The Rangers have narrowed their list of candidates to replace Rudy Jaramillo as hitting coach. They are: former Ranger OF Rusty Greer, former Rockies manager Clint Hurdle, former A's hitting coach Thad Bosley and Gerald Perry who has served at the Cubs hitting coach for the last two seasons. The Rangers will interview all four candidates on Monday.
More on the website later.
Pitcher Jason Grilli has cleared outright waivers and refused assignment to the Minor Leagues. Grilli instead told the Rangers he is taking his free agency.
Grilli was 2-2 with a 4.78 ERA in 30 games with the Rangers after being acquired from the Rockies in June. He had a 2.00 ERA in June and July but it ballooned to 13.50 in August and 9.64 in September after he missed three weeks with inflammation in his elbow.
The Rangers also took catcher Kevin Richardson off the 40-man roster but are trying to resign him to a Minor League contract. He was 3-for-6 in limited time with the Rangers in August and September.
The Rangers now have 38 players in their 40-man roster
The Rangers have employed pitcher Derek Holland in their efforts to recruit Japanese pitcher Yusei Kikuchi.
Kikuchi is an 18-year-old left-handed pitcher is apparently trying to avoid the Japanese Draft and come to the United States to pitch. Word is he is the equivalent of a late-first round pick here in the United States.
Holland joined Jim Colborn, the Rangers Pacific Rim Scouting Director, and A.J. Preller, the club's head of amateur scouting, in Japan to talk with Kikuchi.
Here is what Jamey Newberg wrote on the subject on Monday:.
Kikuchi, who boasts a fastball that has been touches 96 miles per hour, faces a Wednesday deadline to declare for Japan's October 29 amateur draft, in which he's certain to be the top selection.
If drafted by a Japanese club, he can still sign with a major league franchise but, if he does so, he'd be banned from pitching in Japan for three years if he were ever to seek re-eligibility. (Non-issue.)
But if he signs to pitch in Japan, the only way he can pitch in the United States is to wait nine years for free agency or have his club choose to post him for MLB negotiating rights.
Kikuchi conducted meetings with each of the 12 Japanese clubs on Friday and Saturday, which might seem unusual for a consensus number one overall pick if not for the crazy Nippon Professional Baseball rule that a player may be drafted by more than one team. In the event that Kikuchi submits to the NPB draft and multiple clubs select him - Patrick Newman of NPB Tracker speculates that as many as 10 clubs could use their first-round pick on the lefthander - there will be a drawing to determine which of those clubs has the right to negotiate with him.
It's worth noting that Japanese clubs are restricted to a maximum signing bonus of $1 million, plus salary and incentives that could bring a total package to about $1.65 million, an amount that is expected to be dwarfed by the offers coming from the interested major league clubs. The noted former big league scout Ray Poitevint compares Kikuchi's stuff to Clayton Kershaw's and suggested he'd be a top-five pick if eligible for the MLB draft.
The $5.1 deal (including a $1.3 million bonus) that Boston gave 22-year-old righthander Junichi Tazawa in November - which was short of the $7 million offer the Rangers reportedly made - could be a baseline for what Kikuchi seeks.
By the way...covering the National League Championship Series and then taking some time off. The blog will pick back up in November. We were the seventh most read blog on MLB.Com this season. Thank you very much.
Rangers hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo has turned down the Rangers contract offer, and will likely pursue a position with another team.
More on the website later.
The Rangers have let go three long-time employees: veteran scouts Mel Didier and Jay Robertson and equipment manager Zack Minasian.
Minasian has been with the Rangers for 21 years as the visiting clubhouse manager and the Rangers equipment manager. He moved from the visiting clubhouse to equipment manager in 1995.
Didier has been in baseball for over 60 years including the last six with the Rangers. He helped build World Championship teams with the Dodgers and the Diamondbacks.
Robertson has been with the Rangers in 2001 and came over with general manager John Hart from the Indians.
Sorry, don't do schoolboy grades. Mine were bad enough. Feel free to add your own
Starters
Kevin Millwood - Manager has already said he is the Opening Day pitcher in 2010
Scott Feldman - What an amazing season.
Derek Holland - This kid is going to be fine. Can't wait for his next start.
Tommy Hunter - Tommy, meet Nolan Ryan, the resident conditioning fanatic.
Brandon McCarthy - The Big Tease. He has talent but at what point do the Rangers say uncle?
Matt Harrison - He was pretty good before he got hurt
Neftali Feliz - The Rangers will try him in the rotation. Bet he makes it
Dustin Nippert - His numbers will work every year
Guillermo Moscoso - Should be Opening Day pitcher at Oklahoma City
Relievers
Frank Francisco - Needs warning label: handle with care.
C.J. Wilson - Most Valuable Reliever
Darren O'Day - Transaction of the Year
Jason Grilli - Wasn't the same after he got hurt
Doug Mathis - Can he fill middle relief role?
Eddie Guardado - No finer person in baseball
Pedro Strop - Needs more time. Just not ready
Willie Eyre - Taking long road back from injuries
Catchers
Jarrod Saltalamacchia - Should still be No. 1 on depth chart
Ivan Rodriguez - Would you give him $4 million for two years?
Taylor Teagarden - Should have been in Triple A
Kevin Richardson - He is from Seattle area. He should have started one game this weekend.
Infielders
Chris Davis - Only one other player is a bigger key for Rangers in 2010.
Ian Kinsler - Absolutely nothing wrong with 101 runs and 86 RBI.
Elvis Andrus - He lived up to it all
Michael Young - Turns out he can still hit...and play third.
Omar Vizquel - He has one definite vote for the Hall of Fame.
Esteban German - A nice fifth player if the Rangers had the room
Hank Blalock - Hank's Homies bid you adieu. It was fun while it lasted.
Outfielders
Josh Hamilton - Obviously the biggest key for the Rangers in 2010
David Murphy - Forget Rusty Greer all right? Anybody think he can be Paul O'Neill?
Julio Borbon - Definitely the kind of player the Rangers desperately need
Nelson Cruz - He is a good player. Can he be a great one or is this enough?
Marlon Byrd - Loved watching him tell the rookies to turn off the football game on Sunday and turn on baseball.
Andruw Jones - Next.
Craig Gentry - Off to Triple A to bide his time.
Twilight of the Defensive Gods
They are three of the best defensive players in the history of the game. They have won 34 Gold Gloves between them and have filled up plenty of highlight reels with their spectacular plays.
Their lockers are side-by-side in the visitor's clubhouse at Safeco Field in Seattle, forming a three-man Mount Rushmore of defensive brilliance: catcher Ivan Rodriguez, infielder Omar Vizquel and outfielder Andruw Jones.
Now, after a combined 54 seasons and 7,101 games played, the three of them made one thing clear on Saturday.
All three want and expect to play again in 2010.
Ivan Rodriguez
Rodriguez met with general manager Jon Daniels on Friday here in Seattle. Daniels told Rodriguez that the Rangers have interest in re-signing him for 2010.
"I'm sure they'll make a decision," Rodriguez said. "I talked to Jon and he said he would get back to me in the off-season. I told him I wanted to come back. I want to finish my career here and still want to play a few more years.
"This club needs to stay together for next season. Winning 87 games is a great season. We wanted to make the playoffs but we need to take some positives out of this and a positive is 87 wins. I think next season will be better."
Rodriguez, who turns 38 in November, was re-acquired from the Astros on Aug. 18 and is hitting .245 with two home runs eight doubles, 14 runs scored and 13 RBI in 28 games.
"Physically I have no problems other than I'm sick right now," said Rodriguez, one of several Rangers fighting the flu in Seattle. "My legs and body feel great. I know how to take care of myself. I work very hard to keep myself in good shape."
The Rangers have two young catchers in Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Taylor Teagarden. Rodriguez understands that and understands that his playing time could be limited. He still accepts that.
"Teagarden has a great future," Rodriguez said. "Saltalamacchia has a great future. I have to be realistic. It's hard for me to play every day. If I play two or three times a week, one or two times a week, whatever, and help the kids, that would be okay. It would be a good thing to stay here and help the kids.
"I don't know what they'll do but I hope we work something out. If not, we'll see what happens."
Andruw Jones
Jones is ending the season as the Rangers first baseman. He was in the lineup on Saturday at first base for the third game in a row. Hank Blalock remains sidelined after suffering a mild concussion Wednesday night and Chris Davis is limited to designated hitter duty because of his hamstring.
Jones went into Saturday's game hitting .209 with 17 home runs and 43 RBI in 81 games and 278 at-bats. It's an improvement over last year when he hit .158 with three home runs and 14 RBI in 75 games for the Dodgers. But he was hoping for better.
"It was kind of okay," Jones said. "Well, not really. It's not the way I wanted to go. Power-wise the numbers were good. Average-wise not so good. Lack of consistency...I knew the situation coming in but I wasn't getting consistent at-bats like I did early in the season. I knew I was going to play every day but I thought I'd get more consistent at-bats like I did early in the season."
Jones is only 32. He expects to keep playing next year for somebody. It won't be for the Rangers. Club officials have made it clear he's not expected back in 2010. He'll try for somebody.
"I still feel I can play," Jones said. "I still feel I can play the outfield. I don't know if I can play center field but I can help a team in the corners and I can play first base too. We'll see.
"I'm not done yet."
Omar Vizquel
Vizquel is 42.
So what?
Anybody who watched him play this year can tell that he can still field a baseball and he can field it at any position. How about the night Michael Young had to leave the game against the Blue Jays with a strained left hamstring?
Vizquel went into the game, playing the position for only the ninth time in his career. He then made a spectacular play, diving to his right and throwing from his knee to get the out at first base.
Vizquel may no longer be a front-line everyday shortstop but he proved he could be a valuable utility infielder. He does not have an error this season.
"That is something I surprised myself with," Vizquel said. "I had never played any other position but shortstop. I didn't get many chances at second and third but I was able to handle it."
The Rangers have interest in Vizquel returning. He said he would be interested in coming back but wants to see what else is out there. Vizquel suggests in a roundabout way that he never expected Elvis Andrus to be this good this fast and he thought he would play more than he did this season.
"I didn't know Elvis and the kind of player he was," Vizquel said. "He slowly improved in every department. I was surprised he took to the challenge of playing every day. They told me he was 20 and I thought that was young. But he showed he can be one of the best shortstops in the game, not only to me but everybody."
As for 2010, Vizquel made it clear...
"I'm going to get ready to play another year," Vizquel said.
Rangers manager Ron Washington wants all six of his coaches back in 2010. General manager Jon Daniels said he doesn't foresee many changes, if any at all.
There is still some doubt about hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo, who is finishing his 15th season with the Rangers.
Jaramillo's current two-year contract runs only through this season and at some point after the World Series, he will be free to talk to any teams. Jaramillo remains one of the most respected hitting coaches in the game and it's likely that he will draw significant interest once he is free to talk to other clubs.
"When you're talking about free agents and anybody not under contract, that's always a possibility," Daniels said.
Jaramillo is from Dallas and still lives there. He said he wants to stay with the Rangers and doesn't want to leave on a sour note. The Rangers had scored 773 runs going into Friday's game with the Mariners and the possibility exists they could score less than 800 runs for the first time since 1995.
Daniels said he will meet with Washington and club president Nolan Ryan after the season to discuss the coaching staff. Jaramillo will likely be a prime topic of discussion.
"We're going to sit down at the end of the year, hear Ron's thoughts, sit down with Nolan, myself, ownership, and see where we are," Daniels said.
The Rangers made four changes in the coaching staff last season. They hired Mike Maddux as pitching coach, Jackie Moore as bench coach and Dave Anderson as the third base coach, and moved Andy Hawkins to the bullpen. Gary Pettis, the Rangers first base/outfield coach, came with Washington after the 2006 season.
Washington said having some continuity this off-season is important.
"It's quite important," Washington said. "I think my coaching staff has done an outstanding job. We brought a lot of young kids in here and they helped show them they can play at the Major League level. I give a lot of kudos to our coaching staff. They are a big part of getting us to where we are."
Nelson Cruz is likely done for what's left of the season. He has a sprained left ankle and it's not showing enough improvement to give the Rangers much hope of getting back in the lineup soon.
"I don't look for him to be ready before the season is over," Washington said.
Hank Blalock also remains sidelined with some lingering pain in his head after getting kneed by Derek Holland in Wednesday's game against the Angels.
"There is a little slight ache," Washington said. "We have to wait until there is no ache."
Eddie Guardado turned 39 on Friday and the Rangers celebrated it by roasting him in a pre-game meeting. Guardado has pitched in 908 games, fourth most among active pitchers and 21st in baseball history.
Welcome to the Elysian Fields Bar & Grill, where RangersHomer is always welcome as long as he buys a round!
* Angels manager Mike Scioscia on the Rangers: "They had an incredible season. You could see it brewing. They play the game the right way and are going to be a force for a long time. I can't say enough about what Ron Washington did. He got my vote for [AL] Manager of the Year. They had an incredible year."
* The Rangers are not interested in Milton Bradley. Sources have made that clear. He is not coming back. So stop it
* Rangers manager Ron Washington on the A.L. West getting tougher next season: "I think it will. I've always said Seattle will be a challenge. They've got talent over there that can play baseball. Oakland has certainly improved and they've got some good young pitchers. Obviously we've improved and the Angels are always going to be steady. If they were ever vulnerable, this was the year and we just couldn't quite finish it off."
* Washington on suggestions the Angels have mortgaged their future for the present: "Whatever it takes to win, they're going to try and do it. That's what winning organizations do. Believe me, whatever pieces they have to put back together, they're going to try and do it. They have established to their fans that they want to win, they've established to their organization they want to win and their players have proved they are winners."
* Andruw Jones did not hit a home run in August or September. His last home run was on July 29 against the Tigers.
* Roving hitting instructor Mike Boulanger said the one guy to watch that nobody has talked about is Chad Tracy, who hit .279 with 26 home runs and 107 RBI. Said Boulander, "This guy can flat-out hit."
* In case you are wondering, Doug Mathis has pitched 1772/3 innings over the past two years combined at Triple A Oklahoma City and in the Major Leagues. He has a 3.59 ERA.
* Elvis Andrus on his defense: "The biggest thing for me is concentration and focus. That's the thing I've learned the most in the Major Leagues. Every day you have to stay focused. You can't let up for one minute."
* You know that Golden Tee video machine? Michael Young loves playing it.
* Just for the heck of it: Kevin Kennedy.
* Angels pitcher John :Lackey has a luxury suite at the Cowboys new stadium.
* Brian Roberts on tying the record for most doubles by a switch-hitter in a season: "I mean, I didn't break Barry Bonds' homer record or anything, but you've got to take what you do and look at it in perspective."
* It's only happened once since 1900. On this date in 1920, the Reds took two from the Pirates, 13-4 and 7-3. Then the Pirates won, 6-0. Yes, it's the only tripleheader in modern baseball history.
* Former Rangers pitcher Mitch Williams and former Red Sox infielder Rico Petrocelli will team up to host a new weekly show on SIRIUS XM Radio. Remember When will debut Saturday at 7 p.m. and be on every Saturday throughout the year exclusively on MLB Home Plate, available nationwide on XM channel 175 and SIRIUS channel 210.
* Cal Ripken on the highest payroll clubs making the playoffs: "That's the argument made about the Yankees. You look at how important (CC) Sabathia is and (A.J) Burnett to the success of the team. In the end you have the other models. The Twins play really good team baseball and tend to over-achieve all the time. In the end, it's about the baseball judgments and decisions. But it is nice to have extra money in case something doesn't work out, or you have an injury or two.. It is an advantage in many ways that you can cover up your mistakes, but you still can compete with the big guys with good baseball decisions and team play."
