Time for another team preview, our third in a series of 30.  Time to see who the hat wants to see today…

The last of the Divisions makes their debut.

Atlanta Braves – Team Preview

The Braves, they of the long division winning streak, have finally tasted some humility in recent years, due to the churning of a productive farm system and the result of the increasingly tight restrictions of their budget, which once allowed them to spend freely.

However, the Braves still have some talent on the team, also thanks to the farm system, but many of the pieces that make up the Braves are aging and might not hold up for much longer.  You'll see what I mean in a moment.

Starting Rotation

• John Smoltz (RHP) – Still dominant at his age, Smoltz’s stuff hasn’t dimmed much, but he has begun to break down a bit, missing time last season due to injury.  Still, he’s a quality staff ace and one who will serve as a stopper when needed.
• Tom Glavine (LHP) – Glavine returns for a farewell tour with the Braves this season.  While he has proven that he can at least be an innings sponge, I’m not sure how much he has left.  It may have been better for him to just retire.
• Tim Hudson (RHP) – Hudson remains a potential top of the rotation starter and will likely rise to the role of staff ace once Smoltz finally retires.  Though Hudson should be the Number two man, expect the Braves to separate him and Smoltz with Glavine.
• Chuck James (LHP) – James too is another player I’m not high on.  He’s got enough stuff to be a middle of the rotation starter, but he has faded badly during the last month of season.  He’s very homer prone and his control isn’t great.  I’m also not sure he can last a whole season.  So call me skeptical when it comes to how successful I think James will be.
• Mike Hampton (LHP) – On the other hand, I’m a lot more confident in James than I am in the one time ace of the Houston Astros, who has been an out and out disaster for the Braves.  This is supposed to be the season Hampton will actually contribute.  As a fifth starter, the Braves aren’t risking much, as they have an assortment of young starters they can plug in here if Hampton fails or gets hurt.

Bullpen

• Rafael Soriano (Closer) – Soriano is one of the biggest steals that the Braves have made in recent memory.  A lights out reliever that should succeed in the closer’s role, he was acquired for Horatio Ramirez, who has been disastrous for the Mariners.  He should take the next step to eliteness this season.
• Mike Gonzalez (Setup Man) – A solid reliever who could also close if necessary, Gonzalez will likely setup Soriano, depending on whether or not he’s ready.  I’m assuming he is.
• Peter Moylan (RHP) – A dependable reliever, this Aussie is an amazing story, having been virtually signed off of the Australian World Baseball Classic team last March.  He’s since made good on the opportunity.
• Will Ohman (LHP) – Ohman is a more than adequate replacement for Ron Mahay, as he’s an effective lefty specialist. 
• Royce Ring (LHP) – Ring finally got his shot in the majors with San Diego, but was dealt to the Braves in the Wil Ledezma deal. Ring has decent stuff, enough to be a solid middle reliever, but his big issue has been control. 
• Manny Acosta (RHP) - Called up late in the year, Acosta was rather good and should see time with the Braves this season.
• Buddy Carlyle (RHP) – Carlyle was an adequate fifth starter for a bit, but it looks like he’ll be moved back into the swingman role for Atlanta, which may suit him better anyway, as he was figured out late last season.

Starting Lineup

1. Kelly Johnson (2B) – The only real choice here for a leadoff man, Johnson has the potential to be an All-Star second baseman after the Braves shrewdly moved him back to the infield after playing left.  Johnson has decent hands moderate pop for a second baseman, though he isn’t quite as fast of disciplined as your stereotypical leadoff man.  Still, he’s a solid bet to improve and I’m willing to be that he’ll break out this year.
2. Yunel Escobar (SS) – The starting job is all his now after Escobar was impressive filling in for Edgar Renteria last year.  I doubt he’ll hit .326 again, but if he lives up to his minor league numbers, what the Braves will be getting is .294/.367/.411 out of the second spot in the lineup, which still isn’t nothing to sneeze at.  Still, I wonder if maybe shortstop prospect Brent Lillibridge might be the better bet long term. 
3. Mark Teixeira (1B) – Teixeira offers a lot of power, but also is a disciplined enough hitter to hit for a high average and get on base.  He’s a Gold Glove defender at first base and is one of the better players in the game.  He adds a major power threat to this Braves lineup, but to be quite honest, he is a mercenary player, as he is likely going to walk after this season for a bank breaking contract.  Atlanta has said they would try to extend him, but Teixeira is one of Scott Boras’ most devoted clients.  Which means, in the long run, Atlanta will likely only get a pair of draft picks for him.
4. Chipper Jones (3B) – Still a formidable offensive presence in the middle of the lineup, you do have to start looking for Jones’ replacement if you’re the Braves, as Jones is older and will only be good for able 130 games or so.  Still, getting that level of power production for 130 games is nothing to sneeze at and for the most part, he’s still able to handle the hot corner well.    
5. Jeff Francoeur (RF) – Probably a bit overrated, Francoeur is an excellent right fielder that carries a lot of thunder in his bat.  He has also been very prone to striking out and needs to improve on his walk total.  He has improved a bit in the past few years, so it might not be surprising to see if he takes that next step from a masher to an all around offensive force.
6. Brian McCann (C) – Possibly the best young backstop in the National League, McCann is a solid defensive player that is respected by his pitchers and calls a good game.  He also has excellent power numbers and is a solid fit here in the sixth spot, especially when you consider the heavy hitters ahead of him.  While the dip in homers is a concern, McCann does get a bit of a pass because he got hurt, which may have affected him.
7. Matt Diaz (LF) – Not a bad left fielder, as he has nice pop in his bat, is decent defensively and can be a solid contributor until Brandon Jones is ready.  I like him a lot and though Tampa and Kansas City gave up on him too quickly a while back.  He’s a bit of a free swinger, but he’ll likely see his walk totals increase this year because of the pitcher and the next guy on the list.
8. Mark Kotsay (CF) – The Braves are gambling that Kotsay can at least contribute something to the team this year, as Kotsay looked done last year.  Really, I’m not sure what the Braves can expect out of him, as his power looks gone, he no longer looks like he’ll handle the rigors of centerfield everyday anymore and there is no guarantee that he’ll be able to stay upright for most of the season.  Honestly, the Braves should have just offered arbitration to Andruw Jones, hoped he accepted, and just gutted out the season with a big salary.

Bench

• Brayan Pena (C) – A decent backup catcher, Pena doesn’t have much of a bat, but he’s a solid glove that can be relied on in a pinch.
• Omar Infante (UTIL) – A solid utilityman, Infante can adequately play nearly every position except catcher.  His bat is decent and he'd be a adequate stopgap in case of injury. 
• Josh Anderson (OF) – Anderson will likely be the main backup for the Braves outfielders and could see time in center if Kotsay is unable to stand up to the rigors of the position.  Anderson is merely a fourth outfielder, but he could be a decent one, as he has a decent approach at the plate and a little bit of pop.
• Martin Prado (INF) – Prado will likely serve as the other infield backup.  He’s okay, but not stellar.

Minor League Notables

• Jair Jurrjens (RHP) – Acquired from the Tigers in the Edgar Renteria deal, Jurrjens was solid in his major league debut and works with a low 90's fastball and a decent curve and changeup.  However, he's also been overworked in his career, so he could be injury prone later.  Still, he wouldn't be bad as a fifth starter for the Braves. 
• Jojo Reyes (LHP) - Another young lefty, Reyes has enough stuff to become a good 4th starter or so.  He could also see time later in the year.

• Brandon Jones (LF) - Jones has a lot of power and is eventually going to succeed Matt Diaz in left, sooner rather than later.

Final Analysis

The Braves  do have enough talent to keep things interesting in the National League East, but overall I think the aging rotation and the Braves essentially punting away two lineup spots will eventually cost them.  Sorry Braves fans, but you won't be winning the division again for a little while.

Final Standings - 3rd Place, National League East

 

A return to school and an increased workload at work due to sick leave has cut into my blogging time.  Not cool.

Ah well, time for a collective group of thoughts about baseball.

Scott Rolen and Troy Glaus Traded For Each Other

Kinda a odd deal, considering that both are high priced deals with huge landmines attached to them (Health) but overall the deal does work to the favor of each team in one way or another.

WIth Rolen, the Blue Jays gain a Gold Glove defender at third base, which would help compensate for the lead glove of David Eckstein, at the cost of some offense.  However, Eckstein is better than the shuffle at short the Jays had and there is the off chance that Rolen can prove himself to be semi-adequate with the bat.  More than anything, however, the Jays need some type of return from Vernon Wells, who disappointed last season after signing for superstar money with the Jays. 

In Glaus, the Cardinals get a big bat that is needed to help bolster the offense, which is, to be frank, pathetic outside of Pujols.  More than anything, however, the Cardinals needed to diffuse the situation between Tony LaRussa and Rolen, which was made all but irreparable after LaRussa poured gas on that particular fire this off-season.  The signing of Cesar Izturis does help improve the defense enough where the Cardinals can suffer through Glaus' hands of stone, and the move to natural grass and away from Toronto's turf should prove to be beneficial in the long run for Glaus.

All in all, it's a good gamble for both sides, but more importantly, it clears up some potential locker room disaster that would have exploded during the season had either player remained with their former teams.

Grade For Both Sides:  B

Thoughts On The Kotsay Trade

I was going to rant about how the Braves should have just offered Andruw Jones arbitration, keeping him around for one more year, as he would have accepted, and keeping the offense together.

Instead, they pull this trade.

To be honest, I gotta give Billy Beane all the credit in the world on this one, as I think Kotsay is done.  He's not the defender he once was and in terms of offense, he's not going to give you much in return.  In all honesty, the Braves would have been better off just giving the job to Josh Anderson for the season and just gone with it from there.  At least he's mostly paid for.

Oh wait.  Oakland got two prospects, one of which, Joey Devine, the Braves' first round pick from two years ago, will likely help out Oakland in the bullpen this season.  And they also got Jamie RIchmond, a right hander that could be a fifth starter.  That's quite a haul for a broken player.

Anyhow, that's my take on that.

Oakland Grade - B

Atlanta Grade - D

Lost A Bet

To my friend, who's an Astros fan, on the Cowboy Game on Sunday.

So, expect the first (and only) Astros Report sometime this week.

Ugh...

Oakland Athletics – Prospect Report

Billy Beane runs a tight ship.  That is not to be debated.  And his success in the draft in the past has produced such stars like Mark Mulder, Barry Zito, Tim Hudson, Jason Giambi, Nick Swisher and others that have gone on to become productive major leaguers. 

However, in the past few years, it’s become more apparent that much of that has changed

Many have credited Beane with being a draft genius and for being the main reason why Oakland continues to win with a limited budget, all on the mantle of the “Moneyball” philosophy.

People seem to forget how lucky Beane has been as well.

Much of the Athletics’ success has to do with the fact that Oakland was able to develop three front of the rotation pitchers at the exact same time.  Had Oakland taken Ben Sheets instead of Barry Zito (who was taken only because Oakland was unable to reach an agreement with Sheets prior to the draft), Oakland’s future would have turned out quite differently. 

With that said, there has been a lot that Beane has done right.  Taking advantage of college products when others avoided them like the plague has changed scouting, but hurt the Athletics in terms of the talent available for them to choose from (a side effect from having a opportunistic, narcissistic writer chronicle the way you handle your day to day job).  Oakland has managed sustain it’s winning, but the talent pool on the farm is not as deep as it once was during Oakland’s stretch of playoff appearances.  With the most recent round of graduations, the talent pool is shallower still.

Athletics Top 15

1 – Daric Barton (1B)

• DOB: 8/16/85
• Drafted: 1st round, 2003, California High School (Cardinals)
• 2008 Club:  Athletics (MLB)
• Height/Weight: 6-0/205
• Bats/Throws: L/R
• The Skinny:  Barton was regarded, at the time of the Mark Mulder deal, to be the real centerpiece of the deal.  Since then, Barton hasn’t disappointed, but with the emergence of Dan Haren as the ace of the staff, Barton is strictly a side piece that could make the entire deal a slam dunk winner for Oakland (considering that Kiki Calero also came in the deal.)  He was called up late in the year and left a good enough impression for people to be hopeful for the future.
• The Good: The gifted natural hitter was holding his own as a 20-year-old at Triple-A before breaking a bone in his elbow in a freak collision on a pickoff throw. Both his approach and his pitch recognition are above-average on a major-league level, and he can make contact on pitches of any type in any location.
• The Bad:  The biggest power potential that was once seen in Barton has never arrived, meaning that Barton is going to be a rather unconventional first baseman.  Many believe that while he’s got the power to hit 20+ homers annually, he may never do so.  As far as his defense, Barton was originally drafted as a catcher, but no one thought he’d be able to stay there.  Oakland hoped to develop his bat faster, so they moved him to first base.  Because of the power outage, Barton was moved to third, where he profiled better, but his terrible fielding resulted in a move back to first.  Hence, he’s awful defensively.
• Projection:  Low.  Barton has nothing left to prove and is ready to start contributing to the big league club this season, so this is likely the last year we’ll see him.
• What He Can Be:  A John Olerud type of first baseman.
• 2008 Course Of Action:  The job is Barton’s starting next year, and with Jack Cust now installed as the everyday DH, this will likely force Oakland to trade Dan Johnson.  That said, Barton probably isn’t a player I would be thrilled to have as my everyday first baseman, but he’s a decent stopgap while he’s inexpensive. 

2 – Kevin Melillo (2B)

• DOB: 5/14/82
• Drafted: 5th round, 2004, University of South Carolina
• 2008 Club:  Sacramento River Cats (Triple A)
• Height/Weight: 6-0/190
• Bats/Throws: L/R
• The Skinny:  Melillo’s 2007 campaign is pretty much the same for what you would expect for him.  He really is just what he is, an average second baseman that could be a steady regular in the majors. 
• The Good: An offensive minded second baseman, Milillo has a short, quick swing that has suprising pop.  He works the count well, gets on base, and all the usual things that Oakland likes it’s players to do.  His defensive fundamentals are good.  All in all, he’s near ready for the show and could be a producer in the 6 or 7 hole. 
• The Bad: Melillo has had some minor knee issues in the past and when he falls in love with the long ball, he gets pull happy.  He also has below average range and hands, and is nowhere near the Gold Glover type defense Oakland has come to expect from it’s second basemen.
• Projection: Low.  Melillo is ready for the show and with this year looking like a rebuilding one, Oakland would be wise to see what they have.
• What He Can Be: An average second baseman.
• 2008 Course Of Action: Ellis has recently had his $5 million club option for 2008 exercised, but that doesn’t mean he’ll remain on the team.  Ellis is pretty attractive right now as a cheap date and could fetch a decent prize while allowing Melillo to play everyday.

3 – Trevor Cahill (RHP)

• DOB: 3/01/88
• Drafted:  2nd Round, 2006, California High School
• 2008 Club:  Stockton Ports (High A)
• Height/Weight: 6-3/195
• Bats/Throws: R/R
• The Skinny:  A surprise pick for the Athletics last year, Cahill had a solid senior season in high school as a first year pitcher, but fell after illness caused him to tail off.  Oakland took him and thus far, Cahill has continued the tradition of Kane County pitching dominance.  But his big coming out party was when he made a spot start for Sacramento at the end of the season and carried a perfect game and a no-hitter once the perfecto was gone until the 8th.  Now that’s awesomeness. 
• The Good:  Cahill’s biggest strength is his command and control, which are surprisingly good for a young pitcher.  He’s able to locate the ball low and induce groundballs.  He throws in the low 90’s and can touch 90’s, but his best pitch is a spike curveball that has wicked break.  He's a solid athlete and is regarded to be an excellent character guy.
• The Bad:  Cahill doesn't over-power anyone.  He also needs to refine a third pitch.
• Projection:  High.  Cahill is still developing as a pitcher, as he was only pitching for a year after he was drafted, but the promise is there for him to be a capable major league starter. 
• What He Can Be:  A Number 3 starter, maybe a two.
• 2008 Course Of Action:  Cahill will be heading to the California League, where his groundball tendencies should help him survive the year in the extreme hitters league.

4 – James Simmons (RHP)

• DOB: 9/29/86
• Drafted:  1st Round, 2007, UC Riverside
• 2008 Club:  Midland Rockhounds (Double A)
• Height/Weight: 6-3/205
• Bats/Throws: R/R
• The Skinny:  Simmons was regarded to be one of the most polished pitchers in the draft and was rated as one of the closest pitchers to the majors.  After going 11-3 with a 2.40 ERA in his junior season at UC Riverside, the Athletics took him in the 1st round, where he has already reached Double A. 
• The Good:  Simmons’ game is all about command and control and he has it in ####s.  His stuff is okay, but not overwhelming, with a fastball that sits around 90-92, complimented by a plus changeup and an average breaking ball. 
• The Bad:  Simmons isn’t overpowering and while he may be close to the majors, he’s not a sure fire star or anything.  He’s pretty much what I would call a right handed Joe Saunders, a guy that takes the ball every fifth day and gives you a shot to win.  He also loses speed on his fastball late in a game.
• Projection:  Low.  Simmons will rise quickly once he’s assigned to repeat Double A again.  Again, he’s got limited upside, which is the only thing you can really hold against him as far as his tools go.
• What He Can Be:  A back of the rotation starter.
• 2008 Course Of Action: Look for Simmons to repeat Double A this year before he gets an assignment to Triple A, where Oakland hopes he might be able to be a factor for a September call up.

5 – Sean Doolittle (1B)

• DOB: 9/26/86
• Drafted: 1st Round (S), 2007, Virginia
• 2008 Club:  Stockton Ports (High A)
• Height/Weight: 6-3/190
• Bats/Throws: L/L
• The Skinny:  Doolittle was on the rise after a year in Virginia and was projected to be picked somewhere in the lower end of the first round.  However, Porcello’s fall along with some other shenanigans with the Pirates resulted in Doolittle falling into the supplemental round, where Oakland took him.  He had a pretty good debut for Oakland in the lower minors.
• The Good: An athletic first baseman, Doolittle makes good, consistent solid contact from the left side and should hit for average in the future.  He has an above average arm, which was seen from his days as a two way player at Virginia, plus he shows decent range and can even run a bit too.
• The Bad:  Doolittle lacks any sort of power potential at first base, which isn’t what you want out of a power position. 
• Projection: Average.  Doolittle may rise quickly and while he may not have home run power, doubles power may exist within him.
• What He Can Be: A average first baseman that hits for average, but not for power.
• 2008 Course Of Action: Doolittle has talent, but unfortunately for him, he’s also blocked by both Dan Johnson and Daric Barton, meaning that in the future, Doolittle’s likely value to Oakland is trade bait.  He's going to open the season in the California League for Stockton.

6 – Henry Rodriguez (RHP)

• DOB: 2/25/87
• Signed: 2003, Venezuela
• 2008 Club:  Midland Rockhounds (Double A)
• Height/Weight: 6-1/175
• Bats/Throws: R/R
• The Skinny: A big signing out of Venezuela a few years ago has taken a big step forward with the Cougars this year, though his record doesn’t show for it.  Still, it’s pretty impressive considering how raw he was last year when he was torched in the Arizona Rookie League.
• The Good: Rodriguez has the best raw stuff in the organization, as his fastball sits in the low to mid 90’s and has been clocked as high as 100.  His curveball and changeup look like they could eventually be plus pitches, which could give him a potentially lethal arsenal if he’s able to put it all together.  All in all, he’s a project, but one that could pay off big.
• The Bad: Rodriguez is, as I’ve said, a raw product, and he’s had some issues with control that have resulted in some ugly outings for him.  There are also maturity issues with Rodriguez, but that really isn’t unexpected.
• Projection: Very High.  Rodriguez could become a beast if he continues to work on his stuff.  He’s more than just an arm strength type of prospect and he’s got the skill set to be a solid middle of the rotation K machine if he continues to develop on schedule.  Still, he’s got a long way to go.
• What He Can Be: A middle of the rotation strikeout machine.
• 2008 Course Of Action:  With another season under his belt in Double A, Rodriguez could very well help his cause to eventually become a option for Oakland come 2009 or 2010, joining some of the other young athletics in a potential rebuilding effort.

7 – Jermaine Mitchell (CF)

• DOB: 11/2/84
• Drafted: 5th round, 2006, UNC-Greensboro
• 2008 Club:  Stockton Ports (High A)
• Height/Weight: 6-0/200
• Bats/Throws: L/L
•  The Skinny: . Taken from a small school, many felt that Mitchell would only be organizational filler, a fourth outfielder at best.  He's since proven to be potentially better than that after another solid season, this time for Kane County.
• The Good: Mitchell could be one of the latest Oakland scouting department steals if he continues to produce.  Mitchell is a solid centerfielder with a good arm, good range and solid speed.  He’s also got a quick bat and some excellent plate discipline. All in all, he’s a good package of tools that could really blossom into something good.
• The Bad: Mitchell’s swing is complex and needs to be simplified.  The power that was thought to have been in Mitchell hasn’t manifested himself.  He’s also murdered by right handers and had some extreme home-away splits as well, meaning that he’s got some work to do unless he wants to be a platoon centerfielder.
• Projection: High.  Mitchell took a step forward in his development, not as big as Oakland may have expected, but it’s a start.
• What He Can Be: An everyday big-league outfielder.
• 2008 Course Of Action: I expect Mitchell to be the Ports' starting centerfielder this season.  Oakland eventually sees him to be a centerfielder for the future option, though at the moment, he's still got a long way to go.

8 – Javier Herrera (OF)

• DOB: 4/9/85
• Signed: 2001, Venezuela
• 2008 Club:  Sacramento River Cats (Triple A)
• Height/Weight: 5-10/160
• Bats/Throws: R/R
• The Skinny: After missing a year thanks to Tommy John Surgery, Herrera had a mostly average comeback season.  While it’s not pretty, it’s still a promising development and should be expected form a guy coming off TJ.
• The Good: Herrera has above-average hitting skills to go with plus power and speed, as well as good range to both sides in centerfield and an above-average arm.
• The Bad: Herrera's conditioning is a bit of an issue, as he did put on some weight during his inactivity, but he was able to drop most of it.  He’s also a bit reckless on the field, plus his power potential hasn’t manifested itself quite yet.
• Projection: High.  Herrera is still working to come all the way back from TJ, but so far so good. 
• What He Can Be: A above average centerfielder
• 2008 Course Of Action: Expect the Athletics to push Herrera a bit by promoting him to Triple A, where he could work well if he’s finally able to get his tools together.

9 – Andrew Carignan (RHP)

• Born: 7/23/86
• Drafted:  5th Round, 2007, UNC Chapel Hill
• 2008 Club:  Stockton Ports (High A)
• Height/Weight: 5-11/200
• Bats/Throws: R/R
• The Skinny:  Oakland took the Tar Heels’ highly acclaimed closer after he fell down to the 5th round and quickly signed him.  Assigning him to Low A Kane County, where he was lights out with the Cougars in limited duty.  Carignan should be heading up to the California League next season, his first real test of his pro career.
• The Good:  Despite being small of stature, Carignan gets results.  He’s got  good arm strength excellent poise on the mound and a bulldog’s mentality on the mound.  His fastball is his best pitch and he throws it well in the 88-92 mph range.
• The Bad:  Unfortunately, that’s all he really has in terms of weapons.  Carignan got by in college by using his fastball to overpower hitters.  His slider is below average and his command is the same way.  One pitch pitchers don’t go far, so he is going to need a lot of work.
• Projection:  Average.  Carignan has gotten excellent results in the past in spite of his lacking gifts, but with work, he could be a part of a big league bullpen if he’s diligent and works hard. 
• What He Can Be:  A Big League Setup Man
• 2008 Course Of Action:  As I said, Carignan will likely be headed to the California League, his first real test, as I don’t think he’s ever really been pushed.  He’ll have to put in some serious work on the slider, or things could get ugly real quickly.

10 – Corey Brown (RF)

• DOB: 11/2/84
• Drafted: 1st round (S), 2007. Oklahoma State University
• 2008 Club:  Kane County Cougars (Low A)
• Height/Weight:  6-2/210
• Bats/Throws:  11/26/85
• The Skinny:  Going into this year’s draft, Brown was often overshadowed by his more highly regarded teammate, Matt Mangini.  However, Brown was a legitimate prospect in his own right, drawing Mike Cameron comparisons.  When teams began scooping up some of the falling talent, Brown got lost in the woods a bit until Oakland took him.  Since then, Brown has had a decent pro debut, but has shown that he still has work to do.
• The Good:  Brown’s best tool is power, and he has a lot of it.  Because of that, though he did have the arm and range to play center, Oakland slid Brown over to right, where his bat fits better.  He’s got good speed and shows a quick bat along with the willingness to draw a walk now and them. 
• The Bad: Brown’s biggest problem is strikeouts, as he amassed a lot of them in college and a lot in the Northwestern League,.  The bigger flag is that he faced fairly serious criminal charges in high school.
• Projection:  High.  He’s got the tools to be a regular, but with work, he could be a star, one of the few that fits that description in an otherwise blah system.  He should be capable of some 25-homer, 15-steal seasons down the road.
• What He Can Be: A power hitting corner that should strikeout a lot to make Nick Swisher feel less guilty.
• 2008 Course Of Action:  Brown will likely be promoted to Low A Kane County, where Oakland hopes he’ll be able to finish in Stockton once the year ends.

11 – Josh Horton (SS)

• DOB: 2/19/86
• Drafted:  2nd Round, 2007, UNC Chapel Hill
• 2008 Club:  Stockton Ports (High A)
• Height/Weight: 6-1/195
• Bats/Throws: L/R
• The Skinny:  Horton was one of the key reasons why North Carolina was able to make back-to-back trips to Omaha.  Though he was one of the best players on his team, Horton was rather ignored by many teams, but he fit the classic Oakland player profile, that of a player with good stats that looked relatively safe to pick. 
• The Good:  I do like Horton a lot, even though he is one of those gritty type players that hustles his way to success that I hate so much hearing about.  Horton handles the bat well and hits to all fields.  He has decent speed, good hands and a decent arm as well.  He also displayed some very solid plate discipline as well.
• The Bad:  Horton has no power to speak of and his range isn’t enough where he could stay at short. 
• Projection:  Average.  Horton has got the chops to make a major league roster.
• What He Can Be:  A decent second baseman or a very good utilityguy.
• 2008 Course Of Action:  Horton will likely head to High A ball, where Oakland hopes that he continues grinding it out to eventually be a factor for the athletics before it is time to cut bait with Bobby Crosby.

12 – Matt Sulentic (LF)

• DOB: 10/6/87
• Drafted: 3rd round, 2006, Texas High School
• 2008 Club:  Kane County Cougars (Low A)
• Height/Weight: 5-10/170
• Bats/Throws: L/R
• The Skinny: .A high school hitter that destroyed competition in Dallas, but fell because many were concerned about whether or not his power potential was legitimate or if he was just beating up on weaker competition.
• The Good: Sulentic has a quick bat that, when combined with his pitch recognition result in the potential for a high average and walk totals.  He also has some power that should eventually make him a 20 home run threat.
• The Bad: The only way Sulentic will ever really pan out is if his power comes through as expected, or he’s a bust.
• Projection: High.  Sulentic will likely give the Midwestern League another shot after his initial shellacking.
• What He Can Be: A starting corner outfielder.
• 2008 Course Of Action: Sulentic will likely return to the Midwestern League, where another year of seasoning should yield better results.  Suffice to say, however, Oakland is now going to be a little more careful with him in terms of hype.

13 – Jason Windsor (RHP)

• DOB: 7/16/82
• Drafted: 3rd round, 2004, Cal State Fullerton
• 2008 Club:  Oakland Athletics (MLB)
• Height/Weight: 6-2/220
• Bats/Throws: R/R
• The Skinny: Windsor’s 2007 season didn’t go as expected.  He wasn’t selected to be the A’s 5th starter and went down in May for much of the year due to injury.  Now healthy and with Oakland lacking in viable alternatives to the end of the rotation, Windsor may have another shot at the rotation, but he’d have to be awfully good to do so.
• The Good: Windsor bounced back in 2006, reeling off 16 straight wins at one point wrapped around a brief MLB stint. Outstanding command allows his below-average fastball (87-89 mph) to play up a bit, but he's used it effectively to set up a plus changeup, his primary out pitch. His curveball has improved to become an average offering.
• The Bad: In 2005, Windsor experienced arm soreness and was shut down and last season he lost most of the season due to shoulder strain of his right shoulder.  Windsor also doesn’t have great stuff and is far from overpowering and will likely be nothing more than a 5th starter.
• Projection: Low.  He’s pretty much completed his development and aside from the injuries, he should be with Oakland by now. 
• What He Can Be: A 5th Starter or Swingman
• 2008 Course Of Action:  Windsor is going to try it all over again, where hopefully he’ll be able to latch on the big league club.

14 – Daniel Meyer (LHP)

• DOB: 7/03/81
• Drafted: 2002, 1st Round (S), James Madison (Atlanta)
• 2008 Club:  Oakland Athletics (MLB)
• Height/Weight: 6-3/210
• Bats/Throws: R/L
• The Skinny:  The big piece of the Tim Hudson trade, Meyer has struggled since being traded, being both injury-prone and ineffective until this year, where he managed to put up a solid enough Triple A season to merit time with Oakland late in the season.
• The Good:  Meyer throws a low 90’s fastball, but his best offering is his slider, which has regained it’s former edge to become a plus pitch again.  He also throws a decent changeup as well.
• The Bad:  Meyer used to throw a lot harder, but he’ll never get that velocity back.  He also still has command issues and throws too many pitches. 
• Projection:  None.  There really isn’t much more you can expect out of the dude.  He is what he is.
• What He Can Be:  Middle Reliever
• 2008 Course Of Action:  Meyer will likely be competing for a job at Spring Training.  With Oakland in a bit of transition, the 5th starters role should be an open race.  Otherwise, I think Meyer could do a good impersonation of Kirk Saarloos in the bullpen.

15 – Andrew Bailey (RHP)

• DOB:  5//31/84
• Drafted: 6th round, 2006, Wagner College
• 2008 Club:  Stockton Ports (High A)
• Height/Weight:  6-3/220
• Bats/Throws:  R/R
• The Skinny:  Another pick looking like a late round steal, Bailey performed well with Kane County and with Stockton, and put up a very good ERA while exhibiting excellent command over his stuff.
• The Good: Bailey’s got a nice three-pitch mix, sporting an 89-93 mph fastball along with a pair of solid breaking pitches in his curve and changeup.  His command and control are also very good as well.
• The Bad: There’s some skepticism about Bailey’s results considering his age, as Oakland has a history of several of these type of players that dominate the low minors before getting destroyed as they move up. 
• Projection: Low.  Bailey should be tested at the next level for you to really buy into his performance. 
• What He Can Be: A back of the rotation starter.
• 2008 Course Of Action: Bailey will likely head back to Stockton, where Oakland will see how he handles the California League on a more extended basis before deciding what to do with him next.

Final Thoughts

Oakland is in a bit of transition.  There really isn’t much in terms of high impact talent waiting in the wings and many of the players that are in the minors are either solid everyday players or talented role players, with almost zero in terms of future stars.  I will gives props to Billy Beane, who has tried at various points to keep the system stocked with various prospects in an effort to keep the lifeline of cheap talent flowing, but at the moment, the well is a little dry.  While he’s found talent on the waiver wire, Beane has recently acknowledged that it may be time for him to blow up the current squad in order to acquire more young talent in order to fuel the next Oakland run.  The process began in earnest last season with the Athletics allowing various players to get claimed via waivers in an attempt to clear salary, and with the trade of Marco Scutaro to Toronto for a pair of arms.  Beane will also hear offers for Huston Street, Joe Blanton, and perhaps Dan Haren and Nick Swisher in order to restock on talent, though there is one problem if he does that.  Because of how Beane evaluates talent, many will wonder if there is something that Beane knows that they don’t know, and could be scared off. 

Sources, Scouting Reports, and Thanks to:  Kevin Goldstein (Baseball Prospectus), Keith Law (ESPN), Soxprospects.com, B.J. Medrano, Jim Callis And The Rest Of Baseball America, Jonathan Mayo (MLB.com), MiLB.com, Sam Corral and Erica Belmontes, Ernie Carlson, Lonestarball.com, Jamey Newberg (Newbergreport.com), Brewerfan.net and Mike Hindman (Rangers Farm Report)

The Red Sox Top 15 will be up later, right now I have something that just set me off that I saw on Sportscenter (had no choice, was at the Gym and it was either that or reruns of ER.  And I hate ER.)

Steve Phillips was asked for his recommandations to the Dodgers on how he would make their team a World Series contender.  After hearing him talk, I quickly wondered what reality he was talking about. 

Here are Phillips' takes, more or less, and my own, in full unedited glory.

Step 1 – Trade for Miguel Cabrera or Sign Alex Rodriguez

First off, I will credit Phillips with correctly identifying the Dodgers' need for power in the lineup.  However, this is the wrong way to go with it.  If you take Phillips’ later assumptions into account, it’s going to have to be Rodriguez or nothing, as the Marlins currently are assembling a list of players that they are targeting from different organizations that they would want in return for the potential Hall of Fame hopeful.  One of those is almost certainly going to be Clayton Kershaw, a young lefty that is going to be as good as Red Sox pitcher Clay Buchholz. 

Kershaw would have to be sent back in any deal that for Cabrera, that's a given.  It was Kershaw that was a sticking point in the Dodgers' failed negotiations this past summer for Mark Teixeira.  

As for A-Rod, he'll cost nothing but money, but it'll be a WHOLE LOT of money. 

My Solution - Why Not Settle With What you have in house?  The Dodgers have a perfectly good third base prospect in Andy LaRoche, who has hit the batting line of .295/.525/.901 in the minors and has averaged 18 Homers and 61 RBIs in an average of 90 games per season.  Why not give him a full season to prove that he can hit?  He's a lot cheaper than Rodriguez or Cabrera and would give a power boost to the lineup as well.

And if you must get rid of LaRoche, go after a cheaper first baseman to save some money for what is about to come next.  The Rangers would be happ to give up Hank Blalock straight up for LaRoche.  The Pirates would be willing to give up Freddy Sanchez if it meant getting LaRoche. 

The only possible way of getting Cabrera might be asking the Marlins if they'd be receptive to a deal of a paid for Juan Pierre (solving their centerfield issue), LaRoche (solving third while improving the infield defense) and including Andre Ethier and Jonathan Broxton.  That woudl be the only way I could see a deal for Cabrera working, though I would prefer to just use LaRoche.

Step 2 – Sign Andruw Jones, Aaron Rowand, or Torii Hunter to play centerfield and move Juan Pierre to left

Yikes.  Here's another bad idea.

Pierre is a terrible outfielder and has a weak arm as well.  He's probably one of the worst contracts signed in the Ned Colletti era. 

Philips said that acquriing one of the three centerfielders mentioned above would not only improve the offense, but also improve the defense as well.

Here's an idea, which would work with Philips' plan and would still have the desired effect.

Trade Pierre for whoever you can get, preferrably a reliever or a swingman to help the pen and the rotation if necessary.  Second, play Etheir (provided he's not traded, of course) in left, and play Matt Kemp, a blossoming young monster, in right.  If you get Andruw Jones, which would work, in center, congradulations.  You just improved the outfield defense and upgraded the offense to boot.

Step 3 – Trade For Johan Santana

Ooookay, where to start.

Provided you haven't already traded Kershaw, going after Santana creates more problems than it does solve any.

First off, you would immediately open a hole in right field, as it would likely require a package of Kershaw, Kemp and LaRoche to get Santana, even if you do get him to agree to a contract extension. 

Guess what, you just opened a hole in right and third base.

You could play Ethier at right, but I like his bat better in left field.  And it would make the necessary the addition of a Rodriguez and a Andruw Jones in order to fill those holes, leaving you with a much more expensive roster which wasn't necessary in the first place.

The Dodgers could enter next season by making only one foray into the free agent market and that would be it:

Starting Lineup

• Furcal (SS)

• Martin (C)

• Kent (2B)

• Loney (1B)

• Kemp (RF)

• Jones (CF) - Brought In Via Free Agency

• LaRoche (3B)

• Ethier (LF)

Rotation

• Penny (RHP)

• Lowe (RHP)

• Billingsley (RHP)

• Schmidt (RHP)

• Wolf (RHP) - Brought Back

Contracts Traded For Bullpen Help - Pierre (CF) to Marlins For Kevin Gregg (RHP), Nomar Garciaparra (1B) To Texas For Akinori Otsuka (RHP)

And there you have it.  I'm done.  That team I just put together should win 88 games, maybe 90 if the team stays healthy and the youngsters develop.  There was no need to go spend foolishly on several players that may not have been worth it.  That's the reason why you have a farm system.  So you can eventually have young, cheaper, higher upside pieces to build around and eventually contend with.

And all without having to mortgage my best pieces in the farm and to keep the payroll more or less reasonable in the long run.

I'm beginning to understand why Phillips was tossed out so quickly by the Mets.

He just sucked.

Taking some tiem out from watching the playoffs to update you all on some Ranger thoughts I had.  Let's kick it out the new title text:

The Rangers Report – Offseason Edition

Aki May Need Tommy John Surgery

This isn’t good news.

Reports are coming out that Akinori Otsuka, who hasn’t been seen since the All Star break, may need to undergo Tommy John, costing him all of 2009 and the last year of control under Texas before Free Agency.

Sigh.

Aki was likely going to exit Surprise next season as the closer for the Rangers.  If he needs to undergo Tommy John, he’s going to get non-tendered and released by Texas, giving a final and craptastic end to one of the worst Rangers trades of all time.

And, just because I like rubbing salt on my wounds, here is how the trade worked out for Texas:

• Adam Eaton – Posted a horrific year and didn’t even merit Free Agent Compensation, then bolted for the big bucks in Philly, where he’s been equally craptastic.
• Akinori Otsuka – Did a great job as a closer in 2006, was an excellent setup man in 2007, but would be gone if he has to undergo TJ.
• Billy Killian - A young catching prospect, Killian was terrible for Spokane and Clinton and was eventually sold to the White Sox for an undisclosed amount of cash and a cash of Milwaukee’s Best.

Bah.

Top Rangers Moments Of 2007

1. Michael Young’s 200th Hit – It’s great to see Mikie extend his 200 hit season streak to five.
2. The Return of Rangers Ballpark – The Rangers take back their ballpark by buying out Ameriquest and renaming the ballpark Rangers Ballpark In Arlington.
3. The 30-3 Game – This asskicking actually was able to help a lot of fans move on from Teixeira. ..well, expect for the Metroplex media (#### you Randy Galloway!)
4. Hank Blalock’s Return – And how!  A Grand Slam against the Angels that helped ice a win on Sunday Night Baseball.
5. The 2007 Draft – The fact that Texas was able to add so many quality arms, many of which began to preform right away, is making for a potential farm system Bonanza come 2009.

Da Pick!  Da Pick!  Where Is Da Pick!

The draft standings are more or less finalized, and Texas will make the 11th pick in next June's amateur draft.  It’s not a bad place to pick, really.  The Rangers won’t get an elite talent unless he falls, but there should be a solid talent there.

Here’s the last five 11th overall picks. 

• 2007 – Philipe Aumont (Mariners) – Love this guy, should be a solid major leaguer.
• 2006 – Max Scherzer (Diamondbacks) – Solid arm, potential closer.
• 2005 – Andrew McCutcheon (Pirates) – Tools city, has probably been rushed.
• 2004 – Neil Walker (Pirates) – Like the bat, not sure where he’ll play though.
• 2003 – Robert Aubrey (Indians) – Promising career short-circuited by injury.

The only real problem with this year’s draft is that it may be one of the weakest drafts in years.  Still, there should be a decent talent around at 11.

Cat On First?

The more I look at the first base market, in terms of trade and free agency, the more I think it’s going to be likely that Frank Catalanotto will likely be the Rangers’ starting first baseman in 2008.

The reason being is that there are no real attractive options out on the open market, with only glove men like Sean Casey and Mike Lamb available.  And the only first baseman that I know of that could wind up here, Todd Helton, would be a far too lengthy commitment for the Rangers, plus he would likely require the Rangers picking up an expensive option to come here. 

Actually, hold that thought, there is also Adam Dunn, who could play first base and is reasonably comparable to Ryan Howard, but what would the Reds want in terms of prospects?  I don’t think that enough of a deal could be reached for the two sides to swing a deal.

Meanwhile, playing Cat at first would allow the Rangers to use different outfielders, improving the overall defense, as Cat is rather bad in left.  It would allow the Rangers to play David Murphy regularly in right field, while allowing Jason Botts, who isn’t great, but is better than Cat in left, while allowing the Rangers to concentrate on obtaining help in centerfield and DH. 

Keeping An Eye On Felix Pie And David DeJesus

Two options in centerfield to keep an eye on are Cubs prospect Felix Pie and Royals centerfielder David DeJesus.

I think there was more truth than people realize when rumors surrounded Pie and the Cubbies’ apparent willingness to deal him in the right trade.  There was a rumored deal of Gerald Laird for Pie, but the deal was quickly killed and the Cubbies announced they had no real intentions of trading him.

I’m not so sure.

Lou Pinella wasn’t a big fan of Pie’s during his time up with the Cubs and wasn’t enthused about playing him every day. 

And, with rumors that the Cubs may go hard after a free agent centerfielder, that would all but block Pie from ever making it to Wrigley. 

Which would make trading for Pie much more valuable, as it would allow the Rangers to get something for not as painful of a price.  Pie is regarded to be a raw, Carlos Beltran type (then again, so is Rangers prospect Engel Beltre), and if he gets PT, he'll be able to blossom into something special.

Here's hoping the Cubs do so.

The other player is Royals centerfielder David DeJesus, who the Royals are supposedly looking into trading for younger, projectable parts, especially since they now feel that Joey Gathright has figured out how to hit.  Gathright has leadoff potential and is faster and can cover more ground than DeJesus.

If the Royals are willing, I'd be ready to call if I were GM.  I'm not sure what the price would be, but it wouldn't be real expensive, especially when you consider what the Royals got in exchange for Octavio Dotel (the mighty Kyle Davies). 

The Royals have tried for years to acquire prospect Joaquin Arias.  I'd be willing to deal Arias, especially since I got an Arias clone in Elvis Andrus.  If I were making a deal, and DeJesus were available, I'd call up the Royals and dicker, with Arias being in the deal. 

Arias is still very attractive, in that he's got loads of tools and is young.  It's becoming obvious that a change of scenery may be necessary for him to reach his potential and he could eventually be better than Tony Pena Jr, who is a backup at best or a starter while he's cheap.  The only real issue would be if Arias developed, which would potentially bite the Rangers in the way Hafner did, but really Arias is blocked in Texas by Young and Kinsler, so it would be for the best.

What Does The Future Hold For Loe, Laird, and Tejeda

The Rangers' final loss to the Mariners was likely the last for several Rangers, and the end for some of the Rangers’ current career paths.

Kameron Loe expereinced a odd season, where he seemingly found his mojo as a starter again before his old inconsistencies reached back to nab him again.  While Loe has developed better off-speed stuff to go with his sinker, he hasn’t been able to sustain his success long.  Overall, Loe has been better as a reliever, as he is 13-19 with a 5.08 ERA in 47 career starts and 5-4 with a 4.15 ERA in 46 relief appearances, but with the emergence of several young starters, Loe is likely going to be the long man coming into next year, or could be traded in the offseason to a team that could be able to work on him to be an average 5th starter. 

The same has gone for Robinson Tejeda.  What started out to be a promising season quickly devolved into disaster as Tejeda was shelled more and more as the seaosn went on, finishing 5-9 with a 6.61 ERA in 19 games before being sent down to Triple A, where he eventually had hsis eaosn ended due to injury.  Tejeda’s future with the Rangers is also going to be one of uncertainty, as the rotation appears to be set with Millwood, Padilla, McCarthy, Gabbard and Volquez going into next year.  Even worse, Eric Hurley is nearly ready and could challenge for a starting spot next year, leaving Tejeda’s opportunities for a third chance less and less likely.

Gerald Laird is a different story.  With his bat going into the ####, Laird’s future as a Ranger likely was doomed once the Mark Teixeira deal brought in Jarrod Saltalamacchia, a natural catcher, over in the deal.  While Salty projects to be a average first baseman, behind the plate he could be a perrenial All Star and a capable middle to late in the order presence.  Laird was almost dealt at the deadline, but the Teixeira deal was swung too late to try and get a decent offer rolling.  With the lack of young catchers in the majors all around, Laird, despite his numbers, could be attractive to several teams needing a young catcher with at least three years of control left on him.

 

On The Block Manana guys.  Now, back to snoozing with the girlfriend and my niece...

 

 

 

 

 

Potential Edgar Renteria Scenarios, A Former Wideout Might Be Coming Up And A Potential Rick Ankiel - In Reverse...

Possible Stops For Edgar Renteria

The Braves were really serious about looking to unload Edgar Renteria and replacing him with Yuniel Escobar at the deadline, but the right trade couldn’t be made.  Now, the Braves will look to move him in the off-season.

Renteria has been excellent for the Braves and has regained his All-Star form.  He's basically an $8 million a year player since Boston is foothing a large part of the bill on his contract and would bring in two draft picks if allowed to leave via free agency.  The Braves are looking for some sort of pitching, or a centerfielder.

Is there a fit?

Sort of.

Take a look

1. Chicago White Sox - The Sox could offer Jon Garland and Brian Anderson and change in exchange for Renteria, who would fill a hole if the White Sox allow the awful Juan Uribe to leave.  The only problem is would the Braves believe that Anderson is a talent that just needs a change of scenery, or is he a disaster waiting to happen.
2. Oakland Athletics - Bubba Crosby looks done and there aren't a lot of shortstop options available.  The A's could potentially move parts in exchange for Renteria, but as far as any sort of impact talent, there isn't much on this roster that fits the bill.
3. Minnesota Twins - The Twins could be on the move, as Jason Barlett would be able to move over to Third Base and allow Renteria to take over short, plugging two holes at once.  The only issue is this...The Twins won't trade pitching, and even though they have some in the minors, they aren't going to move it.
4. Detroit Tigers - The Tigers have been looking for a way to move Carlos Guillen to first in order to manage the wear and tear on him.  They have the farm system to do the move and could afford the contract.  There is a fit here, especially since they have a centerfield prospect in Gorkeys Hernandez that Atlanta would find very tempting.  I like this move a lot.
5. Toronto Blue Jays - The Jays would like to add Renteria and would love to find a way to get him, but there isn't a lot to move here and the Jays would balk at any package surrounding Alex Rios.  There also isn't any farm products even near ready to be traded.

So all in all, the potential is there for a move, but really there isn't a lot of players that Atlanta would be able to come away with and claim victory for the trade.  Personally, I'd be all over a deal for the Tigers, as Hernandez could really be that good.

The Next Rick Ankiel? - Sort Of

Lance Niekro is a bad positional player for the Giants.

That much is known.

He was pretty much drafted by the Giants because of his bloodlines and the fact that his father played for the Giants.

Apparently, Niekro is going to give something else a try.

Pitching.

Niekro has been working on a knuckleball.  Should he feel up to it (and if the Giants feel, what the hell, can’t be much worse), he could try and pull a Rick Ankiel and come back…as a pitcher.

The idea isn’t unheard of.  Trevor Hoffman was a weak hitting shortstop before he became a hall of famer.  Ron Mahay was originally an outfielder before becoming a decent pitcher.  Troy Percival was originally a catcher before he became a pitcher.  First round bust Matt Bush was having success as a pitcher until he blew his arm out.  So the track record is there.

Who knows?  Niekro could wind up being very good.  He could also wind up being an even worse disaster than he already is.  We’ll see..

Samardzija Coming To Chicago?

The Cubs are considering bringing up Jeff Samardzija when the rosters expand on September 1.  Samardzija may get a start and appear in relief, depending on how far the Cubs are ahead or behind in the divisional race once the 1st rolls around.

I’m not exactly sure if this is a great idea.  I understand that Samardzija is classified as a power pitcher, but his lack of strikeouts for the year disturbs me.  I’m really not sure if this is a great ideal at all.  This idea seems #### horrible to me.

The title screen aside, I throughly enjoyed the Rangers 30-3 rout of the Baltimore Orioles, partially because of the Teixeira connection, partially becaue I had enough of seeing the Rangers get no hit.  Though I wish some of that thunder could have been busted out in some of the other games, I'll take what I can get.

So, to honor my Rangers, I'll raise a beer, toast them, and hope they can break the record for most runs in a doubleheader, 40.

At the time of this writing, they've got 2 more.

Go Rangers!

And Good Night Now!!!

The Rangers Report

Record As Of August 14, 2007

51-66, Fourth In The AL West

Draft Status – First Five Rounds

One final update of the signings and the status of the Rangers’ picks in the first five rounds.  There will be a follow up Thrusday once all the signings have drawn.

• 1st Round – Blake Beaven (RHP) – Very Likely.  Beaven and his company have still had a lot of posturing on both sides, but Beaven will sign.  He won’t go nearly as high in the draft next year if he re-enters, plus he’ll have developed a reputation for being difficult.  Though he’s asking for $2 million, he won’t get it and it’s high time he figures that out.  Hopefully, things will work out, though according to a quote attributed to his mother, there has been progress.  Beaven has kind of pissed away a year of his development.  Instead of possibly joining Michael Main in Clinton next season for full season ball, Beaven will likely be retained in extended until the short season ball clubs start up, where he’ll likely be sent to Spokane.
• 1st Round – Michael Main (RHP) – Signed.
• 1st Round (S) – Julio Borbon (CF) – Likely.  Borbon has had almost nothing written about him, mostly because Scott Boras likes it that way and because he’s been focused on working on deals for Rick Porcello.  Borbon is likely going to get signed, probably for above slot money, but Boras should have gotten a deal done weeks ago.
• 1st Round (A) – Neil Ramirez (RHP) – Very Likely.  Ramirez wants to be a Ranger and has himself said that he’s very close to a deal.  The Rangers are going to pay above slot for Ramirez, who is a first round talent that slipped because of some bad showings toward the end of his season.
• 1st Round (A) – Tommy Hunter (RHP) – Signed. 
• 2nd Round – Matt West (SS) – Signed.
• 3rd Round – Evan Reed (RHP) – Signed.
• 4th Round – Garrett Nash (CF) – Won’t Sign.  Nash’s reps have told the Rangers that their client will not be signing with the Rangers.  Instead Nash will be headed to Oregon State.  This was to be expected and realistically, it was a wasted pick.
• 5th Round – John Gast (LHP) – Doubtful.  Gast’s representatives have been back and forth in contact with the Rangers, but it’s looking like Gast won’t be coming to Texas, though I think this has more to do with money than anything else.  Gast is regarded to be a solid lefty that could be a solid middle of the rotation horse.  But, realistically, Gast and his advisors are probably weighing the difference in money and they probably decided that if Gast sits one year, rehabs, and has a pair of solid seasons at Florida State, it would be much better than what the Rangers could offer him.

Vicente Padilla’s Progress

Vicente Padilla, who hasn't pitched for the Rangers since June 21 because of right triceps irritation, is scheduled to start for Texas tomorrow against Kansas City.  He’ll be held on a 80 to 85 pitch count and will be shadowed by one of the long relievers, John Rheinecker, Mike Wood and Jamey Wright.  Padilla hasn’t had any problems with his forearm but there are some wonders if he’ll be able to dominate.  We’ll see how it goes tomorrow.  With the season already gone to hell, there’s not much we can go on.

One Final Teixeira Nugget

One final note on the Teixeira non-trade to the Angels.  They apparently never offered 1B Casey Kotchman and LHP Joe Saunders.  The offer was Teixeira straight up for Casey Kotchman and RHP Ervin Santana, plus maybe Terry Evans, a right fielder.   I like Evans, but come on, Kotchman and Santana.  Really? 

Rangers Notes (Majors)

• Rangers setup man Akinori Otsuka has begun to throw off flat ground and reportedly had no problems.  If things work out, Otsuka will return in September, in time for roster expansion.
• 3B Hank Blalock is still feeling some soreness in the nerves along his side muscle and that has been restricting him from making strong throws to the infield.  Once he’s able to do that, he should be able to go on a rehab assignment.  I’m beginning to wonder if the Rangers might have to look at Blalock as a first baseman and give someone like Travis Metcalf, who’s rotting down at Triple A, a shot to make himself a legitimate major leaguer.  It’s not like there’s a hell of a lot of attractive other options on the Corner Infield market and it would save the Rangers from having to re-sign Wiffy Wilkerson for another year.
• Toronto released former Rangers shortstop Royce Clayton.  He had a good career, much more than what one with his skill set would normally expect.

Rangers Notes (Minor)

• 2007 First Round Michael Main has done enough on the mound to earn himself a promotion to Class A Spokane, where he’ll be working in relief for the time being.  Main has currently raised his stock well after acclimating himself quickly to the Arizona Rookie League.  All this is likely in preparation for him to join the Clinton Lumberkings next season.
• Frisco righthander Armando Galarraga was named the Rangers’ minor league pitcher for July after he went 3-1, 1.58 in six starts, including a one-hit shutout and a two-hit shutout. 

 See you all thursday!  

Ken Rosenthal recently lamblasted Tom Hicks over his disclosure of the contract extension offered to former Rangers first baseman Mark Teixeira, saying Hicks needs to shut up, as the contract extension was surely lip service, as Scott Boras prefers to let the open market dictate the contract.

Is he right?  To a point.  But here's the reality of the situation.

Hicks has been blasted in the media for not wanting to keep his own players and for not handing out the money needed to fund a contender.

But Hicks, despite the contrary, has tried to do that.  And all of those contracts handed out to pitchers, save Kevin Millwood, have been absolute disasters.  He's recognized that the team needs to rebuild from within and there can't be any more rent a players that the team has tried and failed with time and time again.

But it does show that the Rangers really didn't want to give up Teixeira and would have tried to keep him. 

The Rangers are a team in flux and are now going full bore at rebuilding from within.  The reality is that this tells a lot about Teixeira's motives and how he felt about the Rangers.

Teixeira had stated that the Rangers that the Rangers didn't make any long term effort to sign him.

Two weeks ago, the Rangers approached Scott Boras and asked him if they could talk contract and presumably offered the 8 year, $140 million contract extension, roughly Albert Pujols money. 

Boras' reply:  Teixeira wasn't prepared to make a long-term commitment.

Afterwards, Teixeira, when asked, replied that the Rangers had never approached him about an extension. 

The club had tried on at least to occassions to sign him long term, both times where shot down by Teixeira and Scott Boras.

What does it mean?

Teixeira never had any intention on remaining with the Rangers beyond this year.  He was never interested in being a Ranger long term, for the rest of his career and the Rangers really had not chance to get him. 

Only after this last occassion did the Rangers finally realize it was time to cut Teixeira loose, especially after Teixeira publically burned his bridges, calling the Rangers a small market team, making flirtations with the Balitomore Orioles and expressing his love for them and chastizing the management for not spending money.

I dont' blame Hicks for going public.  If anything, it shows that the time had come and that the only reason why the Rangers got rid of Big Tex is because there wasn't anything else they could do. 

As for Teixeira's response to all of this. 

 "I'm not talking about any of that. I'm an Atlanta Brave. That's done. I'm very happy. That's it."

And now, I'm done with Mark Teixeira.

#### Him.

Trade Deadline Wrap Up

Okay, time to deal out final grades on the trade deadline for each assignment. 

The Pittsburgh Pirates Acquire RHP Matt Morris From The San Francisco Giants For OF Rajai Davis And A Player To Be Named Later

This is probably the most puzzling deal of the deadline.  The Pirates really didn’t need Morris, whose production had fallen fast and far as of late and what’s worse is that they’ll be assuming the entire contract remaining on him.  Morris adds nothing really to the Pirates rotation except make it a lot more expensive.  He’s also going to PNC Park, where he’ll get lit up a lot worse than he did at A####mp;T.  As for the Giants, they get a fourth outfielder type in Davis, but the biggest coup is getting Morris’ salary off the books and allowing them to pursue a big bat.  So far, the Giants will have a total of $29 million off the books, counting Bonds’ and Morris’ salary.  Sexy!  The only real criticism is that the Giants could have gotten something of consequence from another team if they had traded him two months earlier…maybe back to the Cardinals for the young Anthony Reyes, who needs to get out of Missouri.

Final Grade:  Giants – B, Pirates – D

The Atlanta Braves Acquire LHP Royce Ring From The San Diego Padres For LHP’s Wil Ledezma and Will Startup

The Braves acquire more relief pitching, this time in Ring who may or may not be able to contribute something, but has options available, something Ledezma didn’t.  The Padres get a solid lefty reliever in Ledezma, who will benefit from pitching in Petco, and anything from Startup is gravy.

Final Grade:  Padres – B, Braves – B-

The Philadelphia Phillies Acquire RHP Julio Mateo From The Mariners For INF Jesus Mechan

What is it with the Phillies and acquiring ####s?  Mateo, a known wife beater, should upgrade the pen somewhat.  Thank god the Mariners were able to rid themselves of this ####.

Final Grade:  Mariners – A+, Phillies – F

The Boston Red Sox Acquire RHP Eric Gagne From The Texas Rangers for LHP Kason Gabbard, OF David Murphy and OF Engel Beltre.

Another upside play here.  The Red Sox gain Gagne, who has agreed to setup Jonathan Papelbon.  The Rangers gain more parts to possibly rebuild their team from.  Murphy can handle center and his bat is okay.  He has good plate discipline, but not a lot of power despite his size.  We'll see if he's another Rudy Jaramillo reclamation project here.  Gabbard is a 4th starter with average stuff, but he does induce ground balls, a plu