The End Of Joaquin Arias
Mitch Moreland reacts after the Rangers' Arias-marred defeat on Monday, Aug. 16th.On the major league appreciation scale, utility infielders might have it harder than anyone. Sure, they don't play very much relative to their starting counterparts, and they still bank tidy six-digit paychecks annually (provided that they're in the majors), but think about what being a utility infielder really means -- generally speaking, it means that you've been assessed by talent evaluators from virtually every corner of the major league universe, and they've all arrived at one sobering conclusion: that you're not good enough to cut it as a starter.
To make matters worse, being a major league utility infielder affords minimal job security, because unless you've established yourself as a quality/trustworthy veteran option, you can bet that there are legions of middle infielders in the Double-A and Triple-A ranks that are literally killing themselves everyday just so that they might procure the most outside of shots at your job. You're sometimes asked to perform -- and perform at a high level, to boot -- at a moment's notice, and enough failure to do so in a relatively small sample size could mean the difference between providing a comfortable standard of living for your family, and being forced to take second and third jobs during baseball's off-season because your sub-$30,000 Tumbleweed League salary just isn't enough to support your spouse and children on.
Rarely, those utility infielders flourish into legitimate starting-caliber infielders, with guys like Mark DeRosa and Chone Figgins being the most prominent examples of recent note. Much more frequently, however, their shelf lives prove minimal, and they're banished to the minors in favor of the next shiny new bauble or cagey veteran. And it is the latter outcome that Joaquin Arias now seems destined to fulfill, because Ron Washington's player-first managerial philosophy was sharply eschewed late last night as he did the nigh-unthinkable: he publicly called out Arias (and his atrocious defense), using the media as a platform for his baseball catharsis.
[Arias, for those who might not recall (or didn't witness the horror first-hand, or perhaps blacked out), Arias wandered out into short right field after a lazy B.J. Upton pop fly with one out in the bottom of the eighth inning and the Rangers leading by a 4-2 margin; the ball dropped between him and right fielder Brandon Boggs, although it could be strongly argued that it was Arias's ball all the way. And then with runners on first and third base and one out (still in a 4-2 game), Carl Crawford knocked a grounder to Arias that he should have tossed to first base for the sure out; instead, he made the ill-fated decision to try and start a 4-6-3 double play. Everyone ended up safe, and, well, things violently spiraled out of control from there.]
Of the two plays described in the above italicized paragraph, Washington noted, respectively: "That's the second out right there. That's not Boggs' ball. In my opinion, Joaquin should have caught it. No doubt about it. [...] He should have took the out [on Crawford] right there. That's Baseball 101." And, of course, Washington's right. It doesn't render his late-May proclamation that he "need[ed]" Arias any less bizarre, but that's not the point. The entire problem with Arias is that he's one of the more extreme cases I can recall of tools failing to translate into readily identifiable baseball skills; his plus speed hasn't translated into much (if any) baserunning value, his once-above-average arm/range are now decidedly pedestrian, his plate patience never developed and his gap power only rarely translates into extra-base hits, leaving his batting average empty.
But perhaps most notably of all, Arias just doesn't seem to have any semblance of good baseball instincts or mental make-up. It's like he never really figured out how to process a game situation and execute properly at the same time. And that's just crippling. That's what has the Rangers' former No. 4 prospect (2006) in the manager's doghouse more than anything else right now, and what may well signal the pre-September end of his six-year run in this organization ... but, hey, I don't want to hate him, and in fact don't hate him. He's a very flawed player, but he's also a guy with a family who's probably about to be told that he's not good enough to play in the majors, and that's a burden he's going to have to bear long after the events of last night have faded from our baseball consciousness.
This probably isn't the brutally scathing attack job on Arias's defensive ineptitude that you wanted to read this morning. Hell, I'm not even sure that it's what I, personally, wanted to write. My original intent was to slam this idiotic, media-fueled idea -- which I saw perpetuated on at least one Dallas-Fort Worth television station last night -- that Cliff Lee was solely responsible for the eighth-inning "meltdown" (never mind the fact that it's pretty damn tough to record five outs in one inning). But perhaps this is one of those cases where some things about Arias are just better left unsaid. Or not.
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Reader Comments (45)
OK, I'll say it ... Arias needs to be DFA'd this morning ... who do we have at OKC ... German ... Iribarren (?) ... Beuhler ???
At this point in the season ... and especially THIS SEASON ... the Rangers can not support Arias any longer ... he's in there last night for his DEFENSE ... any offense from him is a bonus ... and the 8th inning last night should be the final straw ... will it be?
Who knows ... but this much is undeniable ... Arias is not the answer ... DFA his butt this morning ... the message needs to be sent, and sent clearly ... you are expected to plat basic DEFENSE up here ... do it, or leave ...
Joaquin ... Ron wants to see ya ... bring your playbook ...
I've always given Arias the benefit of the doubt because he's an underdog who receives a lot of hate from Rangers fans. That's all over, I agree with Swamp Viewer.
Haha, bring your playbook. That's good.
Well, you could also argue that Boggs should have called Arias off on that play too. I'm not saying either one was right since it was between them. That was just me initial reaction when the play happened.
And why was Boggs starting and not Borbon?
My 13 yr. old 2nd baseman was taught:
1. If 2nd base can get it, get it
2. if outfield calls you off, it's theirs
3. if neither calls it, infield slides low and tries to catch, outfield goes over and tries to catch
Neither tried to catch this one, either could have. Arias should have.
Mathew Lawson, what do you think? 25 years old, been playing for 3 years in the minors. What is his defense like? Is he not a viable option while we wait for Kinsler to return? Let him come up for a brief visit and see what he can do.
We traded Lawson at the deadline.
Arias has always rubbed me the wrong way. He walks around like he's entitled to something he didn't earn. I'm sure he's a good person, yada, yada, yada... but I have NEVER read 1 of his teammates say anything nice of him... nor have I seen anyone joking with him in the dugout. And Wash seems to have hated the guy all along (not hated... but you know what i mean).
Completely unrelated question; can someone explain to me (in a fair amount of detail) the significance of being selected to the Arizona Fall Instructs (not just with the Rangers farm, but league wide)?
In a way, Washington is finally getting paid back for his unjustified Arias love...what happened last night could have been predicted by any of us Arias-detractors. But Wash kept giving him chances and finally, it cost us a game last night.
Hope we never see Ranger red, blue, white, or gray on him again.
None of this is the fault of Arias. It's all the fault of Rangers management. Arias is a lousy player and always has been. They panicked on Guzman and DLd him based on a slump. Not sure why they traded for him either but he is a better player than Arias.
The Rangers simply cannot move on from the guy because they picked him over Robinson Cano. Why they are worried about another team picking him up, I don't know. He's a AAA player. If you want him back in a year, you can have him when the team that acquires him sends him down. If MLB will pass on Nelson Cruz, I don't know why the Rangers worry so much about Arias.
He's not the best option,...that's why it's gone from Kinsler to Guzman to Blanco to Arias. Boggs should have hustled and called Arias off! Andres could have yelled "first" when he saw that a throw to 2nd wouldn't have worked. Anybody else called up will make some mistakes and probably more.
Make sure you are responding to the game and not just the written article. We are playing with AAA players at 1B, 2B and RF but on any given day we're seeing mistakes from Vlad, Borbon, Young and the remaining cast. Problems happen and it's up to everyone else to either right the ship or have a pity party. At times the team looks like the same ol' Ranagers that seem to let a crack turn into a giant opening that swallows them whole.
@David - good point!
@JT - I believe Boggs was playing over Borbon because of the tough lefty on the mound last night (Price). That said, I guess you could make a case for Wash putting Borbon in for his defense in the later innings.
I get a sick feeling every time Lee gets these outcomes he doesnt deserve. He was in complete command and made the pitches to win that game last night. I saw several outs that should have been - 1) the Arias fly ball 2) the Arias double play attempt 3) the grounder that Cantu didnt get to 4) the grounder Elvis didn't get to (seemed like he was positioned poorly?).
If they just play adequate defense Lee likely gets another CG W, instead the flood gates open and he is strapped with 6 "earned" runs and a loss. I wonder how much he will take these events into consideration when it's time to decide on where to play next year and beyond?
It was very frustrating to blow that game after chasing Price and getting the lead. But that is what happens when you are using your 4th option at 2nd and your 5th option at Right Field.
Boggs was in to give the right handed bat.
One could reasonably fault the front office and Wash for having Arias in that situation. It's been obvious since before the season that there are probably better options for Arias' roster spot that might be less toolsy but have better baseball sense. The Rangers' did need to be careful with depth because of Elvis' youth and even more so because of Kinsler's fragility. But Arias was not the answer to that need.
I think we're all being a bit harsh with Arias. I mean, I won't cry if he's DFA'd today, but...
1) That's a 2-2 ballgame in the 8th if Arias doesn't hit a nice 2-strike triple. And
2) That was Boggs' ball. The Trop is a tough place to handle high fly balls, and Boggs had lost one in the lights just prior to that flair between he and Arias. As a consequence, he was very hesitant. As I watched Arias move out into RF, I just kept thinking "Boggs will come into the picture any second and call him off" but it never happened. I think that confused Arias a little. Bad jump on the ball from RF. Very bad.
So Arias isn't what concerns me. What concerns me is this: Vlad has to be pulled from the lineup. At this point, with a man on 1st and less than 2 outs, I'd almost rather he sit there with the bat on his shoulder and either walk or strike out, than watch him hit into ANOTHER double play. When Nellie comes back, it needs to be LF: Murph, CF: Borbon, RF: Cruz, DH: Hamilton the rest of the way. In the mean time, I wouldn't mind seeing Moreland in RF and Cantu at 1B with Hambone DHing a lot of the time.
Esteban German is just fine as a Utility Man, if need be.
As for the fact that this may impact Cliff's decission, I have always suspected that a WS ring would have been required to keep him here. That hasn't changed.
Also, good on JD and the front office boys for Jackson/Grimm. This could, long run, be a fantastic day for the Rangers indeed if one of those two becomes an impact arm.
Let's put the Arias debacle where it belongs; clearly with Washington.
Why would we have a line-up that includes an outfielder just up from triple A and an infielder of questionable physical and critical thinking skills in the line-up? Why would anyone think this is giving the team the best opportunity to win.
But this philosophy seems to reflect Washington's thinking that new/returning players should be immersed in the game immediately. He has done it throughout his managerial career with the Rangers. I'm sorry, I just can;t buy into it. I'm not sure he has the intellectal capacity to lead this team in the post-season.
I remember how Jimmy Johnson handled a third string running back who fumbled late in a meaningless game. The rest of the team got a strong message similar to what this one needs and it couldn't come at a better time.
Arias is a piece of AAAA trash as a baseball player. I fault the front office for putting him on the team and for not getting him off of the 40 man. Guzman wasn't playing any better, and it got him what appears to be a DL assignment for being a crappy player. Arias shouldn't get that, he should get a DFA for being a crappy player. We need someone who can play ss and 3b in a pinch right now since Blanco, antoher mediocre player, is going to be our 2b until Kinsler is back.
Boggs really just has never impressed me as an MLB player, though he hasn't had a lot of chances. Borbon should get some more playing time now, as I think he is just a flat out better option in the OF then Boggs or pretty much anyone else we can throw out there.
I'm glad to finally here Wash finally call out a player for not doing their job. Most of the time he's too loyal to a fault. Ironically 2B has become the new black hole for the team because everyone they put there seems to fail miserably. We need KIns back pronto!
@old timer - 1st off, you cannot make judgements on Wash's "intelluctural ability to lead this team into the playoffs"... because you have NOTHING to base it on. He's never coached in the playoffs. And while I agree he makes curious decisions, he MUST get credit for keeping this team together and winning. He's had to work around a revolving door at 1B, catcher, and 2B. Not to mention several pitchers... and a new ownership group.
I'm not so sure a LaRussa or Torre led team would do any better.
In my opinion, Wash gets Manager of the Year. He's developed a very young team into a consistent winner. Granted, Maddux has played a huge role in the development process but Wash is the skipper and he's personally endured alot of adversity and it's ovbiously rubbing off on his players.
The best thing about an 8 game lead is that the Rangers can afford to play a AAA guy here and there and make sure that going into the playoffs, everyone is healthy and ready to go. With that said, the injury bug needs to be passed along to some other team... it's done enough damage here.
BBTiA stafff - If one of you could post a response to my earlier question regarding Fall Instructs, I would be eternally grateful.
It's hard to say that not re-signing a 40-something utilityman was a mistake, but...I miss Vizquel.
@Pablo,
I'm not with the BBTiA staff, but I think the AFL works like this: each team gets a certain number of slots they can fill. Players are generally selected for one of 4 reasons:
1) A hot young prospect who is willing to put in the extra work (like a Profar-type).
2) A player who is retooling something such as a new delivery, new batting stance, or position change (for instance, if Chris Davis got moved to Catcher this offseason).
3) A player who missed a consequential amount of time in the regular season due to injury and needs to make up the developmental time or needs a rehab stint (If Omar Poveda is healthy enough coming off Tommy John surgery, I bet the Marlins send him to AFL).
4) A player who was a late-signing draft pick and got little or no dev time in the minors during his "half" season (I think Scheppers went last year, wouldn't be surprised to see Luke Jackson go this year).
8th inning rangers lead 4-2. tampa bay batting. it is a no brainer defense. put bourbon in center, move hamilton in right. the fly ball hit to right, i think hamilton catches it . two outs. two batters later a slow roller to arias. throws to 1st. game over. washington should have had his best defense on the field. seems simple to me.
@billyball
You need to shut up. Hamilton hasnt played right field all year, why would he start playing THAT inning? Because of the Boggs-Arias play? Well Hell, if Wash had KNOWN that would happen then yeah he would have put them there. But for you to say that we should have forseen that exact play happening and totally revamp our defensive alighnment just for that inning is idiotic.
Also, get Arias the heck off my team. I will buy his bus ticket to Oklahoma with my own money.
I'm with billyball..............................
mis-management..........................
PUT YOUR BEST DEFENCE IN THE GAME.....
WHO KNOWS that might have cost us Lee.
Hamilton in left, Burbon in center and Murf in right..
what am I missing here?
Kinsler and Cruz need to man up and play with a little pain. There probably won't have this opportunity staring at them again in their careers, and all they can do is sit on the sidelines with minor injuries and watch. Man up!
@scoobydude - THANK YOU... that was exactly what I was looking for... that's a GREAT desription, thanks very much!!!
@eric - as the great George Constanza once said "EAAASSSYYY... big fella". Telling Billyball to shut up is a bit harsch, dont' you think? I don't think he was suggesting that Wash should put on his fortune telling hat... I think he was merely pointing out that Wash made the wrong decision(s)... but hindsight is 20/20.
I do have a question about this article... is it just me or didn't Arias make the right choice in trying to turn the double play? One out, runners on 1st and 3rd with a grounder to 2nd... I say turn two, get off the field. Now, I didn't see the play and if Arias used poor judgement, and that's why we're calling for his head, then that's 1 thing. But I think baseball 101 would say turn the duece, correct?
Flattering piece on Hamilton.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/tom_verducci/08/17/josh.hamilton/index.html?eref=sihp
I can't wait for the Rangers to make the playoffs and get some netional exposure. Verducci can't get our regular centerfielder's name right (he said Pedro Borbon).
I do have a question about this article... is it just me or didn't Arias make the right choice in trying to turn the double play? One out, runners on 1st and 3rd with a grounder to 2nd... I say turn two, get off the field. Now, I didn't see the play and if Arias used poor judgement, and that's why we're calling for his head, then that's 1 thing. But I think baseball 101 would say turn the duece, correct?
There was essentially no shot at the lead runner, Pablo. The play pulled him to his left, away from 2nd base, and the chances of doubling off Crawford were quite slim.
Yea jobert it normally is something you want to try but if you watch the play the ball was hit to him slow and he had no play at second.
@Pablo- it was terrible judgement. We all screamed "No!!!!" in our heads as he turned to second for the throw. Never had a chance even at the lead runner, much less doubling off the speedy Crawford. Andrus didn't even try to throw on to 1B to get him. There's no getting around how bad that choice was. I just question the notion that the previous flair was on him and not Boggs.
It is really odd to me the level of venom that is hurled toward Boggs in some of these comments. I seriously wonder how many of the posters here saw him play with the Rangers during the first season of his call up? I seriously wonder how many of the posters here saw him play, more than once, in triple A? Obviously, he's not a fit for the Rangers, who should have allowed him to move on at the time that they gave John Mayberry a change of scenery. I sometimes wonder if the same person isn't posting about Boggs using a different sign on name. Quite frankly, if you say that something enough times, occassional viewers and posters not familiar with the young man's history might start to believe that he isn't a baseball player. I've seen him play multiple times. He is a very good outfielder.
and Alex Cora is signed to a Minor League Deal ... Mr. Arias, you wrote your name in your playbook with a Magic Marker ... that'll be $25,000 dollars, young man ... and Mr. Ryan would like a word with you
Not much of a bat for Cora ... but should at least have a clue with a glove on his hand ... the definition of a "defensive specialist" ... and has "Playoff Experience" ... so there's that goin' for him ...
We'll see ...
Arias is not long for this team. THIS NEW Rangers organization does not have to put up with that sorry/shoddy effort last night. I've sat through too many years of that "old" Rangers mentality. It's a new world and a new day and Arias' days are numbered and he blew it last night.
Bringing Borbon in to improve out field defence in the eighth would have left noone on the bench except Teagarden. Had Wash done so,and had there been another substitution neccessary through injury, there would have been no one left. Then how the oh-so-knowledgeable fans would have howled.
WHERE's THIS MORNING ARTICLE/POST? I'm going through withdrawal... I'm not used to this...
ERIC, YOU MAY NOT SEE THAT EXACT PLAY COMING BUT YOU DO KNOW AS MANAGER THAT YOU HAVE TWO INEXPERIENCED PLAYERS PLAYING ONE BEHIND THE OTHER. AT THAT STAGE OF THE GAME AN EXPERIENCED OUTFIELDER SHOULD HAVE BEEN IN THE GAME ALSO. I KNOW THAT ARIAS DID NOT GO AFTE THE BALL BUT NEITHER DID BOGGS. A MISTAKE ON BOTH THEIR PARTS AND COST THE BALL GAME ALONG WITH THE ARIAS BLUNDER ON TRYING FOR THE DOUBLE PLAY INSTEAD OF TAKING THE "SURE" OUT AT FIRST. TIME TO ALL PULL TOGETHER AND FINISH THE YEAR STRONG AND I AGREE THAT THE ONLY THING THAT WILL KEEP LEE HERE IS A WORLD SERIES RING......
Look, this aint on wash. This is on Arias. Wash didnt have any other option because of the injuries and the situation. The pop-up I'll give 65/35 Arias, but the grounder that he HAD no shot of getting the runner at 2nd, who was pretty much sliding into 2nd as he was fielding the ball is all on Arias. Now, for those of you who want to belame this on Wash, what was in other options? The only RF's on the team are Cruz and Vlad, which is why Boggs was in there. Would you rather have seen Vlad in Right? And as for Arias, hes the only option at that position. Blanco had just played the day before and was going to play the next game, Kins and Guz are on the DL, so who's the other option? And please dont hit me with that "two in-exiperenced" players line, cuz both Boggs and Arias have been here for a few seasons. These arent players who are getting there first taste of the magors.
@ Jeremy. Don't be too hard on him. You really can't expect anything more from someone who hasn't learned joined up writing yet.
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