Some late night linkaliciousness

by Adam J. Morris on Feb 26, 2007 9:58 PM CST in News

Evan Grant's spring training report includes some love from Ron Washington for Jason Botts' defensive improvement in the outfield.

Scott Lucas responds to some comments Victor Rojas made, vis-a-vis Sammy Sosa hitting 5th, in Rojas's interview with John Vittas.

Jean-Jacques Taylor has a column up, saying that while it is great that Michael Young is likely going to sign an extension, it means that the Rangers won't keep Mark Teixeira, although it shouldn't mean that. Or something. I'm not entirely sure...I think JJT is a bit disoriented at being at spring training rather than the combine right now...

This snippet amused me, though...

You just don't let Hall of Fame-caliber players walk away, especially those you drafted and cultivated. At least not until they reach the end of their careers and their pride won't allow them to accept a reduced role.

The Rangers, however, have made a habit of it.

Pudge Rodriguez walked. They traded Alfonso Soriano, though Ian Kinsler's presence makes that deal less painful.

Soriano wasn't drafted and cultivated by the Rangers, isn't a HOF-caliber player, was only here for two seasons, and wasn't all that great in those two seasons.

Fire Joe Morgan deconstructs a piece from some Minneapolis Star-Tribune writer named Patrick Reusse, who doesn't like bloggers. Amusing stuff...

And Ken Rosenthal writes on the "protection myth", the notion that you need a quality hitter behind you to produce.

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Comments

WOW

the Soriano thing is funny. Although still not really excusable you could see a football guy making that mistake with Mike Young (due to him never being in the majors with Toronto), but Soriano?

I think the MAJORITY of people would associate him with being a Yankee - even to this day - even though he is now with his 4th club.

"Everyone in the world thinks they know everyhing" - DStar

by Mike Simonek on Feb 26, 2007 10:01 PM CST reply actions

Jean-Jacques Taylor

needs to stick to football....

"He just gave me a 10-minute hug," Michael Young, being greeted Wednesday by Washington

by miles on Feb 26, 2007 10:19 PM CST reply actions

haha

no way sori is an HOF'er

by knockoutking24 on Feb 26, 2007 10:34 PM CST reply actions

Yah

He couldn't have made Juan Gonzalez his second example there? It would have made infinitely more sense.

(And for those of you who say that it wouldn't have, since Juando isn't a Hall of Fame player... Well, he sure as Hell looked like he was on the path to being one at the time he was traded.)

"Hello there, Little Red Riding Hood. I ate your grandmother, and now I'm ready for love."

by thedirkatron on Feb 26, 2007 10:34 PM CST reply actions

Anyone else

catch the Seinfeld reference in Grant's report?

"Hello there, Little Red Riding Hood. I ate your grandmother, and now I'm ready for love."

by thedirkatron on Feb 26, 2007 10:45 PM CST reply actions

Taylor

must be a homeless guy or something. God bless FJM.

by t ball on Feb 26, 2007 11:02 PM CST reply actions

Okay, then.

Didn't the Yankees trade Randy Johnson, and Gary Sheffield, and Alfonso Freakin' Soriano? Boy, do they suck.

by Lucas on Feb 27, 2007 12:48 AM CST reply actions

The Soriano comment...

..is indicative proof to me that JJT is drunk about half of the time and hung over the other half.

--- "I save games," Gagné said.

by xxthetoddxx on Feb 27, 2007 7:59 AM CST reply actions

The Rosenthal piece

was very interesting and informative. I always enjoy learning nuances of the game. I often wonder why a team like the Rangers doesn't go after particular players when everyone else is. If the player doesn't fit the particular need they have it seems pointless to bring them in. Baseball writers need to write like that more often.

--- "I save games," Gagné said.

by xxthetoddxx on Feb 27, 2007 8:27 AM CST reply actions

So by his reasoning...

...protection is NOT a myth, but is drastically overrated. Interesting. Not sure I agree. Need more stats, Ken!

Edwards-Obama '08

by RangerMoto on Feb 27, 2007 10:57 AM CST up reply actions

linkaliciousness

Please, please stop using linkalicious or any form of the "word" linkalicious. Please.

by tspeck007 on Feb 27, 2007 8:47 AM CST reply actions

What would you rather him say?

He could say they were 'beastly' links...to which we could respond with 'your mom...' jokes.

Does 'linkaliousness' make your skin crawl or something? Or just have a bad experience?

When all else fails, there's always delusion. - Conan O'Brien

by mtex on Feb 27, 2007 9:34 AM CST up reply actions

I kinda like it

Edwards-Obama '08

by RangerMoto on Feb 27, 2007 10:50 AM CST up reply actions

This signing Young means no Teixera shit

is really getting on my nerves...

Sammy Sosa is a shower-sidling meat-gazer.

by Brian Thomas on Feb 27, 2007 10:22 AM CST reply actions

Yup

why can we only have one of them? By the time these guys big money kicks in the 8M per of Arod is off the books so if we paid Tex 18M it would only add about 10M to the payroll!

"Everyone in the world thinks they know everyhing" - DStar

by Mike Simonek on Feb 27, 2007 11:36 AM CST up reply actions

yeah

It's baseless and idiotic.

It's Coagulicious!

by trza on Feb 27, 2007 11:54 AM CST up reply actions

young/teix

ok, im preparing to be flamed for this, but i've said the same thing before...that young getting big money means teix likely won't... i say that only because i will believe hicks will lock up that kind of money into two players when i see it.
Not saying definately that means teix won't be signed, just saying i dont have much faith in hicks signing both.

Pimps be damned, it's harder out here for a Rangers fan!

by rentz on Feb 27, 2007 11:59 AM CST up reply actions

Nah

There's no one in the Rangers organization that can replace Teix's production. So either the Rangers become a vastly worse offensive ballclub, or they sign a top-tier FA. But what's the point of that? Teix is already on the team, he's a fan favorite, and you don't lose a draft pick by re-signing him. And I don't think the Rangers could trade for a bat of Teix's quality without emptying the farm.

I'm not saying that Teix is automatically going to be re-signed, but I don't think MY has anything to do with it. Hicks will be competitive in trying to sign Teix just like various other clubs. Hicks made some offers this offseason that seemed pretty logical at the time. The only way Hicks is not in the running is if Botts turns into Teix and makes Teix a trade possibility.

Texas Rangers: baby step to 2007. Baby step to 2007.

by WyoRanger on Feb 27, 2007 12:44 PM CST up reply actions

Teix

you have a very valid and logical point, I guess I just have little faith in hicks, I feel JD will do whatever he has too but just not sure hicks will.

Pimps be damned, it's harder out here for a Rangers fan!

by rentz on Feb 27, 2007 1:05 PM CST up reply actions

clarify

Didn't mean to imply you are idiotic, rentz :) I just am thinking Hicks will pony up for Tex b/c I haven't heard him say anything to the contrary. I understand where you are coming from, though.

It's Coagulicious!

by trza on Feb 27, 2007 6:34 PM CST up reply actions

Teixeira a tough sign no matter what

Teixeira will be tough to re-sign no matter what happens with Young, Kinsler, Arod or anyone else. Boras is going to be after him to test the market, unless there is a huge market correction looming for some reason. The Rangers are going to have to almost blow him away to keep him from testing the market.

by t ball on Feb 27, 2007 12:40 PM CST up reply actions

I bet we could offer 6X25 right now

And he wouldn't take it. He's testing the market. Period.

Sammy Sosa is a shower-sidling meat-gazer.

by Brian Thomas on Feb 27, 2007 1:47 PM CST up reply actions

Damn

I hope that's not true.

But I have a scary notion it might be. Tex has always struck me as an icy-cold mercenary, and I think a lot of people feel the same way. He's fairly obviously our best player, but how many people here count him as their favorite player?

"Hello there, Little Red Riding Hood. I ate your grandmother, and now I'm ready for love."

by thedirkatron on Feb 27, 2007 2:35 PM CST up reply actions

I don't blame him

Who among us wouldn't seek out the best deal for themselves if they knew their skills were in high demand? It's only common sense. I realize $150 mil is a lot to anyone not named Bill Gates, but still, why wouldn't he do that for himself and his family if Boras thinks he could get $200 mil?

by t ball on Feb 27, 2007 2:43 PM CST up reply actions

He's my favorite player

Of course, the best player on the Rangers always is so if he leaves I will have to go with someone else. I predict by that time it will be Ian Kinsler.

Milk, milk, lemonade, around the corner fudge is made.

by LoneStarBallUser on Feb 27, 2007 2:45 PM CST up reply actions