Wednesday Morning Rangers Notes: Thanksgiving Eve Edition
Joey MatschulatWe'll be keeping it short and sweet this morning, because a long, stressful drive in Thanksgiving traffic to central Texas tomorrow awaits:
● The Mariners are expected to name Texas Rangers minor league pitching coordinator Rick Adair as the successor to bullpen coach Norm Charlton, who has been ousted from his post by new manager Don Wakamatsu; former Rangers bullpen coach Dom Chiti, a current special assistant to the general manager in Atlanta, will evidently be named Seattle's pitching coach (Geoff Baker, Seattle Times)
[Yeah, this one stings. Adair's stock has grown appreciably during the four years he has spent overseeing the Rangers' robust and burgeoning collection of young pitching talent, and it should come as no great surprise to anyone that he has now evolved into a highly sought-after commodity. Still, though, being forced to helplessly watch him jump to a division rival absolutely sucks.
According to Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News, Rangers general manager Jon Daniels had not yet received a formal request from the Mariners to speak with Adair as of Tuesday morning, though the organization would likely approve such a request on the basis of not wanting to inhibit Adair's opportunities for advancement in Major League Baseball.
Assuming that Adair does receive a contract offer from the Mariners and accepts said offer, the Rangers will have lost Triple-A Oklahoma pitching coach Andy Hawkins (promoted to big league pitching coach on August 1st, then re-assigned to big league bullpen coach), minor league field coordinator (promoted to big league third base coach) and Adair (departed) in less than four months. Not fatal blows by any stretch, but also not good.]
● The Red Sox are completing "due diligence" on several potential solutions to their catching situation (many of which likely do not include captain Jason Varitek), and have had the following backstops shopped to them: Jeff Mathis and Mike Napoli (Angels), Brian Schneider (Mets), Miguel Montero (Diamondbacks), John Buck (Royals), Ramon Hernandez (Orioles), Bengie Molina (Giants), Carlos Santana, Kelly Shoppach and Victor Martinez (Indians), Jesus Flores (Nationals), Kenji Johima and Jeff Clement (Mariners), and Yorvit Torrealba (Rockies) (Michael Silverman, Boston Herald)
[Most of those names are pretty uninspiring, but it's painfully obvious by now that Boston doesn't simply have to settle for what the Rangers have to offer.]
● One hot rumor flying around baseball circles is the scenario where the Red Sox would sign free-agent first baseman Mark Teixeira, move Kevin Youkilis to third base and proceed to trade Mike Lowell and a pitcher to Texas for Jarrod Saltalamacchia (Eric Ortiz, NESN.com)
[Points for creativity, I suppose. Lowell is owed $24 million over the next two seasons and is coming off arthroscopic surgery performed last month to repair a torn labrum in his hip and a bone spur on his femur, prompting skepticism on the part of rival executives with regard to the stability of the 34-year-old third baseman's health going forward.
I can't begin to fathom such a deal taking place without Boston offering significant salary relief.]
● The Angels are reportedly preparing to send free-agent southpaw CC Sabathia an offer that "approaches" the Yankees' highly publicized six-year, $140 million offer; Teixeira remains Anaheim's top priority, according to an unnamed baseball source, but the Angels are understandably reluctant to guarantee Teixeira more than seven years (Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times)
[Adair leaving for Seattle and Sabathia coming to roost in the AL West all in a single off-season? Good grief.]
● The Mets' aggressive push to deal right-hander Aaron Heilman apparently culminated in a straight-up offer of Heilman for Rockies right-hander Huston Street shortly after the latter was acquired from the Athletics in the blockbuster Matt Holliday trade two weeks ago, though talks cooled when Colorado demanded that southpaw reliever Pedro Feliciano be thrown in as well (Anthony DiComo, MLB.com)
Junichi Tazawa will formally announce an agreement with the Red Sox early next week, according to multiple published reports from Japan (Ian Browne, MLB.com)
[...so ends that little wild goose chase...]
● The Rangers "might be" one of eight teams interested in 33-year-old Yomiuri Giants right-hander Koji Uehara, whose consistency on the mound has recently been diminished by injuries (Nikkan Sports, as quoted by NPBTracker.com)
[...and so begins another one. The real money line on Uehara comes from ESPN.com's Jim Allen: "Although Uehara ran track in high school (because his school didn't have a baseball team), he has developed a reputation as a player who doesn't like to run and whose conditioning is suspect."
Think team president Nolan Ryan is impressed?]
● The Rangers have the best farm system in baseball (Jim Callis, Baseball America)
[Restating the obvious.]
Reader Comments (10)
Possible Adair replacement: Frisco pitching coach Terry Clark.
Just a hunch.
Update from Mike Hindman on the Adair matter:
http://rangersblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2008/11/update-on-seattle-rick-adair.html
Apparently Adair claims he has not yet been contacted by the Mariners, but Hindman's assessment of the situation is still pretty bleak:
"If in fact the M's are going with Chiti as pitching coach, it's almost a lock that Adair will join him as the bullpen coach. The relationship between Chiti and Adair extends far beyond their time with the Rangers. Both broke into coaching with Cleveland in 1987 and, I believe, they are brothers in-law."
Doesn't appear that we'll stand much of a chance against those bonds...
Yes, Jason.
The coaches across the board seem to have done an amazing job in Frisco. Wasn't it essentially two different teams, comparing the season's 1st half and the 2nd half starting line-ups? I'd be much obliged if you could address this question, and say who was responsible for whom, as I haven't looked closely.
If a promotion to AAA would amount to a reunion of Terry Clark with some, and his being able to continue working with others, including DHolland and PFeliz upon their promotion, that seems like a no-brainer.
Is anyone else just sick of the Salty or Teagarden to Boston for X or Y trade rumors? Jeesh. My Christmas wish is that Texas would just forget about trading Salty now and focus all their efforts - with all 29 other clubs if need be - on finding a new home for Laird.
Michael: I think Terry Clark would make an ideal candidate to become the roving minor league pitching coordinator. While he would make a terrific addition to any specific affiliation, I think his talents can be better served by focusing on the minors as a whole.
As to your question: I'm not really sure if I understand what you are asking. Are you asking about the coaching staff in particular?
Thanks, Jason,
It's really just a hope that your knowledge (plus research if you're up to it) could fill in my vague recollection of the uncanny amount of player-transition in our system (especially Frisco?) last year.
Which of the most successful 2008 prospects were influenced most by which coaches, and which Ranger Minor League coaches have had the most success despite high turnover of players (due to mid-season call-ups)? That seems to me a good way to measure a coach's ability.
And JD$, yes!
It seems that Boston bloggers aim to discount each of our catchers for not being the other! "Salty doesn't have MLB success under his belt," "MaxRam doesn't field as well as Teagarden," "Teagarden's health and bat aren't sure enough," and "Laird doesn't have a high enough ceiling..." Blah, blah, blah! If they are really so down on our C's, then why have they obsessed over them in comparison with those of other teams? I'm ready to just leave them high-n-dry, keep our 3 youngest C's, and say to Detroit and Cinci:
"Laird, Littleton and Padilla for Bonderman or Bailey"
and let them fight it out (though it may be too little for Bonderman and too much for Bailey-- Arias & Mendoza could be deal-sweeteners for the team that might imagine themselves getting another untapped Gallaraga in Mendoza).
In an earlier thread this month I wrote a note (albeit toungue-in-cheek) about MaxRam's batting line when playing 3B (He batted 1.000, had a 1.000 OBA, infinite BB/K ratio, homered in 33% of his AB's, and doubled in the other 67%! Really! But that was in only 5 plate appearances), but the serious question behind it was:
Would resurrecting MaxRam's 3B glove (from HS more than Minors?) be just as viable as our other 3B options?
Our best way of knowing whom we've got among these 3 catchers and optimizing their value FOR THE RANGERS could be playing Max at 3rd (and 3rd-string C) for now, and having Tea and Salty split C, while sharing DH with Blalock (who'd play just enough 1B to rest Davis and maintain Blalock's skill until we trade him) .
If no one of our 3 MLB prospect catchers can get us a potential ace in return-- if they can't get us much more than Laird-plus-Padilla, then I don't think we should trade them. Why risk watching one of the 3 become the next Pudge for yet another #3-starter-candidate? We have about 8 of those-- all worth getting a shot this year. Let's only get more #3-starter-candidates if it's by using our extra players, whose ceilings we know, and only trade our high-ceiling players for potential ace pitchers.
In fact, Joey, John and Jason, could we have one thread of "Trade Suggestions" that stays at the top or side of the board throughout the winter (or at least until the end of the Winter Meetings)?
Cheers and thanks this Thanksgiving!
What about this - go to Minaya and say "We want Heilman, and we'll be willing to do what it takes to get him provided you take Laird - no Salty, and no Teagarden. Take Laird and choose 1 of the following as our goodwill token:
Arias
Duran
Boggs
Mendoza
Littleton
Rupe
Golson
Benoit
If they like Laird (I don't know if they do or not), that offer seems quite reasonable. Heilman has said he wants to start, and he can compete for one of those jobs like all the other 15 guys we have competing for spots in ST. And if he doesn't make it, he's a pretty good, experienced setup righty that we desperately need.
Once we move Laird, then we don't need to move Salty or Max, and we can just sit and wait teams out. Sooner or later someone will relent, and it will put us in the driver's seat.
That's my take on it...
Joey,
Until a second ago, I hadn't seen the last comment of yours at
http://www.bbtia.com/home/2008/11/22/texas-trade-wind-anemometer-saturday-morning-edition.html#comments
before promoting the "Max at 3B" idea further today.
Still, I wonder if he would feel the same if it meant a guaranteed spot in Arlington. That was when he was in the Minors. I wonder if he and CD would be willing to share 3B with each other while Davis shared 1B with Blalock, Blalock shared DH with Salty, and Salty shared C with Max Ram and Tea (who got the lion's share behind the plate), if it meant they all played 5/6 of the games, getting regular at-bats. Before they become superstars, let's test their character while developing and sorting out their skills.
And if we can get a pitcher (such as Sanchez from SF or Sonnestine from TB) by including Hank in a deal, then it's all the easier to give the 3C's ALL their at-bats (while sharing 1B,3B, & DH with Davis, and C with each other).
Again-- I am only recommending this for this FINAL YEAR of development/rebuilding.
JD$, I don't know Heilman's struggles, and I didn't know the Mets were after a C, but I agree w/ your approach. Detroit and Cinci definitely want a vet catcher.
The San Diego-Chicago trade seems to be worth becoming part of (as they seek a 3rd party), since we have a lot of guys who would be higher on SD's 40-man than they are on ours.
We have 4 days to trade Littleton, and more expendable guys in addition to those you listed. I'm reluctant to give up Boggs, but I wouldn't mind selling high on Murphy or Byrd (or both, then bringing up Borbon). We should sell high on Padilla, and make room for our year-long try-outs.
We could really use Vitters in our system, and, for as cheap as he might come, I think Marquis might work out here. By Chicago standards, he's consistently bad, but he is consistently giving up 3-4 runs in 5-8 innings per game, and that's just the kind of guy who could be a 20-game winner with our offense, as opposed to Padilla, who bounces back and forth between ace and awful, 0 runs in 8 innings, 6 runs in 2 innings...
I agree, though, once we trade Laird-plus for a pitcher w/high upside (e.g. Bonderman or Bailey) (Byrd,Laird for Bailey? Padilla, Mendoza, Arias, Littleton for Bonderman?)
then the pressure is off of us, and on those who need a C.
Michael: That's a very good question, but it's also one that is very difficult to answer. While the roster attrition vs team success can be analyzed, the development of the players vis-a-vis a specific coach is strictly a subjective opinion by the individual prospects in question.
I will say this, minor league pitching instructor Rick Adair probably had a more pronounced individual impact on the pitchers in our system than any other coach. His loss will be felt.
Per Jeff Wilson of the FWST, minor league outfield and baserunning coordinator Wayne Kirby may also be Seattle-bound. That would be a significant outflow of organizational coaching talent in a very short period of time.
Sorry about the lack of updates today, gang -- long drive and I'm exhausted. John will be publishing his latest installment of the Top Five/Bottom Five in about three hours.