Sosa finally deal done

gross.

Why does everyone foam at the mouth at the thought of Sosa taking someone else's spot? Baseball is very simple: Someone in the order is to hit the ball. Hopefully well. Does Botts, Wilkerson, Cruz anyone else have the God-given right to occupy a spot in the batting order? No. Sammy, hopefully can hit the ball better than the others. His track record sure beats all the challengers on the team. If he can't hit in fact, he won't be on the team very long. Hopefully, Rangers' management is about winning this very season--not playing for 3 years down the road. If Sosa can bring us a better chance to hit/win/make the playoffs-great. If Botts hits better in Spring Training, he'll play more. Last year, Mark DeRosa was an afterthought, until an opening happened, DeRosa hit, and hit, and hit, and he couldn't from then on be left out of the starting lineup. Whoever gets hot is who should play and hit. Period. It is very simple y'all: Someone must be in the 5th spot in the order, and if Sosa can hit, great. Aren't we about winning? If we are playing for 3 years down the road in some "3 YEAR PLAN"-as the Rangers have had for ages and ages with the young pitching, count me out of being interested in this season. If we are about winning now, no Ranger bloggers or fans will thumb their nose at Sosa if he can still hit and we happen to win the pennant. We either play to win now, or we don't. Period. I hope Sosa hits 35 homers and drives in 115 runs and we win. Otherwise, let's by ALL MEANS let Mr. Consistency, Brad Wilkerson, occupy the spot, making sure he is able to "develop", and lose for 3 more years. WHAT A PLAN that would be! Wilkerson guaranteed a spot in the batting order so he can develop (gulp!)then we end up losing season after season, but, hey, Wilkerson was able to develop--for WHAT? This is very illogical thinking I believe. Win the battle (develop Wilkerson, Cruz, etc.) while losing the war (losing & not competing for the pennant year-in/year-out). Aren't we about winning the pennant, or are we trying to work our 3-Year Plan by anticipating who might be able to help the team down the road "some day"? Maybe I'm jaded by all the Ranger brass of the past with their 3 and 4 year plans, but personally I'm kinda sick of hearing that. Let's win now--with or without Sammy. Let all of you Sosa-bashers try and remember Steve Howe, John Rocker and others with "checkered pasts", to try and give Sosa a chance. You Ranger faithful had better decide if having a productive Sammy with a chance of protecting Tex, hitting the ball with authority, and giving us a better chance of winning the pennant THIS year outweighs the fear of crowding the development of someone who might help us down the line. I prefer to win THIS season. Spring Training will let us know soon enough whether Sammy has anything left. How we win, after so many years of futility, is of minor importance to me. I simply "wanna" win. 35 years of futility is enough, and hope springs anew this year with the best pitching the Rangers have had (on paper, at least) since the days of Fergie, Gaylord, and Blyleven. Thanks, J.D. for giving us a fighting chance....Signed, "Optimistic" in Fort Worth.

On-Base % Slugging% Batting AVG

SORIANO

2004 .324 .484 .280

2005 .309 .512 .268

2006 .351 .560 .277

BRAD WILKERSON

2004 .374 .498 .255

2005 .351 .405 .248

2006 .306 .422 .222

SAMMY

2004 .332 .517 .253

2005 .295 .376 .221

2006 .000 .000 .000

"The point in all of this?" (asks TR regarding Wilkerson)

"He deserves a second chance in 2007, not only a second chance to play for the Rangers but a second chance by fans to be re-evaluated as a player. If Sammy Sosa deserves a second chance, then Wilkerson certainly does."

ALLELUIA!

And if BOTH of them deserve a 2ND chance, then Botts, Arias, Byrd, Diaz, Kata... deserve a 1ST AND A 2ND!

All things being equal at the end of Spring Training, we should go with the best hope to develop THROUGH '07 FOR '08-- our LAST chance to convince MY and Tex to stay.

Eightgleasons, with all due respect, what exactly is our purpose this year coming out of Spring Training? Winning or developing for the famous 3-Year Plan? I vote for winning. If Sosa is a bust, so be it. If Botts can hit lights out and win a spot, I'd love it. But Wilkerson and his cherished On Base Percentage and 50 cents will buy you half a cup of coffee.

It is possible to win NOW, and develop, and if Washington doesn't mess it up, both can be done: Sosa can hit and help us win, and Botts and Cruz can still get plenty of AB's. In your scenario, I'm wondering if development for '08, '09,. . . '14, and beyond is your priority number one, OR is winning right NOW important for you? We and J.D. especially, don't have the luxury of waiting another 35 years for the grandiose "Long Range Plan", when the division is there for the winning-especially THIS year. I reiterate, if Washington does it right, both are possible. I am giving Wash the benefit of the doubt. I'm even giving all of your statistics trying to prove Wilkerson is a keeper a chance. But On Base Percentage is NOT the trump card over everything. The man doesn't seem to be able to make contact, move runners, or move the bat from his shoulder with 2 strikes, less than 2 outs and a man at third. I'd MUCH, MUCH prefer and trust Botts and Cruz to "develop" while in the lineup. I've seen Mr. On Base Percentage, and not overly impressed with that statistic. Hope you're not delighted to see him stroll to the plate with men on base, or is his On Base Percentage comforting for anyone? How much did his On Base Percentage help us last year? Here's a shocker for you: If Mr. On Base Percentage actually is proven to hit coming out of Spring Training, and continues it like DeRosa did last year, I'll be the FIRST to salute him. (I'm not holding my breath, believe me!) He seems like a really good guy and a "team" guy. I'm hoping against hope for the best from him, and for him.

I foam at the mouth because I'm old fashioned enough to love the sport of baseball...That should be enough right there but if you want more I'd rather lose with a clean Bottsy, Diaz or Cruz than win with a guy who suspiciously looks like a juiced doper...past or present..it's all the same to me. No to Sammy and Raffy and McGuire and Canseco and all the rest of them...Just no!!!

Maybe you should go get yourself some video evidence of Sammy Sosa's 2005 season, bingosinatra (and yes I'm just joking.)

Bingo-- THROUGH '07 FOR '08, rather than exclusively FOR '07 at the expense of '08.

A Sammy-only-slightly-better-than-a-prospect is still a lesser option for us. We need experience for that prospect this year, and knowledge for the GM next.

This is not a 3-year plan. We're talking about knowing whether the outfield should be filled from within or from without NEXT year. That's about 12 million dollars worth of knowledge.

If we're not losing much or any "protection" for Texeira (in comparison with what Sammy would provide) to gain that knowledge, then we must avoid "Nevin-osis" (loss of the knowledge of youth due to popularity- paranoia.)

Not only do we not know if Sammy can be Sammy "again". Take away the cork and possibly the steroids, and we don't know if there ever WAS a "Slammin' Sammy" to which he might hope to return!

Combine those 2 facets of ignorance with the ignorance of our best prospect caused by the lost roster spot, and you have a 3-headed monster that could kill '08's budget and keep us from being able to attract, much less afford MY and TEX.

p.s. Bingo, your new nickname for Brad-- Mr. On Base Percentage-- should stick. It's a compliment that you yourself underestimate.

In that regard, over the last 3 years, Mr. On Base Percentage has even Soriano beat, despite having been injured for 2 of those 3 years.

Sammy's '04 + '05 total is 100 POINTS below ('05 injured) Wilk's!

Check out

http://rangers.scottlucas.com/

regarding not so much the Rangers' success (w/ bases loaded), as Oakland's success despite low Slugging % & Batting avg.

He summarizes with something like, "Yes, despite what some people think, clogging the bases with runners really does help."

There are so many "if's" this year regarding players that I think JD has been trying to cover as much as possible with as many players as he can. There are going to be a few players disappointed after spring training.Most of these players are in the outfield. The infield is fairly settled except for blalock who I consider an "if".I had to have a small chuckle when V Wells signed a VERY long contract extension.. so much for coming to Texas next year. I wouldn't be supprised to see Hunter do the same.. so there goes the Rangers centre fielder hopes for next year. JD knows this too I'm sure. I'm all for giving Wilkinson a 2nd chance as I am with Sammy coming back. Both were injured and need to set their records straight.(have something to prove) I think it's congratulations to JD for trying to fill the holes and make the Rangers a better club this year "07" I'm foaming at the mouth for the start of Baseball this year!!!
GO RANGERS.

Put a cork in it Sammy, and i ain't talking about your baseball bat, your done!

If: If, if's and buts were candies and nuts then we could all have a grand old time, Fraser. If Reinsdorf hadnt interfered. If Eddie Gaylord had purchased the team before Hicks got his paws on it. If Gonzalez hadn't been traded. If the Rangers would develop players and keep them when they develop them, (i.e. pay them what the market dictates). If Soriano hadn't been given away. If Wilkerson did not strike out all of the time. If Blalock could hit left handed pitching. If Rangers Management liked Kevin Brown. If Pudge had not been allowed to leave because his skills were dwindling? If he hadn't played in two World Series and won one over 9 years since. If Blyleven hadn't pitched for the Rangers he would be in the Hall Of Fame. If, Eddie Stanky had stayed more than one game. If Luchessi hadn't been punched. If Gaylord Perry hadn't been allowed to leave and earn the Cy Young for the Padres. If Righetti hadn't been traded. If Oliver hadn't won a batting title after he left. If Darling and Terrell hadn't been traded. If Madlock hadn't won all of the batting titles that he won after leaving the Rangers. If we knew that left field was an idiots position, then we would have told Mazilli upfront that it was his position to lose. If Henke had been protected. If Sierra catches that flyball. If we had Hough for 10 years prior to the 10 years we had him? Ditto for Ryan. If Grieve and the Empty Golf Shirt had never have been GM. If Dombrowski had been instead. If Sosa had never been traded in the first place. If the strike hadn't occurred. If Sundberg hadn't been traded to Milwaukee because his skills were dwindling? If Mench and Cordero were still here. If Herzog hadn't been fired. If Martin hadn't been hired. If Kern hadn't been hurt. If Melvin had been listened to and not let go. If Hillman had been hired. If, If, If. The Rangers are going to lose 100 games this year if they don't commit to one philosophy, play defense and get good pitching.

If we had lost one more game last year, we'd have another first-round pick. If we had better scouting, the previous "if" would be relevant.