Series Thread: 4 game series in Baltimore for Hamilton and the Rangers

[Bmurph]

Rangers OF Delino DeShields has three hits in first rehab game
by Jason Lempert | Staff Writer

Appearing in his first minor-league rehab game, Rangers outfielder Delino DeShields had an excellent performance on Saturday. Playing with Triple-A Round Rock, DeShields went a double and a run scored.

DeShields, who is working his way back from a hamstring injury, served as the designated hitter on Saturday. It is not yet clear when he will be ready to be activated from the disabled list.

 

[Justinkm83]

Josh was a pretty bad CFer in 2012, can't imagine things have improved with 3 extra years of mileage and coming back from a hamstring issue

Oh I don't think he'll be a good one. I just have a feeling they're going to try it. The pressure from someone poised to take his job has ruined Leonys.

I like Kelley's idea of sending him down for awhile and let him get his confidence back.

 

[Justinkm83]

I swear I hadn't read MLBTR when I asked the question.

Josh Hamilton could return from the DL as early as Monday, and he could be coming back to the Rangers as a center fielder. As Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News writes, Hamilton played center in each of his last two minor league rehab games and he could displace the struggling Leonys Martin from the starting CF job. Hamilton has only played 13 games in center since the start of the 2013 season, and while his advanced defensive metrics have varied from year to year, Hamilton has below-average numbers (-8.4 UZR/150 and -16 defensive runs saved) over his career as a center fielder. Here’s more from around the AL West…

The outfield trio of Joey Gallo in left, Leonys Martin in center and Shin-Soo Choo in right, were a combined 1 for 11. They had just nine hits in 74 at-bats (.122) over the course of a week in which the Rangers went 1-6

 

[WastinSomeTime]

Have you noticed no one has mentioned Naftali Feliz in the media or on the board. His ERA is above 7 right now.

 

[donaldson79]

The CF/OF speculation continues:

Grant: Hamilton to rescue? Rangers might take drastic step to solve outfielder woes | Dallas Morning News

I agree with the above comments re: Hamilton's limitations in CF. But it appears the team is at least considering living with some defensive liabilities, in the name of scoring some runs.

The OF production yesterday is not something we can live with and hope to even be competitive.

 

[donaldson79]

Have you noticed no one has mentioned Naftali Feliz in the media or on the board. His ERA is above 7 right now.

Someone asked Cowlislaw about him, and he pretty much admitted, we may have seen the last of him.

Apparently his control has continued to be erratic, and his speed is all over the map.

 

[PhantomWarrior]

Have you noticed no one has mentioned Naftali Feliz in the media or on the board. His ERA is above 7 right now.

Saw him sitting in the AAA RR pen the night of Harry's bench clearing rehab start.

Here's the last 10 for Feliz:

Neftali Feliz Stats, Highlights, Bio | Round Rock Express Stats

9 ER in his last 11 innings pitched. 11 K; 4 BB

No wonder we have not heard much about him.

 

[donaldson79]

Saw him sitting in the AAA RR pen the night of Harry's bench clearing rehab start.

Here's the last 10 for Feliz:

Neftali Feliz Stats, Highlights, Bio | Round Rock Express Stats

9 ER in his last 11 innings pitched. 11 K; 4 BB

No wonder we have not heard much about him.

This is worst than I would have suspected really.

It's really too bad for him and us. What we saw a few short years ago apparently has disappeared between his injury and lack of confidence.

 

[donaldson79]

I'm really hoping the next guy out is Joey Gallo myself. And it's not b/c I'm disappointed in him.

He's done OK for himself. But in all candor, I don't like what the Rangers have done with him.

When we called him up, it was with the clear intent of him filling in at 3rd. Now he's been in LF, CF, DH, and it's time for the kid to go down, take a breath, and start applying some of the things which he got exposed to up here.

Shades of Profar here, but I know the team has been stretched to it's limits too.

 

[DT LUNA]

This is worst than I would have suspected really.

It's really too bad for him and us. What we saw a few short years ago apparently has disappeared between his injury and lack of confidence.

Every hill has a down side and Feliz is on it. Been heading that direction for a while.

 

[DT LUNA]

I'm really hoping the next guy out is Joey Gallo myself. And it's not b/c I'm disappointed in him.

He's done OK for himself. But in all candor, I don't like what the Rangers have done with him.

When we called him up, it was with the clear intent of him filling in at 3rd. Now he's been in LF, CF, DH, and it's time for the kid to go down, take a breath, and start applying some of the things which he got exposed to up here.

Shades of Profar here, but I know the team has been stretched to it's limits too.

With the return of Josh and DDJ a little later, Joey is likely gone.

 

[True Rangers Fan]

What we saw a few short years ago apparently has disappeared between his injury and lack of confidence.

Feliz from 2010-12 had as big of a roller coaster professionally as one could possibly have. I can certainly see how he simply was never able to recover mentally. Damn shame, too. He was incredible to watch back then.

 

[PhantomWarrior]

This is worst than I would have suspected really.

It's really too bad for him and us. What we saw a few short years ago apparently has disappeared between his injury and lack of confidence.

I think he hasn't been the same since October 2011:

2011 World Series -- Neftali Feliz speechless after blown save in Game 6

 

[PhantomWarrior]

I'm really hoping the next guy out is Joey Gallo myself. And it's not b/c I'm disappointed in him.

He's done OK for himself. But in all candor, I don't like what the Rangers have done with him.

When we called him up, it was with the clear intent of him filling in at 3rd. Now he's been in LF, CF, DH, and it's time for the kid to go down, take a breath, and start applying some of the things which he got exposed to up here.

Shades of Profar here, but I know the team has been stretched to it's limits too.

Yes was thinking the same thing. Gallo, as with Profar, was not groomed to be a util player. Give Joey some time at AAA RR to work on what he learned in the Bigs. Plus that puts him somewhat local to me to watch his HRs hit in the pool over the RF fence

 

[WastinSomeTime]

I think he hasn't been the same since October 2011:

2011 World Series -- Neftali Feliz speechless after blown save in Game 6

Agree. That deer in the headlights look in the 9th inning. And then would not come back out after we went back ahead by 2 runs. He lost me right there.

 

[WastinSomeTime]

I'm really hoping the next guy out is Joey Gallo myself. And it's not b/c I'm disappointed in him.

He's done OK for himself. But in all candor, I don't like what the Rangers have done with him.

When we called him up, it was with the clear intent of him filling in at 3rd. Now he's been in LF, CF, DH, and it's time for the kid to go down, take a breath, and start applying some of the things which he got exposed to up here.

Shades of Profar here, but I know the team has been stretched to it's limits too.

Can agree there but I can also understand wanting to get him into the game and hope for a big fly. He actually seems to handle himself well. But if they are going to have him play in the OF I will they would stick with one and with his arm to me it is RF.

 

[donaldson79]

Can agree there but I can also understand wanting to get him into the game and hope for a big fly. He actually seems to handle himself well. But if they are going to have him play in the OF I will they would stick with one and with his arm to me it is RF.

I heard some numbers on him today and he's really trending down on his walks/hits and up on his K's over the past 8 games.

Sorry I can't quote em, but he seems like life at the top level has caught up to him. Maybe that's why he's hitting about .225 now.

I want to turn the heat down on this young man, let him take a huge/deep breath, apply lessons learned, and then let it be what it will be.

 

[jta4437]

Yes was thinking the same thing. Gallo, as with Profar, was not groomed to be a util player. Give Joey some time at AAA RR to work on what he learned in the Bigs. Plus that puts him somewhat local to me to watch his HRs hit in the pool over the RF fence

I think it was less the UTIL thing with Profar that was problematic than it was not playing almost everyday, that's not happening with Gallo

 

[jta4437]

I heard some numbers on him today and he's really trending down on his walks/hits and up on his K's over the past 8 games.

Sorry I can't quote em, but he seems like life at the top level has caught up to him. Maybe that's why he's hitting about .225 now.

I want to turn the heat down on this young man, let him take a huge/deep breath, apply lessons learned, and then let it be what it will be.

I seriously doubt its the moving around that's affecting him so much than it is quality ML pitchers have started to figure out his weaknesses and how to pitch him... with a little help from the umps and the "Murphy Zone" they've been applying to him

So in essence I'm agreeing with you...

 

[saddles]

Agree. That deer in the headlights look in the 9th inning. And then would not come back out after we went back ahead by 2 runs. He lost me right there.

That was the way Wash said it happened. Interviewed for the first time about it several months later Feliz disputed Wash's claims. Wash also disagreed with Endy Chavez abotu something tha thappened late in that game. Chavez said he was originally scheduled to go out for Cruz for defensive purposes in the 9th and Wash changed his mind. Wash denied that. So we have two cases where two folks said opposite things happened late in that game. The common denominator is Wash. I personally believe Wash lied in both cases. No reporter ever found another player or coach to quote backing up Wash's story in either case.

Neftali Feliz: I was calm enough to pitch 10th inning of Game 6 | | Dallas Morning News

“I was very upset,” Feliz said about the game-tying two-run triple by David Frese that tied the game at seven. “I wasn’t that mad at myself because I threw my pitch [fastball]; he just hit it. I was just upset that it happened. But by the time we got back to the dugout and Josh [Hamilton] hit his home run, I had calmed down. I thought I was going to go out there for the 10th. I was calm enough.”