Monday Morning Manager...Thomas Edison's Birthday

1. Only two suggestions:
-- Let the GM and his people on the baseball side continue to do their job as they have been, this franchise is headed in the right direction on the field and in the farm system.

-- Listen to whatever suggestions Chuck Morgan makes – he knows and understands the local fans better than any of the suits/marketing types than Mr. Hicks or his minions.

2. No. The Rangers already know about Kevin Mench. You have to wonder why it’s two days before spring training and Kevin Mench still doesn’t have a job. It's for the Rangers to find out for certain about Jason Botts, Nelson Cruz and David Murphy

3. No. The Angels are the team to beat – the Mariners have a nice pitching staff, however someone has to hit the ball and the M's offense is still big question in my opinion

4. There’s only one area that Ron Washington needs to stress not only in Spring Training – but all season long: better starting pitching.

5. The best thing about Spring Training –– it’s the season of hope – of anticipation – of possibility – at least until opening day.

"The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, not to worry about the future, or not to anticipate troubles, but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly." - The Buddha

http://emc.mlblogs.com

1. I agree with EMC, we're headed in the right direction. Stay the course.
2. No. He'll only end up blocking a younger player from developing for the Rangers. No.

3. I still think it's the Angels.

4. He needs to reiterate throwing strikes and working at a faster pace. The staff failed to grasp these concepts last season.

5. Spring Training signals the return of Toby.

1. Make people stop laughing at me when I run the bases after the game.

2. No, but I wouldn't be up in arms over it either. If he's willing to accept asignment to AAA then it's not that big of a deal.

3. No. They may have closed the gap somewhat by adding Bedard and Silva, but the Angels still have a great rotation top to bottom and a stronger offense.

4. The pitchers need to walk fewer hitters and the hitter need to walk more.

5. It signals the end of the baseball-less winter.

1. Since I believe JD and his baseball operations team are building a winner on the field the right way through the draft, international scouting, player development, and key free agents acquisitions when it’s time so that the team to be a winner year in and year out, my suggestions deal more with the off field items.

Coming from a full season ticket holder who’s attend every game except 6 the last two years:

a. Get the parking garages built immediately so that the loss of parking Lot B when Glory Park construction begins is minimized

b. Improve the food choices on the Club Level.

c. Fix the drainage on the club level so that we don't have standing water in Row 1 of when it rains. The smell of decomposing food in the drains isn’t pleasant either.

2. No. There's a reason he's still unsigned by the other 29 clubs and was released by the Brewers.

3. No, but it all comes down to health. The Angels are a older team more at risk for injuries. The Ms should be able to prevent a cake walk by the Angels. The Ms paid a dear price in prospects (Jones and other prospects) to try to contend this year. I believe the Ms must resign Beddard beyond 2009 for the trade to make sense beyond 2009.

4. Pitching, defense, and team baseball (including situational hitting).

5. Blue skies and warm sun for a week in Surprise watching the games and workouts of the team we love. Players are much more relaxed and accessible at spring training for autographs, pictures and a quick chat.

1. I agree with EMC on both points. Let JD and his folks take care of the dealings, and listen to Chuck Morgan. I haven't been to the Ballpark in nearly two years, but I still think it's one of the most fan-friendly venues. And home to the best fireworks shows I've seen at any ballpark.

2. No. As much as I like Mench, there's a reason the Brewers released him and he's still jobless. We have some younger outfielders who deserve the playing time over him.

3. I still think the Angels are the team to beat. They have the arms and the bats.

4. Keep working on situational hitting and some small ball. Defense, too, so we can cut down on some of the errors we saw last year.

5. Optimism. Every team still has a clean slate and the season is anyone's to take. I'm looking forward to it.

http://diamondgirl.mlblogs.com

1. Show some imagination in the food choices on the concourse.

2. No. He wasn't any good when he was here before.

3. The Angels are the better team with the better lineup and better starting pitching.

4. The Rangers need to play better defense.

5. Baseball every day in the Star-Telegram and on the website.

1. Move the Jumbotron so that everyone can see it.
2. Mench .... If he agrees to go to AAA, why not?

3. Angels, they are deeper than the Mariners.

4. Washington .... Stop his special love for spares and give the young guys a fair shot.

5. The best thing about spring training .... I could use some baseball.

1. Staying the course is indeed important. I'd suggest using some of the $21M from the Arod opt-out to pay Catalanotto's 2008 salary and buyout, then trade him to free up the roster spot. Include cash in other trades this spring to increase the return we get on players like Broussard, Bradley, EddieG, and Laird. Continue stockpiling young talent, but take a more aggressive approach in the rebuilding. Sell the change in approach to fans - come see the young guns before we hit it big - market it. But most important, eliminate any temptation to try to win in 2008 (or 2009, for that matter).

2. Send him to AAA - we don't have anything in the OF there right now but organization filler. Mench would be an insurance policy against injuries - the likelihood of Hamilton and Bradley (if he's still here) finishing the season healthy is not that great. He wouldn't block anyone this year.

In fact, I support the move because of the need to develop a winning environment at all levels of the organization. The record of our minor league affiliates has mirrored the sorry records of the big league club. Our players are used to losing when they come up. This needs to stop. We need to start winning at Frisco and OKC. We need to have guys coming up who are used to winning and have learned how to win. Mench helps to accomplish this, so bring him in.

3. Nope.

4. We should be emphasizing consistency of approach. We also need to see a positive, winning environment that helps us to acclimate youth into the lineup. Wash needs to sit the '1-year contract' veterans frequently and let the young guys play - play them only enough to trade them. If he can't do this, we need to let Matt Walbeck do it.

5. The Rangers are still tied for first in the division.

1. I believe that as team President that Nolan will want to get the pulse of the Rangers Fan and do what it takes for this team to start drawing more fans and have a good time. I am a baseball fan first so it won't be as hard to get me to the park. But for the average fan that doesn't care about the baseball part and wants to have fun at the game. Winning games early will help bring out more fans. Have even more special nights might help as well. But I think that as long as the Rangers are competitive for most of the season that attendance will be up and that will make me happy to see that park come to life.
2. Yes, they should try to sign Mench to a minor league deal. I think Mench can make the team as a good right handed option off of the Bench. He can play all over the outfield and can also DH. Don't forget that he is still a fan favorite too.

3. No, The Angels are still better than the Mariners. But they will have a good team. but I don't think they have good enough offense players. There pitching is better but an injury to either Felix Hernandez or Erik Bedard and they will struggle with there other pitchers. There isn't anything special about Carlos Sliva, Jarrod Washburn and there fifth guy. If the Rangers pitchers are healthy and our offense comes around like every hopes the Rangers will be right up there with the Mariners if they are healthy.

4. I like Wash's attitude I think as the year went on the team responded to him better. They need to be working on getting better on defense for sure. Cutting the errors down will help the pitching. And the new guys that we got in trades last year and in the off-season will start to take off after having all of spring training with Rudy for the first time. I hope the Rangers just have a solid year that they can try to stay in contention the whole year.

5. That baseball is back and that soon there will be real games to be played. Baseball season is great I can wait.

1. Want to improve my experience at the ballpark, get a new owner. Hicks has lost his mind and just refuses to give someone else control even as it goes down the tubes. He reminds me of former President Nixon. Resign Tom, it is the honorable thing.
2. Mench is better than Cruz. Besides it is a way for us to at least have i player left from all of Daniels idiotic deals. Mench can hit lefthanded pitching and we doth not have a right handed bat. 20 bucks says he makes the team and does well. The guy can play. He hit 25 homers twice here, hear. Do we really have that many outfielders on the Major league roster that can claim that? Answer no. Besides he sells jerseys and is popular. Thats what it is about here, hear?

3. No. The Anaheim Angels have too much of everything. Besides Wilkerson is on that team and he doth not make contact.

4. Washington should tell his players hey i won't be here long. He should help them with separation anxiety as he leaves. Ha Ha. No pitching a defense what he was supposedly brought here for remember defense? Didn't really see too much of that last year did we. Bye bye Washington, go rebuild New Orleans you will soon have the time to do it.

5. Spring Training is boring and is too long. 2 weeks would be long enough. Get on with the games that count! I really like the way Wash prepared his team out of spring training last year. He spent a lot of time determining who the 25th guy is Matt Kata i do believe who was gone by the all star break.

1. About the Ballpark, I really couldn't say, since I've actually never been to a game in Arlington. But as for advice for Nolan... let JD do his job, run the business side of things, and get yourself a share of the Rangers ownership. If he can do all those things this year, it will be the start of something grand.

2. No, I don't think so. I loved Mench in his heyday, from 2004-06, but he's done as a full-time player. I'd rather see Cruz out there, at least there's an off-chance he might improve his game. Mench has seen his day, and should probably retire if he can't get anything better than a minor league deal this year. If you want Mench at the Ballpark, put him in the concession stand - he can sign his t-shirts as people buy them.

3. Nope. No way. Even if the Angels lose Kelvim Escobar for a significant amount of time this year, I still don't think the Mariners can beat them, their offense is horrid. In 2 years, when Ichiro's approaching his late 30's, and Sexson and Beltre are long gone, the Mariners are going to regret trading all those young players for Bedard.

4. Ron needs to play his young players more, and dump this attitude he had last year that "experience" is better than youth. We're rebuilding this year - Ron better get on board, and stop running spares like Gerald Laird and Frank Catalanotto out there in place of younger, more promising guys. Oh, yeah, and he also needs to wake up and realize Ben Broussard cannot hit left-handed pitching.

5. The best thing about spring training? Well, a couple of things: #1, baseball is back!!! #2, the weather's getting warmer. Oh, and did I mention it means BASEBALL IS BACK!!!

1. Lower ticket prices or start spending money to sign free agents (granted the crop was pretty thin this year).

2. Mench? Sure if he can learn to play 1B over the next 6 weeks. He'd make a better platoon partner than Frank Catalanotto. And we need some insurance at AAA.

3. With Escobar hurt, they could give the Angels a run for their money.

4. Everybody take the first pitch. That is the beginning of a more patient approach, and it automatically adds 27 pitches to the opponent's pitch count every game. Then focus on defense... I'm expecting big strides this year, especially from the infield.

5. I love the Hot Stove League, but it's time to see what we've got... spring training is the beginning of that process.

1) I always enjoy my time at the Ballpark, so the only suggestion I have for Mr. Ryan is to fire JD and Wash and hire dwidregod as GM and manager. He obviously knows way more than they do.
2) I don't have a problem with it. What's wrong with having a player with MLB experience, at a descent age, playing for your AAA team and able to fill in if injuries happen.

3) The Angels are still the team to beat.

4) I would like him to encourage more patience at the plate and smarter decisions in the field. Too many errors and strikeouts hurt as much as bad pitching did last year.

5) The beginning of spring training just means we are one day closer to Opening Day.

1. Living 350 miles away, I can get there only a couple of times per year, but it is a great experience. Don't do anything to mess it up. Do find a way to sell wheelchair tickets on the Internet.

2. Great guy, it seems, but probably not a great idea to sign him. Let a young guy get some experience. And, we will need a place in OKC for Botts or Cruz when they hit .225, and Murphy becomes the "keeper."

3. Probably. Ichiro may hit .500 if they keep adding other guys that opponents have to pitch to; and if Bedard pitches like he did against the Rangers last year, he might win 20 games with the Mariner's ability to score runs.

4. So that I don't go to bed every night with acid indigestion, strongly suggest to those that aspire to a long Ranger career start trying to hit up the middle or to right with 2 strikes. Ranger opponents have salivated for years as the Rangers always (Young is the exception) try to pull the slider with 2 strikes.

5. I can start counting the days until there is something on TV I can actually watch instead of the **** that is there from Oct. thru March.

1) Remove all corporate signage. Have "dollar" nights: soft drinks/hot dogs/ice cream, etc. Have dollar parking nights. Push for the TRE and/or Tarantula Railroad in Fort Worth to push eastward to the Ballpark. For one, I'd board it most every night--what a great experience to ride a train to the games! Push Hicks for no commercials on the Jumbo-tron. Replace the loud recorded music with a top-notch organist, and let him play "Three Blind Mice", and other appropriate tunes, as appropriate. I for one miss the old organ to excite and pump up the crowd. I like Chuck Morgan and all he does, but I'd prefer a top organist to rally the crowd. I'd also send some Ranger brass out to the top minor league ballparks to find fun, creative ways to entertain the crowd, rather than loud rock music, and I'd not permit the individual player to play his "favorite" tunes when he comes into pitch or bat. Let a creative organist do it. I'm a throwback, I know. Fun at the ballpark would be my goal...not corporate-types who sit in suites and sip chardonnay. Lastly, RESTORE OUR BELOVED RANGER RED! All of these would provide fun at the ol' ballyard. Okay Nolan, go to work on these items.

2) I liked Kevin Mench for his time here. Very streaky. Good team guy. Been there, done that. Are we playing youth, or are we not playing youth? I'd prefer Nelson Cruz in right--period. Sink or swim for him this year. Give Jason Botts, the Triple-AAA wonder, his walking papers. He can't field, throw, run, or play a position. I doubt he can hit Major League pitching either. Answer: Keep Cruz. Ditch Botts and Mench.

3) Teams on paper who look great, seldom win, at least in my following baseball. I don't think they are any better than the Angels. If the Mariners win, it wouldn't be a surprise, but I still think the Angels win it. Reason: They stole our Ranger Red! (tongue-in-cheek, of course).

4) If I were Ron Washington, I'd make everyone learn to bunt, throw to the proper base, and pitch with a quick pace. All three things will help the defense, and take the "individual out" and instill team. What a concept. In fact, during a game, I'd instill a sort of "kangaroo court" type of sanction, to where in a key situation during the game, if an outfielder threw to the obviously wrong base (and let a runner take an extra base), then they'd be taken out of the game at the end of the inning. Some sort of punishment needs to be enforced, because we are woefully short on the fundamental aspect of the game. How many times can you watch the grass grow when Padilla is pitching? What must the fielders be thinking? Please Wash, enforce the darned discipline! DON'T BE FRIENDS WITH ALL THE PLAYERS WANTING TO BE LOVED! Give me Billy Martin, Billy Hunter or **** Williams ANYDAY to a "players' coach."

5) Since I've never been to a Spring Training, I can't speak to sitting in the stands at Pompano Beach, Surprise or Port Charlotte. It means for me that the wildflowers will be soon blooming, hope will spring anew, and bad teams will have hope that they might actually win. What a notion. Plus it means that a REAL sport, not one where you can't use your hands, not one played on ice, not one where you get to look at Jerry Jones' new face every year, but BASEBALL, shall start very, very soon. That, is sweet music to all of our ears, and eyes.

1. Make the freaking ticket admission people keep working during the National Anthem. That is such a beating.
2. SPARE

3. Only if the Angels get re-aligned

4. More David Murphy

5. One month closer to less basketball on TV

1. Upgrade the concessions (the man knows a thing or two about beef). Sign FA pitchers Freddy Garcia and Kyle Lohse, send Kason and Brandon to OKC, at the ASB trade two starters (any two) for another bag of prospects.

2. Definitely sign Mench. If he makes the team he is not stealing a roster spot from anybody who has not already choked under big league pressure.

3. The Ms did not exactly ***** last year and now they are better. Best case scenario, Angels and Ms beat each other up.

4. Throw strikes.

5. Freshly drawn chalk lines

White arcs in a bright blue sky

Grass groomed by spiked shoes

Leather and wood

A ritual returns

Hey Fozzie, i know you are speaking with tongue in cheek. However, could i do any worse? The answer is no. You can bet that i would never have traded Soriano for peanuts, nor would i have given Gonzalez and Young away. Steer some of your cynicism towards Hicks and Daniels, both idiots in my book. At least i would think about the LONG TERM effects of trading someone. I also would keep my young pitchers. And as a person who sees and has seen the effects of drug abuse. You can bet that i wouldn't have traded for an 8 time loser. He may be a good guy, but the chance to relapse will always be there. At this point, i am willing to volunteer for the GM position. At least i would have a strategy and commit to it. Go Flipper, aka Blalock.

Since "dwidregod" brought up Gonzalez again, why did the Padres sign Tony Clark?

There were 18 ML outfielders that hit 25 or more HR in 2007 and 18 more that hit 20 or more. Of the 36 - 16 were from the AL.

In my book there are a lot of idiots out there. Always the same old song from dwad. Always looking back but never forward. If it was up to him there would never be anything but 25 pitchers on the team. Keep them all. Please let the season start.

dwidregod...I would be the first to say that I haven't agreed with every single move JD has made. I was reading about Hillman on KC's website and wishing greatly that he was starting his second year here. But he's not. And it still isn't 2004 and we can't do anything about Gonzalez and Young. (I also know that Young's stats would look totally different in the AL and the Ballpark than they do with the Pads) I just absolutely don't understand why you think it is productive to gripe about things 3-4 years old when we are about to start a new season. All I want is to read intelligible, baseball talk...wait to gripe til the season starts.

1. Ban Tom Hicks from the Ballpark. He is a physical drain everytime I see him in the owner's seat. Put a competitive team on the field and remember that the park was built for left handed starters and left handed power hitters as well as good gap hitters. Will someone please hit a triple into the right center gap?! Give the team a "Rangers" identity again.
2. You have nothing to lose with giving Mench a shot to come home. At one time, he had a large upside to go with that Shrek head. Maybe he saved something and can only display it as a Ranger.

3. Until the season starts, everyone is the team to beat in the West. You never know what will happen until the season starts.

4. Fundamentals and fundamentals.

5. The best thing about spring training is baseball back on the radio with no T.V.

If we don't see anything else with the addition of Nolan Ryan, I hope we see a consistent commitment from all levels of the organization.