So nice to get up in the morning and see lots of Rangers news...
Evan Grant has a new newsletter up, with some discussion of the need for some young players (Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Brandon McCarthy, in particular) to take a step forward, and talking about why there's the A.J. Murray love...
Jim Reeves says the Rangers will score more runs this year. He projects between 850 and 900 runs scored for Texas...I think that's optimistic, but if they do score that many runs, I think this is an 85-88 win team.
Evan Grant gives some more detail about the Ian Kinsler contract negotiations, and quotes Kinsler as saying Michael Young convinced him to show loyalty and take care of his family by signing a deal that will make him set for life, rather than rolling the dice on a year-to-year basis in the hopes of making more down the road.
I've said this a couple of times, but I still don't understand the mentality that says, "This is only a good deal for the Rangers if Kinsler improves." Kinsler has posted an EQA in his first two seasons of .266 and .277...even if he doesn't improve, if he continues to post EQAs in that range over the life of the contract, this is a good deal.
One of questions Evan Grant fielded in his newsletter was about this possibly being a mistake because of Kinsler "blocking" someone in the minors, and there's talk among a few fans that Kinsler might not get any better and the Rangers will be stuck with him at second base.
When Kinsler's deal gets (relatively) expensive is in 2011, when he makes $6 million. Does anyone really believe that an average (or even a little below average) 28 year old second baseman making $13 million over 2 years, with a $10 million team option, is going to be valueless in 2011? Do you really think teams are going to think that $6 million or $7 million is too much to spend for a starting second baseman?
Thad Levine says the team wanted to get Kinsler signed because they think he's going to have a big impact on the guys coming up behind him, much like Young has had an impact on Kinsler.
The S-T has some spring notes up...I saw the subheader saying "Hamilton ailing," which scared me momentarily, but it is just a sinus infection. And, although minor leaguers don't have to report until next month, Scott Servais says that there are already 55-60 guys in camp, including Kasey Kiker and Michael Main.