When I heard that Alex Rodriguez was going to opt out of his contract, I felt two ways about it.
The first was annoyance, wondering why couldn't he have waited the four more hours to announce it.
The second was elation, and joy that the poorly constructed deal was finally over, and that the Rangers were free of that albatross.
The Rodriguez deal is one of the biggest mistakes in the Rangers' tenure and the subsequent deal that sent him to New York is one of the bigger screwings the Rangers got.
Not only did the Rangers get shafted by having to pay off part of the contract, but they also got little in return, with a Arbitration Eligible Alfonso Soriano and only one Player To Be Named Later (which was even worse considering that John Hart passed up on Robinson Cano to get Joaquin Arias. How does that one look?)
With A-Rod's obligation finally over, the Rangers will now have $21 million to go and bid on a player that acutally plays for the #### team!
Time to call Aaron Rowand's agent...
Ohyo Victor Diaz-san!!
The Rangers have talked with some Japanese teams about outfielder Victor Diaz playing over there next year. This is significant for two reasons. One, it says that the Rangers’ aren’t completely confident in whether or not Diaz will make the roster, as I believe he used up his last option this past year, and two, that the Rangers have some interest in finding a place for him to play full time, as they still believe he can be a everyday player. What isn’t clear, however, is if the Rangers will retain control over Diaz if he does indeed go over to Japan. I’m not sure that they can, as I believe he would have to be sold to the Japanese leagues, subsequently relinquishing any control over him. I’ll have to research this some more when I got time.
The Return Of Gagne?!?
The former Rangers closer, Gagne was an out and out disaster in Boston and isn’t likely to return. He cost himself millions of dollars on the free agent market and is going to be looked at as damaged goods once again.
However, Gagne may have been hurt, could have been inconsistent due to his not being in the closer role, or maybe just wasn’t cut out for Boston. It’s happened before. However, Gagne is still fond of the Rangers and has said that he wouldn’t mind a return. If he could be had for roughly the same contract as last season, I wouldn’t hesitate on bringing him back.
Keeping An Eye On Adan Dunn
I've been keeping an eye on the Adam Dunn situation over in Cincinatti in hopes that the Reds will decline his options and the Rangers will try to swoop in and get a hold of him.
Dunn would be a solid addition and would give the Rangers a young power hitter that would fit in well in the middle of the order. The only thing that would really hurt would be the strikeouts.
One More Thing...
The Farm System Previews will begin on Monday, in alphabetical order. Mark it on your calendars...
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...
After watching yet another lineup consisting of Jerry Hairston Jr., Sammy Sosa and company, it’s becoming painfully clear that one of the biggest weaknesses on the Rangers this year is the lack of any sort of bench players.
Unlike last year, when the Rangers were able to use Mark DeRosa almost anywhere on the field, from right and left field to second, third and first base, there hasn’t been that sort of utility guy that’s able to hit enough that he just won’t kill you. And while you may say that a utility guy is supposed to be an excellent defensive stopgap/pinch runner, only one of these guys, Travis Metcalf, is a plus defender. Everyone else on the Ranger bench is mediocre.
I would be okay with a bench featuring the following:
Backup Catcher To Be Named Later
David Murphy/Marlon Byrd (OF) - One of these guys will likely be sent to the bench.
Raul Vasquez (CINF) - He hasn't been real awful and I wouldn't mind him coming back next year.
And this is assuming that Metcalf gets sent back to Triple A to work on his bat a bit more.
With the Rangers likely going with a 12 man staff and bullpen, plus the regular starting nine, this allows for one more, true utilityman type to be added.
Is there such a person available?
I'm not sure.
Usually, utilitymen are players that either had the potential to be starters, but were derailed by injury (such as Rosie), or are former starters entering their decline phases, such as the player the Rangers were looking at, Mark Loretta, who has gotten regular playing time with the Astros (and would have with Texas.)
The Rangers could go inhouse with their decision. Joaquin Arias is near ready, can play the entire infield and likely most of the outfield positions except for center, and does have some offensive talent as well. He's also speedy, which would allow him to be used as a pinch runner as well as serving as that defensive replacement.
Jack Wilson could also be an option, provided he comes cheap, though I'm not sure either Pittsburgh or Texas could come up with a suitable compromise for him.
Tampa Bay's Brendan Harris could also be an option, especially when you consider the infield talent coming up for Tampa soon. Texas may be able to try and swap him for the unfortunate Robinson Tejeda (see below), and potentially something else as well. Laird could be inserted into the deal if the Rangers want to try and see if they could swing a deal to include Rocco Baldelli or maybe even Jonny Gomes.
Washington’s Wish List
Ronny’s got a wish list for the Rangers to go after this off-season.
His three priorities for improving the Rangers this year are center field, first base and right field and in that order.
Left field isn’t a problem for Wash, as he feels that he could get an ideal left field performance out of combining both the Byrdman and Cat in left field, which would be cool, as it would allow the Rangers to be able to keep Byrd in his utility outfielder role that works best. It also sounds like David Murphy will be starting in either center or right, making the future bleak for Nelson Cruz.
As for options, there are plenty of centerfielders on the free agent market, namely Torii Hunter, Andruw Jones, Aaron Rowand, Mike Cameron and Corey Patterson.
Of that bunch, Hunter is the one that's made the most noise about coming here and will try to get 5 years, $75 million out of the Rangers. To that, I say hell no. I would love Rowand, but I think he's headed back to Philly and Cameron is likely headed to Atlanta unless the Rangers can convince him to come here by moneyfight.
Jones is a name I think we should probably keep an eye on. After the hellish season he's had, Scott Boras will likely try a one year deal for Jones to re-establish his value before Jones would re-enter free agency, on a much reduced market for centerfielders.
As for First base, Washington has stated taht he wants a defensive guy at first. That would mean Sean Casey, which I'm not all about. Resigning Wilkerson would be a bit more prefferable over that. I think that's lightly what you're going to see at first next year, unless the Rangers are able to pull a rabbit out of their hat for a temporary fix from somewhere.
Hawaiian Baseball League Candidates
The Rangers have also announced who their Hawaiian Baseball League Candidates are.
Craig Gentry (CF) – Gentry ranked high on my prospect lists, as I felt he'd be a good leadoff man, similar to Jacoby Ellsbury in the minors. Instead, Gentry was hurt and was mediocre at best. So, I'm willing to give him a mulligan and hope that his Hawaiian campaign shows more of what I thought he'd be instead of what he was.
K.C. Herren (OF) – Herren is regarded to have the range and speed to play center, but he doesn't have the bat for it.
Chad Tracy (LF) – Tracy struggled this year after switching to the outfield full time. The Rangers are hoping that he'll be able to re-establish himself as a solid prospect, as well as improve defensively.
Ian Gac (1B) – Gac's been a disappointment of sorts since he's been drafted. He's shown good power potential, but not much else.
Jose Marte (RHP) – A reliever with good stuff, Marte was destroyed in the california league this year and will try to resurrect his year in Hawaii.
You probably won't see any of these guys on the Rangers list, well, maybe Gentry, as the system is much, much deeper. Needless to say, this list doesn't leave me as jazzed as the Arizona one did.
That's all for now, I've got something cooked up for tomorrow.
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 Skinny: Hurley was a first-round pick in 2004 coming out of high school. In the three years since the Rangers expended such a high pick on him, he hasn't disappointed. He is 20-16 with a 3.74 ERA in 66 games (60 starts) over his career. Last season was a breakout season for him, as he went 5-6 with a 4.11 ERA at Bakersfield, an impressive feat when you consider how hitter friendly the California League is, and he was 3-1 with a 1.95 ERA in six Texas League starts for Frisco. Hurley has since emerged as the Rangers’ top pitching prospect, especially after John Danks was traded. Expect the Rangers to develop him with care, however, as they don’t want to risk damaging him like they did with Volquez.
Positives: Hurley’s got a true power arm and has yet to stumble at any level at which he's pitched. He has a fastball that sits in the 92 to 95 mph range that touches 97 later in the innings. He compliments this with a filthy slider that just moves through the strike zone. His command and control are excellent and his mechanics are clean and his maturity level is excellent.
Negatives: Hurley relies too much on his fastball and slider and doesn’t use his changeup enough, even though it is a really nice one. Hurley also tends to elevate his fastball at times, leading to him getting hammered.
Projection: Medium. Hurley was pretty much ignored thanks to the DVD trio, but with that trio now broken up by trade and injury; Hurley is now in the spotlight to shine. He’s still got the capacity to gain some weight on his frame and possibly a bit more velocity on his fastball.
In A Perfect World, He Is: A number one starter, with stuff just falling below ace potential.
2007 Course Of Action: Hurley began the season back with Frisco and has been quietly dominating the Texas League, forcing the Rangers to promote him to Oklahoma. There's an outside chance he can see Arlington, but I wouldn’t count on it.
2 – Edinson Volquez (RHP)
DOB: 7/3/83
Signed: 2001, Dominican Republic
2007 Club: Frisco (Double A)
Height/Weight: 6-0/200
Bats/Throws: R/R
The Skinny: The former Julio Reyes, which Volquez was known as until he was caught in the 2003 Age-Gate that cracked down on so many players, Volquez has tantalized the Rangers for a couple of years now with outstanding minor league performances. He’s been compared a lot to former Red Sox ace Pedro Martinez because of his height and his stuff.
Positives: Volquez is believed to have the best pure stuff in the organization, starting with a 92-95 mph fastball has touched 98 in the past, and he compliments this with a filthy changeup that features excellent action and fade. His curve isn’t as good, but it’s far enough where he can mix it in from time to time. He was also tinkering with a slider last season, to help give him a fourth pitch. He’s also very aggressive on the mound as well.
Negatives: The problem is that Volquez works high in the zone and his control comes and goes at times. As a result, he gets pounded badly, as see by his last two call ups (though in 2005, the Rangers had no business calling up Volquez from Double A, as he wasn’t even dominating that league.) It’s not apparent yet as to whether or not Volquez is still scarred from his 2005 call up, but it’s apparent that he’s become at least somewhat damage.
Projection: Low. Aside from improving his control, there’s really nothing left for him to prove.
In A Perfect World, He Is: A power pitcher, either in the rotation or in the bullpen
2007 Course Of Action: This year will be a telling year, as the Rangers need for Volquez to succeed in the worst way. I would almost be tempted to carry him in the bullpen for the moment, in order to allow pitching coach Mark Connor time to work with him. However, the Rangers instead did the highly unusual move of sending Volquez all the way down to High A, much as the Toronto Blue Jays did to Roy Halladay early in his career, in hopes of him being able to get his control together without having the pressure of a possible big league call up resting on his shoulders. We’ll see if Volquez sinks or swims with this course of action.
The Skinny: There was talk that the Rangers were actually hoping for Tim Lincecum to fall to them in the draft, but the Giants #### that up. Still, they didn’t do bad with ####r, who was regarded as one of the nation's most electric lefthanders and he’s got a excellent track record for a high school pitcher. At 15, he was the winning pitcher for Team USA when it won a gold medal in the World Youth Championship in Taiwan. He was the ace of national champion Russell County High's staff in 2005 as a junior, going 12-1, 0.52 with 173 strikeouts and 24 walks in 94 innings. He also appeared in the Aflac All-American Classic in August and numerous other high profile showcases and tournaments, showing guile and aggressiveness each time out. The Rangers had worked ####r out twice at Rangers Ballpark in the weeks before the draft and the Rangers were impressed enough that he rose on their draft boards. ####r was also high on Milwaukee’s and Atlanta’s draft boards as well and would have been snapped up had he fallen. There were some makeup questions, as with Kyle Drabek, but after interviewing the both, the Rangers felt that ####r’s questions were more or less unfounded.
Positives: ####r’s similar to Lincecum in that he’s a big arm in a small package and has drawn a lot of similarities for Billy Wagner. ####r has a polished delivery and he throws in the mid 90’s, hitting 97-98 at times. He’s got a hammer curve and a changeup that’s showing the potential to be a plus pitch. His control over his pitches is excellent.
Negatives: ####r is far too dependant on his fastball and doesn’t mix his pitches well. He also needs to improve his command.
Projection: High. ####r was challenged by the Rangers, who though that he was far enough along to skip a level after all of the high school competition he went through and they were right. ####r also has another motivation for himself to succeed. He’s promised that he would arrive in Arlington no latter than 2009.
In A Perfect World, He Is: A middle of the rotation starter or a power closer.
2007 Course Of Action:####r s currently being retained in Extended Spring Training, where the Rangers are planning on limiting his workload, but he will likely be assigned to Low A Clinton at some point this season.
4 – John Mayberry Jr. (RF)
DOB: 12/21/83
Drafted: 1st round, 2005, Stanford University
2007 Club: Bakersfield (High A)/Frisco (Double A)
Height/Weight: 6-6/230
Bats/Throws: R/R
The Skinny: R/R
The Skinny: Mayberry spent the season down in Clifton, where he started slowly, but caught fire at the end of the season, before tearing up the Hawaiian Winter League this season.
Positives: Mayberry is a HUGE outfield that is also one of the best athletes in the system. He’s got immense power potential and some decent speed on the bases. He’s got a true right fielder’s arm and has a solid approach at the plate.
Negatives: Mayberry’s swing can get long at times, resulting in some strikeouts. However, this has been getting better, as the Rangers have worked on Mayberry’, who tinkered too much with his swing in college and have worked on a new swing that results in a shorter, quicker swing as well as to have him stand closer to the plate. He also needs to continue to adjust to the outfield, as he does make some mistakes, mostly due to his adjustment of the position.
Projection: Medium. Mayberry just needs to continue to do what he’s doing and adjust to the higher levels of competition, where the Rangers hope he’ll make an appearance sometime next year.
In A Perfect World, He Is: A corner outfielder that can hit for average and for power, similar to Jermaine Dye.
2007 Course Of Action: After spending all of 2006 in Low A, Mayberry was promoted to Bakersfield, where the power was there but so were the strikeouts. Mayberry filled in at Frisco when Ben Harrison was hurt, but he’s still not progressing as fast as the Rangers would like.
5 – Marcus Lemon (SS)
DOB: 6/3/88
Drafted: 4th round, 2006, Florida HS
2007 Club: Clinton (Low A)
Height/Weight: 5-11/175
Bats/Throws: L/R
The Skinny: With the Rangers lacking a second round pick, the Rangers aimed high and took Lemon, who was thought to be a hard sign. It took a signing bonus around $1 million to convince Marcus Lemon to skip playing baseball for the Longhorns and sign with the Rangers, but so far it looks like money well spent. As a senior at Eustis High, where his father, former big leaguer Chet Lemon is the baseball coach, Lemon the younger hit .451 with six home runs and 24 RBI in 31 games, drawing 33 walks while striking out just five times, and stealing 23 bases in 24 tries. One interesting thing to note about Lemon is his toughness. Two years ago, during an East Coast showcase, Lemon played with 17 stitches and 11 staples in his right leg after getting spiked in a previous tournament. In the opening game of the showcase, the wound was reopened. He went to the ER, had his leg sewn up again and was back on the field the next day.
Positives: Obviously, Lemon has a great bat with a good approach to hitting and he’s a excellent defender with soft hands. He’s not fast, but he is an extremely good baserunner. His skills make him a solid fit as a potential leadoff man, which he has been doing in Clinton.
Negatives: The problem with Lemon is that he’s got limited power potential and is a bit short, making some wonder about durability in the future.
Projection: High. Scouts love Lemon a lot and while he may lack the high ceiling that many high school prospects do, Lemon is a gamer and plays with a lot of heart. It may be that Lemon could force himself to the majors by sheer will alone.
In A Perfect World, He Is: A solid shortstop with leadoff capability.
2007 Course Of Action: Lemon did everything right in his Arizona League debut, thanks to his hitting .310 in 24 games with nine RBIs and 11 stolen bases, while drawing 16 walks and striking out only 10 times in 84 at-bats. As a result, he’s was tested by skipping Spokane to move directly to Clinton, where he’s expected to stay for the season. So far, he’s making the Rangers look smart for their investment.
Price Tag Rising On Rangers’ Supplemental Picks
Well, this draft is going to be a bit more expensive.
Aside from Beaven’s bonus demands, the Rangers now have to worry about the bonus demands of all three of their supplemental picks.
Julio Borbon, the Rangers’ first supplemental first rounder, is represented by Scott Boras, who wants a high bonus for Borbon and may want to ask for a major league contract as well, which means an immediate placement on the 40 man roster. Boras will argue that Borbon deserves mid round money, but he fell due to injury and it shouldn’t be held against him. Boras will likely have Borbon hold out as long as possible, but in the end, I think a deal will be made because of the reasoning that while Borbon could return to Tennessee for his senior year, next year’s class is going to be increasingly big on college position players. And while Borbon would immediately jump to 15 on the top 20 college players, that’s without factoring in players that suddenly have their stock rise, as well as any prep or JUCO players that are coming in. He’s going to be a Ranger, no doubt about it.
Neil Ramirez is also another one that’s going to be difficult to sign. According to Baseball Prospectus prospect guru Kevin Goldstein, Ramirez is seeking above slot money and will honor his commitment to Georgia Tech if he doesn’t receive it. Last year’s 44th Overall Pick, Caleb Clay, signed for $775,000 from the Boston Red Sox. With draft demands trending down, Ramirez’s slot would likely be $697,500. Ramirez would want significantly more than that. Considering Ramirez was projected to be a late round pick going into the draft, I would roughly offer him about $900,000 to sign, maybe more. I would pay it, however. I like Ramirez’s potential and view him as I do Lemon, as a investment worth taking.
The big question is whether or not the Rangers will go all out to sign Alabama right hander Tommy Hunter, drafted 54th overall, and who entered the draft as a sophomore eligible. Hunter has enormous leverage against the Rangers, as he can return and try for a higher bonus next year and could demand a lot to buy out his last two years at Alabama. Hunter’s slot calls for a bonus of around $540,000 and he’s going to want to make sure that the Rangers make it worth his while to buy out the last two years of his college eligibility. As a result, Hunter’s potential for joining the organization is going to depend on how ready Hunter is willing to begin his career and how willing the Rangers are going to want to go above slot.
And as far as the Commissioners Office frowning on Texas paying above slot, I only have to say the following: what the hell has the commissioners office done for Texas? As far as the All-Star Game way back when, not a whole lot.
Rangers Notes (Majors)
Here’s something that you may notice is a bit odd. With Ian Kinsler out thanks to a foot injury, Michael Young is the only remaining player from the Opening Day infield.
Eric Gagne has long been linked to trade talks. However, Gagne has stated that he wants to remain a Ranger for the long haul and doesn't want to be traded. This is a new development and I don't know if it's posturing or not, but personally, I would hate to see Gagne go, but I understand that nature of the business.
Former Ranger prospect Mike Nickeas, who was traded last season for Victor Diaz, currently on the Rangers, has been demoted from Double A to High A after only hitting .213 for the Barons. To say that the Rangers sold high is an understatement.
Former Ranger pitcher, Juan Dominguez, has a job again, playing in the Mexican League, pitching for Saraperos de Saltillo.
To make room for Desi Relaford, the Rangers designated LHP John Koronka for assignment. Koronka was a big reason why the Rangers got off to a hot start and a big reason why the Rangers collapsed in August.
Rangers Notes (Minors)
In yet another prospect setback, Bakersfield pitcher Glenn Swanson, one of the only pitchers in that squad to actually play well this year, has undergone Tommy John surgery and miss the rest of the season and possibly most of next season as well. Swanson, despite a 4.87 ERA, actually was doing well, striking out a man per inning and allowing only one homer per 13 innings. I was really expecting him to breakout. Now, we’ll have to wait another year for that.
Frisco second baseman German Duran won the Home Run Derby at the Texas League All-Star Game last Tuesday, defeating A's catching prospect Landon Powell.
Joaquin Arias, one of the Rangers' top prospects, has undergone shoulder surgery and will likely miss the rest of the year. While this means that Arias will accrue a year of service time and will be heading to free agency sooner, it does mean he can be optioned next year to the minors.
Okie Dokie. Happy Fourth Everyone and check out Thursday's post, where I rebuild the White Sox. Whoot!
The Angels are currently rolling in the American League West and need only another power bat in the lineup to help themselves out.
Unlike most years, where the Angels have been content to march out whatever team they had available, the Angels have actually tried to upgrade several parts of the team. There seems to be a sense of urgency around the Halos, possibly because this may be the last year that they can win with the current set of Halos before they begin to transition some of their players in the minors to the majors.
The Angels are said to be considering using the speedy and versatile Chone Figgins as part of a trade package for an impact bat, along with a seeminly resurgent Ervin Santana. Santana's attributes we've discussed in detail in this blog. Figgins is very popular among many general managers who like that "sparkplug" type of player in their lineup. Several teams have expressed interest in the super-utility player, the White Sox and the Yankees being the chief suitors for both.
Looking at the Angels' lineup, the team needs more offense coming out of Third Base and Left Field, as Garrett Anderson and Vlad Guerrero will likely be making rounds at the DH spot to allow not only both players time to rest, but also to be able to allow the team to work in regular DH Juan Rivera and to keep the surprise of this season, Reggie Willits, in the lineup. So, it looks like Third Base will be the best option for the Halos to upgrade, unless Kotchman is able to slide over to third for a season or so.
That seemed to be the theory recently when reports came out that the Angels inquired about possibly getting Adam Dunn from the Reds. Talks died when the Reds asked for "a proven Major League starting pitcher, a Major League infielder - preferably a second baseman - and a top prospect."
Translation:
RHP - Ervin Santana (understandable, since the Angels have been shopping him)
INF - Erick Aybar or Chone Figgins (don't the Reds already have a full middle infield? Does that mean that Brandon Phillips is on the way out? Figgs would make more sense then Aybar in this case and would be understandable, as he could eventually move to the outfield to sub for the loss of Dunn.)
Top Prospect - Likely either 3B Brandon Wood, RHP Nick Adenhart, or Aybar anywhay.
And that, my friends, was probably the deal breaker. The Angels hoard their prospects like a dragon does gold and to lose a top prospect would kill any deal that they choose to do.
The Angels could give Jermaine Dye a shot if they thought they could get him for just Figgins and Santana, and such a role would work, as the Angels would be getting rid of a pair of players nearing arbitration and the White Sox would be getting more pieces to rebuild. Y ou have to admit, Figgins manning center would be a lot better than seeing Darin Erstad and his porcelian knees running around out there.
Other options:
Mark Teixeira (1B - Rangers) - Possible, but unlikely, as the Angels would hate to see some of the players that they traded away come back to haunt them in the same division.
Mike Lowell (3B - Red Sox) - The only way I could see this happening only if the Red Sox slide Youkilis to Third and obtaining Teixeira from the Rangers. That's the only way, but both teams are stingy with their prospects and won't give up anything of value if they had their way, which is a shame, as a package of LHP Jon Lester and SS Ericky Aybar would be tempting.
Scott Rolen (3B - Cardinals) - The Cards need positional players and they could get a couple of good ones if the Angels are willing to dicker. Rolen starting slowly, but he may need a change of scenery and maybe get away from Tony LaRussa.
Nomar Garciaparra (1B - Dodgers) - Nomar could be able to handle Third, as I think he's got enough left to man it for a year and a half. Unfortunately, neither team has parts that they would be able to match up with.
Mark Loretta (UTIL - Astros) - Loretta is currently hitting well and the Astros are pretty much out of contention. If the Angels were willing to offer pieces that the Astros needed, say catcher Jeff Mathis, I think the Astros would be willing to go for it. Morgan Ensberg is another option.
Zambrano Likely To Hit Free Agency
I hate to break it to you Cubs fans, but it sounds like Carlos Zambrano is done in Chi-Town. Zambrano has been awful for much of the season and his brawl with Michael Barrett only figures to spur the Cubs to allow their one time ace to leave via free agency.
Part of the reason is the sale of the Tribune Company, which as pretty much frozen the Cubs’ assets and prevents the Cubbies from spending a ton on extravagant contracts like they did this past off-season, where they spent over $300 million. With ownership in flux, the Cubs are under a strict budget and will not toe the line anytime soon.
Another part is the fact that the Cubs appear to have a set young core of talent in the rotation. Rich Hill is looking like another Barry Zito and Sean Marshall looks like he may yet become a capable end of the rotation lefty. Jason Marquis and Ted Lilly, two players that the Cubs were chastised for signing, are instead looking very much like they’re worth their money. And while Zambrano’s presence at the top of the rotation is a plus, the Cubs may be able to stay in contention with their rotation as is and look for a capable fifth starter option instead.
There is one other reason why Zambrano also won’t stay with the Cubs. Zambrano is said to be considering re-hiring Scott Boras as his agent. Should he go that route, Zambrano will almost certainly be priced out of the Cubs’ range, as the two New York Teams would love to have Zambrano’s youth and ability in their rotation.
The Cubs Make More Mistakes With Murton
Matt Murton was sent to Triple-A Iowa on Wednesday, returning to the minors for the first time since being called up in July 2005. The reason, given by Lou Piniella, is that Murton’s changed his batting stance over the winter that that Pinella advised him to return to his original stance.
Murton, however, has a different opinion, stating that his low production isn’t about a chance in his stance (he says he hasn’t changed it, btw). It’s about the fact that he hasn’t gotten any playing time because the Cubs signed one too many outfielders. They signed Alfonso Soriano and have abandoned the experiment after Soriano tweeked a hamstring. They decided to go hard after Cliff Floyd to platoon with Murton even though Murton didn’t need a platoon partner and now they are rushing Felix Pie to play center and they failed to trade Jacque Jones, who would have welcomed a trade and even better yet, can play centerfield.
I really don’t think the Cubs know what the hell they are doing?
Murton will probably be dangled in exchange for bullpen help, and as I’ve said several times, teams need to take advantage of the Cubs’ incompetence for just badly managing Murton this year.
Michael Young - The Franchise is finally starting to show signs of him coming out of his slump. Good, because the Rangers need him.
The Young Guns - Kam Loe followed up a very bad outing with a solid outing against the Blue Jays and Brandon McCarthy finally showed those Jack McDowell comparisons against the Jays on Friday. On a minor note (no pun intended), Eric Hurley is quietly dominating the Texas League.
The Bad
That God Damn Yankees Series - That was horrific, especially since the Rangers could have won the double header. But noooo. Stupid offense.
The Ugly
Kevin Millwood On The DL - Which means more Mike Wood action in the bullpen. Whoo!
The Top 30 Rangers Prospects In The System – Prospects That Fell Short
With Young Guns’ original prospect rankings now gone after the website underwent a makeover, and many of the Rangers’ prospects relatively unknown, I thought it would be good to step in and make a Top 30 Prospect Rankings, not only for the good bloggers here on FoxBlogs, but also online.
First, the legal stuff. Information has been gathered from Young Guns, Major League Baseball, Minor League Baseball, Baseball Prospectus, ESPN, and Baseball America.
Now, onto the prospects.
First off, here are the guys that didn’t hack it enough or just were buried far down enough that they didn’t make the top 30.
Arlington John “A.J.” Murray (LHP)
DOB: 3/17/1982
Drafted: 19th Round, 2000, Salt Lake Community College
2007 Club: Oklahoma (Triple A)
Height/Weight: 6-3/225
Bats/Throws: S/L
The Skinny: Murray was a fast riser in the Rangers’ system, reaching Frisco back in 2003 and going 10-4 with a 3.63 ERA. That’s where things went wrong, as Murray would miss about two seasons worth of playing time, thanks to surgery for a torn labrum in his shoulder and another shoulder injury triggered by a faulty delivery. Murray was average last year, but turned heads in camp. Murray was optioned to Triple A, where he’s been contributing as a reliever until he can regain his stamina as a starter.
Assets: Murray had solid stuff before he was snake bitten and he still has solid stuff now. Murray throws a high 80’s-low 90’s fastball that he pairs with a pair of solid breaking pitches, a curve and a changeup.
Negatives: Many wonder if Murray will ever be durable enough to last as a starter.
Projection: Medium, because of the injuries. Murray hasn’t had the amount of time needed to develop and as a result, he’s still got some projection on him as he works to get back to where he was.
In A Perfect World, He Is: A solid lefty starter, similar to Kenny Rogers.
2007 Course Of Action: Murray has been contributing as a solid left handed reliever for the Redhawks and is currently posting stellar numbers.
Jesse Ingram (RHP)
DOB: 4/21/1982
Drafted: 36th Round, 2003, California
2007 Club: Frisco (Double A)
Height/Weight: 6-1/200
Bats/Throws: R/R
The Skinny: A closer in college, Ingram was drafted by the Rangers back in 2004 after a breakout season and worked him in slowly. Ingram would lose 2005 to injury, but came back to post tolerable numbers in 2006 with Bakersfield and Frisco.
Assets: Ingram has excellent command over his pitches and he spots them well. His fastball tops out at 92-93 and his curve, slider and change are all solid pitches.
Negatives: None of Ingram’s pitches are above average or even explosive, leading many to doubt whether or not he’ll be even an impact middle reliever. Ingram’s dominance can possibly be placed on the fact that he was older than his age group. As a result, it’s hard to put much stock into him unless he dominates at a higher level. Also, when his command is off, Ingram gets into trouble very fast.
Projection: Low, unless Ingram learns another pitch that he’s able to turn into a filthy out pitch, like Rivera did when he learned that cutter.
In A Perfect World, He Is: A capable setup man
2007 Course Of Action: Ingram has returned to Frisco, where he's been a mixture of both good and bad in the closers role. He's going to have to get it together if he expects to earn a promotion to Oklahoma.
Drew Meyer (UTIL)
DOB: 8/29/1981
Drafted: 1st Round. 2002, South Carolina
2007 Club: Oklahoma (Triple A)
Height/Weight: 5-10/200
Bats/Throws: L/R
The Skinny: Meyer is best known as Grady Fuson’s greatest failure, as he was drafted far above where he should have been drafted and has been, well, a huge bust ever since, especially when you consider that Fuson passed on talents such as Nick Swisher, Scott Kazmir and Joe Blanton. Meyer has never justified his selection and has since rotted in the minors for the past couple of years. It also doesn’t speak volumes about him that he’s been exposed to the Rule V Draft and Designated For Assignment and wasn’t claimed.
Assets: Meyer’s best quality is that he’s able to play shortstop, second base, third base and has even taken some reps in centerfield. He’s also got some speed on the bases.
Negatives: The bat was never there and Meyer, who had a hitch in his swing in college, has never been able to adjust.
Projection: Low. Meyer looks like one of those players that will forever be fighting to be the 25th man on the roster.
In A Perfect World, He Is: A utlityman.
2007 Course Of Action: Meyer is currently in Oklahoma, where he’s been surprisingly average this year.
Luis Mendoza (RHP)
DOB: 10/31/1983
Signed: Mexico, 2001 (Red Sox)
2007 Club: Frisco (Double A)
Height/Weight: 6-3/180
Bats/Throws: L/R
The Skinny: Obtained from Boston for Bryan Corey (remember him), Mendoza is an interesting prospect, though an inconsistent one. He was god awful in seven starts in Frisco, going 2-4 with a 7.75 ERA. However, Mendoza had a solid season as the closer for Yaquis De Obregon in the Mexican League, going 4-2 with 4 saves and notching up an ERA of 3.05.
Assets: Mendoza wasn’t exactly dominating as a starter when he was with Boston, but he could be an intriguing bullpen arm in the future, especially with his stuff. He doesn’t have an overpowering fastball, but he’s got a solid breaking ball and a decent changeup, giving him a good arsenal to work with. However, his future as the next great Ranger reliever will be on hold, as I don’t think that the Rangers are done with him yet as possibly being a starter.
Negatives: As I said, Mendoza struggles with inconsistency and often times follows up exception outings with bad ones. He also may not have the staimina to remain a starter.
Projection: Medium. Mendoza is still young and really, I’m not sure how much work the Red Sox or the Rangers have put into him yet. I wondering if teaching him a sinker may help keep his career going.
In A Perfect World, He Is: A solid setup man
2007 Course Of Action: Mendoza has returned to Double A Frisco as the starter, where he’ll try and finish the year in Oklahoma. It’s not looking good at the moment, however.
Johan Yan (SS/3B)
DOB: 9/27/1984
Signed: 2006, Dominican Republic
2007 Club: AZL Rangers
Height/Weight: 6-3/185
Bats/Throws: R/R
The Skinny: Signed during the International Signing Period, Yan is an extremely toolsy player that can be a nice player at some point in his career.
Assets: Yan has several tools, including great range, a solid glove, speed, as well as the potential for power as he fills out. He also has the beginnings of some solid plate discipline.
Negatives: In spite of those tools, it’s also very possible not to make any use of them. Look at Joaquin Arias.
Projection: High. The Rangers feel that with time, Yan can become a solid major leaguer with experience and the right teaching.
In A Perfect World, He Is: A major leaguer
2007 Course Of Action: Yan will begin the season in the Dominican Summer League, with the potential of heading to Arizona, like fellow 2006 signee Fabio Castillo, if he does well.
Steve Murphy (LF)
DOB: 4/22/84
Drafted: 14th Round, 2005, Kansas State University
2007 Club: Frisco (Double A)
Height/Weight: 6-2/210
Bats/Throws: L/R
The Skinny: Murphy’s looking like he’s a late round gem. He was great in Bakersfield last year, hitting .283 with 19 home runs and 68 RBI’s. It’s surprising to see that he fell so far to the Rangers, but he’s making them look like geniuses because of his signing.
Assets: Murphy has some good tools, such as some power and a decent glove in the outfield and he’s a stolid player. He’#### for some power everywhere he’s been in the minors, but he’s also amassed a lot of strikeouts, which need to improve if he’s to advance.
Negatives: Murphy needs to improve his approach at the plate and get on base more, as he only drew 31 walks as opposed to his
Projection: Medium. Murphy is rising through the ranks and rapidly becoming a legitimate prospect.
In A Perfect World, He Is: A later in the order threat.
2007 Course Of Action: Murphy was promoted to Frisco, and thus far it doesn’t look like anything is holding him back. We’ll see how well he does in the Texas League later in the season.
Jake Blalock (LF)
DOB: 8/06/1983
Drafted: 2002, 5th Round, San Diego H.S. (Phillies)
2007 Club: Frisco (Double A)
Height/Weight: 6-3/215
Bats/Throws: R/R
The Skinny: Hank’s little brother, was originally drafted by the Phillies in 2002, but really he’s not the prospect that his brother was in the minors. Jake could return to prospect status with a solid year. He’s not the hitter that Hank was in the minors, and he only .266 with seven home runs and 41 RBIs in 376 games last season at Frisco. He doesn’t have the power that Hank does either, but if he can at least show some doubles power, get on base, along with working the count, he’s got a shot.
Assets: Jakes has some raw power and hes had some nice production down in the lower minors with the Phillies.
Negatives: Jake’s bat still needs a lot more improvement before he’s going to be considered a legitimate prospect. He lacks a strong arm, which limits him to left field, he has average speed and he’s not the greatest defender.
Projection: Medium. Mendoza is still young and really, I’m not sure how much work the Red Sox or the Rangers have put into him yet. I wondering if teaching him a sinker may help keep his career going.
In A Perfect World, He Is: A major league regular, but not a star.
2007 Course Of Action: Blalock the Younger began the year in High A Bakersfield, but has since earned a promotion to Double A Frisco, where he’s not doing so well.
Rangers Roundup – Nuggets Around The Leagues
Jamey Wright, on the DL since April 13, could also throw off a mound sometime soon. Earlier, I was hoping that Loe would be able to hold his own as the fifth starter, long enough to where the Rangers could cut Wright. Instead, Wright may get another shot, but one shot is all he’s probably going to get to prove that he’d be a slightly better option.
Hall of famer Nolan Ryan was in town last week to accept his DHL Hometown Hero Award. Ranger fans voted Ryan as the Rangers’ hometown hero for his contributions in the early 90’s to the club. As I have said earlier, Ryan is the reason why the Rangers did not relocate and why Rangers Ballpark In Arlington was built.
Two players obtained off of waivers, Ezequel Astacio (Astros) and Francisco Cruceta (Mariners), are doing fairly well down in Triple A Oklahoma. Astacio has not allowed a run in 13.2 innings and is currently sporting a perfect ERA with 17 strikeouts to 1 walk. Cruceta is currently a starter and is 1-0 with a 3.86 ERA. He’s got 22 strikeouts and 15 walks in 4 starters. Do I expect both kids to stay with the Rangers? No. Personally, I’d trade them both for something with more upside, as both Astacio is due to be moved into the rotation at some point, however, and it could be soon.
Joaquin Arias has returned to play DH in extended spring training, but he has still not been able to play the field. Arias hoped to make the team as a utilityman and was due to learn centerfield with instruction from first base coach Gary Pettis. The Rangers hope that Arias can get on the field at the end of the week.
An MRI exam on Taylor Teagarden, the Rangers’ top catching prospect who is currently on the DL at Class A Bakersfield, showed no tear or structural damage to his right elbow. That’s great news, as the Rangers feared that Teagarden may have re-injured the elbow he underwent Tommy John surgery on. Still, the Rangers are planning to rest and rehab and have not set a timetable for when he’ll return to action.
The Brawl wound up overshadowing a very successful week, in which Texas went 4-2 against a pair of very good teams. The Ranger pitching fared very well against the Angels and Tigers and the offense was clicking. After that, it’s a tough matchup against Detroit, who will be looking to make up ground and try and put some distance between them and the White Sox. If the Rangers can split the series, they’ll be in great shape. Texas has a chance to pad it's win schedule against Tampa (though don't sell Tampa short. They're a very good team in a very tough division) before a collision course in Oakland that could determine their playoff fates.
Young Bullpen Proving Itself
The Rangers didn’t anticipate having to dip into the farm system for help this season. Yet, after Joaquin Benoit imploded and Antonio Alfonseca petered out after April, the Rangers have relied increasingly on three youngsters: C.J. Wilson, Josh Rupe, and Wes Littleton.
Littleton has been the biggest surprise, having an ERA under 2 and dominating right handed hitters. Wilson started the season very rocky and has since begun to stabilize himself into the lefty specialist on the team. Josh Rupe, who was contending for a starting job back in Spring Training, may have a future instead as a long man. Together, these three have the potential to be a lights out bullpen for years to come.
Well, maybe.
Littleton has closers stuff and with him having FIVE solid pitches, he may well be the most versatile closer since John Wetteland pitched for Texas. Wilson may be eased back in the rotation next year. But regardless of what happens, this is a
DOB: 9/17/85 
DOB: 11/19/87 
DOB: 6/3/88