Now, after my rant for the day, let's take a look at the Rangers report, shall we...
Dinner At Hicks' House - Not A Good Sign
The past few winters, having dinner with Tom Hicks has always been the symbol of something happening on the horizon.
In 2005, it resulted in John Hart getting fired, eventually clearing the way for Jon Daniels.
In 2006, it resulted in Buck Showalter getting fired, leading to Ron Washington.
In 2007, it could mean Torii Hunter is coming to Texas.
I'm not pleased, as I've made it well known that I think Hunter will eventually be a disaster for the Rangers. I think he's lost a step defensively, that he's not going to hold up over the course of a full season and will likely be a poor player after the age of 35.
Yet there is talk of a 5 year deal with him.
I'm just hoping that the talk of him going to the White Sox is true.
Centerfield And The 2005 Draft
Speakng of centerfield, watching the Boston Red Sox during the World Series only served to remind several Rangers fans of one of the biggest mistakes in the Rangers’ drafting history.
Namely, that Jacoby Ellsbury should have been a Ranger.
Let’s go back to 2005, when gas was cheaper, the Rangers were coming off of a winning season, when I was dating Sandra Lawson, and when the Rangers were picking #19, and the prospects for a good player were good, especially with all the screwy draft activity going on. The Blue Jays famously took Ricky Romero at 7, leaving Troy Tulowitzki for the Rockies at 8 (and giving ESPN’s Keith Law a story to tell), while several other teams went in other directions, resulting in Oregon State’s centerfielder dropping to the Rangers. At the time, Texas was in need of a centerfielder, as Lanyce Nix was beginning to show the signs that he may not be able to last over the course of a full season and the farm system being a lot shallower than it is now. Taking Ellsbury was a no-brainer and, from many sources within the Ranger organization, that was exactly what they were going to do.
Except for the one guy that had the power to screw it all up.
Tom Hicks, the Rangers’ owner, had apparently taken to John Mayberry Jr., liked his power potential, and when conversing with GM John Hart, told him to draft Mayberry over Ellsbury. As a result, the selection was made, and Ellsbury fell all the way to the Red Sox at 23.
And the results, well, are what they are.
Ellsbury went through the system quickly and is now going to be player for Boston for the next six years.
Mayberry is struggling in Double A and despite hitting for power, still has a lot of holes in his swing and will likely wind up being a bust.
I know the draft is a crapshoot and hindsight is 20/20.
But damn, this was a mistake back then that is only being magnified now.
Thanks a lot Tom and John.
Gerald Laird To The Mets? What Would It Take?
Read a note on Newsday saying that the Mets are interested in Gerald Laird to fill their hole at catcher, adding at least a second team to the mix for a potential Laird trade (with the Red Sox being the other.)
Both teams would have to give up talent in order to acquire the young backstop, who had an off year but is still promising and if partnered with a mentor like Jason Varitek in Boston, could be a good catcher for several years.
But both would require talent to be exchanged back (as draft picks can’t be swapped, which I believe if they could Texas already would have had a deal done).
But anyways, we already know what the Boston offer would be (Coco Crisp straight up.) What would it take for the Mets to do an offer?
At the moment, one of the rumors I’ve checked up on over the Internet (Lonestarball.com) has the Mets are apparently dangling Lastings Milledge as a return for Laird. However, there is a catch. They want the Rangers to include Joaquin Benoit in the deal while they would enclose Ruben Gotay in exchange.
That’s a bit too rich for my blood, but I would be willing to use that deal as a starting point. Benoit I want to keep. However, if relief help is what the Mets also want, I wouldn’t be opposed to adding Frank Francisco and Scott Feldman in the deal, which would result in the Mets getting a pair of relievers with a good amount of service time while also filling their catching vacancy. The Rangers would lose a valuable piece in Francisco, but will be able to fill the vacancy from within, as Luis Mendoza and Armando Galarraga may be near ready, with other mix and match pieces able to be worked out. And, it would give them a good young player that can man center while allowing David Murphy to be the right fielder and allow the Rangers to use Marlon Byrd as the fourth outfielder.
All in all, should the Rangers go that route, here’s what the lineup would look like:
Kinsler (2B)
Cat (1B)
Young (SS)
Blalock (3B)
Botts (DH)
Milledge (CF)
Salty (C)
Murphy (RF)
Byrd or PTBNL (LF)
Not bad, and it’s a much stronger lineup, though it’s also a very young and cheap lineup. At this point, Texas does need to see what they’ve got on the team and if several of the players blossom as expected, well, then all is good.
Rangers Steal Pitcher From The Angels
Thanks to a rare screw-up by the Angels, the Rangers have netted themselves a prospect.
Apparently, the Angels were in the process of adding RHP Warner Madrigal to the 40 Man Roster and even made a announcement stating that he was added.
One problem.
They got the date wrong. And Madrigal was no longer their property, thanks to his 6 Year Free Agent Status.
So, what do the Rangers have here?
They get a poor hitting outfielder that was converted to the mound last year and is looking like a promising relief prospect. He can throws a mid 90's fastball that reache sin the upper 90's while working on a slider and a changeup. All in all, he could become an effective setup man or a closer.
Nice job J.D.
Additions To The 40 Man Roster
Well, the 40 Man Roster has been set and for the most part, I was right.
Here are the additions:
Matt Harrison (LHP) – A solid number four starter, has better stuff than Gabbard and has proven to be more durable.
Thomas Diamond (RHP) – I wasn’t aware that Diamond wasn’t on the 40 Man Roster. Well, he’s back…
Max Ramirez (C) – The booty acquired for Kenny Lofton, giving the Rangers more catching depth.
Brandon Boggs (CF) – A potential dark horse centerfielder candidate for the Rangers in the next year or so.
Here are the casualties:
Victor Diaz (RF) – Diaz has legitimate 30 home run power, but the fact that he can’t walk means his fate was sealed.
And, in the event a player needs to be added, here’s who is going to be victimized:
Bill White (LHP) – White will likely be the first DFA candidate if the Rangers add any more players via trade or free agency.
Freddy Guzman (CF) – Guzman is an excellent defender, but quite frankly, the Rangers have enough speedy centerfielders already that can’t hit.
And, here who may be taken in the Rule 5 Draft:
Jesse Ingram (RHP) - The Former Cal Closer notched up 70 Punchouts this year and is likely Rule 5 Bait. He never really seemed to establish himself as a dominant closer and has average stuff. Hopefully, the Rangers will be able to keep him, or that he won't stick.
Tug Hulett Jr. (INF) - The son of a former Major Leaguer, many feel that he'll be able to eake out a career as a utility guy. The Rangers didn't add him because they likely felt that he won't be taken.
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...
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 screwed 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!
Loe was great on Friday while John Koronka pitched one scoreless inning and one inning in which he was destroyed. Chen and Brandon McCarthy combined for a solid outing against the Royals. Chen retired all six of the batters he faced in a two inning outing and struck out one. Josh Rupe, Eric Hurley, Jamey Wright and Edinson Volquez haven’t pitched yet. John Rheinecker appears to be out of the running after back spasms have set him back.
Designated Hitter – Jason Botts (Leader)
Sosa so far has gone 2 for six with one homer, one walk and two strikeouts. Botts hasn’t had a shot yet, but so far the Sosa experience has been a get what you pay for deal. In this case, almost nothing.
Left Field – Frank Catalonotto (Leader?)
There’s been talk about Cat possibly being the starting left fielder. If that were to happen, I would honestly wonder what would happen if Brad Wilkerson was forced out.
Fourth Outfielder – Jerry Hairston Jr (Leader)
This is a competition between Marlon Byrd, Victor Diaz, Freddie Guzman, and Jerry Hairston Jr., to a certain extent. At the moment, I’d prefer Hairston, as he has the most versatility of the four. Diaz could also force his way in, as he hit a homer in friday's game.
Backup Catcher – Guillermo Quiroz (Leader)
Quiroz has helped his cause thanks to a homer on Friday’s game. Miguel Ojeda hasn’t made an appearance yet.
C.J., Meet Gyroball. Gryo, meet C.J…
The "gyroball," a pitch made famous by Japanese star Daisuke Matsuzaka, is apparently on it’s way to Dallas, courtesy of C.J. Wilson, who has decided to give it a shot. It all happened by coincidence, as Wilson was surfing and was in fact telling a friend about the pitch being false when Will Carroll from Baseball Prospectus sent him an email, which linked to a video link of how to throw a Gyroball. Wilson checked it out and decided to give it a shot, especially since Kazu Tezuka, the Japanese baseball trainer who created the pitch, would be in camp working with setup man Akinori Otsuka. Wilson gave it a go (and humorously tried to show his efforts to Otsuka, who complimented the cutter and slider he actually was pitching.)
Wilson later talked to Tezuka about the pitch for an hour, who gave him a ball with the grip prints marked into the ball. Wilson has apparently successfully thrown ten of the pitch correctly in a row. Hopefully, this will give the Rangers another weapon in the pen, along will giving them a preview of Matsuzaka when he comes to town.
If you’ve read C.J.’s MySpace and his MLBlog, you really shouldn’t be surprised about his decision to give the pitch a shot. He’s a pretty cool dude that enjoys all things pitching related. And as far as the Gyroball is concerned, there’s several explanations on what it is exactly. To put it in simple terms, it’s a slider with fastball speed, but no slider breaking motion. It’s supposed to stay perfectly straight.
My Response To The Allegations Of Gary Matthews Jr.
I’m stunned, to say the least.
More so because, in the time that Gary spent as a Ranger, he had always come off as a stand up guy, a person of high moral character that I wouldn’t have ever believed to have pulled #### like this ever.
When Gary suddenly became a top of the line outfielder, as he did last season, I cheered him on, glad that for once, a player was able to do it the right way, with good old fashioned hard work and skill.
And, unfortunately, I was wrong.
This doesn’t change what Gary is. He’s still one of the more likeable ballplayers in the sport. However, his response to the LA Times kind of sums it up.
'I haven't read the story myself and I don't have all the information. Until I get more information, that's my position. At the appropriate time, I will address the matter,"
If he’s innocent, why don’t you just say no?
Matthews has met behind closed doors with owner Arte Moreno, General Manager Bill Stoneman, and Manager Mike Scioscia. Matthews has apologized for any distraction and said he would try to resolve the situation as soon as possible.
But you can better believe that, despite the Angels giving assurances that he’s innocent till proven guilty, they’re secretly seeing if there’s anyway they can get out of that five-year, $50-million contract they signed him to.
I won’t forget that magical season he put up for the Rangers last year.
But, my official response is, as it was when he signed with LA, is that the Rangers did good by not re-signing him.
Unofficially, I’m saddened by all this.
Jerry Hairston Jr. Was On HGH? Could have fooled me!
There’s allegations on SI.com (who seems to be publishing a new name per day on who was busted with HGH) that utilityman Jerry Hairston Jr. was one of the athletes busted with steroids. Unlike Matthews, who has left the team, Hairston is still technically with the team, though he’s on as a Non Roster Invite.
All I’ve got to say is this: if Hairston was on HGH, it sure didn’t do anything for him. In 63 games, Hairston hit .205 with no homers and 6 RBI’s.
Ozzie, Let It Go...
For some reason or another, Rangers pitcher Brandon McCarthy has drawn the wrath of White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen for comments he made in a Chicago newspaper nearly two weeks ago. Guillen wasn't happy that McCarthy told the Chicago Sun-Times that he preferred the Rangers' clubhouse to the one in Chicago. Here are some of the more interesting nuggets I got from the story:
Ozzie - "It's safe to say I don't think the comment was necessary about the clubhouse," Guillen said . "You hate me, you like me, we don't get along, you don't like the way we handle stuff, I can live with that. But when you talk about negative clubhouse attitude ... One thing about our clubhouse, I think we have one of the best attitudes. I keep everybody loose, and I make sure I can get the best out of you every day. I don't have anything against Brandon, no way. Is this thing going to continue to go on and on? No."
McCarthy - "I knew when I read it the next day that it could be misinterpreted to be negative. It wasn't in any means supposed to be. I mean, I've talked to a few guys over there and hoped that they wouldn't take it the way it sounded. The clubhouses are just completely different. One isn't better than the other. Over here with Texas, it's more like a college dorm because there are so many young guys. I don't look at Chicago as being bad at all. I love the city, loved the guys I played with. It's just different. I was asked which one is better for me, and of course I said over here."
Ozzie's Response To McCarthy about the Rangers Camp being more positive - "Whatever you can call me, I'm not a negative guy," Guillen said. "I think one of my jobs is to be positive with everyone in the ballclub. I'm the type of guy, when you're down, I try to extend my hands to try and get you out of there. I'm not the type of manager, when you're down, I turn my eyes, not even look at you and say hi."
McCarthy intended no offense by his comments. To me, this just sounds like when a guy switches jobs and happens to prefer the work environment to that of his old one. It's nothing personal. It could that the new work environment is preferable and much more comfortable than the one that the guy who left earlier.
This, to me, sounds so much like when Guillen when he went after Magglio Ordonez in 2005. Again, this was over comments that, to be honest, weren't anything sensational.
Neither player deserved that verbal lashing. It's not right and it's unprofessional.
Guillen needs to let stuff go. Otherwise, he might not be a manager for much longer.
Kenny Williams probably said it best.
"Why can't this be about business? This was good for Brandon, and it was good for us."
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.
DOB: 9/17/85 
DOB: 11/19/87 
DOB: 6/3/88 
