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January 15, 2014
The Ex-Texas Rangers
A 25-man roster comprising players removed from the Texas 40-man roster during 2013:
SP Matt Garza
SP Jeff Lindblom
SP Justin Grimm
SP Travis Blackley
SP Neil Ramirez
RP Joe Nathan
RP Jeff Beliveau
RP Tom Hottovy
RP Kyle McClellan
RP Justin Miller
RP Coty Woods
C AJ Pierzynski
1B Jeff Baker
2B Ian Kinsler
3B Mike Olt
SS Leury Garcia
LF David Murphy
CF Craig Gentry
RF Joey Butler
DH Nelson Cruz
C Eli Whiteside
IF Chris McGuiness
OF Julio Borbon
OF Joe Benson
OF Rafael Ortega
Not included: retirees in practice (Derek Lowe) and spirit (Lance Berkman), expats (Brad Mills, Ross Wolf).
Even with Garza and Nathan, it's a replacement-level pitching staff at best. Ramirez isn't ready for a Major League rotation, and the middle three are fifth starters. The bullpen would be historically awful.
Offensively, all the starters are at least worthy of MLB paychecks and a small handful merit full-time duty. They have too many outfielders and lacks a MIF.
The 2014 Ex-Rangers would surpass 100 losses, but they've enough talent to avoid sinking to the level of the '16 Philly Athletics. For a team with a slight majority of outrighted/released players (13), it's surprisingly good.
Wire, "Ex Lion Tamer," from Pink Flag, 1977
Posted by Lucas at 02:14 AM
January 07, 2014
D/FW Media Hall of Fame Ballots
All four had full ballots. You might disagree with some selections, but all recognized the surfeit of qualified candidates, and none made a "statement." An excellent showing.
| Player | TR |
Fraley |
Grant |
Cowlishaw |
TOTAL |
| Bagwell | X |
X |
X |
X |
4 |
| Biggio | X |
X |
X |
X |
4 |
| Maddux | X |
X |
X |
X |
4 |
| Bonds | X |
X |
X |
3 |
|
| Clemens | X |
X |
X |
3 |
|
| Glavine | X |
X |
X |
3 |
|
| Mussina | X |
X |
X |
3 |
|
| Piazza | X |
X |
X |
3 |
|
| Thomas | X |
X |
X |
3 |
|
| E Martinez | X |
X |
2 |
||
| Morris | X |
X |
2 |
||
| Raines | X |
X |
2 |
||
| Walker | X |
X |
2 |
||
| Palmeiro | X |
1 |
|||
| Trammell | X |
1 |
Best players omitted from all ballots (by rWAR): Schilling, McGwire, Sosa, Kent
Posted by Lucas at 12:49 PM
January 04, 2014
Homegrown Starting Pitching, Updated
Here's a list of every truly homegrown starting pitcher in the wildcard-era AL West. By that I mean: pitching for the team that originally drafted or signed him, ineligible for free agency, and reaching 162 innings (or 1 IP per game in 1994-1995). So, for example, Rick Helling doesn't count because Texas traded and reacquired him prior to his four consecutive 200-inning seasons, and Felix Hernandez drops off after 2011 even though he remained an M because he'd reached six years of MLB service. Each season's division winner is colored.
| Year | Texas | Los Angeles | Oakland | Seattle |
| 2013 | Derek Holland | - | AJ Griffin | - |
| 2012 | Derek Holland | Jered Weaver | - | - |
| 2011 | Derek Holland, CJ Wilson | Ervin Santana, Jered Weaver | Trevor Cahill | Felix Hernandez, Michael Pineda |
| 2010 | CJ Wilson | Ervin Santana, Jered Weaver | Dallas Braden, Trevor Cahill | Doug Fister, Felix Hernandez |
| 2009 | Scott Feldman | Joe Saunders, Jered Weaver | Trevor Cahill | Felix Hernandez |
| 2008 | - | John Lackey, Ervin Santana, Joe Saunders, Jered Weaver | - | Felix Hernandez |
| 2007 | - | John Lackey | Joe Blanton | Felix Hernandez |
| 2006 | - | John Lackey, Ervin Santana | Joe Blanton, Barry Zito | Felix Hernandez, Gil Meche, Joel Pineiro |
| 2005 | - | John Lackey | Joe Blanton, Barry Zito | Ryan Franklin, Joel Pineiro |
| 2004 | - | John Lackey | Rich Harden, Tim Hudson, Mark Mulder, Barry Zito | Ryan Franklin, Joel Pineiro |
| 2003 | - | John Lackey, Ramon Ortiz, Jarrod Washburn | Tim Hudson, Mark Mulder, Barry Zito | Ryan Franklin, Gil Meche, Joel Pineiro |
| 2002 | - | Ramon Ortiz, Jarrod Washburn | Tim Hudson, Mark Mulder, Barry Zito | - |
| 2001 | Doug Davis | Ramon Ortiz, Scott Schoeneweis, Jarrod Washburn | Tim Hudson, Mark Mulder, Barry Zito | - |
| 2000 | - | Scott Schoeneweis | Tim Hudson | - |
| 1999 | - | - | - | - |
| 1998 | - | - | - | - |
| 1997 | Darren Oliver | Jason Dickson | - | - |
| 1996 | Darren Oliver, Roger Pavlik | - | - | - |
| 1995 | Roger Pavlik | - | - | - |
| 1994 | Kevin Brown, Kenny Rogers | - | Todd Van Poppel | Dave Fleming |
Yes, I'm missing Houston in 2013, but, well, 2013 wasn't Houston's year. I'll update in due course.
Posted by Lucas at 01:23 AM
January 01, 2014
Happy New Year
Last pitch of the (home) season, Round Rock, Texas, 24 August 2012
Husker Du, "New Day Rising," 1985
Posted by Lucas at 01:42 AM