The Rangers Report
Building for the future since 2001
Archive for April, 2008
April 24, 2008 at 5:50 pm · Filed under Uncategorized
Since the Rangers haven’t given me much to post upon as far as a Rangers Report will go, it’s time for another edition of What If…
What If…The Rangers Had Traded Alex Rodriguez To The Red Sox?
It was the 2003 off-season and the Rangers had once again finished last in the division. The Rangers were at a crossroads, as they once again had the best player in baseball, but had little to show for it as they remained a laughingstock in the American League. It was at this point that the Rangers had a pair of bombshells fall on them. The first was a blasting by Alex Rodriguez, saying publically that he didn’t want to play with “a bunch of kids” if the Rangers went into rebuilding mode. The second was a formal request from Alex Rodriguez that he would waive his no trade clause if he was sent to a contender.
John Hart, then the Rangers General Manager, began to look around for possible deals and found one with the Boston Red Sox. They already had an All Star Shortstop in Nomar Garciaparra, but Nomar’s refusal to sign a long term contract extension with Boston, combined with his own defensive lapses, would result in Boston looking for a change. However, there may have been other reasons, perhaps the Red Sox knew ahead of time that Garciaparra wasn’t going to age well? Who knows. Theo Epstein isn’t talking.
In any case, the Rangers managed to have a deal struck that would have sent Rodriguez to the Red Sox in exchange for Manny Ramirez and pitching prospect Jon Lester. It was a match made in heaven, as Ramirez could have filled the role of DH and given the Rangers a monster in the middle of their lineup.
The Players Union, however, had other ideas, namely a trade that would allow Rodriguez to go to a team that would pay him the same contract, and not have him take LESS money, which he agreed to go with Boston. The deal was killed and Texas would later make a less palatable deal with the New York Yankees, which brought them Alfonso Soriano and Joaquin Arias.
I’ve railed against the Rodriguez trade for years and hated the return the Rangers got, and especially hate that the Union fucked over the team by denying the trade to go throguh because of a renegotiated contract. However, I’ve wondered how things would have gone.
Red Sox Side: Had Rodriguez been sent to the Red Sox, things might have changed differently from their famed run to the World Series. For Starters, the Red Sox likely would have sent Garciaparra to the White Sox for Magglio Ordonez, who was rumored to go to Boston in the event of a deal. The Red Sox would have remained a strong offensive team, and the outfield defense would have improved as Trot Nixon would have slid to left field, and the infield defense would have still remained adequate, but not spectacular with Rodriguez manning short. It would have rendered the latter trade that brought Orlando Cabrera over. As to whether or not this would have resulted in the Red Sox winning the World Series? Well, that’s another story, though you can be sure that the Red Sox would have made the playoffs.
Rangers Side: As for the Rangers, they would have been left needing a shortstop, and likely would have slid Michael Young over to shortstop anyway, leaving that part of history unchanged. Ramirez would have been an exceptional DH, and it’s likely that a low cost second baseman, likely Mark Grudzielanek, would have been signed to make fill the hole made by Rodriguez’s absence. All in all, the Rangers would have likely had a stronger lineup that they ever had hoped for in 2004, and with a lineup that would have fielded the following:
- Young (SS)
- Grudzielankek (2B)
- Teixiera (1B)
- Ramirez (DH)
- Blalock (3B)
- Dellucci (LF)
- Mench (RF)
- Nix/Matthews (CF)
- Barajas (C)
That lineup, as constitued, likely would have gotten the Rangers into the playoffs that year, instead of them finishing third in the division, though with a winning record.
As for Lester, Lester would have risen through the ranks and likely would have made his debut with Texas last season, instead of 2006.
In Conclusion: This is all speculative, but damn it, had the Players Association not killed the deal, there is no doubt that the Rangers would have remained a lot more respectable as a team then they have for the past few years. Hell, with a lineup like that, especially when you consider how productive most of that lineup was for most of the season, it may have been just the last piece that the Rangers needed to pass the Angels to return to the postseason.
April 20, 2008 at 9:28 am · Filed under Uncategorized
Whew, glad that was over. I had a hard time getting the site to work again, but I’m back and set to provide…something of some nutritional value to you all.
Okay, maybe not.
Onto the News!
Impressions Of The Rangers So Far
Overall, the team isn’t bad. It’s not spectacular, but it’s not bad. The Rangers have gotten pretty good starting pitching out of most of their starters and Millwood, Padilla and Gabbard have been quite impressive so far. Jason Jennings, not so much.
The Pen overall is very good, but I do wonder if burnout will hit any of the old standby’s like Benoit and WIlson as the season goes on.
I am disappointed with the offense, but Young has been a slow starter the past couple of years, so he gets a bit of a mulligan. Hamilton is a beast and Kinsler is looking worth all that and more the money he got in the contract extension this past season. I’ve also been pleasently suprised with Milton Bradley, who hasn’t gone apeshit crazy just yet. However, Ben Broussard, Frank Catalonotto and Gerald Laird have all looked bad, though Laird at least has provided some power in the lineup from time to time. Hopefully, he’ll get dealt at the deadline for something nice. Broussard and Cat…don’t know. I like Cat a lot. I’m hoping he turns it around.
Overall, the team isn’t as bad as I first thought it would be. It’s not great, and certainly won’t be inspiring playoff ambitions, not with the Angels and Mariners in the division. But it’s not terrible.
Meanwhile, Down On The Farm
Meanwhile, the Rangers’ farm squads have already kicked off action and are starting to make some noise. Chris Davis continues to look like he’ll be a beast and should be the Rangers’ first baseman come next season. Max Ramirez and Christian Santana, two of the Rangers’ highly touted catching prospects, have been tearing up the Texas League and Midwestern League respectively and should reach to the top of the organizational ladder shortly. Two pitchers that I am extremely high on, Derek Holland and Evan Reed, are also proving to be potential beasts and could rise up to be potential starters in the not so distant future.
Farm Nugget I Found Interesting
Scott Lucas, who writes the Minor League Roundup for the Newberg Report, had a great comment in his coverage of the Double A Frisco Roughriders.
After the game, the players hung around the parking lot drinking Natty Light until the cops made them leave, just like your softball team.
I found that hilarious.
And Natty Light? Why not get a 12 pack of Milwaukee’s Beast? It’s cheaper and slightly more potent than Natural (which tastes like beer flavored water.)
Throwing This Out There – Looking At Homer Bailey
With the recent amount of hate given to Homer Bailey by the Reds, who quite honestly look like they’re giving up on him, I wonder if the Rangers could maybe set up a trade to bring him over for something else.
Looking at Bailey, he’s an exceptional talent with a high 90’s fastball and an excellent changeup that has issues with command. This is what has led to him getting hammered at the big league level and has resulted in his value dropping.
The reason why I say he’s available is that during the off-season, there was very much a lot of mention of Bailey in baseball circles, and when there was talk about the Reds swinging a trade for Joe Blanton, three prospects were asked for: Bailey, Joey Votto and Johnny Cueto. Of the three, only Cueto was protected. Add in the recent amount of hate that Bailey is getting in the media from “anonymous scouts” speaking to Peter Gammons, Bailey is called uncoachable and that he feels he has it “all figured out.”
On a side note, what is the deal with the “anonymous scout” label? If you’re going to trash a guy, be a man and admit to it. Don’t hide behind the “anonymous scout” label.
Anyhow, see you all during the week.
April 9, 2008 at 12:12 am · Filed under Uncategorized
Here’s a little bit of trivia about last summer’s Mark Teixeira deal.
Jarrod Saltalamacchia wasn’t in the initial deal requested by the Rangers.
Originally, the deal looked something like this:
1B Mark Teixeira To Atlanta For CF Jordan Schaffer, SS Elvis Andrus and LHP Matt Harrison.
THe reason being that the Rangers had catching depth, with Taylor Teagarden and Christian Santana already in the organization and Max Ramirez having just arrived from Cleveland in the Kenny Lofton trade. Adding an outfielder made the most sense, especially since Schaffer was raking at the time.
Atlanta balked and the deal eventually expanded to include Salty and two other prospects, Beau Jones and Neftali Feliz thrown into the originally deal, especially when Harrison developed shoulder trouble that he has appeared to have shaken off.
Well, the deal is looking better, as Schaffer becomes I believe the first major prospect and the first actual player to be suspended for HGH use. The penalty is 50 games, a big chunk of time when you consider that the Minor League Season is shorter and Schafer will miss valuable development time.
THat’s one bullet dodged and makes the trade look better.
There’s just one question really left to ask then?
If there is no test for HGH, how did MLB catch him? Was he already under investigation for something else, did someone observe him recieving a mysterious package, or was it just plain arrogance on Schafer’s part that he could skate by and not get caught.
Oh well, not my problem.
And, thankfully, not the Rangers’ either.
Though last year’s second rounder, Matt West, did get popped for ‘roids.
Sigh.