Not since 1972...

In response to Tom's and dwidegod (tweedle dee and dum's) rude and insensitive comments about Josh Hamilton on the previous post

once a drug addict....? Not always a drug addict you insensitive person! Man that comment really made me mad.

dwidegood and tom get real, lets stick to talking about baseball on here, most of the time i disagree with you dwidegod but you have gone way to far this time, I am assuming you have never had a personal struggle and you have no demons in your closet! you unsensitive jerks! do your homework before you write this guy off as having problems....

Yes, he went through 8 rehab stints, I see that as someone who never gave up trying to get over a huge struggle, do you know how addicting cocaine is?

2nd, do you know how many drug tests he has had to go through and will continue to have to go through in order to be re-instated to play baseball? He has been clean now for over 2 YEARS!!! lets see you guys go 2 years without a beer, something that he has done in addition to totally giving up his drug addiction.

Josh played a great season last year, he has two beautiful kids and a wife that he is playing for, he also has a great support system set up with former players and managers like Jerry Narron. I have every confidence that being clean for 2 years he has put his problems past him.

You guys need to get a life and not rain on this amazing story just so you can continue your cynical ways about the Rangers, I don't even know why you get on here dwidgod....

You both are also extremely off in your estimation of his talent. Read the Newberg report and other sources and you will see how lucky we were to get him just for Volquez and Herrera. Then look at the amazing stats he put up in a half a season. he was a 1st round draft pick who was also recruited by top college programs to play quarterback so the man is talented. Then realize that he performed that well after so many seasons out of organized ball, I can't wait to see what he will do this year.

Stick to talking about baseball you two, and don't talk about things (rehabs, drug addictions) that you know nothing about. Once a drug addict....not always a drug addict. Can't wait for 2008 and beyond we have a great centerfielder for the future!

ccourtney,
I don't want to rain on your tirade-- especially since I haven't even read DWI-DRE's last post-- but he IS talking about something he knows about. The DRE part in his title means something like Drug Recognicence Expert. (I don't know the acronym beyond "D".)

Concerns about JH's drug use and physical health are legitimate.

My first reaction to the trade is negative, but not because of who we got (one of the few defensively legitimate CF's in baseball who simultaneously puts up corner outfield power numbers).

My fear is that we gave up our ace.

How long would we have controlled Volquez? That could sway my vote toward Hamilton (whom we have for 5 years), but I don't know about EV's contract, or whether he still had options.

My first reaction to the Hamilton trade was also "oh no" we likely gave up a pitcher that will be a good starter. As someone else observed the Rangers have a long history of trading good young pitchers away.

Trying to remain positive perhaps Hamilton will fill in the missing centerfield piece of being "strong up the middle".

Laird at catcher, Young and Kinsler at SS and 2nd, a strong bullpen. If Hamilton is "it" then we are still missing what Ranger teams have missed for most of the franchise's existence - solid starting pitching.

The starting pitching is the major unpredictability for 2008 that TR has written about. However the potential is there and stranger things have happened.

The sure thing TR wrote about was Young. I guess he missed out on the revelation posted by some people a few days ago that Young peaked two or three years ago and should be traded.

If I understood TR, he said we can count on MY's .300 average and 200 singles.

He said nothing about his (.784) OPS (which has steadily declined .57 annually since '05). He didn't predict its climbing back over the Brad Wilkerson line (.786).

Mike Young is one of my 4 favorite Rangers. The other 3 are Benoit, Byrd and Salty.

I think we should consider trading all 4-- MY, Benoit and Byrd while their value is so high (since they probably won't help us in contending years), and Salt if we aim to keep Laird until Teagarden is ready.

TR, I think we should keep Laird at catcher and let Salty play first. He needs alot of seasoning, fundamentals, etc..at that position, but as a power guy, I think he'd be best at 1B. Not too many Ted Simmons's out there (power and switch-hitting catchers). I think Salty is the real deal, and if we put him at cathcer, he will wear down much quicker.

Play Laird until Teagarden is ready. Hear that JD?

IF Hank can recapture his first half of the season, where he used all fields and was our best hitter the first couple of months, we might have something. But, quickly, he reverted to form, a la Oddibe McDowell (who as a speedy centerfielder hit 18 or so homers in his rookie year and became enamored with the long ball, when we didn't need that from him at all). Oddibe was never heard from again. I put Hank in the Oddibe category.

I DON'T want to beat a dead horse, but I will mention Sammy Sosa once more. Didn't anyone else notice how, with men on 3rd and/or 2nd, and less than 2 outs, that he CHOKED UP ON THE BAT, to hit situationally? That's why he drove in over 90 runs in just over half the season. If Sammy who has over 600 HR's can do it, WHY ON EARTH CAN'T Blalock and the rest of the team just try hitting situationally for once?

As I said, Hank was by far the best hitter we had the first half exactly because he went with the pitch, and didn't try to pull the outside fastball. We have way too many guys like Botts, Wilkerson, Blalock who have no pedigrees or much of a track record who absolutely will not adjust to the situation, a la Sammy.

Now, I will try refraining from pointing out Sammy's choking up anymore. I wish Rudy can teach hitting situationally. Blalock is absolutely to be counted on, but with him wanting to hit the ball in the upperdeck in Home Run Porch on every pitch, it would be refreshing to choke up, like some other player we spurned this past year.

dwi and dre are law enforcment terms used in the recognition of drug/alcohol use. It is for immediate situations, and used for field sobriety. I've worked in law enforcment, as well as in court ordered drug rehabilitation. I'm with you courtney. Once a drug user does not automatically mean always one, even after 8 rehabs. There are people in every walk of life who are successful in remaining sober and in thier chosen careers after years of drug use. I have seen more people in the law enforcement field with with alcohol problems who mess up their lives than any other field. (But I still proudly and strongly support our law enforment personnel). 2 years clean is a major success. Let's give him a chance and not automatically write him off. Some postive attitude from fans would go a long ways with this team. Congratualtions Josh on your sobriety and welcome.

What Courtney and a few others are missing is that the drug abuse issue is THE dirty little secret in this trade. Notice in my original comment I didn't say .....always a drug addict. Courtney and others filled that in. There was a question mark there. Just like there is a question mark on Hamilton's sobriety.

The facts of the matter are this:

1) Hamilton has an extremely checkered history filled with poor decisions

2) Those poor decisions have kept him off the baseball field. At 27 he should be coming into his prime, but because he has missed so much time, we have only half a season to evaluate.

3) He was a tremendous talent to be the number one draft pick. Being the number one pick is no guarantee of stardom. There have been many fizzled #1 picks in baseball.

4) What are the statistics for drug addicts with multiple relapses? If I knew of a past like this, there is no way I would hire a key employee with this sort of history in my company. Second chances have their place, but ninth chances aren't smart.

5) Anything that keeps Josh off the field IS BASEBALL. If he had past steroid use, issues which might cause him to get suspended, that is baseball because it keeps him off the field. If he has injury problems, that is baseball.

As far as the personal insult of referring to me as "tweedle dee" without knowing anything about me, you have just showed your true colors. Name calling is always such an effective way of proving one's point. (heavy sarcasm) Rather than getting into a ******* match or name calling, please check the sidebar of TR's blog and see if I am listed there or you. (yes, I am on hiatus right now)

I was sitting here with a friend last night reading the article and talking about the trade. My first reaction was, "man there are going to be some angry Ranger fans." Personally I love the trade but this is one of those trades that will automatically get some pretty passionate responses. We aren't simply dealing with trading a pitcher who could be a front line starter for a a hitter that could be a future all-star. This time we are also dealing with a guy who doesn't have the cleanest past. What I don't understand is if we are preaching about Hamilton's past then why didn't we do the same about Milton Bradley? What about Brett Favre struggling with alcohol? Everyone has things that they have struggled with in their pasts, some are known by the public and some are hidden in closets (which we are seeing in the steroid era) The public can be passionate and forgiving if someone comes out and says they messed up and begin to get the help to make a recovery. Which is exactly what Josh Hamilton did.

We can sit here and analyze this trade from a baseball stand point and either side has a great argument. The trade gives us a CF for the future without dedicating a lot of money to one, but it does leave a spot open in our rotation. Is this when we see Eric Hurley? Or will the Rangers sign a Jason Jennings and Bartolo Colon? Hopefully they will take a chance on Jennings. TR is right though there is no way to predict this team. This team could be the Colorado Rockies of last year or they could a 100 loss team. This team is a wildcard and it's kind of exciting

Being listed on the sidebar does not make you a reputable source for baseball or drug recovery wisdom. Josh has been clean for 2 and a half years. He had to pass a battery of drug tests in order to be reinstated. 2.5 years is a long time. He now has a career, a family, and 2.5 years of strength in staying away from his problems. The bigger issue for me would be the physical toil his years of struggle put on his body.

With your kind of forgiveness their is no way I would want to work for you. You show your true colors by not allowing for people to redeem themselves. 1 stint in rehab does not a "chance" make.

Time for the liberal to chime in.

Everybody makes mistakes. At least Josh Hamilton is up front about his problems rather than saying he tried it once and didn't like it like some of these Mitchell-outed players.

How can you put a number on it before you lose compassion for a person? One mistake is ok but eight is too many? How about two, three or four? Where and who draws the line.

Wait a minute. Somebody did put a number on it. He said seventy times seven.

That's a good number.

If Jesus won't give up on Josh Hamilton, why should anybody else?

One other thing...

Chielamangus?????????

Absolutely great post ccourtney. Everyone needs to read some of the posts coming out of Cinncitti. They are sure not thrilled about it. The thing Ranger fans have to look at is Josh is going to play every day and volquez every 5 days. We need him. Even if Nolan was pitching and he had no support then it doesn't mean anything. It is time for the Rangers to have a lucky break on a trade. I look at our line up now and I am excited. The pitching is what it is.

On the drugs I believe that if Josh has gone 2 years and has not been tested postive then that is a pretty good indication that he has the thing whipped but all things change. Determination has a lot to do with this situation. I have never tried any of the drugs because a teenager I read an article about how some people became addicted to drugs instantly. I was afraid I would be one and never tried them. There was plenty of opportunity as

I served my tour in Vietnam.

I know he is going to be a bigger impact than Eddison Volquez could ever hope to be. dgod keeps bring up Chris Young. He didn't win but 1 game after the all-star game and he pitched in a pitchers park. If you look at any team they have done the same thing

and made trade they wished they had back. We are no exception. Look at MY. Wonder if Toronto wants him back?

I think that one of this group will be in a starting line-up. In fact 1 or 2 might be cut. Mench, Nix and Cruz.

Bingo, love your post on Sammy. Guess he wasn't using drugs as once an addict always an addict.

I'm with Panther Parent - a paraphrase: let he who is without fault or never made a mistake (big or little) go to the head of the line and cast the first stone. I'm certain there's no-one in that line.

http://emc.mlblogs.com

Sky,

Everybody knows Milton Bradley is an absolute nut, so we don't have to discuss that. In addition, he is an injured head case. Just ask people in the places he has played like Cleveland. Relying on him is much worse than Hamilton, but we didn't give up Vlquez to get him. Just the drunken sailor's money.

As far as the Rangers being next year's Colorado Rockies....... seriously - you should not post while drunk.

Panther parent, Jesus isn't running the Rangers. We are not talking about forgiving his sin or allowing him to enter the kingdom of heaven. That's not our call. We are deciding to build a team around him. I guess you and Courtney thought the Mavericks plan to build their team around Roy Tarpley was a great decision? That decision nuked that team into the stone age until Cuban bailed them out. I guess you would like to build your team around Barry Bonds, Steve Howe and other players who belong on the island of misfit players, but this isn't a claymation Christmas special. It is big business. Spending millions of dollars on players with a million dollar arm and a 10 cent head is a bad idea.

I am sure most posters in Cincinnati are looking at Volquez major league numbers and throwing a hissy fit.

For those of you who think that Hamilton's past should have no bearing on this trade, I got news for you. It was a major factor.

JOSH HAMILTON!!!! ***!!!! I hate this organization. God how much I hate this organization. I can't take it any more.

Roy Tarpley was an unfortunate circumstance. Josh Hamilton unlike Roy has shown the perserverance to rebound from those depths. You are fallacious to compare Josh Hamilton to Barry Bonds. Throughout this process Josh has expressed humility and thankfulness for his second chance in baseball.

While I don't think we can replicate the Rockies model in 08, I don't think we are far off. The Rockies relied upon a solid bullpen and an incredible defesne. I don't think many of us could name their starters on opening day last year. Jeff Francis emerged as their ace but beyond that they received a huge boost from their minor leagues as pitchers like Morales and Jimenez came up throughout the year.

I dont't think we will be the Rockies. But if Padilla and Millwood can return to a least a semblence of thier 2005 form and the rest of the roatation can give us league average production; then I trust our bullpen to pull the load. I'm not prediciting a division title by any means but 81-81 hopefully, is attainable allowing for modest offensive improvements from Blalock, Salty, Murphy, and hopefully stalwart production from Hamilton, Young, and Kinsler.

Roy Tarpley was an unfortunate circumstance. Josh Hamilton unlike Roy has shown the perserverance to rebound from those depths. You are fallacious to compare Josh Hamilton to Barry Bonds. Throughout this process Josh has expressed humility and thankfulness for his second chance in baseball. Humility, something Bonds never understood. How can you see Hamilton's effort the past 2.5 years and the results of last season and the response of the Cincinnati fans and then compare him to the leech that is Barry Bonds?

While I don't think we can replicate the Rockies model in 08, I don't think we are far off. The Rockies relied upon a solid bullpen and an incredible defesne. I don't think many of us could name their starters on opening day last year. Jeff Francis emerged as their ace but beyond that they received a huge boost from their minor leagues as pitchers like Morales and Jimenez came up throughout the year.

I dont't think we will be the Rockies. But if Padilla and Millwood can return to a least a semblence of thier 2005 form and the rest of the roatation can give us league average production; then I trust our bullpen to pull the load. I'm not prediciting a division title by any means but 81-81 hopefully, is attainable allowing for modest offensive improvements from Blalock, Salty, Murphy, and hopefully stalwart production from Hamilton, Young, and Kinsler.

PS I would much rather have Hamilton's slugging, power, glove, and throwing arm than Andre Either....as you can tell I was a fan of Josh Hamilton this past season...great move JD.

I know I am pulling a dwidegod by posting 3 in a row but I just read Keith Law on ESPN's blog and he thinks that the Rangers got the best of it, even if Josh only plays 120 times a year with 500 plate appearances. Something that may not be a bad thing to insure his good health and to keep getting Murphy some at bats.

Ok Tom I didn't say that the Rangers were going to be the Colorado Rockies this year. I said this team is a wild card and could potentially be the worst team on the field or a team that is competitive and surprises the world.

Second you can go on and on Tom about Hamilton not getting a second chance and that we traded a potentially good pitcher to get him. The price can be argued as being a high price to pay, but don't you think that Cinci fans are saying the exact same thing? Hamilton was their most popular player. We get him for another 5 years and he he has great potential. Same with Volquez... he has great "potential." It was just a good baseball trade. Tom you can take all the personal shots you want at people in this blog but at the end of the day the Rangers needed an OF and they got one with great potential. It wasn't cheap but sometimes you got to roll the dice and think that your homework will pay off.

Tom, considering that I read at least a dozen stories about Hamilton's path to the major leauges last spring and summer and at least 4 since the trade and every single on of them has focused quite intently on his struggles with drug addiction and his recovery from said addiction, I'd say it's been a very poorly kept "secret" as you put it.

Chielamangus (a.k.a. C.J.S.
Purdy)

Courtney, i don't think i said anything about Hamiltons talent. I think i said you can't depend on someone who has been in rehab 8 freaking times. As far as his recovery, i think even he would tell you he isn't recovered. He probably will tell you that he has to take it one day at a time. As far as Hicks saying that he has medical issues. Did he blow out a knee, a rotator cuff? No his medical issues are of the kind that he liked to sniff cocaine. That is not a medical issue to me that is what i call personal choice. Something that some of us here like to call personal responsibility. Recovery is something that you do after you have surgery. You go to recovery. The fact that someone chooses to be a sober individual is a good thing, but it isn't something to be lauded and praised. I think Hamilton would tell you that he knows that he has been his own worst enemy. As i said in my previous post, i am all for giving people second chances, but this like Tanks isn't a second chance it is the eighth one. I hope this guy stays clean and sober, hope he turns into an all-star, God knows we need the centerfielder. 90 games isn't enough to decide. The Reds said on their web site, that they bought low and sold high. What ticks me is that you don't deal your number one pitching prospect period unless you get something like what Detroit got in Cabrera and Willis. And by the way are you Hamiltons press agent or girlfriend. By the way, my e-mail address stands for DWI as in driving while intoxicated, DRE Drug Recognition Expert. I have participated in numerous arrests of people high on cocaine as a matter of fact, i pulled some off a guy the other morning. I say that to say this, i know that which i speak of, even if you don't like it. So cheer up, stop trying to ostracize people who don't agree with your opinion you bleeding heart liberal.

And i left out Rob Nen, Tom Henke as pitchers who have departed here only to find success elsewhere. Daniels isn't old enough to remember any of those deals. I do. What i like about the Rangers is their justification of trades. Last year, as TR reports they say Volquez is reportedly a #3 starter at best, then a potential front of the rotation guy but it will take 1 to 2 years. Say that Volquez splits the difference and ends up somewhere in the middle. I think we need that type of pitcher. Are we so stocked with pitching that we don't need someone like that? My answer is we do need him it is nothing against Hamilton, it just says everything about Volquez. He was our top overall pitching prospect for a reason and their is a reason that other teams wanted him. It is just frustrating. Volquez probably wins between 12 to 14 games next year if he pitches like he did at the end of last year. If he did that here, he is the staff ace!

If staying sober is an amazing story then write one about me, i have been sober for 40 years. Isn't that amazing especially with me being apart of a profession where everyone of us are reportedly drunk. News flash if an officer gets arrested for DWI they lose their job. What happens if you do Courtney? You pay a fine and go on your merry way, stop drinking and call yourself a hero, with an amazing story. With what you wrote in your blog, it is a wonder that you could tear yourself away from the Narcotics Anonymous meeting, Cenkor, AA or the Salvation Army. Oh wait, those people don't play Baseball so who should care about them.

I guess god means you know all......would you rather have someone with an incredibly high ceiling who has performed at a high level at the major league level or would you rather have someone who has tons of potential but has yet to put it together at the major league level? I take the one who has been proven at the major league level......

I especially take a guy who can play a high caliber defensive position and can hit in the middle of the order. Look at all the solid pitching prospects we have througout the system. I think this is a great trade.

Could you depend on someone to not say anything stupid who always said stupid stuff previously, even if they hadn't said anything stupid in 2.5 years and had gone to counseling 8 times to quit....I couldn't.....haha jk

ps politics has nothing to do with it as I am a compassionate conservative

Sure is a lot of left handed hitters in this lineup. Looks like we are short on a right handed power bat. You pick Bingo, lets say it all together SOSA, the choke artist. Has he signed a 7 million dollar deal with anyone? Ha Ha. Did he really think he would get that? Looks like an incentive laden contract for Sosa, which puts us in the running again. I prefer MENCH. MENCH, MENCH. Come back MENCH. What happened to Cruz? Wasn't he the guy we had to have? Looks like both he and Botts have been phased out. Too bad, we are aiming to win the west. All we have to count on is Millwood and Padilla winning 34 games between the two of them. Anyone want to bet me that doesn't happen?

1. Im glad we got rid of Robb Nen, wanted no part of him

2. After Robinson Tejada's close of the 2005 season we all thought he would be the staff ace 14 game winner this season...WHOOPS!

3. Do you struggle with sobriety? Then it would be a great success story to stay sober for 40 years. Why try and kick a guy who has come back from a horrible struggle. I would applaud just as loudly you overcoming

a deep personal struggle like he has.

4. I actually work at a Mid-Cites mental health hospital so I see people strung out everyday. I feel for their plight and I cheer just as loudly when they no longer need our services.

5. I genuinely appreciate what you do as an officer. I just don't always agree with your baseball opinions.

I thought conservatives, believed in personal responsibility? You act as if Hamilton was struck with Cancer, took his treatment and has recovered. People who get Cancer don't choose it, it just occurrs. A drug addict makes a personal choice, no one made them do it. They do it to themselves. Again i hope this guy stays clean and becomes an all star. If he does that, he will be gone soon enough when he asks for more cash. Even a drug addict can see that this isn't the place to play baseball if you want to win. Gonzalez was the #1 overall pick in the draft without addiction issues what happened to him?

ohh the incesnant plea for Kevin freaking Mench. No thanks. Great guy, great hair or lack thereof. But I much would rather have Bottsy or Cruz get another go at it. Mench was neccesarily Derek Jeter in the clutch. I really hope Botts gets a chance this season, all season and we don't have to watch him turn into Adrian Gonzalez or Hafner elsewhere.

Wow, a ton of great debate over Josh Hamilton. I've just been sitting back and watching the posts fly, but here's my two cents:

- I cannot believe that the Rangers would have traded away one of our best pitching prospects if they weren't convinced he had excorcised his demons. JD may have made some bonehead moves in the past, but he's learned from them - he was so careful about pulling the trigger on any other deals like this this winter, I have to believe that we have checked, double checked, and triple checked this guy.

- As for Hamilton's past problems, they do concern me. But I for one, am willing to cut him some slack. He's such a talented player, I don't see how anybody can sit there and dwell on his past. Sure, he's made some mistakes, but he's obviously earned his second chance, or he wouldn't be here in the Majors. Don't get me wrong - if he screws up while he's here in Texas, I will be the first one to call for his sky-high head - but until he actually proves that he's NOT clean, I'm excited to see what he can do on the field. I think he could easily turn out to be the next Carlos Beltran - we've got to give him that chance.

- Me, I'm more worred about his penchant for getting hurt than any past drug problems.

- Kevin Mench has had it. He hit just .212 vs. righties with the Brew Crew last year, and had only 8 home runs in 101 games and 288 AB's. Forget about Mench. In all seriousness, I would rather see Sammy Sosa back here than Mench. And I think you all know I would not say that if I didn't mean it.

So calm down, folks. Continuing to drag Josh Hamilton through the mud over his past (and call each other names in the process) is not going to get us anywhere. This guy has the potential to be a future All-Star - I'm happy to have any Center Fielder with that kind of potential. From the standpoint of talent accquired, this is a hundred times better than signing Torri Hunter or Aaron Rowand to play CF - I'd just keep a close eye on our new prize if I were JD.

Hey if Hamilton didn't have his personal issues could we have gotten him for Volquez and the other guy. Probably not. The Reds would have kept him. So that is done. But i still believe you don't trade your young pitchers. Mench i am kidding about. But it wouldn't surprise me. The guy was a popular player and that can be a factor if you can put butts in the seats. No back to the compassionate conservatives. The leader of the conservative movement, the great communicator. Ronald Reagan said, " Say no to drugs". Something that Hamilton has evidently said at least 8 times formally. So i guess that makes Hamilton a conservative so that ain't too bad.

I guess there is a circle to life as TR posted, This is the most mysterious and unpredictable team since 1972. Just think we are going on our 38th year of existence as the Texas Rangers and we are back at the beginning not knowing where we will end up. The circle of life. I choose not to live my life and hope to have such a thing as progression. If i were still at the same place as i was 38 years ago, i would still be pooping in my diaper. What progress we have made as a franchise. Hey it can only go up right? Right? Learn from your past mistakes. Stop trading our freaking top prospects. Just stop!

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2926447

Read that, then cut the kid some slack and enjoy every moment that you get to watch him play.

That is a great story. I can't wait to watch this guy play. On a side note something we have yet to address what's the rotation going to be now that it Volquez is gone?

Millwood

Padilla

McCarthy

Gabbard

Hurley/Mendoza/Galaraga/Murray

personally I hope we get a Jennings/Colon type guy and let Hurley get his feet at AAA and then come up

The Hamilton stuff is going to drive me to start drinking! GEEEEZ fellers and gals, let the guy play. I hate losing Volquez, but we got talent in return.

Get over it. He admitted to the demons in his life, unlike a discredited, disbarred, impeached, (but not removed) former resident of the White House. I'm willing, like Pantherparent, to let bygones be bygones. Gosh, we've endured Steve Howe, John Rocker, and on it goes, and I'm sure that Mr.Josh Hamilton won't affect the landscape around Arlington. Does anyone on this blog still smoke? HEAVEN FORBID! Ever had sex out of marriage? UNTHINKABLE. Immoral, bad choices, etc....let's give this Hamilton kid a chance. I think he can be quite good. The price was Edinson Volquez, unfortunatley. I'd have unloaded Jason Botts in a New York minute instead, but we all need to get over Hamilton's past. Can't we all just get along? (as the illustrious thinker Rodney King once chimed in.)

Merry Christmas to all. . .

I have no problem with Hamilton as far as his personal issues. I sincerely think he will help this team.

I have a problem with getting rid of a guy who WILL BE a top of the rotation guy within the next 2 years. I just don't get how we have been told over and over about DVD and now 2 of the 3 "Can't miss prospects" are gone?

How many other touted "Can't miss prospects" will pan out?

What a great article posted by racertc3. It seems Josh really has turned the corner.

But, just in case he hasn't, I heard something about the Rangers hiring Jerry Narron, who was with Hamilton in Cincinatti - aparently, they're some kind of package deal. Interesting.

PS - in case I don't post again during the Holdiays, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, everybody.

PPS - I just realized, I wrote down the wrong Narron by mistake. We hired Johnny Narron, Jerry's brother. Ooops.

Who has more tatoos? Hamilton, Blalock or Saltalamacchia? I already have a home run call for Hamilton. He really tatooed that homer. Or he sent that one for treatment. Really folks this 5 tool wonder would not have been on the block if it weren't for his personal issues? Anyone who disagrees with that just isn't being honest. I hope the guy beats the Devil as he stated, but unfortunately, the Devil is a very persistent fellow. The fact that he has been clean for two years is a good sign. But it doesn't mean that he has beaten it. I am going to go personal with you and tell you that i have a 45 year old brother, who has been in an out of prison multiple times due to his addiction to methamphetamine and Cocaine. So to answer your question Courtney i do know. I know the pain and the anguish that the addicts cause not only to themselves but to mothers, fathers and brothers who can helplessly do nothing. I know this, unless the addict has a life changing event, something inside of themselves, call it God or whatever, then their "rehab" doesn't work. It is the daily grind of life and the small things that can get to an addict, they have a fight with their wife or something goes wrong, so they decide to get high to get over life. So lets just hope that Hamilton doesn't relapse, because if he does, then we have gotten nothing for Volquez. Something that is beginning to happen a lot around here.

JETER YOUNG
YEAR OBP HITS AVG OBP HITS AVG

1995 0.294 12 0.250 - - -

1996 0.370 183 0.314 - - -

1997 0.370 190 0.291 - - -

1998 0.384 203 0.324 - - -

1999 0.438 219 0.349 - - -

2000 0.416 201 0.339 - - -

2001 0.377 191 0.311 0.298 96 0.249

2002 0.373 191 0.297 0.308 150 0.262

2003 0.393 156 0.324 0.339 204 0.306

2004 0.352 188 0.292 0.353 216 0.313

2005 0.389 202 0.309 0.385 221 0.331

2006 0.417 214 0.343 0.356 217 0.314

2007 0.388 206 0.322 0.366 201 0.315

In the conversations about Michael Young having peaked the statistic OPS is used as proof. The Baseball Almanac states that OPS is not really a statistic it is the sum of two statistics, i.e., slugging percentage and on base percentage.

In the data above I have compiled Derek Jeter and Young lifetime hits, on base percentage and batting average statistics. I did not include slugging percentage since neither player is of the "slugger" category. I plotted these versus each year and concluded that the trends for both players are very similar. I invite all to plot the data and draw their own conclusion. Since the trends are silmilar both Jeter and Young must either be in decline or have reached a sustaining plateau. Note that Jeter has been in the ML since 1995 and Young only since 2001. If Jeter were available is there any team that would not take him?

If anyone would like the graphs send me a note and I will forward them.

Hey we can't deal Young now, we have a competitive team. With the addition of Broussard and Hamilton we are contenders. If those guys stay healthy we should we the division right? Washington should have his 10 wins right? I think the Angels may have something to say about that. Lets just say this. Going into next year, you have to say the Red Sox are the winners in the east, Angels in the west, Detroit or Cleveland in the Central and either the Yankees or the Central Division runner up as the Wild Card. So our best bet to win or make the playoffs is probably another realignment into the NL West a very weak division. I think if my memory serves me right, i think that when we went to 4 Divisions is when we finally won some Division Titles. So here is the lineup: Catchers: Salt Laird
1B Broussard Shelton

2B Kinsler

3B Blalock aka flipper

SS Young Vazquez utility

LF Murphy

CF Hamilton Byrd

RF Bradley

DH Catalanotto

12 pitchers

Millwood, Padilla, Gabbard, McCarthy,

Bullpen Loe, Francisco, Rheinecker, Guardado, Benoit, Wilson, White. Looks like the only decision Washington has to make is who is the 5th starter and who plays left field. Noticely absent is Cruz and Botts names. A little ditty, the Rangers have a Cat, a Ham and some Salt to go with a season that last year was a WASH. Washington just may get his 10 wins if the STARTING PITCHING holds up. Now isn't that something. Gotta go watch Paul McCartney concert.

rwolff,

On Base Percentage essentially equates singles with walks. It is a more valuable stat than Batting Average.

Slugging Percentage (Bases per at-bat) is also a good stat.

But it essentially equates one home run with 4 singles, which can be misleading out of context ...(out of the context of on-base percentage, which is why the two stats are often paired as OPS.)

NOT PAYING ATTENTION to Slugging Percentage, however, essentially equates singles with home runs, triples and doubles. That is just silly.

A (fast) high on-base/low slugging% guy bats first.

A low on-base/ high slugging% guy bats fifth.

Most modern shortstops-- certainly Young and Jeter-- are meant to have high % in both.

In the last 4 years Jeter's OPS is roughly .840, .840, .900, and .840.

MY (.784) and Miguel Tejada (.795) have slid (for their rapid decline in Slugging %) from being legitimate # 3 hitters to still-legitimate # 2 hitters.

If their power number levels off where it is, or continues its decline, and yet their on-base % and speed don't somehow improve significantly(which they likely won't with age), then they will not be suitable for either the #2 OR the #1 spots in the batting order (and of course not the #3, #4, #5 or #6 spots).

In other words they will soon be very expensive --albeit legitimate-- # 7 hitters (more like the shortstops of old) IF they can still handle their position defensively.

Otherwise, where should they play? 3B, 1B , Corner OF and DH are all supposed to be power positions in the order.

I'm okay with OBP instead of slugging % at any one of those 4 positions, but NOT if we have an alternative with higher combined numbers (OPS), especially at DH!

And last year even Wilkerson had MY beat by 2 points.

So MY's (still) high value is intricately tied to his ability to play SS (or 2B).

That fielding ability has already been surpassed by 2 of our minor leaguers. Both are currently inferior to MY as hitters. But time is on their side.

Within 2 years (when MY's total-no-trade clause has kicked in), either Andrus or Arias will be our better SS option, relegating MY to the utility role (at 12 or 13 million per year). And knowing that, why wait 2 years?

Michael Young, the man, has always been great for us. Michael Young, the player, has also been great, and is STILL a very valuable "trade commodity," provided we eat about 21 million of his salary, and make that trade soon.

For the post-Millwood, post-Padilla years, we need another Volquez- or better yet, Lester-type, at least at the AAA level. We could suffer through a season with Duran as SS (until Andrus or Arias is ready) to get one. It may even teach us about HIS value as our future Utility IF.

Our window of opportunity on MY is closing fast, precisely because GM's are not willing to ignore slugging percentage for the sake of feeling better about their favorite players.

------------------------------------

NONETHELESS... Right now the remembrance of God's incarnation and the prospect of Christ's 2nd coming make ALL these considerations look SILLY, so I'm right there with you....

MERRY CHRISTMAS, rwolff and company!

Thanks, TR. Y'all really are good company.

As much as we like to disagree, I'd be glad for us all to meet someday. I s'pose that's what heaven's for. Please pray I join y'all there.

Cheers,

Eight (9)

"I don't understand. All of a sudden, it's not just BA and Runs Scored, it's OBA. And what is with O-P-S?" - ESPN Analyst Harold Reynolds (04-2004)

Merry Christmas to you too "eight". I will continue the MY discussion including slugging statistics after we celebrate peace on earth.

No I can't wait that long. Perhaps in a few days.

I know it is Christmas. But Hamilton isn't a feel good story. Now Revo has written one. No one forced Hamilton to do drugs. No one but himself. The fact that he has struggled with his addiction isn't to be lauded. He invited it upon himself when he took that first sniff. He is to blame, no one else! Funny how his problems went away for 2 years when he chose to stop using drugs! Funny how that works. I chose to stop using and i don't have a drug problem now. This really irks me. It is his problem, he invited it in. Now he has to solve it. Wow he has a better life now that he doesn't get high. As Nancy said, Say No To Drugs. We all laughed at it as a policy but it does in fact work as Hamilton has proven. He has said no for 2 years.

get a life, find something else to preach about, we've all heard it....

why continue to detract from a great story...its a success anytime any of us overcomes our own demons....yours just doesn't happen to be drugs..

Courtney haven't you learned yet that dgod will never say anything good about anyone. It will always be that everyone else makes mistakes but dgod is always right. Just ask him!

Webster's defines Responsiblile as: having to account for one's actions: answerable. In the face of the above criticism i will still write, Hamilton is his own worst enemy. He brought it upon himself. He evidently knows and believes this. Not so sure about others who think he is a VICTIM struck down by some incurable disease. I have personally witnessed 15 month old children die, who were innocent. They were depending on adult's to take care of them. No that is a victim. Some idiot who chooses to ingest cocaine, to escape or feel good or get high or whatever isn't a hero, in my book. Hope he stays clean, but i would be an eight ball that he won't. Especially the way he is being touted as the saviour of the team. The Reds say they bought low and sold high. In other words, they don't think his value will get any higher. We got took in this deal. You never trade your #1 overall pitching prospects. We have done it before and what has it gotten us? And batty, i think Hamilton has some nice tatoos, if he was getting cocaine each time he sat in the tatoo chair, then that is what 28 times that we know that he used. What a victim he is. If we can keep him out of the tattoo parlors, it will be ok. Watch out the Gas Pipe is there on Collins Street near *******. I also grow weary of bringing Jesus along for the ride. In my profession we call it jail house religion. Remove the jail house and the religion disappears. Hopefully Ham, will never forget because when you start hearing things like i have been clean for 2 years, i have got a handle on this. That is when the addict is most ripe to re-offend. Don't be so hostile, just my opinion, what i believe. It is something that i am entitled to. My so called God given right. So i am the bad guy and Hamilton is the good guy? Give me a break! Other than Courtney here who evidently works as a psychologist, who among you has done anything for a drug addict other than surrender your property when they rob, steal and plunder. For those of you who aren't aware, most every property crime that we solve is done by some meth head or other drug addicted person. They are the ones that are driving the identity theft crisis and cost you more than you know. So in that aspect i do know what i am talking about. I deal with it every day, am sick of it and wish these people would get clean. But alas it is pretty much impossible for them to do. The addiction is too great. So i guess when we get the one guy, the only one that i know of who can beat it in two years then i guess he is a hero. I personally think he should quit playing baseball and start a drug clinic and start helping others get clean since he has been so sucessful.

Somewhere along the line you parents have failed society. Somewhere along the line they got side tracked. Most of these young adults think that the world owes them something. Most think that life is just one big party. They watch too much television and see the drug culture celebrated. We even celebrate it here by acquiring people with known drug problems. So in essence it isn't how you play the game, what your integrity is, what you stand for, but by any means necessary!!!!!!It is also about winning and losing, no matter what it costs. None of us are perfect, but i haven't been claiming to be a victim either.

Here is an all-star team of VICTIMS: At Catcher, Darrell Porter, now deceased, at 1B Dave Parker, Coke head, don't know how many tatoos he has though, at 2B Billy Martin, yes alcohol is a drug, a depressant i think, at 3B Charlie Hustle, who not only admitted to taking greenies, but finally admitted to gambling another vice, at SS Paul Molitor, another drug addicted hero, in left-field Willie Wilson, who did time in the Ft. Worth Federal pen for Cocaine possession, in center field, a friend of many here and also one of Billy's Mickey Mantle, again alcohol is the greatest killer of people yet all we hear about is Cocaine, Heroin and Methamphetamine, in right field Darryl Strawberry. Now for your pitchers: Dwight Gooden, another coke fiend, Frank Tanana, another imbiber of the fruit of the vine, Denny McClain another victim of the vine, and last but not least Steve Howe, who makes Hamilton look like a choir boy. All of these so called "victims" had one thing in common, they made the choice and suffered the consequences.

Courtney, not so sure who should be getting the counseling down where you are at. You seem to have a lot of pent up agression. Hamilton isn't a victim. A victim is some one who has an outside force act upon it. Making an internal choice to do drugs doesn't make him a victim. Death, destruction and chaos is what drugs bring to a persons life. I would like to call it side effects. The fact that he chooses to stop taking because of the heartache and self destruction caused by the drugs, isn't heroic, it is just smart. Especially when he stands to make millions of dollars playing a game and the only thing evidently standing in his way was himself. So it is a good thing that he is trying to stay clean, but i believe their are a lot of people on this blog who do the right thing their whole lives and get no applause. To applaud this guy for making bad choices and learning from those bad choices is ridiculous. It is the essence of life. Most all of us here learned this at an early age. My questions are at what point did this guy start using, what was his motiviation for starting? He evidently has been a hot shot athlete for a while, and this was his back ground. So what caused him to get sidetracked? I really would like to know?

dwidre,
I have read through both your and Courneys rants this whole blog....I'd have quit long ago and stopped reading the blog for several months but Im afraid I'm addicted to your pointless banter. I don't care if your a policeman and Courtney is in social services you both have different points of view and to some extent you are both wrong and right.

Alcoholism and Drug addictions are recognized as diseases. Did the addict bring it on himself? ABSOLUTELY! Still doesn't mean it isn't real. Dwidre you are jaded to your thoughts due to your profession. The thinking that no one can change. In all I've read about Mr. Hamilton I don't recall him ever stating that he has beaten the disease...addicts battle their cravings to some extent every day to some extent and will do so for the rest of their lives. Our fault? NO, but he's not asking for our help. Addicts who ask for support have a very high rate of failure in rehab for one reason: they haven't taken responsibility for their actions. Those who do become successful in their battles are the ones who hit that rock bottom and realize they alone can help themselves. At these times is often when they have those moments you call jail house religion. It's a self realization that they alone can alter their decisions. Many who come from religious backgrounds turn their thoughts to religion whether it's Jesus or Allah or whatever else they decide to worship.

of those who do truly overcome the addiction most will have several things in common: They will be the first to tell you they made horrible mistakes and that they struggle with the addiction daily and second a vast majority become wildly successful. The reason for the success is simple they have all learned to channel their energies into different things thus often over achieving. It doesn't make them bad and it doesn't mean that Texas has been screwed over in a trade once again. Pay attention DWIDRE, So the Reds bought low and sold high....good for them! We can and probably still come out on top with this deal just because we bought at a higher price than the Reds doesn't mean last year was the best it will ever be! It simply means the Reds didn't give up much and sold at a higher price than they bought. They got the guy as a rule 5 pick!!! can't get much lower than that! Need I remind you that Johan Santana was a rule 5 pick? had the twins traded him the year after drafting him would they have sold high? Yep...then his stock still would have gone through the roof!! Hamilton can be a big time producer for us! I'm not by any means saying he's the savior of the team. But he can be a big hitter and deserves the chance by the fans to do his job. As for giving up Volquez...He has POTENTIAL true. He wasn't however our #1 pitching prospect he was clearly behind Eric Hurley and definitely has some demons of his own that he has to overcome why else would we have had to send him all the way back to A ball? Bottom line is this: We traded a solid pitching prospect for a position we desparately needed help in. It could work out very well for both teams we will see. Hurley was and is our #1 pitching prospect. We also still have a few others getting closer in Harrison and Diamond then a few potential studs down on the farm in Kiker and Beavan...

plenty to look forward to! Hamilton if you happen to read all this don't go try to be the teams savior just go be the player everyone envisioned when you were drafted. DWIDRE chill you are correct once a drug addict always a drug addict he will be battling his addiction for the rest of his life....however he can fight and win that battle on his own. We need him to be our CF for the forseeable future let him do his job

Hey rangerfan, i am a compassionate person and i want Hamilton to succeed it is to our benefit. What is bothering me is Courtney and others who are saying this is a feel good story and they are lauding the guy for staying clean. Choosing sobriety doesn't make this guy a hero. It is ridiculous that this country has gotten to the level when people are being lauded for doing what they should be doing in the first place. I don't know Hamilton hope he becomes an all star and a hall of famer, hope he lives a long life. If the guy develops into the player that everyone thinks he will be, then the Rangers will come up with some type of excuse not to pay the guy and then he will be gone. Let the guy play center field, leave the heroic feats for our military personnel, doctors, nurses, fire fighters, police and people like me who have actually saved peoples lives. Yes the dwidregod acutally saved two different sets of lives. One of which was in a fire that was set by a meth head.

Hey courtney are these people victims also? Ricky Williams, aka smoky. Michael Vick, aka bulldog. Elvis Presley, aka diazepam man. Jimmi Hendrix, Jim Morrison, Janis Joplin. I am sure in your book they are. Not in mine. And by the way you do get jaded when you deal with this **** every freaking day. Sounds kind of simple just to say no, but if those people and others would have exercised it, they may have not contracted the "disease" of drug abuse. Something that you evidently catch when you decide to put it into your body, kinda like food poisioning, i guess.

d"god"
I dont think you even read any of my posts in their entirety before you rush to fume hot air.

I never said JH was a victim. I simply said that he has conquered some demons in his life. We ALL should be applauded anytime any of us conquer the personal demons that plague each of us, whether that be addiction, disability, financial, emotional, attitudes, whatever they may be.

It encourages me and I am sure others to see someone who struggled so long with such a horrible decision, change their behavior. It gives me hope that I can change my poor behaviors and be better.

I do not place JH on a pedastal. Yes, because of his baseball talent he receives more attention than you or I, but he will also get more attention if he does fail again, when our failures would go unoticed by most.

Unlike your drug dream team of baseball, JH has put a significant amount of time between himself and his poor decisions. He has openly confessed his failures and poor choices. He will be the first to tell you he isn't doing anything great, just making the right choice.

Sit back dwgod, enjoy the show for at least the next 5 years when JH is in his prime and under our control.

Compassionate right!

Hamilton put himself behind the 8 ball, not me. Ha Ha. Even if the guy becomes a perennial 25/30 guy, he is still going to have to deal with his past and his problems. So in essence he isn't going to overcome this problem, no matter what he does. He is never going to overcome his past, even if he overcomes it. The most he can hope for is to distance himself from his past. In this age of the internet, this information will never go away. If he becomes an all-star, the story will read, re-covering addict makes all-star team. What a feel good story. Ha Ha Ha. It is society, the way things are done. I see it everyday. When you make these types of mistakes they follow you the rest of your life. Now i applaud the guy for being up front and honest about his issues, the only other choice he had was to give up, forget his career an get high. Someone fulfilling their potential, isn't heroic though. Those who don't fulfill their potential are a waste to me. I guess that is where the term wasted came from. Ha Ha. Hamilton has put himself out there front and center, he is a public figure and people aren't going to let him forget his past. It is just the way things are done, has nothing to do with me. It is the way of the world. If Hamilton has any guts, he will pick the #8 for his uniform as in 8 ball for coke and 8 time rehabber. What a hero he is, someone i want my kids to emulate!!!

dgod
this will be the last I write on this because you still don't read what I put.

I never called him heroic. I think its a great story.

Yes, I do hope that one day if my kids fall into trouble whatever it maybe, that they will emulate JH in his open honesty and his commitment to beating his own personal demons regardless of how many times they fail.

Lets make it an even 60. Hey we are reaching Yankee like blogs, ha ha. Hey Courtney, never give up, never surrender. Enough with the drug talk. I hope Hamilton succeeds, hope he never forgets his lows, because this will keep him from relapsing. Now for the others here, where is Hamilton hitting? Is it time to deal Cat? Too many left handed bats in this lineup. Where is the right handed power bat. Is Cruz gone? What about Botts? I don't seen too many roster spots available. If Cat is the DH, then don't we need Sosa? Not at 7 million per year. I would give Sosa the 25th spot, he is a good role player and strong power bat. What about that Bingo? Hey ranger fan, with your addiction to my speel on the world. Maybe you should talk to Courtney, he seems to be some type of a therapist. I probably need some anger management, huh. Ha Ha.

Hey TR, call Revo and ask for my reply to his article. It is pretty lengthy. Also Mike Young is the perennial 200 hits a year guy. What has it gotten us and him other than his 80 Million dollar contract? I think Mike is going to give us a 1/2 of a year to show some progress. If we don't progress, i think we are going to start hearing from him about how he wants his hits to mean something and starts California Dreamin. This guy will be gone from here within 2 years, the Rangers will be looking to deal him as Andrus gets closer. They will also want to dump his salary. Which leads me to this question, Why is Cat still here? Isn't it time for him to go? Aren't we paying him too much money for someone who hits .267 with low power and low RBI's. Hey where is Wilkerson? You would think someone that was traded for Soriano, must be wanted by some other team. All we were told when we got him is that alot of other teams wanted him. Well there he is on the open market, and not a peep out of anyone. Lied to again, it appears. Sure wish we could have kept De Rosa. Oh well. What is the past, is well, often brought up by me. Ha Ha. So here goes. It is about the pitching. Counting on Padilla and Millwood is fools gold. 20 bucks says that they don't win 25 between them. If the staff aces can't win 13 games then how are Gabbard and McCarthy? Here is betting that if Gabbard stays healthy all year he leads the staff in wins. Looks like the cinco's have lost out on a rebuilding project, well maybe next time. This team is re-built. When they add another starting pitcher, we are set and have kept most of the young players in the minors which surprises me. As for Volquez, we probably don't know the whole story. I remember last year when he was called up then sent back down because he reportedly overslept. There is always more to things that meet the eye. Hate to be that way, but we are never told the entire truth about things. I have read several newspaper articles on some things that i have been invovled in. The newspaper people often get the story wrong. So don't always believe what you read in the paper as the honest to God truth. Now mine is, but most of you CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH. Rockon Re-habbers, where quitting is the answer!!!!!

dgod love reading your posts as confirms what I have always believed. And seeing as you are so smart I'll let you figure it out.

Explain to me why MY should go? You say we don't pay our players then when the rangers pay some one a large amount of money you say TRADE. Are you saying MY hasn't delivered on this team? Please apply for a job with the rangers as I'm sure you would be their ticket to the world series. They only would have to read your posts then they would see the error of their ways. They are waiting for your call!

Man, go out of town for the holidays and FOOM!

Trading Volquez at this point is going to be one of those things that JD may have to discuss in a future job interview. Especially when it was for a position player with baggage. I'm sure some scouts would say that Volquez had his share as well but I'll bet he does well in the NL and the early returns will make this trade not look so hot. Hamilton is going to have a ton of mostly self-inflicted pressure heaped on him when Volquez gets off to a hot start and Hamilton feels the need to try and carry the team and prove his worth... Can anyone say BW here? That would not be a good scenario for a young man with a substance abuse history. RW needs to join him at the hip with CJ. Maybe not forever but in camp at least because I'll bet they can find some ground that could yield a pretty good support net.

We don't know what Hamilton's potential is but we had a glimpse of Volquez'. Hopefully, Josh can lower JD's anxiety factor relatively quickly.

I can't resist adding a couple of cent's worth to the social debate led by Courtney and DWI:

Guys, you seem to be on the same side. One has seen the impact to society while the other seems to deal/empathize with the individual impact of the substance abuse issue.

IMO ---

This is a social issue and is not for the enforcers or empathizers alone to resolve.

American Society has to replace the "It's not your fault" followed by a flurry of litigation mentality with the notion of personal and collective accountabilty.

Europe has relatively generous laws surrounding the serving of alcohol and to whom. Yet, they seem to have far fewer alcohol related traffic and other incidents than the US (Football matches excepted). Why? Personal accountability and liablity are part of the fabric of European society. If you wreck your car and get hurt because you were stupid, well **** it up, pay the bills, and do a better job of driving next time because no European court is going to award you a single Euro.

In this case, especially since this is a "what have you done for me lately?" sport, and Josh's recent history suggests he gets it (accountability). Let's cut him some slack and hold off on the judjments, prejuduces, assignments of motiviation, and any other coddling/downtrodding until he proves otherwise.

Remember, we're ALL on the same side...

Josh, just play your *** off.

fbatts,

You're right to point out the inconsistency between D's youth movement and his Too-cheap-to keep-stars-Tom tirades. Although I think his point is to pay those who will still be young enough and good enough by the time we're contending (eg Tex- whom we could never have kept, and were SMART to trade so well, D). He wants to trade the vets.

(No, D, I don't think JD has messed up the rebuilding plan, as long as he keeps Botts as Cat's platoon partner, instead of keeping the loser of the Broussard/Shelton 1B battle; and as long as he keeps Cruz, and is willing to have Murphy in the Minors until making room for him on the roster by trading Cat... after Cat has resurrected his value)

On the other hand, I,who really like MY, but, as briant77 says, really want to PLAN (on 2011-2016) and begin working toward it NOW, already made a case above (about 2/3 down the page) for trading MY. Please comment on that, fbatts.

If we'd **** up some of MY's salary or take Lugo, and give Boston an equally promising, less developed pitching prospect, I could see our getting Jon Lester once the Santana trade winds pass.

Hey batty, if they would hire me, i would have started to re-build. I would have traded Young, Millwood, Padilla and Catalanotto. I would have kept all of the younger guys and implemented a 5 year plan to not only put us in a World Series but win in. I like to refer to it as the Tigerplan. I would throw my young pitchers out there and told them to learn how to pitch much like the Tigers pitchers. I also wouldn't trade my top pitching prospects. So Hurley is now the #1 guy. My personal feelings is you can never have enough pitching. If i were large and in charge, Soriano would still be here, Young and Gonzalez also would be here along with Pudge. I wouldn't last because Hicks would fire me because, #1 i would stand up to him and say if you don't want to pay, then find another sport or get out. I would tell him it is about the acquistion of talent and once you acquire it you can't let it walk. I would tell him that it is COUNTERPRODUCTIVE to continue to try to place tape and band aids every year. Once we got close i would then invest in free-agents to put us over the top. Now the Mike Young thing, i like the guy as a player. But in 5 to 10 years when we are competing will he still be the SS? No. But hey, with this lineup, keep him we are gonna win the west now with these starters, ha ha. Don't bet on that one. As for the personal confirmations, no one cares what you think about the police. I want my law enforcement officers to be the thin blue line opinionated and have the ability to stand up for what they believe in. It is called integrity. It doesn't fade just because some knuckleheads disagree with your point of view. Most people who are right have to face adversity. Heck even Columbus was ostracized for believing that the world was round, when most believed it was flat. It is round isn't it. When i star getting 100 % support for what i think then i will get worried. Also if i were GM, i wouldn't give a box of rocks for a guy that had been in rehab 8 times for an admitted drug dependency. I am not saying he can't beat his problem, but why should i want to have to baby sit a guy who always has the risk of going off the deep end. Besides pitching is the cure for what ails this team and to deal any pitcher well is just CRAZEE in my book.