The End Of Morgan Ensberg, Dan Johnson Going To New York, Elijah Dukes' Child Support, Ian Snell Wants Out Of The Steel City, Taking On Keith Law, A Fitting End To Biggio's Career In Houston, and the end of Jeff Allison's comeback...again.

The End Of Ensberg

The career of Morgan Ensberg in Houston is over.

With the acquistion of Ty Wigginton (a great aquisition, more on that tomorrow), the Astros have made it clear it's time to cut bait and designated Ensberg for assignment.  It's a sad end to a player that had promise during Houston's title run in 2005, but a torn ligiment in his shoulder during an accident in 2006 sapped the life out of Ensberg's swing and left him powerless, resulting in the Astros' inevitable collapse in 2006 and a big reason why they were so awful this year.

Will Morgan get another shot?  Probably.  There are teams looking for third base help and the Astros could get some decent roster filler if they can accomodate them, but it's still a #### end to a career for a person who looked like he would be the first stable third baseman for the Astros since Ken Caminetti.

Dan Johnson – Potential Yankee?

Dan Johnson is rumored to be headed to the Yankees at some point before the trade deadline is over.

Of course, this was mentioned by ESPN’s resident Yankee fan, Buster Olney, but I did read an article that the Athletics inquired about Brett Gardner, a outfielder in the Yankees' system, only to be rebuffed by saying he was not available.  Why?  Gardner looks like he's a fourth outfielder and won't be anything special.  He's the return of Bubba Crosby from what I've read and seen of him.

Moving on, why would the Athletics be interested in moving Johnson, a player that has legitimate power, a decent glove, and plays hard?

Aside from the injury history, which is substantial, Johnson is a bit streaky, which is how he went from hitting over .300 to hitting below .250 in a month's time. 

But there's another reason.

One is that Johnson can't be sent down because of the fact that he's out of option and would be lost on waivers.

The other is that Oakland is trying to make room for Daric Barton, a solid young first baseman that brings up memories of John Olerud.  Though Johnson has more power, Barton has a solid bat and does a lot of things well.  Plus, with this season looking lost, Oakland is looking to give their kids a shot and see where they can go from here.\

It's the usual Oakland policy, but should work out well for them.

Personally, I'd move Nick Swisher back for first base myself.

But that's just me.

Dukes May Be In Contempt Of Court

Things don’t seem to be getting easier for Elijah Dukes, who may be held in contempt of court.  Dukes was ordered to pay the first of his court ordered payments for child support from his wife:  $3,300 for his wife's alimony and $2,800 in child support for the three children they had together.  He hasn’t paid a cent yet, though his attorney has said he’d pay by Monday.

If Dukes doesn’t pay by Monday, he could be forced to pay immediately, or possibly face jail time.

I used to wonder if Dukes was maybe, criminally disturbed and needed help to overcome his demons.  I honestly wondered if he was just truly a soul that needed help.

Now I’m wondering if he’s just a ####.

One of your duties as a man is to ensure that your children are cared for.  To not do so makes you a coward in my book.

Ian Snell Wants Out Of Pittsburgh

Ian Snell wants out of Pittsburgh in a bad way, calling out teammates, management, yelling several times that he hates losing and even acting like a spaze when he supposedly trembled his hand and said  "I'm starting to break. I'm getting stressed out. I don't know about these other guys, but I just want to win. I don't want to be called a loser. Man, even my family calls our team losers, and I don't want anyone to say that about our team."

Ooookay.

Snell has a lot of value.  He’s a young pitcher that isn’t eligible for arbitration until next season and he plays well, can dominate, and shows the potential to be a middle of the rotation horse.

He’s just acting like a horse’s ####.

Is it true the Pirates have one of the worst management offices in baseball?  Yes.  Is it true that they’ve been #### in almost every deal they’ve made?  Oh yes.  Is it fair for him to call out teammates?  No.  Like it or not, they’re in the same boat with you and like or not, you have to see them the next day after they read about your antics in the paper.

Snell has been on the block for a while and was most recently offered to the Braves in exchange for Jarrod Saltalamacchia.  In reality, the Pirates have so many other needs, but young pitchers typically can bring oodles back in exchange.

Should the Pirates do a trade, perhaps with the Devil Rays, they could get some quality outfield talent in the process, get Snell out of the National League where he wouldn't come back to hurt them, and be rid of a headache in the process.

It's a mutually beneficial trade, but the con is that the Pirates would be down a starter and the farm system isn't exactly deeply stocked enough where  they could accomodate such a trade.

It's a real catch 22 for them.

Disagreeing With Keith Law…Sort Of…On Brandon Morrow

I usually agree with most of Keith Law’s post.  He’s also the only person on that staff (aside from maybe Tim Krukjin) that knows what he’s talking about.

But I disagree with him as far as the Mariners’ use of Brandon Morrow. 

Should Morrow be in the majors at the moment?  No.  But that doesn’t mean he’s irrepariably damaged.  Allowing Morrow to build innings and stamina works out well for him and it allows him to adjust to major league competition.  Plus, he can be optioned back to the minors next year to allow himself to build starter’s innings and eventually allow him to join the Mariners’ rotation in 2009 or so.

But that assessment is ONLY if the Mariners are smart enough to send Morrow down to allow him to develop his breaking stuff, as he’s relying on his fastball too much and his control needs work.

If they continue to see him as a reliever, however, and treat him as such, then yes, I would probably have to change my opinion to Law’s, that the decision to draft Morrow over Tim Lincecum is one of the worst draft decisions in ages.

Biggio To Finish Career As He Begun

Craig Biggio has one more special moment coming up.

Astros ace Roy Oswalt has asked Biggio to be his catcher for a few innings during his final start of the season, likely during the Sept. 28-30 final home series against the Atlanta Braves.  Biggio has agreed provided that the Braves are not in a fierce fight for a playoff spot.

I love the fact that Biggio will finish his career the way he ended it, the same way I remember him when I used to collect his cards during the early 90’s, mostly Donruss and Fleer.

As a catcher.

Biggio will be coming full circle.  And I can’t find a more beautiful and fitting way to end the career of one of my favorite players ever to play the game.

That Jeff Allison Comeback…Never Mind

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about the potential comeback for Marlins prospect Jeff Allison, who has been had his share of legal issues, due to drugs, criminal behavior, and addiction.

The comeback is over for now.

Allison has been placed back on the major league restricted list because of a legal issue that has come up, likely because of that stolen car charge nearly a year ago.  The Marlins have said that he’s welcome to come back once all legal issues have been resolved. 

Damn.

This has been a hard fall for a kid who was once seen to be the potential ace of a major league staff.

Now all that is gone.

Here's a new trade rumor that may have some legs.

Salomon Torres wants out of Pittsburgh.

Apparently, Torres is pissed at the Bucs for not only his loss of the closer's role, but also of the Pirates' backing out of an agreement to rent one of his baseball academies in the Domincan Republic (Texas is one of his tenants.)

Well, if the Bucs are inclined to move him, which I don't see why they shouldn't, what could they get?

There's a lot of risk attached to Torres, as he's logged in a LOT of innings in the past three years, over 200, I believe, and there's a chance his arm could blow out from over use.  On the other hand, his contract is pretty reasonable, as he's got about $1.3 Million left on his contract this year and is due $3.2 Million for '08.   He's got a $3.75Million club option for '09 with a $300K buyout attached.  

So, should the Pirates make their former closer available, who would bite?

Here's a list:

• Tampa Bay Devil Rays  - The Rays need a closer option once Al Reyes inevitably books and Reyes could be had for troubled prospect Elijah Dukes, who is pretty much dead to the organization, in spite of what they say about keeping him for trade value.
• Oakland Athletics - Oakland's relief corps is rapidly becoming a MASH unit and Torres is a classic Billy Beane move, taking an affordable option in exchange for an average prospect, one preferably roadlbocked by the organization.  Dan Johnson could likely be had, as Oakland is looking to get rid of their current First Baseman to allow top prospect Daric Barton to move into the big club.  On the downside, Johnson isn't athletic enough to play anywhere other than first, meaning there's going to be some conflict with Adam LaRoche.  I don't know, we'll have to break this idea down further.
• New York Mets  - The bullpen could use some improvement, as Scott Schoenweis is rapidly playing himself out of the Apple.  Torres could be an interesting investment, but Minaya will likely balk at the price.
• Cincinatti Reds - Yeah I know, they blow, but Wayne Krivsky has a weakness for relievers and may try to make a play for Torres, seeing it as a chance of building his pen for next year.  The question is, what does the Natti have to send back in return?

And that's about it, really.  Many of the contenders haven't developed glaring needs to relief and Torres isn't lights out enough as a closer to merit others to go elsewhere for their closer options.  Really, the Pirates should hold onto Torres at least until the deadline, when his value will be higher and teams are more likely to overpay on a short term fix.

The Rangers Report

Standings As Of June 4, 2007

20-37, 4th In The American League West

Taking A Look At The Draft Talent Available

Every Team Is Built Through The Draft…

Unless You’re the Yankees Or Red Sox (zing!)

All kidding aside, unless you’re willing to spend ungodly amounts of money on free agents, the draft is the way most teams go to build their teams.

We’ve seen teams go from bust to boom in years of taking advantage of poor finishes by drafting smart out of whoever is available.

Look at Oakland.  They’ve turned things around after their dismal late 90’s years by drafting Zito, Mulder, Hudson, Giambi and others.

Look at Detroit, which is fielding a mostly home grown team.

Hell, even New York did it back when Bernie, Jeter, Rivera, and Pettitte were young bucks in the late 90’s.

Texas hasn’t drafted well, as I’ve mentioned in the Rangers Report in The State Of The System.

But this year, the Rangers have a huge chance to re-stock the system with some great young talent.  And with this draft being one of the deepest in years, there’s going to be some fantastic opportunities to acquire some talent that will help in three years.

Before I continue, special thanks to Brewerfan.net, Baseball America.com, Baseball Prospectus.com, BA”s Jim Callis’ ESPN chats and the Sons Of Sam Horn message boards for the research material that went into the article. 

Anyhow, here’s who I think the Rangers can realistically target in the draft.

Matt Wieters (C/RHP)

• College:  Georgia Tech
• Height/Weight: 6-5/230
• Bats/Throws: S/R
• The Skinny:  Wieters is generally regarded to be the second best player in the draft, and actually would have been drafted in the first round in 2004 had he not made it known that he was planning on honoring his commitment to Georgia Tech.  He’s made it worthwhile for himself to have held off on the draft until now and is generally viewed to be the top-hitting prospect in the bat while doubling as Georgia Tech's closer.  Interestingly enough, he’s a first rounder at either position.  Because of Wieters' agent (Scott Boras), who is looking for a major league contract similar to Mark Teixeira's from a few years ago, Wieters could theoretically fall far enough to the Rangers to be able to take him.
• The Good:  Wieter’s throws in the high 90’s, but it’s clear that his future will be at the plate.  He’s got the ability to hit for power and for average and he’s got the all coveted left-handed power.  He’s got a strong and accurate arm as well.
• The Bad:  Durability is a question with Wieters, as he’s had some little injury issues now and then.  Wieters’ catch and release skills behind the plate are also suspect, plus the fact that at 6-5, he's big for a catcher.  As a result, there ar emany that feel he'll eventually move to first base. 
• Projection:  Low.  Aside from a position change and the necessary adjustments that come with being drafted, Wieters could rise quickly.
• In A Perfect World, He Is:  A All-Star First Baseman, similar to Mark Teixeira

Blake Beavan (RHP)

• College:  None (High School – Texas)
• Height/Weight: 6-7/200
• Bats/Throws: B/R
• The Skinny:  Beavan, who is Baseball America's reigning Youth Player of the Year, pitched his first perfect game and struck out a career-best 18 in Irving High's seven-inning 6-0 victory over district foe MacArthur High.  He also did in with just 81 pitches and struck out 14 in a row at one point.  He’s al early commitment to Oklahoma and will likely hear his name called in the first three rounds of the draft. 
• The Good:  Simply put, Beaven is one of the best arms in the draft.  A natural athlete, Beaven has great size and has room to add mass as he gets older.  His fastball touches 95 and he’s got a plus slider to compliment it.  He also has almost no control problems and his delivery is easy and keeps his limits in check. 
• The Bad:  Beaven is having difficulty mastering a changeup, not uncommon with high schoolers who typically only depend on two pitches to dominate.  More concerning is that Beaven has some unusual arm action, creating a worry about unnecessary wear and tear on his arm.
• Projection:  Very High.  Beavan is a high risk, high reward talent that will scare some guys away because of the arm action, but he could be a beast.
• In A Perfect World, He Is: The Ace Of A Major League Staff

Matt Harvey (RHP)

• College:  None.  Connecticut High School
• Height/Weight: 6-4/195
• Bats/Throws: R/R
• The Skinny: Harvey is another highly projectable high school pitcher with a good arm.  Harvey ranks among the top of the high school arms list and has done nothing to hurt his standing. 
• The Good:  At 6-foot-4 and 195 pounds, Harvey is the prototypical high school pitcher.  His delivery is nice and easy and his fastball is clocked at 92 to 94 mph and has good life when he keeps it down  Harvey’s curveball has the potential to be a plus pitch and his changeup has the same opportunity.  All in all,  it’s a great little three pitch mix.
• The Bad:  Harvey's delivery is also slow and it affects him to the extent that he’s unable to repeat his mechanics and throw for strikes constantly.  His control also needs some work.  Minor League Baseball’s scouts also reported that Harvey loses velocity later in the game.
• Projection:  High.  Obviously he needs to improve his control as well as fix the delivery, but overall he’d make a great prospect.   He'll probably fall to Texas because of the Boras factor, but if Beaven is gone, Harvey is a great concellation prize.
• In A Perfect World, He Is:  A solid middle of the rotation horse.

Julio Borbon (CF)

• College:  Tennessee
• Height/Weight: 6-1/190
• Bats/Throws: L/L
• The Skinny:  One of the best pure centerfielders in the draft, Borbon scares the living #### out of me.  Though many people seem to link the Rangers to Borbon, he's too iffy of a prospect to merit picking him.
• The Good:  Borbon is a legitimate centerfielder that has great range and enough speed to stay.  He’s an excellent base runner and has great plate discipline.  He walks far more than he strikes out and many praise his baseball knowledge and work ethic.
• The Bad:  Borbon lacks a lot of power.  His arm is also fairly lacking, making the Johnny Damon comparisons almost inevitable.  His swing is far too complex.
• Projection:  Low.  Borbon should reach the majors in two years, but the bust potential is really high.
• In A Perfect World, He Is: A All Star Centerfielder

Matt LaPorta (1B)

• College:  Florida
• Height/Weight: 6-1/215
• Bats/Throws: R/R
• The Skinny:  – LaPorta fell in the draft last year thanks to a strained oblique that limited his flexibility, plus he played on a poor team.  Add his agent, Scott Boras and it really was no surprise that LaPorta fell all the way to the 14th round, where the Red Sox took a flyer on him.  Both sides were nowhere close to making a deal.  So, LaPorta returned to Florida for another go around and the decision has paid off, with LaPorta playing well with a monster campaign, making him a surefire first rounder.  LaPorta will likely fall to Texas thanks to signability concerns and some of the other bats in the draft, where the Rangers will likely take him. 
• Assets:  To put it bluntly, LaPorta’s game is all about his bat.  He’s always been a power guy and has been able to hit to all fields and has even kept his power when hitting with a wooden bat.  He’s also begun to show plus plate discipline, boosting his stock as he draws more walks.  He’s an adequate defender at first, but will never win a Gold Glove.  He’s also got a really strong arm, not surprising considering he was once a catcher.
• Flaws:  LaPorta is also prone to striking out a lot, so hitting for average is going to be a major issue for him if he’s drafted.  It’s possible a excellent hitting coach could help him get better reads on pitches, but hitting .280 is the best you can hope from him in a season. 
• Projection:  Low.  LaPorta is one of the closest prospects to the majors. He could be a DH as soon as the middle of next year.
• In A Perfect World, He Is: A Power Hitting First Baseman

Mitch Canham (C)

• College:  Oregon State
• Height/Weight: 6-2/212
• Bats/Throws: L/R
• The Skinny:  Canham is one of the better backstops around in this catching rich draft.  Canham leads the Beavers in numerous offensive categories, including home runs and walks.  He was converted to catching in college and still has some rough spots, but he looks like he’ll stick at the position.  He’s probably a sandwich round talent, but he would provide good value for the Rangers, even though the Rangers think very highly of Taylor Teagarden.
• Assets:  Canham looks like he’ll be an average defender, but he’s got a strong arm.  He’s got solid hitting skills, most notably left handed power, which is always a premium, and he takes pitches well. 
• Flaws:  Again, Canham is still rather raw at catcher, but he’s been trying hard to improve himself at the position.  He also had problems with bone spurs last season, causing him to require surgery. 
• Projection:  Low, if he stays at catcher, but he may move positions in the majors.
• In A Perfect World, He Is: A Victor Martinez type catcher, where it’s offense first, then defense.

Casey Weathers (RHP)

• College:  Vanderbilt
• Height/Weight: 6-1/200
• Bats/Throws: R/R
• The Skinny:  Vandy’s closer has been rock solid this year.  Weathers returned to Vandy for his senior year after he was drafted by the Tigers in the 25th Round last year.  Weathers went to the Alaskan Summer League, where he went 1-0 with a 0.84 ERA and eight saves for Anchorage, earning Closer Of The Year honors and was named the Number 4 pro prospect out of the league by Baseball America.  He then headed to Havana, where he helped the US National Team win a Gold Medal in the FISU World Championships.  He does figure into the Rangers' range and would be a good value pick for them.
• The Good:  Weathers is a power arm out of the bullpen, throwing a fastball that hits 96 and matches it with a power slider.
• Flaws:  Command is not always there.
• Projection:  Low.  Many feel Weathers could be in a big league uniform by
• In A Perfect World, He Is: A solid big league closer.

 Brett Cecil (LHP)

• College:  Maryland
• Height/Weight: 6-3/240
• Bats/Throws: L/L
• The Skinny:  Cecil is another solid lefty closing candidate that is turning some heads this year with the potential of him being a possible starter.  He also figures to be taken in the first round, but Moskos is clearly the better prospect.
• The Good:  Cecil has a strong build and a bulldog’s demeanor on the mound.  He’s also got two plus pitches as well:  a low 90’s fastball that hits 86 at times and a good mid 80’s slider.  He is also displaying a reasonably nice changeup, which is why some clubs are looking at him as a starter as well, like Moskos. 
• The Bad:  There are some concerns about Cecil’s arm angle and that he might be damaging his arm when he throws.  There are even bigger concerns about Cecil’s conditioning and most people feel he could afford to drop a few pounds.  However, he’s a solid talent and any organization that takes him will have this in mind.
• Projection:  Low to Medium.  It all depends on how you view him.
• In A Perfect World, He Is: A decent middle of the rotation starter, similar to Jarrod Washburn

Jack McGeary (LHP)

• College:  None.  Roxbury Latin H.S. (Massachusetts)
• Height/Weight: 6-3/200
• Bats/Throws: L/L
• The Skinny:  McGeary is one of the better \lefty high school prospect in the draft, but because of the amount of college pitchers that are available, plus the fact that he tired late last season, McGeary should drop to Texas at 17.   McGeary certainly helped his draft status this past summer with strong performances at the Perfect Game National Showcase, the East Coast Professional Showcase, the Area Code Games and at the WWBA World Championship. 
• The Good:  McGeary works in the high 80’s-low 90’s with his fastball and could gain a couple of ticks on it as he matures.  He’s got a easy delivery and a great curveball that is already a plus pitch.  His changeup isn’t’ as advanced, but could be a plus pitch as he woks on it.  He’s got great poise and is surprisingly polished for a high school prospect. He’s also a good hitter.
• The Bad:  No glaring Flaws aside from the fact that he’ll need to continue to work on his command and control.  Signability is a major concern, as McGeary is currently committed to Stanford and reportedly wants Top Ten money to buck his commitment.  I don't know if I'm willing to bet that much if I were Texas.
• Projection:  High.  Some scouting services say that McGeary has just begun to tap into his potential.  However, unless he adds some ticks to his fastball and keeps his command and control sharp, he won't ever be a number one.
• In A Perfect World, He Is: A Number Two Starter.

Jake Arrieta (RHP)

• College:  TCU
• Height/Weight: 6-4/225
• Bats/Throws: R/R
• The Skinny:  The Horned Frogs’ ace, Arrieta is a fairly big right hander that has pitched fairly well in every school he’s been in.  He was drafted in the 30’s by the Brewers in 2005, who hoped he’d be a Draft And Follow, but he went to TCU shortly afterward.  He’s got a solid track record and his college career numbers are solid, making him the exact type of player that Kenny Williams usually drafts.
• The Good:  Arrieta has a very good fastball that sits in the low 90’s and he’s got a plus slider and a solid changeup that gives him an effective three pitch mix.  He’s got solid command and control and is able to last deep into games. 
• The Bad:  Arreita mechanics could use a little work.  However, more to the point is that Arreita’s stuff as a whole is rather vanilla and honestly, he not going to get any better.
• Projection:  Low.  Arreita is nearly a finished product and realistically will be a solid, but unspectacular starter in the majors.
• In A Perfect World, He Is:  A Number 3 or 4 starter

Kevin Ahrens (SS)

• College:  None Texas High School
• Height/Weight: 6-6/???
• Bats/Throws: S/R
• The Skinny:   Ahrens is a switch hitter from the Houston area who has reportedly been a bit of a riser of late.  He's got a good all-around game, and is regarded as probably the best prep bat in Texas.
• The Good:  Ahrens has power to all fields and sweet swing, and a strong arm, plus his body type offers a lot of projection.  He also has a very polished approach at the plate.
• The Bad:  Ahrens is currently commited to Texas A&M and it's thought that it will take him a lot of money to get him to renounce his commitment, especially if he slides out of the first round.  His range is also limited at short and he's likely going to be a third baseman in the future.
• Projection:  High.  Ahrens is one of those players that fans of an organization follow religiously.
• In A Perfect World, He Is: A power hitting third baseman. 

 Devin Mesoraco (C)

• College:  None.  Pennslyvania High School
• Height/Weight: 6-1/195
• Bats/Throws: R/R
• The Skinny:  Mesoraco most likely will be in the supplemental rounds and the Rangers may have eyes on him.
• The Good:  A five tool player, Mesoraco draws comparisons to Angels Catcher Jeff Mathis.  He's got a big arm and is a solid backstop, plus is very fast and works well with a staff.  He's also got solid power potential.
• The Bad:  Mesoraco's bat is still a work in progress and needs to improve on it if he's to be anything more than the next Bad Ausmus.
• Projection: High.  The Rangers, should they draft him, need to make sure that the bat comes around, otherwise they have a very nice backup catcher.
• In A Perfect World, He Is: A starting catcher.

Andrew Brackman (RHP)

• College:  North Carolina State
• Height/Weight: 6-9/235
• Bats/Throws: R/R
• The Skinny:  A two-sport star, Brackman has since made it known that he’s going to be a pitcher, which is probably a good move as he’s thought to be the top college right hander in the draft.  In a draft where the college right-hander pool is shallow.  However, this season has not been good for Brackman.  With concerns about his durability (he tired late in the season), his consistency (his fastball has been losing velocty) and his agent (Scott Boras) and Brackman has suddenly gone from a sure fire first round pick to possibly falling into the supplemental round.  Either way, Brackman will be around for the Rangers to decide if they want to give him a shot.
• The Good:  Aside from the fact that he’s freaking huge, Brackman throws a mean fastball, sitting in the 93-95 range, but has been clocked as high as 101.  He also throws a very good slider and a promising changeup.  As a whole, his physical gifts are off the charts.
• The Bad:  Brackman is also a huge project, as his changeup still needs a lot of work to be a true plus pitch.  Scouts have reported that Brackman will need to add a slider to become really effective as a starter.  He's really one of the rawest arms ever to come out of college in a long time.   On a side note, because Brackman does have some basketball ability that could make him a possible NBA player, it’s likely that Boras will demand some sort of contract similar to that of Cubs pitcher Jeff Samardzija, in order to keep him from possibly going to the NBA or European Leagues.
• Projection:  Average.  Brackman needs work with a proper staff to harness his complete potential.  He’s also has to be able to prove that he’s going to be durable.  The deal is that this type of pick really doesn't work well with the Rangers. 
• In A Perfect World, He Is: A Number One Starter

Matt Mangini (3B)

• College:  Oklahoma State
• Height/Weight: 6-4/222
• Bats/Throws: L/R
• The Skinny:  Mangini had two great years at North Carolina State, but transferred to OSU this season, partially because of his relationship to current Cowboys assistant coach Billy Jones.  Mangini had a solid season in the 2006 Cape Cod League, where ranked as Baseball America’s #5 prospect.   Mangini is not without his faults, but he is one of the few college talents in the draft that can hit for power and with some tweeking, he could become an asset.
• The Good:  Mangini gets rave reviews about his smooth swing and the fact that he’s a lefty helps out a lot.  His plate discipline is pretty good and he has some power, making him a home run threat.
• The Bad:  Mangini is far from being a perfect product.  For starters, he’s got trouble hitting left handed pitching.  The second reason is that he’s a subpar defender at third base, making it almost a lock that he’ll be moving to first base at some point in his career. 
• Projection:  Low, though it’s possible that as he rises through the system he’ll tap into more of his untapped power as he progresses.
• In A Perfect World, He Is: A Power Hitting Corner Infielder

John Maschino Signs

The Texas Rangers have signed Draft And Follow righthander John Maschino, taken by the club in the 17th round last June out of Seminole Junior College in Oklahoma, which coincidentally is the alma mater of Rangers closer Eric Gagné. Maschino remained at Seminole in 2007 (going 4-6, 4.40 with 42 strikeouts and 40 walks in 59.1 innings), forgoing an opportunity to transfer to Oklahoma University.  The news was reported by T.R. Sullivan on the Rangers’ website and was later confirmed by ESPN Analyst Keith Law when I asked him during a chat.

Maschino was one of the players that I had stated the Rangers absolutely HAD to sign, as he was a awesome potential pitcher.  In the same question, Law stated that Maschino is “a big arm-strength guy with a lot of development ahead of him - could be a #3 if his offspeed stuff comes along, but there's a huge amount of projection in that.”

Hey, I’ll take it.

 Elijah Dukes A Ranger, Hmmmm….

This is going back to the reports that the Tampa Bay Devil Rays are willing to give up the talented, but troubled Elijah Dukes in exchange for middle relief help.

The Rangers do have the arms to make the deal, namely Scott Feldman and Willie Eyre.  The only issue is whether or not the Rangers would be able to handle the issues that come with Dukes.

There is talk that maybe Ron Washington could mentor the young outfielder and hopefully set him back on the straight and narrow.  However, that can be a dangerous path to follow as it could easily blow up the clubhouse.

Buck Showalter had a saying.  "You can have one #### on a team as long as you surround him with decent guys."

I'm not sure if the Rangers already have said #### on the team, but if they feel that the teams core of veterens (Michael Young, Kevin Millwood, and Mark Teixeira) can be able to handle him, then I would pull the trigger.

Sammy And Teixeira Not Long In Texas

Jon Daniels recently stated that Jason Botts should get a meaningful look with the big league club no later than just after the trade deadline.  I don’t know about you, but that sounds an awful lot like either Sammy Sosa or Mark Teixeira is going to be traded at some point this season. 

Botts will be out of minor league options after this season and will be lost on waivers if he is tried to be demoted again at any time next season.   Botts is primaril a DH, but he can play a passable first base.

There is interest in both Sammy and Tex, though Sammy wouldn't nearly bring in the talent load that Teixeira would.  Still, despite many veterans not loving the fact that the Rangers would be rebuilding again, there really isn't much choice here.

Kata And Loe Need Their Roles Redefined

It's time to end the Matt Kata experience.

Kata isn't a great defender or a great hitter, but Ron Washington continues to try and find playing time for him, even though it's obvious that this guy should be sent down.

Kameron Loe is another guy that needs his role redefined.

Loe is continuing to be a black hole in the rotation and gets hammered the second and third time through the order. 

The fact is that Loe should be no more than a swingman/long reliever.  It's not a bad role.  It's just the best role that he's suited for.

In the meantime, the Rangers need to look down at their Triple A Options and try to find a tolerable fifth starter option to help them stay respectable.  Mike Wood, Bruce Chen, John Koronka or John Rheinnecker are all tolerable options and have a great deal more success as starters than Loe does.

I hate to admit it, as a fan, but the Kameron Loe we saw at the end of 2005 is gone.  Loe the reliever is here to stay.  It sucks to admit that and Loe wouldn't like to admit it, but it's true.

Now if you'll excuse me, I've got to get back to work.  I'll post antoerh Rangers Report on Friday to recap the first five rounds of the draft.