The Rangers Report - Big Week Ahead
Draft Smoke Signals
Well, the draft is on Thursday, and I’ll have to schedule my lunch hour around the Rangers and Astros picks, since home isn’t far at all from work.
So here’s the scuttle from what I’ve read, via Baseball Prospectus, ESPN, and the Star-Telegram:
- The Rangers will likely begin by waiting for one of the bigger name players to fall to them at 11. That means there is a possibility that the Rangers could take Eric Hosmer or Garret Cole if them come down to them. God knows that Tim Beckham or Pedro Alvarez won’t make it that far. Talented pitchers gifted with flawed delivereis, Aaron Crow and Brian Matusz, are also on the Rangers’ radar.
- Should that not work out, Texas is said to have narrowed their choices between Tulane’s (And Shooter’s Man Crush Of The Draft) Shooter Hunt, or Eastern Kentucky’s Christian Friedrich. I’ll have to admit, Hunt’s latest numbers and rumblings from scouts are starting to worry me a bit.
- Texas will likely try and take some of the quick fallers in the draft because of monetary concerns, and will likely piss off MLB Management by paying more above slot.
- With the draft being deep in college corner infielders, my guess is that the Rangers could look at taking a college first baseman later in the draft.
Andy LaRoche Is There For The Taking
While the Rangers are still likely keeping third base open for the eventual movement of Michael Young, there are options available to play with if you can get your hands on them.
Case in point: the Dodgers’ Andy LaRoche.
The Dodgers have seemed to have done everything humanly possible to NOT give their starting third baseman job to LaRoche. And with Blake DeWitt now looking like their answer to the position, they’re now turning LaRoche into a utility player.
I think the Rangers need to jump all over this.
LaRoche could split time at the corners for Texas, playing some third and first, while also seeing time at DH. And while that’s kinda what his role with the Dodgers would be (except I think the Dodgers will also be throwing him into the outfield), Texas at least promises something that the Dodgers wouldn’t.
Regular playing time.
This isn’t just for Texas to take the opportunity. I think other teams with needs at third base, such as the Pirates (though Neil Walker is supposedly close), the Twins and the Athletics should take advantage too. I think LaRoche is a wonderful young player and the fact that the Dodgers haven’t committed to him is just plain stupid.
Who Expected This To Happen?
At the beginning of the season, the Texas Rangers had signed two pitchers to contracts, one major, one minor. Both pitchers had a track record for success, and yet both fell off the cliff for their new teams in 2007. Now, one of those pitchers has made a significant contribution to the Rangers. The other? Out for the season.
Who knew that Sidney Ponson would be better than Jason Jennings?
As of this moment, Jennings ends the season at 0-5 with a 8.56 ERA, with a 12/18 K to walk ratio.
Ponson, meanwhile, is currently 4-1 with a 3.83 ERA, with a 24/13 K to walk ratio.
Who’d a thunk this would have happened?
