It's a long season, start Feliz in the pen and see what happens if we need him in the pen leave him there, if we need him to start do that.
Rudy needs to go he is much better with vets than with kids and that is the direction we're going.
No money ,no expectations this winter hopefully JD can find a couple of pieces on the waiver wire.
Still think Salty has a good upside, still young and showed improvement in his defense this year,let him start next year keep Tea as his back up and let Max compete for the RH DH job in camp.
Rangers, hate the Cowboys hope they never win again.
Great site Joey keep it up will be reading all winter. Thanks

1. If Feliz can start, make him a starter. You don't pitch a quality guy 80 innings if he can give you 200.

2. If Wash is going to stay, he'll need a bench coach who helps him more. Wash obviously doesn't always spot in-game moves on his own. And Moore obviously doesn't influence him enough, because we've seen how many stupid in-game moves Wash has made or failed to make. As for Rudy, this organization needs a complete change in hitting approach at all levels. The best teams make pitchers work, and that's how you beat good pitching. I don't see Rudy accomplishing that change in attitude.

3. Zack Greinke is available, and the Rangers have what's necessary to get him. Whatever it costs, get Greinke or another ace. Worry about the hitting after that. This team won't win soon in the playoffs with this pitching staff, but if you add an ace, it suddenly looks formidable. The young arms here are very good, but they're still too young. If one of them eventually develops into an ace, you'll have two of them, and that's even better. After Greinke, get a right-handed outfield bat with a history of high OBP to replace Byrd, whom they're not going to re-sign. Then stand pat except fpr the usual offseason bullpen shuffling.

4. Extend Teagarden, sign Salty year-to-year, and trade Max. Reasoning: Teagarden is a safe bet to at least be a back-up catcher in the league. The jury is still out on Salty as a catcher and hitter, but he has great upside. Max will hit again (this year was an aberration), but hitters are easier to find than catchers, and Max can't catch. If you keep Salty and Teagarden long enough, one will emerge as better than average. They're not both flops.

5. Rangers will win first, if they acquire an ace.

5.

1. Feliz should be given every chance to start. He should be given a chance to be the 5th starter next ST.

2. Probably. Consistency is a theme the Rangers are trying to instill within the organization. However, I think Scot Coolbaugh is a candidate for the hitting coach's position, given his familiarity with some of the younger guys and his effective work with them. Rudy could be let loose as a "cost cutting" move if they feel like not offering him the highest hitting coach salary in the league.

3. They'll find someone to be a the top of the rotation. Probably another offseason of dumpster diving for a DH. Byrd will be somewhere else.

4. Trade the one that has the maximum value; so it depends on the organization the Rangers are talking. I don't know which one that is. My favorite idea right now is Cruz, Salt, and Strop (+ 2 minor leaguers not named Perez, Smoak, or Feliz) for Greinke. Florida has been interested in MaxRam. I'd say trade Salt, keep Teagarden, and go year-to-year with Max. There is no real reason to trade any of them right now. I like SalTea, and I think Max's value will shoot back up after a half season of ripping the ball in AAA next year.

Congratulations on the three year anniversary. And, Thank You.

I'd like to see Feliz start. I don't think putting him in the BP was a bad thing. He's young and needed to be eased into the MLB life.

Rudy is overrated in a roll that's overrated.

Until there is new ownership then it's hard to have clear cut expectations for the winter.

Teagarden is terrible, offensively and defensively. He doesn't belong on a MLB roster. Salty can't hit and probably never will. MaxRam?..who knows? What was being called catching depth last year at this time, is looking pretty worrisome right now. Makes me worry about the pitching that's being hyped.

Rangers. As long as Jerry Jones thinks he's a GM then the Cowboys will continue on the same road they have been on for 14 years. Was that a coach's game plan printout I saw in his hand the other night? Ughhhh

Thi is hand down the best Rangers blog anywhere. Great work, Joey.

1. Yup. Feliz is a starter. End of discussion.

2. I'm undecided on Rudy. I think there's still more benefit to having him around than not having him, but I think there's a good chance another team steals him away. I think having a veteran OBP player around can have just a big influence on the lineup, (ie Abreu).

3. I think the team will surprise you. I expect at least one multi-player trade and 1 notable free agent signing. Plus your standard group of non-roster invitees. Pudge and Vizquel will be back, Jones will not (unless they're planning on leaving him in AAA).

4. No idea. Everyone says 2010 is the year, but I only see this division getting tougher and the Rangers will be hard-pressed to win 90 even if they have a better team. Cowboys can fuck up in the playoffs at any moment so it could be awhile...

Oh, and trade Salty, multi-year Teagarden, year to year Max.

Congrats on the 3 years.

1. Put him in the bullpen only if he fails as a SP.

2. Time for Rudy to go.

3. I may be expecting more to happen this winter than most people. I think MLB has the sale of the Rangers on the fast track and it could get finalized at the winter meetings. If so, expect a FA signing or two in Jan.

4. I think Salty is the long term answer at C so exttend him. Trade Max and keep TT year to year.

5. Rangers

Congtrats to BBTiA for 3 years of outstanding commentry on the Texas Rangers. Keep up the good work.

1. Give him a chance to start.

2. Rudy is not over rated. This year is an abberation. Think of all the journeyman type players who have come here, had a great year, and parlayed that into a good contract somewhere else. DeRosa and GMJ come to mind.

3. Don't trade young pitching! With what we have, another year of seasoning will do the trick. Stand pat and watch good things happen.

4. Keep all three. Trade Teag. if you must trade one.

5. Cowboys, maybe. It is a toss up. Hopefully Jerry retires soon and hired Cowers to run things.

5a. This place KICKS ASS! I can't fathom How lucky we Ranger fans are to have places like this, Newberg, LoneStarBall, and the others. Way to go!

1. Feliz should be given the opportunity to start in 2010. He has been groomed for the ace role. With Feliz, Holland and Hunter in the rotation, the Rangers have starting pitching to trade and can go after some top talent.

2. Bye Rudy. Time for another hitting philosophy.

3. Get Greinke. Saltalamacchia, Hamilton, McCarthy, and Francisco are surplus players in 2010. Trade them all for the KC ace. No other team can match the offer.

4. Trade Saltalamacchia in a package for Greinke. Monitor Ramirez for one more year. Sign Teagarden out of two years of free agency. And bring back Pudge in 2010.

5. The Rangers have a legitimate plan for developing talent and are executing it to perfection. The team is poised for a championship run in 2011. The Cowboys are a a broadway show that has run way past its prime.

Thank you Joey et al for creating the best Rangers blog!

Totally agree on this being a great site.

1. Feliz is 21 years old and still needs development time. Maybe a lot of development time regardless of how dazzling his raw skills are. Let him stay in the bullpen for a year (his age 22 year) and soak up everything he can from Mike Maddux. Plus putting him in rotation come hell or high water pushes a guy like Matt Harrison off the roster.

2. Keep all the coaches, including Rudy.

3. I think they will sign or trade for a LH reliever and that is all that is needed. If Sheets is healthy, sign him and maybe pay half of Millwood's salary to move him in a trade. I wouldn't mind signing a high OBP DH like Milton Bradley but TR Sullivan says that won't happen. If Byrd would come back cheap I would resign him and entertain trade offers for Murph, but I think Byrd will get a good contract elsewhere.

4. Sign Salty, Tea goes year to year and Max gets traded. But why do that? Keep all three next year and let them sort themselves out. Max can DH and be a backup if he is healthy and go back to AAA if not.

5. Rangers, but I'll be rooting for them both.

1. Feliz is a starter first. Must try it. Notice his arm did not recover when pitching in relief. Note, large swings in velocity from appearance to appearance.
2. Wash needs a bench coach willing to challenge him and make him rconsider questionable decisions.
3. Time for Rudy to move on. Blalock, Kinsler and early this season Davis all had poor approaches, mainly not working counts and insisting on just pull hitting. Not hitting to all fields has ruined Blalock. Rudy seems to instill the three run homer appoach.
4. Teagarden long term. Salty year to year. Max gets shot at DH. We will be looking for a right handed bat, and I would prefer to consider Max's year this year an abberation. We should be sure before we see another Travis Hafner type somewhere else.
5. Rangers

Congratulations, and best wishes for the next 3 years.

1. You don't restrict Secretariat to 1/4 horse racing.

2. In view of the progress made overall, for the sake of continuity the staff should come back intact.

3. I expect the Byrd at bats to be replaced by someone brought in by trade. Possibly a decent rotation arm as well, but that will end up a net push, as I also see Millwood being moved in a larger deal, possibly multi-team.

4. Only under life threatening circumstances do I,
a. extend Saltalammachia,
b. trade Teagarden,
c. year to year Ramirez

5. Don't follow pro football, are the Cowboys any good?

I think practically every logical person agrees Feliz NEEDS to be a starter for us!

I'm not sure about Rudy anymore. The greatest managers/hitting coaches/GM's ect... have always moved on for one reason or another. It may be time for a new voice.

There's really no reason to sign any of our catchers to a long term deal at this point considering none of have shown improvement this year. I guess you could lock them up cheap because of their disapointment to this point, but should we? Salty, if forced to choose.

Cowboys are the 80's Yankees. Hype, without the winning anything that matters when it counts. The Rangers are doing everything the right way, to set up a new tradition of bringing championship baseball to Arlington for many years!

Feliz needs to be given the opportunity to start in spring training. If he remains a reliver, I would use him in the 6th and 7th innings to come in with runners on to put out the fire, then take him out.

Tell me this--does Rudy coach Michael Young? If he does, than have him coach everyone else to adopt Young's hitting approach. If Rudy can't teach a batter to hit like Mike, then get someone who can/will.

Salty won't have trade value until he proves that he can make the throws to 2nd again. Didn't he have the same operation that Blalock had--and Blalock can't throw from 3rd to 1st anymore.

1. Yes. Feliz should start until and unless he proves that he can't do it.

2. I am pretty much indifferent to the coaching staff's composition except for Maddux, who needs to stay for a few years at least, in order to see his program take hold, for good or ill.

3. I am pessimistic about the off-season and would love to be proven wrong.

4. Keep Salty on a year-to-year basis, and as soon as he strings together four or five good weeks, trade him quickly. Hang on to Teagarden and give him one more year to show something offensively. Keep Ramirez as a DH-first base type with a view to signing him for a multi-year contract if it looks like he can handle the role.

5. The Cowboys, by default. The Rangers are unlikely to win a championship as long as a) MLB has no effective payroll limitations, b) Texas is forced to compete in the AL west with unbalanced scheduling and its concomitant brutal travel realities, and c) 30-40% of their games are played in unrelenting heat.

1. Yes. He has to get the chance to start (for at least a couple seasons). At worst you end up like Eckersly or Fingers, and MAYBE we get a John Smoltz who has success for years in the rotation AND as a closer.

2. As much as it pains me to say this, I think it's time to say goodbye to Rudy. I'm OK with everyone else, and Gary Pettis is someone we MUST keep.

3. The only expectation I have is to get some sort of resolution regarding new ownership.

4. I guess I would trade Max, extend Salty, and keep Teagarden on a year-to-year basis. However, I'd wait another year to take care of this, and one more season could potentially change my mind on all of that. I think we're back to waiting on Telis and DeFazio to develop.

5. The Rangers: new ownerships looks to be on its way. It could be delayed, but it looks as though we'll have an idea of who will be in charge by the beginning of next season. The Cowboys have the resources to win, but until Jerry Jones can't get out of his own way. I think he'd at least have a couple more playoff wins (if not a superbowl) if he would just relinquish control to a GM or strong head coach (perhaps not looking over the shoulders of Parcells). If we look at this team next year, and one of Shanahan/Holmgren/Cower are coaching the team and have the ability to make personnel decisions and enforce some discipline (a $100 fine will not prevent a player from arriving late), then the Cowboys will have a shot (in 2011-12). All Jerry should do is sign checks and occasionally veto a trade/signing if he doesn't believe the player's worth that much money.

1. Feliz absolutely needs to be given a shot to start. Even the best relievers aren't as valuable as a solid #3 starter. I loved having him in the bullpen shortening the game to 7 innings, but very few prospects have the stuff to become an ace...Feliz is one of them. You're crazy if you don't give him a shot in the rotation.
2. I don't think we'll have Rudy next year, but not so much because he's sudden;y lost his effectiveness as a hitting coach. We just can't afford to pay a hitting coach in the 800k to million range, which is the ballpark of what he'll get from a big-payroll team like the Mets or Cubs. Better to spend the money we save by not paying Rudy to add a bullpen piece or something.
3. I think we lose Byrd. While I'm a huge Marlon Byrd fan personally, we can't afford to pay a slightly above-average outfielder $5-6 mill. a year when we've got several other OF's to slide in to his spot (Borbon, Murphy, Boggs, etc). A big payroll team could afford to have him, but thats not us. He'll be a tough loss though.
4. Extend Salty, trade TT, go year-to-year with Max-Ram
5. The Rangers...they're younger, more talented, and don't play in the NFC East.

One note on the three years for BBTiA coverage: this is one of the few sports coverage websites/blogs/email newsletters where there is such a high level of interaction between the readers and the writers. Now if you go to the DMN blog, there's plenty of posters, but it seems like everyone is there to just bash each other and the coaches/management; there's no real discussion or respect for the other readers. Even the readers who hammer home a point here (billdpowell for firing Wash) make intelligent points and don't attack the other readers.

The writers here don't just post something for the day and forget about it; we get plenty of updates, and they stay active in the threads they post. David in particular will jump back in and do another statistical analysis if one of us comes up with an idea.

1. I think you have to go with Feliz as a starter. He is a potential ace and as stated above he didn't recover too well between starts.

2. It is amazing to me at what short memories fans have. Everyone connected with the Rangers except Rudy was a moron last year, but this year everyone is AOK except Rudy. Keep him. He has a track record no one else can beat. But I'd only make it one year.

3. I don't know the team's real financial situation so I don't know what they can or can't do. In a perfect world, I'd make a major effort to sign Jason Bay (if he is available) and put him in right. I'd move Hamilton to permanent DH. I'd put Murphy is left and make Borbon a DH fourth outfielder for now. And I'd would sadly let Byrd go and trade Cruz.

4. Keep Teagarden. I don't know what player John was watching but he must have been at the wrong game. T is one of the best defensive catchers in the AL today. Not sure if he'll hit but I am very sure Salty is another Laird. Keep Pudge as backup. Let's see what happens next year with Ramirez.

5. I can't see the Plowboys winning so I guess the Rangers.

6. Too bad we don't have the cash to go after John Lackey from Abilene, Texas

jd21, rooster, texaslifter - What in heavens name makes you think the Zack Greinke is available? He is absolutely not going to be on the market. Just because we've always wanted to get him and made offers for him in the past doesn't make it so. And even if it did, why do you think it could be managed for "surplus" players? Because that's what the Phillies got Cliff Lee for? The Indians were looking to dump Lee's contract; the Royals are in no way looking to dump Greinke's. You want top talent, you have to give top talent. You clearly do not follow the Royals closely enough.