Comments on: Andruw Jones Situation May Be Taking Dramatic Turn; He Could End Up Rangers’ Right-Handed Hitting DH

By: texaslifter

texaslifter — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 00:22:41 +0000

Put the best team on the field….

Jones and Cat do not have the talent to play OF on a MLB team…. Boggs does.

Brandon has already proven himself at AAA and as a quality backup OF for the Rangers. The thinking that Boggs needs to play everyday for his “development” has not been applied to the catching situation…. There has been no argument in the press/blogs for Teagarden to play everyday at AAA despite his lack of mastery at that level. That Teagarden may receive more playing time at catcher than Boggs in the OF is speculative thinking…. one predicated on Nelson Cruz and David Murphy getting off to a solid starts.

Boggs has the best arm and speed in the OF…. he belongs on the ML roster.

By: rob m

rob m — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 19:18:54 +0000

Jolly: You are correct. Eddie, Andrus and Vizquel will take up the three available spots. I was of the opinion that Arias could be DFA to clear a spot but I am not to sure now. Metcalf could probably clear waivers at the end of ST and Nippert may get a mysterious shoulder ailment that lands him on the 60-day DL.

By: Tom B

Tom B — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 19:01:06 +0000

There is an invisible elephant in this room. I don’t see it but I smell peanuts on it’s breath. This is the Ron Washington/Milton Bradley effect coming around again. Ron says, “I’m going to get you a contract. I am on my last year with no contract extension. ‘Give me what I want to do my job.’” I’ll use AJ in the ‘Sweet Spots’ and ‘juice him up’ in a legal way. The problem is; At this point AJ has not proven definitively that he is the superior man for the required position. If Wash is willing to stick his neck out JD has to honor that wish.
He is out on the proverbial limb and sawing feverishly behind himself. It bodes badly for the Rangers.

By: AJM

AJM — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 19:00:08 +0000

The scarlett B on players foreheads with Boras as their client is not for the GM…it is for the fans so they won’t become attached to them….gives fans a head start ignoring a player who is leaving soon…….

Like Chris Davis, Taylor Teagarden, Julio Borbon…

By: Jolly

Jolly — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 17:19:45 +0000

By: Jolly

Jolly — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 17:17:33 +0000

Rob m go back and check your 40 man roster……

You have to add Eddie and Andrus.

Plus, Vizquel, Turnbow, Donnelly, Jones, Benson, Jennings all need a spot if you decide to use them…..

Which do you need more, a worn out hitter or another bullpen or starter? Well it won’t be far into the season when you are going to want that 40 man spot on a pitcher…….

By: Jared

Jared — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 14:51:38 +0000

I’m really ok with Jones sticking around, assuming it’s in lieu of Cat. I understand the want for a lefty bat off the bench, but this club has too many lefty bats already to make that a major concern.

Of more concern to me is:

A. What you do when you face lefties.

and

B. What you do when Blalock gets hurt.

Taking that into consideration, I’m fine with Jones staying on as the 5th OF/RH DH, as long as he won’t disrupt the clubhouse.

In fact my only real concern is that I don’t trust Washington to use him correctly, but that’s a reality that can’t be changed right now.

By: tomckil

tomckil — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 09:12:45 +0000

Three choices: Cat, Boggs, or Jones. Cat’s 6M is water under the bridge. It’s not on the table any more. Wash isn’t going to play him anyway, even as PH. Boggs needs to play every day. So it’s just a question of: Is Jones more valuable (RH DH, 6th outfielder) than Cat (almost never used LH PH, 3rd 1B, 6th OF)? That’s what they’re talking over this weekend. My guess the answer is yes, partly because there is a lot of upside potential with Jones and Blaylock is still tradeable.

By: Sriram

Sriram — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 06:57:38 +0000

If Jones really is going to be kept as a part-time DH, this move stinks. As Mr. Pink has noted, he’s not going to get more than a couple of hundred ABs in such a role, so the Rangers aren’t going to get much in a deadline deal, AND they take ABs away from Blalock/Davis. If the Rangers are concerned about Davis’ play against LHPs and they were contenders, that would be one thing – but they’re not, so they should let him work through it. It’s not going to matter if they lose an extra game or two this year.

Mr. Pink, allow me to play the devil’s advocate to your argument about making deadlines to stock the farm system – I don’t think that’s necessarily a bad thing. After all, they got Maximus for Lofton, and Beltre for Gagne (and rumor has it they could have gotten Michael Bowden instead of Gabbard). I’m not saying the Rangers could get that for Jones, but if they get him enough ABs and reps in the OF to show that he’s still useful, they might, especially since contenders WILL overpay at the deadline for players like Jones. You can never have enough quality players; it makes it easier to pull off a trade for a premium pitcher or two later while still keeping the farm system stocked (assuming, of course, that JD is smart enough to do so).

By: Bennie

Bennie — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 06:46:43 +0000

When this experiment fails, whoever decided to keep Jones should be fired because they obviously don’t know what they are doing. If Daniels and Nolan both want to keep him then both should be fired. Jones is done. It is as clear as can be. Cat, Boggs, and Golson all should be in front of him on the depth chart.