I see the Padilla SQUEEZE is in effect tonight.

MLB Gameday showed all 8 of the pitches to Keppinger as strikes.

@Evan! Cookies in the Press Box!!!!!!

That’s a win for someone in the pool. Saw a lot of Youngs in the 1st in that thread.

is there any free stuff left???

Johnathan – he even got the count right.

Evan,

2 baseball 101 questions for you:

1. Read somewhere that Rangers were having Beavan throw more 4 seamers to buid up his velocity. I understand that 4 seamers are thrown about 2-3 mph faster b/c held with looser grip (less friction). But how does throwing “build up” arm strength/velocity? Was that just a mistake in the article I saw or am I missing something?

2. Re/ Young and his crazy #s on Backe (and other similar situations of player on player dominance over several years): do you attribute that to a pure vision thing, ie. picking the ball up earlier/easier? I wouldn’t think its a situation of knowing how they are being worked (there is no real magic there), nor a mechanical thing (over that many plate appearances). It would seem to me that it has to be a case of Young just sees the ball really, really well out of his hand. Thoughts?

Way to go, Crush!

CRUSH makes a cameo!

can there be multiple winners in the hr pool?

@wes: count and distance are the tie-breakers.

@Jack Daddy: Of course! And you know what else? Did you hear that the bat boy hit his head on the top of the dugout? I think Wash is to blame for that, too, since he asked the bat boy to bring him a drink. I’m still trying to find a way to blame Wash on the back ache I had today…

just read this in ESPN the Mag:

“Even though Rangers reliever CJ Wilson has the velocity to be a premium closer, the lefty has a tendency to shy away from his heater. “He doesn’t just want to strike you out-he also wants to embarrass you”. says one scout. “Se he’ll try to make you look bad on a 0-2 breaking ball when he’s just thrown two fastballs right by you. It’s not necessary”"

-I also raise an eyebrow when I read this stuff – you think a scout is really talking to ESPN Mag about things like this? That being said, sounds like CJ. Knucklehead!

45 pitches thru 3 innings – Padilla has rebounded nicely from that 1st inning.

@Dylan: Global warming? Wash.

@scooper: thanks

@Jack Daddy: I’ve heard the same thing about Wilson from scouts, so I have no doubt that has been their take. But I think the best scouts also watch and learn. C.J. is spending a lot less time trying to strike guys out this year and more time getting ground balls. It’s been a big part of his recent success.

@David: Checking on the consecutive solo homer record, but it will take some time.

@Evan

Thanks … I’ve been searching since yesterday and couldn’t find anything … figured you could give John Blake or one of his minions something to do

(for A late-innings guy, that should read)

Taylor Teagarden is a lesser defensive player than Jarrod Saltalamacchia?

@AJM
sure looks like it lately … something you’d get laughed at for saying last season

@Evan: what is the general make-up of the official scorers ie. are they in any way associated with umpires or the umpires association, just baseball knowledgeable people, or something else?

@The Beer Guy – I’m with you! Been begging for that for a few weeks. My sense is that we would have to move Blalock’s salary though (they make the same). I also wouldn’t give up much (I would give up what we got for Laird, not much more – if that doesn’t get it done, I would have to reconsider).

Evan doesn’t like it because he’s a DeRosa guy

Love to see Elvis take charge on that foul pop and call MY off.

Why does it seem that only a certain “type” of player is fully capable of bunting in the majors? Regardless of your star level, or skill profile, you should be able to bunt at this level. You never know when a good bunt will win a game for you. IMO, CD should be fully capable of putting that bunt down in the 9th last night. Although the reality is that he probably is not.

“the velocity to be a premium closer” is awesome.

@Jack Daddy: DeRosa’s multi-position ability has value, for sure. And yeah, we’d have to move Blalock I suspect, but hopefully could parlay that into some pitching. But Johnson’s a FA after this year, too. Do you consider retaining him? A lot depends on what Davis would do in a AAA “rehab” stint I suppose.

at this point you’d have to hope someone claimed Blalock on waivers

DeRosa has been on a tear lately. But are you sure he’s cheaper? Aren’t they both making about $5 million this year? Johnson would be a free agent, what about DeRosa?

Also, noted this from the same Stark article:

“You can add Texas to the list of teams interested in Nick Johnson, or some kind of left-handed bat who could play, or platoon at, first base. “They’ve got to send Chris Davis back [to the minors],” said one scout. “This kid has lost all feel for the strike zone. They can’t let him keep going on a 250-strikeout pace. You can get him out anywhere in the strike zone right now.”

Thanks for that last post (8:27), Evan. We are in agreement.

Ah yes, the Padilla meltdown inning.

Teagarden is having a rough night. 1st time I’ve seen it in the field, aside from tossing one into CF last week. 2 PB”s, and what I thought was a pretty weak effort on the play at home for the 2nd run. Sure would have taken a dive at the guy, rather than the wave.
Then there’s Padilla: if he had covered 1st, he’s be out of it by now. Takes himself out mentally.

@dylan: good point!

both Johnson and DeRosa are free agents to be.

Evan – I would completely agree with you if this was January. Johnson CANT stay healthy. But there is only 3 months to go and by all accounts he is as healthy as ever now. I just think DeRosa would cost a TON more in prospects. Based on that, I say Nick. Would think the Nats would give him away to escape his salary.

I also actually PREFER him because he is a lefty. You are thinking we need a righty because we have Blalock and Davis here. I assume if we brought in Johnson that we would move Blalock and send Davis down. Bingo, need Lefty.

No, I wouldn’t consider resigning Johnson or derosa after the season. you still have DAvis and smoak and they are the future. This would PURELY be a rental move, which is why they both are attractive.

@Fred – Not saying it was a great outing (or inning) by Padilla, just saying it wasn’t a meltdown.

@justsaying: padilla went 6 innings

@beerguy: I agree that bunting should start in the minors, but it is a copout to say that he’s not going to ask these guys to bunt because they never had to in the minors. You can practice bunting in the big leagues, too. I do understand what he is saying, but he is also saying that Davis, Blalock, Jones, Salty, TT, Hamilton, etc. will NEVER bunt. I sure wouldn’t want my opponent to know that I was never going to ask these guys to bunt. And, if you are hitting below, say, .250, you should expect to be asked to lay down a sacrifice bunt rather than be allowed to swing for the fences. Wash says he likes smallball, but now he is saying he won’t play it unless there are a very few particular players at the plate.

@scooper: Good points, it can certainly be practiced in the bigs. These guys aren’t beyond improving on it.

@fred: but he has no input?

This offense, despite Tuesday’s outburst, still has issues…very frustrating.

this team has schizophenic batting tendencies……only a couple led by young and andrus can respond to a situational hitting spot……the others are lost in the power hitting locked down mode and unable or unwilling broaden their approach…..

@justsaying: you are right, so, does that mean we just give up? Our players aren’t good at situational hitting, so we just won’t do it! If we can’t manufacture runs, we’re not going anywhere.

So, am I the only one that feels Jennings is nothing but a spare part?

We already know he’s not good with inherited runners, but I have ZERO confidence if he’s pitching under any circumstances.

who allowed the 2 runs in the 8th?

@Ryans Dad: Jennings

Chris Davis is pretty bad.

Good job continuing to hand the division away guys.

Someone’s going to have to grow a testicle in this organization and send Davis down..that was just sad

I understand you, Scoop, but my point is that minor league training isn’t Wash’s job. That comes down from the top.
On other things–
2) Elvis needs to learn a thing or 2 on base running–even with his speed.
3) Clinton–I guess you missed the HR that supplied 33% of their runs (and the stretch that made the DP.
4) What the hell was Byrd doing running in the 9th? Idiocy! He couldn’t have done it on his own. Was it called?

All good points, Fred. I totally agree on Elvis. And I don’t know what Byrd was doing. He wasn’t even the tying run. There is no way that was worth the risk.

Kyle–
Point is: Rangers are in no way a championship team, this year. they would have to be very lucky to be a playoff team, this year.
The stated objective was to develop the team for a 2010 run. You do that by developing players–not by jerking them up and down.
You see the good (like the Davis HR tonight and his fielding, all year) and you see the bad–and work on it. Davis was a hero last year. the league has caught up with him. You help him to adjust. Look at Sierra, Sosa and Gonzalez when they were kids…and none of them saved runs like Davis.

All – Let’s not get too carried away. Fred is correct – this thing is a work in progress, not a championship contender. Whether Davis stays up or goes down will not impact the outcome of this season. The Rangers have been alone in first place for 40-some odd days now because of a significant confluence of events, not the least of which is the pitching injuries to the Angels. There are many flaws and problems on this team right now, but anybody that thinks that this team could “go all the way” is drinking WAY too much Kool-Aid. Let’s enjoy the progress they’re making this year with the young guys (including Davis) and get ready for a significant run of a better brand of baseball in the next several years than we’ve seen here in a LONG, LONG time.