McCarthy back with Rangers
Brandon McCarthy was in the Rangers clubhouse Tuesday and this visit he'll hang around long enough to make a start for Texas. McCarthy said he thought he'd start Saturday. No roster moves have been announced to make room for McCarthy.
T.R. Sullivan
Toby
I’d rather see him make another couple of starts in the minors to keep from rushing him, but guess that’s not going to happen. Hopefully he’s ready and shows us that he’s back to stay.
Which reminds me, it is past time to shut Scott Feldman down before he gets hurt, too. He’s gone from 41 innings in 2006 to 39 innings in 2007 to 120 innings in 2008. I’m no expert in this area, but guys who claim to be experts say that a team should not increase a pitcher’s innings by much more than 50 per year. We’re well past that now.
If this team wants to change its reputation for being a place pitchers go to die, then there should be additional major changes (in addition to the pitching coach and the handling of guys like Feldman). While I don’t think that Nolan is the cure for all this team’s ills (especially when he resisted JD’s intentions to make additional trades for prospects at the deadline), I do think he could have the life experience to change this ‘pitching culture’ in Arlington. Glad to see him putting his stamp on this issue already. It is simply a beatdown how this team’s pitching seems to crumble at the end of the last several seasons – and it seems to put guys at risk.
I continue to support the general direction things are headed, though it appears that enough in-house pitching to win the division is still 2 years away.
I sure hope McCarthy is okay. It would be nice to forget about the Danks trade. However, I had to turn off the game tonight. I couldn’t bear to watch Galarraga out there. It’s one thing to make a bad trade, but to give a guy away who has 12 wins on a mediocre team is unforgiveable. I’m embarrassed to take a page from dwid’s book, but I’m ready for Jon Daniels to go. He has redeemed himself with his last two major trades, but I can’t bear to see if he is going to make anymore big mistakes or overcompensate and not pull a trigger that needs to be pulled. He has been instrumental in stocking the farm system, but……….Danks, Galarraga, and Volquez = 37 wins so far. I love Hamilton, but would anyone trade Hamilton and McCarthy for the above 3? That’s basically what we got in exchange. Only one of those pitchers(Danks) is on a good team. I understand we have to press on, but I want someone’s head on a platter!!! Sorry, a game like tonight causes the hope to temporarily fade until the pain of the loss at the hands of one of our own goes away. Will we ever get something special around here? How can the Rays, Diamondbacks, Rockies, and Marlins do it so quickly while we toil and toil and toil. Mr. Hicks, do you feel all of those empty green seats? How long before you tell us the ballpark is the problem and the citizen’s of somewhere need to build you a new palace? Okay, now that I’ve gotten that off my chest, I’m feeling a little better. I really hope McCarthy can succeed.
Regarding the ballpark. I was noticing those big wind screens in left center field. I seem to recall those were installed because during the first season, the wind was knocking Juan Gonzalez’s fly balls down and he could not hit home runs to left field. Does anyone have a theory on what difference it would make to the jet stream if those windscreens were to be removed? Does anyone remember Juando’s frustration during 1994? Or, am I still suffering from the delirium of tonight’s loss?
Did you complain at the time when rangers tried to get Gallaraga through wavers and then had to trade him when they couldn’t ? No. Did anyone have any reasonable idea that a 27 yr old with a mediocre minor league record would suddenly become ggod? No. And you DARE to whinge now. “Fans” like you make me sick. Go and support the Yankees. They deserve you.
Armando Galarraga’s career minor league numbers before this season: 4.07 ERA 1.30 WHIP. Mediocre stuff considering 95% of his time came at AA or lower.
Armando Galarraga this year in the majors: 3.17 ERA 1.16 WHIP.
The Tigers picked him up to fill a rotaion spot at AAA in exchange for a non prospect. Any club in baseball could’ve had him cheaply and passed because his minor league career had been marked by injury and inconsistency. The Tigers just flat out got lucky on this one.
Yes, hefe. My intemperance was justified but unneccesary. People are of course entitled to their own opinions. Personally, I am a passionate believer in a flat earth, little green men and the Tooth Fairy.
I don’t believe the Tigers got lucky with Galarraga. They took a flyer on him, giving up nothing in return, coached him to his strengths and gave him a chance to succeed. As he has stated, he doesn’t believe he would’ve recieved that opportunity this year if he would’ve remained here. Which leads me to believe there is a problem with our organization’s pitching philosophy from bottom to top. I say this because other organizations are taking our mediocre pitchers and turning them into effective major league pitchers. Galarraga, Danks, etc. seem to get the consistent message they need to progress under another organizations tutelage. Maybe its the message. Maybe its the messengers. I don’t know, but something sinks in once they leave the pitching starved Texas Rangers organization. We’ve never really had our own homegrown pitchers and that is a fact. If we have they have succeeded elsewhere, with the exception of the Gambler. Even Dave Stewart pitched here, failed, learned a split-finger, went to Oakland, dominated, and helped lead them to the World Series. Why couldn’t he have learned that pitch here, fine tuned it here, and had success here. Patience. Another organizational flaw. I hate to say it put Galarraga just gave Rangers fans a painful and familiar history lesson.
You’re talking about 3 very different scenarios and lumping them into one broad category as if they’re the same thing.
John Danks was never mediocre prospect. He’s become the pitcher the Rangers thought he would. The trouble is they didn’t want to wait on that to happen so they traded for a youngster with less upside, but more experience. McCarthy’s injuries have compounded the foolishness of that move. Great example of impatience. Galarraga, not so much.
Galarraga always had the fastball with movement and slider that he’s succeding with now, but was inconsistent and rarely 100%, not just in the Rangers organiztion, but with the Expos as well. I’m pretty sure he said he felt like he’d have a bette chance to succede with Texas than with the Expos/Nationals when he first came here too. Meanwhile, he’s experiencing unprecedented health. This will be the first year he’s gone 160 innings. It wasn’t expample of impatience roster space. You can only be patient with so many players at once. The Rangers chose to leave Feldman and Mendoza on the 40 man roster because they were younger, had less injury history and had had success at a higher level than Gallaraga.
Dave Stewart? Do you think there are a lot of player development personel left over from the Dave Stewart days on the current staff? It’s easy to forget that Stewart washed out with the Dodgers before Texas and the Phillies after Texas. Why didn’t the Phillies and Dodgers teach him the split finger? I mean, it was glaringly obvious that that’s what he needed right? Mabye because none of this 3 previous teams had Dave Duncan on staff.
They are, in a nutshell, the same thing. Ok, Stewart was added for effect. The point is that this is a pitching starved franchise that fails to develop its pitching from within. That has always been a problem and I don’t care what the excuse is, because there always seems to be an excuse. There has to be something to it being a problem within the organization if it (good young pitching coming up all the way through the minors to produce in the majors as a Ranger) hasn’t happened in the last 35 years. I’m sorry but history, or lack thereof in terms of developing young pitching from within the minor league system, speaks for itself. Its very frustrating to watch other organizations (A’s, Angels, freakin Yankees!) do it over and over again. The A’s are a good example because they have one organizational philosophy from top to bottom and they stick with it no matter which way the wind blows. I’m not going to be like some people here and beat a dead horse into the ground, but it is very frustrating to watch these young pitchers have success elsewhere while our staff compiles +5.50 ERA. Galarraga especially sticks in the craw because we got nothing in return and now he is in the top 10 in ERA and has 13 wins. Arrgh! Volquez I can take because Ham is a great player with out of this world tools. Jennings being on the DL makes yesterday’s loss sting because we knew about his injuries before we signed him and so its more of the same ‘ol same ‘ol with him. That leaves the Rangers back where we started only minus a pitching prospect who is succeeding with another team. He may not have another year like he is having this year but we could use him this year! Danks, no comment except that I hope McCarthy can shut some people up and make that trade a little more palatable. Rangers history with young pitchers doesn’t indicate it will be so but maybe with Nolan things can change. Change is good in this case.
Hey they never develop here because they get TRADED away before they can do it here. The only one that i saw develop here was Kevin BROWN and they didn’t like him because he was vocal and the player rep. Brown was built for this stadium with his sinker a nasty pitcher. But he too gone. The bottom line is this organization way too often “finds” reasons to get rid of these guys. Hamilton is a MVP player one of a kind, but how do you spend all of that time with Volquez, basically strip him down to class A, watch him work his way back to the big leagues and then trade him before you get the chance to see him perform at the major league level? The bottom line is you can never have enough pitching. We should have at least kept Tejada, and Galarraga. Danks was just pure idiocy and the White Sox got two pitchers from us. Is McCarthy that good? We need to draft College Pitchers for a while and let them come to our aid. Drafting these high schoolers just pro-longs the process, especially when you have no intention of pitching them until they are in their mid 20′s. The only reason Daniels has kept his job, is Hamilton is having a career year maybe the mvp. If Ham is hitting .235 Daniels would have been fired already and may get it anyway. Which leads to this question who besides Feldman, Millwood and Padilla start next year, Hairison, McCarthy Hurley, Mathis?
It all comes down to having to keep the active roster down to 40, d’god. To keep Tejada they would have had to make room for him by DFAing someone else. Who would you have chosen? Next year they will have the same problem with Kam Loe, because he will be out of options. Tell us, please, what The Rangers should do about him. And the little green men tell me that the problem compounds in 2010. Prey share with us just how this conundrum should be addressed. In advance. Unless you feel that the number 40 justifies 20-20 hindsight. The Tooth Fairy and Elvis (yes, of course he’s alive) await your deliberations.
You guys amaze me. All the numbers, the stats, the what if’s. I guess it is just the fact every other major league team doesn’t make the mistakes the Rangers do. Is there one man in this room, that using Hefe’s stats can say they didn’t see E Volquez turning the corner last year after being sent to A ball? ( I guess we need to say “Change of scenery”)? His walks were down, strike outs up, wins up, era almost none existant? I sure as heck saw it.
Develop Danks, get him to the point of where he can make an impact in the bigs and then deal him for a player “they say” is major league ready? Who says? Hefe?
I am so glad the future of the team lays in the hands of such experts (Hefe aka John Dainels) so that I can sleep at night and have visions of that elusive play-off series win in 2017.
anthonymorgan, whoever you are, I did not complain when Galarraga was sent to Detroit because I am not paid to evaluate talent and potential. I have too much going on in life to spend so much time evaluating the Rangers’ prospects. I am a fan. I evidently am not as intelligent and on the inside of the team as you seem to imply you are. I am a fan who is frustrated. I’ve been rooting for this team since I was a kid in the early 70′s and this team has NEVER done anything. That includes the charade of division championships in the 90′s when they won in a very weak division, got to the playoffs, and were put in their place. It was fun to watch but it was not real. Why? Pitching. It is not my responsibility to evaluate talent. This team has a horrible track record with pitchers and I want to see that change. I’m tired of the status quo.
Now, I assume when you typed “whinge” that you meant whine. You may be taking your fan expertise to a dangerous level. Simma’ down’ now! I am a ticket buying team following fan and I whine because I want to see a winner. Who are you to determine who gets to be a Ranger fan or not? I would not have a right to whine, or “whinge” if I was the person with the responsibility to make roster moves and I screwed it up. Anything else goes.
I will tell you this, being constantly apologetic for everything the team does is not a sign of loyalty like you may think. It is more of an indication that you may very well believe in a flat earth, Tooth Fairy, and little green men. What kind of fan does not make you sick? A Stepford fan? You should stick to what you think you know, post your opinion, and let others post theirs. Until you get your own blog somewhere, you don’t call the shots.
hefe, I appreciate your well thought out responses. However, I must respectfully disagree with a couple of points. When Danks was traded, we were told by JD that he thought McCarthy had more upside than Danks. (Interview after the trade.) He projected McCarthy as a top of the rotation guy while Danks was projected to be at the back of the rotation. Right now, he was wrong. I hope that changes. I couldn’t understand why they would trade a good prospect lefthander from a ballpark that was built for lefthanded pitching. Next, I distinctly remember hearing that Galarraga was the key player in the Soriano trade. Wilkerson and Sledge were throw-in, salary dumps for the Nats while they were to be stop-gap players for the Rangers. My point is, Galarraga was highly regarded when he came. He was in the low minors and now, 3 years later, he’s gone and he has won 12 for the Tigers. He had 2 seasons to impress. Not much patience there. And, poor roster management is why he was on the roster so early anyway. They shouldn’t have put themselves in the position to have to make a choice between Mendoza, Feldman, or Galarraga. Therein lies the root of my complaint. I’m just sayin’. You hit the nail on the head about Dave Stewart. We need to find a Dave Duncan.
rnberg, I have already said that my reponse was intemperate. If it makes you feel better, I apologise. No, you are not paid to evaluate talent and potential. Nor are you competent to do so. And nor am I. It’s the constant whinging (which is very similar to whining-I didn’t realise that it wasn’t in common usage in Texas)and 20-20 hindsight of your ilk that sticks in my craw. After an admittedly shaky start, JD seems to be on track to develop a formidable organisation. But not once in these posts have I seen you -or anybody else- say he made a smart move in picking up Madrigal. Or that in picking up Feliz and Harrison (and perhaps Gabbard-jury’s out on that one) he made a really great move. You want change? Well, you’re getting it. But the 4 to 5 years that is needed to pull an organisation up by the bootstraps takes-would you believe- 4 to 5 years….We’re two years in. You’re a ticket buying fan? I envy you, I really do. PS What’s a “Stepford fan”?The reference escapes me.
“…..for a player “they say” is major league ready? Who says? Hefe?” – He said he was ready by his performance with Chicago. Look up “the numbers” and you’ll see the kid had success as a very young player in the big leagues (ERA and WHIP both under league averages and more than twice as many K’s as BB’s) before he got here and Connor shortened his stride length. So, no, keith-b, it isn’t me saying he was major league ready so much as the young man’s performance prior to arrival.
As far as the carping about Volquez, it was a good trade for both sides. There are plenty of Reds fans unhappy about giving up Hamilton. It’s just more for the whiners to whine about.
“And, poor roster management is why he was on the roster so early anyway. ” – The Rangers don’t make up the rules about when a player has to be added to the 40 man roster to be protected from the Rule V draft. He was on the 40 man roster because of his age.
“We need to draft College Pitchers for a while and let them come to our aid.” – Really? How about Scott Feldman? Is he not a college pitcher? Tommy Hunter? Derek Holland? Andrew Laughter? Brennan Garr? Tanner Roark? Richard Bleier? Tim Murphy? Kyle O’Campo? These guys must have magically materialized at our minor league facilities across the country because the Rangers don’t draft college pitchers.
In 2007 the Rangers, instead of Blake Beavan and Michael Main, should’ve taken college pitchers ________ and _______ with those picks because they’re in the big leagues right now, “coming to the aid” of their major league franchises. Help me fill in the blanks, Dgod. Or cry about Kevin Brown some more, which ever is more convenient for you.
Nah, your overly simplistic rant is right on. We should fill the system exclusively with college pitchers. Hell, while we’re at it, lets just throw back Neftali Feliz, Warner Madrigal, Eric Hurley, Matt Harrison, Blake Beaven, Kasey Kiker, Neil Ramirez, Michal Main, and Martin Perez. They’ll never help this ball club because they’re not college pitchers.
I can just see the press realease now: With the 11th pick in the 2008 draft the Rangers select nameless college pitcher to be determined in hindsight 3 years later by dgod.
rnbergeron, I agree with your assesment on the lefthanded Danks seemingly being taylormade for The Ballpark. See Kenny Rogers as a successful lefthander built for the Ballpark. The only perfect game pitched at the Ballpark I do beleive. Not overpowering stuff but good location and craftiness are advantageous to being successful as pitcher here at homerun stadium. With Connor screwing up McCarthey’s stride it further illustrates my point about the messangers continuing the woeful pitching traditions in Arlington. I hope he hasn’t been lost for good. It seems he is back on track, unless another pitching “expert” screws him up more. We’ll see, I trust Nolan’s advice, as he won 300 major league games.
Hey maybe the Rangers just need to start drafting those kids playing in the college world series if available? They can draft Latin American Kids at 16 why not take a chance on a 12 year old. That way by the time they develop we can trade them for a bag of peanuts. For anyone to get on here and say that dealing Danks and Volquez and then Galarraga when we are pitching starved is CRAZEE. Hamilton is saving Daniels but i said it at the beginning of the year, Volquez is going to win 20 freaking games if he doesn’ get hurt. All things equal if you knew up front that Volquez would win 20 games would you have traded him? That is the question and this one. Why didn’t we know that? It is my belief that a 20 game winning pitcher is more of an asset to this team than Hamilton, no matter how you slice it. The bottom line is who is the last pitcher that won 20 games here????? Does a pitcher have a more of a direct impact on the outcome of a game or does an everyday outfielder?
For next year is Millwood going to give up kick boxing and follow around Nolan Ryan and learn what Nolan did for 24 plus seasons? Get a work out regimen for this pitching staff they are all a bunch of cream puffs. Those round house kicks really helped Millwood and his durability. The bottom line is it is “fools gold” to depend on 35 wins from Padilla and Millwood they are direct opposites. If one does well the other is in the tank and vice versa. I believe Millie is going to be traded and it still may happen this year. Put him and Blalock on waivers and see if we get a bite, then deal. We would be better off…
Who has won more games since the trade Danks or McCarthy, heck Massett has won more games than Mc Carthy. Why?????????????? Could i do any worse as GM, would i have traded Danks for Mc Carthy and i think if you look i was against it from the beginning and was crucified for being against it. Those who fail to remember the past are doomed to repeat it????? Kiss my Donkey HEFE!!!!
The Rangers have had three 20+ game winners:
Fergie Jenkins – 25 – 1974
Kevin Brown – 21 – 1992
Rick Helling – 20 – 1998
If I have missed one, add it to the list.
Did I detect just a tensy-weensy hint of annoyance in your last two posts, hefe? You certainly got our friend going. I feel rather jealous that he’s never invited me to kiss his donkey. I was going to suggest that we should both ease up a bit. Whingers, whiners and ranters don’t like it. The problem is that our system doesn’t have a great deal of depth. Did you see how many posters the bombers blog has? If we chased the likes of our friend away, life would lose all meaning, as there is very little to replace him. Certainly no one with the entertainment value he provides. I have been admonished that I should stick to what I think I know. Good advice, even though I rather doubt that it was well meant. I shall however take this advice to heart and stick to gentle (and sometimes not so gentle…) irony. No more invective. I’m not very good at it, and it’s not very effective anyway. As for you, d’god, you’ve twice said that it’s only Hamilton’s performance that is going to allow JD to keep his job. Is this another of your famous rumours?, Obtained from the lips of some poor benighted soul as you helped him to the rehab centre? Or do the tentacles of your spy network extend to the very heart of the Hicks empire? You are ,after all, one of the “rough men” that Orwell told us to be grateful for. Perhaps it’s fortunate for the free world that the marines prefer good men. Now, getting back to your donkey….
Just been looking at the Scott Lucas site. There are 25 pitchers and 23 position players (in the Rangers organisation) who will be eligible for the rule 5 draft at the end of the season, or may declare free agency (or both). Any one got any suggestions as to which should be protected? Maybe the rest should be put down. Humanely, of course. That way no other organisation could beat us about the head with them down the track.
“would i have traded Danks for Mc Carthy” – You would’ve traded Padilla when his value was at it’s lowest.
“Hamilton is saving Daniels” – So are the performances of the 5 prospects brought back in exchange for Mark Teixeira who is about 10 weeks from filing for free agency.
I can’t help but notice you weren’t able to fill in the blanks. What’s the matter, master draft strategist? I mean, you should be the GM, right? Let’s hear specific solutions that don’t involve hindsight. Still waiting…………………..
Man, how about that 2006 draft when the Rangers foolishly took high school pitcher, Kasey Kiker, who despite being younger than his competition at High-A held his own in the first half and is now dominating in the second half of the hitter-friendly California League and is slated for Frisco next year?
How foolish it was to take a lefty who throws in the mid 90′s and may have the best change up in the system. He wasn’t even in college like all those guys taken in the first round behind him who are now helping out their major league clubs. Guys like……………….well, you tell me. Because I can’t think of one.
Yep, college pitchers in the first round. The only way to go.
You’re quite right, Anthony, about the entertainment value. This is better than therapy and cheaper too. I’m glad TR let’s us monkey around here a bit.
There’s a popular children’s party game, “pin the tail on the donkey” (or am I showing my age?) Man, hefe, you sure pinned the tail on our friend’s donkey! Hopefully, it will fall off so that you can do it all over again. (And yes, thank you TR)
Of the guys who are going to be eligible, Jose Vallejo and John Mayberry Jr. are pretty much sure things to go on the 40. Kometani and Schlact haven’t had very good seasons. Poveda is really young. You’d like to protect these guys but it’s hard to imagine a club keeping them on their major league roster for a whole season. It’s anybody’s guess what happens to Nelson Cruz. 40 space is precious, no doubt. We may be seeing the last days of Kam Loe. Somebody might take a shot on Ben Harrison. He’s torn it up this year and would probably be a top prospect if not a big leaguer if he hadn’t torn his shoulder up a couple of years back.
If they go out and get a Matt Cain or Zack Greinke type this winter it will clear up some space, no doubt. Trouble is it will be the high ceiling guys leaving.
I keep hearing about how hindsight is 20/20. When you find yourself in a situation in which things are screwed up, don’t you always look back to see how you got there? Here are some names for you: Lloyd Allen, David Clyde, Pete Broberg, Jon Poloni Jim Gideon, John Henry Johnson, Brian Allard, Jerry Don Gleaton, Jim Umbarger, Bob Babcock, Mike Bacsik, Sr., Bobby Cueller, Len Barker, Tommy Boggs, Danny Darwin, Wilson Alvarez, John Barfield, Jose Guzman, Edwin Correa, Dwayne Henry, Mike Smithson, John Butcher, Mike Mason, John Dettmer, Brian Bohanon, Rick Bauer, Jonathan Johnson, Dan Kolb, Dan Smith, Robb Nen, Matt Perisho, Julio Santana, Juan Dominguez, Ryan Drese, Rob Bell, Joaquin Benoit, Colby Lewis, Doug Davis, John Danks, Edinson Volquez, Thomas Diamond. These are just a few names of so-called solid prospects from the Rangers’ past that were all projected to be solid rotation guys. What happened? They each have their own story. My point is, for those of you who are living in the minor leagues and giving so much credibility to the names you have mentioned, I ask you this. What has changed? What are the Rangers doing differently to cause you to believe that these highly touted prospects in a now deep farm system will be any different than the highly touted prospects of the past. I want to believe that things have changed and we are heading in a new direction to experience what this franchise has never experienced before. I think that the only hope is Nolan Ryan being on board and taking an active role. But, it is not a one man job. Even this year we have seen guys with a role in the minors who are brought to the majors in a different role. There doesn’t appear to be any consistency or a defined “pitching plan” with this team. That’s why we are watching as chaotic a pitching situation as we have seen. What will make it change? I vote to put self-righteousness aside and have a discussion. At the end of the day, we will probably disagree, but it doesn’t have to be personal. It’s just a matter of opinion among a bunch of guys on the outside looking in and who are only guessing anyway. I want to believe in the organization but as you can see, we haven’t been given anything to believe in but empty hopes. We have a new batch of hopeful prospects each year, but when they get here something goes wrong. And, it’s not the ballpark. What is it?
One question. Why do you call it whining…or whinging, when fans who follow a team strictly for entertainment purposes and love of the game express displeasure in the state of the team? Whining is something a child does when they are trying to get something. That doesn’t apply here because I highly doubt anyone in the organization cares about anything said on a blog. Anthony asked what a Stepford fan is. That is a reference to an old movie in which the wives in a town were replaced by robot duplicates with no emotion whose only desire was to support and please their husbands. Is that what you believe a fan should be. Blind faith supporting everything a team does regardless of the success or lack thereof. You tried to send me to the Yankees. I’ll just say the Stepford fan is a perfect match with a Cub fan. I don’t ever want the Rangers to become the loveable losers. So, I will continue to follow them, but I will not remain silent in my opinion about the team and its direction. And, I appreciate the passion of others whether I agree with them or not.
Thank you for the info on stepford fans. I don’t remember the film, but I’m not a great film buff. Perish the thought that you or any other Ranger fan should become should become like that. But a stepford wife….? Er.. where do I find one. :-) A whinger, by the way, is someone who always finds fault, usually in a persistant and annoying way. So not the same as a whiner. Sorry for suggesting that you should become a Yankee fan. That really did go TOO far. As for Ranger prospects of the past, surely the problem is that we’ve had too few of them, as the Rangers have never truely committed to a farm system. It’s expensive and requires patience. This problem lies at the feet of past owners. Thirty years ago, fans would never have discussed “prospects”, because they were hardly even mentioned in the media. (David Clyde was an exception. His career was wrecked by an owner who wanted to fill the ballpark so that he could pay his bills) Now we’ve gone to the other extreme and the minor league careers of just about every “prospect” are examined in the minutest detail. This raises expectations, such that if a “prospect” fails to make the grade, then “someone” must be to blame. Clubs draft over 50 players a year, so it’s a mathmatical certainty that the vast majority are going to fail. But at last, at long last, I think we have a general manager that wants to build. AND is taking the owner with him. Having Nolan Ryan here doesn’t exactly hurt , either. Mistakes are going to be made- Gallarager was one of them- but I really do think that in the past couple of years they have been outweighed by the good moves. I too was frustrated by the loss the other night- who wasn’t?- and your post suggesting that perhaps d’god was right came just at the wrong moment. Sorry again.
“What has changed?” – Overall depth. Quality depth. Top to bottom. It’s quite an extensive list you have there, but put it in perspective. This franchise is 35 years old.
The club has never had this many high ceiling pitching prospects in the system at once as it does now. That’s the difference. Sheer numbers. And not only numbers, but quality. A lot of the people on that list weren’t highly regarded around the league, but were looked to as the next big thing in Rangerland simply because they were the best young arms in a barren system.
Some were good here for a time then left. You’re bound to get lumped in with Dgod if you are incapable of accepting the reality of free agency.
Some were mishandled, but I think that valuable lessons were learned from Edinson Volquez and Juan Dominguez by current management. There are some lobbying for a September cup of coffee for Neftali Feliz and Derek Holland. Not going to happen, because as TR pointed out in the mailbag, calling up pitchers with good fastballs before they refine their secondary pitches just doesn’t work. It’s counterproductive to development. Because that was made painfully obvious by Volquez and Dominguez, you’ll see them be more patient with Feliz, Holland and the rest of the kids on the farm. That’s why you’re seeing jokers like Nippert on the big club now. Because these promising fastballers aren’t being rushed. Hunter was the one guy who was truly rushed this year. It was necessitated by injuries, but the difference is, he already has a good secondary pitch (curveball) and giving him a taste of the big leagues should give him a clear indication of the things he needs to work on.
I’m not under the illusion that all of these prospects are going to contribute. To think so would be foolish, but that’s why depth is the key. The youngsters learning on the job (Hurley, Feldman, Harrison, Hunter, Rupe and Madrigal) are going through the process of taking their lumps, showing flashes of competence and figuring out what it takes to be successful at this level. Some will wash out, but if 2 or 3 of them reach their ceiling then you’re a much better ball club. Then, while those guys mature you have the second wave currently at Frisco with Feliz, Holland, Jones, Laughter and Garr followed by Kiker and the dozen or so guys in the low minors. Of course there’s going to be attrition from level to level and of course there will be injuries, but again, that’s why depth is so important. We’re not talking 2 or 3 guys who are being counted to come up and be saviors. You’re going to see in the next several seasons multiple prospects reach Arlington and finishing the own weeding out process. Harrison, Hurley and Madrigal are just the beginning.
I realize it’s hard to see now because the current staff is so inept, but stocking each level is the only way to achieve long term success. Hopefully they’ve gotten away from the “We’re just a piece or two away from winning” foolishness that cost the club Danks and others.
“Even this year we have seen guys with a role in the minors who are brought to the majors in a different role.” – This is not at all Ranger specific. It happens all over baseball. Again, this is a Dgod thing. Making baseball wide phenomena seem like some foolishness that only the Rangers are involved with, unless of course you’re referencing the Madrigal start which was done out of sheer desperation and not wanting to add Mike Ballard to the 40 man roster before they had to.
I’m looking forward to Harrison’s start tonight. Hopefully he can build on the momentum in his last outing. I’d love to see him finish strong and make the rotation next year, but if he doesn’t Hurley or Hunter will.
all i have to say is, NEFTALI FELIZ, DERREK HOLLAND, Tommy Hunter, lets wait and see what happens to these guys before everyone starts whining again, this could turn into something like Oaklands big 3, oh and who aquired all of these guys??? jd??? oh it couldnt be him…
There is no need to cry over spilt milk. Danks for McCarthy is in the past. Young and Gonzalez for nothing is in the past. A-Rod and Soriano for nothing is in the past. What JD needs to do is learn. If he chooses to give up more young talent then he needs to look at the past and try not to repeat mistakes. To go after a Roy Halladay or Scott Kazmir or Matt Cain will cost young talent, but that is one of the reasons that teams stock their minors. Not every young player will make it. One thing is for sure we will not compete next year with a starting rotation like we have this year. Two to three upgrades need to be made. Then let McCarthy(if he can stay healthy), Felman(if the rangers don’t burn his arm up), Hurley(if he ever gets healthy) & Harrison compete for the last two to three spots. Goodbye Millwood and Padilla. Hello Sheets & Cain (wishfull thinking). Does anyone know what happend to Eric Hurley? Where is he and why hasen’t he even being mentioned anymore? Not to long ago he was untouchable.
Hey peyton, Ive been wondering about Hurley too. TR, please give us some info on Mr. Hurley. Does he still have a pitching career after he was under the care of Conner and Chiti or is he going to have learn the knuckleball? Does he need surgery? Will he pitch again this year? Is he still alive? Please, help us, TR.
Thanks, Mr. Sullivan.
DVD, DVD, DVD, DVD, DVD, DVD, DVD. D-VD=D, which stands for Diamond, a former #1 pick who rumor has it will be relegated to a relief role if he ever makes it to our major league team. Which boggles my mind. If they want to save his arm, wouldn’t the starting rotation be a safer spot for him? Where would he throw more pitches or be used more as a starter or reliever? ha, ha, ha. This organization, needs to find someone that can develop a starting pitcher. The last one i remember ever seeing was a guy named Kevin Brown taken out of Georgia Tech. I believe he was a top 5 pick. HE was an ace but he was too vocal…..