Welcome to Friday Happy Hour at the Elysian Fields Bar & Grill
* Welcome to the Elysian Fields Bar & Grill, where 162 is always our favorite number.
* Rangers Spring MVP: Josh Hamilton. He owned Spring Training.
* Top Pitcher: Jason Jennings. His velocity inched up with each start and his slider was surprisingly wicked. He finished with a 2.12 ERA.
* Jennings on his slider: "It's a pitch I can throw early in the count and start the big hitters off with a strike. It's a huge pitch foe me."
* Top Rookie: Eric Hurley. He is the real deal.
* Harold McKinney Good Guy: Pitching coach Mark Connor. Here is all you need to know about the Rangers pitching coach: Ryan Turner, a 46th round pick last year out of Georgia Tech, pitched the ninth inning of Thursday's win over the Royals, giving up two runs. He may never make it to the Majors but after it was over, Connor took him off to the side and chatted with him for a several minutes about his outing. That's a professional at work.
* Jon Daniels on Spring Training: "The best thing for me was he way we as a team in the second half (last year), that's carried over, that camaraderie and all for one mentality has carried over. You see guys pulling for each other and playing the game the right way."
* The Rangers led all Major League teams this spring with a .306 average, a .484 slugging percentage and were second behind the Diamondbacks in runs scored. Interestingly, they had just six stolen bases in 29 games. That's the second fewest. The Athletics stole five in 23 games.
* The Rangers were 14th in the Majors with a 4.66 ERA. That also the third lowest in Arizona, where the conditions vastly favor the hitters more than in Florida.
* Ron Washington on Spring Training: "We got out of here healthy. There's a big difference from Spring Training this year and last year. This year we just got better as each day came down."
* Biggest surprise of Spring: You would have to say reliever Franklyn German but early in camp club officials were whispering that he would be a sleeper.
* Most encouraging sign of Spring: Hank Blalock's big finish.
* Very quiet: Kazuo Fukumori.
* C.J. Wilson's desire to be a closer has been fulfilled but it keeps him from fulfilling a dream of getting to bat as a starting pitcher against a National League team. Said Wilson, "It's my fault. That's what I get. I've always wanted one at-bat. Everybody's got a childhood dream they want to live up to. I always felt I'd get the game-winning hit in the World Series. That was my goal as a kid."
* Just for the heck of it: Luis Alicea
* Ivan Rodriguez and Josh Hamilton went into Thursday's game tied for the American League Spring Training lead with 45 total bases. Rodriguez pulled ahead with two doubles.
* Frank Catalanotto: "There's no way we can get off to the start we did last year. Our April was terrible and we had tons of injuries. That can't happen again. Take that away, look at how we finished last year and all the players we added and it can only get better. It can't get any worse."
* Jerry Narron has managed Hamilton and he has managed in Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. So he was asked if Hamilton can hit the ball on the roof of the Right Field Porch. Said Narron, "He definitely has the power. But you've got to hit it on a line the way the wind blows. Hit it high and the wind is going to knock it down."
* Blalock had a red shirt made for Kevin Millwood that poked fun of his North Carolina country background. Left it at Millwood's locker. Millwood looked at it, put it on and proudly wore it around the clubhouse.
* The Rangers are showing 86 games in High Definition this year: 65 on Fox Sports Southwest, 20 on Channel 27 and one Fox 4. Looks like 72 of 81 home games will be in HD and 14 on the road, including Monday against the Mariners.
* On March 27, 1973, the Twins traded pitcher Jim Perry to the Detroit Tigers. So? Perry approved the trade. It was the first trade ever made where a player could approve it based on the 10-and-5 rule. The Players Association had just negotiated into the Basic Agreement a clause that said players with ten years of experience and five with their current team could veto a deal. The clause is still in effect today.
Cat better bite his tongue. Last April was awful but Things COULD have been worse. Let's hope he didn't just jinx them.
I'm anxious to see Hank have a good year. Maybe that'll bring the Homies back out to the ballpark on a regular basis.
Bring on March 31...
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I find it very encouraging that Hank has been hitting to the opposite field again this spring. It looked like he was on his way to a big year before that freak rib thing took him out. I'm expecting a return to form for The Hammer.
Any idea when they'll announce who's getting the last bullpen spot, TR?
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Today's game is going to be an all-releiver procession against the White Sox - I'd bet both Tejeda and Littleton will pitch, and the Rangers will make the decision on the final bullpen spot tonight or tomorrow.
My money's on Tejeda, because of his options, or lackthereof - he's still got a live arm, and one thing to remember about him this spring is he has 11 K's in 12 innings pitched - that's tied for the team lead with Jason Jennings.
But if he gets knocked around badly tonight, you never know - it could tip the scale in Littleton's favor, even if the Rangers have to say goodbye to Tejeda.
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I think from what Daniels said the other day the decision has been made...here's what I wonder...will we be able to get anything more than the waiver price for Tejeda and Cruz. Tough to swallow but I'll bet we end up with the 100K. I think Tejeda might be hot in a wile but I'm ready to give up on Cruz. Surpringly I'm otherwise satisfied with the team except for the #1 and #2 starter.
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I'm thinking Tejeda for exactly the reasons you mentioned, Jon, but they have to clear a spot on the 40 for Melheuse. They're more than likely going to trade/waive Nelson Cruz opening up a spot for either Jamey Wright or Franlyn German. The other spot will be cleared by putting Rheinecker on the 60 day DL. That leaves the 40 full and Melheuse without a spot. If my math is wrong I'm open to correction. I think it's Tejeda too, I just don't know how the roster situation is going to shake out unless they try to sneak a guy like Meltcalf through waivers.
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Well, they could put Thomas Diamond on the 60-day DL, I suppose...
But putting Melhuse on might get complicated. Yet another reason why it was stupid to start Salty in AAA this year.
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That's why I said Tejeda and Cruz. The way I read it we have to have 2 spots on the 25 man and 2 spots on the 40. Rheineker, Metcalf, Mendoza don't count against the 25 once put on the DL but that still leaves us with 25, I think, and we need German and Melhuse to be added.
Hefe I got your feelings on Saltalamachia but as I said the other day he really doesn't fit in our lans on the major league team other than to sit on the bench, learn to catch and bat occassionally. At .266 he really doesn't blow my skirt up at DH. He'll be better off at AAA and if next year he doesn't fit in I'll bet he get's traded.
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Here's a tidbit: the Rangers just traded for Dustin Nippert of the Diamondbacks.
Nippert was about to go on waivers after a horrid spring, but he's a hard thrower with good stuff, and the Rangers like him. He will likely get the last spot in the bullpen - although he has started in the past, so he could even wind up the 5th starter, I suppose.
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/2008-03-28-2823651040_x.htm
Here's Nippert's career stats:
http://www.baseball-reference.com/n/nippedu01.shtml
And a scouting report on him, from Lone Star Ball's "Zywica":
http://www.lonestarball.com/2008/3/29/363557/a-little-on-nippert
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Jon...did you check his line for tis spring? This guy is headed to the minor league camp. Sounds like not a bad trade though.
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Nippert is out of options - as far as I know, he can't be optioned back to the minors, unless this trade somehow refreshes his options. We have to put him on the 25, or there's no sense in accquring him. He has had a horrid spring though - I did note that above.
This likely means Robinson Tejeda gets the hatchet.
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"You can't take too much inot spring #'s, there are times when people have great springs and horrible seasons, and horrible springs and great seasons." Ron Washington. Is it any wonder that we were 20 games out by May 1'st? So temper Mr. Hamilton, sounds like his manager is and has. Last year Kata was the player. Here is hoping Ronald got this team ready out of spring training. If he didn't, he will be out of a job by the all-star break.
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