SB Nation User Blog: Jamey Newberg

Littleton to Boston.

Jamey Newberg — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 22:45:19 -0000

Texas has traded righthander Wes Littleton to Boston for a player to be named later or cash considerations.

No, the PTBNL will not be Clay Buchholz.

No, the PTBNL will not be Michael Bowden.

No, the PTBNL will not be Justin Masterson.

(75 words yet?)

No, the PTBNL will not be Kevin Youkilis.

No, the PTBNL will not be Jacoby Ellsbury.

No, the PTBNL will not be Lars Anderson.

No, the PTBNL will not be Win Remmerswaal.

Newberg Report

Jamey Newberg — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 12:40:24 -0000

I have to give the printer a final number this afternoon on quantity for the first print run, so if you plan to order books in time for the holidays, I’d appreciate it if you could do so today.

The 2009 Bound Edition is roughly 300 pages in length, and costs $25. If you buy at least two copies, I’ll throw in a free copy of a previous year’s edition (your choice).

Otherwise, the price breakdown on the older books is as follows:

2009 Bound Edition – $25
2008 Bound Edition – $20
2007 Bound Edition – $15
2006 Bound Edition – $15
2005 Bound Edition – $15
2004 Bound Edition – $15
2003 Bound Edition – $15
2002 Bound Edition – $15
2001 Bound Edition – $15
1999/2000 Bound Edition – $10

A gift set of all 10 Bound Editions is $125 (which is a $35 discount).

You can pay for your order by credit card at www.PayPal.com, sending it to the gjsneaker@sbcglobal.net account. (Shortcut: go here: http://www.newbergreport.com/buythebook.asp and click the “Pay with PayPal” button.)

Or you can send payment by check or money order to:

Jamey Newberg
Vincent & Moyé, P.C.
2001 Bryan Street, Suite 2000
Dallas, TX 75201

Thanks. Let me know if you have questions, and mark you calendars for the Wednesday, Dec. 10 Book Release Party (6pm - 9pm) at Sherlock’s in Arlington , where our guests will include Michael Young, Jeff Zimmerman, and Derek Holland.

Jamey

Newberg Report party

Jamey Newberg — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 17:38:13 -0000

       WHAT:                Book Release Party for the 2009 Bound Edition of the Newberg Report

       WHEN:                6:00-9:00 pm, Wednesday, December 10, 2008

       WHERE:             Sherlock’s Baker Street Pub & Grill, 254 Lincoln Square Center in Arlington (few blocks west of the Ballpark, just south of I-30 and west of Collins.........ample parking, and a huge party room that we have sole access to)

       GUESTS:             Jeff Zimmerman, Derek Holland, and – just confirmed – Michael Young & his wife Cristina Barbosa-Young

       FOOD:                 http://www.sherlockspubco.com/Images/Final_Food_Menu.pdf (the party is during Sherlock’s Happy Hour, by the way)

       ADMISSION:     Free – but the "cost" for getting autographs from our guests is the purchase of a 2009 Bound Edition, which you can buy now or at the event. (If you pay now, I can bring your order to the party and you can avoid the line to buy books.)

Let me know if you have questions.

Jamey

Guitars & books

Jamey Newberg — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 22:48:54 -0000

So I’m at C.J. Wilson’s Guitar Hero Battle of the Bands last night at the Ballpark, and I won a raffled GH guitar, signed by Wilson. I’m going to get more details on the guitar and then open it up for a Newberg Report email auction (similar to what we did with the autographed Josh Hamilton books). All proceeds from the winning bid will go to Wilson’s Children’s Charities benefiting the families of soldiers from Fort Hood serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.

More on that soon.

In the meantime, today is the final day of the discount on the 2009 Bound Edition. Pay today and the price is $23. Tomorrow it goes back to $25.

Also, if you buy at least two 2009 books, you get a free copy of any previous year’s edition (your choice) – one for you and one for someone on your holiday gift list.

Finally, a gift set of all ten Bound Editions is available for $125, which is a $35 discount.

To order, you can pay by credit card at www.PayPal.com, sending payment to the gjsneaker@sbcglobal.net account. That should take about 30 seconds, or even less if you use this shortcut: http://tinyurl.com/6ndb8m

Or you can send payment by check or money order to:

Jamey Newberg
Vincent & Moyé, P.C.
2001 Bryan Street, Suite 2000
Dallas, TX 75201

Thanks.

Question

Jamey Newberg — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 21:31:03 -0000

I sent out a TROT COFFEY this morning (a little before 8 am Central), and then another that I called a FART COFFEY this afternoon (at 12:40 pm Central). Did anyone on the mailing list receive the first but not the second? It was suggested to me that there might be office email filters that would kill the latter before it ever got to mailboxes because of the title.

I wanna get a sense of whether that's happening, so I'll know going forward whether my acronyms need to be less scatological.

Bound Edition: Sample feature

Jamey Newberg — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 19:50:25 -0000

Reminder - if you pay for your 2009 Bound Edition by November 15 (this Saturday), the price is reduced from $25 to $23.

Also, if you buy at least two 2009 books, you get a free copy of any previous year's edition (your choice).

And a gift set of all ten Bound Editions is available for $125, which is a $35 discount.

To order, you can pay by credit card at www.PayPal.com, sending payment to the gjsneaker@sbcglobal.net account. That should take about 30 seconds, or even less if you use this shortcut: http://tinyurl.com/6ndb8m

Or you can send payment by check or money order to:

Jamey Newberg

Vincent & Moyé, P.C.

2001 Bryan Street, Suite 2000

Dallas, TX 75201

For a teaser, here is one of the 72 position-by-position prospect features that appears in the front of the book, in conjunction with my ranking of the top 72 prospects in the Rangers system:

Michael Main, RHP

After making what amounted to three rehab appearances in Surprise as he was coming back from a ribcage injury that cost him half the season, righthander Michael Main was assigned in early July to Clinton, where he logged 45.1 innings for the year.

To give you some perspective, Roy Halladay had a heavier workload (49.2 innings) in April alone. C.C. Sabathia worked more innings in both July (47.2) and August (48.1).

Sidney Ponson racked up more innings in May (46.1) for Texas than Main did as a LumberKing.

Main didn't pitch a lot in 2008, but what he did with his 10 Midwest League starts was remarkable. At age 19, pitching against significantly older competition, he posted a 2.58 ERA, never allowing more than three earned runs, and he set 50 hitters down on strikes in those 45.1 innings, issuing only 13 walks.

But it's what the stat pages don't show that has the Rangers as excited as they are about the Florida native. Aside from the mid-90s fastball and sharp curve, the consistency, and the athleticism that made him a top center field prospect in some clubs' eyes, Main earns raves for his makeup, his tenacity, and his coachability. Following the season, Rangers Minor League Pitching Coordinator Rick Adair told Mike Hindman of the Dallas Morning News, regarding Main: "Mentally he's easily the most polished guy out of high school I've ever been around. The only comparison I can think of is [Adam] Wainwright when I had him."

Wainwright came out of high school in 2000.

Tim Hudson logged 268 minor league innings (24-10, 3.22) before he reached the big leagues at age 23. Bret Saberhagen needed only 187 innings on the farm (16-7, 2.55) before getting to Kansas City at age 20. They're probably the two pitchers to whom Main (5-4, 2.91 over 86.2 pro innings) is most often compared. Does Main need 100 more innings before arriving in the big leagues with a pro workload similar to Saberhagen's? Probably. But maybe not.

Main is a man who, along with fellow high school righthander Neil Ramirez, the Rangers drafted as compensation for the loss of Gary Matthews Jr. As lopsided as that exchange looks right now, just wait until we look back at it in another year.

Let me know if you have any questions.

Jamey

Newberg Report Book Release Party question

Jamey Newberg — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 15:52:16 -0000

We're planning on having the Book Release Party for the 2009 Bound Edition on the evening of December 10th or 11th, with Jeff Zimmerman and Derek Holland coming in town for the entire event to sign autographs and do a Q&A.

We've got a couple candidates for the venue, thinking we need a larger space than Tin Star or the Rangers' North Dallas office, where we've had the party in the past, because we're expecting over 300 people to attend this year.

Do any of you have suggestions on where to have the party? We're open to Arlington or Dallas spots, and prefer to have food (whether it's at a restaurant or at a spot where we can bring in catering). What I'm most interested to know is whether you're affiliated yourself with a potential spot so we can talk to you about having it at your place.

Email me at jnewberg@vimolaw.com, or just reply here, if you have ideas. We'd like to get this firmed up in the next few days.

Thanks.

Jamey

2009 Bound Edition of the Newberg Report

Jamey Newberg — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 12:06:11 -0000

I’m now taking preorders for the 2009 Bound Edition of the Newberg Report, my tenth annual book on the Texas Rangers. It’s approximately 300 pages commemorating the 2008 season, which launched with high hopes inspired by the acquisition of Josh Hamilton, the return to the franchise of Nolan Ryan, and the recognition of a farm system that had risen in one year from one of baseball’s worst to one of its best and was poised to start supplying the big club with the first of several waves of high-end talent. A second straight poor April was followed by a strong middle of the season and then a disappointing finish, but underlying it all was a spectacular season by dozens of young players, both on the farm and as big league rookies, that give this organization as much promise as it’s had in many, many years.

The 2009 Bound Edition not only looks back on 2008 but also serves as a primer on what you can expect from this organization for years to come. Nowhere can you find more information and analysis on the players that the Rangers are developing as future members of the major league team and, in some scenarios, as ammunition to trade for veterans brought in to join the core of the club.

Nearly 900 of you on this mailing list are past customers of the Bound Edition, but for those of you who are relatively new to the Newberg Report, here is what you can expect from the book:

THE FEATURES

The book picks up right where the 2008 Bound Edition left off, taking you from October 3, 2007 to October 8, 2008 and containing every report I wrote in that span. It’s the most thorough chronicle you’ll find of the twists and turns that the 2008 season took, and of the implications of the personnel moves that highlighted it. Not just a complete record of the Rangers’ 2008 season, the book includes a feature section comprised of more than 50 pages of new material that won’t ever appear on the website or in any e-mail deliveries. Included in that section are rankings and analysis of more than 70 Rangers prospects, broken down by position.

The “Poised” rankings of the 10 minor league position players and 10 minor league pitchers that I’m predicting breakout years for in 2009 are back, as is the annual “40-Man Roster Conundrum” chapter, in which I look at the roster decisions facing the organization this winter plus an explanation of how the Rule 5 Draft works, and also the popular Transactions Hornbook, giving you one place to go to learn, in great detail, how baseball’s rules work, with sections on waivers, options, outright assignments, arbitration, the amateur draft, and a bunch more.

The Bound Edition contains complete 2008 statistics for every player who appeared with the Rangers’ big league club, all six minor league affiliates, and the Dominican Summer League squad, plus full details on the Rangers’ 2008 draft and a chronological rundown of every transaction Texas made in 2008.

The forewords for this 10th anniversary volume come from Nolan Ryan and Jeff Zimmerman, both of whom were part of the story here when the Newberg Report was born more than 10 years ago.

The glossy front and back covers once again feature action shots – taken by some of the best photographers in the business – of some of the Rangers’ top prospects, perfect for autographs. The front cover -- which I'll post here if I can figure out how to post JPG's on this site -- also includes photos of the players who headlined the Rangers’ farm system in each of the first nine years of the Bound Edition. The cover design was once again masterminded by the great Marty Yawnick of Type A Design.

The book itself is full of player photos as well.

THE PRICE

As always, the 2009 Bound Edition is $25.

Because I have to front the costs, if you plan to buy copies of the book I would appreciate it if you’re able to send payment now.

If you pay for your order by November 15, I will waive the standard $2-per-book shipping charges. Accordingly, the book will cost you only $23 if you pay by November 15, either by (1) check or money order, or (2) credit card through www.PayPal.com . Since sales of the book have increased each year, it’s easier on me if I know early roughly how many to have the printer generate for the first run. The books should be ready for delivery on or before December 10 at the latest, in time to help you not only stock your own reference shelf or coffee table but also fill Christmas and Chanukah lists for your friends and family.

I know the $2 discount isn’t much, but I don’t have much of a margin to deal with.

As we’ve done the past several years, we’ll have a book release party, and I’m pleased to report that Jeff Zimmerman (Canada) and Derek Holland (Arizona) have committed to fly into town for the event, to sign autographs and shake hands and do a Q&A with us. Details soon on the location, and the date (December 10 or 11, most likely).

I also have all the previous editions of the Bound Edition for sale. The price breakdown is as follows:

2009 Bound Edition – $25 (but $23 if you pay by November 15)
2008 Bound Edition – $20
2007 Bound Edition – $15
2006 Bound Edition – $15
2005 Bound Edition – $15
2004 Bound Edition – $15
2003 Bound Edition – $15
2002 Bound Edition – $15
2001 Bound Edition – $15
1999/2000 Bound Edition – $10

SPECIALS

1. Again, if you pay by November 15, the price of the 2009 Bound Edition is reduced from $25 to $23.

2. A gift set of all ten Bound Editions is available for $125, which is a $35 discount.

ORDERING

For those who are in a position to pay now, I’d appreciate it. You can order by credit card through PayPal (more on that in a moment) or you can send a check or money order in whatever amount your order comes to, payable to “Jamey Newberg,” at:

Jamey Newberg
Vincent & Moyé, P.C.
2001 Bryan Street, Suite 2000
Dallas, TX 75201

In addition to your check or money order, please make sure I have your mailing address, and specify how many of each book you want.

Ordering by credit card through PayPal is very easy. Just go to www.paypal.com, select the “Send money” option, and type in gjsneaker@sbcglobal.net where it asks for the e-mail account (and again, make sure you identify exactly what years of the Bound Edition you want, so I know what to ship to you).

If PayPal is new to you, signing up is extremely user-friendly, costs you nothing, and is completely secure. Go to https://www.paypal.com/refer/pal=gjsneaker%40sbcglobal.net and follow the simple instructions.

For inventory and printing purposes, I would appreciate it if you would e-mail me and let me know how many copies of the books you plan to order, whether you’re sending payment to me immediately or not.

TO SUM UP

I want you to know how much I appreciate the level of support you all have given me in every phase of the Newberg Report. Your support in the form of buying the Bound Edition is a concrete way to sustain it. If you have questions about the book, please ask.

Again, here’s the drill:

1. E-mail me to let me know what you plan to order, even if tentatively (please do this whether you are taking advantage of the early discount or instead plan to pay later on).

2. Pay by credit card at www.PayPal.com, sending it to the gjsneaker@sbcglobal.net account.

3. Or send payment by check or money order to:

Jamey Newberg
Vincent & Moyé, P.C.
2001 Bryan Street, Suite 2000
Dallas, TX 75201

Thanks again for your continued support of the Newberg Report.

Jamey Newberg
www.NewbergReport.com

Newberg Report book survey

Jamey Newberg — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 20:00:28 -0000

(This mirrors something I just sent to the email list and also posted on my own website forum.)
As work ramps up on this year's Bound Edition -- the 10th anniversary edition in fact -- I wanted to get a little guidance from you as to which features you like in the book and which you could do without. I figured it's about time to find out if there's a feature or two in the book that nobody cares much about (other than me), before I write this year's features.

I don't know if the poll option here allows multiple selections, so if you're interested in giving me your feedback, I guess the best (only) way is to just comment below.
By the way, I'm not averse to keeping all the features in the book -- I just don't want to shoehorn something back in there that you guys don't have any interest in. Thanks.

( ) Guest forewords (players/management/media)
( ) My Top 72 Rangers Prospects list
( ) Commentary (position by position) on each of the 72 prospects I've ranked
( ) Minor league player photos (scattered throughout the book)
( ) "Lists" section (best moves of the year, biggest disappointments, all-defensive team on the farm, things to keep an eye on, etc.)
( ) The annual "40-man Roster Conundrum" chapter (reviewing the player decisions the org must make before December's Rule 5 Draft
( ) Prediction of the top 10 pitcher breakouts and top10 position player breakouts for 2009
( ) Transactions Hornbook (eight-page reference guide explaining baseball's procedural rules [waivers, options, DFA, etc.])
( ) Collection of '08 season's MLB.com columns (this year would be "In Their Footsteps" on my all-time Rangers roster)
( ) All of the last 12 months' Newberg Reports, pieced together journal-style (with monthly headers including the 40-man roster from the 1st of each month)
( ) Complete statistics for big league team and every farm club from 2008, and full draft results
( ) Transactions ledger (chronological chart of every player move Texas made over last 12 months)

Also, if there's another feature you'd want me to consider adding to the book, now's the time to propose it. Got an idea? Let me know.

Thanks very much for your time and input.

Jamey

Hey Marcus Lemon fans!

Jamey Newberg — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 20:19:07 -0000

I now have Windows Media Player files of both the Marcus Lemon and Mitch Moreland packages that I recorded for this homestand on the video board. If someone can tell me how to post the .WMV files on this board, I'll be happy to.

Repeating: I now have Windows Media Player files of both the Marcus Lemon and Mitch Moreland packages that I recorded for this homestand on the video board. If someone can tell me how to post the .WMV files on this board, I'll be happy to.

Jamey