Rangers Quote Of The Week (12/28)
John Vittas
Mark Teixeira in 2007, pre-pinstriping. - crannif/Flickr.comAnd, the last QOTW for 2008 might I add.
But first a quick apology. I was told that some things I said about the Randy Johnson deal yesterday may have angered a few readers. I was merely trying to come across as humorous in a sarcastic but harmless kind of way, and I apologize to anyone who may have been offended by my thoughts on the situation.
Moving on to the final Quote of the Year:
"Better New York than Anaheim, from our perspective.
"Looking back, our owner really made a very strong offer to keep Mark [Teixeira] in Texas. When the offer was rejected, it was clear what we had to do. With the young players we got in return, we still have a chance to have three or four building blocks for a championship club in years to come."
That little double-shot is from Rangers general manager Jon Daniels, who is speaking, of course, about the newest addition to a rather wealthy looking Yankees lineup.
By now, even if you were the heartiest of Tex fans during his residence at first base in a Rangers uniform, I shouldn't have to twist your arm to see what a heck of a deal sending him to the Atlanta Braves in the summer of 2007 ended up becoming/is about to become.
Beau Jones, Matt Harrison, Neftali Feliz, a backstop who goes into camp as your starter (and who could still possibly be used as a key chip to acquire some nice-looking arms), and a future world-beater of a shortstop. If there's anything to take comfort in over the next season or two, take solace in the fact that the Rangers remain in a much better situation than the Atlanta Braves, who were in a mess of things after acquiring Teixeira for a ton of talent and got back significantly less than that when they swapped him to the Angels last season.
Reader Comments (7)
So I take you don't think Teagarden is the starting catcher on Opening Day?
Didn't say that. I just said that I think Salty goes into camp (as long as he's still here when spring training begins) as the starting catcher - whether or not he comes out of it with the same title is obviously yet to be determined.
I've kinda thought Tea was going into camp with the edge myself, thanks his scorcher of of a September. Salty's winterball performance may have evened that out some though.
If it where up to me, I'd give Salty the job to start the year just to see what he has (seeing as how Teagarden and his defensive capabilities seem to be more of a known commodity and the safety net, I'd work him in as a part-time starter/superbackup for now).
Hey - maybe the Bard signing will finally put a rest to all those stupid Salty to Boston rumors. I really hope we keep Salty - I think he's going to be a good one.
I'm beginning to have legitimate doubts at this point that the Rangers will manage to get a catcher-for-pitcher deal done with the Red Sox, but I also don't view Bard as much of an obstacle in talks going forward...the two sides are still deadlocked...sure, he might rebound from his miserable '07 campaign to '06 form, but he still doesn't represent a long-term solution, and from what we've seen, he can't catch Wakefield to save his life...
Yeah, if anything, this Bard signing (as opposed to a Pudge signing, for example) signals a holding open of the starting C job. If they had signed Tex, they might have wanted Max or Tea as their current back-up, and starting C of the future, but without Tex, they need Salty or Montero (or Pudge if they must) to be their more offensive starting C, with Bard as an obvious (permanent) 2nd stringer, if that. He's protection against Boras in negotiating with Varitek in 2nd-string terms.
Along with acquring Penny, this seems to be setting the table for a trade of Buchholz-for-Salty+MByrd (no matter what the Sox are saying right up until the trade, in hopes of getting Salty or Montero for Bard or Masterson or -- which I hope we don't do, and I doubt Arizona does. If we both hold out for Buchholz, does Boston sign Pudge or trade Buchholz? And if they choose to trade
Buchholz, then for Salty or Montero?
ps John, I do believe sarcasm kills; that it's never harmless. But I don't remember any sarcasm in
your article-- just detraction ( also evil) re RJ's appearance. Thanks for being willing to reconsider
your delivery for the sake of the respect which seems to be an unwritten trademark of this (and
Jamey's) site. Cheers!
pps- Don't y'all think, given Salty's splits, that we should have Tea catch against lefties?
I'd do that with Byrd as DH. I'd have Salty & Tea split time at C against righties, have Salty DH the other games against Righties, and have Hank split time with Davis at 1st; and Davis never miss at- bats, playing 3B when Blalock is on 1st.
Or, if we trade Blalock or Byrd, but especially if we trade both, could we bring up... Tracy, is it? The 1B/OF who came up as a C. Didn't he have a strong year? Wasn't it in AAA? He might be our best insurance if Salty and Tea go down injured in the same game. In any case, I think we need to get them both regular at- bats, even if they split time behind the plate.
So, in the unlikely scenario where we trade no veteran fielders I'd divide playing time roughly as below, based on splits:
Tea-- C 4/6
Salty-- C 2/6; DH 2/6
Hank-- DH 2/6; 1B 2/6
Davis-- 1B 4/6; 3B 2/6
Metcalf-- 3B 2/6
Duran-- 3B 2/6
Byrd-- DH 2/6; CF 1/6; RF 1/6
Murphy-- LF 4/6
Boggs-- LF 2/6
Hamilton-- CF 5/6
Cruz-- RF 5/6
Young-- SS 6/6
Kinsler-- 2B 6/6