May 3 - The Thursday Lineup Card: Hope Springs Eternal...Or Does It?
From Dave DeBusschere’s book “The Open Man: A Diary of the 1969-1970 New York Knicks Championship Season”:
“January 6 1970: Baltimore – The best tonic for all our troubles is the Baltimore Bullets. All we have to do is see them and we get strong. The Bullets keep trying new tactics to break the jinx.”
That must be how the Yankees feel every time they roll into Arlington.
This is the week that was: Bakersfield OF John Mayberry Jr. lit up the California 
skies with 4 home runs – three in one game – during a week that saw him go 9 for 28 (.321) with the aforementioned 4 HR’s, 15 RBI (that's not a typo) 1 BB and 5 K. One of my better experiences during Spring Training this past March was listening in as John’s dad – John Sr. talked and joked with Chet Lemon (father of Lumberking Marcus Lemon) and Rangers manager Ron Washington on the back fields in Surprise.
On the pitching side: 20-year-old lefty Zach Phillips has remained in the shadow of his more heralded Lumberking teammate Omar Poveda. But it’s worth noting that Phillips has lasted 5 innings in each of his last four starts - 20 1/3 IP – giving up 4 ER, 24 K’s (1.77 ERA) however he has allowed 14 walks.
This is the week that will be: Weather could play havoc with the Frisco Rough Riders homestand, but if it doesn’t, then there are probably 3 home starts for Eric Hurley. He won the first one Wednesday afternoon with his first really mediocre (for him) pitching line of the season: 6 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 3 K, 1 HR. I bet Brandon McCarthy wishes he could have a line like that (sorry, I just can’t help myself.) 1B Emerson Frostad (.307) and OF Steve Murphy (.330) continue their assault on Texas League pitching, while IF German Duran’s average has slid a bit – but is still a respectable .291
Meanwhile the Oklahoma Redhawks finish a long homestand this weekend with 2 early games at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday and 1 p.m. on Sunday to accommodate the annual OSU/OU Baseball Bedlam series at Bricktown Ballpark. I have it on good authority that even some of the Redhawk players enjoy the watching tournament and the large -- ahem -- “energetic” crowds it draws.
Way down on the farm in Bakersfield two of the best baseball names in the Rangers farm system “Ace” Walker and “Bear” Bay pitch this weekend for the Blaze. Then Saturday, Omar Poveda tries to match his last outstanding performance (8 IP 2 H 1 ER 12 K) at the Lansing Lugnuts (Toronto) – I just wanted to type Lugnuts because it makes me giggle.
By the way one of my favorite resources is the “Ranger Farm Probables Calendar” maintained by the mysteriously named “Shroom” – here’s the link: http://my.calendars.net/farmprobs/
Travels with Marla: I was planning on attending Friday’s major league game to see the Blue Jays – eh? That was, until I saw the probable pitcher for the Rangers is Brandon McCarthy. Don’t get me wrong - I’m willing to be patient with Brandon – but I’m not willing to pay for tickets, parking and concessions to watch him try my patience in person. I’ll be in Oklahoma for Sunday’s game against Omaha and I’ll be in Frisco as often as I can during the remaining 10 games on this homestand.
Groovin' With The Vista Cruisers: It must be a full moon this week because the normally haplesss Point Place Vista Cruisers are 15-10 and hanging on to 3rd Place in the NATO division - I don't think we've ever been that high up in the standings. It just proves that sometimes the strat dice roll in your favor when Vincente Padilla is 3-1 with a 2.39 ERA, Eric Brunlett is hitting .355 to lead the team - I know it won't last - but why not enjoy it?
This week’s non-sequitor: A couple of months ago, after a particularly problem filled week that left me very downhearted, my boss (Hi Tracy!) sent me an e-mail that I printed out and tacked up my cubicle wall. All it says is: “Optimism is a magnet that draws good to itself”.
I’ve never been too terribly optimistic about the Rangers and I admit to writing this line – “brand new season same old Rangers” on one of T.R. Sullivan’s Monday Morning Manager’s this year. However, even I cannot believe the amount of knee jerking (“blow the team up” “fire the GM”) I’ve read and heard concerning the Rangers current record. Last time I checked they’d played 26 games out of 162 – that’s about 16 % of the season. How would you feel if you started a new job on Monday, but your boss called in you in at 2:00 p.m. that same day to say your work was not satisfactory and he was firing you – wouldn’t you think it was a little early to pass that kind of judgment? Yet some are already doing that with the Rangers. Why is it that fans are willing to believe that the Yankees -- who are off to a terrible start too --- can right themselves – but the Rangers won’t?
I don’t think this team is nearly as bad as it’s April numbers, I do think there are good players on this team who are simply in a bad slump and I trust they will get better – sooner than later. I don’t have any stats, or even logic on which to base my optimism but I do know that early May is no time to panic. Annie Savoy said it best– 'it’s a long season and you gotta trust it"– I know I do.
Keep hope alive – Marla Hooch
Eric Hurley is a great prospect but the rest of the farm system is depressing. It is stunning that John Hart, Tom Hicks and Jon Daniels have been talking about rebuilding the system and right now Hurley is all they have to show for it at either Frisco or Oklahoma. Everything else up there is either damaged or used goods. Or shunted aside like Jason Botts. Nice job rebuilding the farm system
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Panther Parent thanks for coming over to read the blog and your comment (I thought my mother and Mr. Sullivan were the only ones reading this).
As someone who spends a little extra time watching the minors my experience has been that most team's farm systems run in cycles - for 3 or 4 years it's a top-rated system until those prospects graduate to the majors and then the system, like the major league, team goes through a "re-building". A good example of that: about 4 -5 years ago the Angels system was considered one of the worst while the Rangers were producing the likes of Hank Blalock, Kevin Mench, Michael Young, Francisco Cordero, Michael Lamb and Mark Teixeira. Now the Angels system is considered one of the best with Brandon Wood, Joe Saunders, Casey Kotchman, Ervin Santana-- and the Rangers is one of the worst.
That being said - I think most would agree that Rangers minor leagues right now are suffering the after effects of the Alex Rodgriguez/John Hart years - which are the 2002-2003-2004 drafts. A combination of losing high draft picks due to free agent signings to try to boost the major league teams fortunes in order to satisfy Alex and Mr. Hicks investment - and then the really poor drafting by Grady Fuson/John Hart have hurt the farm system. No doubt the 2002-2003 drafts were particularly bad- except for John Danks (and you have to count him because the Rangers did draft him before giving him away) Kameron Loe and Ian Kinsler.
I think there's still some hope for 2004 draft - Eric Hurley at the head of that class - with Tug Hulett holding his own in AAA, Brandon Boggs, Travis Metcalf and (when he gets healthy) Ben Harrison at AA, and Michael Schlact not too far behind. And no, I'm not forgetting Thomas Diamond - but I don't consider injuries "poor development" - injuries just happen.
Just my opinion - it's too early to pass judgement on the 2005 and 2006 drafts - however it should be noted that from the 2005 draft: Kea Kometani, Doug Mathis, Steve Murphy and German Duran are already at AA, John Whittleman who is repeating Low A (but still one of the youngest guys on the team) appears to be headed in the right direction - Taylor Teagarden (again, if he can stay healthy) looks pretty promising too - and I'm not ready to give up on John Mayberry Jr.
Waitng for the farm system to re-build and produce players is a matter of smart scouting (which I think is the Rangers biggest minor league problem) and patience (which is their second biggest problem starting with Mr. Hicks). Of course, it's disheartening when good young players that you've drafted or traded for that came through the minors like John Danks, Adrian Gonzlalez and Chris Young are traded away for a "bag of magic beans" in return - That puts more pressure on those doing the draft scouting and running the farm system to cover those mistakes - and right now, the Rangers farm system is simply not able to do that.
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Thanks for adding me to your sidebar!! I'm glad you enjoy my blog as much as I enjoy yours!! :-)
Unlike you, I'm an incurable optimist when it comes to this team. But I'm not completely unrealistic. I know this team isn't just going to magically start playing better. It seems like they're back on track after the last few games, but we'll see how long that lasts.
I agree with you on much of your input about the farm system. Through trades, injuries or just plain disappointments, this farm system has lost the glitter it had just a few years ago. We'll see when that cycle changes.
http://diamondgirl.mlblogs.com
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Just wanted you to know that you have at least one other reader besides the ones you mentioned. I enjoy your writing and this was the best column so far, excellent work.
A few comments and such:
1. Listening in to ex-big leaguers and current minor league fathers and Washington during ST must have been really cool. I gotta make it out there next year.
2. I'm generally more optimistic than you, but I would say that your patience with Mayberry, Jr. is admirable. It looks like another horrible first round pick to me. The guy is 23 and hitting .230/.278/.467 in the Cal League, a notorious hitter's paradise. Doesn't look good. Especially when you look at a couple of outfielders that we passed on - Buck and Ellsbury.
3. How many hit batters does Padilla have in your strat league?
4. McCarthy made progress with the last start. I know that it's hard watching him struggle and Danks have some success, especially when you know one of the two personally. But I still think BMac will turn it around for us and be a solid starter for us this year. His stuff hasn't been right and this has got to be priority #1 for Connor.
5. Although the Frisco team is basically barren of top prospects (other than Hurley of course), I think it is very interesting that the Roughriders are playing so well as a team. Haven't seen any games in person but from the radio broadcasts and the statistics, it seems like they are pitching, fielding, and hitting pretty well. Also winning more than losing (20-12). And it's not like there are a bunch of older guys there, it seems like the roster is actually pretty young.
5. Not responding to anything in your post, but I thought the organization was committed to Nelson Cruz?
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Todd thanks for stopping by - I appreciate the comments.
Regarding Nelson Cruz -if that's commitment - then why does 39 year old Kenny Lofton have more about 40 more AB's than Cruz? I thought Cruz was considered the CF backup - and I seem to be seeing a little to much Jerry Hairston Jr. in CF.
When Mayberry was drafted the organization said he was a project - he appears to be one those players who starts out slowly then gets on a roll - I'm willing to bet on his pedigree and see what happens.
I have no idea how many HBP's Padilla has on my strat team -what I do know is that he's 4-1 with a 2.61 ERA (doncha wish that would translate to real ball) manager Red Foreman and pitching coach Michael Kelso are pretty happy about it.
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