Your Texas Rangers!: Official 2009 Thread

[Flacolaco]

That picture of them all standing at the mound, looking back and squinting, thinking "Who the hell is that guy?" ...And their smiles when he got there: priceless.

What a unique, weird moment that was. I've never seen anything like that before.

[chumdawg]

Well, I've certainly never seen a guy wearing another guy's uniform.

[Five-ofan]

Originally Posted by tcat075

Beaven is still a high rated prospect, and I'm sure he could be a #1 or #2 or #3 pitching prospect in other farm systems. However, in this farm system, we have at least 5 pitchers more highly rated...

1) Holland (I'll call him a prospect for now)
2) Neftali Feliz
3) Michael Main
4) Wilmer Font
5) Martin Perez

Not in any order, but I think all 5 of those pitchers are better prospects than Beaven right now, and that's not a knock on Beaven, because he's good. Its just tells how our farm system is killer.

The next "tier" of prospects has Beaven, Kiker, Neil Ramirez, Poveda, Boscan, Diamond and Moscoso.

Eh, beaven is squarely ahead of font in my book(so is perez and that ones not close).

I know font has a monster fastball but he doesnt have another pitch and he hasnt stayed healthy. My personal rangers pitching prospect rankings

1. Holland
2. Feliz
3. Perez
4. Ramirez
5. Main

The lack of respect for ramirez is a bit perplexing to me. Hes got better stuff than main. I think thats the end of tier 1. Tier 2 is all the other guys you mentioned with beaven being squarely between the two tiers and squarely in tier 1 if his fastball comes back.

[Five-ofan]

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3491/...4aed5d70_o.gif For a guys third best pitch and considering he probably has the best fastball of any lefty starter in the majors other than cc(when he becomes a starter) thats a sick pitch.


On my ramirez stuff, i know main has better command. Ramirez could very easily have two plus plus pitches and a changeup is the easiest pitch to learn. If he learns any kind of a change up he'll have the best stuff of ALL of our minor league pitchers.

Actually i really dont understand the main love reaching the level it did last year. It pretty much all stems from 2 weeks in extended spring and jason parks falling in love with him. He sat at 91 for most of the season last year so he saw pretty much the same velo drop beaven did. He did continue to post higher strikeout rates but i think beavens will go back up(and they have so far this year). The thing about beaven is that even if he had never thrown mid to upper 90s before wed still project a 6-7 teenager to develop better velo as he grew into his body. I dont have any worries about him.

[Five-ofan]

one other thing, if mendoza is really hitting 98 with his sinker he could actually be really useful. yes i know hes always sucked and honestly i think he always will because i havent actually seen him pitch but if thats true its worth looking at.

[alby]

GREAT win, Rangers

[jthig32]

Andrus made an unfreakingbelievable play to keep a run from scoring earlier in the game. Turned out to be huge. And Byrd made a ridiculous catch in the 9th.

Mike Young is displaying more power than he ever showed last season. Very nice.

[92bDad]

For the many complaints we fans make when a batter jogs to first, I've got to give PROPS to Byrd for his all out sprint that kept the game alive in the 8th!!!

This looks like it is shaping up to be a season that teases us Ranger fans, but also build genuine hope for the near future.

[dalmations202]

One thing for sure, if you are a Rangers fan........ this year you can see the talent.

I don't know if they will ever get it together, but they have talent this year, like I haven't seen since Juan, Pudge, and Deano came up.

[mmmfast]

Let's hope Feldman can get that ERA under 10 today >.<

[Murphy3]

Feldman and Holland looked absolutely great today.

[92bDad]

Mavs WIN...Rangers WIN...Cowboys, never mind.......

Fun times in Dallas Sports

[alby]

inching towards .500

[alby]

.500

[Male30Dan]

Millwood is pitching great this year... Maybe there IS something to that contract year stuff!!!

[dalmations202]

Just a FYI --
Dan, your signature still burns the eyes.

[SMC0007]

Looks like a ping pong paddle holster. :/

[Five-ofan]

Originally Posted by Male26Dan

Millwood is pitching great this year... Maybe there IS something to that contract year stuff!!!

hell likely vest his option year so we should have him again next year in a contract year.

[dirno2000]

Is it a team option or is it based on him hitting certain milestones this year?

[Five-ofan]

Originally Posted by dirno2000

Is it a team option or is it based on him hitting certain milestones this year?

its a club option but it vests if he hits 180 innings this year. so basically if he throws 142 more innings, we get kevin millwood next year at 12 mil. And if hes pitching like this its a bargain.

[mkat]

man Millwood is really a joy to watch this year.

[Kirobaito]

Pssh, we shouldn't have said anything.

[Flacolaco]

I smell fail in the air...come on Millwood.

[jthig32]

I defy anyone to show me a play by a shortstop better than the play Elvis just made.

Ho.ly.crap.

[dalmations202]

Over .500 for the first time since ? ? ?

[jthig32]

Originally Posted by dalmations202

Over .500 for the first time since ? ? ?

A couple weeks ago.

[dalmations202]

Originally Posted by jthig32

A couple weeks ago.

OK, since the first series of the year which they swept.

Then lost the next two, and finally got back to .500 but not over.

I guess I should have said that they are playing pretty good ball right now, and left it at that. They could be VERY good if the pitching will hold, and Hamilton will come back -- at the kind of pace he was putting up last year.

[92bDad]

Originally Posted by jthig32

I defy anyone to show me a play by a shortstop better than the play Elvis just made.

Ho.ly.crap.

Yes indeed, one of the best plays by a SS, perhaps the best a Ranger SS has ever done!!!

Yet, not one mention of it on ESPN...it's not featured in the TOP 10 Plays of the day...plenty of other baseball plays, good ones, but look at the #2 play of the day and tell me that it was better than what Andrus did???

For long suffering Ranger fans...we are perhaps seeing the light at the end of the tunnel!!!

Last night was a fun game to watch...and then I got to see the Lakers LOSE!!! True Greatness!!!

[ocelot_ark]

No mention of 4 in a row? 14-12 now. Great 2 out rally in the 10th to get the win. Incredible game by Padilla. A bright spot on a shitty day.

[Murphy3]

Padilla was amazing. It's just a shame that Ian decided to have a mental lapse in today's game..

What, did they hit the ball hard off of Padilla one time? They hit a pretty hard one hopper to Elvis that he played with ease. Other than that, they really didn't get alot of solid contact. The hit wasn't hit poorly.. I suppose a mix between a bloop and a line drive.

[jthig32]

Beltre hit a ball so hard to Young he was able to start a double play despite the fact that the runner was going on the play. Pretty amazing. Other than that, yeah, almost nothing hit solidly.

The Rangers have had some unfortunate draws in the opposing starting pitchers so far. Drawing Hernandez and Bedard in a two game series if flat out awful luck, and dangit if they didn't just go out and win both.

It's pretty amazing to me that this team is in this position despite the horrendous starts by Hamilton and Davis and the very shaky bullpen. I'm officially on worry alert for Davis.

Just goes to show what solid starting pitching, a closer you can count on, and a good defense behind that pitching can do.

[Murphy3]

I'm worried a bit about Davis as well..but, he's been very good every step of the way until now. So, I'm more than willing to give him alot of time to figure this out.

And you're right about the DP... Brain freeze on my part.

I'm still not sure about that HBP. It looked as if it hit the bat and not the hand.

[92bDad]

How about some Kudos for Ron Washington and the job he is doing as Manager!!!

I hope he sticks with the team long-term and that as the talent keeps coming the team will keep getting better and better.

Nice move to bring in Murph as a Pinch Runner, and then to bring in Francisco to close the game, before it was a formal 'Save' situation.

This team is progressing...who knows, they may be in a better position to compete for something meaningful than any other team in the Metroplex!!!

[mkat]

top of the AL West kids. they are really playing good beisbol lately. i mean, 3-2 win tonight...it's crazy. the pitching seems to finally be coming around (crosses fingers).

[Flacolaco]

wtf is going on with the Rangers?

[mkat]

they decided to play baseball. like...hitting AND PITCHING. crazy, i know. last year they were 9-17 at this point or something like that.

[mary]

First Place Texas Rangers.

[jthig32]

I don't want to bring the room down...but I fear this bullpen. Franky has now been used three days in a row. The starters are working deep into games and masking this horrendous bullpen right now.

We need guys to step up, both here and the minors, if we want this competitiveness to continue through the summer.

[Flacolaco]

Originally Posted by jthig32

I don't want to bring the room down...but I fear this bullpen. Franky has now been used three days in a row. The starters are working deep into games and masking this horrendous bullpen right now.

We need guys to step up, both here and the minors, if we want this competitiveness to continue through the summer.

<Hands on Ears> LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LAL FIRST PLACE TEXAS RANGERS!!!!! </Hands on Ears>

[92bDad]

Originally Posted by jthig32

I don't want to bring the room down...but I fear this bullpen. Franky has now been used three days in a row. The starters are working deep into games and masking this horrendous bullpen right now.

We need guys to step up, both here and the minors, if we want this competitiveness to continue through the summer.

Let's enjoy the Winning Rangers while we can!!! This is the type of Change I can believe in..."YES WE CAN!!!"