According to Evan Grant, Jason Jennings may be a Ranger in the relatively near future.
My take on that?
I figured that the Rangers would be signing a pitcher soon, as Texas has never been one to rely on a lot of youth in the rotation as far as unproven pitchers are concerned (and, despite their service time, McCarthy and Gabbard are still relatively unproven). With Edinson Volquez now a Red, Texas was almost certain to look for a high upside vet to take over the three or four spot, depending on who it was.
The question is, is Jennings that?
Jennings was the youngest of the broken pitchers category, having undergone surgery to fix a torn flexor tendon and was said to be ready for Spring Training. However, Jennings doesn’t have the greatest control, seeing his K to Walk Ratio over the past few years and he doesn’t have a legitimate out pitch. He was remarkably durable, however, and does do a good job of inducing groundballs. Provided that Young and Kinsler are on their toes when he pitches, he could be effective. He also has experience pitching in a worse pitcher’s park than Texas in Colorado.
And, if the Rangers are out of it and Jennings is effective, he could be flipped for a young player ready to help the Rangers, perhaps an outfielder or a third baseman (as Chris Davis is inevitably going to move to first, in spite of the Rangers possibly looking to move him to right field.)
The only real question is whether or not Jennings can make it in the AL. The lineups are deeper and he doesn’t have the benefit of cruising through the lower third of the lineup, which is always a problem for NL Pitchers. Nonetheless, it’s a low risk move that could pay dividends.
Catching Situation Sorting Itself Out...In A Way
It looks like the Rangers are planning on keeping Gerald Laird, at least until midseason or until the end Spring Training should someone need a starter for the simple reason that they feel his value is at a low. It also looks like, with the recent signing of Adam Melhuse to a minor league deal with a spring training invite, that the Rangers are planning on sending Jarrod Saltalamacchia down to Oklahoma to start the season, with the intent of flipping Laird at the deadline and calling Salty back then.
In a way, it might be for the best, considering that Atlanta may have rushed Salty up to the minors and Texas kept him up here to fill in the hole left at first by Teixiera leaving town. However, I thought that Laird would have had a lot more value around the league. The two spots I thought might have worked out were:
Boston – Laird could have backed up Jason Varitek before being asked to take on starting catching duties. And Texas could have netted Coco Crisp. That was the idea that was going on until Boston reversed course and demanded Eric Hurley, Luis Mendoza and C.J. Wilson back in return.
Mets – Here was another spot that I felt would work, as Laird would have been a cheap option for Minaya, and return could have netted Texas Lastings Milledge. Instead, Milledge was sent to Washington for Brian Schneider. Weirdness.
Other Transactions
Jamey Wright is close to signing a Minor League deal with a spring training invite with Texas, bringing him back to the team. Wright was mediocre as a starter, but was solid as a reliever, though his amount of walks worries me. Still, Wright is a good guy to have in the swingman role, though a cheaper option would be to use Kameron Loe in that role, which would be a cheaper decision to use.
Another thing, the signing of Eddie Guardado (and have been for the last month, apparently), but here’s the problem. Guardado is likely going to sign a major league deal, meaning another move must be made on the 40 Man roster, which recently saw the departure of Bill White to make room for Kazuo Fukumori. My guess is that the next to go is Nelson Cruz, followed then by either Jason Botts or Travis Metcalf.
Explaining The Rangers' Moves, Playing Russian Roulette For A Fifth Starter, And What To Do With Gerald Laird.
The Rangers Report – Offseason Edition
Rangers’ Moves Make Some Sense When You Look At It
Despite it being a rather quiet off-season for the Rangers, without the signings of some of the sexier names that were available on the free agent market, many of the moves that the Rangers did do are designed to allow for some of the youngsters in the minors some additional time to develop.
Many of the moves correlate to several of the Rangers’ rookies in the minors, designed to delay them for at least another half a season. Let’s check it out:
Alex Rodriguez Opts Out Of 10, Year, $252 Million Deal – A+. This was possible the best deal that the Rangers had happen to them this off-season, as the Rangers now have $21.3 Million to spend on THEIR OWN players. If this deal had been it, the Rangers may have had arguably the best off-seasons based on this alone. What this deal also does for the Rangers is to allow them to toss in a bit more coin on the draft, allowing them to compete with the Yankees and Red Sox for more lower round gems, as well as allowing them to attack the International Signing Period more vigously.
Sign RHP Joaquin Benoit To 2 Years, $6 million – A. To add another cherry on top, the Rangers also extended the ace of their bullpen to an extension, buying out his final year of arbitration and his first year of free agency. Benoit will now be competing for the role of closer next season. Suffice to say, this is good news, as Benoit could have gotten a lot more coin out on the open market.
Sign RHP Warner Madrigal To A Major League Contract – A. This makes the list simply because of the fact that the Rangers in essence get a prospect for free, without giving up anything. This was more thanks to the Angels’ screwing up than Texas monitoring the situation, but nonetheless, they get a relief prospect that throws hard and could be a potential closer. All in all, it’s a great way to add to the farm without giving anything other than a 40 Man spot. As for how he rates, think of a younger K-Rod.
Re-Signed UTIL Ramon Vasquez For 1 Year, $810,000 – D. Okay, Vasquez is a decent little utility man, but I think there were better options internally that could have been used, such as Tug Hulett, until German Duran is ready. Not loving this, really, but considering the salary and that he could be DFA’d with no trouble, ehh, whatever.
Trade CF Freddy Guzman To The Detroit Tigers For 1B Chris Shelton – B. Guzman wasn’t going to be with the Rangers for much longer anyway. While he is fast, his bat is rather anemic, making it hard to project him on the Rangers' as more of a fourth outfielder, pinch runner. As for Shelton, he's a valuable bench player that will see playing time as part of a platoon with Big Ben Broussard. More on how this helps in a minute...
Trade INF Tug Hulett to The Seattle Mariners For 1B Ben Broussard - A. Here's where the Shelton move comes in. For the price of a prospect that had no future here anyway, the Rangers get themselves a stopgap first baseman in the Bris Broulton combo that will now play at first. Broussard will take the majority of the at bats while Shleton spells him against lefties. This gives Texas roughly the equivalent of a major league first baseman. It also allows the Rangers to keep Chris Davis in the minors for another year, allowing him to benefit from coaching, at bats, and the opportunity to fine tune his skills until he gets the job next season.
Sign RF Milton Bradley For 1 year, $5 million - B. This one could blow up either way for the Rangers. Bradley could be a model citizen like Jurassic Carl was during his tenure with the Rangers or he could be a disaster and DFA'd soon after. However, Bradley is an elite bat that is now instantly the second best outfielder on the squad and will give the lineup a temporary boost.
Trade RHP Edinson Volquez and LHP Danny Ray Herrera To The Cincinnati Reds For CF Josh Hamilton - A-. For all the outcry of the Rangers trading pitching, this deal does make a lot of sense. Texas has no outfielders. On my top 40 Rangers prospects, only two prospects in the top 20 were outfielders, both of whom were acquired this year and both of whom are not anywhere near ready. Volquez, while he has talent, I'm beginning to think that he wasn't going to make it, long term, as his control was just too inconsistent. The Rangers jumped at the chance of adding a impact centerfielder and Hamilton also gives the Rangers a legitimate power presence that was lost when Mark Teixeira was traded. Plus, when Borbon is ready, the Rangers could then slide Hamilton to right field, where he'd be a solid fit.
All in all, that's my take on the Rangers' off-season activity. This Rangers' team is vastly improved from what the Rangers ended the year with, so with some luck, the Rangers will keep things respectable, but won't contend for the most part. However, with the kids arriving soon, the future does look like it will swing for the better.
However, Volquez's trade does leave the rotation short an arm. What to do about that?
Playing The Free Agent Russian Roulette For Starters…
Despite the Rangers publicly saying that they will likely fill in the hole in the rotation created by the Josh Hamilton trade, I do expect the Rangers to make a play for one of the free agent starters looking for a bounce back year due to injury. This is a good way to either waste money (which usually happens) or to cash in on a suddenly viable asset if a pitcher were to suddenly return to form (see Paul Byrd’s last stint with the Royals). This is also meant to give two prospects, Eric Hurley and Matt Harrison, more time to develop in the minors to ensure that they won’t get torched immediately once they get promoted. For the most part, the Rangers are doing their homework on the options available. Mark Prior was recently shot down by the Rangers after deeming his medicals a mess along with his refusal to take a club option with his deal. Kyle Lohse is also not going to be an option, especially when you consider just how inconsistent he was in the American League when he was in Minnesota and that his agent, Scott Boras, is going to hold out until teams get desperate and start to jump all over themselves for a pitcher. Lohse is a option I would not take if I was Tom Hicks, nor is it a contract I would want, when you consider, again, Harrison and Hurley’s near readiness for the majors. That means that the Rangers will be looking for a pitcher willing to take a one-year deal, likely with a club option if they can get it. This would also rule out starters like Livan Hernandez and Josh Fogg. With that in mind, here’s who is available:
Jason Jennings (RHP) – Pass. Jennings is going to get the most run because of his Baylor roots and because of his ability to pitch at hitters parks, as well as his age. However, Jennings really is a guy without any real out pitch who can eat innings and keep you in games. Basically, he’s the embodiment of a Number Three starter, not an ace. With that said, he’s probably better off staying in the National League and recently, his agent has made noise that Jennings will be at full strength by opening day and isn’t going to be willing to take a one-year deal, with lots of incentives.
Bartolo Colon (RHP) - Already Ruled Out. The Rangers have already ruled out Colon, who despite looking strong in winter ball so far, but apparently, not only are his medical reports a nightmare, he also wants a long term deal.
Freddy Garcia (RHP) – Strongly Consider, But Won’t Come To Texas. Garcia would be an option I would consider strongly. He has success pitching in the American League, as well as in a pitchers park, and is still reasonably in his prime as far as a starting pitcher could be considered. However, he likely wouldn’t be an option for the Rangers for two reasons: first off, he’s considering holding himself out of the market until June, allowing him to sell himself to the highest bidder, and second, there’s been a lot of smoke signals that he will likely end up with the Mets.
Kris Benson (RHP) – Strongly Consider. My crush on the wife with the big ta-ta’s aside, Benson would be what the Rangers would consider as far as a guy hoping to be brought in as a 4th/5th starter. He’s able to keep you in games, can flash a little more at times and may be willing to take a one-year deal in an attempt to build up his value. I’d be fine with him as a one year option in the back of the rotation.
Roger Clemens (RHP) – Pass. In spite of the Mitchell Allegations, Clemens may be willing to return for one more year, just to try and prove the doubters wrong in an attempt to prove that he’s clean. Hicks may choose to consider Clemens due to his Texas roots and because Clemens was still able to dominate in games last season. However, the negatives outside of the Mitchell investigation outweigh any benefits from Clemens. First off, he will undoubtedly want to come back on a shortened season, which does Texas no good whatsoever, and he broke down late last year, as his body began to break down. Finally, in spite of some dominating performances, Clemens for the most part looked average against American League lineups. While the Rangers wouldn’t be looking for an ace, Clemens’ agents would demand a paycheck worthy of the Clemens of old, not the Clemens of the present.
Jon Lieber (RHP) - Pass. Lieber should stick to the NL.
Josh Towers (RHP) - Strongley Consider. Towers' stats, on the surface, do match up a lot to Carlos Silva, who the Mariners paid a lot for. He's a groundball pitcher that won't walk a lot, nor strike out a lot, but he'd be a reasonable option as a fourth or fifth starter, provided that the defense keeps runs off the board. He'd be a smart signing.
Jamey Wright (RHP) – Last Choice. There is always the return of the Jamey Wright experience. Wright was tolerable as a starter for the most part and was excellent in relief. He’s still got good stuff and may be amendable to taking another one year deal from the Rangers. But at this point, you have to wonder if maybe it wouldn’t be better just leaving Kameron Loe back in the rotation and hoping it goes well.
Jeff Weaver (RHP) – Oh Hell No! This is really only here as a comparison to where the market is at. Weaver will get consideration because he’s a live body.
Mike Maroth (RHP) – Are You #### Kidding Me? Yes, the Rangers have looked at him for a possible minor league deal with a spring training invite. No, I don’t think it’s a good idea. The last thing the Rangers need is for a washed up vet like Maroth to take up space in the minors.
Gerald Laird’s Situation Getting A Little Ugly
Gerald Laird’s situation is starting to get a little…annoying actually.
Two months into the off-season, Laird is still a Ranger and the situation has the potential to get ugly. Laird has already made several comments about how he feels that the Rangers have never given him the opportunity to play full time and that it seems he has always had to fight for what he’s been able to get in the majors.
Laird could start for about ten teams and backup for another five if he were shopped, but the Rangers aren't able to find a buyer yet. There was a mention of Laird being traded for Coco Crisp, which made sense at the time, but Boston killed the deal by changing course and demanding Eric Hurley and Luis Mendoza in the deal as well.
Texas could flip him to the Yankees, but New York would demand the Rangers accept a lesser prospect in return, or worse, demand more in return for one of them lesser prospects, which would be a good way to just #### me off.
The Mets were rumored to be interested, but rejected a trade of Laird and Benoit for Lastings Milledge. They then traded Milledge for Brian Schneider's carcass and Ryan Church.
The Pirates would be an option, seeing as how they want Paulino out of the starting role, but what would the Pirates send back in return? Would it be an Xavier Nady deal, with the Pirates possibly accepting Robinson Tejeda in return?
I'll work out a more detailed list next week, as the Rangers not only need to move Laird, but need to make some decisions on other 40 Man Roster spots soon.
Draft Nugget I Missed
The Rangers have apparently scored well in Baseball America’s Draft Scores, with them receiving the second best grade of all,
Here's some of the names that the Rangers have been connected with so far:
Carlos Quentin (OF) - The Rangers did make a inquiry to see what it would take to acquire the potential hard hitting right fielder from the Arizona Diamondbacks. It was Eric Hurley. I'm not opposed to trading Hurley, but only if it's for a pitcher, such as Santana or Haren. I would even trade him if maybe Texas had other pitching prospects close to ready. Since they don't, onto the new stop.
Scott Rolen (3B) and Chris Duncan (1B/LF) - This was strictly a salary dump in exchange for Hank Blalock. Duncan I'm not sure about, as he's a big hacking slugger that would be a fit as a platoon DH or FIrst Baseman. Rolen is pretty much done. Sorry. I just can't.
Andy LaRoche (3B) - There are also talks that Texas is looking to trade Hank Blalock to the Dodgers for Andy LaRoche and change. However, it looks like the reports are that this was strictly smoke with no substance. That's a pity. I would have loved to have had LaRoche.
Coco Crisp (CF) - And back to Mr. Crisp. Word is that Boston asked for C.J. Wilson in return and are not interested in Gerald Laird. Ummmm, no. Wilson is the closer next year and is one of the few lefties available for the pen, with Murray heading to the rotation in Oklahoma next year, leaving only Rheinecker as the lone lefty aside for Wilson. Still, this offer is a lot better than what the Red Sox originally asked for, which was Hurley, Luis Mendoza, who actually was a Red Sox, and another player. TIme to find the next Ron Mahay...
Josh Hamilton (CF) – Hamilton is attractive in that he’s young and is a physical freak of nature. He’s got loads of talent and could be a fixture long term in Texas. The only real question, aside from the past substance abuse issues (not fair, but unfortunately, still valid) are what potential trade matches could be done, as judging from the two teams and their respective farm systems, it doesn’t look like a match can be made.
David DeJesus (CF) – This is still a valid rumor, especially if you consider the fact that the Royals are going hard after the batshit crazy outfielder we all know as Jose Guillen. If they sign him, they’ll have a outfield of Mark Teahen, Joey Gathright, whom the Royals love, and Guillen, leaving DeJesus out in the cold. The Rangers could make an offer of Joaquin Arias, Luis Mendoza, and either Doug Mathis or Michael Schlact in return for DeJesus and change.
Chris Shelton (1B) - Shelton was designated for assignment by the Tigers to make room for Kenny Rogers. Were I the Rangers, I actually would make a play for Shelton, who could at least be a platoon partner for Cat at first next year.
Raid The Pirates
Actually, there is a way for the Rangers to be able to fill several holes at once to help fill their needs.
The Pirates are looking to move RF Xavier Nady and LF Jason Bay in order to stock on prospects, as they seem to have realized that this current core of the team just isn’t working and are looking to make some deals.
Nady is a virtual lock to be traded, as the Pirates have shown no desire to pay him in arbitration and will look to either trade him or non-tender him. Jon Daniels discussed Bay with the Pirates earlier today and is in the mix to try and get him.
I’d try to make a deal for both, which would take care of left and right field and allowing them to use some sort of Marlon Byrd/David Murphy combo in center. It would also allow Texas to leave Frank Catalanotto at first base and would add a pair of decent bats in the middle. The best part is, neither of them blocks any of the Rangers’ prospects long term and potentially could allow the Rangers to reap some draft picks if they do well in Texas.
What would I hit the Pirates with for both guys? Well, it looks like the Pirates are looking for a catcher and a pitching prospect in exchange for Bay and are just looking to get something for Nady. So, here’s what I’d do:
First off, I’d offer them Laird, who is still three years away from free agency. That would be for Nady, as it is a trade of pieces that just don’t fit with their current clubs.
For Bay, since I have already offered a catcher, I would ask them if a trade for Joaquin The Dream would work, with another pitcher, possibly Michael Schlact or Armando Galarraga would work. If they elect for it, cool. If not, I’d offer some potential Rule 5 picks that may get selected from the Rangers, likely Tug Hulett a utility man, and Jesse Ingram, who had a bounceback season last year, but was blocked from getting onto the Rangers’ 40 this year.
So, if all things considered fall into place, I’d offer the following:
The Texas Rangers offer C Gerald Laird, RHP Armando Galaragga, SS Joaquin Arias and RHP Jesse Ingram for RF Xavier Nady and LF Jason Bay
I know it’s more quantity than quality right now, but it would kill some holes on the team and would allow them to try and trade Jack Wilson while trying to eat some of his salary. All in all, it’s a pretty fair deal.
Tomorrow, the San Diego Padres Farm System goes up, with the Seattle Mariners going up on Friday. Look for a Rangers Report GM Meetings Wrap Up On Thursday.
Now, after my rant for the day, let's take a look at the Rangers report, shall we...
Dinner At Hicks' House - Not A Good Sign
The past few winters, having dinner with Tom Hicks has always been the symbol of something happening on the horizon.
In 2005, it resulted in John Hart getting fired, eventually clearing the way for Jon Daniels.
In 2006, it resulted in Buck Showalter getting fired, leading to Ron Washington.
In 2007, it could mean Torii Hunter is coming to Texas.
I'm not pleased, as I've made it well known that I think Hunter will eventually be a disaster for the Rangers. I think he's lost a step defensively, that he's not going to hold up over the course of a full season and will likely be a poor player after the age of 35.
Yet there is talk of a 5 year deal with him.
I'm just hoping that the talk of him going to the White Sox is true.
Centerfield And The 2005 Draft
Speakng of centerfield, watching the Boston Red Sox during the World Series only served to remind several Rangers fans of one of the biggest mistakes in the Rangers’ drafting history.
Namely, that Jacoby Ellsbury should have been a Ranger.
Let’s go back to 2005, when gas was cheaper, the Rangers were coming off of a winning season, when I was dating Sandra Lawson, and when the Rangers were picking #19, and the prospects for a good player were good, especially with all the screwy draft activity going on. The Blue Jays famously took Ricky Romero at 7, leaving Troy Tulowitzki for the Rockies at 8 (and giving ESPN’s Keith Law a story to tell), while several other teams went in other directions, resulting in Oregon State’s centerfielder dropping to the Rangers. At the time, Texas was in need of a centerfielder, as Lanyce Nix was beginning to show the signs that he may not be able to last over the course of a full season and the farm system being a lot shallower than it is now. Taking Ellsbury was a no-brainer and, from many sources within the Ranger organization, that was exactly what they were going to do.
Except for the one guy that had the power to screw it all up.
Tom Hicks, the Rangers’ owner, had apparently taken to John Mayberry Jr., liked his power potential, and when conversing with GM John Hart, told him to draft Mayberry over Ellsbury. As a result, the selection was made, and Ellsbury fell all the way to the Red Sox at 23.
And the results, well, are what they are.
Ellsbury went through the system quickly and is now going to be player for Boston for the next six years.
Mayberry is struggling in Double A and despite hitting for power, still has a lot of holes in his swing and will likely wind up being a bust.
I know the draft is a crapshoot and hindsight is 20/20.
But damn, this was a mistake back then that is only being magnified now.
Thanks a lot Tom and John.
Gerald Laird To The Mets? What Would It Take?
Read a note on Newsday saying that the Mets are interested in Gerald Laird to fill their hole at catcher, adding at least a second team to the mix for a potential Laird trade (with the Red Sox being the other.)
Both teams would have to give up talent in order to acquire the young backstop, who had an off year but is still promising and if partnered with a mentor like Jason Varitek in Boston, could be a good catcher for several years.
But both would require talent to be exchanged back (as draft picks can’t be swapped, which I believe if they could Texas already would have had a deal done).
But anyways, we already know what the Boston offer would be (Coco Crisp straight up.) What would it take for the Mets to do an offer?
At the moment, one of the rumors I’ve checked up on over the Internet (Lonestarball.com) has the Mets are apparently dangling Lastings Milledge as a return for Laird. However, there is a catch. They want the Rangers to include Joaquin Benoit in the deal while they would enclose Ruben Gotay in exchange.
That’s a bit too rich for my blood, but I would be willing to use that deal as a starting point. Benoit I want to keep. However, if relief help is what the Mets also want, I wouldn’t be opposed to adding Frank Francisco and Scott Feldman in the deal, which would result in the Mets getting a pair of relievers with a good amount of service time while also filling their catching vacancy. The Rangers would lose a valuable piece in Francisco, but will be able to fill the vacancy from within, as Luis Mendoza and Armando Galarraga may be near ready, with other mix and match pieces able to be worked out. And, it would give them a good young player that can man center while allowing David Murphy to be the right fielder and allow the Rangers to use Marlon Byrd as the fourth outfielder.
All in all, should the Rangers go that route, here’s what the lineup would look like:
Kinsler (2B)
Cat (1B)
Young (SS)
Blalock (3B)
Botts (DH)
Milledge (CF)
Salty (C)
Murphy (RF)
Byrd or PTBNL (LF)
Not bad, and it’s a much stronger lineup, though it’s also a very young and cheap lineup. At this point, Texas does need to see what they’ve got on the team and if several of the players blossom as expected, well, then all is good.
Rangers Steal Pitcher From The Angels
Thanks to a rare screw-up by the Angels, the Rangers have netted themselves a prospect.
Apparently, the Angels were in the process of adding RHP Warner Madrigal to the 40 Man Roster and even made a announcement stating that he was added.
One problem.
They got the date wrong. And Madrigal was no longer their property, thanks to his 6 Year Free Agent Status.
So, what do the Rangers have here?
They get a poor hitting outfielder that was converted to the mound last year and is looking like a promising relief prospect. He can throws a mid 90's fastball that reache sin the upper 90's while working on a slider and a changeup. All in all, he could become an effective setup man or a closer.
Nice job J.D.
Additions To The 40 Man Roster
Well, the 40 Man Roster has been set and for the most part, I was right.
Here are the additions:
Matt Harrison (LHP) – A solid number four starter, has better stuff than Gabbard and has proven to be more durable.
Thomas Diamond (RHP) – I wasn’t aware that Diamond wasn’t on the 40 Man Roster. Well, he’s back…
Max Ramirez (C) – The booty acquired for Kenny Lofton, giving the Rangers more catching depth.
Brandon Boggs (CF) – A potential dark horse centerfielder candidate for the Rangers in the next year or so.
Here are the casualties:
Victor Diaz (RF) – Diaz has legitimate 30 home run power, but the fact that he can’t walk means his fate was sealed.
And, in the event a player needs to be added, here’s who is going to be victimized:
Bill White (LHP) – White will likely be the first DFA candidate if the Rangers add any more players via trade or free agency.
Freddy Guzman (CF) – Guzman is an excellent defender, but quite frankly, the Rangers have enough speedy centerfielders already that can’t hit.
And, here who may be taken in the Rule 5 Draft:
Jesse Ingram (RHP) - The Former Cal Closer notched up 70 Punchouts this year and is likely Rule 5 Bait. He never really seemed to establish himself as a dominant closer and has average stuff. Hopefully, the Rangers will be able to keep him, or that he won't stick.
Tug Hulett Jr. (INF) - The son of a former Major Leaguer, many feel that he'll be able to eake out a career as a utility guy. The Rangers didn't add him because they likely felt that he won't be taken.
I've been an advocate for Kenny Rogers coming back to Texas and feel he never should have left.
However, it looks like it may happen soon, as the Rangers are looking into Kenny coming back, so long as he offers an apology as far as his camera incidient with a photographer two years ago.
No pitcher has ever mastered Rangers Ballpark like Rogers have and if he's able to teach that knowledge to some of the youngsters on the staff, like Kason Gabbard, who's similar to Rogers, and Edinson Volquez and Brandon McCarthy, the Rangers would be better for it.
One thing of note, however. Rogers I beleive is classified as a Type A free agent and would cost the Rangers' their second rounder.
Update: Just got word that Rogers is actually a Type B, and won't cost the Rangers a pick. My mistake.
Also, any move for Rogers would also have to be dependant on a salary dump, likely Vicente Padilla, in order to make room for him, as there is no way in hell the Rangers will demote McCarthy, Gabbard and Volquez just to make room for a vetern and Millwood is the sole reliable commodity on the staff.
So, we'll see...I'd be all for it, IMO.
Hunter Likely Not Coming Here
The Rangers are looking more and more out of the Hunter market, as the White Sox are aggressively going after him, seeing him as a way to improve their market and give them a "character guy" in the organization.
That's great news, as it means the Rangers won't be overpaying for a overrated centerfielder that maybe has two to three years left in the position and doesn't hit enough to be a corner outfielder and is likely going to be a part timer in about four years or so. And especially when said centerfielder is reportedly looking for seven years on his deal.
I'll pass, thank you very much.
Gerald Laird's Price Going Up
The catching market is now down it's two biggest names with Jorge Posada and Yorvit Torreabla off the board.
Which means the price just went up for Rangers catcher Gerald Larid.
Laird is still young, is a solid defender and is better with the bat than he was this past year. He has three years left of club control and is eligible for arbitration for the first time this winter.
He'd be a good stopgap for a club in need of a catcher.
The Rangers could decide to put out feelers, see if anyone is willing to get up an outfielder or infield prospect in exchange. It doesn't have to be a stud, just a solid regular.
Hopefully, the Rangers can get what they're looking for, while giving Laird the opportunity to start elsewhere.
The Rangers can easily find a backup catcher in house. Chris Stewart is cheap and wouldn't be a bad option.
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
Michael Young’s 200th Hit – It’s great to see Mikie extend his 200 hit season streak to five.
The Return of Rangers Ballpark – The Rangers take back their ballpark by buying out Ameriquest and renaming the ballpark Rangers Ballpark In Arlington.
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!)
Hank Blalock’s Return – And how! A Grand Slam against the Angels that helped ice a win on Sunday Night Baseball.
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...
Adam Dunn's time is running out, Rowand in DC, Jack Wilson heading to Detroit, More Trouble For Matt Bush, and the end of Gerald Laird's Ranger career, all coming up!
Adam Dunn May Be Done In Cincinnati
Adam Dunn may be in his last season with the Reds. It's not because of the strikeouts, or because of the Reds' woes, or even the fact that the Reds want to cut payroll to help supplement other areas of the staff.
It's because of Jay Bruce and Joey Votto.
Bruce is a talented Reds prospect is nearly ready after jumping several levels in the minor leagues and now holding his own in Triple A. He's got power, a solid eye, a capable defender and a good arm, all things that the Reds could use. As far as who he projects to be, Larry Walker is a common comparison.
Josh Hamilton has already established himself as the Reds' centerfielder, with Griffey holding down right field, which leaves left field as the only place for the uber-talented Bruce to start.
First base isn't an option either, beucase of Votto, a solid hitting first baseman that plays better defense than Dunn at first and blocks him.
Without the DH rule, that would render Dunn a very expensive bench player at $12 million.
However, the Reds won't let him leave without them getting something valuable back. It's possible that the Reds could pick up the option and look to trade Dunn this off-season, hopefully for much less than they asked the Angels when they looked into getting him.
A trade with the Rangers is possible because of the Rangers' needs for a first baseman/outfielder. However, the Rangers won't give up much for a one year rental, unless Dunn consents to an extension, which won't happen with free agent prices skyrocketing. Nor would the Rangers part with valueable prospects in return, in particular Eric Hurley and Taylor Teagarden, two of Texas' top prospects that the Reds would demand in return.
San Francisco may be a fit, as the Giants will need a power source on the team with Bonds not likely to return, however, prospects will be hard to exchange because the Giants have none and they will not consent to trading Jonathan Sanchez, a talented lefty that may be able to start that the Reds would target in return.
Were I to hazard a guess, the best fit for Dunn could be the Yankees, who need a first baseman not named Andy Phillips or god knows what else they've been running out there. They have the prospects to spare for Dunn, as they have several starting pitchers that could succeed in the National League that are of no use to them, and it wouldn't be a long term commitment, as the Yankees would be able to let Dunn go in order to pursue Braves first baseman Mark Teixeira.
Should be an interesting off-season in Cincinnati.
Monroe For Wilson Swap In The Works?
Detroit wants to find an NL club that is willing to take Craig Monroe, who was DFA'd, in parts of keeping him out of the AL.
Pittsburgh has been interested in Monroe in the past and would be willing to trade shortstop Jack Wilson if the Tigers pick up all of the $14.35 million remaining on the final two years of his three-year, $20.2 million contract.
The Tigers inquired about Wilson and nearly had a deal done for him at the deadline before talks fell apart becaue the Pirates asked for...Craig Monroe.
Surely the two clubs could work something out.
Rowand To DC?
Phillies center fielder Aaron Rowand is a free agent after the season, and while he hasn't revealed much on what he's doing after the season, he does like Washington, whom he feels is a up and coming team and will be a contender in a couple of years.
Rowand would be a solid addition to Washington and would be marketed as a face of the franchise and would be a team leader there.
However, I don't see it happening.
Washington is already experiencing a logjam in the outfield, with Wily Mo Pena, Ryan Church, Nook Logan, Austin Kearns and potentially Dmitri Young all vying for playing time.
Furthermore, Rowand will likely recieve more lucrative offers from his three top suitors, the Rangers, the Phillies, and the White Sox (not in that order.)
So as nice an idea it is, it won't happen.
More Trouble For Matt Bush
The Padres have confirmed that Matt Bush,the first overall pick in 2004, will need Tommy John Surgery on his pitching elbow, saying he should be good to go again in a year.
This is only the latest setback for Bush, who has been injury prone and under performed by the Padres, who took him instead of Tigers Ace Justin Verlander (fear of a holdout) and then Florida State shortstop Stephen Drew, who the scouts recommended to take, but were overruled because of cost. Also passed up was Jered Weaver, who fell to the Angels.
Bush was converted in June to pitching and has posted good results until recently, when in his Single-A debut for Fort Wayne, Indana on Thursday, Bush threw a pitch and reportedly ruptured a ligiment in his elbow and left.
It's unfortunate because Bush actually seemed to respond to the change, throwing a upper 90's fastball along with a promising curve.
Oh well.
Gerald Laird Is Available
Gerald Laird, the current Rangers catcher, is likely headed out of Arlington and headed elsewhere.
Laird likely was headed out anyhow, with the Rangers already having highly regarded catching prospect Taylor Teagarden coming on nicely, plus catcher Max Ramirez coming over in the Kenny Lofton deal.
However, with the acquisition of Jarrod Saltalamacchia, Laird's fate was sealed earlier. Salty has a solid bat, but it profiles better at catcher and ultimately, that's where he will remain, as the Rangers have put an emphasis at looking elsewhere for a first baseman. That means that Laird will be out of a job and likely out of Texas.
Laird should be very highly coveted, as there are very few young backstops available on the market. There will likely be interest from several teams, including Detroit, Pittsburgh, the Mets and Yankees, as well as the Cubs, who inquired about Laird shortly after the trade of Teixeira was made.
Here is the latest tidbit from resident whipping boy Randy Galloway.
Just when you thought it couldn't get any worse at the local ballpark -- any worse than what you see, any worse than the Rangers' record -- consider this:
In a classic case of be careful what you wish for, there's now a clubhouse suffering from "Buck fever."
Really? This is the first time I've read about this.
Buck Showalter is suddenly missed by the same players who last October eagerly slammed the door when the former manager's fired butt was given the heave-####.
And that Ron Washington lovefest of March in Arizona? Well, it lasted about as long as a Britney Spears rehab session.
Ooh, a pop culture reference. You're suddenly hip Randy! Anything else we should find out about.
A bit hypocritical on the players' part? Sure, but, then again, ballplayers are no different than the rest of the human race when it comes to occasional workplace disenchantment with the boss.
Best rule of thumb is never allow grumbling players in any sport to fire a manager or a coach. Eventually, what happens on the field, the court or the ice will provide the dismissal guidelines.
Actually, from what I understand, Buck has done more harm than good in Texas. He pushed for Chris Young and Fabio Castro to be traded because he either didn't think they'd be able to handle the workload or because he absolutely refused to play them. Also, consider the fact that Buck is one of the most controlling managers in baseball and you'll see how fast that wears on not only players, but management. Why else do you think that Showalter has been released and fired from two other previous jobs.
I feel I should also point out that Galloway and Jim Reeves, another personal favorite whipping boy, are both big Buck Showalter homers and both wanted the Rangers to hire Nippon Ham Fighters' manager Trey Hillman.
Shockingly, what the Rangers' rookie manager has done is quickly lose the love that embraced him just two months ago as the regular season opened.
"I said when I took the job I would be judged on how we played," Washington told me Wednesday night, "and I'm being judged now as not very good."
Accountability in a manager. I've liked that quality in Ron Washington since he arrived, but it's not all his fault.
Ron's first problem goes beyond himself. His team is not very good. It's gawd-awful in all areas. (Allow me to apologize again for actually predicting an 81-win season in early April. Actually, a .500 record was one of the least optimistic media forecasts around here, but it still looks real stupid at the moment.)
Panic arrived early, once the reality of ineptitude surfaced by late April, and it appears that Washington then committed the rookie mistake of attempting to be all things in all areas. Hitting coach, fielding coach, pitching coach. That's a trap few managers can survive, and even fewer are capable of handling.
Yes, I do believe that Washington tried to do much. I don't think he's been a pitching coach, but he's tried to work with the infielders and has tried to make the Rangers lineup a bit less freeswinging. That's not a bad thing, although the hitting should be handled by Rudy Jaramillo. As for the team not being very good, it's not that. It's just severely underperforming. There are about five key guys on the team (Kevin Millwood, Frank Catallanotto, Vicente Padilla, Scott Feldman, and Nelson Cruz) that all severely underperformed. Felman and Cruz have since been sent down, but the damage is done. Combine this with the injuries to Millwood, Blalock, and others and it's no wonder Texas is where they're at.
Billy Martin comes to distant mind. He could do it. So could Bobby Valentine.
Both were also more gratting than buck and both have been fired several times over by respective teams who couldn't stand them. Nice try.
But even a control freak like Showalter maintained dividing lines and delegated authority.
Ummm, no he didn't.
Also, remember that Washington was hired knowing he would inherit key coaches, but, if he had a problem with that, then don't take the job, and the same can be said for Wade Phillips at Valley Ranch.
I wasn't never sold on Mark Connor as a pitching coach, still am not and probably never will be. Connor's specialty is bullpens.
The ground rules were established going in for Ron, so work within those guidelines, and, most important, convince the players you are an ally, not an extension of the front office. It's a fine line that all successful managers learn how to walk.
Washington, of course, is still learning. Unfortunately, he's now learning the hard way.
And there's nothing worse than a bad team that is also tense, particularly if the manager shows signs of also being uptight. The manager cannot at times control the talent provided by the general manager, but it's foolish if he fails in the other areas.
Speaking of tense, Ken Rosenthal of FoxSports.com is a longtime baseball writer and a good one. He first reported this week that Washington's constant badgering of young catcher Gerald Laird led to a back-of-the-dugout verbal showdown with pitcher Kevin Millwood during a recent game.
As the manager, angry with Laird's handling of pitchers, was being loudly critical of his catcher, Millwood spoke up to Washington, defending Laird, saying, "It's the pitchers' fault, too."
Galloway does actually make a valid arguement here, as it's easy to pick on a catcher for his handling of pitchers. The big problem is that the Rangers are running out less than desirable players while their two youngest and most talented pitchers are going through growing pains.
Rosenthal quoted sources as saying it was "a particularly tense moment."
But based on what I heard Wednesday, this was a moment that almost got much uglier than just "tense."
Really? Can you fill us in?
Millwood is having a miserable injury-slowed season, but he's a veteran, highly respected by his teammates and the media as a standup guy.
This is Laird's first season as a full-time catcher, and handling pitchers is an art form that requires experience. But to make him the whipping boy for this starting rotation is flat wrong. Washington lost clubhouse respect by doing so.
Still haven't filled us in about what really happened....
In the AL West alone, the Rangers don't run one starter out there who could make the Angels' rotation, the A's rotation, or maybe the Mariners' rotation. Millwood, if he's healthy, would be the exception, but that's not the case.
Can I just say something real quick?
Here is who the Rangers are running out and have meant to:
Kevin Millwood - A solid vet who is underperforming.
Vicente Padilla - A quality innings eater that is also underperforming.
Brandon McCarthy - A talented young pitcher that is experiencing some growing pains, but has been money for most of the season.
Robinson Tejeda - Another talented youngster that is trying to adjust to a major league workload.
That's a real solid rotation if everything fell together.
Now, as for the arguement that none of the Rangers' pitchers would hold a candle to any of the other starting rotations in the starter, it's real hard when the rest of the division, who has taken their knocks while Yahoos like Galloway and Rangers Owner Tom Hicks have advocated winning now and have lost draft picks, and while incompetants like Grady Fuson have been running the farm system, have had the time to draft and cultivate premium talent. The Rangers' farm system is at least three years behind the rest of the division, though it could come together a bit quicker if the talent in the A and Double A squads continue performing like they have been.
If Washington wants to yell at anyone about his rotation, it should be Jon Daniels.
Actually, if you want to yell at the rotation, yell at the rotation. Daniels assembed what is a solid staff on paper. They've just been underperforming.
The new manager also quickly appointed Michael Young and Mark Teixeira as his clubhouse leaders, and coming out of spring training, he couldn't have had two stronger supporters.
But, at the moment, who knows? Teixeira asked, politely, Wednesday night that all questions pertain to getting the team straightened out, but he also answered the nightly "when will you be traded?" inquiries.
Which seems to be spurred on mostly be SI's Jon Heyman and ESPN's Buster Olney and Tim Kurkjan (however the #### you spell his name.)
In the Rosenthal article, however, Washington admitted to "conflict" with Teixeira over a hitting philosophy. The manager wanted Tex, and all his hitters, to take more pitches in certain situations.
When I asked Washington about the "conflict," he answered tersely: "There was a difference of opinion. I don't know how that is blown up to be a problem." But he was the one who told Rosenthal it was a "conflict."
While Tex is not commenting, several team members said they have heard loud and heated arguments between player and manager behind the closed door of Washington's office, and, apparently, some of the disagreement didn't center on hitting philosophy.
Tex didn't get along with Buck and he's not getting along with Ron, all the while saying how much he would love to play for Baltimore or another squad. Look Randy, sooner or later it stops being the managers' problem and starts being on the player. I'm beginning to wodner if maybe Teixeira is a player that's a little hard to work with.
Remember, this is the manager's self-appointed team leader. If the manager is picking a fight with Teixeira, it's another mistake.
Actually, I thought Michael Young was the team leader.
As far as any hitting philosophy, Tex is known for being good at situational hitting, depending on the count. Plus, because of those hitting behind him in the batting order, good pitches he sees are at a premium.
Washington, in his defense, is suffering with a lineup that is not hitting, and he wants to change things. But Tex is now rolling after a slow start and, in the entire batting order, only Young and Frank Catalanotto are proven hitters not yet producing. What exactly were the expectations for anyone else?
Actually, Young is on a roll lately. It's Cat that's been screwing it up, as well as the obsession with playing Matt Kata. And this should have been mentioned earlier before you publically wnet after Washington's head in this column.
"There is no division in there," Washington said Wednesday night about his clubhouse.
Easy, Ron. The "division in there" seems no different than anything else involving the Rangers these days.
I don't really know how to respond to this.
The fact is that Randy Galloway is a lousy columnist that should just stick to radio. The only problem is that he's an insanely popular lousy columnist that has a cult following in the metroplex that take his opinions and run with it. That's dangerous, especially when you have a team that's trying to reverse years of flawed thinking and logic and trying to do the right thing and rebuild.
Which is why I regularly trash him at every chance I get.
Hopefully, if there is a dissenting opinion, maybe I can at least help make things a bit more levelheaded.
The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly Of The Week That Was
The Good
Michael Young - The Franchise is hitting .325 with 2 home runs and 8 RBI's in the last 10 games.
C.J. Wilson - The Blue Gloved Lefty has been almost unhittable this season and is sitting with a 2.87 ERA in 14 appearances and is making his case to be the closer after this season, as I don't think either Otsuka or Gagne will be returning at the end of the season.
Gerald "Wheels" Laird - The Rangers' catcher has hit .294 in the last 10 games and has raised his average from a pitiful .169 to a slightly more respectable .216. Plus he beat A-Rod at home in New York.
Mark Teixeira - Big Tex is heating up and is hitting over .400 in the past 10 games, while hitting 3 home runs and riving in 12.
Hank Blalock - Hammering Hank is heating up again. We've seen this from Hank before, but it's always good to see Blalock contributing.
Eric Hurley and John Whittleman - The Rangers' April players of the month are tearing up the minors and could be in line for promotions to Triple A and High A respectively come July.
The Bad
Brad Wilkerson - Windmill Wilk is now down to hitting .229 on the season and is 7th on the Rangers in K's.
The Ugly
Ian Kinsler - The Rangers' second baseman has hit .091 with 1 homer and 3 RBI's in the past 10 games and has made some terrible errors.
Victor Diaz and Nelson Cruz - The Rangers' Right Field Options are rapidly playing themselves toward demotion.
Francisco Cruceta - Shortly after giving him props in the Rangers' Report, Cruceta has been suspended for 50 games for performance enhancing drug.
Gyro-Mania In Arlington
Though Daisuke Matsuzaka has stated that he doesn’t throw the gyroball, the pitch has been doing wonders for Rangers reliever C.J. Wilson. Wilson said he used the gyro to strike out Bobby Abreu during his 3 1/3 innings of shutout relief in the Rangers' 6-2 loss to the Yankees on Wednesday. Wilson also used the pitch against Red Sox first baseman Kevin Youkilis. For those that have forgotten, Wilson learned the pitch in Spring Training. Apparently, when the pitch is thrown by a lefty, it moves up and away from a right-handed hitter, and Wilson has incorporated it into his repertoire.
Top 30 Rangers Prospects – 26 Through 30
Continuing our look at the Rangers' top prospects, here are prospects 26 through 30.
26 –Danny Ray Herrera (LHP)
DOB: 10/21/84
Drafted: 45th Round, 2006, University Of New Mexico
2007 Club: Bakersfield Blaze (High A)
Height/Weight: 5-7/145
Bats/Throws: L/L
The Skinny: Danny Ray Herrera is one of those players that didn’t wow people with his stuff, but he’s a very successful pitcher in his own right. Herrera didn't pitch much like a 45th-rounder, as the former University of New Mexico star appeared in 17 games, 14 of which came in the California League, and finished with a 4-3 record with a 1.45 ERA in 62 innings. He racked up 72 K’s and didn't allow a home run while in the homer happy California League. For those that argue that he’s not a high quality talent, consider the fact that he was a very successful pitcher at a park that played very much like an early Coors Field.
Aresenal: Herrera doesn’t have overpowering stuff, as I believe his fastball tops off at 90, but his off-speed pitches are excellent and Herrerra does such a great job of changing speeds and using pinpoint control to induce groundballs, mostly off on a filthy curveball-changeup hybrid that is near unhittable.
Negatives: Herrera’s options are limited, which means he’s a surefire bet to be a bullpen guy.
Projection: Low. Herrera’s pretty much a finished product.
In A Perfect World, He Is: A dynamite setup man.
2007 Course Of Action: Herrera was retained in Extended Spring Training, but has reported to the Blaze, where he is a member of the pen.
27 – Doug Mathis (RHP)
DOB: 06/07/83
Drafted: 13th Round, 2005, University Of Missouri
2007 Club: Frisco Roughriders (Double A)
Height/Weight: 6-3/220
Bats/Throws: R/R
The Skinny: Mathis had been previously drafted by the Dodgers in the 34th round in 2002 and the Mariners 31st round pick in 2003 while at Central Arizona Junior College. Mathis had strong numbers at Central Arizona Junior College, maintaining a 1.35 ERA in 18 games for Central Arizona, before transferring to Missouri for the 2005 season and posting a 5-4 record with a 3.27 ERA in 21 games, including 11 starts. Since then, he’s been aggressively promoted, beginning with a debut in Spokane in 2005, where he lead all Rangers minor leaguers in 2005 with a 2.68 ERA. He then kipped Clinton and started the 2006 season in Bakersfield (High-A), where after a rough start, he ended the year with a 4.18 ERA, good for 5th in the California League, and was then a late season call-up to the Frisco Roughriders, where he responded with a 3.60 ERA in 10 innings.
Aresenal: Mathis has developed a respectable four pitch mix with a fastball and slider, which were always solid and have been since he was drafted, but he’s added a plus curveball and a changeup and commands all of them very well. He has also apparently added 4-5 mph to his velocity.
Negatives: Mathis has been aggressively pushed since he has arrived in the organization. While that seems to be par for the course as a college pitcher, I wonder if the Rangers are risking blowing out Mathis’ arm with all the promotion.
Projection: Low. Mathis really didn’t have much room to grow.
In A Perfect World, He Is: A back of the rotation starter
2007 Course Of Action: Mathis was surprisingly promoted to Triple A in the offseason, which is a questionable decision at best, considering how hard they have promoted him. He was destroyed and demoted to Frisco, where he has been solid.
28 – Travis Metcalf (3B)
DOB: 8/17/82
Drafted: 11th Round, 2004, Kansas
2007 Club: Frisco Roughriders (Double A)
Height/Weight: 6-3/200
Bats/Throws: R/R
The Skinny: Metcalf had a solid year after he was drafted in 2005, hitting .291 with 22 homers and 94 RBI’s with the Bakersfield Blaze. It looked like Metcalf would possibly rocket through the system and maybe try to challenge for a bench spot with the big club by the end of this year. However, Metcalf had a less than satisfactory year with the Roughriders in 2006, hitting .221 with only 8 homers and 37 RBI’s. Metcalf needs a big turnaround this year to get himself back to legitimate prospect status.
Assets: Metcalf has legitmiate power in his bat, as seen from his stats going all the way back to his days with the University of Kansas. He’s also a pretty good defensive third baseman.
Negatives: Metcalf’s swing is long and he’s impatient, leading to a great deal of strikeouts. While that is somewhat negatable in the majors, he’s never going to be a guy that hits for a high average. He’s also prone to making some throwing errors at third.
Projection: Low. Metcalf is probably not going to improve on his physical gifts as he is going to improve on the mental side, such as decision making, pitch selection and the like. That will only come with playing time, so don’t expect Metcalf to sit anytime soon. He projects to be, in fact, very much like former Ranger third baseman Dean Palmer.
In A Perfect World, He Is: A slugging third baseman that strikes out a whole lot. Again, the Palmer comparisons are uncanny.
2007 Course Of Action: Metcalf returned to Double A in hopes of strengthening his resume and regaining some of his prospect status. So far, it appears to be working, as he's currently hitting .283 with 5 bombs and 22 RBI's, while showing some semblance of plate discipline. His OPS is currently a studly .821
29 – Anthony Webster (LF)
DOB: 4/10/83
Drafted: 15th Round, 2001, Tennessee High School (White Sox)
2007 Club: Frisco (Double A)
Height/Weight: 6-0/197
Bats/Throws: L/R
The Skinny: Webster, obtained from Chicago as part of the Carl Everett deal, has loads of tools. Unfortunately, only recently has he been able to put some of them together. He had a breakout of sorts this past season and hit a combined .288 with 8 home runs and 38 RBI’s.
Assets: Webster has plus speed on the bases and is a gifted athlete. He’s got some semblance of plate discipline.
Negatives: Webster was hoped to be able to take to centerfielder, where his bat would look better, but he lacks the range and instincts to play center. His arm limits him to left field, but he has little power to be a starter at the position. Unless he becomes the second coming of Ichiro Suzuki, he’s not going to be a starter.
Projection: Low. Any sort of projection that Webster could have developed should have developed by now.
In A Perfect World, He Is: A fourth outfielder
2007 Course Of Action: Webster was only recently assigned to Double A Frisco, where he needs to be able to force his way back up to Triple A for any sort of major league look at the end of the season.
30 – Armando Galarraga (RHP)
DOB:1/15/82
Signed: Venezuela, 2001 (Expos)
Likely 2007 Club: Frisco (Double A)
Height/Weight: 6-4/180
Bats/Throws: R/R
The Skinny: Galarraga was the prospect sent to Texas along with Terrmel Sledge and Brad Wilkerson for Alfonso Soriano back in 2005 and he had just gotten off of a breakout year in which he went 6-8 with a 3.80 ERA with 137 strikeouts and 44 alks in 156 innings between high Class A Potomac and Double-A Harrisburg, but was destroyed in the Rangers’ system and fell all the way down to Rookie Ball. Despite that, Galarraga still has some upside. He was one of the Nationals top prospects back in 2005.
Assets: Galarraga has always had an electric arm. He throws a fastball that clocks in the low to mid 90’s and has some movement. He couples it with a sharp slider that is a solid out pitch. His delivery is pretty even and overall he looks pretty good on the mound.
Negatives: Aside from the injury issue, Galarraga’s changeup is a below average pitch and keeps him from possibly being anything more than a fifth starter slash swingman. There’s also the question as to whether or not he can handle a starters workload.
Projection: Low. Galarraga’s injuries appear to be behind him. All he’s got to do now is prove that he’s over them.
In A Perfect World, He Is: A back of the rotation starter or a capable swingman
2007 Course Of Action: The Rangers are hoping it was injury that came to bite Galarraga’s season and have returned him to Frisco, where they hope he can give starting another shot.
