Hindsights Vol. 9: Scattershooting
Mike HindmanJoey is out of pocket this morning and, for better or worse, he asked me to pitch in. As the semi-retired old guy around here, I'll take my cue from Blackie and throw some random thoughts around to see what sticks.
Scattershooting while wondering whatever happened to Jose Texidor.
If you were born in the 1960's this might make sense to you: These last few days have felt a lot like the days in the aftermath of the 1980 Miracle on Ice. The greatest US Olympic Hockey team ever still had one more round to go after slaying the Big Red Bear. On one hand, it felt like fait accomplit that they would beat Finland for the gold medal and on the other, it sort of didn't matter. Taking down the ostensibly indominable USSR felt more important than winning the gold medal, and maybe it was. When we think back on this season years from now, will the World Series championship seem like a post-script to the manhandling of the Yankees in the ALCS?
As I listened to Jon Daniels on the podium after the ALCS giving all of the credit to his scouting and development staff, I thought back to an interview I did with him for the DMN two years ago:
MJH: Is there a GM -- past or present other than the guy who brought you along, John Hart -- who you see as your role model and if so, what have you learned from him and how has that influenced you in this job?
JD: I can think of four guys right away: Pat Gillick, Doug Melvin, Mark Shapiro and Theo [Epstein]. With Pat, obviously you have to admire the way he builds an organization. He's a big proponent of continuity. He knows his people. Pat's a guy who knows where all of his scouts are on any given day. He knows their wives first names. He knows their kids. He makes sure that everyone in the organization knows that they are valuable and that's been a key to his success wherever he goes.
For my money, Pat Gillick is the gold standard among GM's over the past generation and to know that Daniels is literally following the Gillick organizational blueprint should be very comforting to Rangers fans.
I had no trouble getting tickets to games 3, 4 and 5 in Philly last year. I had no chance to get tickets to game 3, 4 or 5 this year. Suddenly, I really, really miss my press pass.
You know what I don't want to read about or listen to this week? Nitpicking of Ron Washington's bullpen management. Just leave it alone. Just this week.
Evan Grant used to tell me that one of the things that used to leave Buck Showalter's Rangers clubhouses so beaten down was his obsessive focus on what players could not do. Ron Washington is the opposite in that he stubbornly believes that his guys can do things that statisticians are virtually certain they can't do.
Jon Daniels repeatedly describes this characteristic of his manager by saying that if something happened to the big club and you told Washington he had to take on the Angels with the Bakersfield roster, he'd post up and expect to win.
Does this sort of thinking backfire on Washington from time to time? You bet. But in the end, that optimism inspires confidence among the players and has as much to do with where the Rangers find themselves right now as anything else.
Finally, a note about your new owner. On Saturday afternoon, I sent Chuck Greenberg the following e-mail:
Chuck:First off, congratulations and thanks for everything you've done for Rangers fans.I point this out not to complain, but because I know you want to know about such things. I was working downtown on Saturday afternoon and stopped by the Uptown Rangers store to pick up AL Champions t-shirts for my kids. There were probably 40 other people in the store at the time and we were all looking for the same thing. When I asked the clerk where they were, she said "we never got our shipment in today."I told our mutual friend Jamey Newberg that it felt like the last vestiges of the Hicks era: sloppy, disorganized, no attention to details. And and I know that is not something that RBE will tolerate.Best regards and thanks again for everything you've done for Rangers fans.
Greenberg, less than 24 hours after winning a pennant, replied immediately to say he'd have someone get back to me on this issue. An hour later, I received this e-mail from Stephen Moore, the Rangers Director of Merchandise.
Mr. Hindman,
It has been brought to my attention that you visited our Dallas Team shop on Saturday looking for AL Championship shirts. I apologize that they had not received them when you visited the store. We were scheduled to receive the shirts from Majestic at 8am Saturday morning which would have given us the ability to have them in both Dallas and Fort Worth by the time the stores opened. Unfortunately the truck did not arrive at the ballpark until after 1pm which did not allow us to get them to our outside stores until that afternoon.
I apologize again that we did not have the Championship shirts that you expected to be there. It was never our intention to leave them out of any of our stores and disappointment our great fans. Please send me a list of the sizes that you need and I will be happy to ship them to you.
Notwithstanding the error that prompted this exchange, I would suggest to you that this sort of response serves as further evidence that Rangers fans are going to be treated to a first-class organization in every way for years to come.
The time for anyalsis is over. Watch, cheer, laugh, cry and soak it all up.
Reader Comments (30)
Mike - The Greenberg exchange comforts me in a very big way. It leads me to believe that the those leading the Rangers are the best fans could've asked for. It makes it easy to envision the Rangers as a future leader in organizational rankings in the years to come. Customer satisfaction is either on the forefront or an afterthought in business - glad to know RBE has it on the top of the list along with putting a winner on the field.
I do like Wash's optimistic outlook. He always seems to have the "Well, it didn't go right today. Let's go out and try again tomorrow and have fun doing it" mentality. That may seem childish, but that's a little less weight on the players back(s). I know Wash gets a lot of shit for making some bonehead calls, but at the end of they day he has his players respect and they'll follow him.
I wish Wash believed a little less in Vlad and a little more in Murphy when it comes to the starting line up at San Fran. I find this especially strange because Murphy has been with the team longer and has been the ultimate loyal fourth outfielder with no complaints. Loyalty is not being returned. Neither is common sense.
RF in San Fran is huge and Vlad has something like a minus 30 UZR. It would be astronomically better to put Murphy in LF and Cruz in RF as opposed to Cruz in LF and Vlad in RF.
Also, Murphy has out hit Vad in the post season and maybe even the back half of the regular season.
What is it with old vets and Wash?
I like Murphy in LF and Cruz in RF. With Lee on the mound do we really need Vlady's bat over Murphy or do we need to put a better defensive team on the field? I think the answer is obvious. Maybe Wash is going to stick with his plan in spite of the evidence otherwise.
"I'll take my cue from Blackie and throw some random thoughts around to see what sticks.
Scattershooting while wondering whatever happened to Jose Texidor."
Mike,
You bring back my fondest sports memory. Opening up the long gone, but not forgotten Dallas Times Herald and reading Blackie Sherrod and the excellent crew. The sports cartoonist was also the best I have ever seen (Joe Malone?). THANKS!
"A myth exists in Texas newspaper circles that working for, or alongside, Blackie Sherrod at some early station in your life was the equivalent to a journalism degree. I wish to correct this myth. It was better than a doctorate." - Dan Jenkins, former sports writer under Blackie Sherrod.
i think the calling out on the tees is a little excessive. they're in and out of stock everywhere, it's just dumb luck if you get there on time. But yes, they shouldve been there i suppose.
my big gripe about the Rangers store in Uptown (which i go to ALL the time for tickets, merch, browse, etc.) is that is reeks of heavy cigar smoke from the Cigar shop next door. it's actually kind of a joke and i'd hope they get the landlord to do something about it. a few weeks ago i picked up a shirt, took it home and it had the cigar stink all over it.
the cigar shop should be smelling like fresh Texas Rangers t-shirts instead!
Speaking of "Scattershooting" based on an article in baseball prospectus and ESPN's current salaries the Ranger payroll will go up around $18m next year just to retain three crtical players. Now factor in setting aside payroll money to actually draft and sign someone in the BP top 50 next year and one (or even two) Latin American signings. Does that really put the rangers in a position to go $150/6 or perhaps $175/7 against the NYY for Lee? Think not.
Player Current Arb + / (-)
Josh Hamilton $3,250,000 $12,500,000 $9,250,000
Nelson Cruz $440,000 $ 3,500,000 $3,060,000
C.J. Wilson $3,100,000 $ 8,875,000 $5,775,000
$6,790,000 $24,875,000 $18,085,000
Jon, your point is extremely valid considering the RH starters in SF. I'm not sure I like it either. Vlad can explode at any minute and he has been just outstanding this year, so I don't have a huge problem with him being rewarded. If he struggles at all, I hope Wash will relent and give Murph some AB's.
I love to see the ridiculous second-guessing of Wash's moves all through the post-season by the usual suspects on this blog. Not saying Wash is correct in everything, but you'd have to be a complete dope to suggest that Vlad be yanked from the lineup. You like Murphy better than Vlad, fine, but not in the World Series.
Vlad's not going to replaced by Murphy in the lineup, as great as Murph has been. Why don't you guys leave off the Wash-bashing until the results are in? He's about to win a World Series.
"You know what I don't want to read about or listen to this week? Nitpicking of Ron Washington's bullpen management. Just leave it alone. Just this week."
Right on Mike.
POSITIVE VIBRATIONS BABY
Chuck,
Why don't you park the blind Wash love and entertain a serious numbers debate instead of calling someone a "complete dope" for raising a valid point concerning the roster.
What are you numerically or statistically challenged? or just a complete dope?
Vlad should play his position DH, but not the OF where he has spent precious little time and for good solid reasons. Look at UZR's or how about post season hitting:
David Murphy OBP/SLG/AVG .412/.538/.231
Vladimir Guerrero OBP/SLG/AVG .269/.346/.269
- Source Texas Rangers MLB Sortable Player Stats
For the record IMO Wash does an excellent job of the critical job of managing the players in the clubhouse. However, that does not excuse or warrant questioning the real head scratchers he pulls every now and then.
I'd much rather have Murphy in my lineup over Vlad for the WS. Murphy is much better(faster) defensively, and he is hitting the ball well. When Vlad swings at crazy pitches in the regular season, that's just Vladdy being Vladdy. I get that. But this is the WS, man. Every pitch counts.
@ Jon - you have a superstar player in Vlad that granted is on the downside of his career and looking a little old vs. a 4th outfielder. Listen, I love Murphy and I agree that he should be in LF with Cruz in RF... but the answer to your question is similar to asking why would the Cowboys play Marion Barber instead of Tashard Choice (probably a bad example). Choice is a good backup RB... but Barber was once a star and still has gas left in the tank.
@ Mike - EXCELLENT stuff. I forgot all about Blackie.
1 more thing; I think JD is deserving of more credit for hiring Wash. To be a fly on the wall during that interview would have been priceless; you have the book smart, ivy school GM talking to the scrappy, street smart former player. JD, at age 28 or 29, had enough wisdom/common sense (and humility/lack of ego) to hire Wash based on his reputation around the league and his philosophy for managing winning baseball. The two seem to be polar opposites... yet it works. Throw in the old school, former superstar pitcher and the aspiring new owner and you have quite a collection of intelligence, experience, and perserverance to succeed THE RIGHT WAY.
I CANNOT BELIEVE WHAT I'M SEEING... IT ALL SEEMS LIKE A DREAM... AND I'M THANKFUL NO ONE HAS CALLED ME ON THIS BUT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SEASON I SAID (on here) THERE WAS NO WAY THE RANGERS COULD WIN IT ALL... CROW PIE HAS NEVER TASTED SO GOOD.
I have 1 last comment/question; has anyone run the numbers to see where the Giants and Rangers pitching stands on irregular rest?
It seems to me Lee pitches better when he's rested (more than his customary routine). It doesn't seem to me though that CJ does well on 5+ days rest.. but I haven't looked any of this up yet.
I'm curious to see where both staffs sit... so if anyone has this info handy, please share it.
@chuck - I think Wash has a great feel for this team and I was just making the point that the situation supports using Murphy, but you can't argue for long with Wash wanting to put a player like Vlady in the lineup. His accomplishments need no explanation. I cannot wait for this thing to start!!!
I believe I decided prior to the Smoak-for-Lee trade that it wasn't wise, because it still didn't seem to give us enough of a chance of going all the way. I was concerned no matter how good our pitching and defense was, our offense wasn't performing well enough to beat the Spankees in multiple games with a score of 5-4 , which I mistakenly thought would be the best case scenario when Lee wasn't pitching.
I underestimated our offense (and they did get some more help from JD down the stretch), CJ, AND Colby -- by a long-shot! Boy am I glad JD and the FO went all-in...
I thought it was excellent how JD took real pains during the trophy presentation to take no (zero, zippo) credit for himself, and give all the glory to his staff. That was really a class act, and the ultimate sign of someone whose ego never will get in his way when it comes to leading an organization. Hopefully, the Rangers ownership can find a way to pay all of these talented folks in the front office so we don't lose them to our competitors.
@MJH, PLEEEAASE write more articles! We miss your insights; they always shed more than ample light on the Rangers happenings and situations that we always seem to be misinterpreting, or simply guessing wrong about.
I have elevated Wash up to a MLB quality manager. big step for me. and he still does things I think are dumb....... but when I look at where we are, I take my hat off to him... Looks like my thoughts were the dumb ones..... so many of his worked.... Wash "you done good".
This year is already a success, but I hope we win the WS too......
Jon, if you can honestly say that if Wash had pulled Vlad from the lineup, you'd be on this blog with his back, then I have no problem with your point of view, even though I completely disagree with your exclusively using statistics over the last two weeks to predict performance over the next few days, when there are so many other numbers to consider, not least of which being seasonal stats.
But let's give Wash some credit. We're in the World Series!
I have been harsh on Ron for most of the season for his handling of his pitchers, but I am going to lay off and support him and the players 100% from now on. I think we can win the series in 6 games and look forward to game 1 with great anticipation. Yes I miss you Mike and Blackie as well. Maybe I am just getting older but it seems as if I devoured every word of every article in years past but most of the writers now just don't give me the same interest. Please share more with us in the future!
Chuck.
Please re-read my posts today. I have ONLY argued that Vlad should not play in San Fran where there is no DH and a HUGE RF that requires the fielder to have great mobility. I have no problem with Vlad continuing to star at DH in al the games played in the Ballpark. In the Ballpark Wash has had Cruz in LF, Hamilton in CF, and alternataed Francouer & Murphy in RF with Vlad at DH. I have NEVER suggedted sitting Vlas for the entire WS.
I haven't gotten after Wash ever since he stopped playing small ball bunting with runners on base early in the season. I think he should have his contract renewed because of his stress on defense and situational hitting plus the ability to keep the team together. I have not nit picked his bullpen management that I can recall. Some questioned running in Feliz in game 5(?), but I understood it and agreed with it. However, Cruz LF/Vlad RF vs. Murphy LF/Cruz RF at AT&T Park (where there is no DH) is a real head scratcher when one looks at almost any measure be it fielding or even hitting since the All Star break.
Fotr the entire season Vlad & Murphy have comparable hitting stats (Rangers MLB)
Murphy .291 .358 .449 .806 AVG▼ OBP▼ SLG▼ OPS
Vlad 300 .345 .496 .841 AVG▼ OBP▼ SLG▼ OPS
So, they are a wash for season hitting, Murphy has been significantly better in postseason hitting, and surely Murphy ha sthe clear advantage in fielding. So all I am arguing is let Vlad DH at home and let Murphy field on the road.
Hopefully this clears up any confusion.
Jon, Fair enough. I disagree because I think Vlad has the arm to cover right even in SF and he has a superstar bat that (while I love Murph) requires opposing pitchers throw out the book, but my overall point is that I hope we're not second-guessing for the sake of bashing Wash. You have your POV, me, I'd play Vlad without thinking twice.
@Jon - UZR is a terrible way to make an argument for Murphy over Vlad in San Fransisco. Vlad actually rates out as the better fielder this season, but all that tells us is that small sample sizes are worthless. Now, if you go with DRS, Murphy has been 9 runs better than Vlad over the past three seasons. Since those are partial seasons, the sample size is still a little low; however, we don't need UZR, +/-, DRS, or TZ to tell us that Murphy is currently the better bet on defense. If anything, he's at least had more reps recently.
It's actually pretty easy to argue in favor of Murphy over Vlad as a hitter for the first two games against RHPs Lincecum and Cain. Vlad had a .360 wOBA in 2010, but Murphy was .358. Let's allow for the argument that Murphy has just had a bit of a fluke year offensively; well, he's got a career .357 wOBA against RHP. It actually makes sense to start Murphy in the outfield and then use Vlad as a pinch-hitter later in the game, when SFO might throw out a lefty reliever.
But for me, the answer to this issue and the why not start Lee in 1/4/7 question is "if it ain't broke, don't fix it." While I may not agree with every decision Wash makes (I would hit Kinsler in the leadoff spot), I'm here for the ride. Two teams made it to the World Series, and for once our favorite team is one of them.
Thank you Yankee fans!
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/baseball/rangers/stories/102710dnspoblograngleewife.1ca3a72d4.html
@ DaveH " It actually makes sense to start Murphy in the outfield and then use Vlad as a pinch-hitter later in the game, when SFO might throw out a lefty reliever. "
BINGO! We have a winner.
"if it ain't broke, don't fix it."
I agree with DKR that "you have to dancewith the one who brung ya". However, we are talking National League where there isn't a DH. So your normail starting lineup (American League, Ballpark, Arlington) has to change by definition. So your DH is out of a job so to speak. he lost his job temporarily to thepitcher. Why should Vlad now take an OF's position since he lost his to the pitcher?
Chuck & Dave H
I am not trying to be as arguementative as I am probably coming across as. I normally try to refrain from second guessing Wash. I suspect that Wash is just showing some love for Vlad and as he says is "going with his gut". I can respect that even if I disagree with it.
However, after 38 years in the wilderness I really, really badly want a WS Championship T-Shirt to go with my Claw and Antlers T-Shirt that I wore to the now immortal Game Six.
Go Rangers!
starting vlad leaves murphy as a nice pinch-hit option for later in the game while improving the late game defense as well. i think you put vlad in for the first part of the game and let him take his hacks. later in the game you have murphy available as a defensive replacement/pinch hitter. esp. in NL games with no DH, this potentially allows you to get the best potential value for both. i'd rather this than the opposite with vlad coming in late in the game to play OF.
At first I didn't like Vlad over Murphy in the OF...both for defensive and offensive reasons.
But then I recalled...with Lee on the mound THE BALL NEVER GETS TO THE OUTFIELD, LOL...except in a lazy fashion.
I'd still rather see Cruz/Hambone/Murphy, but I simply can't criticize Wash about it. He's been right more often that not.
Should be righties in PacBell until maybe game 7, so keep it simple and go with Muprh and have Vlad as a matchup option in late innings with Borbon as the 4th OF for defense.
The Rangers' problem of having "too many" acceptable options on the road is certainly better than the Giants' problem of not having enough decent options for the DH games.
I wish we could go back to the beginning of the season, when 90% of the reader comments on bbtia were about how stupid Ron Washington is - and I'd love to show them the tag for the latest WS article in Yahoo.com, which reads:
"Managers Ron Washington (left) and Bruce Bochy are heralded as geniuses for the way they've handled their clubs."
I am going to have take back some of the nasty thoughts I've had about Yankee fans. A co-worker who is a Yankee's fan just came down and gave me his log in to the MLB video feeds. He said it is is "Your team is in the WS and you should be able to watch" I convinced him to come over this week end I can the computer video feed into the 38 inch HDTV.
I get to see the games! His video, my TV now if I can get somebody else to bring some beer and charcoal.
here's what i dont understand about the wash-bashers rant against the use of pitchers.
Doesnt Wash cede a ton of pitching decisions to Maddux? this has been noted in the media and is evident.
So why does Wash get blame when pitchers make mistakes, but Maddux gets praise when our pitching staff is humming?