Friday Happy Hour at the Elysian Fields Bar & Grill
Welcome to the Elysian Fields Bar & Grill, where a great man like Bowie Kuhn, who enjoyed both baseball and a cold one with equal pleasure, will forever be appreciated.
* Rangers pitcher Jamey Wright has the same deal as Sammy Sosa, only his date is March 28. He can be a free agent if not added to the 40-man roster on that date.
* Word is Terrmel Sledge is going to be the San Diego Padres starting left fielder. That means the Padres, who also picked up Chris Young and Adrian Gonzalez, could go 3-for-3 in that trade with the Rangers. They also still have one of the best bullpens in the game. Rarely does a team score so big in one single trade.
* Tony LaRussa has a tattoo. He calls it the tribal design with dark swoops and hooks and pointed loops stretching down his arm from his shoulder to the top of his biceps. Told his daughters he would get one to mark the Cardinals World Series victory.
* The Brewers are saying that Laynce Nix is their best defensive outfielder. That's still not likely to get him in the lineup and now he's down again with a strained oblique muscle. Injured himself against the Rangers earlier this week.
* That was my buddy Paul Hoynes, long-time sports writer for the Cleveland Plain Dealer, who was seen on ESPN panicking when a three-foot black snake slithered into the press box in Winter Haven this week. Slithered right across his keyboard and Paul was complaining that the snake should have at least finished writing his story. Hoynesy – one of the all-time greats – better hope the Indians never trade for Kameron Loe.
* White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen on the $1,500 helicopter ride that A.J. Pierzynski, Darin Erstad and others took to avoid the long drive from Surprise to Tucson: "Before we spent money on happy hours. Now they spend money on helicopter rides. God bless them."
* Alfonso Soriano now says that Nationals general manager Jim Bowden did him a favor by forcing him to the outfield last year and he's eager to play center for the Cubs. Said Soriano: "He believed I could do it. I didn't want to move. I just didn't believe I could do it."
* Word is the Boston Red Sox are very concerned about their closer situation and would love to get their hands on Akinori Otsuka. Oakland is also concerned about the way Huston Street is throwing and former Ranger Justin Duchscherer could end up as their closer.
* Josh Lewin's band Independent George will be playing at Hot Rods and Hoggs, a biker bar just off 360, after Opening Day at Ameriquest Field in Arlington. Lewin does keyboard and vocals, by the way. Scott Dyche does guitar, Steve Roberts plays bass and Marty Hanan is on the drums. Lewin is not lead vocal. That would be Bob Zimmerman.
* Bob Zimmerman? Wasn't that Bob Dylan's given name? Must be the other Bob Zimmerman.
* Just for the heck of it: Jeff Zimmerman.
* Had the honor of inducting Peter Gammons into the Hall of Fame two years ago and will never forget Commissioner Kuhn seeking me out at the hotel afterward, graciously introducing himself and complimenting me on my short speech. Someone needs to make one on the same podium for him as well.
* You know Mickey Rivers had one of the weakest throwing arms ever among Rangers outfielders. Yet his 19 assists in 1980 is still a single-season club record for an outfielder. Shows the value of hitting a cutoff man.
* Rivers played 1,200 innings in the outfield that season. Jerry Hairston Jr. played 224 innings out there last year and had eight assists. At that rate, he would have thrown out 40 runners over 1,200 innings.
* Range factor is one of those debatable statistics. Some scoff at it. So they don't probably care that Juan Beniquez had 3.30 chances per nine innings in 1976, the highest ever by a Rangers outfielder. George Wright is second with 3.02 chances per nine innings in 1982. They are the only two Rangers outfielders that finished over 3.0 in a season. If you're wondering, Gary Matthews Jr. was at 2.50 last year.
* Newberg Report correspondent Scott Lucas pointed out something interesting. The Rangers short-season Class A team in Spokane, playing in the Northwest League, had a higher daily attendance than seven Triple A teams and 19 Double A teams. He also points that Spokane was the Rangers Triple A team in 1973-74 when the Indians won two Pacific Coast League titles.
* There's something hidden in that last factoid. When the Rangers came to Arlington, they finished last in their first two seasons. But with Whitey Herzog as manager and Dan O'Brien as general manager, they were building a strong farm system and were actually doing things right. Then Herzog was fired, Billy Martin became manager and, even worse, Brad Corbett took over as owner. The farm system then fell to pieces.
* Firing Herzog may still be the No. 1 dumbest decision ever made by the franchise. Herzog himself believes they would have eventually won in Texas.
That Padres trade still hurts.
I'm not going to crucify JD, because IF Adam Eaton had stayed healthy, won 15 games and re-signed with the Rangers, the trade would not be looking quite so bad today.
I mean, who knew Eaton was going to go down a week before the season started?
But, the way things have played out so far, that trade is looking like one of the worst in club history and we all know there have been a ton of those!!
Report any abuse or spam
Rob Neyer stated the other day that defensive statistics are close in their representation to that of offensive and pitching. Don't know how true this is but he is a so-called "expert."
Report any abuse or spam
I think you are right about the strength of the arm not always being the key factor in throwing guys out. Bobby Higginson was one of the best at throwing guys out and he didnt have a strong arm. But then again, he may get more chances to throw guys out without the reputation of owning a strong arm.
Report any abuse or spam
If nothing else, Bowie Kuhn was underappreciated as one who saw the office of the commissioner of baseball as the conscience of the game.
http://www.nebraskapress.unl.edu/bookinfo/5099.html
Report any abuse or spam
I think it perfectly acceptable to vilify Jon Daniels. It was an awful trade. Eaton was going to be a free agent. Why would you trade three promising players if you aren't even going to resign the most important guy in the deal?
Report any abuse or spam
It's easy to criticize AFTER the fact. I'm sure the Rangers would have tried to re-sign him if he'd been healthy and won 15 games.
As it is, the Phillies overpaid for the guy, much like the Royals overpaid for Gil Meche.
I'm curious. IF Eaton had been healthy, won 15 games and had a hand in the Rangers winning the AL West, would you be villifying JD today?
Report any abuse or spam
TR..that Padre trade was a mess from the get-go. I couldn't believe we made it then and I can't believe it now.
Jeff Zimmerman is a more cheerful subject...what a shot in the arm basically getting him for nothing.
Look out TR I'm presently vacationing in LALA land...will I be in Tempe or Surprise next Thurs or FRi???
Report any abuse or spam
1) In evaluating the Chris Young/Aki Otsuka trade, the wild card is Sledge. Aki gave us more in my estimation than Young gave the Padres. Would I like Young on our team? YES! But, Eaton, if he'd proven himself healthy and signed here, would have been compensation enough to cancel out Adrian Gonzalez--who would not be starting at first for us by the way. So Sledge is the one who, if he performs very well, will tip the balance to the Padres. Right now, we lost Eaton, so we are down a player from that. IF we MUST trade Aki (and I'm not sold on Gagne being well or able to contribute) then SHOULD we get someone very capable to replace the human strikeout machine, BW, (hitting .140 AFTER his shoulder is supposedly back to normal), then, if Aki could bring a top-notch guy in here, then the Young/Aki trade is alright. Those are alot of IF'S, however.
2) Interesting conjecture, if Michael Young had NOT consented to moving to shortstop, simply to accomodate Soriano, would Soriano would have been asked to go to the outfield and would he have sulked, or did it take someone of the stature and toughness of Frank Robinson to pull it off? I know what **** Williams would have said!
3) Layne Nix IS a superior defensive player. But, he is never in the outfield because every year, he has some new ailment or injury. It's a pity--that guy looks like a total player to me. His bat has never come around, probably due to his lack of consistent playing time.
4) Whitey Herzog was a good manager-but is the implication that Billy Martin wasn't??? Hmmmmm. Would Martin have overseen the dismantling of the farm system and/or approved of it? Brad Corbett was an egotistical, cigar-chomping sort, but would Bob Short have pumped any money into the franchise like he didn't do at Washington with the Senators? I doubt it seriously. Herzog might have turned it around, but '74 was a very unexpected turnaround year, with Mike Hargrove Rookie of the Year, Fergie winning 25 games, and other honors that year...but I think Billy Martin gets the credit for turning around the Rangers' cloudy future at that time. David Clyde might have been somewhat of a savior in '73, but Billy Martin resurrected them--in MY opinion.
4) Just for the heckuvit: Todd Stottlemeyer
5) Just for the heckuvit2: Scott Champiarino
Report any abuse or spam
Ooops, forgot one thing. As bad as the Chris Young/Aki trade looks, and it does look bleak, trading a young star who could do it all for a complete flame-out in Brad what's his name, is the topper of all bad trades. Alfosno didn't always run hard to first, sometimes looked nonchalant in taking his time to make a throw to first, or whatever other lackadaisacal attribute you can lay on him, but Wilkerson is an absolute bust, and no shoulder surgery can correct a horrendous batting eye, taking strike three with a man on third, lack of moving guys over to second, swinging for Interstate-30 when the situation dictates a single, and a huge hole in his swing to boot. Sure, he might run into a wall while making a catch or hit a very occasional homerun, but he isn't dependable, clutch, consistent and sure hasn't shown anywhere near what Soriano was going to provide. You might say, "We'd never have paid Soriano what he wanted and we'd lose him anyway." Okay, maybe, but trading a 40-40 guy for B.W. is reprehensible. I know B.W. was the lone representative for the Washington Nationals in their first year, but each team has to produce someone, even B.W. I'm sorry, but he will always be a bust to me--he might be a wonderful human being or a nice team guy, but THAT trade was a fiasco. We traded a 10, and got a 2. At least with trading Chris Young, we got one of the most reliable closers we've ever had in Aki. His save ratio was awesome, and his attitude was tremendous. Adrian Gonzalez was behind Tex in the depth chart and was not going to last as an outfielder. Eaton showed flashes of being THAT frontline starting pitcher. I agree with Hondo, anyone can be an armchair quarterback and complain loudly after the fact, in hindsight. JD did what he thought would pan out, and I give him the benefit of the doubt. I don't give him the benefit of the doubt when trading Soriano for "Mr. On Base Percentage." (For grins: Check out BW's Batting Avg. this spring--if that doesn't give you hope, I don't know what will)...grrrr.
Report any abuse or spam
Bingo, I agree with most of what you write, but two points:
1 -- While Martin was a very good manager, he was more a veteran's manager. I don't think he minded trading a talented kid for a veteran who might help the team win THAT year. In other words, Martin and building a solind farm system were not synonomous.
2 -- You're smart enough to know that spring training batting averages are worth about as much as the scorecards they are printed on. IF BW is still hitting .130-something come the end of April, then I'll consider him a bust. Until then, I'm going to give him the benefit of the doubt and hope he gives us a solid year. Like it or not, the guy can be a very important piece to this puzzle.
Report any abuse or spam
I have been reluctant to classify Brad W a bust but after watching and reading stats this spring I have to agree (he had 7 LOB's yesterday)!
Cruz played left & Sosa played right yesterday so maybe Wash is in agreement.
I agree with Bingo. Trade the man for a batboy, (someone of equal bat talent as Brad W)...
Report any abuse or spam
The Padres deal is going to hurt for a long time. Gonzalez is a first round pick and is going to be a perennial all-star. Young was a steal from the Expos for Diaz. Eaton was hurt when we got him and wasn't going to stay here. Otsuka was good last year but Cordero did just as well after leaving and going to Milwaukee. The point is the Rangers knew then and know now that weren't going to be able to keep Tex at 20 million. Wouldn't it be nice to know that the Rangers are thinking about the future before they trade players. The Padres fleeced us, so say it, learn from your mistakes J. D. and stop making excuses and don't ever trade young pitching, oops you already did it again. You better hope that DANKS is a bust and Mccarthy pitches his rear off. I heard Massett is tearing it up.
Report any abuse or spam