SB Nation User Blog: Ed Coffin

Cowboys - Rangers parking

Ed Coffin — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 23:33:03 -0000

Cowboys - Rangers parking

Price based on proximity

Home Run Terminology

Ed Coffin — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 20:02:15 -0000

Let me modestly propose to add to the lexicon of distant blasts hit by the Rangers. We already are the beneficiary of some great HR labels, coined by regular posters. Yet, this year and in the next few seasons, the Rangers have composed a lineup capable of a large number of round trippers. Now HR's won't win the AL West or the World Series (unless hit situationally), but they are a thrill to see and sometimes a memorable part of Ranger seasons. Please feel free to modify or extend this list:

H-bombs, Cruz missiles, Davis detonations, Salty slams, Kinsler klouts, Tea baggers, Blalock bombs, Young goes yonder, Byrd blasts, Murphy mashed taters, Max monsters. Even these, if they are playing: Metcalf moonshots, Vizquel V-2's, Duran dingers, hot Arias baloons, etc.

Of course the three or four prominent sluggers will lead the pack. But don't doubt anyone in the lineup, too much. In Young's case, homers are scarce but he's a skilled situational hitter. At a past game, I sat with Tricer at a game. The Rangers were behind, and situational hitting came up in conversation. With the Rangers being pretty much shut down, I told Todd to watch Young, we need runs pronto. MY proceeded to hit not one but two shots out to left center, one in the stands and one into the visitors bullpen. Depending on the pitch he gets, he can jack as well as push singles to right.

Now off to the TV, hoping for a great season and a lot of games that are fun to watch.

Ken Arneson Shuts Down Blog

Ed Coffin — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 00:40:59 -0000

Ken Arneson Shuts Down Blog

Catfish Stew (Oakland) demise. Long, interesting read.

Former Longhorn Dies at 38

Ed Coffin — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 23:20:53 -0000

Former Longhorn Dies at 38

Also lineman for the Falcons

2009 Rangers Outlook (TIC)

Ed Coffin — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 07:37:40 -0000

That's tongue in cheek, abetted by spiked koolaid, written in the style embellished by Halos Heaven. Now Rev can't write this, so let's say it's by ...uhh...Deacon.

Here we go. The American League West in 2009 will feature three contenders, two on the rise, and one incumbent Division champion. There is another team in the mix, but their strongest assets are a pair of bloggers, so write 'em off, and write 'em often. The Angels of Los Angeles playing out of Anaheim in the U.S. of North America are the defenders. They'd better build their walls high and heat up lots of kegs of creosote to dump on invaders, because the barbarians are at the gate. One group, the Athletics of Oakland and Fremont, California, will travel up and down to coast wreaking havoc on otherwise innocent citizenry. And they will win about as many games as they lose. It's the other tribe, the Rangers out of Arlington, Texas, who should evoke fear and loathing (OK, the loathing is already going on) in the West.

The Rangers have had, and will continue to have, the most potent lineup in baseball. At the top of their lineup will be Ian Kinsler, an American League AllStar, whose power numbers belie his leadoff assignment, Kinsler should actually increase his isolated power stats in 2009, while near the best in the majors at stealing to caught stealing ratio. Also up front is Micheal Young, a multiple AllStar who managed to land a Gold Glove while suffering some at the plate in 2008, from playing with a broken finger on each hand. Back and healthy in 2009, Young will contend for a League batting championship and play a steady if limited shortstop. Pundits around the league suggest Young is in decliine, but about all he'll decline in 2009 will be stolen bases and triples. These two table setters are followed by Josh Hamilton, a feel-good, be-good, is-good story for the decades. See Bill James projection for this otherworldly talented outfielder who is a threat to go deep in any ballpark, and can make a bat sound different from any other player out there. Also in the outfield is Nelson Cruz, the late blooming blaster from the Dominican. Cruz is another reason that officialdom in Arlington should close Ballpark Way and Randoll Mill Road during games, lest baseballs damage all sorts of unsuspecting vehicles going by. And Cruz has a good enough arm that runners just don't try to advance on balls hit his direction.

Then there is Chris "Crush" Davis, who has an emerging talent for hitting baseballs off the property. And he isn't terrible as a contact hitter either, and can go deep the opposite direction with the best of them. Coming back in 2009 is Hank Blalock, another lefty blaster, whose injuries limited his play over the past three seasons, but who returned with a vengeance in the latter part of the 2008 season. Hank has also been chosen an AL AllStar, complementing players in that category who fill the Rangers' lineup. As if power were lacking, which of course it isn't, the Arlington squad also features Max Ramirez, who Bill James projects to produce a .900+ OPS. The rest of the outfield squad includes David Murphy, another lefty bat and decent defender, who can play all three positions. Then there is Marlon Byrd, who after a slow start in 2008 just generally raked, and has sporadic power as well. Add to this embarassment of riches one Brandon Boggs, a switch hitter with exceptional plate patience, and is another with what opponents consider a suicide arm, specializing in outs at the plate from left field.

All of baseball is aware that the Rangers hold a surplus of catchers. In order of service seniority, they have Jarrod Saltalamacchia, the aforementioned Max Ramirez, and the talented Taylor Teagarden. They can all go deep. Saltalamacchia is a high ceiling switch hitter with lots of promise. And Teagarden is said to have the best receiving game skills of the bunch. It's expected that one of those three will be in this year's trade mix. In any case, therer is no lack of talent or depth at the position.

The Rangers were major league worst in pitching ranking stats in 2008. Don't count on that being the case going forward. A new pitching coach, with flexible philosophy to match player attributes, is on board in Mike Maddux. And team president Nolan Ryan is prescribing a mix of conditioning and game mindset to the team's hurlers. The Rangers may add one or two arms to their 2009 roster, with a goal of improving the rotation and increasing the effectiveness of the bullpen. Early workouts include a dozen pitchers, mainly starters, from within the system. High profile minor leaguers who project top of the rotation ability are among them.

Among the returning starters is a fit and trim Kevin Millwood, who has been a league ERA leader and an AllStar in the past, and is dedicated and focused on more innings, more strikes, and less damage allowed in 2009, and has contractual incentives to do just that. Also coming back, from the back country of Nicaragua, is Vicente Padilla. Padilla also has an AllStar selection in his resume, and is going into a contract year. More importantly, he is figuratively and literally "the enforcer", a tough minded, no nonsense serial killer of hitting streaks, when he is on. He will be on in 2009, for the myriad reasons outlined. The rest of the staff, and overall team success, lies in finding game competence and consistency from Matt Harrison, Brandon McCarthy, Eric Hurley, Dustin Nippert, or new arrivals to the staff.

The bullpen had a rough road in 2008, mainly due to overwork and limited capability to withstand middle inning and second trip to the mound issues. Getting more good innings from starters will alleviate this drawback, as will being in better condition in 2009 health wise than experienced in 2008. Among the relievers who have shown shutdown capability are Frank Francisco, C.J. Wilson, Joaquin Benoit, and Warner Madrigal. The Rangers may add a solid bullpen arm, to replace departed or ineffective relievers. The club does not have a "name" closer, but both Francisco and Wilson seem able to end games, or to handle setup duty. Madrigal has also evidenced shutdown capability, and will be in the mid to late innings mix.

One probable loss from the Rangers arsenal may be Milton Bradley, the DH and sometime outfielder who led the majors in OPS and OBP during parts of 2008. Bradley's plate patience and strike zone judgment cannot be directly replaced, but the Arlington power and lumber company has sufficient pop and sizzle that if Bradley finds a new home in free agency, he will be personally missed by teammates, but the team's offensive output shouldn't be badly affected.

So, those in the American League west should take the following precautions. Pregnant women should not attend Ranger games, their children might be born with seams around their head and birthmarks that look like Louisville Slugger logos. People with slow reflexes should not sit in nor near the front rows of left and right field, since some batted balls will have frightening trajectory and velocity. The fountains in the rock garden at Anaheim should be turned off and the spill pond drained when the Rangers visit, else long flies landing in that area could douse spectators in the left center field bleachers. The trains Burlington Northern runs past the park in Seattle should be held on sidings during games, so shots from Hamilton or Davis don't cause derailment. And most of all, fans in the California and Washington parks should practice being calm with the umpires, since there will be a lot more strikes called, fewer walks, and many runners thrown out in games against Texas.

The Rangers may not win the West in 2009. But they are going to be fun, even exhilarating to watch. They will also be the team nobody really wants to play when they produce bursts of runs. The trend that showed up in 2008 and will continue for the forseeable future is that no lead will be safe, and no game is over until it is over.

- - yr ob't svt - - Deacon

Peavy trade questionable

Ed Coffin — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 02:57:56 -0000

Peavy trade questionable

Towers isn't getting what he wants

Beyond Belief II - The Review

Ed Coffin — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 05:04:10 -0000

We left off after page 12, with a promise to write an impressions review. Not a synopsis, you can link to that many places. I finished the book. Yes, all in one reading, ending at 4 am Saturday morning. I have this bookmark, a really nice one with inspirational inscriptions on it. It was barely used, through one humanity break and one fresh pot of coffee.

The first 14 chapters (some are short) paint a picture of great expectations sliding inexorably into crisis, then beyond. One of the greatest young talents ever blossomed into the world of professional baseball, yet subject to three or four of the greatest pitfalls available to those who are young, full of promise, and vulnerable. It isn't like Josh Hamilton's addiction to drugs and alcohol were a voluntary rebellion or push back at a system of living he was not prepared for. The great lesson, if there is one here, is that simple idleness is a mountain to some that cannot be overcome with love, argument, attempts to control impulses, or the shame of the person affected. Josh was weaponless, and frankly didn't see any need to be armed against taking wrong paths, making bad choices, or associating with those whose life and iving offered great harm to themselves and others.

Let's get right to faith. In my lengthy lifetime, faith does not have one particular name, nor recognizable stamp, nor specification for conduct. It comes from within, and each individual either holds that system of belief closely, or demonstrates it outwardly. With shades of grey, sometimes depending on circumstances. Josh seems to have had a faith, present beneath the indifference to cajoling, pleading, and demanding by others. He knew, even while doing wasteful, harmful, and dangerous habitual things, what he believed. And suppressed it.

Jumping ahead, his dynamic testimony to anyone who approaches him is brief, genuine, and from his soul. Jumping back, his caring treatment of a Downs syndrome team mascot while still in his teens illustrates his natural and near instinctive care for others, especially disadvantaged or limited others. Staying in the now, he emerged from four years of self tortune and persona abuse using that inner faith, which he credits to a loving grandma, his magnificent and supportive wife, his brother and parents, and an especially skilled educator who could sift through the addictive personality, the athlete life to live, the regional nature of goodwill in his upbringing, and possibly how to do something no drug nor human attention could do. That is, replace the demon of his inner craving with the self awareness that permits a person to do, to live, and not to crave. Without all those, this book could never have been written.

This to me is an unique read. A magnificent athlete, husked out like a five year old cornstalk, deprived of his strength and bearing, making it all the way back to excellence in one of the most difficult and demanding of all sports? Look again at his faith. It isn't a pronouncement, although at times that is its' role in his life. It is literally a lifeline, available whenver tempted, and bonding him with Katie and his daughters in a quest to save not just himself, but any and all who are afflicted with addictions. It's almost like the additctions that nearly killed him are the mile markers to show how far, how very far, he has come in life and living.

Sure he needs reinforcement, and always will. Sure, if he falls again it's pretty reasonable to think he'd never get back up. But his lifeling of faith, and a determination to be that participant in living who has a say in his own destiny (which he never had in his youth, he was the performer but not the playwright). He is blessed to be married to Katie, and to have had the resources of his and her families even in his worst of times.

One more thing, from the last couple of chapters. He respects and admires his team mates, the Texas Rangers, His statement about it feeling like a natural, right place and time for him bears it out. Reflecting on his rookie appearance at St. Pete, he admired his fellow players, particularly Carl Crawford, but only linked up with them to the extent a newcomer might.

I hope the book is a living testimony for Josh. In any future troubled days, he could and should sit and read his own testimony, and be reinforced. Others should also learn about the diconnect between what you believe and what you do, from reading this book. It's title, Beyond Belief, is a sort of paradox. Read it and believe.

Now I also know what to tell a young person who rejects family in favor of "friends who are not friends but props and suppliers and enablers. Give it a couple of years. Things might get worse, but they will ... inexorably will ... get better.

Beyond Belief

Ed Coffin — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 21:19:10 -0000

The UPS truck just pulled away down our driveway, and sure enough, Josh Hamilton's book was there under the front door mat. It only took a moment to peel open the top and remove the shipping document and the book. I've been awaiting this event since Adam so graciously decided to share copies among his readers.

Could not resist opening it, reading the acknowledgements, and delving about twelve pages into the first chapter. Oh, and I read and smiled at the Nolan Ryan quote on the back cover. Now I've set it down, to start this fanpost, because when I pick it back up, there will be no stopping until the whole thing is read (with pauses for humanity breaks and food).

I know already that this is something to be used, applied, learned from, and valued. It isn't recreational or idle reading. I haven't figured out yet how to present it to my granddaughter, and how to endorse it in a way that will hold her attention to the book and its' message. But I trust that in a few days, we'll get both objectives handled.

Great thanks, Adam. This opportunity to both inform me, and hopefully enlighten the path of a young one, is wonderful. And for the blog, I'll do as promised. Post again with part 2 after Beyond Belief is read and digested. I won't do a synopsis. But I will post what I take away from the reading, and what I hope for from another who will read it.

An interesting Chronology

Ed Coffin — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 19:27:34 -0000

Dropped by Halo Heaven to see what might be posted there after the season finale with the Rangers. Didn't have any quotable or referential content regarding the Rangers, of course, but there was a very interesting chronology put up by Rev listing how the Angels acquired their current roster.

Of interest to me was the mix of signing draftees, signing undrafted amateurs (a couple of eye openers there), making trades that turned out beneficial, and several free agent signings. Two things to pay particular attention to. The first is the total length of time it took to build the Halos roster. The other is the relative sequencing of amateur draft signings, undrafted amateur signings, trades, and free agent acquisitions. They searched for and collected some talent, got it to achieve improvement, then traded for needed positional skills, and finally went after or traded for high value free agents.

I think this is an instructive link.

http://www.halosheaven.com/2008/9/29/624229/how-the-2008-los-angeles-a

Calculated Total Value Rankings

Ed Coffin — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 16:58:09 -0000

Noticed a link to this work posted on Lookout Landing, so I followed the links. There is an info section, and linkage to position player and pitcher sections. From the Info section, this explanation of player value calculations is given:

"Total value (TotalValue) measures value above replacement level for position players, in runs. It is based on hitting runs above replacement (RAR), as well as a composite fielding measure (average runs saved according to zone rating and revised zone rating). This measure includes adjustments for differences in difficulty among defensive positions, as well as differences in difficulty of leaves (AL>NL). Pitchers are rated via two measures--RAR (runs above replacement) and FIP-Runs. RAR measures actual value similar to total value for position players, whereas FIP-Runs is a defense-independent estimate of value. Closers receive a bonus reflecting the leverage of situations in which they pitch. For details on all methods, please see this series of posts:"

Interesting that the Rangers have six players ranked 10.0 or above, then look at the pitcher rankings. Sorrow prevents me from revealing the rankings, but let it be said that Sidney Ponson (listed as a Ranger) is high on the TEX list.

Click here

or copy in http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=pfk_WuYpfdux2FC_hs6ROEQ&gid=0