Game Thread: Game 163

[RevSader]

I thought we ended up offering the same contract as the Sox, but wouldn't promise him full time 1B.

The year before we offered him nearly the same. And yes the biggest factor was that Texas needed him to catch, and he didn't want to because of his hip. I don't blame him for it. However, he did have a few month stretch where he wasn't that spectacular. His start and finish were probably the best parts of his season.

 

[RevSader]

"I was afraid of Hamilton against Darvish," Washington said. "Hamilton is dangerous. I didn't want [Darvish] to make a mistake right there."

Sigh...scared that his BEST pitcher cannot get Hamilton out...

 

[Windingmywatch]

The only alternative I see would be to put Kinsler at 1B and play Profar at 2nd. I know theres nothing easy about switching positions, but Kinsler could do it.

UK ... need to focus on fixing football. Moving from 2b to 1b for a 1 game play in isn't like moving from weak side inside LB to strong side inside LB.

 

[UK Cowboy]

UK ... need to focus on fixing football. Moving from 2b to 1b for a 1 game play in isn't like moving from weak side inside LB to strong side inside LB.

Winding.....obviously, the extent of your athletic background has been on Playstation. If you dont think an all star 2nd baseman could move over and play 1st, you've lost your mind. Why do you think the Rangers toyed with putting him there in the spring? MY did it SMH. Look at the guys who've been talked about for first base....Napoli? So Nap is the answer, but Kinsler couldn't do it? ROTFLMAO. Position changes can be tough, you sure as Hell wouldn't put AJ or Nelly at 2nd, but if you think Ian Kinsler couldn't tear up 1st base, you're delusional

 

[Xx srs bsns xX]

"I was afraid of Hamilton against Darvish," Washington said. "Hamilton is dangerous. I didn't want [Darvish] to make a mistake right there."

Sigh...scared that his BEST pitcher cannot get Hamilton out...

Well... given the "trend" that Darvish has been on with giving up the lead right after the Rangers take it... I'm not too surprised with that decision.

Especially after getting 2 fairly quick outs then allowing the next 2 to reach.

 

[UK Cowboy]

"I was afraid of Hamilton against Darvish," Washington said. "Hamilton is dangerous. I didn't want [Darvish] to make a mistake right there."

Sigh...scared that his BEST pitcher cannot get Hamilton out...

I defend Wash to the extent that the man has won here, and anyone can 2nd guess calls after the fact. That said, I thought taking out Darvish was the worst move of the season. Imagine the scenario....Lose and you go home game for the Tigers, Verlander has given up 1 HR to Mickey Mantle JR and nothing else, he's at 80 or so pitches in the 6th, and after pitching to Trout EXACTLY as he should, the Manager takes out Verlander for a RP. After Verlander had OWNED the next hitter, Josh Hamilton. Who does that?

 

[UK Cowboy]

How about we start Chris Davis at 1B today....never mind

 

[romeo212000]

The only alternative I see would be to put Kinsler at 1B and play Profar at 2nd. I know theres nothing easy about switching positions, but Kinsler could do it.

Umm that's not happening this season.

 

[romeo212000]

He'll land somewhere. I know a lot of people on here rip Wash, but you don't fire guys that lose Hamilton, Nap, MY and then Cruz for the last 50 games and still win 90+ games and play more than 162 for the season. You just don't

You do if his piss poor decision making costs the team games.

 

[Xx srs bsns xX]

Winding.....obviously, the extent of your athletic background has been on Playstation. If you dont think an all star 2nd baseman could move over and play 1st, you've lost your mind. Why do you think the Rangers toyed with putting him there in the spring? MY did it SMH. Look at the guys who've been talked about for first base....Napoli? So Nap is the answer, but Kinsler couldn't do it? ROTFLMAO. Position changes can be tough, you sure as Hell wouldn't put AJ or Nelly at 2nd, but if you think Ian Kinsler couldn't tear up 1st base, you're delusional

So you want to replace a vet in Moreland who is 4 for his last 32...(which, if there was a better option...I would agree with).... with a rookie that has been error prone and 4 for his last 26. And not only that...but have Kinsler play a position he's never played before. (its more than just covering the bag).


And Baker is hurt - so dont suggest putting him on the field to replace Moreland either.

Personally, here is what I would go with today.

Kinsler - 2B
Andrus - SS
Rios - RF
Beltre - 3B
AJ - C
Cruz - DH
Gentry - LF
Martin - CF
Moreland - 1B

I would also give consideration to Soto catching and AJ @ the DH...with an OF of Rios, Gentry, Cruz.
Which would eliminate 1 of the 2 "holes" in the lineup in regards to facing strong LH pitching. (moreland/martin). I would also briefly consider Rosales over Moreland.... but in the end, probably would leave Moreland in.


Though I wouldnt be opposed to resting Beltre in the field and using him as a DH option. Which would then look like...

Kinsler - 2B
Andrus - SS
Rios - LF
Beltre - DH
AJ - C
Cruz - RF
Gentry - CF
Profar/Rosales - 3B
Moreland - 1B

But Beltre will lobby to play the field. IMO.

 

[romeo212000]

Winding.....obviously, the extent of your athletic background has been on Playstation. If you dont think an all star 2nd baseman could move over and play 1st, you've lost your mind. Why do you think the Rangers toyed with putting him there in the spring? MY did it SMH. Look at the guys who've been talked about for first base....Napoli? So Nap is the answer, but Kinsler couldn't do it? ROTFLMAO. Position changes can be tough, you sure as Hell wouldn't put AJ or Nelly at 2nd, but if you think Ian Kinsler couldn't tear up 1st base, you're delusional

If you seriously think a career second baseman could easily move to 1b for the biggest game of the season when he's never played it before it is you who seems to have attained most of his knowledge from play station.

 

[romeo212000]

I defend Wash to the extent that the man has won here, and anyone can 2nd guess calls after the fact. That said, I thought taking out Darvish was the worst move of the season. Imagine the scenario....Lose and you go home game for the Tigers, Verlander has given up 1 HR to Mickey Mantle JR and nothing else, he's at 80 or so pitches in the 6th, and after pitching to Trout EXACTLY as he should, the Manager takes out Verlander for a RP. After Verlander had OWNED the next hitter, Josh Hamilton. Who does that?

We don't second guess calls after the fact. We point out the stupid decisions as they're happening regardless of their result.

 

[Hambombs]

"I was afraid of Hamilton against Darvish," Washington said. "Hamilton is dangerous. I didn't want [Darvish] to make a mistake right there."

Sigh...scared that his BEST pitcher cannot get Hamilton out...

Lol this is pure gold. I was afraid he would say something like that too. I would of let darvish go against Hamilton there.. Sigh

 

[RevSader]

We don't second guess calls after the fact. We point out the stupid decisions as they're happening regardless of their result.

Cotts is more than capable of Hamilton. I still didn't feel that the sixth inning was the time to make that move, because the seventh inning with Ross...That was potentially scary. For a team that has had to rely on guys pitching the fourth day in a row, I thought it was a little short sided. Especially since he threw Nathan for a fourth day with a four run elad.

 

[RevSader]

Lol this is pure gold. I was afraid he would say something like that too. I would of let darvish go against Hamilton there.. Sigh

Do you want Cotts to make a mistake there though? Because he threw 4 straight fastballs and did...That's just a silly justification. I get it if Yu was hurting or hiding some nagging injury. Just talk about that, but don't tell the world you don't trust your best pitcher with a one run lead.

 

[RevSader]

Gentry's production the last two months of the season were so valuable. Especially his last week..He was an OBP machine and when he scored they went 17-1 when he scored a run the last two months. Get him in the lineup...

 

[romeo212000]

Cotts is more than capable of Hamilton. I still didn't feel that the sixth inning was the time to make that move, because the seventh inning with Ross...That was potentially scary. For a team that has had to rely on guys pitching the fourth day in a row, I thought it was a little short sided. Especially since he threw Nathan for a fourth day with a four run elad.

I wasn't referring to that specifically. I could've gone either way with that one.

 

[Xx srs bsns xX]

Video: Must C Call: Zobrist strikes out looking | MLB.com

So apparently *this* is the storyline for today... One of the reasons why the Rangers have homefield today.

 

[romeo212000]

Video: Must C Call: Zobrist strikes out looking | MLB.com

So apparently *this* is the storyline for today... One of the reasons why the Rangers have homefield today.

Would be kinda funny if that was the last out today as well.

 

[Al Falfa]

I thought we ended up offering the same contract as the Sox, but wouldn't promise him full time 1B.

From baseball columnist Alex Speier (sp?)

The Rangers and Napoli's agent, Brian Grieper, briefly discussed the idea of a contract extension last spring. But it became apparent fairly early in the process that the two sides weren't going to match up.

"I told Brian, you can go talk to them, do the whole thing, and if there's something serious, come talk to me. If we're going to be serious -- not going back and forth, they make an offer, you counter -- if there's going to be something to consider, that's when you give me the call. Besides that, I'm not worried about it. Just go out and play," Napoli recounted. "It kind of got squashed in spring training, then nothing really after that."

"We looked obviously at the catcher market going into the 2012-2013 offseason, and it was very attractive. Where our discussions went with the Rangers, we decided to stop and play out the year," added Grieper. "We got to a point last spring where basically Rangers said, 'we can't go much beyond this.' We weren't comfortable with those numbers. ... We said, 'Let's see how this thing plays out.' "

It's worth noting: Napoli and Grieper accurately read the market. The three-year, $39 million deal they received initially from the Sox was well beyond what they had in hand from Texas.