Rangers News: Salty to DL, Kinsler Hitting Sixth

Posted on August 15th, 2009 3:59pm by Evan Grant
Filed under Uncategorized

UPDATED, 4:03: Correct lineup with Marlon Byrd playing, Andruw Jones sitting.

ARLINGTON – The Rangers have placed C Jarrod Saltalamacchia on the disabled list with a yet-to-be-announced injury. Saltalamacchia left Friday’s game with numbness in his right hand. It’s the second game he’s left with an arm-related injury in the last two weeks.

To replace him on the roster, the Rangers purchased the contract of C Kevin Richardson, who last night caught RHP Luis Mendoza’s no-hitter for Triple-A Oklahoma City.

Also of significance: 2B Ian Kinsler is not hitting leadoff in his first game back. LF Julio Borbon is hitting first with Kinsler batting sixth. It’s the first time Kinsler has not hit leadoff since 2007. Here’s the full lineup:

LF Julio Borbon, 3B Michael Young, RF David Murphy, CF Marlon Byrd, DH Josh Hamilton, 2B Ian Kinsler, 1B Hank Blalock, C Taylor Teagarden, SS Elvis Andrus and pitching for the Rangers. … LHP Derek Holland.

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25 Comments to “Rangers News: Salty to DL, Kinsler Hitting Sixth”
  • Rodney @ August 15th, 2009 at 4:09 pm

    Evan- After news of salty circulated (this is not good, he was improving), it cropped up on a couple of boards- Do the Rangers have achance at picking up Pudge and would it be the sentimental story…. Pudge comes back to back up Tea and help team that developed him into playoffs….. is it possible/likely/ fantasy…..

  • rob m @ August 15th, 2009 at 4:13 pm

    Wow. Kind of a slap in the face to Ian.

  • Vamsi @ August 15th, 2009 at 4:19 pm

    Was Kevin Richardson on the 40 man roster? Did they have to make a move to clear a spot for him?

  • Geoff in Colorado @ August 15th, 2009 at 4:26 pm

    looks as if Wash did the Left/Right thing as much as he could. After Hamilton got dropped to seventh to get on track, cant say Ian at sixth is a slap or a bad idea.

  • RyanC @ August 15th, 2009 at 4:30 pm

    @Vamsi there was an open spot on the 40. No need to make a move.

  • Clint C. @ August 15th, 2009 at 4:34 pm

    Evan, Astro’s web site shows 3 catchers on the active roster, could Pudge clear waivers if a trade is made?

  • Rangers Fan @ August 15th, 2009 at 5:00 pm

    I’ve been saying Kinsler should bat 3rd for a while…but I don’t think he should be dropped for Borbon, who has shown nothing at the plate and now all the sudden he’s handed the leadoff position? There’s something wrong with that picture…

  • J blake @ August 15th, 2009 at 5:09 pm

    @Rangers Fan- what has kins done to keep the spot?

  • Rangers Fan @ August 15th, 2009 at 5:10 pm

    A lot more than borbon…

  • Fox @ August 15th, 2009 at 5:14 pm

    Borbon has not been a failure. He has gotten on base and scored in almost everygame he has played. Kins is getting the Hambone treatment until he fixes his approach.

  • Tom B @ August 15th, 2009 at 5:14 pm

    It takes a 100-150 ABs to get an idea if a batter can hit. That takes about 1-1.5 months. Borbon’s speed will help if he gets on base. He can add a new dimension to this team. He and Andrus could be a dynamic duo at 9 and 1. Wash is taking some of the pressure off of Kins and when he starts hitting again he will be back up there just like Hamilton.

  • Mike Beam @ August 15th, 2009 at 5:17 pm

    Kinsler now has a chance to show whether he can follow Michael Youngs example and make adjustments that will help the team. what he has shown thus far is stubbornness and an unteachable attitude. I think he can be a plus, plus, player if he will THINK about what he is doing that doesn’t work and be open to what does work.

  • Juan Gone @ August 15th, 2009 at 5:24 pm

    Pudge was my favorite Rangers player growing up. Bringing him back would mean a hell of a lot to most fans here and I doubt he’d pass up the opportunity to finish here, even in a non-starter role.

  • Lamar in PA @ August 15th, 2009 at 5:31 pm

    I actually love batting Kinsler lower in the order. 6th might be a little too low, but if he’s fallen in love with the home run as much as everyone says, he should be batting in a lower run-producing spot and stop pretending he’s trying to get on base.

  • Lamar in PA @ August 15th, 2009 at 5:36 pm

    Actually, looking closer at the lineup, it’s odd how it now seems to start with the leadoff guy, then feature three consecutive #2 hitters in Young, Murphy and Byrd, and then get down to business with the power in the 5-6-7 spots. I wish I had some idea why nothing that Murphy does ever seems to lead to runs this year, but that makes him a funny #3 hitter while Kinsler hits 6th.

  • Ranger_Rick @ August 15th, 2009 at 5:48 pm

    bringing Pudge in would be a great move, as would several other current ML catchers they could get. I don’t understand bringing Richardson up, no ML experience. He is not only calling pitches but he is the defensive coordinator as well and w/o ML experience will not be successful here stuck in this situation. Better to spend a little money and get an experienced ML catcher that can handle things behind Teagarden while Salty is off. If we have to give up a minor league player that’s find.

  • scooper @ August 15th, 2009 at 5:52 pm

    @Ranger_Rick: I seriously doubt they view Richardson as the answer at back-up catcher, but they had to do something for tonight’s game. You cannot go into a game with one catcher.

  • obagain @ August 15th, 2009 at 5:53 pm

    lamar, I know murph doesnt have big rbi numbers but since he started the year so bad and has batted 7th most of the time he has been in the lineup I would say 11 HR, 33 RBI and 35 runs scored is not bad.

  • obagain @ August 15th, 2009 at 5:58 pm

    scooper, I agree, I am sure they are looking at other options.
    You cant make a deal and get a replacement in 24 hours so they had to call up the most ready guy they had.
    Max was taken off the dl and if he is healthy he is an option, I doubt richardson will be with the rangers after next week.

  • chadb @ August 15th, 2009 at 6:04 pm

    Henry Blanco-Meh.

    http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2009/08/rangers-looking-for-catching.html

    Ken Rosenthal of FoxSports.com is reporting that the Rangers have contacted several clubs in search of catching help, according to a major league source. Texas lost regular backstop Jarrod Saltalamacchia to the disabled list when he left Friday’s game with numbess in his right hand, and Rosenthal hears from a source that he may have a nerve issue.

    Henry Blanco of the Padres could be one possibility, but Rosenthal says the “team is considering a number of other alternatives as well.”

  • torii @ August 15th, 2009 at 6:05 pm

    This is one of the more logical lineups we’ve seen this year. Well played, Wash

  • Bobby in Bryan @ August 15th, 2009 at 6:09 pm

    This year is supposed to be about taking some long looks at young players to see if they are major league ready for next year. Borbon has to be given a prolonged look in the leadoff spot. Kinsler is not a leadoff hitter. What’s his OBP and BA since April?

  • Bobby in Bryan @ August 15th, 2009 at 6:11 pm

    Didn’t Max Ramirez just come off the DL at OKC?

  • Ranger_Rick @ August 15th, 2009 at 6:35 pm

    @ scooper… Understand that, I just hope JD has been on the phone and working to provide a real solution. One or two days is ok, you can’t go 15 days with Richardson as your backup or the rest of the season for that matter and I’m afraid they may stand pat instead of renting someone for the last 6 weeks.

  • Ranger_Rick @ August 15th, 2009 at 6:39 pm

    belay that last remark, hadn’t read down past your post scooper… I’m glad they are hitting the phones. The quicker they get a ML quality backup the better of they are down the stretch.