So I'm reading the fluffy DMN Rangers farm report, which just went online, and it features Jason Botts. That should make me happy.
Then I read this:
"He's going to be an offensive player," Rangers assistant GM Dom Chiti said. "He's just got to keep being consistent at the plate."
If his last 322 games are any indication, Botts is nothing if not consistent. Since 2003, Botts has been in the plus category in runs and RBIs minus games played, a statistic Chiti and the Rangers player personnel department regard highly.
What in the hell??? Dom Chiti -- the guy responsible for our minor league system, the guy who apparently was so gung-ho about Agustin Montero and who "fixed" Ryan Drese last season -- "regards highly" some meaningless, b.s. stat like ((runs + RBIs) - games)???
I feel like I'm trapped in some sort of bizarro world. We've gone from having Grady Fuson running the farm system, emphasizing on base percentage and pitchers who throw strikes, to the Wacky World of Chiti and Buck, where guys need to throw hard and have "good face" and have good runs plus RBI totals.
I mean, it is bad enough that we have Showalter running around, justifying the C.J. Wilson callup by dismissing the relevance of minor league stats. Now we have Chiti apparently emphasizing run and RBI totals.
This is the 21st freaking century, people. Jason Botts is a very good prospect because he gets on base a lot and because he has good power. That's what's important, not this ridiculous run/RBI concoction they've come up with.
Unbelievable.
I need to go to bed, before I burst a blood vessel.
Update [2005-6-11 11:44:10 by Adam J. Morris]: -- Sorry, in my fury last night, I mis-read the formula -- it is runs+RBIs-games, not divided by games. I've corrected it now.