The Rangers have acquired Chris Shelton from the Tigers, in exchange for Fast Freddy Guzman.
Shelton likely will figure into the first base/dh equation, though I think he'll more than likely be the Opening Day first baseman. It makes no sense to sign Sean Casey for $3 million when you can instead pay Shelton more or less the major league minimum for better production.
All in all, it's a solid pickup, and Shelton will be much more useful than whatever Guzman would have provided.
Rule 5 Shennanigans
I'm a little disappointed that Texas didn't participate in the Major League Phase of the Rule 5 draft, especially considering that Brian Barton was there to be had. On the bright side, the Rangers didn't lose anyone, so there's some good news. Texas was active in the minor league phases of the draft, nabbing several pitchers
Overall, here's who Texas acquired:
Levi Romero (RHP) - Not a damn thing can be found right now.
Dustin Majewski (OF) - A former Longhorn and I believe one of Oakland's moneyball draft guys, Majewski likely is just organizational filler at this point.
Clayton Hamilton (RHP) - Hamilton has good size and could be a solid bullpen arm in the future. A lot of his stats from this past year must be taken with a grain of salt, as he was pitching for most of the year with a broken rib, thanks to a misdiagnosis from the Pirates.
Jaime Trejo (3B) - Potential backup.
Francisco Cordova.(RHP) - Ick. Next...
Quick Hits
Kevin Mench is likely going to be non-tendered by the Brewers. If the Rangers are interested, they could try and bring back him back. Mench still has fans here and for the most part would be happy to come back, but salary concerns may get in the way. Another thing, who would he replace on the 40?
Texas actually was in on the Andruw Jones deal, but was thwarted when Scott Boras gave Texas the runaround. Specifically, he told Texas that it would take a longer term deal, seeing as how Jones would be switching leagues and all. You remember, that kind of ####
Texas has a one year contract offer with a club option out to LaTroy Hawkins, who is still looking for a two year deal from the Rockies. Hopefully, something can get resolved soon, though I would prefer to go itnernal on the pen. Usually, that ends up being a lot more cost effective and allows you to protect yourself in terms of being screwed over in terms of long term deals.
Eric Gagné is still out there and apparently wouldn't mind coming back to Texas. I'd do it, as he was a lot of fun to watch and he has his fans here. He would also be flipped again at the deadline for more prospects, which is always nice. Knowing the Rangers' luck, Boras will push for a full no-trade clause this time.
The acqustion of Andruw Jones means that Andre Ethier and potentially Juan Pierre are available. Ethier I'm all about, as I think he'd be an above average option in left field. Pierre is interesting, but the Dodgers would have to eat a lot of the salary for me to consider it. Pierre isn't a great outfielder and is one of the most overrated players in the sport.
Apparently, the Rangers are hot and heavy after...Mark Prior? Okay, I know that when Prior is healthy, he can easily be one of the best pitchers in baseball. The problem is, when was the last time we could say that?
There are some other trade options I'd be looking at, with the Astros being one of the teams I'd look at. The Rangers need a legitiamate utilityman and Chris Burke is there for the taking. He's a better option that Ramon Vasquez and can play any position except for catcher. I'd ask if they'd be interested in a straight up swap for Scott Feldman.
And, on a side note, the Rangers are debating about moving Chris Davis to right field, where his bat would not only be a good fit, but he has a strong enough arm to handle the change. My only question about that is whether or not Davis is athletic enough to handle right field.
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.
Before I being, congrats to the Kansas City Royals, as they appear to be getting ready to hire former Nippon Ham Fighters Manager Trey Hillman. Hillman's a good man and will provide a lot of guidance to those players.
Onto the show!
On The Block - Coco Crisp
This is no longer out of the realm of possibility, as the Crisp himself has expressed a near certainty that he could be dealt.
Really, Ellsbury is ready to play now and the Red Sox don't seem too inclined to have him go into the 2008 Season as a supersub (which he'd still get reasonably playing time spotting Manny and Drew and Crisp). Plus, Crisp is at the height of his value and would net some quality stuff in return for the Red Sox.
The Rumored Asking Price:Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.......I'd say at least one stud prospect and a couple of B grade prospects, not stars, but good ones. Or, potentially a third baseman with control left on him and a couple of prospects. This is guesstimating right now.
Can A Trade Be Done: Yes. I should probably eliminate this section. In all seriousness, Crisp is attractive because of his defense and because of his contract, which pays him $4.75 million in 2008, $5.75 million in 2009 and an $8 million club option for 2010. That's a sweet deal, especially if you're gunshy about going after some of the centerfielders in the market this year.
The Good: Aside from his Gold Glove caliber defense, Crisp has a great deal of talent. He was probably miscast as the leadoff man last year, but he's got a presence in the back of the order and reasonably could hit in the Number Two Slot if you've got an established leadoff guy already.
Potential Hang-ups:
Prospects – It really depends on what you're willing to give up for him. Boston could easily scare off quite a few teams if they asked for several top prospects, especially in this day and age where prospects are overvalued a bit. Teixiera may have made the market harder for everyone else, as now everyone will be wondering if they could get a bounty of players in exchange for a player again.
Lack Of Suitors - The quality of a lot of farm systems is down due to graduations or long term need. As a result, many teams are either set with centerfielders, are playing a guy in center simply because of his contract, or don't have the goods to make a deal.
Potential Suitors – In Alphabetical Order
Atlanta Braves – This is probably the most obvious one, as Atlanta needs a centerfielder. Unfortunately, the Bravos are thin in the farm system after dealing prospects
Florida Marlins – The Marlins could use a centerfielder and have some prospect depth to do it. The Red Sox could even try to do a deal for Miguel Cabrera, although that likely would result in more being sent back to Florida in return.
Los Angeles Dodgers - The Dodgers seem to be wanting to build more from other peoples' rosters instead of from their own, which is a shame. Fortunately, there's a prospect in the Dodgers' minors that would be a solid swap for Crisp, Andy LaRoche, whom the Dodgers seem to have an allergy to playing.
Milwaukee Brewers - The Brewers could use a centerfielder and could concievably trade Bill Hall, who'd play third for the Red Sox, along with change elsewhere.
Minnesota Twins – The Twins need a centerfielder and could part with some of their arms in the minors, but I don't have a feel for how the new regime in Minnesota thinks yet. Terry Ryan wouldn't deal for anyone, so let's see how things shake out.
Texas Rangers – Texas could use Crisp, but after restocking the system, I'm not so sure how much they're eager to start spending from it. It's more likely they stand pat.
If I had To Hazard A Guess...Crisp Stays Put, Leaving Ellsbury to Supersub Duty.
If I Had To Make A Trade...The Boston Red Sox trade CF Coco Crisp to the Minnesota Twins for RHP Matt Garza.
Sorry for the lack of postings, my Laptop finally gave up the ghost, so I'm posting from work or school for the next two weeks, which means no Sunday Night Strikeouts for the rest of the season, though the feature will live on in the off-season.
Anyhow, this is a simple request? Since not everyone is going to want Farm System Previews for all 30 teams, which ones do you want so I can focus more towards those. I don't think we'll get many requests for Royals or Reds prospects, though I have a sneaking su####ion that Red Sox and Yankee requests will be requested.
Anyhow, just post the ones you want and I'll put them up after the World Series, along with the only sure thing, those of the Rangers.
So, request away. Feel free to fire to my email or blog email.
Jason Jennings is done for the year, according to the Astros' offical website. Jennings has sustained damange to his pitching elbow and will undergo surgery in order to repair the damage. He hopes to return sometime next year.
This was a bad trade from the get go and one that the Astros surely regret now.
It's also exposed two things about the Astros, which should have been taken in mind:
The Misguided Concept Of Being In Contention. The Astros fogired that they would be able to contend again this year, after seeing the losses sustained by St. Louis. They did, however, ignore the improvements of both Milwaukee and Chicago and maybe were counting on one last little bit of magic to make the run at the end of the year. They also felt a bit too much faith in their current club, which had holes as of last semester and many of them went untouched in the Astros' attempt to rebuild themselves.
The Misakes In Evaluating Talent And Improvements. The Astros also failed to properly assess their own in house supply of talent. The Astros didn't have the confidence in Andy Pettitte's elbow to hold up and they also didn't value Hirsh highly enough to actually give him a shot in the rotation. They also pinned a great deal of hopes and dreams on Jason Lane and Morgan Ensberg regaining their All-Star forms of 2005, which is rapidly looking to be an anomoly instead of a breakout.
This only adds the icing to the cake of the disaster that is the 2007 Astros season.
The team has virtually self destructed. The bullpen, once a strength, is now visably weakened, despite the re-emergence of Brad Lidge. The lineup, despite the additions of Lee and Pence, hasn't produced much, with Chris Burke's, Brad Ausmus', Adam Everett's and Craig Biggio's amenic bats contributing to a low of the problem.
Hirsh was developed into what Jennings once was, Taveras has established himself as the Rockies' everyday centerfielder and is having a breakout year. Buchholz has been serviceable as a swingman and will likely succeed in that role.
In exchange, the Astros have not only lost a set of valuable players in exchange for a bill of false goods, they've also lost their draft picks thanks to the Lee and Williams signings and weren't even able to sign their top two draft picks. This doesn't supply any talent to an already taxed farm system that is devoid of almost any impact talent whatsoever.
I though that Tim Purpura was a smart man and was willing to give him a shot. Maybe the GM of the team knew more about his own players than I did and he was selling high on a set of questioanble group.
Nearly six months later, this trade stacks up against time.
Okay, time to play some transactions catchup. Here’s what I’ve got:
The San Diego Padres trade RHP Scott Linebrink to the Milwaukee Brewers for RHP Will Inman, LHP Steve Garrison and LHP Joe Thatcher
This was kind of weird deal considering that neither team needed to upgrade it’s bullpen, as both San Diego and Milwaukee are both pretty good as far as firemen go. In any case, the Brewers did this banking on Mike Maddux’s ability to bring guys back around to form, which is what they’re hoping he’ll do with Linebrink. If they’re successful, then they’ll not only have a solid 7th inning guy to bridge to Francisco Cordero, but they can also reap draft pick compensation rewards, as getting Linebrink back to form will result in him being classified a Type A free agent. And they really didn’t give up a lot to do it. Inman is the biggest part of the deal, but really, he’s kind of a odd prospect, as he’s purely performance and very little as far as stuff. Still, in that wonky stadium, he could succeed and be a 4th man in the rotation. Thatcher will be replacing Linebrink in the bullpen and profiles similarly as such and Garrison is regarded to be a sort of long shot prospect that no one really expect much greatness out of.
Overall, what we have here is a collection of players that have kinda been rendered expendable by each organization, but San Diego comes out a bit ahead because of the salary relief, though I will say this. They could have gotten a whole lot more had they decided to deal Linebrink just a half season earlier.
Overall: Padres - B, Brewers - B-
The Texas Rangers trade CF Kenny Lofton to the Cleveland Indians for C Max Ramirez
This was probably the best the Rangers could do, with the lack of centerfield interest on the market. Nonetheless, they did do well, as Ramirez is a solid young catcher currently hitting .303 with 12 homers, 62 RBI’s and a good strikeout to talk ration (nearly 1 to 1). Ramirez is said to be able to hit pretty well, but he’s raw at catcher, though he’s improved enough where he’ll likely be able to stick. As for the Indians, they gain a versatile corner outfielder with speed and discipline that should make their lineup a little more free swinging. A trade that worked well for both parties.
Overall: Rangers – B, Indians – B
The Chicago White Sox trade 2B Tadahito Iguchi to the Philadelphia Phillies for RHP Michael Dubee
Kind of a disappointing trade for the White Sox. They traded Iguchi, one of their players that did merit interest from around the league for a Low A reliever. It would have been better to hold onto Iguchi and simply reap the Type B draft pick that they would have merited in exchange for him. The deals works well for the Phillies, who get a filler for the moment with Chase Utley out that can hit a bit.
There are going to be some names on this list if things stay put the way they look right now. However, there is no clear cut dominating favorite, as many of these closers are either A) Old, B) Injury Prone, or C) Inconsistent.
Mariano Rivera (Yankees) – It’s hard to imagine that Rivera would consider closing for someone else, but he’s apparently ready to make good on his threat if the Yankees won’t sign him. If he hits the market, Rivera can still be a viable closer, provided that all those innings that Torre used him to cover the deficiencies in the bullpen don’t catch up to him. However, I doubt New York will let him get away. As much as the Yankees make of Rivera being sort of expendable, the fact is that there isn’t many pitchers in the system that could replace Rivera. Proctor is likely going to be a starter at some point, Farnsworth should only be a closer in the NL and J.B. Cox in the system is a setup man.
Eric Gagne (Rangers) – Okay, everyone in Ranger Nation knows that Gagne is really only a one year wonder with Texas, as he’ll likely strike it rich somewhere else with another team, in spite of his recent comments that he wants to remain in Texas. Gagne looks all the way back so far and he could be the best free agent closer on the market.
Francisco Cordero (Brewers) – Coco Cordero was a solid closer with the Rangers, but he fell on hard times after his command left him, which is a shame as he’s actually a very underrated closer. Cordero brings excellent stuff and is effective as long as his command doesn’t desert him. After Gagne, Cordero could prove to be very attractive to a team needing a long-term answer at closer, but be careful. While Gagne has health issues, Cordero still has control issues that have resulted in his new nickname in the state of Texas: Blow-co.
Jason Isringhausen (Cardinals) – [If $8 million Club Option Declined]. I’m not sure that Isringhausen can last a full season, let alone serve as a closer for a team on a regular basis. I think he’s likely going to retire, though there’s always the chance that some team will take a chance with him if the price is right (I’m looking at you Florida.)
Bob Wickman (Braves) – Wickman is likely going to be a free agent, especially with all of the closers and closer quality arms that Atlanta acquired during the off-season. Like Isringhausen, I think he’ll also retire or sign with a team willing to take a flier on his.
Todd Jones (Tigers) – Everyone knows that Zumaya will be the closer in Detroit comes next year. Jones is a heart attack closer that really shouldn’t be closing anymore, as he’s quite hittable and makes you nervous when he takes the mound.
Jeff Allison Attempting A Comeback…Again
Jeff Allison, the much-troubled former first-round pick for the Marlins, who I've written about at length in this blog, is attempting another comeback, trying to work his way back into playing shape at the Marlins' spring training facility in Jupiter, Florida. However, it's unknown where Allison would be assigned, as he's now been out of baseball for almost two years, though any comeback will likely begin at Rookie Ball.
Allison was taken off the restricted list and re-joined the organization for formal workouts June 20. Allison is currently awaiting trial on felony possession of a stolen vehicle, but has been struggling most often with drugs, specifically the drug Oxy-Contin and Heroin.
Like the Josh Hamilton story, this could have a happy ending, though it would take a lot longer than Hamilton due to the development time needed on pitchers. However, I'm a little more skeptical on Allison, mostly because we've heard this story again and we've seen it end in collosal failure.
I do with him the best. I really do.
I'm just a bit more jaded about him.
Not All Lost In Cincinnati
Despite General Manager Wayne Krivsky taking a virtuall wrecking ball to the Reds, when realistically, there was enough of a solid foundation built and in place that only some minor tweeking to repair, he has managed to assemble enough of a young foundation to work on.
Consider the fact that while most of the team blows, Cincinnati does have two young starters in Aaron Harang and Broson Arroyo, a potential closer in Marcus McBeth, a pair of young stud positional players in Brandon Phillips and Josh Hamilton, and finally, a pair of superstar caliber prospects in Jay Bruce and Homer Bailey, respectively.
That's not bad, especially when you consider the potential impact of Bruce, who many feel is the second coming of Larry Walker.
There's a lot more to be done. Krivsky made a huge, potentially fatal mistake in trading away Felipe Lopez, Austin Kearns, and others for relievers, what is now regarded to be his big weakness (so if you got a reliever, give him a call) and he's grown visibily impatient with Adam Dunn due to his strikeouts, and his first draft pick, Drew Stubbs, is struggling mightily in Low A.
But for now, there is some comfort in knowing there's enough of a young core to identify and grown around in the future.
Key Piece Of The Abreu Deal Might Be Done With Baseball
Earlier this week, there was news that Phillies outfielder C.J. Henry was no longer is going to play baseball and planned to leave the Phillies organization soon. The news is premature, as Henry has cooled the fires down somewhat, but has admitted that he might join his younger brother Xavier on a college basketball team in 2008-09 if baseball hasn't worked out.
So far, it's looking that way.
Henry was drafted more on the basis of his gifts than his actual abilties. Henry was thought to eventually be a future version of Gary Sheffield with his extreme power potential and speed. Unfortunately, Henry's swing is long and he has struggled to hit advanced pitching. He's inadequate as a defender and is now on this third position change, now playing left field.
Should Henry opt out, his original contract provides for eight semesters of tuition at $15,000 per semester under baseball scholarship's plan. Henry's basketball prowess is still said to be high and he would essentially be able to name his program and try and join as a walk on.
Just another reason to blame Pat Gillick for not getting enough in return for Abreu.
Round 1 (24) – Michael Main (RHP – Florida High School)
First of all, I love the Beavan pick. Beavan was unhittable all of last year and he features a solid fastball and slider combination and he’s got a big frame. He beat Cuba in Cuba while pitching for Team USA last season, so he’s used to high pressure situations and best of all, his command and stuff overall make him a potential Number One if the Rangers take their time, which they will. The only real issue I have with Beavan is that his brother comes off like a ####, as seen in the interviews that followed the pick. As for the Main pick, Main has had a lot of press and has been a can’t miss prospect for some time. Tendonitis in his rotator cuff cost him most of his junior season, but he recovered to lead DeLand High to the state final four and did so again this year. He’s a flamethrower that tops out at 97 and he’s got the chance for a pair of solid breaking pitches as well. He’s drawn many comparisons to Tim Hudson. However, this pick I do question a bit more considering the fact that Josh Smoker, Matt Harvey and Rick Porcello were available at 24 and all three have the potential to be better than Main. But still, he’s not a bad pick and could develop into a solid big leaguer.
Overall Grade: A. All in all, it’s a very solid first round for the Rangers, as they netted two solid, young arms that figure to contribute in the long haul for the Rangers. Both Beavan and Main look like they could become solid contributors to the team in the long run.
Round 1 (Sandwich)
Round S1 (5) – Julio Borbon (CF – Tennessee)
Round S1 (14) – Neil Ramirez (RHP – Virginia)
Round S1 (24) – Raymond Hunter (RHP – Alabama)
The Borbon pick is an odd one, as he’s kind of a risk there considering he’s got little power and a weak arm, but he does have some leadoff potential and shows some solid range and good speed. Wait a minute…that sounds like Kenny Lofton! Anyhow, Borbon was a solid value at 35 and could blossom enough to help the Rangers in a couple of years. I do like the selection of Neil Ramirez. While he is a project, as he’s got a bit raw and needs some work, he does have a tremendous heater and a projectable frame. In time, he could become a solid middle of the rotation starter if the Rangers don’t rush him. The Hunter selection I’m severely pissed at, mostly because he has wonky command and combines it with a heater and a pair of breaking pitches that need a lot of work. It’s too Thomas Diamond for me, especially when they talk about his "bulldog approach on the mound."
Overall Grade: B. The Borbon pick makes sense, considering how the Rangers lack any real outfielders in the system and him falling to the sandwich round looks a lot better than if he were a first rounder. Ramirez is a project, but one that I think can eventually pay off big dividends should he develop. Hunter is the only pick out of this round that I really dislike, as he’s what I would call Thomas Diamond Light. I would have really preferred to have gone after Oregon State catcher Mitch Catham, but instead he went to San Diego. Oh well.
Rounds 2-5
Round 2 – Matt West (SS – Texas High School)
Round 3 – Evan Reed (RHP – Cal Poly)
Round 4 – Garrett Nash (CF – Texas High School)
Round 5 – John Gast (LHP – Florida High School)
West is a nice pick by the Rangers. Defensively, West won’t stay at shortstop, as he doesn’t seem to have the range, but he does have the potential to be a solid third baseman. He’s a excellent athlete that has some solid power potential in his game. He does have trouble with off-speed stuff, but I think with enough work, the Rangers will be able to bring him around. All in all, they could have a potential stud if they develop him right. Reed has a big arm, much like Hunter, but like Hunter his command is out of whack and he’s got trouble throwing strikes. On the other hand, he’s got a great fastball and a slider that could be an out pitch. Nash is one of the fastest players available in the draft and he's got some power potential. He's a solid defender, but the main question is, can he hit? If not, then sweet, we drafted a pinch runner. Gast is the only that's really intriuging. He's got limited projection, but Gast was regarded to be a solid lefty that threw strikes and attacked the zone, something I love in pitchers. However, he went down with an elbow injury and needed Tommy John surgery. While there is the chance that Gast could honor his commitment to Florida State, I think the Rangers are going to \try to rehab him, like the Angels did with Nick Adenhart in 2004.
Overall Grade: B. Gast could be the steal of this draft if he comes back and West looks like a solid pick. The omly real issue I have is Nash, as there were some better players available to take.
Notes From Draft Day
Why Matt Harvey Wasn’t Drafted
On a side note, Matt Harvey was taken by the Angels, in the third round, where he’ll likely be signed. Ranger Fans (in particular the fans at Lonestarball), were pissed off at the fact the Rangers didn’t take him in the third.
My take is that the Rangers had no chance on signing him.
The reason?
Scott Boras would have argued that Harvey would have been a better both Beavan and Main and would have demanded a larger bonus than both of the Rangers’ first rounders. Hand the Rangers not been able to come to terms, it would have been a wasted pick. The Angels, on the other hand, had lost their first round pick to Texas because of the signing of Gary Matthews Jr. Without a first round pick, they can justify the expense of paying severely over slot for Harvey. Now, the Rangers should have drafted Jake Arreita at three instead of Reed, but what can you do?
Washington Had The Best Draft
Many will say that the Tigers had the best draft, but Washington had a good draft. Not only did they pick up a good arm in Ross Detwiler, but they also got a steal in Josh Smoker at #31. Michael Burgess, their other sandwich pick, looks like he’ll be a solid right fielder in the future that can be a run producer.
Picks That Made No Sense At All
Daniel Moskos (LHP) - Pittsburgh Pirates - Moskos is a solid pick, but there is no way in hell he was the Number Four rated prospect in the draft. Surely the Pirates ownership could have spent some money on some of the Boras talent or maybe even some of the higher talent that was picked below them?
Matt LaPorta (1B) - Milwaukee Brewers - Why are you going to draft a powering hitting first baseman when you have a power hitting first baseman already in the majors that has years of control ahead of him. LaPorta will rise quickly, leaving the Brewers to wonder what in the hell are they going to do with him.
Joe Savery (LHP) - Philadelphia Phillies - Drafting a lefty is one thing. Drafting a lefty with injury issues is another. Savery is a lefty with arm issues and had reduced velocity for much of the year. if he pans out, he could be good. If.
Derek Deitrich (OF) - Houston Astros. Why is Houston on the list? Because they had two first round talents in TCU right hander Jake Arrieta and in Prep Righty Matt Harvey ripe for the picking and both would have given the Astros a talented arm in the system. They blow it.
Well, look foward to the next 45!! rounds tomorrow. Hopefully, the Rangers can get some high impact talent that slipped, but this is turning out to be a pretty decent draft so far.
For the past three seasons, the Houston Astros have ruled the National League Central and have represented the National League in the World Series in each of those past three years.
And now, well, both teams are currently occupying the cellar in the National League Central.
Such a collapse was inevitable, perhaps even predictable, when you see how both teams have fallen flat on their faces for much of the year.
What was the root cause of the collapses?
The reasons are many, but here are the three root causes,,,
The Improvement Of The National League Central. Many of the analysts will state that the NL Central is the weakest of the six divisions. However, consider the fact that the Brewers, the Pirates, and the Reds have all improved while the Cubs, who have also been down as of late, have begun to rebound after their down period. Both teams found themsleves unable to dominate their compition as they once could and soon
The Loss Of Talent In The Farm System. Both teams have sacrificed a lot of talent to sustain their winning streaks. The Cardinals have traded away the likes of Dan Haren, Daric Barton, Kiki Calero, and other valuable prospects to acquire Mark Mulder, Jeff Weaver, and others to bolster the main club. The Astros have been even worse, surrendering John Buck, Octavio Dotel, Jason Hirsh, Wily Taveras, Taylor Buchholz, Mitch Talbot and Ben Zobrist for expensive one year rentals of Carlos Beltran, Jason Jennings, and Aubrey Huff, respectively. The result has been the depletion of their respective systems and no impact talent left in the upper minors to draw upon when veterens are struggling or are ineffective, or even to make more trades. Neither team's situation is going to get better when you consider the draft pick compensation that has been lost due to the next reason..
Questionable Free Agent Signings. Both teams have also let players go because of various reasons that are looking more and more terrible as time passes. The Astros have allowed Andy Pettitte, a horse in their rotation, to leave to the Yankees. They brought in Woody Williams and Preston Wilson, both of whom were or currently are performing badly for H-Town. As for the Cardinals, they allowed most of their rotation to depart via free agency, such as Jeff Suppan, Jason Marquis, and others, for fear of paying too much to retain them. That arguement looks even worse when you consider the fact that not only are Suppan and Marquis, but that both are doing it for division rivals.
Can both franchises pull themsevles out of a rut? It's possible, considering that both teams are littered with players that are underachieving. But the more time that's passing, the more and more it looks unlikely that it's going to happen.
First of all, I would like to say the following about Felix Hernandez and Ben Sheets....
Scary Good Opening Days. I hope we get more of the same as the season moves along.
Now onto my rant.
LA Times columnist T.J. Simers attempts to be controversal, but comes off more as aggrevating. He tries to make his point by causing a scene, hurling insults everywhere, and making the column about himself in general. In essence, he's probably the Paris Hilton of Sports Writers and should have his own website dedicated to firing him and ripping him every which way he can, similar to Fire Joe Morgan. He was one of the major reasons why Paul DePodesta was run out of LA, as he spread his poison across the city about how horrible his "stat-head" analysis was for the Dodgers and how it ruined them, even though the truth of the matter was that the Dodgers were largely snake-bitten by injuries and as a result were fielding less than desirable players at most of the positions.
Hold up, upon further research, I've found a petition to get him fired.
Recently, Simers took the time up to lay a few salvos at the new Angels centerfielder, Gary Matthews Jr. Simers' comments are in bold.
There was a bottle of clear liquid in Mr. HGH's locker before the Angels' opener, but I can only guess what it might've been since Gary Matthews wasn't talking to Page 2.
He had a big hug for Texas' Sammy Sosa, and I would've asked what they had in common, but he kept turning his body away from me. It was like I was dating again.
The dating reference is lame and judging by Simers' rep, I would probably be ignoring his #### too. I just love how he works in a steroid angel right off the bat. Clever. It's also made very clear early on in this column that Matthews not only knows who Simers is, but is deliberately avoiding him less he give Simers any ammunition whatsoever to use in his drivel.
Never met the guy before Monday,
What a surprise!
But when I said something, Matthews looked to the Daily News' Kevin Modesti or San Diego's Chris Jenkins and asked, "Do you have a question for me?"
First of all, Simers isn't the normal beat reporter for either the Angels or the Dodgers. He's strictly a columnist/talking head that is paid for his opinion and doesn't cover either team on a regular basis. Modesti covers the Dodgers and the Angels as well as other LA Sports teams. Jenkins' work appears to appear in several papers across the country. So, when you boil it down, both have a lot more leeway than the stupid Page 2 columnist for the Times, who doesn't need any player commentary anyway when he does a column.
Modesti wanted to know about the support Matthews was going to get from his family now that he was playing close to home, and Jenkins was just as tough on him. As I told Jenkins later, I was proud of him for not asking for his autograph.
First of all, you don't go right out and ask a player if he was doing roids. You'll either get pimped slapped or ignored, like Simers is about to in the article. It's good interviewing to being by asking a player simple questions, in hopes of asking the tougher questions later.
Each time I questioned Matthews, though, it was like he had just been struck dumb. Who knew the Angels had signed Kevin Brown during the off-season? That reminds me, I never did get to ask Brown about the clear liquid that he had been rumored to be using.
For the record, Kevin Brown was an ####. Second of all, I've heard nothing about him doing anything aside from almost shooting someone not too long ago and for attacking a water cooler and a clubhouse wall.
I INTENDED to write about Garret Anderson, a healthy Anderson for the first time since 2003 and the key role that I thought he might play this season in making the Angels successful.
So why didn't you?
We chatted for a long time, and Anderson was laughing, and I'm not making this up: He said fans should expect him to have a good year, because he expects it of himself, and gave me permission to rip him if he falters, although that was unnecessary.
Again, why didn't you proceed wtih the article on Anderson? It seems like you hade more material for that column than you did for this piece of ####
Then I stopped by Matthews' locker to see what he was like...
What is he, a zoo exhibit?
Taking for granted the Angels would've advised the pro to act professional when asked the obvious questions. Instead, he reacted like Harpo Marx with an attitude.
Remember this line later on in the article.
Channel 7's Curt Sandoval requested by e-mail to interview Matthews, because like a number of the media here, he never got the chance to go to Arizona. "That's why I'm here tonight," Sandoval said.
The Angels don't allow cameras in the clubhouse, and when it came time for TV types to interview players, the team declined to make him available. One simple comment like, "I can't do anything about what's happened in the past, but I can give fans something to cheer about this season," would've probably been enough.
Indeed it would have and Matthews probably mismanaged his accusation about as bad as anyone could have this side of Mark McGwire, but the Angels themselves did a lot of CTA (Covering Their ####) in the weeks that followed, and aside from the usual "We're working with INSERT PLAYER NAME HERE to get to the bottom of these accusations" and "INSERT PLAYER NAME HERE hasn't been charged with any crime", the Angels did just as much to keep Matthews away from the media until it was time to do so.
Matthews, now occupying Darin Erstad's locker, which is a disgrace when you consider what a stand-up guy Erstad was here, begged Modesti to ask a question after I said, "Do you think you have to earn the fans' respect here after being Mr. HGH" this spring?"
First of all, what the hell is the fascination with people and Darin Erstad? He was never the best player on his team, got hurt often, wasn't productive, and instead got props for being "gritty, scruffy, tough, a red-####", all that #### There was a reason the Angels wanted Erstad gone. He was no longer even worthwhile of a bench shot. Trust me, if the Angels could have gotten out of Erstad's horrible long term deal two years ago, they would have done so.
Meanwhile, it's kind of amusing how Matthews if deliberately ignoring Simers as he tosses out some of the most asinine questions ever asked in a interview. This is about the point where Simers begins to get desperate.
I asked Matthews whether I needed to ask some nice questions to get an answer, and he turned to Jenkins and said, "You have anything for me?"
He's 0 for 2 now in responses, but is batting 1.000 in #### percentage.
I thought that's how he got in trouble — officials alleging that he had gone online asking the same question from someone willing to fill an illegal prescription.
How witty!
I asked Matthews whether he was familiar with Ryan Leaf, since Matthews reminded me of the punk, and got nothing. I asked him whether the questions were too tough, and got nothing. Now he began to remind me of Mike Garrett.
Always gotta enjoy a good Ryan Leaf reference now and then, even though Matthews and Leaf are two totally different athletes that followed two totally different career paths. Leaf arrived as an primadonna and played like ####. Matthews grew up in baseball and made a lot of stops before he finally hit his payday last year. And, Matthews has always been cordial to the media and is generally regarded to be a peach o####uy.
P.S., can anyone find me any sort of reference between Simers and Leaf, maybe to see if Leaf may have done something to #### off Simers? Best reference gets a Francisco Liriano Rookie Card.
He told Jenkins, "Growing up in this game helps me deal with things," and so I said, "Didn't growing up in this game help you to deal with tough questions?"
"I've got nothing to say to you; you started off on the wrong foot," said Matthews, who signed a $50-million contract to spend the next five years filling up Page 2. "Maybe next time you will start off on the right foot."
Simers again tries to bait Matthews and this time, Matthews finally acknowledges him with a explaination for blowing him off, recalling his ludicrious beginning to his questioning. To date, here are the four questions that Simers has already asked Matthews since the interview has begun:
"Do you think you have to earn the fans' respect here after being Mr. HGH" this spring?
"Do I Need To Ask You Some Nice Questions To Get An Answer?"
"Are you familiar with Ryan Leaf?
"Didn't growing up in this game help you to deal with tough questions?"
Got off to the wrong foot is putting it lightly.
I have no doubt he would've preferred I dance around the No. 1 question, but I got the impression he would've still demanded to lead.
It would have been at least courteous to try and make nice at first, As I said earlier, even when Barry Bonds is interviewed, he gets a few whiffle balls to get him ready for harder questioning. Had Simers asked the same questions to Bonds, Bonds would have ripped his spine out, Mortal Kombat style...
Angels owner Arte Moreno insisted Matthews speak to him and everyone else after the drug allegations surfaced, but then rolled over like nothing had happened when Matthews delivered a statement that never addressed the accusations. That statement got Moreno and Matthews off the hook.
What could Moreno have done about that? He couldn't void the contract or raise a dispute with the players union? And with Matthews lawyered up, there was little he could do. In essence, he was screwed.
Matthews said in his statement, "I have never taken HGH," and had he said he used the stuff, he might've been hit with a 50-game suspension. Since baseball doesn't test for HGH, there is no way any one could have proved different. He could be taking the stuff right now, and no one could prove different.
That is a flaw in the testing system, since there is no viable drug test for growth hormone.
But that's not what he was accused of — his name was linked to an investigation into illegal prescriptions, and he has yet to deny it. The obvious question: If Matthews received a prescription for HGH, why get it and not use it?
I'm a little skeptical of the SI article, mostly because they milked all they could out of that story over the course of two weeks, with a new name announced every day. And as far as Matthews is concerned, he's accussed right now, but he's still innocent until proven guilty.
"I ordered Avodart [hair-loss treatment] and it's been sitting in my closet for six years," Manager Mike Scioscia said. "He made it very clear he didn't use it."
Scioscia said he has never asked Matthews why he might get a prescription for HGH and then not use it.
Don't glare at me," Scioscia joked. "That's the look Sister Camela gave me in second grade."
It seems Simers, after getting rebuked by Matthews, is now determined to get cheap laughts from going after Mike Scioscia. I'll bet that Garret Anderson column is looking better and better by the paragraph.
Moreno, meanwhile, made it clear before the first game he wants to put a happy face on the Angels right now, although Matthews still hasn't come clean.
The entire industry is ready to move on, but because of the scandal from a few years ago, the writers are just willing
Angels fans also seemed willing to move on, apparently buying Matthews' clever dodge while hoping for the best. They got the chance early on to cheer a leaping Matthews catch, and I'm just glad I got a closer look at the clear liquid Mr. HGH had in his locker, because otherwise I might've attributed his heroics to something other than water.
I think all baseball fans want to move on and are just sick of having to deal with it. It's a new season and the fans just want to cheer on their teams.
Now if there was something in the water — here's hoping the rest of the Angels get an occasional sip.
This article has got to be one of the biggest pieces of #### I've read in a while. But it's fun to poke fun at stupid sports writers. Now I see why the Fire Joe Morgan Guys love what they do.
I'm not a big Matthews fan, nor do I care about what he does or does not do in a Angels uniform. However, I will say that this is a hatchet job as much as I can see, all brought on by the fact that Simers was determied to make himself the subject of the story, not Matthews or anybody else. The more you read the column, the more it seems like he is trying to paint himself as the intrepid investigative reporter that is willing to ask the tough questions no one else would. He's trying to paint himself as the only one that is willing to put the issue to the forefront.
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.
