The Paul Molitor Myth

The Paul Molitor Myth

It remains unlikely that Michael Young is traded before the season starts (as discussed in detail by Jamey Newberg here).

In summation, in order to avoid weakening the 2011 club, Texas would need to trade Young for a player that could help the Rangers win this year. Unfortunately, teams that would be interested in a 34-year-old DH/second-baseman are also looking to contend in 2011 – meaning that they are unlikely to trade away players who can contribute this year.

During the last week (and more generally, over the last couple of years), many pundits have suggested that Michael Young will end his career as a Paul Molitor-type DH. Like Young, Molitor came up as a second-baseman and then moved around the diamond, eventually settling at DH for the last portion of his career. Molitor began getting the majority of his starts at DH when he turned 34 (the current age of Young). Realistically, that’s where the similarities stop.

Beginning at age 34, Molitor posted these numbers as a primary DH:

Age 34: .325/.399/.489 (.888)
Age 35: .320/.389/.461 (.851)
Age 36: .332/.402/.509 (.911)
Age 37: .341/.410/.518 (.927)
Average: .330/.400/.494 (.894)

Here are Young’s last four seasons (age 30-33):

Age 30: .315/.366/.418 (.783)
Age 31: .284/.339/.402 (.741)
Age 32: .322/.374/.518 (.892)
Age 33: .284/.330/.444 (.774)
Average: .301/.352/.445 (.798)

During the last four years for Young, years that are typically considered near the “prime” for most players, he has managed to produce an average yearly OPS slightly below .800.

During the four years in which Molitor was age 34 – 37, years in which players typically decline, he produced an average yearly OPS slightly below .900.

How about home/away splits?

Molitor During Age 34-37 Seasons:
Home OPS: .910
Away OPS: .876

Young During Age 30- 33 Seasons:
Home OPS: .855 (very similar to his career Home OPS of .859)
Away OPS: .742 (very similar to his career Away OPS of .733)

Though Molitor was a better hitter at home, he was still a very above-average hitter on the road.

Young, on the other hand, has been an above-average hitter at home and a below-average hitter on the road. If Young’s ability to consistently produce really is a strength of his, one must take into account the fact that he is consistently a below-average hitter away from Rangers Ballpark in Arlington.

The goal is not to suggest that Young is a bad hitter or a useless player. In fact, he could be a very valuable part of this team moving forward. But this is just a reality check. For whatever reason, Young is considered by many Rangers fans as a great player (Evan Grant recently suggested placing a statue of Young in RBiA). But putting aside the intangibles that he possesses (assuming you consider them relevant), Young’s on-field production is solid but unspectacular. Put Young on the Washington Nationals and people in the DFW area wouldn't even consider labeling him as a "great" player. On the flip side, Paul Molitor was one of the best hitters in baseball for a significant period of time (before the PED era).

Michael Young is the Rangers’ best option at full-time DH for 2011 and who knows, maybe he will have a late-career boom as a DH. But, based on his recent numbers and his career production, it seems unrealistic to suggest that Michael Young will become a Molitor-clone at DH. We should be satisfied if Young can muster average ML production from this point forward and we should refrain from creating expectations for Young that he will never fulfill.

Neighbors of a Serial Killer: Part Two

On January 12, 2009...I wrote this regarding Michael Young's trade request:

Neighbors of a Serial Killer
January 12, 2009

The Texas Rangers have asked Michael Young to change positions and he is not having any of it. After speaking with General Manager Jon Daniels about moving to third base, Young said,

I'm not playing third base. I'm pretty adamant about my stance. I told them I wanted to be traded.

Have you ever seen a news story on a serial killer? You know, the ones where their neighbors are interviewed and always say something to the effect of, "He was always such a nice man. He was friendly, he helped me trim my tree, and seemed like a great guy. I just can't believe that he did this!"

Well, that's kind of how many Ranger fans feel about Michael Young right now. Is comparing Young to a serial killer a little extreme? Probably...but being a lifelong Ranger fan will have that effect on you!

For years, Ranger fans have considered Michael Young a leader. They considered him the "face" of the Ranger organization. He has the reputation of a guy that will do anything to win. He is Mr. Team.

They may now be questioning whether they mislabeled their beloved shortstop. Let's examine:

1. After the 2003 season, when Alex Rodriguez was traded to the Yankees, Michael Young volunteered to move from 2nd base to shortstop. Fans and reporters considered this the ultimate "team-first" move.

But was it really?

Let's see, Young moved from 2nd base to the most important defensive position on the field. Teams value shortstops more than they do 2nd basemen. As a result, shortstops get paid more, on average, than 2nd basemen.

Three years after moving to shortstop, Young received a 5 year, $80 million dollar contract. Coincidence?

2. During the past few seasons, Young was often quoted as saying that "I am not interested in rebuilding...I am interested in getting better now."

The Rangers attempted to improve "now" by trading away prospects for veteran pitchers Adam Eaton, Akinori Otsuka and Brandon McCarthy. The Rangers also lost Armando Galarraga when they signed veteran starter Jason Jennings.

The "win now" moves rewarded Young and the Rangers with one of the worst rotations in baseball. But hey, at least they weren't "rebuilding."

3. In 2007, Texas acquired highly-rated shortstop prospect, Elvis Andrus, in the Mark Teixeira trade. Last week, the Rangers asked Michael Young to slide to 3rd to create an opening for the sweet-fielding Andrus. Young refused and instead, asked to be traded.

He went on to say,

The biggest misconception is that I was asked to move to third base. I was never asked. I was flat-out told. I was told I was playing third base. I felt that I had absolutely no say. I don't feel like there was any discussion or dialogue about the matter.

If that doesn't say "team," I don't know what does!

Guess what, Mike? Thousands of people have lost their jobs within the last few months. You are a baseball player. You "play" for a living. Sorry that you do not get to make out the lineup and pick your position. Despite earning $80 million over the next five years to play a game, you feel “disrespected” because your boss did not "ask" you to change positions? Really?

Wow.

Look, Young is probably a good guy. He works hard, he plays hard and he has carved out a nice career for himself. He is the self-appointed leader of the Texas Rangers. He has a clean-cut look, is well-spoken and has been extremely productive while in Texas.

Unfortunately for Mike, fans do not ignore "me-first" comments because you are a "good guy." Despite being the "face" of the organization, and after nine productive years with the Texas Rangers, Young will soon be traded.

And like the neighbors of a serial killer, hundreds of fans, who have seen Young as a team-first leader, will be amazed to learn that he is not the guy that they had come to know.

____________

This week, Young demanded a trade for the second time.

This scenario obviously differs from the situation in 2009 (mainly that the Rangers are coming off of a World Series appearance and look poised to continue getting better...something that might be important to a guy that is "all about" winning), but the theme remains the same: Michael Young is not some super-do-anything-to-help-the-team-win-leader that many thought he was. He is just a guy.

In 2009, the organization was concerned about the ripple effect that trading Young might have had, both in the clubhouse and with the fans. Having an ALCS banner and players like Andrus, Hamilton, Cruz, Murphy, and Feliz makes losing the "ultimate team-guy" much, much easier.

I hope that Jon Daniels honors Young's request and trades him to Baltimore so he can be a great "team-guy" on a 65-win club.

What would Jones have to do?

After watching another pathetic offensive performance by the Rangers, I thought to myself: "What would Andruw Jones have to do to be moved out of the cleanup spot?"

Since April, Jones is hitting .204:
In May, he hit .245...
In June, he hit .170...
In July, he is hitting .195...

During that time, he has produced a .285 OBP. Chris Davis' .202 average and .256 OBP not only resulted in him getting moved down in the order, it led to his demotion to AAA. For Andruw Jones, similar numbers have resulted in solidifying his role ast the starting DH and cleanup hitter!

Seriously, what would Jones have to do to lose playing time or to be dropped in the order? Hit .100? .075?

Similarly, Kinsler has been really bad since April (despite his 2-HR game last night). This year against RH pitchers, Kinsler has produced the very gross line of .216/.298/.400 (.698 OPS). Since right-handed pitchers start about two-thirds of all Major League games, Washington continues to handcuff the team by inserting a leadoff hitter who simply can't hit righties.

Could Kinsler turn it around? Sure. But for almost three months, he has been really bad against righties. When a right-handed pitcher is on the mound, Murphy needs to move into the leadoff spot. He has been very good against righties all season (plus, this sets up a L-R-L lineup combo).

Obviously, Jones and Kinsler are not the only problems within this offense, but when the lineup consistently underachieves, why keep doing the same thing?

Against a right-handed starter:

1. Murphy (consistently producing against righties...including .380 OBP since April)
2. Young (ideal #2 hitter)
3. Hamilton
4. Cruz (.948 OPS vs RH pitchers)
5. Blalock (.908 OPS vs RH pitchers)
6. Kinsler (horrible against RH pitchers: .698 OPS)
7. Byrd/Jones
8. Salty
9. Andrus

Against a left-handed starter:

1. Andrus (.398 OBP vs. LH pitchers)
2. Young
3. Hamilton
4. Kinsler (1.114 OPS vs. LH pitchers can't be wasted on the leadoff spot)
5. Cruz
6. Byrd
7. Salty
8. Blalock/Murphy (both are hitting below .200 vs. LH pitchers)
9. Jones

Makes a lot of sense, but I'm sure that Jones will continue to hit cleanup because, "Hey, he is Andruw Jones and he was good four years ago."

Smoke and Mirrors

Over the last month, the Texas offense has been really bad. Too many strikeouts, not enough walks and a collective group simply not getting the job done. Luckily for the Rangers, their pitching staff has bailed them out.

That may change moving forward.

Kevin Millwood and Scott Feldman have been unusually lucky throughout the first half of 2009. BABIP has been established as an extremely useful statistic. The acronym stands for: Batting-Average-on-Balls-In-Play. In other words, it tracks how often a pitcher gives up a hit when the hitter puts a pitch in play.

Typically, the league average hovers around the .300 mark meaning that, on average, 30% of balls put in play result in a base hit. Let’s take a look at the two Texas starters in question:

Millwood
Since coming to Texas, Millwood has allowed a BABIP of around .335. Last year, when he posted an ERA of 5.07 – his BABIP was .357. This year, while posting an ERA of 3.34 – his BABIP is .267 (90 points lower than 2008), which is below league-average and well below his recent career trend. You might just think that he is making better pitches this year, but upon further review:

Millwood is striking out less this year than he did in 2008...
Millwood is walking more than he did in 2008...

When walk rates go up and k-rates go down, ERA almost always inflates. Instead, Millwood has seen his ERA drop almost two full points.

Feldman
Last year, when Scott Feldman posted a 5.29 ERA, he allowed a BABIP of .285. This year, while posting an ERA of 3.91 – his BABIP is .236 (almost 50 points lower than last year). Is he making better pitches? Possibly, but again:

Felman's walk rates haven’t changed much this year...
Feldman's strikeout rate is almost identical to last year’s...

The difference: he is allowing two less hits for every 9 innings that he pitches.

The Rangers have improved their team defense and that can play a significant role within hits-allowed numbers; however, the defense by itself cannot explain both pitchers’ sudden improvement. If the defensive changes were solely responsible, you would expect the entire staff to see massive improvement within their BABIP numbers. That hasn’t happened. Matt Harrison has seen a dramatic increase in his BABIP this year. Padilla has seen his BABIP remain fairly constant. Brandon McCarthy has a much higher BABIP than it was in 2008.

I hope that I am wrong and am pulling for Millwood and Feldman to continue pitching well, but the numbers generally don’t lie. They aren’t striking more batters out – they aren’t walking fewer batters – they are simply allowing fewer hits. That doesn’t typically happen very often, but we can hope, right?

How could you miss the signs?

My computer has been returned, apparently the victim of an alien abduction. How else do you explain the gibberish coming out of it last week? Granted the Rangers had just finished the worst hitting month in over 15 years, had just dropped 2 of 3 to the lowly Padres at home, and had lost the first game of a 3 game set with the Angels dropping them out of first for the first time in 2 months, but only some unintelligent life from another world would jump to the conclusion that the Rangers were done. Yes there were 2 games left with the Angels and the Rays were coming to town followed by 7 on the road with the Angels and Mariners, but who in their right mind would predict that the Rangers would finish 4-8 in those remaining games. I for one knew that couldn’t be the case as evidenced by the Rangers winning the 2 remaining games with the Angels, sweeping the Rays, and then winning the series in Anaheim.

I mean, come on, it was there for all to see. Hank Blalock was primed to hit game winning home runs, Tommy Hunter was obviously a solid starter on the rise, and I think it was clear that Andruw Jones was about to return to 2005 form. And of course I had no doubt that once the Rangers got to Anaheim they would take care of business and spank the Angels in the first 2 games of that series, but apparently alien civilizations don’t have access to the information or insight that I do.

Since that loss to Anaheim a week ago, the Rangers have won 7 of 9 (including 4 of 5 against LAA) , returned to 1st place, sent Chris Davis to AAA, and the duo of Blalock and Jones has carried the Rangers offensively. I’m not surprised, the evidence was there. Only someone that has not watched these Rangers all year would be expecting a fall. I apologize for the mess coming from this computer last week; it was evidently at the hands of someone who doesn’t understand this Ranger team. Hey move over!! Man this bandwagon is getting crowded.

Why Are We Voting for Ian Kinsler?

Last week, Major League Baseball announced the All Star selections for this year’s mid-season classic. Despite leading the fan vote throughout the entire first-half of the season, Ian Kinsler was edged out by Boston 2nd baseman, Dustin Pedroia. Kinsler has been named as one of five players added to the “Final Vote” group. The “Final Vote” selection provides fans with the ability to vote-in one additional player in each league that did not originally earn a roster spot.

If you are a Ranger fan or have watched any recent Ranger games, you have undoubtedly seen numerous marketing messages imploring you to vote for Ian Kinsler. I can understand why the Texas Ranger organization would want another representative at the All Star game. I can understand why Ranger fans would hope to see another Ranger make the trip to St. Louis.

I don’t understand why any non-Ranger fan/employee would vote for Ian Kinsler. Kinsler has some impressive numbers: 20 homeruns; more than 50 RBI; 16 stolen bases. That all looks impressive – but he hasn’t been nearly as good as his numbers would suggest.

In April, Kinsler produced a ridiculous .322/.384/.656 line. He was one of the best players in baseball and it appeared that he had carried momentum from his great 2008 season into 2009. Then the calendar turned to May.

Since May 3rd, Kinsler has seen his average drop from .337 to .253; he has seen his OPS drop from 1.092 to .831 and his offensive presence has all but disappeared. In fact, since his hot April start, Kinsler has produced the very ugly line of .231/.320/.462 with an OPS of .782.

If you dig deeper, you will find a more disturbing statistic: while producing a .955 OPS at offensive-inclined Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, he has wilted on the road, posting a measly .679 OPS.

Kinsler has played well during one month of 2009, he has been a non-factor on the road and he just ended an 0-23 slump. Sorry Ranger fans, I just don’t think that resume shouts “All Star selection.”

Blessing in Disguise

The Rangers just lost 2 of 3 at home to the lowly Padres and last night began a 3 game series with the Division leading Angels with a loss. The Rangers have 12 games left before the All Star break including 5 against the Angels (2 at home and 3 on the road) 3 against the hottest team (and maybe most talented) team in the AL, the Tampa Bay Rays, and 4 on the road against the resurrected Mariners. There is a better than good chance that the Rangers come out of this stretch with a 4-8 record. This could, and probably will, end most thoughts that the Rangers will contend for a Division title this year. The Rangers were at least a year ahead of schedule anyway but it's unfortunate because you simply never know when you might be back in a position to contend.

The good news: this should force the Rangers to become sellers at the deadline. Padilla might have damaged his value by giving up 5 straight hits in the 6^th last night (all of them shots including 2 homers) but he might have some value in the marketplace...assuming that Texas would pick up a significant piece of his salary. Texas also has an array of average major-leaguers on the bench that can be had for a bus ticket. Hopefully someone sees value in the left-handed bat of Blalock. Regrettably, that last statement includes his strongest attribute. The fact that he hits (in Ranger vocabulary meaning swings) from the left side of the plate is his biggest attribute. I think even Ranger management finally had seen enough of the all or nothing (most often nothing) swing of Blalock as Triple A call-up Julio Borbon took over DH duties last night.

The Rangers are also rich at the catcher position and there is always value there. Maybe a little overexposure this year has tarnished Teagarden's star somewhat, but just take a look around the league; there aren’t that many serviceable catchers that have the upside that he does. I’m not sure that they can get today what they could have last year, but he should have some worth out there.

I know the knee-jerk Ranger fans are always looking to move CJ (inexplicably after a 315 ft home run…CJ how could you) but this is one player that management should say hands off. He has wicked stuff and has shown he can close games, a rare commodity. He has the makeup and the stuff to be a top line closer anywhere in the league and he is just 29. This is fairly young by bullpen standards.

All things considered, the lack of offense and the swoon in June has been disappointing, but in the end it may serve the Rangers and Ranger fans well. The temptation to sacrifice a prospect or two for another bat or a starting pitcher has to be diminished by the play on the field of late. In reality, this team is more than one and probably two above average major leaguers from catching the Angels. Let’s stand pat and let the kids grow. Just wait till next year...oh yeah I think I’ve said that before.

Texas Rangers Offense: The Ugly Truth

Over the last month, Rangers fans have been subjected to something not familiar to these parts: bad offense. Yes – that’s right – the Texas Rangers are having major offensive issues.

For the month of June, Texas owns the 2nd lowest batting average (.218), the worst on-base percentage (.277) and has scored the 2nd fewest runs in all of baseball. I never thought that I would say this but, the Texas Rangers have no offense.

Many continue to wonder why this is happening. Is this a result of Milton Bradley leaving? Partly. Is this happening because Josh Hamilton is hurt? That’s definitely part of it. But there might be larger factors at play that Texas fans do not want to recognize: maybe this offense just isn’t very good.

Think about it: on any given day, the Rangers’ lineup includes Chris Davis, Elvis Andrus, Jarrod Saltalamacchia, David Murphy and Nelson Cruz. None of those guys have even two full years of major-league experience.

Texas consistently relies on young and inexperienced players to complete more than half of their lineup. What did you expect? Most young players initially struggle upon making it to the big-leagues – Texas just happens to have more young guys than most teams. Remember, 2009 was meant to be a developmental year for the organization. Andrus, Davis, Salty, Teagarden and Cruz were slotted to get extended playing time to help Rangers’ General Manager, Jon Daniels, determine what players will be here for the long-haul.

Before the season, most expected Texas to struggle. Luckily for the metroplex, Texas got off to a hot start and has provided the area with some really exciting baseball through June. Yes, the offense has really struggled recently, but you have to keep things in perspective. It’s not all about this year – it’s about building a core of players that will be here for the next decade. Most young guys don’t step into a major-league lineup and immediately light it up. It generally takes time and we are witnessing that development take place at the major-league level.

Don’t give up on these guys and don’t call for changes. This is a young, promising team that has limitless potential. Like with any young team, there will be bumps along the road – but that doesn’t mean that you decide to go a different direction.

What has happened to Taylor Teagarden?

From my dad last night:

Well last night I saw something I have never seen before...well at least not in baseball. Padilla scored by going 5-hole against Taylor Teagarden. Unfortunately they're on the same team and they weren't playing hockey. Yes, that's right, Taylor missed a fastball right between his legs. At least it wasn't in a crucial situation...that is unless you think that having the bases-loaded constitutes a crucial situation.

Later that inning, on a play at the plate, Teagarden is inexplicably two feet in front of the baseline instead of near homeplate. As usual, Cruz's throw comes in like a heat-seeking missile, but Teagarden is so far in front of the plate that he can't apply the tag. If he just sets up the way any average catcher would, the ball still reaches him in the air and he's in position to make the tag. Once again, at least it wasn't in a crucial situation...that is unless you think keeping the other team from scoring is somehow important to the final outcome.

This kid has gone from being a top-rated prospect to barely being a usable backup. He has been totally over matched all year at the plate (see Chris Davis) and now his defense is so unreliable that I can't remember a time when the Rangers have had such a poor backup behind the plate. I actually felt sorry for Padilla last night - and it takes a lot for that to happen.

Aside from the Teagarden issue, last night Texas implemented another brilliant 9th inning strategy. Marlon Byrd was on first-base and, while the team trailed by 2, he decided to steal second. Though the replay showed that he was thrown out, the umpire called him safe. Despite successfully stealing the bag, this is just another example verifying that this team simply doesn’t understand baseball fundamentals. When you are trailing by 2 in the 9th – and you aren’t even the tying run – you do not risk getting thrown out trying to steal. That’s baseball 101.

At some point, these mental errors are going to cost this team. It’s one thing to play “stupid” baseball when you aren’t a very good team. But when you are in first place and in the middle of a pennant race, a couple stupid mistakes could be the difference between winning the pennant and watching the playoffs from your couch. Hopefully Texas realizes that sooner rather than later.

Washington Hates "The Book"

The Rangers pulled out a thrilling victory last night in 10 innings. The win helped Texas maintain a 2-game lead in the AL West and helped Ron Washington avoid having to answer questions about his insane management strategy in the 9th.

Situation:
In the bottom of the 9th, the Astros brought in their stud closer, Jose Valverde. The right-hander promptly allowed a leadoff double to Marlon Byrd bringing up Chris Davis.

The situation called for a bunt; however, throughout his ML career, Davis had never bunted. He did not bunt in this situation either. Instead, he flew out in a rather hapless at-bat. After a Jarrod Saltalamacchia strikeout, Omar Vizquel walked towards the plate.

Vizquel was hitting .323 on the season and had been 3-8 against Valverde, including being 2 for his last 2. Vizquel had gone 1-3 during the game and had looked pretty locked-in at the plate. It seemed like a good situation for the Rangers but...

Enter Ron Washington.

Instead of letting the scrappy Vizquel face Valverde, Washington summoned for a pinch-hitter. Andruw Jones exited the dugout, took a few practice swings and stepped to the plate.

Wait a minute! Andruw Jones? Really? Washington not only went against "the book," he burned it (and I'm not sure that Washington's "book" isn't just a picture-book to begin with...). Let's take a look at just how stupid the decision was:

Washington removed a hitter that:

created a lefty-righty matchup...
was hitting .323 on the season...
had played the entire game and looked good at the plate (1-3)...

and he replaced him with a hitter that:

created a righty-righty matchup...
was hitting .143 in June...
had not played all night and was coming into the game "cold."

Jones struck out on 3 pitches. Well done Wash, well done.

Here is a quote from my dad after Washington received his extension last week:

Look - sometimes good moves don't work, sometimes dumb moves do, but playing it by “the book" works more times than not...that's how it became "the book!” This team needs Wash to just get out of the way...try not to trip over the bats and balls as we roll them out there.

Washington just looks like he is guessing out there. If you are going to pinch-hit in the 9th, you pinch-hit Andrus for Davis (who is hitting .200) and move the runner over.

Runner at 3rd, one out and numerous ways in which you can score.

Washington is simply an over-manager. He apparently believes that going "by the book" is simply too easy. Too many times in his tenure in Texas, he has made decisions based on a "gut" feeling. Like my dad said, sometimes it works - but most of the time it doesn't. They call it "the book" for a reason: it usually works.

If Texas wants to contend throughout all of 2009, Washington better get his ego in-check. Stop trying to be the genius that constantly goes against the grain. Just play it by the numbers: try to create lefty-righty matchups; stop using Guardado during close games; don't create something that isn't there.

Use the book Ron, use the book.

Where do they go from here?

The Texas Rangers just completed murderer’s row within their schedule. During the last 25 games, Texas played six against the Yankees, three against the Red Sox, four against the Blue Jays, three against the Tigers and three against the Dodgers, the team who currently sports the best record in all of baseball.

Despite 19 of the 25 being against teams with winnings records, Texas managed to hang tough by going 12-13 during that stretch. Though Texas’ division lead has been trimmed to two games, there is good news on the horizon: 8 of their next 11 games will be against teams with sub-.500 records.

The schedule for the next two weeks features three against the Astros, three against the Giants, three versus the Diamondbacks and another three-game set against the Padres. Their combined records are 118-133.

Texas needs to take advantage of the next two weeks because, after their series with San Diego, Texas will face another tough scheduling challenge including three against the Angels, four against the Mariners, three against the Twins and three against the Red Sox.

With Josh Hamilton out for an extended period of time and Frankie Francisco unavailable until Saturday (at the earliest), the Rangers will have to overcome some adversity. But over the next month, Texas will have the opportunity to establish themselves as legitimate contenders or, if things do not go well, they could once again prove that this isn’t their year.

It’s going to be fun to watch and whether they play well or not, it's fun to talk about possible contention in June rather than “wait ‘til next year” discussions.

Lewinisms...

I have decided to begin tracking the "Lewinisms" uttered by Texas Rangers' play-by-play guy, Josh Lewin. First, we need to define a Lewinism:

Lewinism: any statement made during a baseball game that indicates a complete lack of baseball knowledge, leaving the audience temporarily motionless as they attempt to comprehend what was just said.

The "Lewinism" updates will detail numerous items verifying that Josh Lewin actually knows nothing about baseball.

Number One:
Today against the Dodgers, Lewin stated,

"TAG (Tom Grieve), despite all the power that Loney brings to the table - he is a guy that walks almost as much as he strikes out."

You may be asking yourself, "What James Loney is Lewin talking about? The only James Loney that I'm aware of is not a power-hitter and has actually been criticized because of his lack of power."

Confusion is the correct response. Yes, the "powerful" Loney has managed to tally an impressive two homeruns this year in 63 games. Yep, he's on pace for anywhere from 5-6 homeruns this year. He is a very, very "powerful" 1st baseman.

Grieve just responded with, "Well, Loney is more of a Lyle Overbay or Mark Grace-type hitter."

And then came the funniest part of the exchange: Lewin responded with, "Yep."

He doesn't even recognize when someone is attempting to call him out! If Grieve wasn't such a nice guy, he would respond more along these lines: "Actually Josh, you are completely wrong. Loney is not a "power" guy - he is a "contact" guy...a fact that renders your previous comment absolutely meaningless."

Grieve has to call him out at some point. It has to happen...someone tell me that it has to happen.

Number Two:
In the top of the 7th inning of today's game, Brad Ausmus walked to the plate. Lewin casually mentioned that

"...Ausmus is already in the top 10 in terms of games-caught by major-league catchers."

Already?! Ausmas was drafted in 1987! He has played in the MLs for 17 seasons. 17! But he has "already" moved into the top 10 in games-played. That's like going back to the 1500's and saying, "Did you year about that Michelangelo guy? He already finished the Sistine Chapel!"

"Cal Ripken already became the record-holder for consecutive games played." This is fun...you should try it.

Number Three:
This is an email from my dad on Saturday:

In the 3rd inning, Josh wanted TAG to explain exactly what a cutter is: "So it’s like a slider but without the spin?"
Really? Are you kidding me? Without the spin? I would love to see Lewin explain the physics behind that one.

...like a slider without the spin?!" Seriously, I can't make this stuff up! What' next?...

"So the curve is like the fastball except that your arm curls around your head before you throw it, right?

Seriously, which of those two questions is more insane? I have thought about it for a few minutes now and I'm still not sure. I can't believe it...really, I can't. Absolute unintentional greatness!

The Rangers have a day off tomorrow but will take the field again on Tuesday. Needless to say, there will be a "Lewinism" update on Wednesday.

Ron Washington Option

After the Texas Rangers picked up Ron Washington’s contract option for 2010, I emailed my dad to see what he thought:

Blair @ 8:23am
Dad – what do you think about Washington coming back next year?

Dad @ 8:34am
OK, let me get this straight...through one-third of the season, Texas is 9 games over .500 after playing one of the weakest schedules in the American League and we feel the need to jump out there and give Ron Washington an extension? Was there some reason to knee jerk this move now? Was there this uncertainty in the clubhouse? Were we afraid we were gonna lose Washington to another team? I venture to say that this young club is 9 games over in spite of Ron Washington, not because of him.

Blair @ 8:43am
So…you liked the move?

Dad @ 8:54am
Look - sometimes good moves don't work, sometimes dumb moves do, but playing it by “the book" works more times than not...that's how it became "the book!” This team needs Wash to just get out of the way...try not to trip over the bats and balls as we roll them out there. Wash has made a litany of bad moves so far this year, but just for brevity sake, let's look at Monday’s game:

6th inning, runners on 1st and 3rd with one out and we've just been given 3 gift runs to draw within 4-3. With Elvis Andrus at the plate, Wash is not content to sit idly by and let the game take care of itself. Instead, the genius of Wash once again raises its ugly head: a SQUEEZE PLAY? Are you kidding me? Elvis Andrus at the plate...22 strike-outs in 163 at-bats...too fast to be doubled-up...and Wash goes with the all-or-nothing squeeze play just to tie?

There are ten ways to score a runner from 3rd with less than 2 outs. Ground out, error, sac fly, etc…Heaven forbid Andrus get the opportunity to get a base-hit where we're in position to go ahead in the game. Not to mention – if he somehow doesn't get the runner home - our leading RBI guy (Kinsler) is on deck. I take my chances 100 times out of 100 on Andrus making contact and/or Kinsler coming through.

Mike Basik (the Ticket) justified the move based on the fact that National League teams “have pitchers do it all the time.” Do you know why pitchers do it all the time? Because they hit .127 and strike-out more times than they don’t. If a batter is hitting .275 - and makes consistent contact – calling for a squeeze play is idiotic. The failed squeeze left Texas down a run and they eventually lost 6-3.

It was a ridiculous decision, but what is even more ridiculous is the fact we just gave this guy an extension. Idiocy!

Blair @ 8:58am
So…you liked the move?

Old School v GenX: Round 1

My dad was at the Rangers’ game on Saturday and sent me a text message regarding Michael Young that spiraled into an in-depth text-message battle:

Dad @ 1:31
Michael Young is the best pure “hitter” in baseball. He hits the ball where it’s pitched, always has good at bats and does what it takes to win the game. He is just awesome to watch.

Blair @ 1:37
He has been good so far this year...but OPS below .785 in 2007 and 2008.

Dad @ 1:45
Very comparable stats to Jeter each year and Young has more productive years to come. Not fair to compare a SS to sluggers by using OPS. Compare them to the role they play.

Blair at 2:11
Jeter has had a significantly better average and much better OBP throughout his career:

Derek Jeter: .316/.386/.458 (.844)
Hanley Ramirez: .309/.381/.528 (.909)
Miguel Tejada: .288/.342/.472 (.814)
Michael Young: .347/.445/.301 (.792)

Dad @ 2:19
OK…so Young is right there with some of the best short-stops in the game. Are you trying to make my case for me?

Blair @ 2:31
Ok old man – let me break it down for you:

Young had a total of 3 years in which he had an OPS above .785…

Jeter has 10 out of 14…
Tejada has 8 out of 12…
Hanley Ramirez has 3 out of 3 (while stealing 50 bases every year)…

He has had 3 above-average offensive years in 9 seasons. A career .300 hitter with a career OBP of .345 means that he simply doesn’t do a very good job of getting on base. I understand that every player isn’t going to hit for a ton of power – but a .345 OBP isn’t very good if you aren’t providing the team with other production (steals, power, etc…)

It’s a lot easier to get 200 hits every year when you aren’t willing to take a walk.

Dad @ 2:53
Wrong. As usual – you aren’t old or wise enough to recognize the flaws in your logic.

Disturbing Rangers' Trend

After losing two of three to the Yankees, the Rangers continued a disturbing trend: they can't beat good teams.

During the first two months of 2009, Texas has played 31 of 46 games against teams with a losing record. In other words, the Rangers have benefited by playing 2/3 of their games against poor competition. To their credit, Texas has taken care of business and beaten the teams that they should beat.

In 31 games against teams with a losing record, the Rangers have produced:
* Record: 22-9 (.710 winning%)
* Team ERA: 4.22
* Runs/Game: 5.44
* Run Differential: 1.22

In 15 games against teams with a winning record, they have produced:
* Record: 5-10 (.333 winning%)
* Team ERA: 5.38
* Runs/Game: 3.80
* Run Differential: - 1.58

The splits are somewhat understandable: most teams will have better numbers against weaker competition than they do against upper-echelon teams. Having said that, the next month looms large for the Rangers' 2009 campaign: Texas faces winning teams in 13 of their next 17 games (Yankees, Red Sox, Blue Jays, Dodgers).

If this trend continues, Texas may find itself in a familiar place: hovering near the .500 mark. But if the Rangers can find a way to raise their game to the next level and post some wins against the big boys, they will solidify their spot as a legitimate contender.

The next month should be fun!

Random Ranger Thoughts

Yesterday, after Texas was destroyed by the Yanks, my dad sent me an email that pretty well summed up the afternoon. It wasn't a fun game to watch:

On a day when 7 of the major league teams scored in double digits (23% of the teams) and 4 of the games were decided by at least 10 runs (26% of the games) the Rangers were not quite as noticeable by their ineptness as they normally might have been. The game against the Yankees did reveal a concerning trend and no, it's not that Matt Harrison has been exposed as having only average major league stuff or that he might not be the real deal after all, it's the Ranger batting order showing an inconsistency that has almost reached the alarming point.

In a lineup full of bashers but very few "professional" hitters, once again the inability to make good contact and to know the strike zone was evident. A four hitter? Are you serious?? Against Phil Hughes? The ability to compete at the plate on a consistent basis requires hitters who know the strike zone, are able to hit the ball where it's pitched (see Michael Young) and hitters that can make good contact on a regular basis. This lineup is filled with too many 230 hitters at this point. Even Kinsler, who we can all agree is a star, is in a big slump mainly because of his insistence on pulling every pitch. There are not many major-leaguers that can swing at the pitches the Ranger swing at and get any better results than the Rangers do. Even Josh Hamilton is going to be prone to droughts of low power production and hitless nights if he doesn't become more selective at the plate.

I know we're going to stay with Davis even during his struggles but do we need to really stay with the Blalocks of the world? Is his flailing worth his once a week dinger? I know they've come at opportune times, but that won't always be the case. Let's start filling some of these holes in our batting order and work on the approach of our young stars. Staying in a slump for months (Davis) can irreparably harm a young players psyche forever. We have the best hitting coach in baseball so maybe it's time to lay down the law: learn the strike zone or grab a seat. Look in the farm system for a DH that has the potential to hit 300...we don't need more power we need more base runners. Just some random thoughts

That pretty much sums it up.

What's That Sound?

As I sat in the stands, watching the Texas Ranger move nine games over .500, I turned to my dad and said, "Do you hear that sound?"

He asked, "What sound?"

"That's the sound of the metroplex jumping on the bandwagon!"

35,000 fans at the ballpark in May means one of two things: it's $1 hot-dog day or...DFW is hopping on the front-running train...at least until Texas loses three in a row.

(Side Note - does it bother anyone else that the Rangers see their attendance double on $1 hot-dog night? Idiocracy Warning: the only things that people will show up for in drones: release of the new i-phone, Jonas Brother concert and $1 hot-dog night. Very, very troubling)

We all know what bandwagon fans are - but you may not have realized that there are many different types of bandwagon fans. This two-part series will help identify and describe the ten different types of bandwagon fans:

1) Old-Timer
The old-timer is a “guy-that-used-to-follow-the-team…then-disappeared…but-has-returned-now-that-the-team-is-winning” guy. He watched Texas suck in the 70’s and 80’s, gave up on the team, came back in the late 90’s, and then disappeared along with Rick Helling.
This guy is usually rather crusty and almost seems unhappy to be back at the ballpark

2) Newcomer
The newcomer is a young guy that has never really been into baseball, but now that there isn’t anything else to do around town, has joined the crowd at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. This is the guy that usually shows up in the 3rd inning, spends two innings going to and from the bathroom, concessions, etc…and leaves in the 7th of a 2-2 game citing “traffic” as the cause. He will only attend games if it fits perfectly within his schedule.
This is the guy that will walk .5 mile/hour through the grandstand looking at all of the "colors and decorations" as if he were touring the Guggenheim. Wow.

3) Chris-Chris
The Chris-Chris is “that guy.” You have known him for years and have never heard him discuss the Rangers (or baseball at all for that matter), but he now eats, drinks and sleeps Ranger baseball. He will constantly throw comments around like, “Man – HOW could you miss last night’s game?! Dude – The Milly was throwing some cheese and the Hambino totally destroyed hanger! It was totally insane, man! Can’t believe you missed it!”
This guy will only be seen when the team gets on a streak. As soon as the Rangers hit a bump in the road, he is out like Taylor Teagarden.

4) Owner-Hater
The Owner-Hater begrudgingly attends games to “support the players” despite hating the owner. You will see him cheering on his favorite team when they win, but will consistently throw-in comments suggesting that, “This team could really be something if we didn’t have a small-market payroll!” or “Sure would be nice to have Teixeira hitting cleanup (ignoring the fact that Salty, Andrus and Harrison have propelled this team into 1st place)!”
This guy wants Texas to finish last just to reiterate that Hicks’ “small-market payroll” has doomed the franchise.

5) Cougar
This term is self-explanatory…especially in Dallas. Anytime there is a new, trendy place to be seen (especially one that allows you to wear skimpy clothing), the cougars will come out. At the ballpark, most Cougars will be found in the Cuervo Club – but occasionally, they will sneak down to the lower level seats. With the Mavericks’ run now over – and the Ghost Bar slowing down on weekdays – Ranger games offer these women with a new hunting ground.
Most guys will mention how "trashy" she looks in an effort to provide himself with an excuse to keep looking. Well played, sir, well played.

DSK Podcast - Number One!

Guys,

My apologies once again for the slowdown in recent activity; however, I have completed the first DSK Podcast. We took some emails from a few readers and answered questions regarding Ron Washington, the Rangers and Alex Rodriguez.

Podcast #1

Dallas Sports Page

Guys,

My last article was featured in Sports Page Weekly. If you get a chance - check it out.

I Take It All Back...

Well, not really - but today, Michael Young did what most thought that he should do: come through in the clutch.

For today, I revoke my thoughts expressed here.