Mid-Season Adjusted Ex-Men Rangers Roster

(View this post at the new Rangers or Robbers site) 

As a follow-up to yesterday’s post (which was a follow up to a series of posts in April), here’s a look at my team of recently-departed, still-active ex-Rangers, after some mid-season adjustments to the bullpen, and picking up recently made available additions to the impressive list of talented ex-Rangers (Teixeira, Lofton, Mahay & Gagne).

Lineup (with stats to date for this season: OBP/SLG/AVG):

1.  Kenny Lofton                   OF          L    (.369/.416/.296, 7hr, 25rbi, 67r, 21sb)
2.  Alfonso Soriano               LF           R    (.336/.511/.297; 18hr; 42rbi; 74r; 18sb)
3.  Carlos Lee                        RF          R    (.356/.536/.302; 24hr; 95rbi; 68r)
4.  Alex Rodriguez               SS/3B     R    (.407/.633/.300; 39hr; 114rbi; 107r; 14sb)
5.  Mark Teixeira                1B            S    (.388/.535/.291, 17hr, 61rbi, 56r)
6.  Adrian Gonzalez             DH/1B    L    (.339/.477/.265; 19hr; 68rbi; 64r)
7.  Mark DeRosa                  2B/U      R    (.363/.418/.288; 7hr; 54rbi; 40r) 
8.  Ivan Rodriguez               C             R    (.289/.426/.279; 9hr; 50rbi; 39r)
9.  Esteban German           3B/INF   R    (.372/.399/.284;   3hr;   29rbi;   36r; 8sb)
Bench
Rod Barajas                    C            R    (.343/.376/.214; 4hr; 9rbi; 15r)
Mike Lamb                     INF       L    (.375/.478/.296; 11hr; 34rbi; 40r)
Travis Hafner                DH/1B   L    (.380/.438/.254; 18hr; 70rbi; 58r)
Gary Matthews, Jr.       OF         S    (.338/.448/.275; 14hr; 65rbi; 67r, 12sb)

Starting Rotation
Chris Young                 R          (9-4; 2.02era; 119k; 44bb; 124.2ip)
Kenny Rodgers            L          (3-2; 5.23era; 17k; 12bb; 32.2ip)
Doug Davis                  L          (9-10; 3.81era; 101k; 76bb; 146.1ip)
John Danks                 L         (6-10; 5.22era; 22GS; 122.1ip; 96k; 46bb)
Adam Eaton                 R          (9-8; 6.36era; 82k; 57bb; 133ip)

Bullpen

CL:  Francisco Cordero            R          (36sv; 0-4; 3.14era; 66k; 17bb; 48.2ip)
SU:  Eric Gagne                         R          (16sv, 2-0, 3.62era, 39G, 37.1ip. 14bb, 34k)
Ron Mahay                                L          (3-0, 2.53era, 34G, 46.1ip)
Doug Brocail                              R          (4-1, 3.88era, 44G, 53.1ip)
Brian Shouse                             L          (1-1; 2.60era; 52G; 34.2ip)          
Ryan Bukvich                           R          (1-0, 2.96era, 31G, 27.1ip)
Aaron Fultz                               L          (3-2, 3.28era, 36G, 24.2ip)

Question: Could any other team put together a better 25-man roster consisting of players that have left their organization but are still playing?

The Marlins leap to mind as they’d have a great rotation of former Marlins, but just off the top of my head, I think there offense would be very weak.

Ex-Men Texas Rangers Roster

(READ THIS POST AT THE NEW HOME OF RANGERS OR ROBBERS: http://rangersorrobbers.blogspot.com)  

 

Probably the most fun I’ve had in drafting a blog post was in April when I looked at the team that could be formed using just recently departed, still active former Texas Rangers.

The point of that series of posts was to show clearly how bad the Rangers have bled talent out of their organization. To me, doing so is a clear indicator of Hicks’ terrible ownership and lack of commitment to winning.

It’s really almost magical the way Hicks and his front offices have run the Texas Rangers into the ground over the years.

Consider this magical disappearing act: Hicks managed to turn ARod into Soriano and then turn Soriano into Wilkerson (while still paying $7 million a year to the richest team in sports for ARod’s contract). That takes some real talent to in effect turn probably the most productive hitter into one of the worst!

Anyway, I thought I’d look back at the team of former Rangers I composed back in April and see how they’re doing (keep in mind that you have to grant me some dramatic license here as the salary of this team would be very unrealistic, but that’s not the point).

Lineup (with stats to date for this season: OBP/SLG/AVG):

1.  Esteban German          3B/INF   R    (.372/.399/.284;   3hr;   29rbi;   36r; 8sb)
2.  Gary Matthews, Jr.     CF          S   (.338/.448/.275; 14hr; 65rbi; 67r, 12sb)
3.  Alfonso Soriano          LF           R    (.336/.511/.297; 18hr; 42rbi; 74r; 18sb)
4.  Alex Rodriguez           SS/3B     R    (.407/.633/.300; 39hr; 114rbi; 107r; 14sb)
5.  Travis Hafner              DH/1B    L    (.380/.438/.254; 18hr; 70rbi; 58r)
6.  Carlos Lee                  RF          R    (.356/.536/.302; 24hr; 95rbi; 68r)
7.  Adrian Gonzalez          1B/DH    L    (.339/.477/.265; 19hr; 68rbi; 64r)
8.  Ivan Rodriguez            C            R    (.289/.426/.279; 9hr; 50rbi; 39r)
9.  Mark DeRosa             2B/U       R    (.363/.418/.288; 7hr; 54rbi; 40r) 

Bench
Rod Barajas                    C            R    (.343/.376/.214; 4hr; 9rbi; 15r)
Mike Lamb                     INF         L    (.375/.478/.296; 11hr; 34rbi; 40r)
David Dellucci                 OF          L    (.301/.389/.234; 4hr; 20rbi; 25r)

Starting Rotation
Kenny Rodgers            L          (3-2; 5.23era; 17k; 12bb; 32.2ip)
Chris Young                 R          (9-4; 2.02era; 119k; 44bb; 124.2ip)
Estaban Loaiza             R          Injured all season
Doug Davis                  L          (9-10; 3.81era; 101k; 76bb; 146.1ip)
Adam Eaton                 R          (9-8; 6.36era; 82k; 57bb; 133ip)

Bullpen

CL:  Francisco Cordero            R          (36sv; 0-4; 3.14era; 66k; 17bb; 48.2ip)
SU Bryan Corey                       R          Did not make an MLB roster
LR Chan Ho Park                    R          (0-1; 15.75era; 1GS)
MR Fabio Castro                     L          (12.27era; 5G; 3.2ip)
MR Darren Oliver                    L          (4.39era; 43G; 41ip; 31k; 15bb)
MR Brian Shouse                     L          (1-1; 2.60era; 52G; 34.2ip; 20k; 11bb)           
MR Aaron Sele                        R          (3-1; 4.12era; 25G; 43.2ip; 26k; 18bb)
MR Dan Kolb                          R          (9.00era; 3G; 3ip) 

As with any team, I would have needed to make some early season adjustments.

Loaiza’s injury would have forced me to call on Danks (LHP; 6-10; 5.22era; 22GS; 122.1ip; 96k; 46bb) to fill his spot. Doug Davis’ surprising performance would be a plus. And with the offense and defense on this team, it’s safe to assume that each pitcher (maybe even Danks) would have several more wins based on their era’s. For the post-season, Young, Rogers and Davis would likely be more than enough to get the team through. 

The bullpen would have needed some major retooling, but there aren’t as many former Rangers out there to choose from for the bullpen as you might think. Nick Masset is one guy who probably would have been added to the ‘pen. Still, with Cordero closing, and Oliver, Shouse and Sele contributing, there’s a solid core to build around. 

The lineup would have been shuffled. Lamb and German would be platooning at 3B. Hafner, Lee and Gonzalez might have been shuffled around the order, and Dellucci would likely have been demoted and replaced.   

But still, wouldn’t this be some team!  

Now imagine adding in Teixeira, Gagne, Lofton and Mahay at the trade deadline!  

How many games do you think this team wins for the season? 

Alex Rodriguez Contract Extension, and Tom Hicks’ Contribution to the Yankees Future

Let’s all reminise for a moment before getting to the current ARod situation and how Hicks’ stupidity is still at the heart of it all.

Remember when Hicks bid against himself (Boras “owned” him and Hart in those negotiations) and signed Alex Rodriguez to a contract worth 1/8th of a B2 Bomber (The contract he signed is still the most lucrative contract in sports history: a 10-year deal worth $252 million – worth $63 million more than the second-richest baseball deal.)?  Well, most Rangers fans thought that was a good thing.  Me included.

The team had won its third division title in four years in 1999.  Then the 2000 season – the first where Hicks’ ownership had any real impact on team performance since he bought the team mid-season of 1998 – was a huge, last-place letdown.  So, in the winter before the 2001 season, adding Alex Rodriguez’s future Hall of Fame bat to the order looked like we had an owner willing to spend whatever it took (as stupid as we all thought that amount of money was) to turn the team around and break through to the next level and actually win more than one playoff game.  Of course, in addition to the money, ARod was attracted to the Rangers by the Ballpark and Hicks’ promise that the size of ARod’s contract wouldn’t stop Hicks from aquiring other pieces necessary to become Champions.

Of course we know the rest.  Hicks broke his promise to fans and to ARod, and didn’t add the pitching and team depth needed to build a Championship caliber team.  Hicks would love to have us believe that it’s all Chan Ho Park’s fault, and while that underperforming multi-millionaire deserves some blame, Hicks could have thrown good money after bad to make up for the Park mistake (or just sent him packing while paying for some of his over-priced contract).

Instead, he names Alex Rodriguez the Rangers’ team captain after his 2003 MVP season (the Rangers’ fourth straight last-place finish – after 3 division titles in 4 years before Hicks’ meddling) in an attempt to appease Alex’s growing frustration with the organization and its owner.  Things unravel because – and we should just hate the guy for this – ARod wants to win (how terrible) but Hicks and Hart keep vascilating between winning and rebuilding. Finally, ARod approves a trade to the Yankees (in which Hicks absurdly agrees to pay the Yankees – they are the richest team in baseball – for a large chunck of ARod’s contract).  On his way out, ARod, in a somewhat unclassy but still understnadable way, rightly blasts the Rangers organization (his comments mostly aimed at Tom Hicks) for it’s lack of committment and quality.

Fast forward to today.

After more than a year of speculation bordering on hope from the Yankees that Alex Rodriguez would opt out of his contract at the end of this season and leave New York in free agency, the Yankees are suddenly talking about keeping ARod.  In addition to ARod’s monster first half, why the sudden urgency?  Because if they’re going to keep him, they want to put something together now – so the Rangers and Hicks remain on the hook for more than 40% of ARod’s money!

As AP sporter reporter Jim Litke reports, “Rodriguez gets a $27 million salary this year, but thanks to the shrewd deal general manager Brian Cashman cut to bring him to New York, Texas Rangers owner Tom Hicks still has to kick in about $11 million of the total. As one of the tabloids noted, that means the Yankees are getting A-Rod’s services for about 60 cents on the dollar.”

To put Hicks’ stupidity in perspective, Barry Zito is only getting $10 million this year. Mark Buehrle $9.75 million. Brad Penny $7.5 million. Josh Becket $6 million. Johan Santana $12 million. Jason Schmidt $12.5 million. Roy Oswalt $13 million.

Get the point?

Hicks not only let a reigning MVP and future Hall-of-Fame hitter walk, but he also basically agreed to give up enough money to sign an Ace-caliber pitcher (or more) in the process. What if instead, Hicks had kept ARod and signed Bartolo Colon heading into 2004 (Colon signed that winter with Angels for 4 years/$51 million)? WHy in the world would you give up the best hitter in the game AND enough money to sign an ace pitcher?

So wouldn’t the Yankees be even crazier to let ARod walk now when he’s playing lights out and the Rangers are paying enough for the Yankees to sign a free agent pitcher to shore up there rotation next season?

If you agree that the Texas Rangers need a new owner, please add your voice to the petition encouraging Tom Hicks to sell the team:

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/rangersfansagainsthicks/

Sign the Petition for Tom Hicks to Sell the Texas Rangers

If you agree that we need a new owner for the Texas Rangers, please add your voice the petition encouraging Tom Hicks to sell the team:

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/rangersfansagainsthicks/

Robbers Evidence: Bye Bye Buehrle

In several previous posts, I’ve mentioned how Mark Buerhle could have already been a Ranger(http://rangersorrobbers.wordpress.com/2007/04/19/robbers-evidence-exhibit-a-revisited-no-buerhle-no-no/) and should be the free agent pitcher the Rangers sign this winter (http://rangersorrobbers.wordpress.com/2007/06/27/announcing-the-2008-texas-rangers-25-man-roster-2/).

Well, all that’s a pipe dream now as the White Sox resigned Mark Buehrle to a 4-year, $54 million contract. 

That narrows the field of starting pitchers the Rangers should consider signing this winter (Buehrle topped my list, and I think only Carlos Zambrano could be argued to be a better signing amongst the would-be class of winter free agents).

And without a single starter with a winning record or an ERA under 5.30 going into this week’s All-Star break, a shrinking free=agent pool increases the pressure on Ron Washington and pitching coach Mark Connor to develop at least one (if not two) of the young or trying-to-comeback Rangers pitchers into a contributing starter who can win more games than he loses (in order of liklihood at present:  Loe, McCarthy, Wright, Tejeda, Hurley, Wood, Koronka, Rheinecker, Rupe).  It also makes the return to form of Millwood and Padilla more important, because the caliber of free-agent starter the Rangers can sign this winter just went down unless they ink Zambrano, which I don’t think is likely nor do I think he’d be worth the price as he’s not a great fit for the Rangers or The Ballpark.  That probably means Millwood will be the Opening Day starter again, and he’s really a #2 at best.  Finally, it puts more importance on Jon DanielsHart and Hicks getting a trade done (and done well) with Teixeira – as Tex is the only chip they have left to acquire a pitcher with top-of-the-rotation talent (Chad Billingsly is looking really nice at this point – maybe too nice for the Dodgers to part with after going 1-0 in 2 July starts with a 2.25 era and 14 Ks in 12 IP). 

So congratulations to Buehrle and the White Sox, and to Tom Hicks, the Rangers front office and coaching staff and their pitchers aspiring to be worth a spot in a competitive major league rotation:  TIME TO GET ROLLING!

Relaford? What? Are We Trying to Pump Up His Trade Value? Where’s Botts?

Why in the world are the Rangers giving major league at bats to Desi Relaford? Desi was delegated to the minors after ‘05.  His MLB AVG hasn’t seen the sunny side of .250 but three times in his career. Why in the world is he playing for the Rangers in Kinsler’s absence?

Why not stick Catalonotto or Hairston at 2B for couple weeks and finally get Botts up here? 

Has Jason Botts broken some laws or pissed off Jon Daniels in some way we’re unaware of? He’s hitting .320 with a .970 OPS and a 15-game hitting streak for the AAA Oklahoma Red Hawks while leading the Pacific Coast League in doubles.  What more can he do at that level?  What don’t we know that is keeping him in Oklahoma?

Meanwhile, Relaford was only hitting .257 with 2 stolen bases in 63 games for the Red Hawks.  Relaford may be the only remaining, healthy guy in the Rangers’ organization whose defensive play is close to MLB caliber at 2B, but team defense should be the last worry of a team that needs to rebuild.  Meanwhile, if say, Cat were able to show that he still has a little something at 2B, doesn’t his trade value go up as a solid utility man for a contender?

This is a scary sign that the Rangers front office is actually trying to win instead of develop players… unless Little Jon DanielsHart thinks some team in contention is looking for a career .244 hitter as that final piece that will put them into the World Series.

Robbers Evidence: Texas Rangers’ Midseason Report – The Best Season Since 1999!

With 81 games played and 81 to go, 2007 has been the best season for the Rangers since 1999.

“What?” you might ask.

Since 1999, the first full season of Tom Hicks’ ownership, the Rangers organization has been out of touch with reality. Every year under Hicks’ ownership and John Hart or Jon Daniels’ general management, the front office has acted as though the team was only one or two players away from returning the organization’s pinnacle era of late 90’s success under Doug Melvin and Johnny Oates. In the process they’ve robbed Rangers fans of having anything worth getting too excited about.

Despite four straight last place finishes followed by three consecutive 3rd place seasons in the least competitive division in baseball over the same time period, the Rangers kept bleeding talent out of the organization through short-sighted trades intended to help the club “win now” (or at least “sell tickets now”). But most rational people could see that the Rangers have been far from one or two players away from contending for, much less winning, a championship for the past seven season (and in reality, they’ve probably never been that close because of the consistent lack of pitching necessary to win in the playoffs – even when they did make the post-season). Continued through last season’s Carlos Lee trade, the delusional management approach – also fueled by Hick’s top priority of making money which has translated into trades to keep fans hopeful and buying tickets later into the season – has turned the Rangers into a joke.

By opening the season getting swept by the Angels and not seeing .500 since April 14^th, reality has slapped all of Rangerdom in the face. Despite recent comments (which better just be posturing for trade negotiations) that he likes the way the Rangers are playing right now (which is certainly better but far from the performance of a contender), Tom Hicks and Jon Daniels will have to be “sellers” during this month’s pre-trade-deadline frenzy.

That alone will be a dramatic departure from the team’s approach. I can’t remember the last time the Rangers were heading into July ready to be sellers. Plus, they actually have some assets left that could fetch pieces of the puzzle for building a championship-caliber team.

Mark Teixeira should be traded and should return a ready-to-break-out major-league starting pitcher plus a prospect or two. Gagne, and maybe also Otsuka, are in high demand from talent-laden teams chasing a championship this season. Lofton and maybe Sosa should also return players who can contribute to the Rangers’ rebuilding efforts.

Without a horrible start to the season, Hicks and Daniels would undoubtedly have continued their delusional approach. Instead, maybe they’ll finally get their priorities straight – pitching first, hitting second=winning=excited fans=profits=more winning – and possibly Rangers’ fans best chance to finally have a championship-caliber team for the first time.

Then again, we are talking about Hicks and Daniels, so the odds are they will still find a way to get it wrong.

But in the meantime, here’s to the best Rangers’ season yet this millennium! 

Robbers Evidence: Breaking Down Tom Hicks’ Interview with Babe Laufenberg – Part 1: So Hicks Suspects (Actually Wishes) Juan Gonzalez Used Steroids (More)

Has Tom Hicks lost touch with reality?  Based on his comments to the European press during Liverpool FC’s run to the UEFA Champions League final, recent interview with Babe Laufenberg, and contract extension to Jon Daniels,  there’s reason to wonder.  Many reasons.  Breaking down the interview shows Hicks may be having a break down.

The entire Laufenberg interview is laden with comments from Hicks that should further infuriate every Texas Rangers fan.  I for one was so infuriated that I put off writing about it.  And I’m going to have to write about one piece at a time. 

Let’s start with Hicks’ comment about Juan Gonzalez since that’s the one that’s making all the news right now.

Babe:  “Of all the decisions you’ve made as owner of the Rangers… firing of Doug Melvin, signing of ARod, Chan Ho Park… which is the one you’d like a mulligan on in golf terms?”

Hicks:  “… (signing) Juan González for $24 million after he came off steroids – probably – uh, we just gave that money away…”.

Well, that became the focus of an Associated Press article yesterday, headlined “Hicks Suspects Gonzalez Used Steroids.”

Where to start?

First, who didn’t suspect that already?  Did you see the difference in Igor between 1989 and 1991?  You can’t add that much mass without some chemistry assistance.

So, Hicks’ “mulligan” wasn’t that he might have signed a player who used steroids, it was that Juan was off them when Hicks signed him in 2002.  If Juan had still been on them, apparently Hicks believes he would have gotten his money’s worth.  So Hicks wishes Juan had stayed on the juice.

Tempted to write off the comment as an errant slip of the tongue – a mistake anyone could make during a TV interview?

Hold that thought.

The interview was on June 10th.  According to the AP story, Hicks made the following statement to the AP via e-mail yesterday, June 20:

“I have no knowledge that Juan used steroids. His number of injuries and early retirement just makes me suspicious,” Hicks wrote in an e-mail to The Associated Press on Wednesday. “In any event, we paid him $24 million for very few games.”

So with 10 days to consider what to say, Hicks just adds the covering-my-butt statements about “no knowledge” and being “suspicious” and then basically reiterates – as much by what he doesn’t say and how he phrases his answer which I assure you was reviewed time and again by his lawyers and PR staff – that his regret is signing a steroid-free Juan whose body fell apart when he stopped juicing.

Notice Hicks doesn’t say: ”I regret signing a player who any reasonable person could suspect was or had been using performance-enhancing drugs.”  Nor does he say, “Juan’s age was a risk that didn’t work out.”  He clearly believes that Juan quitting steroids was the problem: “(signing) Juan González … after he came off steroids” is one of three “mulligans” or mistakes Hicks admits to in the interview. 

I – and any Rangers fan, really – could list a whole bunch of other mistakes that Hicks could use a “mulligan” on.  How about starting with one of the biggest:  letting 3 league MVPs leave and not getting squat for talent in return?  Or, merging the front offices of a hockey team with that of baseball team?  Or, knowing the Rangers have always needed quality starting pitching, but never going after and getting it the way you went after and got, then wasted, Alex Rodriguez’s big bat?  Or, how about the one Babe mentioned – firing Doug Melvin?  Or… oh you get the point…

Gotta go barf again…

Robbers Evidence: Hicks Extends Jon Daniels’ Contract

 

I was flabbergasted when I heard today that Tom Hicks had extended Jon Daniels’ contract, but then I remembered that this is Tom Hicks we’re talking about.  This move proves beyond any reasonable doubt that Hicks does not care about building a winning organization.

If I type anymore, I may barf…

Robbers Evidence: Hicks’ Latest Move Shows Where His Focus Is

The Texas Rangers are languishing in last place.  Rangers fans are more frustrated than I remember them being in my 27 years as a fan.  The pitching has gone from bad to worst – as in contending for the worst-ever starting era.  The hitting has sunk to lows rarely seen in Arlington, especially since The Ballpark opened.  Defense has been so lousy that errors have consistently cost the team wins.

So what does the team owner do in response?

He appoints a new COO of Hicks Sports Group to manage the profitability of Glory Park in Arlington and Championship Park in Frisco.

In case you’re wondering, neither Glory nor Championship parks have anything to do with bringing Glory or a Championship to the Texas Rangers!  They’re Hicks’ newest real estate ventures – sports-oriented development anchored around The Ballpark in Arlington and Deja Blue Arena and the Roughriders’ Dr Pepper Ballpark in Frisco.  Basically, Hicks copy-cat developments after the success Ross Perot Jr. had at Victory Park and an effort to cash in on the amazing investment Jerry Jones is making next door with the Cowboys new stadium and related real estate development.

After moves like this (without a comparable move to focus on the team), the continuous declining performance of the Rangers since he bought the team 10 years ago, his insulting comments toward Rangers fans, the amount of talent he’s bled out of this organization, and his view that the Angels are “partners” with the Rangers, does anyone still think this jerk of an owner really gives a Rattatoule about building a winning baseball organization?

Robbers Evidence: Millwood Was “Good” (Enough) Today

The on-line and post-game coverage of today’s Rangers victory, and Ron Washington’s post-game comments, say a lot.  I guess it proves Einstein right again in that “all things are relative.”  Because reading and hearing reports of Millwood’s performance today, and listening to Washington, you’d think a good pitcher was on the mound for the Rangers today.

Not judging by this line: 

 

Did Millwood show signs of improvement?  Yes.  Finally!

Did he seem to get better after allowing the 8 of the Reds’ first 14 batters to reach base?  Yes.

But remember, this was the Reds - the “Rangers” of the NL – their record is only a half game better than the Rangers, and their team pitching and offense are rank similarly within MLB. 

So, when a team’s “#1″ starter makes it through 6 innings with 4 earned runs (that’s a 6.00 era for the day) against the second-worst team in baseball and the manager responds with words like (as reported by T.R.):

• “He was on a mission, and he accomplished the mission,” manager Ron Washington said.
• “He was good,” Washington said.
• “That’s the old Millwood, bend but don’t break,” Washington said. “It’s nice to see him get that rush going. He found out he still has it. From there, he kept on working.

… well, that’s a sure sign that you don’t have a good team. 

Robbers Evidence: Rangers Continue Display of Insanity with Terrible Draft Strategy

Well, as the Texas Rangers’ big league club continues it’s embarrassing losing ways on the field, the front office continued its ineptitude Thursday.  Taking two right-hand pitchers out of high school to start their draft, Little Jon DanielsHart and the Rangers front office continue to exemplify one of Albert Einstein’s definition of insanity:  continuing to do the same thing over and over expecting different results. 

As “agent zero” commented on my previous post (http://rangersorrobbers.wordpress.com/2007/06/05/why-the-rangers-should-not-draft-pitchers/#comments), “The rangers have drafted a pitcher 3 times in the 1st round in the last 3 yrs. And where has that gotten them. One is out for the season, they trade the other and the one that’s left is probably their last hope in the minors. Somehow the rangers always find a way to screw up with their pitching. Ala chris young, doug davis, francisco cordero, dan kolb, justin ducsherer. “

And as I’ve said for years, the Rangers have never been able to develop pitching, so why keep wasting draft picks on pitchers, especially when they CAN develop offensive talent as well as or even better than almost any other club in major league baseball?

Just more evidence that Tom Hicks’ poorly assembled front office is not big-league ready, especially its leader, Little Jon DanielsHart.

Especially with Nolan Ryan interested in buying the Rangers, I sure wish Hicks’ would sell the team!

Robbers Evidence: Revo Sums it All Up in Today’s FWST, Is He Reading This Blog?

Long-time great Texas sports write, Jim Reeves, of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, cranked out a great column today that sums up what and how Tom Hicks has stolen from Rangers fans.  Interestingly, his column parallels many of the items discussed here at Rangers or Robbers.  Not saying that Revo’s taking ideas from my blog – although it would be awesome if he was – but am saying that what I’ve been feeling for years and writing about for months is finally becomming obvious – that Hicks is to blame for the depressing state of the Rangers organization and MLB team.

Read Revo’s column:  http://www.star-telegram.com/sports/story/125733.html - it’s the equivalent of a slam-dunk closing argument to the “trial” I’ve been authoring on this blog – if you factor in that almost every mistake Hicks made was motivated by a money’s more important than winning mindset.

Thoughts on some of Reeves’ points:

“Hope, that most precious of commodities, is what Hicks has stolen from these fans, and without it, the Rangers are fast becoming a joke and a national embarrassment.”

Is it poetic justice that Hicks loses the very thing he’s so often used to string us along into August or September with?  Even last season, he used the horrible July trades to get us fans hopeful for another month and thus keep tickets selling and ratings higher than they would have been.  Then when he was done stringing us along for the tail end of last year, he showed his true Robber spirit by not resigning Carlos Lee – making that trade an absolute waste – and instead pursuing (and failing to find) cheaper ways to anchor the lineup and the rotation.

As frequently as Hicks has fleeced fans with false hopes, wouldn’t it be something if the loss of hope throughout Rangers fandom sinks his business plans for the Rangers?  May what comes around really does go around!

I must take issue with one aspect of Revo’s article – his defense of Jeff Cogen.  Cogen has made significant contributions to the degredation of the Rangers.  The Gold Club was his baby during his first stint here as the Rangers and Stars VP of Marketing, and he’s as much to blame for the over-kill advertising and over-commercialization of the Ballpark (and, I suspect, the departure of John Blake).

But the bottom line is that the bottom line drove Hicks to ruin our Rangers.  And with Jerry Jones moving in next door, the positive outlook for the Ranger’s bottom line through development opportunities and increasing franchise value is what will have Hicks continuing to ruin the Rangers for years to come…

… unless we all stand up and demand better!

Robbers Evidence: Hicks Needs to Go, but Jerry Jones Has Assured He’ll Stay

What’s needed in Arlington to turn the Rangers around most is a change in ownership.  This month brings the 9th anniversary of Hicks’ purchase of the team, which is well on its way to its 5th last-place finish in the 4-team AL West during his tenure.  In the non-last place years, the Rangers have finished 3rd three times.  Arriving as owner mid-season 1998, Hicks earns no credit for the Rangers’ first place finishes in ‘98 and ‘99.  So quite simply, he’s taken a contending team that made the playoffs 3 out of 4 seasons, completed depleted it and its farm system of almost all of its talent and turned it into a team on pace to lose more than 100 games this year.  If he was serious about winning, he’d man up and admit that “the buck stops here” with him, and sell the team.

But he’s more interested in making money than winning.  The current payroll, the number and quality of free agents he’s let walk rather than poney up smart money, his inability (or unwillingness) to sign big free agents and his penchant for making riskier trades for less-expensive talent than making trades for proven players who cost more in the long-term all stand as damning evidence proving that he’s more interested in fleecing fans out of their money than winning.

But, by building what looks to be an incredible new mega-stadium nearly next door to the Ballpark, Jerry Jones has inadvertently stuck us with Tom Hicks for at least another 3-5 years.  There’s no way - unless we fans literally ride him out of baseball and Arlington and back to Hockey and Dallas or Soccer and Liverpool – that Hicks will sell the Rangers now.  The Cowboys new stadium will bring more attention and economic opportunity to the Rangers.  The value of the Rangers, the Ballpark and the surrounding Hicks-owned land are about to skyrocket thanks to Jones.

Just look at the B.S.-named “Glory Park” for proof.  Development around the Ballpark was promised in the 1991 election when Arlington agreed to finance the Ballpark.  The ownership at the time, and Hicks since, painted exciting pictures of a mini-San Antonio Riverwalk scene around the Ballpark that would be a year-round entertainment attraction and jewel of the city.  It was all B.S. to help sell the citizens of Arlington on the tax hike proposal.  I lived in Arlington then, I remember.  The only non-Ballpark promises the Rangers have kept since was to build the Junior Ballpark and an amphitheater on the site.   Oh, you haven’t seen the amphitheater?  It was just a 10′ slab of concrete and hill of dirt and grass – but was leveled last year to clear a path for extending Baird Farm road to begin to prepare for the increased traffic.  That’s the concert venue that was supposed to attract performers year-round.  But now that Jerry Jones and the Cowboys are doing a first-class job with their stadium and surrounding development, Hicks and partners are finally pushing ahead with plans for “Glory Park.”  How inglorious! 

So although Hicks and cohorts have done more to make the Padres and Brewers contenders than they have the Rangers, Jerry Jones, an owner who cares more about winning than economics (because he knows that especially in this area, a winner is the best money maker), has us Rangers fans stuck with the worst owner in baseball for longer than we care to withstand.

Thus, if you agree that Hicks is the biggest problem with the Rangers, it’s time to speak out and take action – keep blogging about how he needs to go, write the papers, call the talk shows, and most importantly, go to fewer games and stop putting money in his coffers.

Robbers Evidence: Video Caught Last Few Moments of Hope for Rangers’ 2007 Season

I just found thi video on youtube. 

Well, at least the Rangers won the Home Opener after getting swept by the Angels on the road to start the season.  But, the season’s pretty much just been circling the drain since opening day.  At least we’ll have moments like these to cling to.  The way Hicks and DanielsHart put this team together this season, they should have played “Taps” right after the fly-over.

Robbers Evidence: Texas Rangers Mention on Saturday Night Live

Anyone else see last night’s Saturday Night Live opening skit, “Bush’s Vacation”? 

Our Texas Rangers were mentioned by “President Bush” in a reference to the Sammy Sosa – Harold Baines trade.  Great to see that the definitive pop culture creators at SNL are well aware of Rangers managements’ long tradition of bad trades.  Too bad they didn’t have the “President” mention what a great job current ownership is doing to continue that tradition under Hicks!

Robbers Evidence: McCarthy as Next Year’s Opening Day Starter? No Way!

Over on T.R. Sullivan’s blog – Postcards from Elysian Fields - blue-blooded, brain-washed Rangers fans are getting their hoped up about Brandon McCarthy.

I like Brandon.  I really hope he turns out to be a 15+ game winner.  I hope I’m wrong and that panther (who posted on T.R.’s blog) is right and McCarthy becomes the Rangers’ Opening Day starter in ‘08 (although I’m not sure that’d be saying much).  But anyone who really believes that needs to WAKE UP!  Because you, me and every Ranger fan is getting hosed, and the fact that McCarthy (instead of a quality veteran) is on the roster is evidence of it.

First, McCarthy was supposed to be (as Little Jon Daniels said) “battle tested” and ready to produce now.  So, we shouldn’t have to endure any growing pains with McCarthy – the fact that we are proves that DanielsHart, again, made a dumb trade.  (I’ve merged them together in my mind since Hart is still around as a special advisor to Daniels, and based on Daniels’ bad signings, terrible trades, and complete lack of anything resembling an ability to put together a contending team, Daniels is clearly the Sith apprentice of Hart).

Second, for what we gave up for McCarthy, we could have gotten veteran talent (for example, Buerhle was reportedly available for less last season when Danks was “untouchable” and the D-Train was possibly available for an aggressive deal).  But when Little Jon DanielsHart, anything for a buck Cogen and bi-polar (cheap-stupidspedingspree) Hicks saw a chance to get a supposedly “rotation ready” pitcher who’s very inexpensive, suddenly Danks (along with Massett and Rasner) were more than touchable!

Third, other than maybe Keving Brown, when has a young, talented pitcher ever realized his potential as a Ranger?  Ssome teams (most notably the Rangers) seem to be able to manufacture good to great hitters with extreme frequency, others can’t.  Some systems/teams can produce quality starting pitchers (i.e. the Braves), others can’t.  The Rangers just plain can’t.  The Ballpark, the farm system, the weather, the team mindset and other factors may contribute to this particular Rangers handicap, but it’s real nonetheless.  And it’s about time we all just admit the problem, start the 12-step healing process, which concludes with finding a GM who can trade for proven starters (they clearly won’t sign here – Rocket, Unit, etc., etc.) who have honed their potential into realized talented front-line pitching.

It’s just nuts that pitching has always been the Rangers problem (the start to this season being somewhat of an exception since they can’t hit or field either), but they generally crank out offensive talent at will.  Let’s swap farm systems for 5 years with a team that can produce pitchers but struggles with hitters.   Problem solved – see you in the Series!

Robbers Evidence: Exhibit B: Part 2: Recent Tom Hicks Quote

So, the Rangers’ “partners” are back in town and back to taking care of their business – which they apparently understand more clearly than Rangers’ owner Tom Hicks.  While they may be unsure where they’re from – California, Anaheheim, Los Angeles, wherever; they clearly understand that their job is to beat other teams, especially those in the same division and apparently, especially all teams hailing from Arlington.

Meanwhile, as I wrote about a while back, when announcing the re-branding of the team’s home field, Hicks was quoted saying,

“The Cowboys are building the finest football facility in the world, and we have a huge development coming of Glorypark. The perception of the value of your brand has changed. Look at our partners, the Angels.”

With my heart and bloodpressure monitors on, they’ll tell me when to take a break in writing about this before I have a stroke!

The most flagrant part of the quote is the reference to the Angels as partners.  I covered that last time, and revisiting it today while the Angels are throwing Colon at the Rangers right now, leading 5-0 in the top of the 4th on their way to their umpteenth straight game against the Rangers… blood pressure couldn’t handle that.

So as I get back to the game, let me pose a question:  Do you believe that Hicks and Cogen decided to rename the field “Rangers Ballpark in Arlington” because they care about the Rangers? 

Read the quote again.  He doesn’t even mention the team’s name here.  Sure, he did in other quotes.  But this one just captures the essence of the circus-like fan-fleecing con game he and Cogen are perpetrating against Rangers fans like me.

They changed the name because Ameriquest is riddled by scandal, losing money, and wasn’t likely to be able to continue to afford to pay.  Hicks all but says so by referencing “the value of the brand” and “Glorypark” (I’ll get to that another time) and saying anything about how this move is going to help the organization compete.

Meanwhile, the same pair are too worried about constant changes to switch back to the Rangers Red uniforms that actually saw postseason play (but only one win) in the late 90s.  Hey, superstition’s been part of the game as far back as Abner Doubleday.  Let’s go back to the red uniforms; Ranger Blue has never seen the postseason.

But I digress, my blood is boiling, and I feel like some torture so I’m going to back to watching the game.  More late…

Robbers Evidence: Exhibit C: Recent Trade History Part 4 – The Texas Rangers Team We Should Have

In this series, I’ve considered what it says about the Texas Rangers management when recent ex-Rangers could form a team that would be far superior to the current team Hicks / Cogen / DanielsHart are giving us.  The case against the terrible trio in the front office looks worse if you ask what they could have done if they’d made better, “we’re serious about winning” decisions about every current and former Ranger in recent years.

The following 25-man roster is what we really could have today (if you grant me a little poetic license on a couple trades).  While this isn’t fully realistic, it does demonstrate the bad, not-in-it-to-win decisions Rangers management has made:

Esteban German  INF
Gary Matthews    CF
Alfonso Soriano    OF
Alex Rodriguez    3B
Travis Hafner      DH
Carlos Lee            OF
Adrian Gonzalez  1B
Ivan Rodriguez    C
Michael Young     SS
Rod Barajas          C
Mark Texiera       1B
David Dellucci       OF
Kenny Rodgers     SP
Chris Young          SP
Kevin Milwood     SP
Estaban Loaiza     SP
Adam Eaton         SP
Francisco Cordero   C
Akinori Otsuka        SU
Ron Mahay           RP
Bryan Corey         RP
CJ Wilson              RP
Fabio Castro         RP
Darren Oliver       RP
Brian Shouse        RP

Wow!  What a team we could have if only our management cared about winning more than money, realizing that winning would bring them more money than the Rangers have ever seen. 

Robbers Evidence: Exhibit E – Next Worst in MLB

Well, I’m going to interrupt the series of posts about the Texas Rangers team Hicks/Cogen/DanielsHart COULD/SHOULD have put together to celebrate their ability to prove my case that they are perpatrating a circus-like fan-fleecing con game on Rangers fans… 

In the nation’s 4th largest market, the Rangers’ owner, president and general manager have fielded a team that ranks 21st in payroll amongst MLB’s 30 teams and now has tied the Rockies for Baseball’s second worst record, besting only the Royals.  Way to go management! 

By the way, the Rockies (MSA Rank: 21; Payroll Rank: 25) and the Royals (MSA Rank: 28; Paryroll Rank: 22… in a market with 1/3rd less people the Royals are spending just $1.2 million less than Hicks is paying the Rangers) are spending less to perform so poorly.  So our management is actually doing less with more!  That takes some real talent. 

Please, get serious about the team we love, or sell it to someone who really cares about winning!