Some of my thoughts on the deal
Huh. Christmas Eve, 2006, DVD gets broken up, with John Danks going to the ChiSox.
362 days later, the V gets dealt. Obviously, the Rangers front office doesn't shut down early for the holidays.
I was involved in a discussion earlier today on the NMLR board, in a thread where a poster suggested a Volquez and Teagarden for Hamilton trade, which I was against. It led to an email exchange, where I was asked if I'd do Volquez for Hamilton straight up.
My response:
If I thought there was a 0% chance (or close to that) of him falling off the wagon, I'd probably do Hamilton for Volquez.
This is, like the D-Rays swap of Delmon Young for Matt Garza, a classic need for need trade...the Reds have lots of nice outfielders, particularly with Jay Bruce on the cusp, and need arms. The Rangers have lots of quality young arms, but desperately need quality in the outfield, particularly centerfield.
I have to think that Hamilton will be the Rangers' regular centerfielder. Hamilton was awful against lefties in 2007, but you don't give up Volquez to pick up a 26 year old centerfielder who is going to platoon.
Milton Bradley will be playing everyday (when he's healthy), presumably at right field, although he may have to start at DH.
That leaves left field, and either DH or RF (depending on how quickly Milton Bradley comes back from the ACL tear), to be divvied up. You've got five candidates -- Marlon Byrd, Frank Catalanotto, Jason Botts, David Murphy, and Nelson Cruz -- and presumably only three roster spots, since Chris Shelton, Ramon Vazquez, and Gerald Laird will be filling three bench roles.
I'd be fine with a Byrd/Cat platoon in left field, Botts at DH, and Murphy in AAA until someone gets hurt, although I have a sneaking suspicion that this move may spell the end of Jason Botts' time with the Rangers, which would disappoint me.
If the Rangers don't think Bradley will be ready to play RF to start the year, you end up with Murphy in RF, a Cat/Byrd platoon in LF, and Bradley DHing, although you could send Murphy down, keep Botts and platoon him in LF with Cat, and have Byrd play regularly in RF until Bradley is ready.
But I wouldn't be surprised if, at some point over the next few days, we see that Botts or Cruz has been DFA'd, with the Rangers trying to run them through waivers, or else dealt.
I saw a suggestion elsewhere that this is the Rangers "giving up" on Edinson Volquez, which reminds me of the claims last winter that the Rangers "gave up" on John Danks. I didn't buy that argument then, and I don't buy it now. I think this is the Rangers giving up someone they really like to get someone else they really like, that fills an immediate need.
I also think that you're going to see one of the broken pitchers picked up on a one year, incentive laden deal, at some point in the next month. Bartolo Colon, Jason Jennings, Fat Freddy Garcia...someone like that, on a one year deal, picked up to fill out the rotation and to give Eric Hurley a little more time before he has to step into the rotation.
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Comments
I hate the deal
I dislike the deal.
by hurlerhurley on
Dec 21, 2007 8:41 PM CST
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Me too
by the other dierk in dallas on
Dec 21, 2007 8:46 PM CST
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Opps
by the other dierk in dallas on
Dec 21, 2007 8:47 PM CST
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Thanks,
by the other dierk in dallas on
Dec 21, 2007 9:43 PM CST
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Botts is going to be the
by RangerMad on Dec 21, 2007 7:00 PM CST 0 recs
shelton
i think the big reason they got him was as an insurance policy if they couldnt get broussard
by rentz on
Dec 21, 2007 7:03 PM CST
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Because
by brettgardner on
Dec 21, 2007 7:03 PM CST
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I'm assuming...
If not, Shelton would probably be replaced with Murphy.
by Adam J. Morris on
Dec 21, 2007 7:30 PM CST
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heres a Josh Hamilton information tidbit ...
he throws a mid 90s fastball..well he does have
a good arm on him doesn't he?
by LAMuscleFag on Dec 21, 2007 7:06 PM CST 0 recs
Hamilton
I hate to lose Volquez, but Hamilton is an impressive player in his own right, and has just as much, if not more, upside.
by RCCook on
Dec 21, 2007 7:09 PM CST
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Hamilton's Defense
http://www.baseballmusings.com/archives/023939.php
The Reds had an above CF and Hamilton was above average in CF by PMOR.
I have a good friend that is a Reds fan and he is sorry to see Hamilton go. He told me that Josh has great wheels in CF and is exciting to watch. Will probably become a fan favorite.
Heh, he did add that watching Griffey in CF does make lots of guys look good out there, but he felt good about Hamilton's defense.
by Brandon Wilson on
Dec 21, 2007 9:32 PM CST
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Don't know...
Req
by Requiem on
Dec 22, 2007 2:07 AM CST
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Bartolo
Colon could have a bounceback year and knows the division like the back of his hand...
by miles on Dec 21, 2007 7:10 PM CST 0 recs
That doesn't do you any good
by t ball on
Dec 21, 2007 8:51 PM CST
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Nope...
by slc ranger on
Dec 21, 2007 10:17 PM CST
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The fact of the matter
If not we will have no worse than what we expected this team to be anyway.
by rldwb on Dec 21, 2007 7:26 PM CST 0 recs
Bill James projection for Hamilton
Let that sink in. Then remember that this is a good defensive CF.
by tricer on Dec 21, 2007 7:35 PM CST 0 recs
That's
by WyoRanger on
Dec 21, 2007 7:37 PM CST
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Yeah, but...
by Adam J. Morris on
Dec 21, 2007 7:38 PM CST
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That was genuinely funny!
by Ajax on
Dec 21, 2007 9:21 PM CST
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Sorry Adam, but I'll take my chances
by tklawless on
Dec 22, 2007 11:12 AM CST
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And to think
by B_Black on
Dec 21, 2007 8:17 PM CST
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i think
and that's a .300 average, 10 triples and 50 stolen bases. he never strikes out, but other than singles and the occasional triple, he can't hit.
hamilton has lotsa upside. not sure what you can get with him.
if we're lucky, a .290 average and 30 homers.
by gossamer on
Dec 21, 2007 8:21 PM CST
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To me you know what you're going to get
BTW, I hear he has some wheels which makes him all the more important for us because of the large dimensions of our park. I hope he has the instincts to go along with it.
by slimshadty12 on
Dec 22, 2007 6:57 PM CST
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and to think a couple of months ago
nobody wanted to give of Volquez
by hurlerhurley on
Dec 21, 2007 8:45 PM CST
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Dammit!
I guess I like the deal, but I liked Edinson. And I'm going to beat senseless the first Reds writer that calls him Edison.
by WyoRanger on Dec 21, 2007 7:36 PM CST 0 recs
damn
just damn, nothing more...
by Longhorn on Dec 21, 2007 7:40 PM CST 0 recs
From a read or two on Reds boards
by Ed Coffin on
Dec 21, 2007 8:35 PM CST
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just double damn
eom...
by hurlerhurley on
Dec 21, 2007 8:47 PM CST
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Also
by Longhorn on Dec 21, 2007 7:48 PM CST 0 recs
Jamey said
by hurlerhurley on
Dec 21, 2007 8:50 PM CST
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Not really ...
I bet Jamey thinks it's a great trade for the Rangers based on his opinion of Hamilton's worth.
by northtexan95 on
Dec 21, 2007 9:06 PM CST
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you are correct
Still, I'm a rather shocked we got rid of Volquez.
Anyway, thanks for the correction.
by hurlerhurley on
Dec 21, 2007 9:15 PM CST
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This could make
by the other dierk in dallas on Dec 21, 2007 8:28 PM CST 0 recs
Don't Like It
by Kyle Mc on Dec 21, 2007 8:29 PM CST 0 recs
If he stays sober
by DJCahill on
Dec 21, 2007 8:33 PM CST
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The guy
by the other dierk in dallas on
Dec 21, 2007 8:40 PM CST
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Yep
Plus Hamilton is under the Rangers' control for five more seasons (his age 27-31 years) and gives the team a potential middle-of-the-order bat at a premium defensive position.
JD is making a real effort to add young talent with high upside- Salty, Andrus, Beltre, Kiker, Beavan, Main, and now Hamilton- and those are the kinds of players who, if they pan out, can form the nucleus of a championship ballclub. And even if they don't pan out, they often make for great trade chips.
by RCCook on
Dec 21, 2007 8:49 PM CST
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Rangers control...
by slc ranger on
Dec 21, 2007 10:22 PM CST
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The thing is
He better hit and continue to hit...
by Longhorn on
Dec 21, 2007 9:01 PM CST
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speed
by Brandon Wilson on
Dec 21, 2007 9:37 PM CST
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If I remember correctly,
by RangerMad on
Dec 21, 2007 9:40 PM CST
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sober???
Hell, he was addicted to cocaine and crack and every drug on the street. "It got so bad at the end that I just started smoking (crack). I did it so much it was like smoking cigarettes," Hamilton says.
Hopefully he want try to commit suicide again and overdose with pills.
Hell, lets hope he doesn't decide to jump off a building in Dallas. However, he does have a good choice.
Lets see if he wants to jump. Go for the Bank of America Plaza, Renaissance Tower, Bank One Center or Chase Tower. Happy jumping, Josh.
by hurlerhurley on
Dec 21, 2007 9:02 PM CST
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Heaven forbid
by jbooth17 on
Dec 21, 2007 9:21 PM CST
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+ 1
Josh Hamilton should be applauded on making such a wonderful comeback not made fun of. None of us are infallible - it could happen to you. Let's give credit where it's due his story is pretty amazing.
by LAMuscleFag on
Dec 21, 2007 10:44 PM CST
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what a retard
by hubcityraider on
Dec 22, 2007 1:32 AM CST
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It's a weakness
by SwiperNoSwiping on
Dec 22, 2007 7:31 AM CST
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you clearly
consider yourself lucky.
by knockoutking24 on
Dec 22, 2007 10:09 AM CST
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Sure I have
I didn't say it was easy to beat because it is a huge struggle every day but it can be beaten if the person has it in them to do something about it. Actual diseases can't.
Then of course there is the part where the person chose to get involved with drugs in the first place but that's a whole other discussion.
by SwiperNoSwiping on
Dec 22, 2007 10:24 AM CST
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clearly
and clearly you have no interaction with anyone who has had any major issues with addiction...either that or you just dont give a shit about them.
yes, as with 99% of the things we do are a choice.
by knockoutking24 on
Dec 22, 2007 10:33 AM CST
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You
by brettgardner on
Dec 22, 2007 11:25 AM CST
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You're
by WyoRanger on
Dec 22, 2007 11:41 AM CST
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its not his fault
we all love south park!
anyway, its just semantics. weakness, disease - who cares. he's probably kicked the chemical dependency (since it's been like 2 years) but he still mentally probably has to try really hard not to use. it is what it is.
by ab03 on
Dec 22, 2007 11:54 AM CST
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I know you were using his arguments against him...
In the latter, there is at least SOME DECENT possibility of getting back to a place where you lead a normal life.
In Parkinson (I haven't dealt with MS so I don't know enough details), it's a slow deterioration where it takes significantly-risky medical procedures to even APPROACH a normal life.
In drug addiction, you are using the drug to reach a state of consciousness better than normal life (at least at the start). With Parkinson, you just degrade into a state in which your life eventually is a living nightmare.
With drug addiction, through proper support and a significant change in will-power and nature, you can beat it. With Parkinson's, there is no such thing.
Thankfully, there are treatments for both out there, though Parkinson doesn't currently have anything which will "cure" the afflicted.
Anyways, just thought you guys might like to know something more to depress you (as if being a Ranger's fan doesn't depress you enough).
Req
by Requiem on
Dec 22, 2007 11:55 PM CST
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dude
by Walter Sobchak on
Dec 22, 2007 10:09 AM CST
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a decent risk
by t ball on
Dec 21, 2007 8:53 PM CST
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Thanks J D for the wonderful ..
Christmas present ! He's exactly what we needed !
by LAMuscleFag on Dec 21, 2007 8:43 PM CST 0 recs
and that was even BEFORE...
I heard about the size 19 shoes :)
by LAMuscleFag on
Dec 21, 2007 8:45 PM CST
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he's gonna be a new fan favorite
by willamos2 on
Dec 21, 2007 9:01 PM CST
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yeah... it must be all those tattoos
How attractive!
by hurlerhurley on
Dec 21, 2007 9:08 PM CST
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slow down,
by t ball on
Dec 21, 2007 9:11 PM CST
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Anybody else...
They dont worry me one bit. As long as he rakes I dont care.
Hell he could do drugs all he wants, as long as he continues to rake.
by SaltyGoesYard on Dec 21, 2007 9:08 PM CST 0 recs
x
by miles on
Dec 21, 2007 9:54 PM CST
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yea
by coolaid on
Dec 21, 2007 9:56 PM CST
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Baseball America's take
[blockquote]There's plenty to like for the Rangers here. Texas turned a pitcher who has overstayed his welcome into a potential impact middle-of-the-order bat who fills one of their bigger needs.
For the Reds, it's a more risky move since they're gambling on being able to turn Volquez into a solid member of the big league rotation, something the Rangers failed to do in six years. But at the same time, in one year the Reds turned a $50,000 investment in Hamilton into a potential member of their starting rotation. By dealing away Hamilton, they trade away a rather injury-prone player from a position of strength to fill a clear need at another position.[/blockquote]
by Brandon Wilson on Dec 21, 2007 9:57 PM CST 0 recs
That's such a dumb take on Volquez
Does Gerry Fraley work for BA now?
by thedirkatron on
Dec 21, 2007 10:02 PM CST
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WTF
Fuck off BA! I swear, I've got to where I can't stand BA anymore.


