Year in Review: Awards

Let's start first with the Rangers.

MVP. Marlon Byrd. I know Michael Young had better numbers in almost every offensive category, and yet I'm still picking Byrd. Without Byrd, the Rangers offense would have struggled mightily-more so than it already did, at least. Also, I lean towards Byrd because Young missed basically the final month of season. Byrd, now a three-year Ranger veteran, has proven to be a true leader for this team. I'm a huge fan of how he plays the game, and I think this year he deserved it.

Runner-up. Michael Young. Easy choice. Young was having a fantastic year before his injury and his numbers still looked terrific. No other Ranger came close to the status of Byrd and Young.

Pitcher of the Year. Scott Feldman. Feldman has now proven that he is an elite starter. If not for his bad finish he could have been the game's only 20 game winner. But that's irrelevant. Feldman saved the Rangers staff when he joined it in April and all but took over Millwood's spot as the Ace.

Runner-up. C.J Wilson. A lot of people don't like C.J. I've talked to him a few times and there couldn't be a friendlier person. He's also a great pitcher. From what I've heard, peoples' reasons for disliking Wilson are pretty arbitrary. One lady said on the radio that she didn't like C.J because she didn't like his personality when she got to speak with him at a public event. You get the picture. But the bottom line is that on the mound he was dynamite, especially in the first half. He came up huge in the bullpen for the Rangers this year.

Now, for the league awards. I'm running out of time here, so this will be brief.

AL MVP. I'm going with Joe Mauer. What else does he need to prove? He's a classic ballplayer who plays classic baseball the way it's meant to be played.

NL MVP. Albert Pujols.

AL Cy Young. Felix Hernandez.

NL Cy Young. Adam Wainwright.

AL ROY. Elvis Andrus.

NL ROY. Tommy Hanson.

AL Manager of the Year. Mike Scioscia.

NL Manager of the Year. Jim Tracy.

Note: Sorry if this week's recap of the season was a little stale. It happened that it landed right on the week that I had a boatload of tests to study for.

Year in Review: Month by Month

April. C+
April began with a sweep, then went haywire, and then got good again to keep the Rangers at respectability. Ian Kinsler had the big 6-6 game, which included hitting for the cycle, and Michael Young proved to be the savior once again with a walk off homerun when the Rangers desperately needed one. Also, Derek Holland arrived, which was reason to celebrate, numbers notwithstanding. Final record: 10-11.

May. A-
May was about as perfect a month as the Rangers could have hoped for. Everything seemed to come together all at once, especially the pitching, which ended the month with a 3.57 ERA. It's hard to believe that the Rangers actually got swept by the Tigers in May, but then they followed that up with a sweep of their own against Houston. The most exciting stretch during the month was the sweep of the Mariners, followed by a sweep of the Angels. At the end of May Texas was in first place. Everything was looking great. Final Record: 20-9.

June. C-
June was a bad month for the Rangers, no doubt about it. I think everyone sort of saw it coming after the incredible May. While the pitching was solid, the offense really fell apart. The Rangers only averaged 3.8 runs per game. Ouch. Oh yeah, and they also lost sole possession of first place for good. Final record: 11-15

July. B+
July saw many improvements just when Ranger skeptics were ready to write the team off. First of all, the offense, while still not nearly as productive as the year before, saw its RPG go up a full run. Plus, the pitching was even better, with 3.59 ERA for the entire month. The big standout, I think, was Tommy Hunter, who went 3-0 during the month with a sparkling 1.11 ERA. Final record: 17-8

August. C+
The Rangers played well enough in August to stay alive, even though the month as a whole wasn't all that great. August provided one of the most exciting moments in the season when the Rangers won two of three from Boston to take brief lead in the Wild Card. But it vanished as the rain does in Texas and never came back. Two big members of the team in the final months, Neftali Feliz and Julio Borbon, arrived on the scene and created a great deal of buzz. Around that, Scott Feldman had a dynamite month, going 5-0. Final record: 14-15.

September. C
September was the month when it all fell apart. Ranger fans will be haunted by this month until the team makes it to the playoffs. Everything went wrong when it needed to be right the most. Well, you know the story. Final record: 13-15.

Year in Review: Offense and Defense.

The Rangers have always been associated as being a power hitting team with very little pitching, thus explaining their ten year playoff hiatus. This year though, it was a different story. The power was there as far as homeruns go, but as a whole the offense disappointed, and ultimately letdown the Rangers. It's been a common plague that the Rangers have caught and that is that the offense suffers from a great deal of inconsistency. You know the story: one series they're absolutely dead at the plate, and the next they're scoring ten runs a game. The big problem is that they have too many homeruns and strikeouts, and not enough solid contact and patience. It's as if Rudy Jaramillo decided not to teach plate discipline this year.

Going into the season, the Rangers didn't really have any significant changes in the offense from last year. The only real difference was that Milton Bradley was gone and Nelson Cruz was a starting outfielder. Other than that, it was pretty much the same troop, and I think everyone expected the 2009 offense to be every bit as dominant as 2008's. It's not as if they lacked the proficiency that made the 2008 lineup so supreme. It's that some of the hitters suffered greatly for long periods of time, either due to slumps or injuries.

The first big problem was Josh Hamilton, who seemed to suffer injury after injury, limiting him to just 89 games. And when he did play, he was far from the force he was last year. Hamilton did compile 54 RBIs, which isn't terrible, but he only had 10 homeruns next to 54 singles--not exactly what you want from a premiere power hitter.

Another big difference was Ian Kinsler's sudden transformation from the next Ryne Sandberg to the next Adam Dunn. Kinsler had an amazing April (322/.384/.656) but suddenly dropped off in May. Well, okay, Ian's just having a bad month after a blazing start, I thought. But it didn't get any better. After dropping his average below 300 in May, it just went down and down, eventually settling in the 250/260 range for the final months of the season. The only thing that went up for Kinsler was the power numbers. But I, and just about every other Kinsler fan, would give up half of his 31 homeruns for a more consistent approach. Kinsler's final numbers weren't bad; he had 31 stolen bases and 100+ runs scored. But it's just that he could have been so much better. It seemed like he let the Rangers and the fans down this year, both with his numbers and his attitude.

The Rangers also suffered some severe damage at first base. The defense was nearly impeccable, but offensively, Hank Blalock and Chris Davis, the two primary first basemen this year, were almost insufferable. Blalock ended with a 234 average, and Davis with a 238 mark. Not exactly what a productive team is looking for. The power numbers were there for sure, but the high OBP was unfortunately not.

But the entire offense wasn't unproductive. Michael young was having perhaps his bet season yet before going down in September, and Marlon Byrd proved to be a leader on the team, both vocally and by example. Also, David Murphy was a huge hit once again, despite his monstrosity of a start. Another bright spot was the emergence of youngster Julio Borbon, who hit 312 in 157 ABs, as well running out 19 steals.

Though the Rangers finished second in the AL in homers, their lack of consistency, especially when it was needed the most, really took the team down. The pitching was almost always there. The offense only showed its face on the rarest occasions. Still, the hitting supplied some very memorable moments, such as walk off homeruns by Michael Young, Chris Davis, and Hank Blalock. Also, seeing that 11 run innings was as much fun I've had as a Ranger fan since I started following the team.

There's no denying that the Rangers have to do something to improve the lineup for 2010. Even if Marlon Byrd stays, they still need another bat. Someone who can hit for power and average and who gets on base a lot. Otherwise, it might be a while before we see that 2008 offense again.



Defense played a huge part in the Rangers success this year, which was refreshing to say the least considering how wretched it's been in recent seasons. Let's do a quick recap position by position:

Catcher: Between Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Taylor Teagarden, the Rangers had one of the best defensive catching tandems for the first half of the season. Then Salty went down, but Pudge replaced him and did a stellar job as well. Ranger catchers had one of the best percentages of throwing out base runners in the AL, but even better, they had terrific chemistry with the pitching staff.

First Base. Between Chris Davis and Hank Blalock, only eight errors were made at this position. Both players, while mediocre at best offensively, played terrific defense, saving errors-and runs-on a frequent basis.

Second Base. If there was an improvement in Ian Kinsler's season, it was his defense. He only made 11 errors in 711 total chances, with 451 assists.

Third Base. This position was a bit of a question mark considering Michael Young had never played the position before. Yes, he's good at adapting to new positions, but there is a big difference between playing at shortstop and the hot corner. As expected, his first month was a bit shaky, but after that he looked as if he had been playing the position all his life. He only made nine errors, as well as some dazzling gems.

Shortstop. Going into the season, this was the most exciting position on the team, for newcomer Elvis Andrus, at age 20, had arrived. I think we all expected Andrus to be good, but no one foresaw some of the plays he was able to make. He saved a handful of runs from scoring and made the pitching staff look even better. On the downside, Andrus made 22 errors. But most of them were just lazy pickups or throws that sailed. These are problems that time will fix. Nothing to worry about. Kinsler was the same in his first few years. Also, when Andrus did not play, Omar Vizquel took over and was, of course, just as impressive.

Left Field. This position was occupied by a number of players, including Marlon Byrd, Nelson Cruz, Julio Borbon, and David Murphy. There were plenty of nice plays all around. The entire outfield made less than 15 errors.

Center Field. Josh Hamilton made some terrific plays, but some of them resulted in injuries that spoiled his season. But happily, he was replaced by Marlon Byrd, who proved he was equal to Hamilton's capabilities.

Right Field. Nelson Cruz occupied this spot for most of the season. Yes, he made four errors, but his cannon of an arm proved useful once again.

Year in Review: Pitching

Going into the season, it was pretty much taken for granted that the Rangers offense would there. The big question would be whether the pitching could carry the team to success. If the Rangers wanted to be in the race till the end, it was pivotal that the pitching improved, because 2008 was proof that even the best offense can't carry a team all the way. Well, as it turned out, the Rangers got almost exactly what they wanted.

The success of the rotation had hardly anything to do with how it began: Kevin Millwood, Vicente Padilla, Brandon McCarthy, Matt Harrison and Kris Benson (I'm wondering if Jon Daniels was somehow blackmailed into letting him pitch in place of Feldman). Not that these five made for an execrable rotation. It's just that what the Rangers had at the end was much improved: Kevin Millwood, Scott Feldman, Tommy Hunter, Derek Holland, and Brandon McCarthy (McCarthy only made a few starts at the end of the year). But it was a team effort, and all these pitchers are responsible for the team's first sub 4 ERA, a full run better than last year.

For the first few months, the bright spot was obviously Kevin Millwood, who was eating innings like a dog eats meat. He also compiled one of the league's best ERAs for the first half and it was looking like the Millwood from 2005 had returned. But, as we all know, he faded in the later months, making the choice for the Rangers best starter of 2009 clear: Scott Feldman. The fact that Scott spent most of April in the bullpen makes his 17 wins all the more impressive. Feldman's best month was August, during which he went 5-0 with a 2.89 ERA. Feldman's final numbers are somewhat deceiving, simply because his 4.08 ERA is due to his final three starts, all of which were filled with chagrin (and laid to rest any hopes of Cy Young consideration). Also, he had a terrific chance to get at least 19 wins, but lost his final three decisions. But overall, Feldman was brilliant, and easily deserving of the title 'Ace' on this team.

The other bright spot was Tommy Hunter, who won 9 games despite not making his first start until July 3rd. Hunter was plagued by a bad finish, in which his ERA rose above four and he failed to capture his somewhat coveted 10th win. But Hunter was a staple in the rotation during the second half, and his success definitely contributed to the Rangers staying in contention through September.

As for Kevin Millwood, his season still has to be acknowledged as a success, even though he was of almost no help during the team's most crucial games. But of the starters he had the best ERA at 3.67, and second most wins at 13. But if not for his dynamite finish (when any hopes of making the playoffs had all but vanished), Millwood's numbers would have been mediocre at best.

As far as the rest of the rotation goes, well, it wasn't exactly brilliant. Derek Holland was a disaster for the most part. Yes, he had a few games that were as dominant as any pitched in baseball this year, but coupled with those were some nightmarish outings that made his ERA (6.12) the highest among starters with at least 100 innings in the AL. Injuries put a damper on what looked to be a pretty bright rotation, as two of the keys, Brandon McCarthy and Matt Harrison went on the DL early. Harrison showed signs of brilliance, and McCarthy, who returned at the end of season, at least proved that he could make it past six innings. Now he has to prove that he actually stay healthy.

It seems like Vicente Padilla never even pitched for the Rangers this year. I think everyone has completely forgotten about him (though it was hard to ignore his recent 10 strikeout performance with the Dodgers), the players included. He wasn't terrible for the Rangers this year, going 8-6, but his attitude was inexcusable.

Overall, the rotation, though far from perfect, gave the team a chance, unlike last year. It was a year where pitching and defense was the real story, for once overshadowing the Rangers formidable, but slightly desultory offense.

When talking about the Rangers pitching in 2009, a lot of people will refer to the rotation. But to me, the real improvement was the bullpen, which had seven pitchers with ERAs below 4. For all the C.J. Wilson haters out there, you should take a look at his final line, which is nothing short of brilliant. Yes, he blew a few games, but his 2.81 ERA is one of the league's best, plus he ranked 5th in the AL with 74 appearances.

Also at the top of the line was Frank Francisco, who, despite several injuries, picked up 25 saves and was key for the Rangers during countless late innings.


But to me, the real hero of the 2009 bullpen was Darren O'Day, who ended up being one of the greatest finds in all of baseball this year. From his memorable first appearance in which he wore Kason Gabbard's jersey to his final glittering 1.94 ERA, O'Day was without a doubt a savior for this team.

The success of the pitching is attributed to many different things I believe, but none more than the arrival Mike Maddux, the tough, brilliant new pitching coach who looks like he came right out of the movie 'Tombstone'. I don't think it's a coincidence that a prized coach like Maddux arrives and suddenly the pitching shows drastic improvement. Maddux, a former big league pitcher himself, is about as knowledgeable about pitching as Roger Emrich is about high school football. I think it took Maddux a little while to get used to his new location, which could explain the team's pitching woes in April. But once he gained the trust of the players, and figured out how each of them played, he was able to instruct them on improving their game. And clearly, the results showed.

Finally, I'll leave you with my thoughts on one of the most exciting additions to the team this year, Neftali Feliz. Feliz was on fire when he first came up, striking out the first four hitters he faced and showing off with ease his 100 MPH fastball. All throughout August and the beginning of September Feliz put up staggering numbers. But then, he began to fade, losing some velocity as well as his control. Still, he finished with a 1.74 ERA with 39 strikeouts in 31 innings. Feliz will be battling for a rotation spot next year, which should be exciting. However, if he fails to impress and is put back in the bullpen, that won't exactly be a crime. Whenever Feliz came in this year, I always breathed a sigh of relief, despite the fact that he was only 21 and in his first months in the big leagues. As far as the drop in velocity, I wouldn't be too concerned. Feliz was clearly showing signs of fatigue over the long, grinding season in which he experienced a lot of things about the game, both physically and emotionally. Look for Feliz to be back next year with his fastball back in form, as well as improved off-speed pitches. Personally, I can't wait.

That's a Wrap!

Well, need I say, the 2009 season has officially come to a close with the Rangers losing to the Mariners in the finale 4-3. Finishing 12 games above 500, the Rangers had one of the best improvements percentage wise in baseball. We tend to gripe over the fact that the Rangers missed the playoffs. It's the ultimate goal going into every spring, right? Well, the Rangers have completed a hugely successful season, regardless of what the front-running Angles accomplished. The very fact that they stayed in contention until the later part of September is reason to celebrate. Plus, it sets up nicely for next year, though, as I made clear in my most recent post, I'm very dubious about how good they'll actually be. So as a farewell to what was a monster year here in Texas, I'll be recapping 2009 throughout this week. Here's a schedule for what you should find:

Monday: The highs and lows of the 2009 Texas Rangers pitching staff.

Wednesday: The ups and downs of the 2009 Texas Rangers offense. Also, a critique of the Rangers defense.

Friday: A brief month-by-month recap of the season.

Saturday: If I picked the winners: 2009 Texas Rangers player honors. Also, who should pick up the league awards around Major League Baseball.

2010 is the Year-or Not.

Sunday was one gloomy day for DFW sports fans. The Rangers suffered another devastating loss, thus ending their playoff hopes, and the Cowboys lost a thriller in front of 105,000 screaming fans-well, since this is a baseball blog I'll stay away from the Cowboys. Anyway, as far as the Rangers go, Sunday answered our question that had been heating up all season: will the Rangers make it to the postseason? Well, now we know. Last week's collapse seemed almost inevitable, simply because all throughout the season when we thought Texas would collapse, they proved everyone wrong by coming back and staying in contention. They had to fall apart at some point, right? I mean, they're the Texas Rangers. Well, with that being said, it's now time to speculate over the 2010 season, which has been persistently advertised as "the year" by folks down in Texas. There is so much to cover and analyze with regard to next season, so for now, I'm going to discuss something pretty basic: will the Rangers really be better next year?

The first thing that comes to mind is "yes." Whether they go out and get a new arm or not, the Rangers will have considerably more pitching depth than ever before. There will be countless pitchers fighting for the rotation, all of whom are highly touted, young arms that will seemingly just get better as time goes on. Also, by contending through September this year, the Rangers have developed the experience of true competition, which will undoubtedly help them survive in 2010. Plus, players like Chris Davis should rebound nicely from the year before and be able to maintain more consistent production.

But these positive thoughts can only go so far, and they sort dwindle when you look at the big picture. Obviously we can hope that Texas will be there in 2010, but right now, partly because of my recent negativity surrounding this team, I am far from convinced. There are a lot of questions that need to be answered before the Rangers can be considered a legitimate playoff team. First off, let's start with the offense: can Josh Hamilton stay healthy? He's played three seasons in the big leagues, and only one of those has he been able to stay off the DL. And these injuries he's experiencing are more like the ones that land 40 year olds on the shelf. Hamilton is obviously very susceptible to getting hurt, and with all these nagging injuries in 2009, who's to say they won't come back in 2010? Perhaps Hamilton, despite his exceptional defensive abilities, needs to spend more time at DH. Another player who is prone to injuries is Ian Kinsler. If you haven't noticed, he's spent time in the DL in each of his first four seasons. So Ian has two things to prove: one, that he can stay healthy (though a small injury like the one he had in August won't hurt too much) and two, that he can return to his 2008 form offensively. I like the Ian Kinsler that sprays line drives all over the field and hits for average much more that the one that either hits massive popups or massive homeruns. It's as if he started taking lessons from Hank Blalock (but I'm still a big Blalock fan, and I'll be sorry to see him go). Then there's Michael Young. My only concern with Young is that his hamstring injury might carry over into next season. Finally, the Rangers may need to add another bat. Someone who can get on base a lot, maybe a Kevin Youkilis-type player. I say this because as much as I like the Ranger offense, they simply can't afford to go into a deep hitting slump late in the season like they did last week. The Rangers have always been a team that for some reason goes into a deep rut offensively, and then they suddenly come out and score 10-12 runs. Take last night for example. I would much prefer a team that evens the scoring out. In the end, it all comes down to consistency. Look at the Ranger lineup: Michael Young is the only guy hitting over 300. Look at the Angel lineup: nearly everyone is hitting at or around 300. The Angels are the epitome of consistency.

As for the pitching, well, it could either be stellar or catastrophic (and I use this harsh word simply because young pitching is so unpredictable). I'd say Scott Feldman is the real deal. I wasn't convinced after last year. Now, I completely am. But what about Tommy Hunter? He's been one of the best starters for the Rangers this season. But could his success be a fluke? I'm leaning towards no, but we'll have to wait and see. Then there's Neftali Feliz, who almost transcends the definition of 'power.' But, these sort of pitchers sometimes have trouble surviving the hype. Will Feliz fade after his great start? Plus, if he's in the rotation, we have no way of telling how he'll fare. As for the bullpen, I still don't trust Francisco or Wilson, despite the fact that they almost always deliver. I'm pretty happy with the rest of the bullpen, though another lefty needs to be added to replace Guardado. And finally, the biggest mystery coming into 2010 is...Derek Holland. Holland is the sort of pitcher who makes one utterly jubilant when he does well, but also incredibly frustrated when he fails. Of all the pitching on this team, Holland is my greatest concern. Obviously he has great talent, and you have to like his mental approach (for more, read this tremendous article from the Dallas Morning News. Yet, Holland has been awful of late, which does not bode well for his success next year. If he's inconsistent, as most young pitchers are, then we may have to wait until 2011 until we see the "real" Derek Holland. Remember when Felix Hernandez first came up in 2005? Well, it took him several years, but now he's one of the most coveted pitchers in baseball. Based on Holland's lack of consistency, it may take him a while, like Hernandez, to fully blossom.

I have written this from a negative standpoint, but it's the most honest method of looking at the Rangers next year. They are not guaranteed to make the playoffs, as so many seem to be taking for granted. Is there a lot of promise for this team next year? Absolutely. As far as pure talent is concerned, they may have the best club in baseball. But it takes more than just talent to make the playoffs. It takes a winner's mentality, which the Rangers don't quite have yet. Oh yeah, and one other thing: experience. The question is, do the Rangers have enough of it to make it all the way in 2010?

Over?

Today, a talk show host on one of the daily shows on 105.3 the Fan was rambling about the Rangers and their recent tribulations. He finished by saying, "it ain't over till it's over, but it's over." I think that's the mindset that most fans are falling into now, myself included. From my perspective, rationalizing says that the Rangers probably are done, but my inner fan spirit is still hanging on for dear life. The Rangers cannot bend much further without breaking, and, as I said before, they can't keep up these inconsistencies.

It's pretty simple what the Rangers have to do if you look at the big picture. However, for now, while there's still 19 games left, let's focus on just winning the next two games. If the Rangers can beat Oakland tonight and tomorrow, they have a guarantee of gaining ground in either the West of the Wild Card because the Angels and Red Sox are opposing each other now for a three game series. Perfect timing.

I'm banking on the Red Sox winning 2 of 3 simply because the Rangers still have seven games left with LA. We'll see what happens. If the Rangers can't gain ground before Friday, then it's pretty much completely over. The next two games are vital. Go Rangers.

Unreliable Mayor

I'm sitting here patiently, waiting to see if the Rangers will finish their games with the Mariners. My expectations aren't high that they'll continue in this atrocious weather, and if they do, I don't see them winning the game. But my thoughts aren't really focused on the result right now. Rather, I'm thinking about tonight's starter, Kevin Millwood, and how enervated he's looked on the mound of late. I'm tired of watching him go out time after time and allow hit after hit, run after run. Tonight was no exception, as the final line on Kevin was 3 2/3 IP, 5 ER, 8 H, and 2 BB. Still want to call Millwood this team's Ace? I'd say it's time for him to move over and let the ascending Scott Feldman take his place.

Kevin Millwood, who only has two wins since July, is the type of pitcher who makes the fan extremely angry when he underperforms in key games. Maybe it's his veteran presence, or his poise on the mound. He seems like the type of pitcher who should be able to come through every time. And yet, he looks extremely tired and vulnerable these days. He reminds me of one of those grumpy, worn out former ace pitchers who you might find in a movie like "Rookie of the Year." In that movie, which is nothing short of awful, the old former star pitcher grumbles his way through the season. At one point he says in a deep, gruff tone: "I don't do autographs," when a kid asks him for a signature. Now, Millwood isn't quite as flinty as that, but when he responds to his rough outings, his tone is similar, deep, short: "I didn't find my spots. Walked too many guys. I expect myself to do better." So do we, Kevin, but words cannot mend terrible performances. Going out and throwing a gem can. I'm not sure that Kevin Millwood has realized that yet. If you listened to Mike O'Gulnick last week, he did a great impersonation of Millwood, and he too expressed an annoyance with the pitcher's vague answers to his bad starts.

So what might be causing this very untimely collapse? Millwood, who generally performs very well in September, looks like a completely different pitcher. One has to wonder: did those extra innings thrown by Millwood back in April and May affect his arm? It's definitely a possibility. I certainly wouldn't expect Millwood's poor pitching to be a result of pressure, because he's been in playoff situations before. Whatever the problem is, Millwood needs to sort it out. I believe that if he was pitching like Scott Feldman right now, then the Rangers might be tied with the Red Sox. Instead, they're about to be three games back, a deficit that needs to be made up fast, before the season is out. It's up to the pitching, especially Millwood, to make sure that happens.

Hello Win Column, Win #79: Rangers Sweep Series, 10-0

Final Score: Rangers 10, Indians 0
Game Recap

Did anyone else notice that, with this win, we've matched the Rangers' win total from last season?

Game 140: Rangers 10, Indians 0 from Let's Go Tribe

"It took the Texas Rangers less than 24 hours to sweep the Indians . . .

The only upside here is that the Rangers are only 1.5 back of Boston now."

Hello Win Column, Win #78: Rangers Sweep DH 10-5

Final Score: Rangers 10, Indians 5
Game Recap

There wasn't much chatter in the Indian's blogosphere about this game, so we'll have to settle for just posting the FanGraph, which shows how this game was really over a long time before it was really over:

Hello Win Column, Win #77: Rangers Take Game 1 of DH, Series

Final Score: Rangers 11, Indians 9
Game Recap

Game 138: Rangers 11, Indians 9 from Let's Go Tribe

"After the Indians were quickly down 5-1, the offense scored eight more runs, but today the bullpen couldn't keep the Rangers down. Carlos Carrasco again couldn't throw strikes, and had to be pulled after five innings. The right-hander allowed 11 baserunners and two more home runs.

The lineup, meanwhile, solved Tommy Hunter. In his last start against the Indians, Hunter threw 7.2 scoreless innings. Tonight the Indians tagged Hunter for eight hits in 5.1 innings of work. Rangers manager Ron Washington pulled Hunter in the sixth, replacing him with young phenom Neftali Feliz, who in his short career has dominated opposing hitters. But tonight's results seemed to go against the grain, and the Indians plated both of Feliz's inherited runners in the sixth, and scored a run off him in the seventh.

But the Rangers kept scoring runs, and although the Indians tied the game in the sixth, they never relinquished the lead. Marlon Byrd ended Chris Perez's long scoreless streak by blasting a three-run homer in the top of the seventh."

Hello Win Column, Win #76: Manage to Beat Baltimore Only Once, 5-1

Final Score: Rangers 5, Orioles 1
Game Recap

Cognitive dissonance: Texas Rangers at Baltimore Orioles from Camden Chat

"Ahh, who to pull for? I can't actively root against the Orioles—it's just not in my blood—but given that the Rangers are the only team standing between the [Red Sox] and a wildcard berth, I will have no problems, no problems whatsoever, if we get swept by the Rangers.

The Rangers haven't made the postseason in ten years—their last visit was under the great Johnny Oates in 1999 . . .


Rangers (76-58) at Orioles (54-81) from Camden Chat

"Nothing beats the excitement of September baseball, huh?

The Rangers continue in their quest to secure the AL Wild Card, while the Orioles are...what are they doing again? Oh, that's right. They're shutting down young pitchers, they're tinkering with the lineup in ways that don't really make sense, they're playing without one of their best players in Adam Jones, and they are shredding whatever useful semblance of a bullpen they used to have.

There are positive moments to be had the rest of this year. The Orioles can beat the Red Sox in their upcoming series and help deny the Red Sox a playoff berth."

Labor Day musings

For me at least, Labor Day has always been the unofficial end of summer. As a kid I always hated this holiday because it marked the imminent trade of lazy summer days for the drudgery of school (and my dreaded math classes). To this day I still find it dislikeable - only now because it means the baseball season is entering it's home stretch.

In recent years past, that of course meant it was time time to start looking ahead to next season and get a look at the September callups. There wasn't much to immediately look forward to in Ranger-land besides whatever possibilities the winter meetings might offer. That's why, as I sit here waiting on the rain delay in Cleveland, I realize just how big a deal it is for this team to be playing meaningful games this time of year. There's a chance, that for the first time since 1999 this team could be playing beyond the 162nd game of the season.

That chance, , however seems to be a bit of a double edged sword. Thomas just got done talking about the mood surrounding this team, and right now it's definitely a negative one, one that I fear could wind up shrouding the end of this season if the Rangers do indeed miss the playoffs (as is seeming increasingly likely). Personally, that's not how I want to feel about the end of our best season since 2004.

I think it's important to remind ourselves that this isn't it - this isn't the best this team is going to do for another 5 years. It's my belief that there's just too much talent in this organization, both breaking in at the major league level and still in the minors for this team not to be at this point again soon, and remain there for years to come as well. If this is what this team can do this season with a multitude of underperforming and frustratingly inconsistent players (Hamilton, Davis, and Kinsler among the most notable), I think you have to believe this team is capable of better.

Perhaps I'm babbling a bit at this point, but what I'm driving at here is there's 26 scheduled games left in the Rangers season and there's absolutely no reason not enjoy them, no matter the outcome. This time, there's no shame in "maybe next year".

Shifting Moods

I think the Rangers are starting to miss Michael Young. It didn't take long-not that I expected it to. I accepted yesterday's loss partly because it was a close game, but more so because the suddenly decrepit Boston Red Sox fell victim to the White Sox, meaning the Rangers didn't lose any ground in the Wild Card. Going into Sunday, I suspected that the Red Sox would come out with a win, but I fully expected the Rangers to do the same. Jeremy Guthrie, one of the worst starters in baseball, against Derek Holland, who would almost undoubtedly bounce back from his disastrous outing last monday. Instead, Holland looked incredibly vulnerable for the third consecutive start, while Guthrie held the incompetent Ranger lineup in check for seven innings.

To add to the misery is the fact that both LA and Boston won today, dropping the Rangers back even further in the races. I'm far from putting up the flag on the season, but I said a few days ago that the Rangers needed to sweep or take the series from both Baltimore and Cleveland. So far, they're 0 for 1. I don't want to sound like I'm asking too much, but the Rangers need to sweep the Indians. They did it in April, they can do it in September.

It's funny how moods change so often in a pennant race. Just yesterday, before Texas fell to the Orioles 5-4, the Rangers seemed to be unstoppable. They had won four straight, they had Kevin Millwood on the mound, and it looked like a Baltimore sweep wasn't out of the question. Now, just over 24 hours later, the outlook is one of oppressive despair and vexation. And now, if the Rangers go and sweep the Indians, we'll be back to where we were yesterday, feeling very good about the Rangers. But they can't keep doing this. They can't keep shifting the mood. They need to win, win, win. They need to make us feel great, because in truth it's the only way they'll catch Boston or LA. They had a great chance to get within one game of the Red Sox this weekend and they passed it up. If they want to be a playoff team, they can't waste opportunities. Playoff teams take advantage of good situations. Look what the Angels are doing to the Royals. The Rangers are yet to prove that they are worthy of being considered equal or superior to the Angels. Let's hope that changes soon. Very soon, before it's too late.

Hello Win Column, Win #75: Rangers Win Rubber Match over Jays 6-4

Final Score: Rangers 6, Blue Jays 4
Game Recap

Did anyone realize that this win matches our 2007 total?

Scott Richmond and Jays lose to Rangers from Blue Bird Banter

"Scott Richmond did not have a good night. No one really bad inning but he gave up a homers to Nelson Cruz and Elvis Andrus. 5 innings, 7 hits, 4 walks isn't going to do the job very often . . .

For the second day in a row the Rangers had a star injured, Josh Hamilton left the game with back spasms and will be day to day . . ."

Hello Win Column, Win #74: Rangers Bring Out Brooms for Blue Jays

Final Score: Rangers 5, Blue Jays 2
Game Recap

Game 2 Recap: That wasn't good either from Blue Bird Banter

"Yesterday we scored 18 runs in 1 game, today we struggle for 4 in 2 games. Tough to believe that Brandon McCarthy could hold us to 3 hits in 6.1 innings, but then that's the way we've played the season . . .

Offensively we did nothing. The only guy to have a good game was Joe Inglett who had 2 hits and a walk, giving Aaron Hill the game off at 2B. John McDonald had a double as well. In interest of fairness I'll mention Kevin Millar took 2 walks . . .

Michael Young left the game with a strained hamstring and likely will be missing a few games for the Rangers. I'd rant and rave about Millar playing while Ruiz sits or Millar being on the team while Brian Dopirak is still in Vegas, but I'm too tired to rant. Just mentally add a thousand words whining about it . . . "

Hello Win Column, Win #73: Rangers Take Game 1, 5-2

Final Score: Rangers 5, Blue Jays 2
Game Recap

Game 1 Recap: We Used to be Able to Catch the Ball from Bluebird Banter

"Marc Rzepczynski pitched great but got beat by his defense . . . Offensively we scored on a ground ball with the bases loaded that Michael Young booted . . . Our other run was a Adam Lind homer, number 28 for him. We only got 6 hits, two for Lind . . .

Game two is about to start, Millar is playing, Ruiz is not. Cito, what the hell are you doing?"

Michael Young Injured

That Michael Young will be absent for 2-3 weeeks with a hamstring injury seems like old news almost based on all the attention that local writers and talk show hosts have been giving it throughout the day. And that's a good thing, because the loss of Young is without a doubt the biggest blow the Rangers have suffered this year. Losing Josh Hamilton was painful, but Young is the guy who carries this team, and his injury is magnified about ten times because the Rangers are now entering their most crucial stretch of the season.

As far as replacments go, Ron Washington has said that Omar Vizquel and Esteban German will platoon at third. As for tonight, Chris Davis is playing third and Hank Blalock will take over at first. This is only for this game though, which is further proof that Ron Washington is a mannager who relies heavily on his own instict rather than reason and logic. That's rather unnerving for the fan, but if it means being 16 games above 500, then I'm all for it.

As far as the Vizquel-German platoon goes, my preference is obviously Vizquel. I admit I'm biased, because Vizquel has always stood for what's great about the game. But also, Omar's numbers this year to me warrent significant playing time: 299 AVG and a 348 OBP. Granted, that's only in 155 plate appearances, but based on his career numbers, Vizquel is a guy who consitently gets on base and makes things happens once he's on. Also, though Vizquel admitted he's not completely comfortable at third, I think he's close to impeccable just about anywhere in the infield. Now this is no knock on German, but you have admit Vizquel is the easy favorite.

On the other hand, I wouldn't be completely against the idea of keeping Davis at third and giving Blalock one last shot at first. I think it would mean a lot to Hank seeing as he's come this far with the Rangers and if he's given the chance again I think he might get hot (he hit very well in the last two Septembers). Also, Blalock is in his final year with the Rangers (he's been with them since 2002) and it would be sort of sad to see him leave as a utility man. But, the Rangers have to go with what's best, and right now, it seems like Vizquel is the answer at third base. Mere feelings can't decide if Blalock gets to play again. Statistics decide that, and right now, Omar's are significantly better than Hank's.

Michael Young said that he'd love to be back in time for the series against the Angels. That would be ideal, but hamstring injuries tend to be very nagging, so we just have to wait and see how quickly Young progresses. In the meantime, the Rangers have two series coming up against two very beatable teams, the Orioles and the Indians. The Rangers' tendency to lose to poor teams could hurt them once again. But it's mandatory that they take at least four or five against Baltimore and Cleveland. The Rangers can only lose a handful of games this month, and it would be a disgrace if they did bad against the teams no longer vying for a playoff spot.

Wednesday: Remember This Guy?

Poor Joaquin Benoit. If you remember, the Rangers lost him to a rotator cuff tear in January. He's been a Ranger for so long, yet in the midst of the success of the Rangers this season, it makes you wonder if anyone remembers he's still on the team . . .

Monday: Commentator Query: The Enigmatic CJ Wilson

During Saturday night's victory over the Twins, Dave Barnett (switching to the TV side of the broadcast in the absence of Josh Lewin) said:

"[CJ] Wilson's gotten stronger as the season has progressed."

There are several ways to interpret this statement, and I'm mostly just using Barnett's comment as an excuse to show off CJ's impressive numbers this year, rather than point out a flaw in something he said. Thus, a disclaimer is in order: make no mistake about it, CJ has been absolutely outstanding this season; his 2.90 ERA in 59.0 innings speaks to that.

However, his ERA hasn't exactly improved (on a month to month basis) since his stellar month of May, as this month by month look displays (though his season ERA, until this month, has been steadily decreasing since his forgettable month of April, which may give the illusion that he's been improving his monthly ERAs):

Month -- ERA -- Innings

April -- 6.52 -- 9.2
May -- 0.00 -- 11.0
June -- 2.38 -- 11.1
July -- 2.51 -- 14.1
August -- 3.55 -- 12.2

Perhaps Barnett meant to convey CJ's consistency this year, which is inarguable. He may have also been referring to CJ's dominance of opposing hitters (in other words, since ERA is such a fickle stat for relief pitchers, it may not be as reliable as we had hoped). If this is what Barnett meant, he was correct, as this post-April month by month look at CJ's strikeouts per inning shows:

Month -- strikeouts/inning

May -- .36
June -- 1.24
July -- 1.26
August -- 1.66

Wow. In case you need some reference for that, Nolan Ryan's career strikeouts/inning ratio was 1.06 . . .

Good News-maybe.

In their desperate attempt the squeeze into the playoffs, the Rangers have been battling against two teams: the Red Sox and the Angels. The Rangers are only 2 1/2 games behind Boston for the Wild Card, but I'm still banking on them catching the Angels. So, with that in mind, let's bring in some good news about this formidable foe. One of the most frustrating aspects of the 2009 season has been the Rangers' inability to catch LA since they took over first place back in June. Or, to put it in other words, the Angels' inability to lose when Texas is hot. It seems as if the Angels have been on a winning streak coupled with an occasional loss ever since early July and since then the Rangers have done little to make a serious push at first place. They've been hanging around 3, 4, 5, games behind for a while. Despite their solid play, the Angels have been just a little bit better than Texas. The big question was: Can this team (LA) slow down? Well, it looks like perhaps they might be doing so. Finally. It's only a short stretch of time, but in their last ten games, the Angels are 3-7. It's been a while since we've seen those numbers. Unfortunately the Rangers haven't exactly been playing dynamite ball, going a mediocre 5-5 in that same stretch. That's why they're still 4 games out. But, that 3-7 mark for the Angels may be a sign of what's to come in September, which would then give the Rangers a golden opportunity. Another breath of light is that Texas is 9-3 against the Angels this year, and they still have seven game left against them. Certainly doesn't bode well for LA. On the downside, the Angels just acquired Scott Kazmir, who, despite his calamitous 5.92 ERA this year, has been pitching much better of late.

Hello Win Column, Win #72: Fourteen for Feldman

Scott Feldman is now 14-4. What were the preseason odds on that?

Final Score: Rangers 3, Twins 0
Game Recap

Pavano Good, Feldman Better, Rangers Blank Twins from Twinkie Town

"That was frustrating.

It was an early strike by the Rangers that did all the necessary damage on Saturday night. I'm glad I fell asleep during the fifth inning, because I'm pretty sure my frustration wouldn't have let me sleep . . .

The offense blanked itself last night as much as the Rangers did it to them . . ."

Friday: What Have You Done For Me Lately?

**Nelson Cruz the past 7 days: hitting only .167, but his patience at the plate has made up for it at a .167/.444/.417 clip.

**Chris Davis in the New York series (his first 3 games back): .333/.385/.583

**Josh Hamilton before the All-Star Break: .243/.298/.428; Josh Hamilton after the All Star Break: .304/.350/.405 (still waiting for the power stroke to return . . . )

**Dustin Nippert in the month of August: 4.39 ERA in 26.2 innings; not so bad. Take a closer look: 16 BBs in those 26.2 innings; pretty bad.

Hello Win Column, Win #71: Kinsler, Davis Go Deep in 7-2 Rout of Yanks

Final Score: Rangers 7, Yankees 2
Game Recap

How the other side lives: long ball kills Yanks in 7-2 headscratcher from Pinstripe Alley

"The Yankees lose 2-7 on August 27 on Game 127. Should have seen that one coming.
But it's difficult to predict these types of things when your starter whiffs 12 in 6 and lets up only 2 hits, while the opposing hurler walks 7.

My buddy texted me "Why isn't Texas better? They're [expletive] good. They should be running away with the division." Baseball's a funny game.

And now cue the frantic talks about the Yanks' records against playoffs teams despite our 5-game division lead.

The Yanks aren't used to losing series, and I'm not used to watching them do so. But since Game 1 of this set, they were killed, above all else, by 2-out hits--a stat that overshadowed any pitching implosions or offensive explosions. The Rangers did what the Yanks have had trouble doing all year: hit with 2 outs.

And yet at the same time, they won the Yankee way: by going deep."

Hello Win Column, Win #70: Rangers Survive 9th Inning Scare To Top Yanks, 10-9

Final Score: Rangers 10, Yankees 9
Game Recap

Rally falls short in 10-9 loss from Pinstripe Alley

"Down 10-5 heading into the bottom of the ninth, the Yanks rallied valiantly for four runs, and just when it looked like they would tie the game, poor luck and poor execution doomed them.
Joe Girardi had Nick Swisher (try to) bunt with runners on first and second with no outs . . .

Joba experienced all his trouble with two outs. Texas scored in two innings off him, but each rally miraculously began with two outs and no one on base. He just could not record that third out in the second and fourth, ruining his night."

Hello Win Column, Win #69: Scooter Feldman Salvages Rays Series For Rangers

Final Score: Rangers 4, Rays 0
Game Recap

Rays Offense Falls Totally Flat In Loss To Rangers from D-Rays Bay

"The Rays needed to win this game to help close the gap in the wild card race, instead they were completely shutdown by Scott Feldman and Co. Feldman went seven innings while striking out 11 Ray batters. On the day the Rays would strike out 15 times, two shy of the team record . . . "

Hello Win Column, Win #68: Rangers Crush Twins To Split Series

So, there's been a bit of a break between these HWC posts, but I like doing them, and they are fairly popular, so we're going to start it up again . . . .

Final Score: Rangers 11, Twins 1
Game Recap

We've Seen This Script Before: Twins Lose 11-1 from Twinkie Town

"The Texas Rangers drove another nail in the coffin of the Minnesota Twins 2009 season, beating the Twins 11-1 last night in Arlington . . .

Studs:
1. Marlon Byrd: 2 HR, 4 RBI, Byrd put Texas up for good in the third.
2. Neftali Feliz: Ended the Twins threat in the 6th, allowing only a Redmond single in 1.2 innings.
3. Julio Borbon: 3 for 5, HR, 2 R, 3 RBI. Showed some pop for a speedster.

Duds:
1. Bobby Keppel. Three batters, three doubles.
2. Joe Crede. 0 for 3 with the key GIDP in the 6th.
3. Jeff Manship: 5 hits in 1.2 innings. Some of the hits were quite unlucky (grounder that Cabrera could have had, etc.), but he may have been lucky to give up only 2 runs."

Feliz: Starter of Reliever?

The more volatile the Ranger's relief pitchers have grown the greater my anxiety upon their entrance to the mound has become. I no longer have faith in C.J Wilson the way I did earlier in the year, Frank Francisco seems to be a hit or miss, and for the first time, the stalwart in the bullpen, Darren O'Day, seems to have weakened ever so slightly. The decent of the bullpen raises much concern, but one thing is for certain: I hold a steadfast conviction that Neftali Feliz is most trustworthy pitcher in the pen right now. And that raises a major question: will the Rangers consider keeping Feliz as a relief pitcher? Personally, I want to see him start. I want to see if this kid can mow down hitters for an entire game rather than just an inning or two. But going into next year, let's say hypothetically the Ranger rotation has Ben Sheets as the ace, Kevin Millwood, Scott Feldman, Tommy Hunter, and Derek Holland. And even if the Rangers don't acquire Sheets or someone else, they may still want to see what Brandon McCarthy and Matt Harrison have to offer. I know the Rangers envision Feliz as a starter, but with so much depth in the rotation already, and with arms like Blake Beavan and Kasey Kiker on the rise (though Beavan has been mediocre to say the least while Kiker has been solid but not brilliant), it's certainly a possibility that the Rangers will keep Feliz in the bullpen, perhaps as the closer, for next year.

In eight games, Feliz has a 0.63 ERA and an astounding 19 strikeouts in 14.1 innings. Almost as impressive is the fact that Feliz has only walked one batter. There's nothing better than a strike throwing machine with a 100 MPH fastball. It also looks as if Feliz' off speed pitches have improved greatly since he was moved to the bullpen in AAA. Now, as a young pitcher, Feliz is liable to make mistakes. He will undoubtedly have a bad outing eventually. But for now, I feel relief rather than angst when he comes in to pitch. I take it for granted that he will issue the shutdown inning when he's called upon. These numbers are the reason we may see Feliz still in the bullpen next year, perhaps as a closer. Frank Francisco is nice to have, but can he really stay healthy for a whole season? And what about C.J Wilson? I know the Rangers see him as a potential closer, but when he's been ain that role he's reminded me of Mitch Williams, which scares the heck out of me. And so, going into 2010, the best choice for the closer role may be Feliz. If the Rangers could keep Francisco and Wilson as setup men, then I think Feliz would definitely solidify the back end of the bullpen.

In the end, what I think will happen is Feliz will be given a chance to start in Spring Training. He'll likely be battling for a spot with Hunter, Harrsion, McCarthy, and maybe Holland. If the Rangers love what they see from Feliz, then I think he starts, if they don't feel impressed, then Feliz goes to the bullpen. But one things for sure: Feliz isn't going back to the minors. His arm is too valuable.

He's baaaaaack...

Well, this is almost as if it where on cue, isn't it? Not 24 hours after John Paul's timely post chronicling his performance in AAA Oklahoma, Chris Davis is apparently "expected" to rejoin the big league club on Tuesday for their 3 game set with the NY Yankees.

He's of course going to replace the increasingly lifeless Hank Blalock, who after an 0-4 Sunday is hitting .199/.213/.342 since the All-Star break and .238/.274/.473 on the season.

As noted by JP in the last entry, Davis has turned his game around at the AAA level since being sent down (after putting up a .202/.256/.415 line in his first 77 games of the year in the majors), hitting .327/.421/.540 with 35 strikeouts in 150 ABs. Perhaps most impressive though are the walk totals he's put up since going down: 28 in 178 total PA's, good for a 13.8% BB rate. That, along with the nearly halved strikeout % (23.3) gives Davis a 0.69 K/BB ratio, the best he's posted at any single stop in his career (sample size aside). The test of translating those improvements to the majors still awaits him, of course, but suffice it to say that Davis has done everything the Rangers could've possibly hoped for in his performance since being demoted. He's probably not going to be in any better position than he is right now to salvage something from the ashes of his disappointing 2009 MLB campaign.

A roster move to make room for him on the 25-man roster will be forthcoming - optioning Doug Mathis to AAA would seem the most logical choice, though that would leave the Rangers with a 6-man bullpen (rather than the 7 they've been accustomed to using most of the season) going into a series with the top team in the MLB in wOBA.

Should they not want to give up that extra pitcher however, it's not entirely inconceivable that the Rangers could either waive or DL Andruw Jones or even Blalock. Davis's presence probably forces those two back into some sort of platoon at DH, And while Blalock starting a game as the designated hitter seems by definition a slightly hilarious prospect at the current juncture, Jones has been pretty worthless himself since the all-star break. He's hitting .184/.326/.368 for the second half and though he's taken grounders there recently, he doesn't provide the security of being a long-term backup at first base in the event of an injury.

Personally, I'd be slightly surprised (though I might prefer it) if either one went anywhere - Blalock due to his contract, Jones because of Rudy Jaramillo's attachment to him - but it's worth pondering.

(A quick footnote to close out the entry here - I will be indeed back on a part-time basis to support JP and Thomas here at HWC, though my posts will likely be more just as infrequent as before.)

Sunday: Battle of AAA First Basemen

Just a quick thought for today . . . .

For all those who were calling for Chris Davis' head early in the season in favor of Justin Smoak, check out their stats at AAA this season (as of Friday morning):

Chris Davis: .327/.421/.540 with 35 strikeouts in 150 ABs
Justin Smoak: .239/.354/.356, 36 with 36 strikeouts in 163 ABs

Smoak will be a great player eventually, but for now I think it's unfounded to suggest that he needs to replace Davis. One thing I think we can all agree on: it's time for Davis to come back and replace Blalock . . . .

Friday: Pudge Then vs. Pudge Now

In their annual publication the year after Pudge left the Rangers in 2002, Baseball Prospectus wrote this quip under Einar Diaz's stats in 2003 (which, confusingly enough, appeared in the 2004 edition):

"It's not too often that a team replaces one of the best catchers in baseball history with one of the worst."

He's without a doubt one of the best catchers to play the game. If you're like me, you didn't really follow Pudge closely in his post-Rangers days. When we reacquired him, I found myself wondering, "How has Pudge been doing since he left?"

Here's a quick summary of some important stats which give a partial answer to the above question (along with Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Taylor Teagarden's performances this season for comparison):

AVG/OBP/SLG:

Pudge with the Rangers (1991-2002): .305/.342/.489
Pudge with everyone else (2002-2009): .291/.328/.442
Pudge the last 2 years (2008-present): .265/.302/.389
Salty this year: .236/.293/.375
Teagarden this year: .194/.264/.364

Average Games Played:

Pudge with the Rangers (1991-2002): 123.25
Pudge with everyone else (2002-2009): 125.86
Pudge the last 2 years (2008-present): 104
Salty this year: 83
Teagarden this year: 39

CS%:

Pudge with the Rangers (1991-2002): 49.8%
Pudge with everyone else (2002-2009): 38.5%
Pudge the last 2 years (2008-present): 32.3%
Salty this year: 24%
Teagarden this year: 41%

Note: What would make this more interesting would be how the all the Rangers catchers from 2003-present have done in his absence. I've scoured the internet, but can't seem to find this data. If anyone knows where I can find it, let me know.

Source: Pudge's baseball-reference page

Wednesday: I'm Back

Well, it's been a hell of a summer. For those who have been checking the page for the past month or so hoping to see new articles . . . lo siento. Because of the tenacity of wedding preparations that took place this summer, I was left with very little time to do much more baseball-wise than listen to the Rangers on the radio (usually while doing things like stuffing invitations, or reserving hotel rooms, or renovating the house). But there are two things we may celebrate: (1) I got married, and (2) Hello Win Column is back.

Since the upcoming semester (my 4th in graduate school) looks to be a busy one, I won't be updating every day like I had been. Instead, I'm going to aim for 3-4 posts per week. If I'm lucky, I will be able to convince my co-writers to join me once again. Because the truth is: Rangers baseball is too exciting right now to not write about (at least for me).

So I apologize to anyone out there who was disappointed with the lack of posts the last couple of weeks (especially to Matt, who harassed me about it constantly). But, as of this moment, Hello Win Column is officially back in business (or maybe just back, since we don't make any money).

Go Rangers!

John Paul

Wednesday: The Trade Deadline

Now that the All Star Game and all its glitter and glamour has become a subject of the past, we can now focus once again on the regular season, as well as one of my favorite times of the year, the July 31st trading deadline and the thrilling days preceding it. Obviously this year won't be quite as big as last year as far as blockbuster trades go, but I wouldn't be surprised if some major deals are at least being discussed by GMs around Major League Baseball.

The most significant name that has surfaced the headlines is Roy Halladay, who, in all his power, deserves better success than what the Blue Jays are able to give (not completely the Jays fault, as they're stuck in the league's most challenging division). I know Halladay loves the paycheck, but he wouldn't be human if he said he wasn't tired of packing up his bags at the end of September year after year. That raises the big question: Is Jon Daniels talking with JP Ricciardi about a possible deal? The answer is most likely no, but the players hypothesizing about having Halladay on the team a few weeks ago certainly raises a few eyebrows.

Halladay is signed through 2010, so if the Rangers were in fact to make a move for him, they'd have the assurance that it wouldn't just be a rental deal. However, the Blue Jays will be looking at the cost of players like CC Sabathia and Rich Harden last year and be asking for the same, if not more. That means the Rangers would for sure have to give up either Holland or Feliz, Smoak, and at least one other prospect. If I was Jon Daniels, I would keep a good distance from the trade market this year. Halladay is the only big name that is being offered who could really help the Rangers, but the problem is that he's already 32 years old. If the Rangers really wanted to make the deal worth it, they would have to sign Halladay to another contract, but by then he'll be moving out of his prime. Sorry, not worth it. The other option would be to go after a young prospect, but that would really be more like a substitution than a trade.

Another possibility, and I touched on this a few weeks ago, would be for the Rangers to get another arm in the bullpen. That probably wouldn't cost the Rangers any more than Marlon Byrd, Hank Blalock, or Andruw Jones. I wouldn't mind seeing Jones or Byrd leave as much as I would seeing Blalock depart. I said back in March that this is the year for Blalock to prove that he's still a major force in the lineup, and so far, I've been impressed. Blalock already has 19 homeruns in only 258 ABs. His batting average is decent at 260, and it'll likely continue to climb as he gets more playing time. I also happen to be a big Blalock fan, despite his woes in recent years. As for Jones, he's been valuable too, but I'm not too excited about his 231 AVG. And for Byrd, well, I'm a big fan, but I think in the long run he's the odd man out in the outfield with Cruz and Murphy looked upon as major weapons in the lineup. As far as getting rid of pitchers, I think it might be time to say goodbye to Eddie Guardado. To put it simply, I no longer trust his arm.

As the deadline looms and the suspense begins to mount, one can only assume that Jon Daniels is talking on the phone about possible deals. But though a trade certainly wouldn't hurt, in the end I'd rather see the Rangers try to make a run with what they already have. After all, they're nine games above 500 with their current roster. Would the addition of one player in exchange for the loss of several future stars really help?

Wednesday: ASG: Young, Hamilton in, Kinsler snubbed

My main dislike for the All Star Game isn’t the event itself, but that the outcome of the event affects the World Series. The reason this is frustrating is because there seems to be a competitive spirit lacking at the All Star Game. It’s more like a show than a game. If it was truly competitive, then the managers wouldn’t take out a superstar and replace him with a guy who’s on the roster because he's put up 'solid numbers.' Ben Zobrist certainly comes to mind. Still, I, like almost anyone else, take sheer delight in the fact that I get to see the game’s leading talents all on the field together. Two of those talents will represent the Texas Rangers, namely Josh Hamilton and Michael Young. The biggest disappointment for most Ranger fans is that Ian Kinsler is not present on the AL roster. Kinsler appeared to have a solid shot at making the starting job at 2B, but in the end, Dustin Pedroia, who was picking up steam with the votes during the last few weeks, won out. Kinsler was then snubbed as a backup as well. But in truth, Kinsler (he still has a chance at making the roster with the final fan vote) didn’t really deserve to make the All Star team. After his prodigious start to the season, Kinsler has merely been mediocre. He has been stuck around the 260's in batting average for over a month now, and though his power numbers have gone up, his OBP has dipped to a meager 331. My guess is that he’ll really heat up during the second half (assuming he stays healthy) and become the offensive producer he’s capable of being. But for now, I think it’s a good thing that he stays out of the game, because one: he didn’t deserve it, and two: he needs a physical rest.

Michael Young made the team as expected. He’s helped represent the Rangers every year since 2004, and there was no reason to believe that this year would be any different. He’s having a terrific season, as it looks like he’ll reach 200 hits again after sort of taking last year off in that department. I’d like to see Young start the game one of these years, but as long as Derek Jeter is around, it seems unlikely. Plus, I think Young is happy just to be at the game, regardless of whether he starts or not.

Finally, Josh Hamilton was helped out by the fans and will be one of the starting outfielders for the AL (another reason why I don’t like the All Star game, seeing as other players deserve it much more than Hamilton, who has been injured much of the season, does). Josh just came off the DL and he’ll surely be ready to play in the game. The question is: should he play in the game? I definitely don’t want to see him play in the Homerun Derby, even though most fans around the country do, and I’m uncertain as to whether he should even play in the game. The chances of him getting injured are slim, but taking that chance could potentially mean losing Josh for the most important part of the season. Hamilton will tell you that he wants to play, and he most likely will, but since he’s barely been playing at all this year, I can hardly say he deserves it.

As much as I like the All Star Game, I’ve never been one to look forward to it. The three-day break means that I’ll have to endure the longest stretch of baseball hiatus during the season. But then I think about the NFL and I realize I can't bleat about a meager 3-day break. I’m always eager for the All Star break to end so that teams can get back to playing again, and even more, because it marks the beginning of the trades, a subject which I addressed earlier, and will talk about once again on my next post.

Note: As of today, Ian Kinsler and Pablo Sandoval are leading the final vote ballet. So it's looking like Kinsler may end up in the game after all.

Monday thoughts: Chris Davis and Julio Borbon

Yeah, I know it's been awhile since I've written anything here at HWC. Truth is, till now I haven't had a whole lot to say about the Rangers, at least not anything worth chronicling here.

Suffice to say that fortunately, the Rangers seem to have finally shaken off the muck they where floundering in during June and gotten themselves back on track here at the start of July. They've won 5 in a row after taking two more from the hated "Los Angeles" Angels of Anaheim (whom they now have a 5-1 record against on the season) and setting off their own fireworks this Fourth of July weekend with a sweep of the reigning AL champs, the Tampa Bay Rays (who, until encountering the Rangers, had entered the weekend as the Major League Leaders in wOBA).

Now they head into a week that could very well set the tone for the second half this season: three games against our co-division leader Angels and four against the third-place Seattle Mariners. It's a golden opportunity for the Rangers to snatch the division lead and make the Mariners less of a factor in the division race heading into the all-star break... with the alternative being coughing up the lead to LA and possibly drawing the Mariners in to make it a three-team battle after the break.


Back just in time for the last hurrah of the second half is Josh Hamilton, who comes off the DL tomorrow against the Angels... while perhaps leaving just in time is Chris Davis. As confirmed last night by Evan Grant, the Rangers have finally pulled the plug on their struggling young first baseman, sending him down to share time at DH and first base with fellow first base hotshot Justin Smoak at AAA Oklahoma.

The all-to-familiar Davis debate has raged all season, it would seem: for every kneejerker who wanted to send him down in mid-May there appeared someone to preach patience with Davis, pointing out his age and his first base defense. As you might know, I was in the latter camp for much of the first half, but even I'll admit at some point you've got to run out of leash (which for me was probably when he broke the 100 strikeouts barrier back in mid-June).

The numbers tell the story all too well: he ends his first half with a .202/.256/.415 slash line (a 671 OPS) and a mere .288 wOBA. The young slugger did show the occasion flash at the plate, such as at the end of interleague play a week ago when he had a short 7-for-14 stretch. Those all-too-infrequent lightning strikes always seemed to actually make matters worse by instilling hope that maybe Davis was figuring things out... only to be followed by another week or more of 0-for's. Whether it was timing, mechanics, strike zone judgment, lack of confidence or all of the above (and it did seem like all of the above) it has become painfully clear Chris Davis's problems weren't going to be fixed in the majors.

Furthermore, at the time of this long-awaited demotion, Davis' UZR (the one saving grace about his game early in the season) had even declined to below replacement level: -0.6 in standard UZR and -1.1 runs in UZR/150. Whether that was just increasing sample size showing us the real Davis or his poor play at the plate influencing his play in the field, he wasn't even offering the major league team anything of defensive value anymore, and the Rangers wisely chose to demote him before his -0.8 WAR dipped to a full game or more below replacement.

Obviously, Hank Blalock will take over first base in Davis's stead for now - and for those of you who would point out his platoon inadequacies (he has a .247/.298/.526 slash line against lefties this year) and call for the premature promotion of Justin Smoak, please note that Smoak hit an even worse .196/.268/.314 against AA-level left-handers this year. He'll get his turn, but for now lets see how he handles his recent promotion to Oklahoma first.


Speaking of promotions... here's one I've got a bit of an issue with. As you may have forgotten, unless you pay careful attention to the dugout shots during Ranger broadcasts, Julio Borbon has been in the majors for about a week now. When he was called up last Monday, he DH'd, and for some reason hit 6th (which was eyebrow-raising in and of itself, but we won't get into that) and it was proclaimed the next day that Ron Washington didn't intend for him to "sit and watch games".

Here we are almost one week later, and Borbon has made exactly zero starts and collected exactly two plate appearances since his debut. And the two plate appearances he did get (one of which netted him his first big league hit and RBI) only came in a game that Nelson Cruz was removed from in the 6th inning due to back stiffness. The only other time he's even stepped on the field was a token inning as a defensive replacement in the 9th during the 12-4 thrashing of the Rays on Saturday.

Now the story apparently is that Borbon is a pinch runner off the bench:

Washington said Julio Borbon was kept up because “he gives us some speed off the bench. I have another guy on this team that can go up and bunt if I need."

I have a huge problem with this, myself. I understand that Murphy and Byrd have really picked up their game over the last week, but Julio Borbon is your top outfield prospect, and quite possibly the #2 position prospect in this system right now, behind Justin Smoak. And now you're relegating him to a marginal bench role that could easily be filled by a player who matters less in the long run like Greg Golson? So much for "not here to sit and watch games" I guess.

To me this is just robbing Borbon of AB's he could be putting to better use further refining his approach in OKC, and could very well stunt the progress he was making down in the minors if he's going to be relegated to the bench for an extended period of time. One would think that there has to be another roster move coming sometime this week, otherwise this premature waste of a promotion will become more of glorified demotion for young Julio.

One last order of business for today: thanks to the might of the evil Red Sox nation, and likely the general stupidity of those who don't look past batting average when trying to determine a players value, Ian Kinsler not only got snubbed from starting at second base in St. Lous, he might get snubbed from the all-star game entirely if he doesn't win "The Final Vote". Part of me really can't believe I live in a world where Dustin "I'm short and gritty!" Pedroia beats out Ian Kinsler while Josh Hamilton gets voted a starting spot for basically doing nothing in the first half, but I suppose I expect too much logic out of All-Star voting sometimes.

The good news is, the Giants fans from the SBN blog The McCovey Chronicles have made Lone Star Ball a proposal... they'll try and help get Kinsler in if Rangers fans try and help get Pablo Sandoval in. I say they've got a deal... what about you?

Moday Movie: George Carlin on losing stuff

No, nothing about baseball here, but this is one of my favorite George Carlin bits... one we can all relate to, I think.

Wednesday: Trade With Caution

In his article for the Dallas Morning News on Tuesday, Kevin Sherrington expressed his opinion that the Rangers should keep their prized prospects away from the trade market. As for me, I’d be thrilled if the Rangers make the playoffs, and I wouldn’t mind if they made some acquisitions, just so long as Derek Holland and Neftali Feliz are left alone.

It’s been said that the Rangers need to find a bat to help keep this offense alive. But to me, the offense, despite its recent tribulations, will be fine, because Josh Hamilton should be back in a few weeks. Right now, I think that offense is really missing Josh. No, what the Rangers need is some bullpen help, someone they can depend on consistently. One name that lights up the radar is Joel Zumaya, the coveted Tigers reliever. If the Rangers could bring in Zumaya and get rid of a guy like Guardado, then I would feel much better about this team, because to be frank, I no longer trust ‘Everyday Eddie.’

As for the rotation, it could use an addition, though right now I think it would only help if a major star were brought in, which seems unlikely.

Again, the Rangers should make a trade only if they don’t have to give up Feliz, Holland, and maybe Blake Beavan. As for players I wouldn’t mind seeing go: Kasey Kiker, Michael Main, and Chris Davis.

Note, next week, due to a conflicting schedule, I won't be putting any posts up for HWC.

Monday Movie: Bugs Bunny Baseball

Here's a classic Bugs Bunny episode. Seen it a million times, still love it.



So...I wonder why any balks weren't called?

Monday: 'Roid Rage

It’s a subject that that isn’t fun to talk about, but talked about nonetheless. Steroids. They can’t be ignored any more than paying the monthly electric bills can. I tend to linger away from the idea for a steady period of time up until the next name comes out. This time it’s Sammy Sosa. Now I think everyone knew that Sosa most likely used steroids before the news flash arrived a few weeks ago, but now that his name and steroids are officially making the headlines, people have to stop and think about it.

Though the topic of steroids and who used them is surfacing newspapers and websites frequently, it’s not because players are using them now. It’s because players did use back in the 1990s, and now the truth about their mistakes is finally being released. True, some players still are caught using drugs today, but they are generally young, naïve players who believe that they can only succeed by enhancing their bodies. Those players are often caught and rightfully suspended. The sad thing is that back in 1990s (and I suppose early 2000s for some) star players who already had the talent took steroids and were never caught until now. It’s become a mess, as more and more players are becoming subjects of this controversy, and most of them are players who were having Hall of Fame careers before the drugs entered their lives.

So that leads us to the major question surrounding the steroid scandal: should star players who used drugs be allowed in the Hall of Fame? It’s a tough question, and even tougher to answer. If Barry Bonds is not allowed in the Hall of Fame, then does that mean he’s not allowed to have the homerun record? In 100 years, if someone sees that he has the record, but is not in the Hall of Fame, they will know that he made a mistake somewhere along the line that prevented him from entering the Hall. If that’s the case, then Bonds will never be looked upon as a baseball hero. My answer to the question is this: For steroid users, all records should be dismissed, and no one should enter the Hall of Fame. That means that Manny Ramirez, Alex Rodriguez, Barry Bonds, and guys like Rafael Palmeiro would not be going into the Hall. Right now, it may sound a bit inequitable, but in 100 years, it will be looked upon as simply a small glitch in baseball history, a span of a few years when there were major hitting stars who were lost in the spotlight because of what they did with steroids. People will continue to write books about it, and talk about the records that were taken away, and they probably will simply find it intriguing rather than unfair. Because the truth is, there will be so many more great players to come, that a small portion of them left out won’t really matter. After all, punishment must be given for those who make mistakes.

There is still hope for these players. They can still go down with dignity, even if they don’t make it into Hall of Fame. What they can do is admit their mistakes. Alex Rodriguez did it (though we’re not sure how much he left out) and Jason Giambi and Andy Pettitte did as well. If one admits their mistakes, they can go out with dignity. If they live in denial, then they go out with a black shadow cast upon them. A few years ago, Mark McGwire said at a hearing involving steroids, ‘I’m not here to talk about the past.’ If he had only admitted his mistakes then maybe he’d be getting more votes on the ballet.

I still think players who used steroids will make it into the Hall of Fame. My opinion is pretty much irrelevant. I just think that since it’s such a small group of players compared to the amounts that will be eligible in years to come and that in the future, people won’t care if Sammy Sosa or Barry Bonds aren’t in the Hall of Fame. However, I don't worry about this, because even though these players likely will still be eligible for the Hall of Fame, it will still be up for the the voters to decide. If the voters don't select these players, then the players can't say they were cheated.

Some say that the mess is happening right now, as more and more names are coming out. It's hard to tell if the mess is now, or yet to come when these players who took steroids become eligible for the Hall of Fame. Then what's going to happen? There's a great line in 'No Country For Old Men' that fits this situation perfectly: "it's a mess, ain't it, sheriff?" "Well, if it ain't, it'll do till the mess gets here."

Wednesday: Ice Cold

Last year, the Rangers based their chances of winning on how good the offense was. This year, at least for now, it’s been the pitching, because right now this offense is not one to be relied on. People haven’t really noticed the slumping offense because the pitchers have been such stalwarts all season long. The Rangers began this home stand 2-4, thanks especially to the scuffling offense of this team. That’s when it really started to occur to people that this offense was mired in a deep slump.

With the exception of David Murphy, none of the hitters are producing like they’re capable of. Of course, Ian Kinsler comes to mind first. It’s hard to believe that not too long ago he was hitting over 350. Now, thanks to a month long downturn, the Ranger’s second baseman is hitting 268. Nearly every other Ranger hitter has seen their batting average plummet in recent weeks. Nelson Cruz, after his stunning offensive outburst back in late May, has fallen down to 276. It wasn’t long ago that Elvis Andrus was leading all rookies with a 280 AVG. Now he’s hitting 256. And what happened to Andruw Jones? He hung around 300 for so long, and now he’s suddenly hitting 248. 248! How did that happen? Jarrod Saltalamcchia is batting a meager 247, and of course Chris Davis is still hovering just above 200. The only starter who is hitting in the 300s is Michael Young, though he too has been the victim of recent offensive ineptness.

Last night was pleasing, as the Rangers hit three homeruns and chased Wandy Rodriguez early, but they didn’t do much scoring after the fourth inning. For once I can honestly say that I eagerly await the next fifteen run outburst from this offense. The last time the Rangers scored ten or more runs in a game was on May 30th. So it’s been over two weeks since we've witnessed a slugfest from the Rangers. And though it’s slightly irrelevant, the Rangers have only had two 10+ run games since April 15th.

As nice as it’s been to see the Rangers in first place, it’s clear that this team has not had both the pitching and hitting clicking at the same time. The only question is this: when the hitting starts, will the pitching stop? If the Rangers really want to win this division (and I say this partly because the Angels look like a driving force on a mission) then they’ll have to put everything together, especially in July and August, when in the past the Rangers have notoriously started to fade.

Every single hitter on this roster will honestly say that this offense is not producing to the best of its abilities. These hitters can punish a team like no one else can, and as the weather in Texas gets hotter, let’s hope that the offense can do the same.

texasrangers.com

One mans All-Star Ballot: Part II

Well, it's taken me long enough, but here it finally is... part two of my look at all-star voting by the numbers. At this point this might be a bit ill-timed in comparison to part one - undoubtedly changed on the AL ballot since last time - but considering it took me three nights of writing and rewriting this, I think it's still time to soldier ahead just so I can get on with other things (like looking for some bright spots in our suddenly painfully inept offense).

It's been awhile since the National League has actually won an All-Star game, so this year it might be more important than ever to make certain they have the best players from their league representing them... unless of course you secretly enjoy seeing them fall flat on their faces year after year.

I'll admit, I kind of like to think of the NL's 12 year ASG drought as retribution for making us AL fans put up with this silly business of watching the pitchers hit during interleague (and even spring training) every year.

Just kidding.

Okay, maybe only sort of kidding.

Anyway, now that I've offended several million purists and NL fans, we might as well get on with this:

First Base

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The NL has some excellent first basemen - I think an argument could be made that deepest single position as far as raw talent goes on the all star ballot is NL first base, and has been for some time. This year however, two guys stand out above the rest, and that's the insanely talented Albert Pujols and one-time Ranger Adrian Gonzalez.

Pujols is of course on of the best, if not the best pure hitter in baseball so it shouldn't come as too much of a surprise that he leads NL first basemen in wOBA, OPS and just about everything else. In fact, been the most valuable offensive player in all of baseball this year if you go by Wins Above Replacement. His overall WAR has been hurt somewhat by his defense - he's kind of having an off-year at first base weighing in at almost 3 runs below replacement in UZR (first time he's been in the negative since 2005). So his overall WAR is 3.2 - only tied for fourth best in baseball with Ryan Zimmerman. I say only because his bat has been worth an even 30 runs above replacement this year, almost 6 runs better than second-best Raul Ibanez. Just imagine what his overall WAR would be if he had his usual stellar defensive numbers to back all that offensive value up.

Gonzalez (or as I like to refer to him, the real reason why the Adam Eaton for Chris Young deal stung) hasn't quite been the offensive beast Pujols has... but he's been close. The casual all-star voter might dismiss that notion looking at his batting average (.276, versus Pujols' .324) but beyond that veneer he's having a truly special season himself. Thanks to the fact that he's tied with Adam Dunn for the best walk rate in the NL (at 18.7 BB's per 9) he sports a .414 OBP, 8th in the NL. More importantly, he's third in the NL in slugging percentage and ISO (isolated power), which as you might have guessed means he's up there in homers - tied with Pujols and Ibanez for the NL lead with 22. Not too bad, as evidenced by the 24.2 runs above replacement Fangraphs has his bat valued at. Where's that rank compared to Pujols? Third in baseball, as a matter of fact, and a half win behind second place Ibanez.

That brings us to Gonzalez's advantage, and that's his defense. He's been worth 2 runs even at first base, tied for second among NL first sackers with Atlanta's Kasey Kotchman. Even though his D is a bit less impressive if you project it over 150 games (UZR/150) he's still been a lot better than Pujols this year, and as a result he's only 0.2 points behind big Albert in overall WAR at 3.0.

Pretty tough final decision here, for me at least. WAR-wise, it's pretty much a wash, although Pujols does have a slight edge. Albert's flat out been the most valuable offensive player in baseball this year, but A-Gon isn't far behind in offensive value himself, and his defense makes him the more rounded player. I really like Gonzalez a lot, but considering Pujols has long been considered a great glove at first (and has the numbers in the recent past to back it up) it's hard to penalize him too much for his D this year. And the easter egg is it would admittedly be kinda cool to see him starting the ASG in his home park considering the year he's having. It's close, but Pujols has my vote (for now at least).

Second Base

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From one of the closest individual position races on that ballot, we now go to one of the biggest no-brainers. There's really only one name you need to know among NL second basemen, and that's Chase Cameron Utley.

If that name doesn't strike fear, it should. His .441 wOBA (which happens to be fourth in all of baseball) is 67 points higher than the next-best Orlando Hudson and he's one of just 5 players in the NL (and 9 in baseball) who still have an OPS over 1.000 (none of whom happen to be second basemen). He seems to have backslid a bit from his stellar defensive seasons in 2007 and 2008 (just over a half run above replacement at second so far this year) but his 3.4 WAR is still nearly a win and a half better than second-place Brandon Phillips (2.0).

Shortstop

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The two NL middle infield spots really aren't to competitive this year, numbers-wise. At second base it's because Chase Utley can just mash, but at shortstop it's because Hanley Ramirez has finally learned to play defense. And because HanRam can mash too.

As usual, the cornerstone of the Florida Marlins franchise leads NL shortstops in wOBA, OPS and almost all the other offensive metrics. By now, pretty much anyone who follows the baseball should knows what Hanley is capable of with the bat. What's new however is he may be starting to overcome his reputation as an abhorrent defender - so far this year he's on the plus side in UZR and UZR/150 for the first time in his career. And this year that's what distances him from Miguel Tejada, who ranks second to Ramirez in wOBA and is tied for second in the NL in BA.

Tejada has been almost as bad, if not worse than Hanley has been in the past, ranking 7 runs below replacement this year and almost 16 runs below in UZR/150. In fact, both Tejada and the third-place man in wOBA among NL SS's, Yunel Escobar (4 runs below replacement in UZR) have been so bad defensively, the ever mediocre Ryan Theriot (just a .337 wOBA) actually beats them both out for the distant second place to Hanley in WAR at 1.6. Tejada has a 1.5, Escobar a 1.1. Oh, and Hanley? 2.8.

Third base

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This is was one of the more interesting positions I looked as far as options and offense vs. defense goes. On one hand you've got New York's David Wright, who happens to lead the majors in batting average and the NL in OBP, which helps him to a .431 wOBA, tops among NL 3B's.

As for the rest of the field, second among NL 3B's in wOBA is Mark Reynolds (whose name you've probably heard tossed around in discussions about Chris Davis as the guy who struck out 204 times last year) at .412, who has been bouncing back and forth between third base and first base since mid-May. Outside the 400+ wOBA stratosphere, we have Chipper Jones, still kicking it at 37 (and putting up a 918 OPS and a .389 wOBA), and Ryan Zimmerman (.388 wOBA). Though Wright is the clear leader of the pack offensively, there's a lot of pretty good third base options this year in the NL.

Defensively is where it gets interesting, because Jones, Wright and Reynolds have all been terrible defensively this year (well, Chipper and Wright have been, Reynolds has just been below average) whereas Ryan Zimmerman has been absolutely brilliant. Chipper has been the most suspect, ranking 3.6 runs below replacement in UZR (and almost a whopping 13 in UZR/150) and Wright isn't too far behind at minus 3 even. Reynolds is only about a half-run below replacement, although if you go per 150 games he looks a tad worse - but still nowhere near as bad as Wright and Chipper.

Zimmerman on the other hand not only leads NL third basemen in UZR, but has been the second-best defender in the NL (well, in terms of UZR, anyway), behind only Pirates OF Nyjer Morgan with an UZR of 8.0 and an UZR/150 of 19.9. The result is that Zim's actually leads the NL third base pack with a 3.2 WAR, David Wright trailing at 2.9 and Mark Reynolds third at 2.3. Jones defense has him at upper-mid pack with 1.5 WAR.

This leaves me with pretty much the same dilemma as with Pujols vs. Gonzalez at first base: the amazing offensive player, or the more well rounded (and in this case stellar) defender who's still more than holding his own offensively? It's another tossup, but this time I think I'll go with the complete package in Zimmerman.

Catcher

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As the guy who's pretty much NL's best offensive catcher Brian McCann has made the all-star squad as a backup three years in a row. He still has yet to start however, and if Yadier Molina's lead in the actual voting so far is any indication, he may still not get there this year. Which is really too bad, because he's pretty much been head and shoulders more valuable than any other NL catcher so far.

Despite spending time on the DL this year with an eye issue, McCann has been a terror at the plate this this year, posting a .953 OPS and a .412 wOBA. His 2.1 WAR is almost a full run better than any other NL catcher, and the only other starting catcher to even approach his offensive production is Carlos Ruiz with a .380 wOBA (well, Washington's Jesus Flores does too, but he might be out for the rest of the year).

As was discussed last time, there's no real defensive statistics for catchers, so I really couldn't tell you if McCann is costing his team any runs with his glove or not, but if the offensive stats are any indication it'll be a shame if he's beat out by Molina (whose .319 wOBA is uninspiring, to say the least). In fact, on an unrelated note, why in the world do people think that Yadier Molina is good?

Outfielders

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There's plenty of good choices to fill out your three outfield votes in the NL this year, lead by a somewhat surprising contender: Raul Ibanez. Most people felt that the Phillies where taking a definite downgrade when they replaced free agent Pat Burrell by signing an aging Ibanez over the winter, but so far the Phils have enjoyed surprisingly ridiculous production out of Ibanez's bat, and even more surprisingly, good defense from a guy who's been a noted butcher in the past. Not only does Ibanez's .444 wOBA lead NL outfielders, it's second to only Albert Pujols in the entire NL. And he's actually plus 2.3 runs in left field so far, after being minus 15 and 20 runs there the last two years in Seattle. Who'd a thunk it, but he actually leads the NL in WAR so far at 3.3.

Among the other options, Carlos Beltran (.430 wOBA) Ryan Braun (.427 wOBA) Brad Hawpe (.424) and Justin Upton (.414) are the rest of the top 5 among NL OF's in wOBA. Hawpe's awful defense (-6.6 runs in UZR) however separates him from the rest of the pack in WAR however, dropping him out of the top 10 while Matt Kemp's awesome UZR of 8 vaults him into a narrow second in overall value at 2.9. Braun is just one point behind at 2.8, while Upton and Beltran sit tied at 2.6. You can pretty much throw a couple darts at those four and come out with an appropriate choice, but I'll go with Beltran and Kemp to get the respective best of the rest in offense and defense.