Lone Star Ball

Tuesday a.m. Rangers stuff

2009-11-10T13:57:02Z

Jeff Wilson writes that the Rangers' pitching depth puts them in a position to possibly move a pitcher or two for help elsewhere. Wilson suggests that Brandon McCarthy could have the most trade value, among the Rangers' back-end guys, although I have a hard time seeing him fetching all that much in return.

Wilson also mentions that the Rangers have some interest in Milton Bradley, who the Cubs are shopping.

T.R. Sullivan has a story on Elvis Andrus and the post-season awards, saying that Andrus should at least be a candidate for Rookie of the Year and for a Gold Glove.

LSB Thought of the Day

2009-11-10T03:17:29Z

"Pick Six" is the new "Walk Off."

Some bloggy notes

2009-11-09T21:04:50Z

Jeff Wilson talks about Jon Daniels' arrival at the GM meetings and has notes on a new front office hire and John Hart's presence. As Joey Matschulat notes, the new hire, Scott Littlefield, was in the mix for San Diego's scouting director position.

And Evan Grant talks about the process of hiring Clint Hurdle and how truthful the Rangers' public comments on the situation were.

Per 'Elias Rankings Byrd and Pudge Type B FA's

2009-11-09T20:29:28Z

Per 'Elias Rankings Byrd and Pudge Type B FA's

SBN Manager of the Year Awards

2009-11-09T19:00:54Z

More photos » by Tony Gutierrez - AP

5 months ago: Los Angeles Angels manager Mike Scioscia, right, argues with home plate umpire Bob Davidson, left, after Davidson ejected starting pitcher John Lackey after Lackey hit Texas Rangers' Ian Kinsler with a pitch in the first inning a baseball game in Arlington, Texas, Saturday, May 16, 2009. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

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As some of you know, every year SBN does award balloting using the bloggers from the SBN baseball sites on the major awards. First one out of the box is the Manager of the Year Award, which was won this year by Mike Scioscia.

Rk	Manager	Team	1st	2nd	3rd	Pts
1	Mike Scioscia	Los Angeles Angels	9	8	3	72
2	Ron Gardenhire	Minnesota Twins	9	5	1	61
3	Don Wakamatsu	Seattle Mariners	6	3	8	47
4	Joe Girardi	New York Yankees	2	4	2	24
5	Ron Washington	Texas Rangers	1	4	4	21
6	Terry Francona	Boston Red Sox	1	1	3	11
7	Jim Leyland	Detroit Tigers	-	2	4	10
8	Joe Maddon	Tampa Bay Rays	-	1	1	4
9	Ozzie Guillen	Chicago White Sox	-	-	1	1
10	Trey Hillman	Kansas City Royals	-	-	1	1

Monday morning Rangers items

2009-11-09T17:42:01Z

More photos » by Mike Fuentes - AP

about 1 month ago: Texas Rangers manager Ron Washington, right, pats starting pitcher Brandon McCarthy on the back after taking him out as catcher Taylor Teagarden, left, watches in the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Tampa Bay Rays in Arlington, Texas, on Sunday Sept. 27, 2009. The Rays won 7-6. (AP Photo/Mike Fuentes)

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Looks like most of the newspaper staff in town have been assigned to the Cowboys this weekend.

There are a couple of articles on the start of the baseball GM winter meetings, with T.R. Sullivan concluding that the Rangers have plenty of chips to get something done in the trade market if they desire and highlighting Brandon McCarthy as a potential target. Jeff Wilson outlines Jon Daniels' first day and says that the Rangers will focus on the trade market.

Buster Olney, on his subscriber blog yesterday, talked about clubs that may be worthy to take the plunge on a front end starter. The #2 team on the list (behind the Brewers) is the Rangers:

2. Texas Rangers: They were one of the teams most aggressively pursuing Halladay at the trade deadline, and if they could land one of the big three available aces -- Halladay, Vazquez or Lackey -- they could have a formidable pitching staff next season if Derek Holland and Neftali Feliz (13 hits allowed in 31 innings with 39 strikeouts) continue to develop as expected.

Lackey would fit for many reasons -- he grew up and played college ball in Texas; he's had success in the AL West Division -- but it's unknown whether the Rangers have any chance to make an aggressive multiyear offer for the right-hander, given how their ownership is in a state of flux. The timing just might not be right.

Rather, the Rangers might be more inclined to make a deal for a one-year fix like a Halladay or Vazquez, and there already are rumblings that the Braves and Rangers have discussed Vazquez.

Olney goes on to discuss Chris Davis and Nelson Cruz as trade options.

Hot Stove at BP

2009-11-09T15:56:38Z

Hot Stove at BP

"Though Cruz hit 33 homers and was selected to the All-Star Game this past season, the Rangers are looking to sell high because they feel he had a career year."

I still feel like this is an awful idea unless they get a great offer.

"Catching has become an increasingly difficult position for teams to fill, yet there are some interesting names floating as trade possibilities: the Pirates’ Ryan Doumit, the Rays’ Dioner Navarro, the Rangers’ Jarrod Saltalamacchia, and the Cubs’ Geovany Soto."

I wonder what kind of value Salty even has right now? What do you guys think?

However, the most impressive performer of the night may have been a pitcher nonetheless....

2009-11-08T17:35:54Z

However, the most impressive performer of the night may have been a pitcher nonetheless. Righthander Tanner Scheppers (Rangers), a 2009 supplemental first-round pick, continued to look hale and hearty after a shoulder injury knocked him down the 2008 draft and prompted plenty of teams to pass on him in the ‘09 draft. Scheppers’ quick arm pumped fastballs into the upper 90s in his one inning of work, including a five-pitch strikeout of Allen in which every heater was 97-98 mph.

BA's John Manuel on the AFL Rising Stars Game.

Sunday morning Rangers things

2009-11-08T15:38:44Z

Largely a quiet day out there today, as far as Rangers stuff goes...

Evan Grant has a story up about Michael Young being among the active leaders in career games without making the playoffs, and Young's reaction to former teammates Mark Teixeira and Alex Rodriguez winning it all this year.

Gammons says Beckett will want Sabathia money

2009-11-07T22:17:22Z

Gammons says Beckett will want Sabathia money

Peter Gammons says Josh Beckett, a free agent after 2010, will want C.C. Sabathia money on his next deal

Twins exercise 2011 option on Michael Cuddyer

2009-11-07T19:50:33Z

Twins exercise 2011 option on Michael Cuddyer

The Minnesota Twins exercised their $10.5 million option on Michael Cuddyer for the 2011 season. They apparently think the market will have rebounded by next offseason.

Saturday a.m. Rangers things

2009-11-07T15:52:52Z

What do we have today...

Evan Grant takes a closer look at the Rockies' performance with Clint Hurdle as their hitting coach over at the DMN blog, with some interesting data on, among other things, how Ks and walks changed once Hurdle took over the job.

In not-really-Rangers-news, but interesting anyway, Tony Massarotti says the BoSox were in on J.J. Hardy before he was dealt to the Brewers, with the Brewers asking for Clay Buchholz or Daniel Bard for Hardy, and Boston only being willing to part with Michael Bowden.

This is interesting to me because there's been some discussion about whether the Rangers (and Ranger fans) were undervaluing Bowden when talking about deals with Boston this past offseason. The fact that the Red Sox apparently have him slotted behind Bard, and that the Brewers decided they preferred Carlos Gomez to Bowden, suggests that the bud may be off that particular rose.

Scheppers has the qualities of a guy who can pitch at the top of the rotation, but some talent...

2009-11-07T00:42:28Z

Scheppers has the qualities of a guy who can pitch at the top of the rotation, but some talent evaluators think he could be a closer in the big leagues next season if the team wanted to pursue that route.

Jason Grey on Tanner Scheppers.

Top 30 Prospect Rankings are for wimps

2009-11-06T21:45:40Z

Top 30 Prospect Rankings are for wimps

True Blue L.A. is ranking the top 200 prospects in the Dodger system

Friday Afternoon Video

2009-11-06T20:44:07Z

Friday Afternoon Video

2010 ZiPS projections for the Texas Rangers

2009-11-06T17:54:27Z

Dan Szymborski has the ZiPS projections for the Rangers in 2010 up at BTF. ZiPS views this group, as constituted, as around a .500 team, and seems to identify the need for a legit DH.

Brewers trade for Carlos Gomez

2009-11-06T17:16:39Z

The Milwaukee Brewers have traded J.J. Hardy to the Twins for Carlos Gomez.

This could impact the Rangers, since Gomez taking over in center for the Brewers means Mike Cameron likely won't return to Milwaukee. Cameron is a guy the Rangers could bring in on a one year deal, if they decide they don't want to go multiple years for Marlon Byrd, and they aren't ready for Julio Borbon to be in center just yet.

Friday morning Rangers stuff

2009-11-06T16:33:19Z

Clint Hurdle has been hired as the Rangers hitting coach, and Jeff Wilson writes that Hurdle wants to focus on the hitters' approach, rather than on their mechanics.

Gil LeBreton says the Rangers have hired Hurdle to be an offensive coordinator as much as anything else, wanting players to be more situationally aware and have a more "team-oriented" approach.

Five Rangers filed for free agency yesterday -- Marlon Byrd, Hank Blalock, Pudge Rodriguez, Eddie Guardado, and Joaquin Benoit. Byrd, Pudge and Benoit could all be back, although Benoit would likely be on a minor league deal.

And T.R. Sullivan has a tribute to the retiring Jim Reeves.

Forget Vlad. Dunn can't even hold Vlad's jock. There's no comparison between the two. Watch Dunn...

2009-11-06T03:04:32Z

Forget Vlad. Dunn can't even hold Vlad's jock. There's no comparison between the two. Watch Dunn strikeout like Pete Incaviglia and you'll realize why he's quickly becoming a journeyman.

Vlad: I'd love to see him here. He'd be awesome here.

From the DMN blog comment section today. Vlad's 2009 OPS: 794. Dunn's 2009 OPS: 928

BoSox trade for Jeremy Hermida

2009-11-06T02:29:11Z

More photos » by Tom Mihalek - AP

3 months ago: Florida Marlins right fielder Jeremy Hermida snags the ball hit by Philadelphia Phillies' Ryan Howard in the first inning of a baseball game Sunday, Aug. 9, 2009, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Tom Mihalek)

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Boston has acquired COF Jeremy Hermida from the Florida Marlins in exchange for LHPs Hunter Jones and Jose Alvarez.

While this appears to be a salary dump for Florida -- Hermida made $2.25 million in 2009, and will probably get $3.5-4 million in 2010, making him a potential non-tender candidate for the Marlins -- they look like they got some talent back. Jones is just a random 25 year old arm, but Alvarez put up good numbers as a 20 year old in the New York-Penn League (although he didn't make the BA League top 20).

Hermida is an interesting guy to take a flyer on, a high school draftee in 2002* who had a strong season in 2007, posting a .296/.369/.501 line while playing in a pitcher's park, but who has regressed the past couple of years. And he's limited to a corner outfield spot, so if he doesn't hit, he doesn't have value.

* Hermida went #11 overall, 1 pick behind Drew Meyer. I was irritated with the Meyer pick because I wanted Texas to take either Hermida or Bobby Brownlie.

But this gives the BoSox a hedge in case Jason Bay walks in free agency, particularly given that there isn't exactly a sterling crop of COF guys out there on the market. And it also allows them to work with a guy who looks like a solid reclamation project, and who is under team control through 2011...if Hermida bounces back strong, he has the potential to be a bargain in 2011.

This is interesting because it is consistent with the philosophy the BoSox have shown of late with guys like Rocco Baldelli, Brad Penny, John Smoltz...if they are going to spend $3-5 million on a player, they'd rather have a high beta guy who might give you nothing, or might give you a whole lot, rather than get the safe, guaranteed mediocrity.