Question of the (Off) Day: Andruw Jones on Your Roster?

Posted on March 11th, 2009 9:06am by Evan Grant
Filed under Front Office, Roster report, Texas Rangers

OK, GM Jon Daniels and assistant Thad Levine are out of the office today, enjoying a beautiful Arizona Wednesday. Time for us to, um, borrow their chairs for a bit. We’re in charge now. We’ve got 10 days to decide if we want to put Andruw Jones on our major league roster. Here’s the good news: Jones is looking much more like his old self at the plate lately. Here’s the bad news: He’s looked so good hitting the last couple of days that if we don’t put him on the roster by March 20, he might just take his exit clause and go play somewhere else. So do you add him or not?

Here are the things to consider:

1. If you add Jones, don’t you have to add him as your starting center fielder? What value does another right-handed hitter prone to strikeouts have on this bench? The need on the bench is for a left-handed hitter to occasionally pinch hit for Elvis Andrus with a game on the line. The Rangers aren’t often going to take Josh Hamilton out of the lineup for a defensive replacement. So, there’s that.

2. If you keep him, who are you going to remove? The obvious choices are Frank Catalanotto (who will have no real role other than pinch hitting), Hank Blalock (who might give the Rangers one too many lefties in the lineup right now) or Marlon Byrd (the most versatile outfielder on the roster and a guy who has become an unquestioned member of the team’s leadership council). The easy answer would be to say: Dump Catalanotto since he has no role and eat the $6 million in salary. Easy to say; but YOU try swallowing a $6 million comittment and see how it tastes. If the Rangers want to keep Jones, the best possible scenario for them would be to get a team interested in Blalock (New York Yankees, hello?). There was a Yankee scout on hand yesterday as Blalock went 1-for-3 as the DH. I’m sure the Yankees, who might have some interest in a replacement third baseman for injured you-kn0w-who (I like to call him Testoster-Rod). The big question there, however, is whether Blalock can still play third base on an every day basis. Probably won’t get an answer of any kind on that until the second half of spring training when he starts playing a little there.

3. Does Andruw Jones fit on this roster with where the Rangers are going ?Bottom line: You’ve got an outfield of David Murphy, Josh Hamilton and Nelson Cruz right now. They have this similarity: They are all part of the Rangers future. Jones, at best, is probably a one-year Ranger. If he’s great, he’s going to go look for another big contract. If he’s good and the Rangers aren’t, he’s dealt at the trading deadline. If he’s terrible, well, it was a waste of time. So, you’ve got to consider whether putting him on the roster and in the lineup actually stunts the growth of your players.

OK, get to it. You thought you were going to have a Rangers off day? Hah! If I’m workin’ people, so are you.

Bookmark and Share
24 Comments to “Question of the (Off) Day: Andruw Jones on Your Roster?”
  • Dave S @ March 11th, 2009 at 9:29 am

    If the shoe fits…you wear it. The shoe certainly doesn’t fit in this case. It’s tempting, I know, but stay the course, JD…stay the course.

  • bspate @ March 11th, 2009 at 9:39 am

    No thanks!!

    Andruw is at the end of his career and we already have plenty of OF on the 25 man roster that can do what he can do. We also have a couple others waiting to come up later this year or next year.

    If Boggs, Byrd, and Murphy’s injuries were still lingering at the moment (which is what I think JD was thinking with this Jones signing) I would have to really think about it. Everyone seems to be at or close to 100%, so Andruw is not needed.

  • brandallini @ March 11th, 2009 at 9:41 am

    no way. just let him walk and go spare another club. we should be playing for 2010. hopefully as fans, we can accept a mediocore + year for the greatness that should be coming. let go of Andruw and wait on Borbon. Man, this team has me stoked for 09 too though. So much young talent to watch. Thanks for your insight Evan. You and MJH are key cogs of the level headed, informed opinion makers for this clubs fan base.

  • Andrew in Boston @ March 11th, 2009 at 9:43 am

    I was shocked when Jon Heyman said the Rangers were even interested in him. He would really have to blow my socks off to make the team. (which he has yet to do) I just don’t think we need another outfielder taking away time from the young guys. If he continues to rake, he definitely makes it a tough call, but I think he needs to show some more consistency before we give him a spot. Ideally, the Rangers do not add him before the 20th, but he stays around until closer the end of camp to give the Rangers some more time to evaluate him.

  • Sean @ March 11th, 2009 at 10:02 am

    If you “swallow” Catalanotto’s contract and have Jones reach all of his incentives, it’s as if you’re paying Jones somewhere in the $7-9 million range…if the Rangers look at it like that, cutting Cat isn’t as difficult.

  • Brent @ March 11th, 2009 at 10:03 am

    I know it’s tough to eat Cat’s $6 million contract, but aren’t you eating it anyway? He doesn’t have a place on this roster whether Jones is here or not. Surely you can find some team to take him, even if you have to pay half of his salary. Right?

  • Habib @ March 11th, 2009 at 10:14 am

    Spring numbers are almost meaningless and Jones’s decline the past few years are not just a fluke.
    Cat can play multiple position and can pinch hit also.
    I would cut him and go with the young guys.

  • Jon @ March 11th, 2009 at 10:14 am

    With Cat the Rangers got nuthin’.

    If Jones continue sto rediscover his bat the Rangers got sumptin’

    Sumptin beats nuthin’

  • 1Zima2Many @ March 11th, 2009 at 10:36 am

    Keep Jones in the hopes that he will bust out and we can trade him at the deadline for a pitcher who will help us in 2010. If he busts earlier than that, we can always release him.

    Trade Cat for whatever we can get for him.

  • Doug @ March 11th, 2009 at 10:41 am

    Too early still…..give it a week or two.

  • jcAustin @ March 11th, 2009 at 10:53 am

    First, you wait till the last minute to decide and get the best picture you can of where
    Andruw is at, (Jones mentioned that if things are going well and they need to push back the March 20 deadline, that’s a possibility.) Second, if Jones stays hot, you explore trading him to improve the bullpen. Third, on March 20 or thereabouts, you pick who you think is best for the team, between Cat and Andruw. To me the wildcard here is Jone’s defense. I’ll be most interested to see how that looks in 10 days. Also, this might be one to get feedback from some of the team leaders ask Young, Byrd, Kins who they’d rather have on their team.

  • rob m. @ March 11th, 2009 at 10:56 am

    Give Jones as many A game ABs as you can and then decide on March 20th. Keep him only if he can be the starting CF. Right now I wouldn’t keep him.

  • C'mon Rangers!!! @ March 11th, 2009 at 11:35 am

    @ Jon: I agree Sumptin’ does beat nuthin’

    I agree with the post here that think it’s still to early to make the call on Andruw. His fielding is what has me concerned at present, and I want to see him get as many ab’s as he can right now as well. He said he’s flexible with the deadline, so maybe he will stick around a little longer like jcAustin suggested. I don’t think we will know exactly what Andruw is by the 20th.

  • Ryin A @ March 11th, 2009 at 11:46 am

    Give him as many AB’s as you can without retarding the growth of the youngsters (easier said than done, I know) and wait til last minute.

    However, if he’s hitting better than decent but shows a below average glove I do not keep him.

  • Molly Erdman @ March 11th, 2009 at 12:03 pm

    I would trade either Catman or Jones to the first team willing to trade me an extra long chili cheese coney, cheese tater-tots, cherry limeade and a banana split.

  • Becca @ March 11th, 2009 at 12:20 pm

    I still think it’s crazy that they haven’t gotten rid of Blallock. Even before this possibility that the Yankees might want him. I’d rather have Jones than him. I just think he’ll have a whole maybe quarter of the season that he’s healthy. I’d rather Jones play at 3/4ths the strength than not be there at all. Which is what ole hammerin hank seems to do lately. Get rid of him and let the young kids get a chance. And keep Jones around til he proves he can’t do it.

  • T.E. Legraf @ March 11th, 2009 at 12:28 pm

    No

  • ncrangerfan @ March 11th, 2009 at 1:08 pm

    In my mind I compare the Andruw Jones situation to the Kenny Lofton signing of a couple years ago. The only problem is that the Rangers are in a much different phase of rebuilding than they were in 07. In 07 we had a mediocre at best outfield and a below average farm system. The Lofton situation worked out beautifully because he was able to fill a need in CF and also was a flippable piece to help rebuild the farm. Now we have a crowded group of OF’s and a bloated (in a good way) farm system. It makes ZERO sense to sit a guy like Murphy hoping to flip Jones for a minor leaguer at the deadline. This kind of move made perfect sense two years ago, it doesnt make any sense now relative to the current phase of rebuilding the Rangers find themselves in.

  • DJCahill @ March 11th, 2009 at 2:22 pm

    I wish writers understood the concept of sunk costs. You can bet that Tom Hicks does.

    How much does it cost to have Andruw Jones replace Cat? Half a million. One and a half if he makes his incentives.

    You have to pay Cat whether he is sitting on the bench or released. Unless you think you can trade him (good luck with all that), the only decision is whether having Andruw instead of Cat is worth half a million. If Jones makes incentives, its a slam dunk that it was a smart move.

    So, the post-Steroid Jones or a 750 OPS platoon DH/PH. The decision is the based on which is the better player for the club, and who you think will have more trade value. The half million isn’t (or shouldn’t be) a big factor.

  • Jolly @ March 11th, 2009 at 6:37 pm

    It’s a nice problem to have……but is his defense still there….what is the market for any of the outfielders? Feels like he’s not quite there yet…….

  • Patrick @ March 11th, 2009 at 7:06 pm

    We’ve heard a lot about Jones’ woes with the lumber…and the possibility that he’s shaking them off…but more worryingly, I’ve not heard anything encouraging about his defense in center.

    All I’ve heard so far is that Wash was “disappointed” or something along those lines with some of his routes to balls last week. If he can’t reliably bring the lumber nor reliably play center, why tango with him?

  • Buddy @ March 11th, 2009 at 8:31 pm

    1st… Cutting Frankie the Cat .. would actually be a better expenditure of the 6 million than keeping him …. Not b/c he is no good…but b/c Wash does not use him enough for him to be good.

    2nd … Unless Jones shows to be what he was three years ago … ** Bonafide All Star ** .. you have to just let him go or keep him and let Byrd go.

    No reason to just keep them both

    Interesting … but this is also the Rangers “brass’ ” weakest point over the last few years … figuring out what to do with WHO at the major league level … which is scary given all the youngsters soon to force decisions on them.

  • tomckil @ March 11th, 2009 at 8:50 pm

    Buddy and DJCahill make important points that Wash won’t use Cat in any event and Cat’s salary is sunk cost. Wait until the last minute, but if he’s looking good, I’d keep Jones.

  • samags @ March 11th, 2009 at 11:29 pm

    I agree with Sean@. Jones at $7-9M looks like a better value than Cat at $6M.

    And just think, if Jones is great, we get a supplemental draft pick next year. We just keep restocking the farm.

    But first, let’s play out the ST hand.