tOfficial 2015 Season Thread

[Xx srs bsns xX]

...

 

[Bmurph]

• The Rangers will purchase the contract of lefty Wandy Rodriguez in time for him to make a start tomorrow, as Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News reports. Rodriguez will only earn a league minimum salary, but will begin marching towards up to $1.8MM in available incentives with his first appearance. He spent all of camp with the Braves, who released him rather than taking on what would have been a $2MM base salary.

 

[Windingmywatch]

Back on the LAA thread Rev wanted to know my obsession about Magadan and Jones in response to my letting you guys know i was trading tweets with Adam Morris (Lone Star Ball). That thread is closed but want to post my thoughts on why I contend Magadan is a mismatch for what TEX needs as its batting coach.

Banister's first mistake as manager was keeping him. John Farrell didn't want him and in his first year at BOS won the World Series.

On Magadan ... Batting coach provides the team with the batting approach with execution the responsibility of the lineup. Individual success is reflected in individual stats. Team approach is reflected in team success as measured by the standings at the end of the season.

TEX touts BOS’ 2007 – 2012 stats in Magidan’s entry on its website ... but doesn’t mention 2012 BOS finished last in the ALE. During Magadan’s 2007 to 2012 tenure with BOS they finished #1 (won WS), #2, #2, #3, #3, and #5 (last). The team he joined in 2007 was at its high point but fell every year with BOS 2007 finishing #24 in baseball. From #1 ... to #24 during Magadan’s tenure with the team’s 2012 last place line .260 .315 .415.

So what happened next? In 2013 John Farrell replaced Bobby Valentine and Farrell replaced Magadan and his approach with Greg Colburn’s approach. The 2013 BOS (w/5 of 9 same lineup (Saltalamachia, Pedroia, Middlebrooks, Ellsbury, Ortiz) and with Napoli replacing Gonzales, Drew replacing Avila , Gomes replacing Nava, and Victorino replacing Ross won the WS again. That lineup batted .277 .349 .446 and with Colburn’s approach BOS won the World Series.

Under (Colburn’s) guidance, the2013 Red Soxled the Major Leagues in runs scored (853), runs per game (5.27),slugging percentage(.446),on-base percentage(.349),on-base plus slugging(.795),total bases(2,521) andextra-base hits(570).[1]The Red Sox won theAmerican League East Divisiontitle, theAmerican Leaguepennantand the2013 World Series.(Wikipedia).

This season is Magadan’s third year with TEX. TEX is on its way to back to back cellar spots. Magadan’s approach with BOS with its All Star lineup that took the WS in 2007 fell to the cellar with his approach in 2012 ... and a year after he was gone won the WS again.

Banister kept Magadan. It was his first mistake as a manager.

On Bobby Jones. Jones is a manager and a game strategist as a manager, first or third base coach over decades with the Rangers system. He’s not an Assistant Hitting Coach. At no level in the TEX system was he ever employed as a hitting coach until 2015. He needs to be back in a strategy position.

 

[Xx srs bsns xX]

Just cause...

 

[romeo212000]

Josh Hamilton traded from Los Angeles Angels to Texas Rangers

"After two troublesome years with the Los Angeles Angels and less than halfway through a five-year, $125 million contract, Hamilton was traded to American League West rival Texas on Monday for a player to be named or cash.

The Angels are expected to pay most of the remaining $80.2 million Hamilton is owed.

Hamilton never reported to the Angels this season after offseason right shoulder surgery. He self-reported a relapse of alcohol and cocaine use, but an arbitrator ruled he could not be disciplined by Major League Baseball.

Hamilton was the 2010 AL MVP and an All-Star in each of his five seasons with Texas from 2008 to 2012. He struggled with injuries and lack of performance with the Angels.

He will be re-introduced as a member of the Rangers in a news conference today at 4:30 p.m. ET at Globe Life Park in Arlington.

Texas moved right-handed pitcher Nick Tepesch to the 60-day disabled list to make room for Hamilton on the roster."

 

[WilltheThrill]

So, umm... welcome back Josh? I guess? Because... umm, Rangers?

 

[True Rangers Fan]

So, umm... welcome back Josh? I guess? Because... umm, Rangers?

It's not costing the Rangers any players, won't affect the development of any players, it's at a bargain-basement price, and it sets the LAAAA Angels back. Plus, with Yu out they aren't doing anything this year. Why not.

 

[WilltheThrill]

It's not costing the Rangers any players, won't affect the development of any players, it's at a bargain-basement price, and it sets the LAAAA Angels back. Plus, with Yu out they aren't doing anything this year. Why not.

It's not setting them back anything. They were already on the hook to pay him $83M to stay away from the team. They're now paying $76M to do the same thing. We just saved them $7M.

As for how it will play out with Texas, part II, that's anyone's guess. But the Angels are $7M richer than they were a week ago.

 

[True Rangers Fan]

It's not setting them back anything. They were already on the hook to pay him $83M to stay away from the team. They're now paying $76M to do the same thing. We just saved them $7M.

As for how it will play out with Texas, part II, that's anyone's guess. But the Angels are $7M richer than they were a week ago.

they're paying a guy to play for a division rival, and having that contract on the books affects what they can do.

 

[WilltheThrill]

they're paying a guy to play for a division rival, and having that contract on the books affects what they can do.

You're missing the point though. That contract was on their books whether we make the deal or not. The Angels hurt themselves when they signed him. We didn't do anything to stick it to them by re-acquiring him. They were either going to spend $83M for him to not play for them or $76M. They now have to pay less. It helps them.

The only way this deal hurts the Angels is if Josh somehow reverts back to a .300/30 HR guy who truly helps the Rangers in the division race. But if he is the same Josh that hurt the Rangers during the last month of his time in Texas and the one who stunk in LA, then it's the Angels who will be winning in the end.

 

[True Rangers Fan]

You're missing the point though. That contract was on their books whether we make the deal or not. The Angels hurt themselves when they signed him. We didn't do anything to stick it to them by re-acquiring him. They were either going to spend $83M for him to not play for them or $76M. They now have to pay less. It helps them.

The only way this deal hurts the Angels is if Josh somehow reverts back to a .300/30 HR guy who truly helps the Rangers in the division race. But if he is the same Josh that hurt the Rangers during the last month of his time in Texas and the one who stunk in LA, then it's the Angels who will be winning in the end.

No, I'm not missing the point.

They will be paying roughly $27m in 2016 for a left fielder who won't play one inning for them. They also have to now pay someone else to play left field instead - an additional cost due to this trade.

 

[WilltheThrill]

If you bought a gourmet meal for $100 and it quickly turned to rotting garbage which stunk up your house, would you rather let it sit there or would you let someone take it off your hands for $5, accept $95 in loss, be rid of the garbage, and then use $5 on a Subway sandwich?

I'd rather take my losses and reclaim what little I could and be rid of a problem than to just absorb the whole amount as a total write-off.

 

[True Rangers Fan]

If you bought a gourmet meal for $100 and it quickly turned to rotting garbage which stunk up your house, would you rather let it sit there or would you let someone take it off your hands for $5, accept $95 in loss, be rid of the garbage, and then use $5 on a Subway sandwich?

Not if there was a chance I could still get $20 or $30 out of the meal, no.

 

[WilltheThrill]

Yes, yes you are missing the point. The Angels were going to be paying for Josh Hamilton NOT to play LF for them either way. Do you understand that? In one scenario, they pay the FULL amount for him to stay away. They then have to also pay someone else. In the current scenario, the Angels are paying slightly LESS for him to stay away. They now have some savings to pay a different player.

Scenario 1: Angels pay Josh Hamilton $83M to NOT play.
Scenario 2: Angels pay Josh Hamilton $76M to NOT play.

It's pretty simple.

 

[WilltheThrill]

Not if there was a chance I could still get $20 or $30 out of the meal, no.

And you're assuming that Josh still has a lot left to give. By just about every account, his bat speed has decreased pretty significantly. He's obviously still struggling with addiction. He is still going to be a source of drama, as evidenced by Josh himself who just said in his press conference that he's likely to still say and do stupid stuff (his words). This is not 2011 Josh Hamilton we're getting.

For the price we're paying, it's not a risk. But I wouldn't expect much from him.

 

[RevSader]

You're missing the point though. That contract was on their books whether we make the deal or not. The Angels hurt themselves when they signed him. We didn't do anything to stick it to them by re-acquiring him. They were either going to spend $83M for him to not play for them or $76M. They now have to pay less. It helps them.

The only way this deal hurts the Angels is if Josh somehow reverts back to a .300/30 HR guy who truly helps the Rangers in the division race. But if he is the same Josh that hurt the Rangers during the last month of his time in Texas and the one who stunk in LA, then it's the Angels who will be winning in the end.

The angels have lost this based on PR alone. Production from Hamilton isn't likely going to matter in the end. They look really really bad in this, and people are already saying Arte needs to consider selling the team after so many massive fuck ups. The Angels are losers in this pretty much all the way around. Sunk cost is sunk cost and I highly doubt they are excited about saving 7 million dollars.

 

[True Rangers Fan]

Yes, yes you are missing the point. The Angels were going to be paying for Josh Hamilton NOT to play LF for them either way. Do you understand that? In one scenario, they pay the FULL amount for him to stay away. They then have to also pay someone else. In the current scenario, the Angels are paying slightly LESS for him to stay away. They now have some savings to pay a different player.

Scenario 1: Angels pay Josh Hamilton $83M to NOT play.
Scenario 2: Angels pay Josh Hamilton $76M to NOT play.

It's pretty simple.

The Angels can't keep a healthy player on the DL, if I'm not mistaken.

 

[WilltheThrill]

The angels have lost this based on PR alone. Production from Hamilton isn't likely going to matter in the end. They look really really bad in this, and people are already saying Arte needs to consider selling the team after so many massive fuck ups. The Angels are losers in this pretty much all the way around. Sunk cost is sunk cost and I highly doubt they are excited about saving 7 million dollars.

Oh, from a PR standpoint you are absolutely 100% right. They look like complete losers here. Moreno and DiPoto are coming off as clueless and heartless assholes.

I was talking merely from a baseball standpoint. We didn't set the Angels back by making this trade. They only save $7M, so it's not a huge help to them. But either way they weren't getting another inning out of Josh, so they're just doing it for a little less now.

 

[RevSader]

Oh, from a PR standpoint you are absolutely 100% right. They look like complete losers here. Moreno and DiPoto are coming off as clueless and heartless assholes.

I was talking merely from a baseball standpoint. We didn't set the Angels back by making this trade. They only save $7M, so it's not a huge help to them. But either way they weren't getting another inning out of Josh, so they're just doing it for a little less now.

That's their choice though, and I hope he makes them look more stupid. Not even because I want the Rangers to benefit. I just want their franchise to look as dumb as possible forever, because it makes me feel better about how shitty Texas is right now.

 

[WilltheThrill]

The Angels can't keep a healthy player on the DL, if I'm not mistaken.

Both Moreno and DiPoto both said that Hamilton would not play another inning for that team. Period. They could bench him. There are other avenues to take besides keeping him on the DL to ensure he didn't play again.