The Rangers Report

Ponson Now An EX-Ranger

Well, as you all well know, Sidney Ponson was Designated For Assignment by Texas on Friday.

Reportedly, Ponson first came under scrutiny over the fact that he got trashed at the team hotel in Tampa Bay and was placed on watch.  He further endeared himself by angrily complaining about having to start on three days rest in order to allow Kevin Millwood his normal four.  BUt the final straw came when Ponson angrily showed up his teammates in the dugout and complained about certain members of the team.  With that, Ponson’s fate was sealed.

DOn’t know who’s decision this was yet.  It does sound a bit like a Nolan Ryan move, mostly because he didn’t take any shit as a player.  However, it also sounds like a Jon Daniels move, who has, for the most part, avoided problem players (Milton Bradley the exception, though Padilla was a buy low move.)  More than likely, it’s a combination of both.

So What Next?

Ponson is likely going to be granted free agency, because to be quite honest, I don’t think anyone is going to want to bite on him, even with his decent showing in Texas.   MAYBE the Rangers could acquire something along the lines of a C Grade prospect.  More than likely, they won’t get shit, even though some contenders like Cleveland, Detroit or the Mets could use pitching.

As for the Rangers, they’re now left with trying to figure out who to place back in the rotation.  More than likely, Kason Gabbard will return to the Rangers.  A.J. Murray, the team’s lone major league ready starter in Oklahoma, is injured.  Luis Mendoza and Brandon McCarthy aren’t ready to come back yet from their injury and the Rangers’ top pitching prospects, Eric Hurley and Matt Harrison, aren’t ready to start yet.  Nor will the Rangers rush either of them to the majors, as the Jon Hart Administration did with Edinson Volquez, who took nearly three years to get himself right again because of it.

Which means, for all intents and purposes, Texas is fucked and we’ll be seeing a lot more of Doug Mathis in the rotation. 

Heh. 

WHo’d a thought?  When the season started, I felt that Scott Feldman should have remained a middle reliever and that Mathis should have been given a shot as a fifth starter.

Now?

Not so much.

Implications From The Draft

While I love that the Rangers got Justin Smoak, who it turns out is more Adrian Gonzalez with 30 home run power, it complicates the Rangers’ current prospect mix a lot.

For starters, Texas now has five candidates to now have to worry about for Catcher, Designated Hitter and First Base.  Jarrod Saltalamacchia, Max Ramirez, Taylor Teagarden, Chris Davis, and now, Smoak,

Of that bunch, Smoak and Davis (looking more and more like an Adam Dunn like power source), should slot in to First Base and Designated Hitter respectively.  Which means Salty or Teagarden will likely be traded, and Max Ramirez likely the same.

The Rangers currently could use more up the middle talent, or again, more pitching prospects.