Washington gets dose of Texas Rangers wackiness

...as [Ron] Washington summed up his situation before Monday’s win over Seattle:

“I’ve been on teams where things are volatile, but I’ve never been in a position where I was in charge of the volatility.”

Outs Per Swing: Interview with Jeff Pearlman

EH: If not for his addiction issues where do you think Josh would be in baseball right now?  Meaning would he be a several time All Star at 26?  One of the best players in the game?  One of the most popular players?

JP: He’d be Ken Griffey, Jr., age 26. All the talent in the world, all the charisma, etc. He’d be huge. And think how it would have impacted the Tampa franchise to have a true 5-tool star to build around.

TR: Do you think it would be a bad thing, bringing back old scenery and maybe old friends, if Josh ever came back to play for the Rays?

JP: Hmmm … good question. I definitely think it’s good that the Rays left him unprotected in the Rule 5. Anyone who kills the franchise for that doesn’t get it. His history with the Rays was long, deep and troublesome. He needed a fresh start, and the team did, too.

Texas Rangers place Millwood on DL, call up rookie (RR)

“Like a Millwood grinding...”

A day after his start lasted just 12 pitches, Kevin Millwood was was placed on the 15-day disabled list Sunday with a strained right groin.

Right-hander Doug Mathis’ contract was purchased from Triple-A Oklahoma to add immediate bullpen depth. Mathis, 5-0 at Oklahoma, is expected to get his first major league start May 20 at Minnesota.

...Millwood was still sore Sunday, and the Rangers opted to take no chances on having the injury linger. Last year, Millwood came back after two weeks from a hamstring injury, made one start and went back on the DL for two more weeks.

Millwood, who had a rigorous off-season conditioning program, suffered a groin strain in 2005 while he was with Cleveland. He missed two weeks and went on to win the AL ERA title.

“It’s a little bit frustrating,” he said. “But one of the things about getting my body in better shape is that hopefully you heal more quickly.”

SportTicker: Blue Jays acquire Mench, sign Wilkerson

The Toronto Blue Jays made an attempt to give their sluggish offense a boost, acquiring a pair of former accomplished hitters. The Blue Jays traded for outfielder Kevin Mench and signed outfielder Brad Wilkerson prior to the start of a four-game series at the Cleveland Indians on Friday.

Sitting second-to-last in the American League in RBI with 133 in 36 games, Toronto acquired Mench from the Texas Rangers for cash considerations. The 30-year-old has yet to appear in the majors this season, hitting .282 with three home runs and 18 RBI in 29 games with the Rangers’ Class AAA affiliate in Oklahoma.
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Wilkerson, 30, joins the Blue Jays after being released by the Seattle Mariners on April 30. He was hitting .232 with five RBI in 19 games with the AL West club.
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Toronto also had to clear room for Mench and Wilkerson on the 40-man roster, designating lefthander Gustavo Chacin and infielder Sergio Santos for assignment.

MLB: Rangers designate Broussard

Met Ben.

The Rangers designated first baseman Ben Broussard for assignment and activated third baseman Travis Metcalf off the disabled list on Thursday.

Broussard was dropped from the roster with a .159 batting average, three home runs and eight RBIs. He has not driven in a run since April 6 and has lost his job at first base to a platoon of Frank Catalanotto and Chris Shelton.

“Ben is a better player than he has shown,” Rangers general manager Jon Daniels said. “He had a down month that came at a bad time for the team. If you look around the league at guys like Frank Thomas, Jacque Jones, Brad Wilkerson and Jason Michaels, who have been let go, teams are getting to the point where they need to do what’s right for the team. Ben’s a quality left-hander who can pinch-hit, play first base and play left field. I expect him to contribute for somebody.”

Lone Star Ball: Morris: T.R. Sullivan, statheads, and the RBI

T.R. Sullivan’s blog entry from yesterday leads off with a lengthy paean to the RBI.  And it got me thinking.

OBP seems to be the poster-stat for the ongoing stathead/traditionalist..."feud" is probably not the right word.  Battle of paradigms?  Or paradigae?  Whatever the plural of paradigm is?

But even the anti-stathead types will acknowledge that OBP has some importance.  OBP matters...there is just a differentiation of how important it is, how much weight should be put on it, compared to other stats.

But RBIs?  The more extreme statheads call it a junk stat, irrelevant.  The more extreme traditionalists use it to justify MVP and All Star votes.  The RBI was at the heart of the very passionate disputes last season over the value of Sammy Sosa, which raged until late in the year when the Rangers just quit playing him.  The RBI is a big part of the Jim Rice Hall of Fame debate, and the reason guys like Steve Garvey and Joe Carter have reputations that exceed their performances (or at least, their stathead-perceived performances).

Sullivan was one of the biggest Sosa fans last year—even naming him the club’s first half MVP—and leaned heavily on RBI totals in his support.  So it isn’t surprising, I don’t think, that Sullivan is presenting an ardent defense of the RBI (in response to Bill James being critical of the RBI on 60 Minutes).

Thanks to Frank Bertaina, the Pride of the Ocean.

Star-Telegram: Josh Hamilton wants to be Texas Rangers iron man

Very tasteful...a Robert Downey Jr. reference.

No, not solely in his early-MVP numbers but also in another stat that puts him among the league leaders. The center fielder has started all 30 of his team’s games, including Friday night against the Oakland Athletics.

As long as the Rangers need his big bat in the lineup, don’t expect to see Hamilton getting a day off. That’s fine by him, even if that means playing all 162 games this season.

“If I could do that, that’d be great,” he said. “I’m going to play until I can’t play anymore.”

...“When I tried to give him days off, he came in my office and told me he didn’t what them,” Washington said. “His day off was the day he DH’ed.

“As we get deeper into the season, I’m going to have to give him a day off. I know we’ve got to try to watch him … until I feel comfortable that I can totally take him out of the lineup.”

Newberg: Go Botts

Arlington’s primo blogger Jamey Newberg has a thoughtful essay on the shackling of the Rangers’ favorite AAAA slugger.

Jason Botts probably won’t be Travis Hafner—but then again Hafner wasn’t supposed to do what he has done, either—but he doesn’t need to be. If he’s Lee Stevens or Jack Cust, that’s fine. Maybe he’s even Lamb, a selective, professional hitter who hasn’t nailed down a defensive position and who hasn’t slugged at the big league level the way he looked like he might as he was coming up, but who could contribute for a long time.

What I don’t understand is why the 38 at-bats Botts got in April were considered conclusive.

SportsTicker: Rangers RHP Jennings leaves game

Texas Rangers starter Jason Jennings left Tuesday’s contest against the Kansas City Royals in the third inning with an irritated ulnar nerve in his right arm.

Jennings was roughed up for five runs and eight hits with a walk and no strikeouts in just two-plus innings.

Scott Feldman replaced Jennings on the mound..

Jason Botts has been DFA’d

And Shelton is back!

The Rangers this afternoon, perhaps momentarily, will announce that Jason Botts has been designated for assignment and that Chris Shelton’s contract will be purchased. The club is desperate for another productive right-handed bat in the lineup and Botts simply hasn’t taken advantage of whatever limited opportunities he’s been given. He is hitting .158 in 38 at-bats.

The move will give the Rangers 10 days to trade, release or outright Botts to Triple-A. If he clears waivers, the Rangers absolutely want to keep him in the system, but with the season hanging on the edge of a cliff, the Rangers need somebody with a little bit of a track record of big league success against left-handers. Shelton will see time in the first-base rotation, certainly against left-handers, but it won’t surprise me if he gets some time against right-handers, too.

MLB: Hank Blalock to go on disabled list

Damn pitch counts!

The Rangers will be without third baseman Hank Blalock for at least 3 to 4 weeks because of a small tear in his left hamstring muscle.

Blalock injured the hamstring running the bases in the 10th inning of the Rangers’ 6-5 victory over the Twins on Friday. He underwent an MRI on Monday and received a cortisone injection.

The Rangers will put Blalock on the disabled list on Tuesday and make a roster move. Blalock is hitting .299 with three home runs and seven RBIs on the season. Ramon Vazquez has been playing third base while Blalock is out.

Dallas News: Texas Rangers’ management meets; no moves made

Look for Ron Washington to be canned after the festive charity function, his birthday, an off day...and the delightful Texas Hill Country Wine & Food Festival are all over!

The Texas Rangers’ top management gathered Friday at owner Tom Hicks’ uptown office for the most nauseating lunch they’ve ever had. The barbecue was fine. It was the aftertaste that made it so difficult to swallow.

Hicks, general manager Jon Daniels and club president Nolan Ryan met for more than two hours over a hastily-arranged meal to discuss the club’s awful start and, more specifically, the future of manager Ron Washington.

Even if the Rangers decide they want to make a change, there are numerous issues to sort through that could push a final decision into next week. There are also sensitive timing issues. The club holds its biggest charity function of the season Sunday, and announcing a managerial change could put a damper on what is supposed to be a festive night. Washington turns 56 on Tuesday. Monday is an off day.

Originally signed to a two-year contract before the 2007 season, the option year of Washington’s contract was picked up last September. If the Rangers were to relieve him of duty, they would have three managers on the payroll at the same time. Buck Showalter is also signed through 2009.

AP: Rangers continue roster juggling

The struggling Texas Rangers, beset by injuries, recalled catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia from Triple-A Oklahoma and activated left-handed reliever Eddie Guardado from the disabled list on Friday.

They replace right-hander Luis Mendoza, who went on the 15-day disabled list with an inflamed shoulder, and catcher Adam Melhuse, who broke a bone in the back of his right hand during Thursday’s game in Detroit and was given his release.
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His release also clears a spot on the Rangers’ 40-man roster for right-hander Sidney Ponson, who was 1-2 with a 3.47 ERA at Oklahoma. Ponson has a clause in his contract that would allow him to become a free agent if he isn’t promoted to the majors by May 1.

Daniels said Ponson “most likely” would be brought up to start Saturday against Minnesota.

Country Genius: Cobb’s Player of the Day: Bert Blyleven

Ricky Cobb on hot feet, curveballs, and whether Bert Blyleven really belongs in the Hall of Fame.

Did he achieve his potential?

If one were to answer this question “no” he would essentially be setting the bar on Blyleven’s potential at a Thor, God of Thunder-like level. And yet you can’t help but wonder if he should have won 300 games. His peripherals suggest over 300 wins and immortality in the Hall of Fame. Unfortunately, Bert didn’t have the (guts) of a Jack “I’ll Rip Your Head Off, #### Down Your Neck, and Beat You 8-7” Morris.*

*Then again, perhaps it was because he didn’t get nearly as much run support.

AP: Tigers use 11-run inning to beat Rangers 19-6

Granted, it was against the Rangers, but still impressive.

Miguel Cabrera hit a three-run homer and Carlos Guillen had three of his five RBIs in an 11-run sixth inning, and the Detroit Tigers routed the Texas Rangers 19-6 Wednesday night.

Jacque Jones also homered as Detroit scored its most runs this season and handed Texas its sixth straight loss.

The Tigers led 7-6 going into the sixth, when they had their biggest inning since scoring 11 in the sixth inning on April 23, 2004, against the Cleveland Indians.

USA Today: Improving Rangers may be Ryan’s biggest challenge

“Mama don’t let your babies grow up to be pitchers in the Texas Ranger system if Nolan Ryan is still lurking around as team president” (I believe this was a flavorful outake line from Doug Sahm’s “Cowboy Peyton Place")

Still, Ryan is determined to change the pitching philosophy in Texas. He would love to confiscate every pitch counter used by coaches. It drives him batty when he watches pitchers being pulled from games because their pitch count hits 110 or 120.

“We have to change this mindset,” says Ryan. “Some of the guys have been on a pitch count since Little League. It should be tailored to the individual.

“These pitchers have to realize what their capabilities are, and build up their stamina. I remember it used to be that 300 innings was the benchmark for an ace. If you were a starter, you were expected to pitch at least 250 innings. Now, you may have one guy go 200 innings on your whole staff.

“That’s why you see 12, 13 pitchers on every team..”

..."Obviously, he’s got strong feelings about pitching,” Rangers general manager Jon Daniels says, “and we were able to incorporate some of the things Nolan did into our farm system. We’ve encouraged a lot of our (minor league) managers and pitching coaches that they have the flexibility to let their pitchers go past 100 pitches. We’re not going to call down there (and complain) as long as they’re not putting the pitchers at risk. We’re having our young pitchers throw live batting practice, too.”

FOX: Rosenthal - Baby Boss could cost Yanks their GM

If Cashman wished to stay east, he could replace Phillies GM Pat Gillick, who is expected to retire. Or, Cashman could return to D.C., where he attended Georgetown Prep and Catholic University, if the Nationals chose to replace Jim Bowden. Why, Cashman could even stay in the AL East if the Blue Jays dismissed J.P. Ricciardi, who has two years left on his contract.
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So here’s the question: Is [Frank] Thomas finished?

“He looked like he was on rollerblades, sliding all over the box,” says a scout who saw him recently. “His balance was poor. His bat speed was poor. His approach was poor. He was only hitting changeups — that was the only ball he could get to.”

Still, scouts were saying much the same thing about Thomas, who turns 40 on May 27, in the early parts of each of the past two seasons. One GM says he finds it difficult to believe that Thomas no longer could contribute coming off a 26-homer, 95-RBI season.
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The Diamondbacks, already loaded with young talent, are discussing how to proceed with right-hander Max Scherzer, who opened the season by pitching 17 scoreless innings at Class AAA, striking out 29 and walking only three. Club officials initially believed that Scherzer could emerge as an impact reliever this season, but want him to remain a starter for as long as possible. Scherzer represents insurance for the rotation if Randy Johnson fails to stay healthy or Doug Davis returns slowly from surgery to remove a cancerous thyroid.

John Marzano Found Dead In South Philadelphia

John Marzano…

Former Major Leaguer and sports broadcaster John Marzano has died at the age of 45.

Marzano, a native of South Philadelphia, was found dead inside his home on Passyunk Avenue.

A family member called police to break down the door shortly before noon, officials said. Marzano apparently fell down the stairs, but it is not known whether he suffered a heart attack or simply fell.

The Most Overrated Pitching Prospects in Baseball | Baseball-Intellect

Video scouting reports of the most overrated pitching prospects in baseball.  An excerpt follows:

Lofgren is liked by many because of his mental make-up. He is intelligent and has a great “feel” for pitching and many think his stuff plays up because of this. I completely appreciate the need for a pitcher to have a strong make-up and a great feel for pitching, but when it becomes the central argument for putting Lofgren among the better pitching prospects in the game, you lose me.

Including Chuck Lofgren (Indians), the other pitchers include Luke Hochevar (Royals), Greg Reynolds (Rockies), Matt Harrison (Rangers), and Kevin Mulvey (Twins)

What Could Have Been: Michael Young & The Blue Jays

Everyone knows that Michael Young has become a superstar playing for the Texas Rangers, but what you might not know is that he was originally drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays back in 1997.  In this article, we take a look at what might have happened had the deal never taken place.

Would the Blue Jays have become the power house of the AL East?  Would Young have still blossomed into a star player?  It’s really anyone’s guess, but here’s a look at my take on it.

Baseball Time in Arlington: Rangers Swept In Heartbreaking 10-Inning Defeat

So, anybody have the numbers on what percentage of the time runners scored from third base with nobody out in 2007? Because this is pretty pathetic…

[B.J.] Ryan, just over 11 months removed from May 2007 Tommy John elbow ligament replacement surgery, quickly went to work on scuffling outfielder Marlon Byrd, and attained an 0-2 pitcher’s count.

But Byrd, for all his well-documented struggles at the plate thus far this season, delivered in the clutch. Ryan hung a mediocre 85 MPH fastball out over the plate, which Byrd smashed to the wall in left-center field. Some ten heart-stopping seconds later, Marlon slid head-first into third base, a thrilling moment that was only further punctuated by his intense fist-pump upon arriving at the bag.

The Rangers were now in prime position to tie the game, and quite possibly win it against a noticeably unnerved B.J. Ryan. In that moment, the disappointment of dropping two straight to the Blue Jays faded away, replaced suddenly by a veritable shot of hope and excitement.

And then, just as suddenly, hope faded. David Murphy weakly grounded out to a drawn-in David Eckstein, Milton Bradley hacked a mile-high pop-up just beyond third base, and on an 88 MPH fastball that MLB.com’s Pitch f/x recognition system identified as sailing belt-high and right down the heart of the plate, Gerald Laird flared a rapidly sinking floater into right field that Alex Rios gloved just in the nick of time.

Lone Star Ball: John Sickels Q&A

Sickels chats about the Rangers’ latest wicked awesome crop of prospects, which, given the fortunes of this franchise over the last four decades, just might yield a Fernando Tatis or Ruben Mateo before it’s all said and done!

Q) A frequent debate among Rangers fans is whether a rebuilding team (such as Texas) should be promoting players who have had some success in AA, such as Eric Hurley and German Duran, aggressively, or if there is more value in having them spend time in AAA and having them excel there before coming up.  Where do you stand on that issue?

A) I think both Double-A and Triple-A are necessary steps in the development of most players. Maybe not all, but most. The style of play and the type of competition is different at the two levels. In Double-A you tend to see younger players, more athletic, guys who maybe throw harder but are less polished. In Triple-A you have more of a mixture, some younger guys yes, but also older more veteran types, marginal major leaguers, Quadruple-A players. Many of the pitchers don’t throw quite as hard, but they are better at changing speeds and working a hitter’s weaknesses.

I think players need to be exposed to both levels in order to be best prepared for the wide variety of competitors they will be exposed to in the majors. Some of the elite prospects can be pushed past Triple-A quickly without it being a big deal, but in general I think most players need a year of Double-A and at least a half-year of Triple-A before being fully ready for major league action. That’s my opinion.

MLB.com: Sore shoulder shelves Guardado

The Rangers have placed left-handed reliever Eddie Guardado on the disabled list with a sore left shoulder… Guardado was placed on the disabled list, retroactive to April 5, to make room for Luis Mendoza, who was activated on Saturday so he could start against the Blue Jays.
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Guardado said that he’s been dealing with inflammation and discomfort in his shoulder since the Rangers returned to Texas from their season-opening road trip. He also revealed that he has been dealing with a tear in the front of his rotator cuff for the past five years, but said that has nothing to do with this injury.

“I probably just irritated it, that’s all I can say,” Guardado said. “I’ve felt a pinch there before, so this is nothing new. It’s not fun at all, because I was right where I wanted to be.”

Guardado sat a whole year because of Tommy John elbow reconstruction surgery before returning last August. The Rangers signed him as a free agent in the offseason.

“It’s frustrating to come so far from last year to where you want to be,” Guardado said. “I’ll be fine. I just have to get it right. I just don’t want to do anything stupid like I always do. I’m a little smarter and wiser now.”

New additions’ impact will have to wait

Josh Hamilton, Milton Bradley and Ben Broussard combined to go 5-for-11 against Baltimore, but none of the hits proved pivotal in the Rangers’ 8-1 loss.

Still, the threesome accounted for more than half of Texas’ nine hits.

Dugout Journal: Oates left his imprint on both these teams

“I was Johnny Oates’ first roommate in the minor leagues.”

With those words from Orioles hitting coach Terry Crowley began a flood of emotions ... out of both dugouts at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington.

These were Johnny Oates’ teams.

Both of them.

AP: AL-best Orioles make it 6 in a row with 8-1 victory to ruin Rangers’ home opener

“We’ve already had more fun than at anytime last year,” Huff said after Baltimore’s sixth straight victory, 8-1 on Tuesday to ruin the Texas Rangers’ home opener.

Huff matched a career high with four hits and drove in four runs after Scott Moore and Luke Scott hit early home runs in the first road game for the Orioles (6-1), who have the American League’s best record. The winning streak already equals their longest of last season.

“We had six (last year)? It didn’t feel like it,” said Huff, referring to the 93-loss season when they finished fourth in the AL East for the ninth time in 10 years. “We’re relaxed. Everybody’s written us off.”
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Rangers owner Tom Hicks left his field-level seats in the top of the third inning, only minutes before the start of Liverpool’s game against Arsenal in the European Champions League. Hicks owns the Liverpool squad, and retreated to his bunker suite to watch that game, though it was still on the television he has at his field seat.

Star-Telegram: Engel: This one day, it’s OK to get your hopes up for Rangers

Owner Tom Hicks had a chance to interact with a few typical Texas Rangers fans on Sunday.

“I had some drunk chase me down the stairs wanting to talk to me about Rangers pitching,” he said.

...So in the spirit of Opening Day, I present to you 20 reasons to turn that frown upside down and allow yourself to be optimistic about your Rangers:

2 - Do not underestimate the power of how badly Michael Young wants to win.

10 - Shhh, don’t tell anybody, but the Angels might not be as good as everybody thinks. Seattle may be the team to beat.

17 - Quite frankly, all of this talk about how Baseball America loves the Rangers’ minor-league talent bores me. You do not get credit until they are helping the big club, with DVD being a prime example. But the likes of Eric Hurley, Luis Mendoza, Elvis Andrus, et al., do give hope that brighter days may be ahead.

It’s jazz like this that makes me wish that Mickey Herskowitz was still alive to report on Texas sports...HE’S WHAT?!

Dallas Morning News: Texas Rangers stumble out of the gate again (RR)

A year ago, on the way to a 23-42 start, the Rangers failed to field the ball and failed to deliver with runners in scoring position. That was exactly the case during their cold three-day stay in Seattle.
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“It’s a process,” manager Ron Washington said. “We will keep pounding it and keep preaching it. You would like it to happen at the start of the season. It hasn’t, but it will.”
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“I don’t think we’re going to have a repeat of last year,” Catalanotto said. “We’re not concerned, and we’re not going to panic. It has to get better, and it will get better.”
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[Jason Jennings’ 5 inning outing] also extended the Rangers’ streak to 194 games without a complete-game performance by a pitcher. It ties the major league record set by Tampa Bay from April 14, 2001 through May 19, 2002. The Rangers could break the record for pitching futility Friday when Kason Gabbard faces Los Angeles. The last Ranger to have a complete game was Kevin Millwood on August 29, 2006 vs. Baltimore.

Baseball Time in Arlington: Hamilton’s Ninth Inning Blast Saves Rangers

Roy Hobbs? Pfft. Texas would have to reach the playoffs first…

But after a lengthy nine-pitch battle with Putz, Kinsler smashed a line drive single back through the box to lead off the inning. Young whiffed on three pitches, setting the stage for Hamilton - the man whose singular talent, unique life story and limitless potential has already elevated him to cult hero status in Rangers fandom.

Putz’s first pitch to Hamilton? A 93 MPH fastball according to MLB Gameday’s Pitch f/x data, though Josh himself sheepishly admitted during a brief post-game interview with broadcasters Josh Lewin and Tom Grieve that he had “no idea” what type of pitch it was that Putz unleashed towards home plate.

Not that it mattered, mind you. Hamilton socked the first pitch he saw from Putz beyond the right field wall at Safeco Field for a dramatic two-run blast, staking Texas to a 5-4 lead that Rangers closer C.J. Wilson would mercifully not relinquish again.

Lookout Landing: 1-1 Putz wooo > : (

The game you waited all winter long for…

With JJ Putz, a lead in the ninth is a win in the standings. The Texas Rangers had given us this game.

Then, like ########, they took it back.

On the one hand, you could kind of see it coming. JJ had neither his usual command nor his usual velocity, and as soon as the pitch to Hamilton left his hand you knew it was going straight to Hamilton’s wheelhouse. But on the other, this is JJ Putz, and even though I say I could see it coming, based on my dumbfounded reaction, I couldn’t really see it coming. I honestly don’t remember anything that happened between that swing and Yuni’s double in the bottom of the ninth. It’s just a gap in my memory, a gap left unfilled because while the rest of the game was taking place, I was sitting here blankly staring ahead wondering how I was ever going to come to terms with this.

The answer is: I’m not sure yet. I mean, it’s early, and we had no right to so much as even be in the game. But it’s not the fact that they lost; it’s the way that they lost. I hate it when JJ blows a save because every single bad outing of his rattles my core and makes me think that he could revert to what he used to be just as quickly as he ascended to awesomeness. It’s stupid, because he’s a different pitcher now than he ever was before the splitter, but it’s a feeling I can’t shake, and it’s incredibly unpleasant. This will not be a comfortable sleep.