Series Thread: Battle for the bottom.....Houston 8/8-10

[WastinSomeTime]

So you don't watch spring training in baseball?

I have to go with night crawler on this. ST baseball is usually not shown in the beginning and I can watch bits and pieces when it is finally shown to take a look at certain players. But preseason football goes down to lower level players fast and bores me after a quarter. Plus fans who buy season tickets are stuck paying the same price as a regular season game.

 

[Justinkm83]

Most of the defense which is by far the biggest question mark will not be playing tonight.

Obviously you didn't get the joke, or really the truth. I meant the pre-season is important because the guys playing tonight will be the starters in week 3 because our normal starters will be hurt. Just like every other year.

 

[Justinkm83]

Damnit, I was hoping Hamels made it to us or went un-claimed.

 

[Bmurph]

Damnit, I was hoping Hamels made it to us or went un-claimed.

Cubs

 

[darrylgann]

Damnit, I was hoping Hamels made it to us or went un-claimed.

Odds are Phillies keep 'em anyway. But it was a nice thought.

 

[Justinkm83]

Cubs

Yeah he would've had to go all the way through the NL. We are after the Rockies.

 

[Bmurph]

Yeah he would've had to go all the way through the NL. We are after the Rockies.

If I was the Cubs and Phils are asking for Addison Russell, not sure I wouldn't send him with Castro and Baez they are probably in good shape for awhile

 

[saddles]

Who's upset? I was just pointing out your flawed methodology. I just think it's something pretty pointless to question, Gimenez isn't even playing right now and JPA is, why would you dump someone that is actually playing significant innings for you over someone who plays once or twice a week

HaHa. Flawed methodology. It is flawed to you because it doesn't agree with the way you feel. When someone has a few hundred ABs in their career and they show better numbers in the second half of those career numbers it isn't flawed to think that represents who they are more than their overall career numbers. Meanwhile JPA has a career high of .233 and he hasn't done that since 2 years ago. You may see it differently, but in this situation I dont' see it as flawed at all to judge based on what they have done more recently.

That's okay though. There is going to be disagreement when you discuss baseball. It does seem strange to declare something like what I gave as flawed methodology. I am glad you aren't upset.

 

[terpsfball09]

been gone the past 3 days with families.... i miss anything important?

 

[saddles]

been gone the past 3 days with families.... i miss anything important?

A couple of good games and Rios clearing waivers. Oh and Gimenez getting DFAed.

 

[terpsfball09]

ya i heard we won when i wasnt watching. im a bad omen

 

[WastinSomeTime]

ya i heard we won when i wasnt watching. im a bad omen

Your next trip is in the mail.

 

[donaldson79]

This from Evan Grant for 2015:

They could be a contender

Pos. Player Best case scenario

C....Geovany Soto......Successful platoon with Robinson Chirinos
Don’t want to push Chirinos into larger role than he’s capable of handling

1B.....Prince Fielder....Returns to 30+ home run hitter
So much rides on his return to form

2B.......Rougned Odor......Becomes 2B version of Manny Machado
Impressive aptitude to go with big-league tools

3B.......Adrian Beltre.......Does what he’s done last three seasons
Heart and soul of this team

SS.........Jurickson Profar..........270 average, .340 OBP, solid defense
Big risk to have such a young middle infield

LF.......Shin-Soo Choo.........A better ankle helps him return to .380 OBP
Must play with less pressure to live up to contract

CF......Leonys Martin.......Becomes Carl Crawford circa 2008
He just may not be player Rangers envisioned

RF.......Matt Kemp......Makes people forget Josh Hamilton
Is there framework for an Elvis Andrus-led trade package?

DH.......Billy Butler........A buy low guy who pays big dividends
Could platoon with Mike Carp or Mitch Moreland

SP
Yu Darvish.........Wins his Cy Young
He’s one of the five best pitchers in the AL right now

Jon Lester.......Elite 1-2 combination with Darvish
Could be great (albeit expensive) role model for Holland

Derek Holland.......Pitches like a No. 2 in the No. 3 spot
Will he ever fully realize potential?

Colby Lewis........Adds another chapter to great comeback story
He will work pretty cheap

Nick Tepesch.........The third time around he “gets it”
Still inconsistent but showing signs of improvement

 

[jta4437]

This from Evan Grant for 2015:

They could be a contender

Pos. Player Best case scenario

C....Geovany Soto......Successful platoon with Robinson Chirinos
Don’t want to push Chirinos into larger role than he’s capable of handling

1B.....Prince Fielder....Returns to 30+ home run hitter
So much rides on his return to form

2B.......Rougned Odor......Becomes 2B version of Manny Machado
Impressive aptitude to go with big-league tools

3B.......Adrian Beltre.......Does what he’s done last three seasons
Heart and soul of this team

SS.........Jurickson Profar..........270 average, .340 OBP, solid defense
Big risk to have such a young middle infield

LF.......Shin-Soo Choo.........A better ankle helps him return to .380 OBP
Must play with less pressure to live up to contract

CF......Leonys Martin.......Becomes Carl Crawford circa 2008
He just may not be player Rangers envisioned

RF.......Matt Kemp......Makes people forget Josh Hamilton
Is there framework for an Elvis Andrus-led trade package?

DH.......Billy Butler........A buy low guy who pays big dividends
Could platoon with Mike Carp or Mitch Moreland

SP
Yu Darvish.........Wins his Cy Young
He’s one of the five best pitchers in the AL right now

Jon Lester.......Elite 1-2 combination with Darvish
Could be great (albeit expensive) role model for Holland

Derek Holland.......Pitches like a No. 2 in the No. 3 spot
Will he ever fully realize potential?

Colby Lewis........Adds another chapter to great comeback story
He will work pretty cheap

Nick Tepesch.........The third time around he “gets it”
Still inconsistent but showing signs of improvement

Hell no to Matt Kemp, but would be interested in moving Andrus for the right piece

Not to mention Lewis or Tepesch and Co. become Martin Perez sometime during the season and going forward

 

[donaldson79]

Hell no to Matt Kemp, but would be interested in moving Andrus for the right piece

Not to mention Lewis or Tepesch and Co. become Martin Perez sometime during the season and going forward

I'm at best Luke warm on Kemp. With his injury history and that contract, it could be scary.

But I'm also interested in moving damn near anyone for the right piece or price. And in fairness to EA, he's looking better now, and maybe he'll have a final 60 games to reinvigorate our faith.

With ya on Lewis maybe winding up to close this season on a real high note and building toward a return in 2015.

 

[Nightcrawler]

I like the idea of getting Billy Butler. Our DH has been bad for several years. Last good one was Vlad.

 

[jta4437]

I like the idea of getting Billy Butler. Our DH has been bad for several years. Last good one was Vlad.

Billy Butler hasn't been worth a crap for a couple years now (missed that in the original post), I'd rather have people rotate through the DH spot

 

[donaldson79]

Billy Butler hasn't been worth a crap for a couple years now (missed that in the original post), I'd rather have people rotate through the DH spot

He had a pretty good 2013 season with a .289 avg and 82 RBI. But his power has all but gone away. He had 15 HR in 2013, following his best season of 29 in 2012. However, he's only got 6 this year with 44 RBI.

He's only 28 but trending very poorly for a guy who should be getting into his prime.

 

[WastinSomeTime]

I'm at best Luke warm on Kemp. With his injury history and that contract, it could be scary.

But I'm also interested in moving damn near anyone for the right piece or price. And in fairness to EA, he's looking better now, and maybe he'll have a final 60 games to reinvigorate our faith.

With ya on Lewis maybe winding up to close this season on a real high note and building toward a return in 2015.

The thing with EA is if we truly need to move either EA or Profar and EA gets hot with the bat then that is the time to trade him. We cannot say, hey, he is doing lousy so lets trade him now. We want to trade him when his value is high. I am not saying get rid of EA I am stating that is how we have to look at it if we are planning on moving EA for other pieces.

 

[donaldson79]

In the vast majority of cases I like to see ex-Rangers do well with other teams. Just not against us of course.

But I delight seeing CJ Wilson fail. He went 5.2 last night night, and his ERA is creeping toward 5. Yea