Tuesday a.m. stuff

by Adam J. Morris on Feb 27, 2007 9:26 AM CST in News Comment 22 comments

Several interesting items out there today...

Evan Grant has a piece on Ron Washington's desire to see the Ranger starters work deeper into games. Washington says that he wants to see starters work out of jams on their own, and it sounds like he's planning on giving them a longer leash than they've had in the past.

Jan Hubbard writes on Jason Botts, saying that Sammy Sosa is "almost assured" of a roster spot coming out of spring training, which means that Botts is likely headed back for his third stint at AAA. Hubbard largely focuses on Botts' defense, which Hubbard says isn't as bad as it is made out to be.

Desimania continues to grow, with Dave Sessions talking to Desi Relaford in his "Spring Breaks" segment this morning.

A few other interesting items from Sessions this morning...Michael Young says that contract negotiations have to be completed by the time spring training games start, so the Rangers have about 72 hours to get something done.

One of Ian Kinsler's agents is Jeff Frye, the former Ranger second baseman who was a Kevin Kennedy favorite, and who got axed as soon as Johnny Oates and Doug Melvin came to town.

And some contracts agreed to for 2007 include Victor Diaz at $382,151, Gerald Laird at $400,322 and Brandon McCarthy at $396,068.

I'm not sure why Diaz gets $151, instead of, say, $154, or McCarthy gets $068 instead of a nice, round $100. But anyway...

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Ryan Drese

It's good to see that the Rangers are still interested in him. We can never have enough guys who suck and/or coming arm injuries (or both) on the roster.

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

by Chris Martin on Feb 27, 2007 9:41 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

Botts

I'm guessing he'll be traded for a backup catcher. Nothing to base that on, just a guess. Or he and a reliever will be packaged for a backup catcher plus a prospect.

by t ball on Feb 27, 2007 9:43 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

botts

not sure why he'd be traded for a backup catcher, the rangers have several backup catcher options in camp.

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

by rentz on Feb 27, 2007 9:50 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

backup options

and all of them kind of suck.

by t ball on Feb 27, 2007 10:13 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

umm

quiroz isnt too bad

by knockoutking24 on Feb 27, 2007 11:15 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

He has some upside

but Toronto and Seattle both let him go, and I don't have my hopes up. I'm not saying I like the idea of acquiring another backup catcher, and I certainly don't like the idea of trading Botts for one, it's just a feeling I have no logical explanation for.

by t ball on Feb 27, 2007 12:35 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

How about Einar Diaz?

by shallrelicme on Feb 27, 2007 11:19 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

We should trade Jason Botts for him.

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

by mtex on Feb 27, 2007 11:24 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Jeff Frye

I used to like him as a kid. Don't know why - he wasn't really that good...

Re. starters. Its about time someone makes them work - I never thought it would make sense for Buck to yank guys in the 6th inning when he really didn't have any better options in his bullpen. It isn't about whether 6th inning Padilla is as good as 1st inning Padilla - it is about whether 6th inning Padilla is as good as RA Dickey in the bullpen... Buck never got that.

by JBImaknee on Feb 27, 2007 9:44 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

This is random

but I used to love Kevin Elster.

Jon Miller says Vicente Padilla with a thick accent.

by Agreen07 on Feb 27, 2007 10:33 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

So did the ladies

Sammy Sosa is a shower-sidling meat-gazer.

by Brian Thomas on Feb 27, 2007 2:48 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

starters

this isn't exactly contradictory but earlier Wash said something to the effect that he wasn't going to make his starters work that much at the beginning of the year to try to keep them fresh later on.

Odd.

"I want him focused on figuring out a way to beat that lefty's ass." - RW

by ab03 on Feb 27, 2007 10:04 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

starters

yes i seem to remember reading that a few days ago, that all he expects from his starters is 6innings, and then he will turn it to the bullpen.

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

by rentz on Feb 27, 2007 10:20 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Mike Young

I absolutely LOVE Mike Young, but he needs to step back from all these "we need to get it done before this date," "They have to do something before this time," etc.

I understand why he is saying that, but it is coming across a little bit blunt. If the Rangers came out and said "We are real close, but Michael needs to come off this particular demand in 72 hours or its done" they would be FRIED!

It is a two way street, and they are trying to hammer out the details. Hicks always gets nailed for popping off, and MANY times he deserves it, but Michael has a tendency to run his head at times as well.

As I said I love the guy, and hope he never wears another uniform, but all parties involved should simply stay tight lipped. Maybe he is a bit upset that some of the details have leaked, but just let the lawyers/agents hammer out the details and play ball!

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

by Mike Simonek on Feb 27, 2007 10:20 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

Young

I've noticed that he sometimes can be rather blunt, which I like about the guy...but yah, if hicks said that sort of thing the local media would be in an uproar.

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

by rentz on Feb 27, 2007 10:36 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Fun side link from Evan's article

Just a little ways down from Evan's article are some links to other stories, Evan's video blogs from spring training and spring training photos.

There are some good photos from yesterday (2/26).

Hopefully, photos 12 to 15 don't foreshadow the season to come.

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

by mtex on Feb 27, 2007 11:56 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

anyone know

what the "quick hook" stat is that Evan talks about below

The easy explanation would be to say former manager Buck Showalter had a quick hook for pitchers. By definition, though (at least by the non-scientific one used by stats guru Bill James), Showalter did not have a quick hook. Of the six men to manage in the AL each of the last four seasons, only Oakland's Ken Macha had less "quick hooks" than Showalter.

by rooster on Feb 27, 2007 1:09 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

quick hook

does it refer to the Barajas-Drese dustup in the dugout? :)

by t ball on Feb 27, 2007 1:11 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

When a manager takes a pitcher out of the game

prematurely.

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

by mtex on Feb 27, 2007 1:17 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Yes

but I think he was wondering what the exact definition of "taking a pitcher out of the game prematurely" means in this case.

I'm wondering the same thing.

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

by thedirkatron on Feb 27, 2007 2:29 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

My bad. You intrigued me though.. so i did some

looking.

Looks like it's defined as (sorry I forget the block quote formula)....

"For Quick and Slow Hooks, each game is scored by calculating this - add the number of pitches to 10 times the number of Runs Allowed for the starter - and the bottom 25% of scores are Quick Hooks and the top 25% are Slow Hooks."

That's all from Bill James' Statbooks from various sources around the web. Hope that helps.

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

by mtex on Feb 27, 2007 4:01 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs