Talked to a scout who saw his start against Tampa two weeks ago or so who said he had three above-average pitches and the cutter (which I believe is new - he didn't have it when I saw him in early '08) was filthy.

CBS Sportsline Fantasy Football

A couple of softball buddies and I have a private league going on CBS Sportsline and need some more players to fill it out. If you're interested, the League Name is Make the Rooster (yes, it's a knockoff of Major League 2 and Rube Baker) and the password is dallas.

Post-Adam GDT 2