SB Nation - Chris Davis

The Most Depressing Quote of the Offseason

Adam J. Morris — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 00:47:47 -0000

From T.R. Sullivan's story tonight on the Rangers needs at the Winter Meetings:

The Rangers need a big hitter in the middle of the order. He could be an outfielder, designated hitter or occasional first baseman paired with Chris Davis. Among the possibilities are Vladimir Guerrero, Jermaine Dye, Troy Glaus, Gary Sheffield, Mike Cameron and Fernando Tatis.

So there you go, Rangers fans. Time to get fired up. The team's biggest need is a middle of the order hitter, and we're going to end up with Jermaine Dye or Gary Sheffield hitting cleanup.

Cameron and Glaus are the only players on that list who should even be everyday players anymore, and these are the guys we're looking at to hit cleanup for the Rangers in 2010.

I'm disgusted. At this point, if this is what we're dealing with, it makes me wonder if the Rangers wouldn't be better off just trading Kevin Millwood and Frankie Francisco, their two players who will be free agents after the season, and conceding that they aren't serious about contending this year.

Wednesday a.m. Rangers stuff

Adam J. Morris — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:27:15 -0000

We have some reactions this morning to Clint Hurdle being named the new hitting coach...

Anthony Andro has a story up with some quotes from Michael Young, Ian Kinsler, and Chris Davis. Young says that the offense just needs to improve its execution, and that they need to be an aggressive team without being a hacking team.

Richard Durrett also has quotes from Young and Kinsler, with Young disputing the idea that the Ranger offense needs more of a team-first approach.

Durrett also runs down a plethora of hirings in baseball operations.

Jeff Wilson writes from the GM meetings about how the ownership situation is affecting the Rangers' dealings, and discusses the Rangers' interest in Milton Bradley, Javier Vasquez, and Garrett Atkins (who is likely going to be non-tendered).

Evan Grant: Rangers should hire two hitting coaches

Adam J. Morris — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 15:34:42 -0000

More photos » by Kathy Willens - AP

3 months ago: Texas Rangers batter Josh Hamilton tosses his helmet after striking out swinging in the first inning of a baseball game against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on Thursday, Aug. 27, 2009 in New York. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)

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Evan Grant writes today that the Rangers should go with two hitting coaches -- Rusty Greer and Scott Coolbaugh.

Greer offers the credibility of being a former major leaguer, Coolbaugh is someone who has worked with and had success with several of the Rangers' younger hitters.

I don't really have an opinion on this. I don't know who the best coach would be. I do think that, for the Rangers to contend in 2010, having Josh Hamilton and Chris Davis get back on track, and having Ian Kinsler hit more like he did in 2008 than in 2009, is pretty key.

I don't know what coach is going to have the best results with those guys, though.

Saturday a.m. Rangers things

Adam J. Morris — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 15:02:19 -0000

More photos » by Ted S. Warren - AP

2 months ago: Seattle Mariners' Ichiro Suzuki, right, walks to the dugout as Texas Rangers catcher Taylor Teagarden returns the ball after Suzuki struck out in the seventh inning of a MLB baseball game, Friday, Oct. 2, 2009, at Safeco Field in Seattle. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)

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Two games to go. Texas has sole possession of second place locked up, and regardless of what happens the next two days, this season has to be viewed as a success.

Anthony Andro says it was the young Ranger hitters -- Julio Borbon, Taylor Teagarden, Elvis Andrus, and Chris Davis -- that led the way last night.

Brandon McCarthy got yanked in the fifth, and I was surprised he got pulled so soon, given that he appeared to be pitching okay and his pitch count wasn't that high. McCarthy apparently was surprised as well:

"I felt like I threw really well today," he said. "There were a few pitches here and there I’d like to have back, but for the most part there aren’t many pitches I wouldn’t throw going back at them again. I’m out there giving it my all and I’d love to have the confidence put in me."

Julio Borbon is going to play in center the next three games; meanwhile, Ron Washington says he doesn't expect Nelson Cruz to be able to play again this season because of his ankle. Washington indicated he didn't even bother to check with Cruz to see if he could go yesterday.

Among the coaches, only Mike Maddux has a contract for 2010, but Ron Washington says he wants everyone back next year.

Thursday a.m. Rangers things

Adam J. Morris — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 14:32:27 -0000

More photos » by Chris Carlson - AP

2 months ago: Holly Madison from the reality show "The Girls Next Door" throws out the first pitch before a baseball game between the Los Angeles Angels and the Texas Rangers in Anaheim, Calif., Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2009. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

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Playing out the string, and between injuries and just a general malaise that seems to be out there, this team looks ready to go home and be done with 2009...

Jim Reeves writes that the Rangers seem to have forgotten that the season isn't over already, having been shut out for the 13th time this year last night.

Marlon Byrd says he isn't done for the season, and expects to be back in the lineup on Friday. Hank Blalock, meanwhile, suffered a "mild concussion," and is going to sit today.

Chris Davis thinks that he will be back in the lineup today, but Ron Washington isn't so sure Davis will be ready to go.

Ron Washington wants a veteran starter, a "consistent" righthanded bat, and a lefty specialist for the bullpen added for 2010. I'm not sure what he means by a veteran starter...if we are talking about a legit #1 or #2 type guy, sure, but if we are talking about a random back of the rotation guy, I don't see what the point is, given the options available in-house.

On the other two items, though, I agree...the Rangers could definitely use a righty 4C guy for the bench, and someone who can come in and face a tough lefty or two late in the game.

And Jim Reeves has a column praising the work of Mike Maddux.

Wednesday a.m. Rangers things

Adam J. Morris — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 14:22:47 -0000

More photos » by Chris Carlson - AP

2 months ago: Texas Rangers' Michael Young throws his batting helmet after striking out against the Los Angeles Angels during the eighth inning of a baseball game in Anaheim, Calif., Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2009. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

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Playing out the string, and guys continue to go down to injury. Marlon Byrd got pulled yesterday after injuring his hip, and Chris Davis missed yesterday's game with a hamstring injury.

Jim Reeves' game story notes that Scott Feldman is running out of gas, with Feldman having his second shaky outing in a row, although Ron Washington scolds Elvis Andrus as well for a mental error that cost Feldman two runs.

Marlon Byrd fell on his face running past first, and then almost collapsed going out to center field, resulting in Craig Gentry coming in and replacing him last night. With just 5 games left, I'd assume that Byrd is going to join Josh Hamilton on the "shut down for the year" list.

That could mean Julio Borbon getting some time in center field, except that Ron Washington says Borbon isn't playing center until the Rangers have clinched second place. Why Washington just doesn't come out and say Borbon isn't going to play center until the last day of the season, I don't know...I have to think there's some real reason that we are getting.

Jim Reeves says that the future of Neftali Feliz -- as starter or reliever -- is a key question for the offseason. He indicates Ron Washington, Mike Maddux, and Andy Hawkins all seem to prefer Feliz out of the bullpen, while Jon Daniels and Nolan Ryan see him as a starter.

Reeves also quotes Washington as saying that Feliz could impact "four or five games a week" as a reliever, and the idea of Washington going to Feliz five times a week out of the pen is enough for me to want to see him back in the rotation ASAP.

Derek Holland gets the start today, and he says he wants to end his season on a high note.

T.R. Sullivan writes that the Rangers show promise for 2010, and has a quote from Michael Young about the necessity of re-signing Marlon Byrd, along with Pudge Rodriguez saying he wants to come back to Texas next season.

Sunday morning Rangers things

Adam J. Morris — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 16:28:15 -0000

More photos » by Tony Gutierrez - AP

3 months ago: Texas Rangers relief pitcher Frank Francisco reacts following the last out against the Los Angeles Angels in the ninth inning of a baseball game , Saturday, Sept. 19, 2009, in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers won 3-2. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

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Hey, a win!

Jeff Wilson notes that the Rangers weren't exactly hammering the ball last night, but got enough breaks to get enough runs in to prevail.

Jeff (the writer) Miller talks about Hank Blalock being in the center of things yesterday, with his home run giving the Rangers their margin of victory, and his error in the 9th making things a lot more interesting.

The Rangers sacrificed defense on the corners yesterday to get Hank's bat in the lineup, and that move worked...that said, it was a bit baffling that the Rangers didn't bring Omar Vizquel in for the 9th at third base, sliding Chris Davis over to first base, for defensive purposes. Per Miller's article, Washington says that it was "a trust thing," leaving Blalock in at first and Davis in at third, although in retrospect, he acknowledges is was a mistake.

Jim Reeves says that the Rangers are still alive, if just barely, and has some quotes from Washington about the non-move in the 9th and putting Hank back in the lineup.

Anthony Andro has some notes up, including Scott Feldman's reaction to being pulled in the 7th, and the news that yesterday's crowd was a sellout -- the 4th of the season.

T.R. Sullivan has a story up about Rudy Jaramillo and the struggles of the Ranger offense this year.

Kevin Sherrington says the Ranger outfield next year should be Nelson Cruz in left, Julio Borbon in center, and Marlon Byrd in right, with Josh Hamilton as the 4th outfielder, but notes that the problems with that alignment include Byrd's pending free agency and that "Cruz isn't a favorite of the manager."

Matt Purke doesn't regret his decision not to sign with the Rangers.

Kevin Richardson says he understands his role with the team, and isn't complaining about only having caught one innings since coming back up.

Phil Rogers' baseball notes column this week has a headline saying that "Nolan Ryan Could Be Leaving" the Rangers, but the segment in question simply notes that Ryan doesn't have a written contract and says he'd step aside if new ownership didn't want him around.

Graph of the Day: Texas Rangers Value Over Contract

Justin Bopp — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 14:00:32 -0000

Sabermetrics are simple, and almost universally driven towards a single idea: the separation of one player’s performance from that of his peers. All analysis is based on the idea of prudently addressing scarcity: too few players of the otherworldly talent level required at the Major League Baseball level, too few positions on a team that any can be wasted while expecting success, too little money to get all of the best who are freely available for hire.

The time and effort of so many has been spent addressing how to handle the scarcity of those positions on the baseball field, and their relative talent pool. In fact, it’s what we commonly refer to as "replacement level". How good is he, and how easy would he be to replace? So let’s address the financial impact of this supply and demand. What should he cost? Is your team getting their money’s worth on an individual level? What about as a group? There are some obstacles to finding out.

Baseball contracts are convoluted and archaic, a house’s roof never replaced but simply layered over repeatedly. There are arbitrators and option years, something called a "super two" and slotting recommendations and apparently five rules relating to player drafts, and minor league options and performance incentives and international free agents. As is usually the case, this bureaucracy is the result of legal toil between workers and those that sign their checks, a decades-long war between lawyers representing those with the money and those doing the work. What we end up with when we glue all the pieces together is sort of a lucrative facsimile of Roman gladiators: win your financial freedom through time and toil.

Despite the difficulties, good baseball players aren’t that easy to replace. This isn’t the NFL. Your first overall draft pick is not anticipated to be a major contributor three months later. The learning curve is simply too high. So in order to replace production immediately, free agency (or in rare cases international free agency) are your only available methods. And free agency costs, as you may have heard somewhere.

This is what Value Over Contract (VOC) attempts to establish:

How much more (or less) is a player is giving their team in free agency dollars versus what his contract is paying him. It is important to be taken in context: if all teams had precisely the same payroll, then the highest VOC team would be the best: this is obviously not true. But with the wild variation, it helps identify payroll efficiency (one of sabermetrics’ earliest stated goals), and also sheds a fair amount of light on just how hard it is to win at this game without money.

So, that being said, let’s look how this works with a team vying for the playoffs, the Texas Rangers:

(full size chart HERE)

What a difference 5 years can make in the direction of a franchise. From the shadow of a burdensome contract for the then best player in baseball in Alex Rodriguez, to only two remaining contracts of 10 million or more (with the mercy killing of Vicente Padilla and his 12 million dollars, his color coded burden clearly seen above), the Rangers have put together a team that is worth almost twice what they paid for it, with very few relative disasters to speak of.

1B/DH Hank Blalock – The end of a sad era that symbolizes lost potential, the contract that Blalock signed in 04 expires at the end of this season, and you’ve almost certainly seen the last of him in Arlington. Like fellow Texas Ranger Mark Prior, it’s hard to believe he’s only 28, but his story is even stranger. Seldomly do you see the best a player has to offer by a player in his age 23 year, despite some mitigating circumstances that I would not dare suggest. (Did something happen with the Rangers in 03? I remember hearing some talk.) He has 23 HR, but as the numbers on the VOC chart would suggest for a 1B/DH in Texas, big whoop. Chris Davis will have his spot next year.

3B Michael Young – The Rangers are definitely playing with some fire here. UZR was never a member of the Mike Young fanclub when he was a shortstop, and it absolutely hates him at third (UZR/150 suggests he’ll drop to 10 runs below replacement). Few players at this age who show that sort of rapid decline after accounting for a negative move along the defensive spectrum have any good news pending. In addition, he’s having the second best offensive season of his career, which probably isn’t sustainable. For a highly paid 32 year old, he’s burning the wick at both ends and could become a liability by next season … with 3 pretty generous years remaining on his deal. Despite the positive aspects (he has an offensive skillset that ages well), if the Rangers can find a winter trade suitor, they should pull the trigger, even for mid-level prospects.

OF Nelson Cruz – The field-good story of north Texas baseball. His combination of offense, defense and low cost make him a perfect fit for this kind of study, and he deserves his position on the list. He’s so late to the party at 28 that again, especially under cost control when some decent prospects can be netted, it would be wise to shop him around. A loaded talent system gives the Rangers the flexibility to move players like this, making talent begat talent – I can think of a number of teams that could learn a lesson from that.

SS Elvis Andrus – Okay, that was two suggestions of winter trades in a row, so let’s break up the streak. Rangers: unless blackmailed, or you discover Andrus has a methamphetamine problem, or you’re offered the entire Texas League for him, do NOT move Elvis Andrus. The defense is certainly there. The bat isn’t horrible for a shortstop and will develop. Did I mention he’s 20 years old? A quiet superstar in the making and worthy of building a franchise around.

Tomorrow: Texas Salary Breakdown and an Open Letter to Jon Daniels and John Hart

Credit - Walter Fulbright, Article; Justin Bopp, Chart

How the other side lives: long ball kills Yanks in 7-2 headscratcher

CrazyYankeeChick — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 21:58:41 -0000

The Yankees lose 2-7 on August 27 on Game 127. Should have seen that one coming.

But it's difficult to predict these types of things when your starter whiffs 12 in 6 and lets up only 2 hits, while the opposing hurler walks 7. My buddy texted me "Why isn't Texas better? They're [expletive] good. They should be running away with the division." Baseball's a funny game.

And now cue the frantic talks about the Yanks' records against playoffs teams despite our 5-game division lead.

The Yanks aren't used to losing series, and I'm not used to watching them do so. But since Game 1 of this set, they were killed, above all else, by 2-out hits--a stat that overshadowed any pitching implosions or offensive explosions. The Rangers did what the Yanks have had trouble doing all year: hit with 2 outs.

And yet at the same time, they won the Yankee way: by going deep.

My sister texted me sometime during the 4th inning to inform me she was eating Chinese food and watching Desperate Housewives with her cats.

CYC: "Why aren't you watching the Yankee game? AJ's dealing, Jeter's engaged, and the Tex pitcher is an anagram of Pinstriped Nut."

CYC's sis: "Jeter's engaged?!"

5 minutes later, with 2 outs and after 4 innings of half-serious perfecto thoughts, AJ walked one. Ok, no-hitter still in tact. Another walk. No problem. Just needs one more out.

CYC's sis: "I just put on the game and someone hit a 3-run homerun. AJ ≠ dealing."

CYC: "Shut the tv off. You're a jinx."

In fairness to my sister, the only reason she can be tagged such with such ignominious fame is because it may be the ONLY way to explain how the Yanks managed to lose this one. Because I'd like to think that I live in a world where a balanced 6-hit game on each side, coupled with a grossly imbalanced defense (in the loser's favior) doesn't amount to such an aggressively imbalanced loss.

But there were, of course, some other issues to consider beyond my sis's brief departure from Eva Longoria:

Texas left 2 runners on base. 2. The whole game. The Yanks stranded 600% more than that.

The Rangers were 3-4 with RISP. The Yanks: 2-12. What's sadder, the fact we had runners in scoring position 12 times to the Rangers' 4 or the fact that 4 of Texas' runs came with 2 outs?

Ian Kinsler went yard 2x, including a 3-run blast off AJ that made our paltry Mark Teixeira RBI a lot less significant. Chris Davis chipped in his own 3-run ding off Phil Coke which was when the air officially started seeping out of our tires.

On the subject of Phil Coke, and since I haven't second-guessed Girardi's bullpen moves in about a month, what's the reasoning behind putting in a shaky, comparatively less dependable, and ultimately unpredictable reliever when our tried and true golden boy is currently dusting cobwebs off his arm on account of a total of 9 August appearances? The "protecting our youth's pitch count" defense doesn't hold as much water when Phil Hughes' has played a whopping 6.6 innings this month.

Alfredo Aceves was the only pitcher brave enough to depart from the "Let's All Give Up At Least One Homerun" bandwagon. Even our boy David Robertson was taken deep (after striking out the first two batters of the inning, of course. Unbelievable.)

In terms of our bats, we should have known it wasn't our day when Jeter struck out to open up the game. I'm not kidding when I say that if he goes hitless tomorrow, I will 100% off ~~Memo Paris~~ Minka Kelly and not skip a beat.

Even Gameday was completely confused about the strike zone. I'm trying to imagine how the control room conversations went there. "Um, we need a strike check on monitor one! Yeah, so is this blue or red? It was a foot outside, called strike. Yes, again. Ok, and wait, so now it's called ball 4 on a fastball down the pipe...I still have to make it red? Um, alright."

The bottom of our lineup, the one I claimed was so terrifying and scary, was useless for us today. Way to make a liar out of me, batters #5-9. You know who you are. Melky, still starved for some Brett Gardner to bring him back to June-July form, did manage to get off 1 hit.

At least we ran well! 3 SBs from Damon, Melky, and Jeter. Annnnnd, that's where the offense bright spots ended.

A 5 game lead is still respectable. And hey, maybe Junichi Tazawa will remember he's not that great, and the White Sox will forget to get swept. But regardless of how the Sox-es perform tonight, the depressing fact remains that a day loss means 27 hours of marinating in it.

Until football season starts, I'd like to avoid the discomfort that is the Next Game Waiting Period. Here's to sweeping Chicago and righting the ship tomorrow.

-CYC

Wednesday morning Rangers stuff

Adam J. Morris — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 14:35:29 -0000

More photos » by Henny Ray Abrams - AP

3 months ago: Texas Rangers' Josh Hamilton watches his two-run single in the fourth inning of a baseball game against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium in New York, Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2009. (AP Photo/Henny Ray Abrams)

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Yeah, I'd sort of like to forget last night's game. Even though the Rangers won.

Jeff Wilson's game story is here, for those who want to wallow in it some more.

Hank Blalock has been told that, with Chris Davis's return, he (Blalock) will be a part-time player the rest of the way. Davis says he made some adjustments to his stance in the minors, but a lot of his problems in the majors were mental, and it took a couple of weeks at AAA for him to snap out of that and start making pitchers throw him strikes.

Jarrod Saltalamacchia threw the ball yesterday, and hopes to be back off the disabled list next week.

Pudge Rodriguez is going to be the DH today, which leaves the Rangers with the pitcher hitting if something happens to Taylor Teagarden, but Ron Washington think it is worth the risk to get another righty bat in the lineup.