Ten Random PItching Debuts

That isn't what I want to talk about today. I'd like to tell the Rangers and Milton Bradley a thing or two.

Milton, I saw you starting to crash over the last couple of games. I'm not a p'shrink guy but you need to get some help. When you started hitting this club totally became a different club ...we need you guy. Lefevere is an idiot. why would you let a guy like that get to you? Please for yourself and the team get someone to talk to.

And to the Rangers...you got help and a support system for Josh Hamilton....Milton Bradley and even Sidney Ponson needed help and you knew it. Go out and sub contract from the Cowboys and get their "special team" working with these guys TODAY. You knew Milton had an anger problem and you knew Sidney was an alcoholic...it's not fair to them and the teato not get them help. Last but not least quit being so two faced and bring Ponson back. These are mental illnesses these guys face. Give them a break

The Ponson bridge is burned, but you bring up a good point with regard to support structure, Fred.

Yes, these guys are grown ups, and yes, personal responsibility should still apply. Not ignoring these facts at all. I also cannot agree that these afflictions are illnesses - they are actually the direct result of poor choices. But that's not where I'm going here. My point is that baseball is a business, and it would seem consistent that the team should be willing to do for Ponson and Bradley what it is doing for Hamilton. The Cowboys have a group that supports their players (half the roster, it seems), Hamilton has a shadow, why not the other guys to help keep them out of trouble to improve their chances of being successful? Put it in the contracts of these reclamation projects - they will have a shadow work with them. An $80k salary for a shadow is pocket change compared to the $5M that Bradley makes in 2008.

No, I don't want the Rangers to get into the childcare business - I just think Fred brings up a good point on how we treat players differently, and that many problems can likely be headed off before they occur.

Thought provoking posts-thank you to you both. My comment is that once the wild dogs of the media and the "fans" at other ballparks smell blood, then Milton will be hounded unmercifully. He will need all the help the Rangers organisation can give him.

Heck, the three of us have probably got TR rereading his copy and thinking "I'm sure I wrote about pitching debuts..."
Watching David Clyde's debut was for me an unforgettable highlight of an all too short 2 1/2 years in Dallas. It's unlikely that I'll ever get the oppertunity to see another live game, but I can dream... I wouldn't mind if they lost by 15 runs, comitted a dozen errors, and I found myself sitting next to D'god.... No, strike the last bit, I wouldn't want my dream to turn into a nightmare.

lol...You're right Anthony...poor TR he didn't know we wanted to talk about Milton Bradley. The Ranger's have put their spin on Bradley's actions but they've been warned. Milton can get very angry. I wouldn't give a bucket of spit for a player who didn't play with emotion (my apologies to another Texan John Nance Garner who happened to be talking about being vice President) but Milton is too combustible.. Nothing wrong with that if it's controlled. The Rangers should seek some help for him and I'll bet with a small investment like that you can then keep some of these players who do have high emotions. My father (bless his soul) always though Padilla was his own worst enemy...He thought he'd lose his concentration and get angry after a big hit or an error. Of course he thought the same of Benoit but he might have been right. The point of is too that if Hamilton and Bradley and in the past Ponson had been helped not only would they have been more productive maybe they would have been grateful ...no let's make that faithful to the organization and stay here a while. We have the best 1 thru 5 in the game. I'd like to see them stay together.

An attaboy to Hurley for a great debut today. Nice job kid.

You can talk about whatever you want in here

That was about what I expected from Hurley, but a little better in some regards. He's been homer prone in the minors, so the 2 bombs he gave up were no surprise, but allowing just 7 baserunners in 6 innings was solid and 0BB vs. 3K's is good too. The end result was that he went 6 (under 100 pitches) and gave the team a chance to win. He's going to face a much better offense when Atlanta comes to town next week. Here's hoping he's up to the challenge.

Since we are talking about what we want. I just saw that Moyer is 7-3 and i have been leaving him off of my list of former Ranger Pitchers having success. Hey Hurley didn't pitch bad at all, i am sure he was a little nervous. He will get over it and hopefully do well. He better call Volquez and find out what he is doing. Afterall Volquez is a middle of the road, back end type of guy for a rotation. If he keeps pitching the way he has, stays healthy he is going to win 20 plus games for the Reds who are a terrible team. I love Hamilton, he is no doubt a player. But i still believe that you win with pitching. So from now on out, lets try not to get rid of our young pitchers, emphasis on young. Millstone is killing us and i am predisposed of dealing him for a bag of magic beans, something Daniels is good at!

Does anyone on here really believe that the Rangers "organization" cares about alcoholics, drug addicts, ADHD, OCD or any other persons with these issues? I don't see them in the community helping "common" people. You don't see them in east Dallas or east Ft. Worth building inner city baseball fields trying to break the cycle of violence and drugs in these areas. So spare me. The bottom line is they want to protect their investments. They should have had a program for Ponson, they should have one for Bradley, they have one for Hamilton or he has one for himself, whichever. Both Bradley and Ponson have track records. I agree with an above statement, why does Bradley care what someone says. He is making a lot of money playing a game. What Bradley needs to realize and he obviously hasn't is, once you are labeled it sticks with you, no matter what you do. Brad is just paying the price for his past transgressions. He is lucky that Wash and Dan got to him before he confirmed with his actions what was said. So was the announcer right? If a person says what is true, then what right does the player have to confront him in a hostile manner. I like Bradley, but what needs to happen is for someone to whip his butt to normalize him. That is what would have happened 20 years ago, he would have gotten his butt handed to him and he would have calmed down. If my father had of been that camera man that Kenny Rogers pushed on, Rogers would have been picking his teeth out of the roof of his mouth. I call it the pussification of the American Male. That announcer is a nerd and was probably scared silly. But, if a person approaches you in an aggressive and hostile manner then you have a right to defend yourself. The bottom line is Bradley needs to check his attitude, grow up and realize he like all of us are our own worst enemies.

“Millstone is killing us” – 2-0 in 3 starts since coming off the DL.

“Does anyone on here really believe that the Rangers "organization" cares about alcoholics, drug addicts, ADHD, OCD or any other persons with these issues?” – Are they doing some sort of ad campaign that I don’t know about where they are claiming to be involved in these causes? This seems to be one of your major talking points lately and I can’t figure out how the Rangers stance on any of these issues is any different from that of any other ball club.

“They should have had a program for Ponson, they should have one for Bradley” – You can’t make someone accept help. They have to want it.

“I like Bradley, but what needs to happen is for someone to whip his butt to normalize him.” – More *** kickings for a guy who grew up getting his *** kicked. That’s sure to fix him. You’re a damn genius.

Hey if someone would slap him down, he may not be so inclined to charge up 4 flights of stairs to confront someone. Not saying what the guy did was right or wrong, but, if you are going to say something about someone and they attempt to confront you about those words, then you should be man enough to stand up and say hey i said it, i believe it. The bottom line is the announcer shouldn't be talking about the guy that way, it is just a freaking game. Someone should tell Lefebre to stop living off his Daddies reputation. Is there any more nepotistic sport than Baseball? Thank you Hefe, i am a genius. Ha ha. Better watch out, i may charge up 4 flights of stairs to discuss the matter with you. Ha Ha. Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words may never hurt me. Maybe the RAngers should hire some thugs to keep Brad in his place. I believe Brad was just expressing frustration over the fact that he can't over come his past. Well Brad, Jesus may forgive you of your sins, a team may give you a chance to play for them but realize this. NO ONE and i mean NO ONE forgets what you do, no matter how many good deeds you do believe it.

Oh and i forget, my point about the Rangers is they care about players that may help them. They care about getting those players on the cheap side. Would Hamilton been available on the cheap side if he didn't have a substance abuse issues? Ponson? Bradley with his Anger Management Issues? No we couldn't afford them and they wouldn't want to play here. So spare me with the "feel good story", face of the franchise crap that they are pushing. They don't care about those issues or they would be putting some money into those areas. If they cared about Bradley being beaten up as a child and can now see how that affects someone's life, then why aren't they putting money into East Dallas and East Ft. Worth. It is hypocritical to milk off these guys, claim to want to have patience with them and not address the root issues. Ponson should have been told no alcohol period, maybe he was. I don't know, but when someone does what they have done in the past, it shouldn't be a shock. It is predictable. Brad is having a good year and he does that? What is going to happen if he goes into a slump? I think they call it mercurial or something like that. I will bet a $100 bucks that if Lefebevre had'nt been scared their would have been an assault. IF Brad were so stoked, why didn't he just go up there between innings?

“my point about the Rangers is they care about players that may help them. They care about getting those players on the cheap side.” – Once again, how is that different from any other club in baseball? Guys with talent will always get extra chances, especially at low financial risk. That’s universal to professional sports, not just the Texas Rangers. Besides, since when did you become so interested in caring? Is this an example of the ****ification of Dgod?

“Would Hamilton been available on the cheap side if he didn't have a substance abuse issues?” – Since when is giving up your #1 pitching prospect cheap? I mean, you’re here at least twice every entry reminding everyone that Volquez is the greatest thing since sliced bread, but now what we gave up to get Hamilton was cheap? As much as you cry about it you’d think we got Nelson Cruz back in that deal instead of Josh Hamilton.

“So spare me with the "feel good story", face of the franchise crap that they are pushing.” – 1) Why wouldn’t they promote one of the greatest players in the game today? They’d be foolish not to. If he weren’t getting enough publicity we’d get to hear your malcontented whining about that. 2) 99% percent of that stuff on Hamilton is coming from the national media. Are the Rangers responsible for Hamilton making the SI cover? How about all the articles and stories all over ESPN and in newspapers and sport publications, not only in DFW, but across the country? I think you’re giving a little too much credit to the Rangers media machine. People are talking about his story because it is a great story. Your cynicism doesn’t make it any less so.

“They don't care about those issues or they would be putting some money into those areas.” – Again, when have they taken some radical stand on any of these issues that any other club hasn’t? I’m guessing you don’t have any examples as usual. You can repeat your foolhardy ramblings until you’re blue in the face and it won’t make them any more true.

“and not address the root issues” – Again, how do you force someone to accept help? Waiting for an answer on that one too.

“maybe he was. I don't know” – This is kind of a microcosm of everything you have to say.

Oh yeah? Oh yeah? Well at least i don't have to attack other peoples writings or beliefs. All i am saying about Hamilton is that it isn't a feel good story? Nor is it shocking. He chose to use drugs and about cost himself a chance to play in the big leagues. He stopped using drugs and has prospered. Wow, what a shocker! I have personally seen people destroy their lives with drugs. He quit using reportedly and now he is doing well. It is a day to day struggle. I agree with you that you can't make people get help, they have to have a life changing event. Something he evidently has had. Drugs kill and destroy. The fact that he isn't using and is doing well isn't newsworthy. Cocaine addiction is probably one of the easiest drugs to defeat. It is a short term drug, the high lasts about 90 minutes. Now in my experience the meth heads and the heroin addicts they are the ones that have a hard row to hoe and i haven't seen a lot of them beat that one. Check out your waiter the next restaurant you are in, not all but a large portion of them are meth addicts. They take drugs and destroy their lives wow what a shocker. Right you are you are about me being cynical and jaded. It is from what i have seen in the real world. A world that a lot of you fear to go.........As ORWELL said, "we all sleep safely in our beds, because rough MEN stand ready in the night to visit VIOLENCE on those who would do us harm." The POLICE hated by many, but they still call us when they need us. Question: If you hate the police so much why bother us with your problems? Those of us with 15 years in just don't care any more. Get your life together and leave us alone. Ha HA.

"Question: If you hate the police so much why bother us with your problems?" - Who are you talking to? Paranoid much?

It's not beliefs I'm attacking. It's intellectual inconsistency. You spend a dozen rants extolling the virtues of Edinson Volquez then turn around and say that we got Hamilton cheaply. All last year and off-season and into spring, Vincente Padilla is glossed “Paidwella” and should be gone immediately despite having negative trade value. Now, he’s the “bulldog” of the rotation and we need to hang on to him while his value is at its highest. You ranted dozens of times “once and addict always and addict,” but now it’s “Cocaine addiction is probably one of the easiest drugs to defeat.” You claim to know what kids from the farm system should be up here in the big leagues, and when they should be here, then include players like Anthony Webster and Emerson Frostad in that grouping despite their inabilities to dominate at the AA level, let alone AAA. First it was Andrus who should be at shortstop in the big leagues despite any tangible reason why he should be called up so soon, and now it’s Arias, who, because of arm surgery has played a grand total of 9 games at short over the past 2 years.

hefe, if someone were to clinically and accurately dismember my posts as you do with D'god, I would crawl into a corner and die. But D'god is made of sterner stuff. Or he has the hide of an elephant. Other alternatives are much sadder to contemplate.