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.
Normally I love the guys from Baseball Prospectus and their various takes on the world of Baseball, but there are times when I do take issue with some of the opinions they write.
Like this recent piece that Joe Sheehan, writing for SI.com, indicating five trades that need to happen raised my ire. Sheehan's words are in italics, mine are normal.
Red Sox trade CF Coco Crisp to the White Sox for 1B Chris Carter. Boston must unload Crisp, who was supplanted as the team's centerfielder by Jacoby Ellsbury during the ALCS. The Red Sox' every-day lineup is set for 2008, but they could use some depth among their hitting prospects as they move toward the end of the Manny Ramirez -- David Ortiz era. The White Sox are focused on the short term, as shown by their extending the contracts of veterans Jermaine Dye and Mark Buehrle. So 20-year-old first baseman Carter, who was third in the Class A Sally League with 25 homers, is expendable. Getting Crisp, 28, who is owed a very reasonable $11 million over the next two years, at a down moment would be smart shopping.
I would almost agree with this if the Red Sox on record hadn't already said they would target high talent in the lower minors. With that in mind, the Red Sox would be more likely to target Faustino De Los Santos, a impact righthander in the White Sox's Low A affiliate. That would probably kill the trade.
A more plausible trade would likely be with Texas, who could offer a young arm in Jake Brigham, a highly projectable right hander who is similar to Sox prospect Michael Bowden, or the Dodgers, who have a load of ammunition they could offer in return.
Rockies trade 3B Garrett Atkins to the Twins for RHPs Anthony Swarzak and Eduardo Morlan. Ian Stewart (.304/.379/.478 at Triple A Colorado Springs) is ready to take over at third base for Colorado, which should be looking to add strikeout pitchers to a staff heavy on contact guys. Minnesota has a glut of young pitchers and desperately needs to add a bat to help Justin Morneau and Joe Mauer. Swarzak, 22, a starter who projects as a mid-rotation guy, is buried in the Twins' system. Morlan, 21, struck out 12.6 men per nine innings as a reliever in high A ball and could be a 2008 version of closer Manny Corpas.
Actually, I'm all about that trade. Sheehan nails this one. It will never happen, however, as Minnesota stockpiles arms and never uses them, which has possibly killed several trades that could have helped the team. Another thing is that Atkins is untradable thanks to the recent success and the fan backlash may not be desirable to the Rox. Stewart is more likely to be traded and he could fetch a solid young arm in a trade. One trade likely to be bandied about: Stewart to New York for Ian Kennedy.
Orioles trade SS Miguel Tejada to the Blue Jays for OF Adam Lind, RHP Brandon League and LHP David Purcey. The Blue Jays' window is fast closing since they'll lose the services of Troy Glaus, A.J. Burnett and Frank Thomas after 2008. With the Yankees going through a transition, it may be '08 or never for the J.P. Ricciardi regime. Tejada would give Toronto a big offensive boost over the current shortstop, glove man John McDonald. The rebuilding Orioles won't get the Jays' best prospect (outfielder Travis Snider), but they would get three major-league-ready guys, at low cost.
Not Happening. The Orioles could probably get a lot more for Tejada than Lind, a solid outfielder, Purcey, a okay, but not great lefty, and League, a setup man. If they really wanted to shop Tejada, they could probably get something better from the Angels, likely 3B Brandon Wood, a Troy Glaus-esque third baseman and RHP Ervin Santana, who could be an ace if he gets out of LA. A third prospect, possible Reggie WIllits, could go back in return and could be passable in center if they so chose.
Another option would be the Dodgers, who could sent back a package of CF Juan Pierre, 3B Andy LaRoche, and LF Andre Etheir. EIther option would be a lot better than what Sheehan offers in his column.
Brewers trade SS Alcides Escobar to the Rangers for 3B Hank Blalock. Milwaukee could then move Ryan Braun, the first third baseman in 14 years with a sub-.900 fielding percentage, to rightfield, rightfielder Corey Hart to center and centerfielder Bill Hall to third base, where he'd platoon with Blalock, another high-split guy. That would put two players, Braun and Hall, in positions where they're better suited, while stretching Hart slightly. Blalock would provide a key lefty bat for a team that lists to the right. Meanwhile, with Escobar, 20, Texas G.M. Jon Daniels would add to his collection of prospects a glove-first shortstop who could eventually move Michael Young to third base.
Won't happen. The Rangers already have a highly projectable shortstop in Elvis Andrus and a similar version of Escobar in Joaquin "The Machine" Arias. They'd be more likely to add someone else that could play centerfield, or a highly projectable athlete. If the Rangers were to trade Blalock, which likely won't happen because Blalock's value is low, they'd target someone like Crisp, actually, though a more realistic option would likely be Luke Scott of the Astros, who reporteldy have been thinking about using Wigginton at second.
Indians trade SS Jhonny Peralta to the Cubs for OF Matt Murton and RHP Sean Gallagher. Rather than move Peralta to second or third base to make room for Asdrubal Cabrera, Cleveland should trade him near the peak of his value for a much-needed corner-outfielder bat. The Cubs made do with fan fave Ryan Theriot at short this year, but Peralta, 25, is a clear upgrade. His below-average defense with the Tribe wouldn't be as much of a liability with the Cubs' high-strikeout, fly ball staff.
First of all, I don't think that Gallagher would be a good fit for the Jake, or the AL for that matter, so he's out. Murton is a solid outfielder, but the Indians have David Dellucci on the team and rather than admit they made a mistake and move on, they'll likely stick him in left field next season as the starter. Nice try, but this deal would be a disaster for the Indians, who would get a player with the same upside as Cliff Lee. I really don't see why this would work out.
Tomorrow night, I'll post my own trades that should be done.
One final update of the signings and the status of the Rangers’ picks in the first five rounds. There will be a follow up Thrusday once all the signings have drawn.
1st Round – Blake Beaven (RHP) – Very Likely. Beaven and his company have still had a lot of posturing on both sides, but Beaven will sign. He won’t go nearly as high in the draft next year if he re-enters, plus he’ll have developed a reputation for being difficult. Though he’s asking for $2 million, he won’t get it and it’s high time he figures that out. Hopefully, things will work out, though according to a quote attributed to his mother, there has been progress. Beaven has kind of pissed away a year of his development. Instead of possibly joining Michael Main in Clinton next season for full season ball, Beaven will likely be retained in extended until the short season ball clubs start up, where he’ll likely be sent to Spokane.
1st Round – Michael Main (RHP) – Signed.
1st Round (S) – Julio Borbon (CF) – Likely. Borbon has had almost nothing written about him, mostly because Scott Boras likes it that way and because he’s been focused on working on deals for Rick Porcello. Borbon is likely going to get signed, probably for above slot money, but Boras should have gotten a deal done weeks ago.
1st Round (A) – Neil Ramirez (RHP) – Very Likely. Ramirez wants to be a Ranger and has himself said that he’s very close to a deal. The Rangers are going to pay above slot for Ramirez, who is a first round talent that slipped because of some bad showings toward the end of his season.
1st Round (A) – Tommy Hunter (RHP) – Signed.
2nd Round – Matt West (SS) – Signed.
3rd Round – Evan Reed (RHP) – Signed.
4th Round – Garrett Nash (CF) – Won’t Sign. Nash’s reps have told the Rangers that their client will not be signing with the Rangers. Instead Nash will be headed to Oregon State. This was to be expected and realistically, it was a wasted pick.
5th Round – John Gast (LHP) – Doubtful. Gast’s representatives have been back and forth in contact with the Rangers, but it’s looking like Gast won’t be coming to Texas, though I think this has more to do with money than anything else. Gast is regarded to be a solid lefty that could be a solid middle of the rotation horse. But, realistically, Gast and his advisors are probably weighing the difference in money and they probably decided that if Gast sits one year, rehabs, and has a pair of solid seasons at Florida State, it would be much better than what the Rangers could offer him.
Vicente Padilla’s Progress
Vicente Padilla, who hasn't pitched for the Rangers since June 21 because of right triceps irritation, is scheduled to start for Texas tomorrow against Kansas City. He’ll be held on a 80 to 85 pitch count and will be shadowed by one of the long relievers, John Rheinecker, Mike Wood and Jamey Wright. Padilla hasn’t had any problems with his forearm but there are some wonders if he’ll be able to dominate. We’ll see how it goes tomorrow. With the season already gone to hell, there’s not much we can go on.
One Final Teixeira Nugget
One final note on the Teixeira non-trade to the Angels. They apparently never offered 1B Casey Kotchman and LHP Joe Saunders. The offer was Teixeira straight up for Casey Kotchman and RHP Ervin Santana, plus maybe Terry Evans, a right fielder. I like Evans, but come on, Kotchman and Santana. Really?
Rangers Notes (Majors)
Rangers setup man Akinori Otsuka has begun to throw off flat ground and reportedly had no problems. If things work out, Otsuka will return in September, in time for roster expansion.
3B Hank Blalock is still feeling some soreness in the nerves along his side muscle and that has been restricting him from making strong throws to the infield. Once he’s able to do that, he should be able to go on a rehab assignment. I’m beginning to wonder if the Rangers might have to look at Blalock as a first baseman and give someone like Travis Metcalf, who’s rotting down at Triple A, a shot to make himself a legitimate major leaguer. It’s not like there’s a hell of a lot of attractive other options on the Corner Infield market and it would save the Rangers from having to re-sign Wiffy Wilkerson for another year.
Toronto released former Rangers shortstop Royce Clayton. He had a good career, much more than what one with his skill set would normally expect.
Rangers Notes (Minor)
2007 First Round Michael Main has done enough on the mound to earn himself a promotion to Class A Spokane, where he’ll be working in relief for the time being. Main has currently raised his stock well after acclimating himself quickly to the Arizona Rookie League. All this is likely in preparation for him to join the Clinton Lumberkings next season.
Frisco righthander Armando Galarraga was named the Rangers’ minor league pitcher for July after he went 3-1, 1.58 in six starts, including a one-hit shutout and a two-hit shutout.
On a side note, Texas seems to own J.J. Putz, as he always seems to have trouble against the Rangers Four of his five home runs have come against the closer..
Wow again.
Onto The Trade Rumors...
Okay, here's my take on the possible trade of Mark Teixeira.
Atlanta - The Braves are said to be close, with a package of Jarrod Saltalamacchia, prospect Elvis Andrus, and a pitcher, likely Kyle Davies (ick.) in exchange for Teixeira and a reliever. The sticking point appears to be the reliever. The Braves want Eric Gagne or Joaquin Benoit. The Rangers want to send them Ron Mahay instead. I'm down with obtaining Saltalamacchia, as he can be stuck immediately at first base, or could possibly preclude a Gerald Laird Trade (Hey, Pittsburgh, still want to trade Ian Snell?). Andrus I'm not so sure. Hey's a toolsy player that hasn't put it together. Not a good fit. If the prospect can be changed to something else, it would be a better fit, but Andrus sounds like a typical John Schuerholtz Sell High Bust.
Boston - Boston is said to be considering acquiring Teixeira and is said to be right behind the Braves in terms of trade. The Red Sox are refusing to send Clay Buchholz (nor would I expect them to) or Jacoby Ellsbury, but apparently are open to maybe packaging Michael Bowden, Brandon Moss and Coco Crisp to Texas while promoting Ellsbury to the big league club full time. That's a little less sexier than the Atlanta deal, though Bowden is a good pitcher and Moss could become a solid right fielder. The only question really is what the Red Sox would do with Mike Lowell. Does the deal get expanded to send Lowell elsewhere? Could it be possible that the Rangers get something else too? We'll see....
Yankees - It ain't happening. In spite of the New York Media and Buster Olney stating that the Yankees are going to wait out the Rangers in hopes that the Rangers accept a Bobb Abreu type package in return, that's not happening, as Teixeira is a young player, still under club control, and would merit significant draft pick compensation. The Yankees pretty much want to have their cake and eat it too, obtaining Teixeira while getting to keep Joba Chamberlain, Phil Hughes, and even Ian Kennedy. It's not going to happen.
Dodgers - The Dodgers are the dark horse candidate. They clearly don't want to part with either Clayton Kershaw or James Loney, but where would Loney play if the Dodgers acquired Teixeira. A potential deal has been rumored to consist of Loney, Andre Ethier, and a pitcher, but the pitching prospect can't be agreed upon.
Angels - Two days ago, I would have said any chance for a deal was shot. Though Teixeira would add a shot in the arm to the streaky Angels offense, the Angels have been hurt by many of their prospects having down years. Bill Stoneman has kind of lost some of the trade on his prospects because he's waited too long. Though Casey Kotchman is okay, the fact that the Angels are making Nick Adenhart off limits and are offering up Joe Saunders or Ervin Santana is making the deal hard to ####. However, the Angels have upped their offer to center on Kotchman and outfielder Terry Evans. Hmmm.
That's where things stand. It figures to get pretty hectick once the dealine approaches, especially between the two LA teams, who don't want to see either get Teixeira and will do whatever it takes to make sure one doesn't acquire him.
The Implications Of Tejeda’s demotion for Next Year
Robinson Tejeda has been sent to Triple-A Oklahoma for work on harnessing his control. Tejeda's biggest problem has been the amount of walks he's given up, as he's averaging 6.3 walks per nine innings.
While the Rangers are still high on Tejeda, bringing him back isn't such a slam dunk as it would seem.
For starters, Tejeda faces two other young pitchers, Brandon McCarthy and Kameron Loe, both of whom are starting to show some promise as major leaguers. Millwood is locked in long term and, oddly enough, the Jamey Wright freak show is still sort of working.
John Rheinnecker's gem o####ame yesterday makes that he's likely going to get another shot, as the fifth starter.
Even more worrisome to Tejeda's situation is that he'll have competition coming into next year.
Top pitching prospect Eric Hurley may be near ready for the show and will likely be given a shot to earn it in Spring Training. Edinson Volquez appears to be back somewhat and could be given a shot. Even Mike Wood, the Royals reclamation prospect, is showing some signs of life.
It doens't mean the Rangers are giving up on him.
It just means that he's no longer a lock to be in the rotation.
Blalock Is Still Out
Hank Blalock is still having some issues with his shoulder, making it unlikely that he'll return by August 1, and possibly nto at all this season. Blalock could only throw halfway to first base comfortably during fielding drills and is going to need more time to build up arm strength. Though he's been able to hit well off in batting practice, it's his defense that's keeping him back.
Blalock, in my opinion, may be avaialble in September as a DH, but I'm beginning to wonder if we'll ever see Hank at third again. Travis Metcalf is doing a decent job of holding down the fort and needs some work to get his bat up to speed. Metcalf is a superior defender than Blalock. I wonder if possibly, with Teixeira gone, if Blalock could be shifted to first, where his lack of range and shoulder issues would be less of a worry. It could also help his offense, if Blalock returns to his old form of hitting for contact and not trying to hit everything out of the park.
Rangers Notes (Majors)
It’s looking more and more that the Rangers will not sign 4th Round Garret Nash, a speedy centerfielder who has a commitment to Oregon State. From what I’ve heard and read, it looks like Nash is adamant on going to Oregon State, making the Rangers’ pick of him a bit of a waste, as they could have drafted Jake Arrieta, a righthander out of TCU that could have been had for roughly the same money. They still might be able to get Arrieta. From what it’s looking, Arrieta might decide to return to TCU for his senior year to increase his stock.
Oh, a note about Rangers’ 5th Rounder John Gast. Apparently, Gast is open to accepting a deal, from what I gathered at the LoneStarBall Forums and a few other off the wall sources, but it looks like Texas might not sign him until they have taken a look at how his rehab is going from Tommy John. Gast would have been a first rounder had he not gotten hurt, so I would be open to getting a deal done. Adding a lefty pitching prospect is always a plus. Gast will be in Arlington soon to meet with Management.
Rangers Notes (Minor)
Two Ranger Prospects, Omar Poveda and Edinson Volquez, both took no hit bids in late innings. Volquez blew the no-no in the sixth, while Poeveda took it into the 7th. You want to hear that kind of stuff from your prospects. Expect to see both of these guys get some play in the Top Ranger Prospects list after the season.
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.
Parity Does Exist In Baseball, When Exactly The Yankees Went To Hell and Why They Won't Win Another World Series For A While, Free Agency Rumblings And Grumblings, and Matt Cain's Face On A Tortilla. Yup. A Tortilla.
Baseball, Not Football, Is Now The Most Fair Sport
Say what you want about Football and it's parity, but the fact is that Baseball is now the most fair amongst the sports.
Baseball, since it's institution of a revenue sharing system (somewhat) has managed to keep things competitive and different in their post-seasons. True, while there are the big money teams that buy their way into the playoffs (Yankees, Mets, Red Sox, and to a certain extent, the Braves) there have also been several teams that have managed to make it into the show while keeping their books balanced. As much as I despise Billy Beane, I've got to give him credit for keeping Oakland competitive for most of the decade. Minnesota has done more with less, thanks to smart drafts and trades (Pierzynski for Nathan, Liriano, and Bonzer anyone). Florida, ater deciding that they couldn't afford their expensive team, sold off most of their pieces of their team and nearly posted the same record this season and may challenge the Mets for the NL East Crown next season.
Sure, people may point out the Royals, the Devil Rays, the Pirates and the Rockies as examples of why Baseball is unfair, but the fact is that for a great period of time, these franchises were run with little direction, clue, or drive by their respective owners and management. But even then, there is reason to hope. The Royals now appear to be on the right track thanks to new General Manager Drayton Moore, who sold off most of the ill fitting pieces that had no place on his vision of the future, and the Devil Rays are now starting to come into their own now that ownership appears to be willing to spend money and make things work. The Rockies, after trying for years to buy talent to help them compete, has taken advantage of numerous high draft picks to build one of the deepest farm systems in baseball. As for Pittsburgh, well....they did finish ahead of the Cubs, who spent a fortune for a last place team.
Does credit have to go to Bud Selig? To a certain extent. Selig's attempts to crack on teams that try to spend their way to a championship has worked to a certain extent. One of the things that Bud's predecessor, Fay Vincent, was accused of (and to whom I credit most of the blame of the steroid era to), was that Vincent was too much in favor of the big market teams. And while Selig's changes haven't stopped teams from goings nuts as far as payroll (I.e. both New York Teams, The Angels, Both Chicago Teams), the fact is that Bud has done a lot of good in implementing his changes to give everyone a shot.
If you want the ultimate justification, take a look at the number of teams that win the championship of each league, since Bud took charge in 1992.
NFL - (11). Washington (1992), Dallas (1993-94), San Francisco (1995), Dallas (1996), Green Bay (1997), Denver (1998-99), St. Louis (2000), Baltimore (2001), New England (2002), Tampa Bay (2003), New England (2004-05), Pittsburgh (2006)
NBA -(6). Chicago (1992-93), Houston (1994-95), Chicago (1996-98), San Antonio (1999), LA Lakers (2000-02), San Antonio (2003), Detroit (2004), San Antonio (2005), Miami (2006)
MLB - (9). Toronto (1992-93), Atlanta (1995), New York Yankees (1996), Florida (1997), New York Yankees (1998-2000), Arizona (2001), Anaheim (2002), Florida (2003), Boston (2004), Chicago White Sox (2005), Mets/Tigers/Athletics/Cardinals (2006).
Football has the most division winners among the sample, but that sample is slightly tainted because of the mini-dynasties of San Francisco and Washington that can be traced farther back beyond this sample. Plus, the Rams made the Super Bowl in 2002 and New England was the loser in the 1997 Super Bowl. Baseketball, despite it's claim of it being all inclusive thanks to the fact that half the damn league gets into the playoffs, has had only six different teams win the title in this 14 year period. As for Baseball, the Yankee Dynasty tends to skew the overall balance, plus the lost 1994 World Series. Baseball also has fewer teams that have managed to extend their runs of dominance over a significant period of time. Before the Yankees won four in five years from 1996 to 2000, the last multiple win World Series team was the Oakland Athletics, who did it from 1972 to 1974.
So while baseball may have it's problems, one thing is certain.
There is parity in the sport. It's not as obvious as football, where 8-8 can get you into the playoffs, but it exists. You just have to look closely to find it.
Where The Yankees Went To Hell...
Speaking of New York, Bobby V on The V Show with ESPN had a great point on when the Yankees began to tank.
When Matsui and Sheffield went down, the Yankees were forced to shake things up in their clubhouse by having to depend on a new face (Melky Cabrera) and an old favorite (Bernie Williams). Cabrera borught a breath of fresh air to a largely stale Yankee lineup and Williams, who was given up for dead, stepped up as the DH/Part Time Outfielder and did a good job doing it. Combined with the shakeup that brought in Bobby Abreu and the Yankees were transformed into a livelier and more productive lineup.
But the Yankees reverted back to form when Torre decided he had to put Matsui and Sheffield into the lineup. Gone went Cabrera, who more than earned the starting left field job, and gone wnet Williams, who can still destroy lefty pitching. And true, the change probably should have been made considering Matsui's and Sheffield's accomplishments, but I can't help but agree that a little bit of life left that lineup when Cabrera and Williams were pulled.
Why The Yankees Won't Win For A While
If the Yankees expect to make a return to the post-season, they need to depend on the farm for help, not free agency. The Yankees won their championships thanks to having three incredible front line pitchers. Roger Clemens and David Cone, two bonafide aces, headed the rotation while Andy Pettitte, a number one on most teams, ran the middle of the rotation. Plus, they had a bunch of players that, while not All-Stars, at least meshed well with each other. Paul O'Neill isn't Manny Ramirez, but in that team, he was extraordinary.
Since the Dynasty years, the Yankees haven't had that same dominance that they were known for. I chalk this up to not only a lack of pitching on the market, but also a lack of players on the inside.
Let's start with pitching. There aren't a lot of aces for sale on the market. Most are either aging and close to retiring (John Smoltz, Curt Schilling, Roger Clemens), locked up for the near future (Roy Oswalt, Dan Haren, Bartolo Colon, Carlos Zambrano, Johan Santana, Jake Peavy, Dontrelle Willis, Roy Halliday), or are incredibly young and will be controlled by their respective teams for the distant future (Justin Verlander, Francisco Liriano, Felix Hernandez).
Now a days, if you want to have a legitimate ace to head up your rotation, you need to home grow them. This has been the one thing that Yankees have been unable to do for sometime, but this may be changing with Philip Hughes going to Triple A next season.
The other thing that the Yankees need to do is bring in more position players from the farm system. The Yankees have a good young core to build around with Cano, Cabrera, Wang and Proctor, but they need more. The problem with free agents is that you tend to get a lot of mercenary players, which is what the Yankees have done in the past few years by bringing in players such as Sheffield, Giambi, Rodriguez, Johnson, and others. These guys a lot of the time have no link to the team and at times can be lifeless and dispassionate.
Are all free agents like that? No. You have guys that genuine love playing the game and whose personalities reflect that, such as Johnny Damon. However, the lack of chemistry that has been evident in the Yankees is harmful, as at the end of the day, you can't rely on those players to come through for you when things are bleak. What you have now is New York is a collection of stars unwilling to stand up to one another, resulting in a buildup of tensions that boils over, such as the Sports Illustrated Alex Rodriguez article, along with the numerous rumors (which the Yankees have been quick to try and deny) of fist fights between Rodriguez and Jeter and Johnson and Posada, among others.
The Yankees need to get back to the strategy of bringing up players that not only have the fire that makes young players so much fun to watch, but also are willing to listen to the leaders of the clubhouse when the right jolt is needed.
All of this can only be solved in the draft, which the Yankees have a huge advantage over. So many picks fall because of signability reasons (Scott Boras). The Yankees can draft these young players and deal with their agents (Scott Boras) to try and get them to forgo college to join the minors. The Yankees have more than enough money to pay above slot and, to be honest, how many players would jump at the chance of playing for the Yankees and forgoing college instead of putting up a stellar college career and wind up in Kansas City or Tampa.
I'll be the first to say it. The Yankees won't win the World Series as long as this team is together. But the sooner that the Yankees start building their future around promising youngsters and stop going after overpriced nightmares like Carl Pavano, Jaret Wright, and the Big No Show, the sooner that New Yorkers can start hoping for their pinstriped heroes to take their latest trip down the Canyon of Heroes amid a rain of falling confetti.
Free Agency Rumblings And Grumblings
One last Yankee tidbit: The Yankees are expected to decline the options of Sheffield and Mussina, making them free agents, and exercising a injury induced buyout clause on Jaret Wright, freeing up almost $30 million in cash. While the Yankees are expected to bring back Mussina, it's highly unlikely we'll see New York make a splash in the free agent market unless it's for the soon to be posted Daisuka Matsuzaka.
Lou Pinella was reportedly hoping that the Texas Rangers would have offered him their position of manager, as he viewed the Rangers as the closest of the teams seeking a manager to contention.
Expect Hank Blalock to have lots of suitors this off-season. While Blalock's put up career worst numbers in home runs, RBI's and everything else, he's still got quite a bit of upside in that he's still young and his contract is relatively affordable. While this would force the Rangers to have to bring back Mark DeRosa as the regular third baseman, trading Blalock with another prospect would be a great way to acquire another starting pitcher with more than one year of service time left.
Expect Seattle to become a major player in the free agency market. With Ichiro nearing the end of his contract and becoming disheartened with the performance of Seattle in recent years, Seattle has got to do something to help improve the team. They do have some trade chips in RP Rafael Soriano and 1st Baseman Ritchie Sexton, but the player that may draw the most value may be Adrian Beltre, who proved that he might not be a free agent bust after all.
Boston is expected to shop Manny Ramirez again this off-season, but their chance to get the maximum value for the slugger is gone. Ramirez, who missed time because of injury and possiby because of attitude, will find far less takers this off-season. Plus, Ramirez , as a 10-5 player, must approve of any deal. As a result, Boston, who wanted SP Ervin Santana, 2nd Baseman Howie Kendrick, Utilitydude Chone Figgins, and SS Brandon Wood (a rip off of epic proportions) will have to settle for much less. I suspect that the Red Sox could pull off a trade to the Angels for just Figgins and maybe SS Erick Aybar, but again, Ramirez could complicate things by insisting that a pair of options be exercised in the process. In my opinion, Ramirez and Boston are likely stuck wtih each other.
Matt Cain's Face On A Tortilla
Nothing to do with baseball, I just thought you might enjoy this story out of Frisco.
Have a good weekend. The Rangers Report will be back on Monday, with a by weekly run from now until Spring Training.
I'm a long time Texas Rangers fan who has come to love baseball as a whole. I recently began this blog as a way for me to showcase my opinions, provide some analysis, and hopefully entertain those who happen to stumble upon my little soapbox online. I'll toss in an NFL, College, or NBA nugget every now and then. Enjoy the posts everyone, and yes, getting a little love in a Deadspin post was probably the highlight of the year, blogwise.
Do You Have Comment You Don't Want All To See? Just Want To Talk Baseball? Email Me at morisatos_blo g AT yahoo.com. Email's edited to keep away the Spam.
