The Rangers don't have any "generational" type talent right now and probably have not since ARod.
I could care less about having another A-Rod, one player does not a team make...
How many teams who have won WS in the last 10 years who have had 1 or maybe 2 players on their roster that were A-Rods or somewhere close to one??? 1 maybe???
If you have good pitching, good defense, decent base running and a lineup full of guys that can hit somewhere in the vicinity of .260-.280, 10-20 HR and 50-80 RBIs and I'll show you a team who has a hell of a good chance to win that WS when the opportunity arises...
Vegetarians eat vegetables. Beware of humanitarians!
Remember most thought we sold the farm to get Dempster. We gave up Justin Grimm and Mike Olt. Grimm pitched out of the BP for the Cubbies and Olt is still in the minors passed over several times.
Grimm did a very good job for the Cubbies since he has switched to the pen a 1.99 ERA isn't shabby... Olt on the other hand was always over rated as far as I was concerned but at the time of that trade the farm system wasn't all that great...
Vegetarians eat vegetables. Beware of humanitarians!
If you have good pitching, good defense, decent base running and a lineup full of guys that can hit somewhere in the vicinity of .260-.280, 10-20 HR and 50-80 RBIs and I'll show you a team who has a hell of a good chance to win that WS when the opportunity arises...
Leonys Martin now there's a player who is only worth $3M a year or $12-15M a year depending on just a very few things, mainly walks, OBP and runs scored...
He plays very good defense he probably saves the team in the neighborhood of 40 runs per year because of it. He also is a "decent" offensive player in that he can hit about 8 HRs and 45-50 RBIs. BUT.... What would put him over the top would be drawing more walks or upping his BA about 15-20 points, which would translate into him being a leadoff table setter for the offense and scoring over 100 runs. You put it altogether the runs scored, driven in and saved and he would have the impact of an A-Rod, but needless to say he doesn't. That's the reason he lost his job he couldn't get the offense moving he was just about an "automatic out" in certain situations. If he improves at the plate he will take his job back, he doesn't well he will probably be traded...
In other news today Gallardo turned down his qualifying offer, something I think he will regret before it's over with unless the Dodgers, RedSox or WhiteSox decide they could use him... He just isn't worth $16M a year... So I would expect that by now Colbys phone has rung and JD has left him a voice mail wanting to talk about 2016...
Vegetarians eat vegetables. Beware of humanitarians!
What I can't figure out is the Cardinals farm system. They seem to keep getting well above average results from their system. Could be better scouting of draft picks.
The prospects that end up playing for them seem to be able to step right up and fill the hole created in the lineup by injury, retirement or trade...
I think they are just like everybody else in that they are looking for talent, but I think they take it a step or 2 further and only select/draft those that have "certain intangibles" the team is looking for. Players that don't fit the mold aren't drafted/selected and they end up in other teams farm systems... (Hard to look at the unknowns coming from the minors). Is it???
Didn't you used to judge people all the time for suitability in certain jobs in the military??? Didn't your units commanding officer trust you to do this job for him??? This is no different... If you had doubts or the "BOSS" had doubts the guy was gone or not considered anymore to fill that position, wasn't he!!!
And I also think the coaches in the farm system reinforce the "Cardinal philosophy" every step of the way until it's deemed time they play for the Cardinals or get shipped off to some other team because they just can't fully grasp/execute the Cardinal Philosophy... Sound familiar??
Vegetarians eat vegetables. Beware of humanitarians!
We have to take into consideration the core starters we have and look at age and contract length. The Rangers have a window of 2016-2018, three seasons to do what they need to get done.
Most of them we traded for or signed as FAs instead of letting the younguns develop...
JD backed them into this corner cause he feared for his job instead of being patient...
Vegetarians eat vegetables. Beware of humanitarians!
What I can't figure out is the Cardinals farm system. They seem to keep getting well above average results from their system. Could be better scouting of draft picks.
Cowboys just lost another game in the last min. Oh well .
I haven't really paid any attention to them other than to know they traded for Matt Cassel. Having someone else's reject for a backup QB usually doesn't end up well so I would just imagine "HE" is the major reason why they are losing...
What do you bet they draft a QB next Spring??
Vegetarians eat vegetables. Beware of humanitarians!
Leonys Martin to Mariners in 5-Player Deal: Latest Trade Details, Reaction
After their center fielders finished 26th in WAR in 2015, per FanGraphs, the Seattle Mariners decided to upgrade their available options. Seattle confirmed it traded pitcher Tom Wilhelmsen, outfielder James Jones and a player to be named later to the Texas Rangers for Leonys Martin and pitcher Anthony Bass on Monday.
(From Bleacher Report)
Also I owe the Yankees organization an apology. The Padres could end up being the most inept organization:
Yea I seen this when I woke up in the middle of the night on MLB Channel. Looks like they solidified their BP even more but I thought they would give Scheppers a chance to get his act together first with the new pitching coach. Wonder who will fill Basses roll as long reliever now in the pen?
I'm surprised they wasted/used Martin for this instead of a RHed OFer. Guess he burned his bridge so badly when he refused to go to Arizona during the playoffs that the first offer that came along he was gone.
Vegetarians eat vegetables. Beware of humanitarians!
Also I owe the Yankees organization an apology. The Padres could end up being the most inept organization:
Rangers trade rumors: Padres could pursue Elvis Andrus, per source
BWAAAAAAAAA!!!!
I've got my fingers, toes and nads crossed that this comes to fruition... Watch that big overblown contract go sailing off to the West Coast with all the other overblown contracts, must be something in the water there...
You do remember that Preller was one of JDs flunkies don't you???
Vegetarians eat vegetables. Beware of humanitarians!
Schep might be a candidate for long reliever. Eh probably not:) The AL manager of the year probably has stuck in his head the 4 or so games Schep blew big leads. Four games which mean a lot at the end of season.
Rangers could ask Wandy Rod back as long reliever. Ohlendorf or Mayne Renauldo. Or maybe Colby is asked back. Who knows?!
"Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near"---Isaiah 55:6
There are so many people to choose from as to who will be the long reliever, but I don't think they will spend a lot of money ($3M or more) on one. So my first guess is it will be someone who still has options for the minors and used to be a starter...
Vegetarians eat vegetables. Beware of humanitarians!
Schep might be a candidate for long reliever. Eh probably not:)
No he is more the type that does well with 1-2 innings, no more...
When he's on he's on, when he's off he's really way off, there is no in between with him it's either sub 2.00 ERA or 5.00+ ERA. Don't know if it's a motion issue or it's a head/mental issue. I do think they will give him another chance to get his schitt together cause they know what he can do when he's on, he's dominant!!!
Vegetarians eat vegetables. Beware of humanitarians!
Unless I miss my guess they are already talking to Colby about coming back it's only a matter of how much and how long. I know Colby probably would like a multi year contract but I don't think the team will do that. I think they only want him for one year (or less) because of all the youngsters that are about ready and Yu coming back.
Now if they aren't talking to Colby then my next guess is they are talking to Fister (or someone like him). One because he's a sinkerball pitcher and two because of Banisters emphasis on getting more ground balls (Colby is a fly ball pitcher). The thing is Fister made $11.4M last year, and will the team think that's too much or it's reasonable???
Vegetarians eat vegetables. Beware of humanitarians!
Oday is available. Looking for two year deal. May be too rich a deal. Heard it could be 2 yr 14M
Are talking about Darren O'Day??
He isn't a long reliever and we already have 4-5 guys that have 6th, 7th and 8th inning stuff. Would rather spend the money on a good RHed starter the team can control for at least 3 years at a decent price. You can never have too many good starters, the last 2 years should be proof of that...
Besides that I have a suspicion they will let Holland walk when the time comes for him to be a FA if he doesn't get his schitt together...
Vegetarians eat vegetables. Beware of humanitarians!
Have heard rumors that the team is looking at resigning Drew Stubbs (think it was Grant).
If the new hitting coach can straighten his bat out he would be a good addition to the team, the Rhed OF bat they need. I would imagine he would get at least 300 ABs having to fill in for Josh at least 2-3 times for a period of time along with giving DD and Choo a periodic rest. And be a late inning defensive substitute and base running threat...
Vegetarians eat vegetables. Beware of humanitarians!
Yeah he needs all the help he can get. He was clueless at the plate.
Most of the time it's something easy to fix but the batter can't see it or think of it. Where an extra pair of eyes (batting coach) and/or a video camera can work wonders... Like for him get videos of 2010 when he was at his best (22 HRs and 77 RBIs) and compare to what he doing wrong now...
It could be his leg kick (his timing mechanism) is too high/too far forward, causing him to be behind/under the heeter. Or he is too close/too far from the plate or too far forward/too far back in the batters box (causing issues with the other pitches).
Learning to look for a specific pitch and location in certain situations also works wonders for average/OBP. Trying to guess each and every pitch will drive you batty and your average will suffer big time...
And above all "LEARN TO BE PATIENT AT THE PLATE NO MATTER THE SITUATION"!!!
Vegetarians eat vegetables. Beware of humanitarians!
They just need to get Stubbs on base. Dude is a running machine.
Which would make him a good #9 hitter on days where DD is leading off and Choo batting 2nd...
Truthfully I think DD won't be playing full time that much longer, cause Brinson/Mazara should be better all around players and Stubbs if he gets his schitt together...
Vegetarians eat vegetables. Beware of humanitarians!
The thing I'm hoping is that they can get by using only 12 pitchers on a regular basis next year that would allow them to carry 1 DH, 1 who can play both IF/OF, 4 OFers, 5 IFers and 2 Catchers...
Vegetarians eat vegetables. Beware of humanitarians!
The thing I'm hoping is that they can get by using only 12 pitchers on a regular basis next year that would allow them to carry 1 DH, 1 who can play both IF/OF, 4 OFers, 5 IFers and 2 Catchers...
That would be good; however having 12 pitchers is still a lot to hold. I think it will depend on their actual starting rotation on whether they start with 11 or 12 pitchers. Although Banny was master of the DFA last year which saved his bacon.
"Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near"---Isaiah 55:6
Unless the starters can go 7 innings consistently you are going to have to carry 12 so you don't burn out the relievers. Especially if you end up having to use 2 young'uns instead of just 1 in the starting rotation, like this/last year!!!
Another thing is keeping everybody fresh for the playoffs instead of them being worn down to a nub just trying to get there, like this/last year...
Vegetarians eat vegetables. Beware of humanitarians!
Speaking of pitchers now the Rangers are being linked to bringing Soria back and a big overpriced contract. Some of these sportswriters just don't get that the teams don't want to pay everybody $10-20M per year when they don't have to, nimrods... (If these sportswriters make over $5 per year it's a travesty)...
Now one name he did mention that I brought up back when they made the Cole Hamels deal is Ken Giles. He would solidify the BP for years, can hit 100MPH and has only allowed 3 HRs in 2 full seasons!!!
Wonder if they try to get some bargains in the Rule 5 in December.
It leaves the Rangers with 38 players on the 40-man roster, giving them the ability to add a player and to participate in the Rule 5 draft at the Winter Meetings in Nashville, Tenn., next month.
That is from basically the same article except from the DMN instead of Rangers site. It doesn't mention any specific positions or players so it leaves it up to our imagination...
I doubt very much that it would be a Catcher, Mazara and Brinson are almost ready for the OF, Profar and Alberto are almost ready in the IF. So that pretty much only leaves room for a pitcher or maybe a good RHed bat that hasn't shown an affinity for playing good defense in any one position yet. Or is there something I'm forgetting???
Vegetarians eat vegetables. Beware of humanitarians!
