Wednesday morning

by Adam J. Morris on Dec 12, 2007 9:42 AM CST in News

Well, no Fukudome. Bah.

However, according to Evan Grant, the Rangers are close to signing 31 year old righty reliever Kazuo Fukumori.

Looking at his numbers in Japan, I'm not exactly overwhelmed. It is supposedly a two year deal being discussed, and we'll have to see what the money is like, I guess, but this doesn't get me too excited.

Grant also has some notes about minor league deals, at the end of an article he has up on the Mitchell Report and how the Rangers aren't talking about it. The two guys of note who the Rangers have signed are Franklyn German, who was in their system last year, and Eric Cyr, the former Padres lefty pitching prospect.

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No Fukudome, no Hunter...

Where do they turn now? Are we looking at a trade for an OFer? Maybe see if Rowand will drop down to 3 years? Stand pat? It will be interesting to see.

Fire Ron Washington

by pblack on Dec 12, 2007 9:53 AM CST reply actions

Fukomori is the consolation prize...

we got a half assed fuk instead of the real deal.

"Take this offer and shove it !!" Hunter,Gagne, Jones, Fuku

by LAMuscleFag on Dec 12, 2007 9:58 AM CST reply actions

does anyone know much about...

Alexei Ramirez? Any indication if he's MLB ready? OF or SS? Who he's talking to?

by HaegerChamp on Dec 12, 2007 10:00 AM CST reply actions

Pirates

I still like a match here. One interesting note found on rotoworld is that the Pirates would like to add Matt Morris onto any deal for one of their OFs. Morris is no ace, but he is a pretty extreme groundball pitcher who eats innings, and he would provide a little production certainty in a rotation that has anything but.

I would like to see this team aggressively try to grab Morris and Bay in a deal. One of the main things we heard when ARod opted out is that this team could use the savings in a deal like this.

by clark on Dec 12, 2007 10:14 AM CST reply actions

we dont need to carry

3 veteran SP if we arnt contending and have volquez/gabbard/hurley/harrison that should get time this year as well as all the mendoza/galarraga/etc. lesser types to give a try.

if we trade padilla or millwod than taking back morris in a deal (if he has no cost other than his salary) would be ok but if 08 is already lost then i dont want a third not that good vet.

by DShep on Dec 12, 2007 10:17 AM CST up reply actions

ESPN says we offered the most money for fukudome

sigh.

by DShep on Dec 12, 2007 10:22 AM CST reply actions

Wow

The Rangers offered the most money on Fukudome.

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2007/12/levine-on-fukud.html

As I've said before, Hicks bashing is such a bunch of bullshit.

Go Strangers.

by hightowersmith on Dec 12, 2007 10:22 AM CST reply actions

offered the most money

what the F? he wanted to be the cubs' first japanese player? these aren't good reasons! these are horrible stupid reasons!

he needs to get beaned

by ab03 on Dec 12, 2007 10:25 AM CST up reply actions

Aki told him

to avoid the Rangers like the plague.

"LSB: accept the losing" - Sharky

by DJCahill on Dec 12, 2007 10:53 AM CST up reply actions

Again

you are typically wrong.

by Longhorn on Dec 12, 2007 4:48 PM CST up reply actions

Interesting

I'd like to know how much more they offered. It seems there is at least one player in the world for whom it is not all about the money.

Tomorrow Never Knows

by t ball on Dec 12, 2007 10:26 AM CST up reply actions

yeah

its all about completely stupid reasons. I wonder if he even visited chicago or if he's just guessing that he'd rather play there. I guess the playoffs would be a legitimate reason as well. just so frustrating. one of the main ways the rangers get better (after being so bad) is if they can money whip the occasional free agent. its not even like the rangers are going to be going after every single one so they really need to hit on the ones they do go after. if you take that ability away from the rangers, they are really in trouble.

by ab03 on Dec 12, 2007 10:30 AM CST up reply actions

almost like someone told him not to go to texas =p

hehe.

by DShep on Dec 12, 2007 10:36 AM CST up reply actions

It's almost as if...

the cubs are in some way a better franchise than us.

Yep, it really makes you think.

Remember that time your dog ate my goldfish, and you lied and told me I didn't have any goldfish? Why did I have the bowl bart? Why did I have the bowl?

by i hit straight ball very much on Dec 12, 2007 11:08 AM CST up reply actions

"=p" & "hehe"

indicate not particularly serious replies.

by DShep on Dec 12, 2007 11:10 AM CST up reply actions

Noted

It is just I know we are going to hear about how this is Aki's fault no matter what the real reasons are.

Remember that time your dog ate my goldfish, and you lied and told me I didn't have any goldfish? Why did I have the bowl bart? Why did I have the bowl?

by i hit straight ball very much on Dec 12, 2007 11:11 AM CST up reply actions

so the question is...

is this good news or bad news?

Great that Hicks and JD are willing to spend. Awful that when we offer the most, players still say, "No way I'd play there". Our reputation proceeds ourselves... even in the Orient.

by HaegerChamp on Dec 12, 2007 10:32 AM CST up reply actions

It's good news

This team is developing beautifully.

And the young kids are going to save this team money. And when the time comes to add FA talent, the money's there.

It's of a piece.

Fukudome's not a big deal.

Go Strangers.

by hightowersmith on Dec 12, 2007 10:37 AM CST up reply actions

kinda like the cowboys

read somewhere that they basically have been saving money for when (if?) they found a franchise QB year-to-year. when they found one they were then able to splurge on him without really (overally) hurting themselves into the future...

i can hope were doing that, right?

by knockoutking24 on Dec 12, 2007 10:39 AM CST up reply actions

Wow

If true that really surprises me.

Dwyade once challenged God to a game of 1-on-1, only to realize that not even God can play 1-on-1 against Himself.

by thedirkatron on Dec 12, 2007 11:21 AM CST up reply actions

One website

I saw earlier (Japanbaseball.com I think) says that it's 2 years and $3million for the newer, lesser Fuk. However, I read somewhere else that the guy throws a reverse slider. Huh?

"But the major difference is where Showalter tried to overthink everything Washington at times seems like he isn't thinking at all. " - rentz

by hillcrest on Dec 12, 2007 10:45 AM CST reply actions

shuuto

its a common pitch in japan.

heres a bunch of different pitchers throwing it.
http://media.putfile.com/Shuuto

by DShep on Dec 12, 2007 10:47 AM CST up reply actions

I like the pitch A LOT

It can really jam hitters.

My only question is, wouldn't that be considered a screwball?

by Coolbean04 on Dec 12, 2007 11:07 AM CST up reply actions

Screwball

Would probably be more of a reverse curveball. I believe that is the idea. The shuuto is faster. Some of those pitchers were down-right dirty.

Remember that time your dog ate my goldfish, and you lied and told me I didn't have any goldfish? Why did I have the bowl bart? Why did I have the bowl?

by i hit straight ball very much on Dec 12, 2007 11:10 AM CST up reply actions

Yah

Have y'all never seen the classic baseball film, "Mr. Baseball"? Starring Mr. Mustache himself, Tom Selleck? Jeez.

Dwyade once challenged God to a game of 1-on-1, only to realize that not even God can play 1-on-1 against Himself.

by thedirkatron on Dec 12, 2007 11:24 AM CST up reply actions

That was the first thing I thought of

when I heard shuuto. Same effect as a 2 seamer No?

"The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance."-Socrates

by slc ranger on Dec 12, 2007 5:29 PM CST up reply actions

Hell, Torii Hunter's kid lives in our 'backyard'

and he figured it out.....I doubt it really is Aki's fault? Ya'll were all bitching 'cause he told Fuckyou San Diego was nice....obviously much-a-do about nuttin', since he went to Chicago instead.

by tklawless on Dec 12, 2007 11:36 AM CST reply actions