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  1. #26
    you are a faggot Phillip's Avatar
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    Would have been nice to have Cruz. Oh well.

    At least the team isn't heavily reliant on Moreland, should they make it to the WS it won't hurt them much.

    And Moreland is capable of playing defense if needed due to injury. Hopefully he bounces back from a mediocre batting year. Good thing is he has solid power. Just too inconsistent.

  2. #27
    non-essential Chris's Avatar
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    We passed on Smoak and Davis for Moreland.

  3. #28
    Knowledge Is Hassle Fpoonsie's Avatar
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    'I hope they go 0-162'
    Ian Kinsler wants to help his new team and stick it to his old one

    THE SEASON BEGINS in a kitchen 1,000 miles from Comerica Park. Two new baseball gloves -- black leather with orange s ching and laces -- sit atop a granite countertop. It's early February in Dallas, eight days before Ian Kinsler goes to Florida for his first spring training with the Tigers, the team that acquired him in the blockbuster offseason trade that sent Prince Fielder to the Rangers. There's a nervous energy about the three-time All-Star second baseman. He's 31, going on 32, and he's been playing pro ball for more than a decade, yet he's filled with excitement and anxiety.

    Kinsler, his hair short and mussed, a five-o'clock shadow dusting his face, slips a glove onto his left hand. The leather is stiff. "Damn," he says, smashing a fist into the pocket, "this is gonna need work." He admires the initials of his children -- 5-year-old daughter Rian and 2-year-old son Jack -- s ched next to his new number 3, and beside that, two words: "Prove it." It's a mantra that carried him from overlooked high school player to two-time college transfer to 17th-round draft pick to among the most productive middle infielders of the past decade -- and back to being overlooked. Kinsler is often viewed as the "other guy" in a trade largely perceived as a salary dump for the Tigers.

    He looks at his glove and reads the words. They've never seemed truer. At every level, Kinsler has proved doubters wrong. Now, coming off two mediocre years, he is out to prove himself again -- to the team that traded for him and, especially, to the team that unceremoniously dispatched him after eight seasons and two World Series.

    "There was no remorse from the Rangers," Kinsler says of the trade. "They did not care." He obviously still does. "The team had changed," he says. "It was not the same personalities, not the same players, not the same chemistry. To be traded, it was refreshing to start new."

    LAST SEASON, KINSLER says, the Rangers didn't feel like his team anymore. It had been two years since the club won 96 games with Josh Hamilton, C.J. Wilson and Michael Young, one of Kinsler's closest friends. Young, the franchise's career leader in games played, hits, runs, doubles, triples and total bases, was dealt to Philadelphia in December 2012. "It hurt us," Kinsler says. "He held everything together." The Young trade was, in Kinsler's view, a misguided move that left a leadership void in the clubhouse.

    That was the first strike. The second came soon after, when the front office asked Kinsler to move from second base to first. The idea was to make room for Jurickson Profar, a then-19-year-old infielder who'd quickly become one of baseball's top prospects. A shortstop by trade, Profar was blocked at the position by Elvis Andrus, who signed an eight-year, $120 million extension in April 2013. Andrus, then 24, was considered among the game's most valuable shortstops. Kinsler was coming off an unexceptional season. He was 30. He didn't need it spelled out.
    But a second baseman who launches 30 homers and steals 30 bags, as Kinsler did in 2009 and again in 2011, is much more valuable than a first baseman who hits for power. In a moment of veteran pride and defiance of youth, Kinsler declared second his domain. "These guys gotta earn it; that's what I did," he says. "I was a 17th-round pick, so there was zero coddling. I had to put myself on the prospect map." In other words: No kid was taking his job.

    "We backed off at that point," says Jon Daniels, Rangers president of baseball operations and general manager. "We presented it as, 'We would like you to do this,' and we left it up to him." With Kinsler staying put at second, Profar bounced around among five positions last season and struggled at the plate, hitting just .234 in 286 at-bats. Meanwhile, in Young's absence, Kinsler became the longest-tenured Ranger, the de facto clubhouse leader. It fell to him to police the clubhouse, making sure players got to meetings on time and didn't wear earrings in the weight room. "I was bogged down," he says. "They wanted me to lead these young players, teach them the way to compete, when the only thing I should be worried about is how I'm performing in the game." For a guy trying to bust out of a yearlong slump and re-establish himself among the game's best second basemen, it was exhausting.

    ON THE FIELD, Kinsler posted respectable numbers in 2013 -- .277 BA, 13 homers, 15 steals, 4.9 WAR -- but nothing close to his 30/30 heyday. He berated himself for a poor play at second, for every bad at-bat. "He's a little intense," third baseman Adrian Beltre says of his good friend. "Sometimes he'll go overboard because he just wants to win and doesn't care about anything else." For Kinsler, the stress, pressure and frustration continued to build. "We were playing bad as a team," he says, "and when you're playing bad, everyone's on edge."

    Finally, in a late-September game against the Angels, Kinsler exploded over what he saw as a lack of effort from Beltre and Andrus. "Base hit to left," Kinsler remembers. "Leftfielder throws it in to Elvis. Elvis and Beltre are talking about the play, and Elvis is just holding the ball -- like the game isn't even going on. It's not a dead ball. It's not timeout. The play is still live. I'm like, 'Hey! Let's f -- ing go!' And Adrian's like, 'Chill out. We're talking about the play.'" Beltre and Kinsler continued their argument in the dugout and even went down the tunnel to hash out their differences. "For the two leaders of the team to be yelling at each other in front of the squad ... it's not very cohesive to winning," Kinsler now admits.

    The Rangers lost 15 of their first 20 games in September and fell out of the AL West lead. A late rally led to a one-game wild-card playoff, which they lost to Tampa Bay. Then it was over. Another season gone. There was more talk of Kinsler's decline, another elite second baseman who faded quickly, like Roberto Alomar, Carlos Baerga, Chuck Knoblauch and Brian Roberts. The rumor mill churned with trade talk.
    In mid-November, it happened. Kinsler was vacationing with his family in Hawaii when a Dallas radio personality texted about Kinsler's being dealt to Detroit for Fielder. Kinsler searched for news online. Then Beltre, who was also in Hawaii, confirmed the trade with his agent, Scott Boras, who represents Fielder as well. "I want to be the one who tells Ian," Daniels explains, "but literally, the story breaks while I'm on a plane to Tucson. I feel bad that's how he found out."

    Kinsler says Daniels was the last to contact him, leaving him a voice mail well after the deal had gone public. He never returned the call.

    IN HIS EIGHT years in Texas, Kinsler saw the team emerge from an also-ran into a perennial contender. For that, he credits former CEO Nolan Ryan. "Nolan put us on the map. He brought respect to the organization," Kinsler says. By 2012, that reputation was fading. "I saw the two World Series teams, and the way we played, the toughness we had as a team, it had started to move away from that ... It's weird. In the past four years, Texas has been at the top, but no one says, 'What a great organization.'"

    During that time, it was well-known throughout the game that there was a power struggle going on between Ryan and Daniels, who had acquired the le of president of baseball operations last March in a front office restructuring that ultimately led to Ryan's departure after the season. Kinsler squarely blames the man who traded him. "Daniels is a sleazeball," he says. "He got in good with the owners and straight pushed Ryan out. He thought all the things he should get credit for, Ryan got credit for. It's just ego. Once we went to the World Series, everybody's ego got huge, except for Nolan's."

    When Daniels hears Kinsler's version, he refrains from returning fire. "I'm not going to justify that," he says. "He was a key member of the best teams in the history of the franchise. He's en led to his opinion."

    Kinsler says that with Ryan's role diminished the past couple of years, the Rangers lost the swagger and professionalism that had been a point of pride for the team. He believes the Rangers will regret yielding to Daniels at Ryan's expense. "Nolan s -- s gold here," he says. "Once the Rangers fall apart, he's going to s -- gold even more because they turned on him."

    Now, the drama behind him, Kinsler has a chance to step back. "I'll miss all my teammates," he says. "I'll miss Elvis and Beltre, Mitch [Moreland], Matt Harrison and [Ron] Washington." But the frustration -- with his play, with the team, with the organization -- is still so raw. "To be honest with you, I hope they go 0-162. I got friends, and I love my friends, but I hope they lose their ass."

    Story cont'd...

    http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/10...-espn-magazine

  4. #29
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    Kinsler became the longest-tenured Ranger, the de facto clubhouse leader. It fell to him to police the clubhouse, making sure players got to meetings on time and didn't wear earrings in the weight room. "I was bogged down," he says. "They wanted me to lead these young players, teach them the way to compete, when the only thing I should be worried about is how I'm performing in the game." For a guy trying to bust out of a yearlong slump and re-establish himself among the game's best second basemen, it was exhausting.
    I have it so hawwd pwease, take it easy on me I only play a game and make millions of dollars unnecessarily fow it now i have to set up good exampwyle fow da wookies why is life so hawd on me??

  5. #30
    Believe. txstr1986's Avatar
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    http://espn.go.com/dallas/mlb/story/...niels-go-0-162

    Some quotes from Rangers players responding to the article

    Tanner Scheppers: "I don't think he's going to get what he wants. I have all the respect in the world for Ian. He's taught me a lot, but he's now with the Detroit Tigers. I wish him luck and I wish luck for everybody. I think we'll do our talking on the field. We'll see what happens between the lines."

    Matt Harrison: "He's on a different team now. He's on a team we're trying to beat. I don't want them beating us and going to the playoffs, and I'm sure he was trying to say the same thing. No matter how good a friend you are, once you step in between the lines, all that goes away. I'm trying to get you out, no matter who you are. He's going to try to hit home runs off us just as much as anybody would. If you step on the mound, you're going to try to get your mom out. It doesn't matter who's in there."

  6. #31
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    Also, not that it really matters at this point, but didn't Kinsler take a shot after Young after he was released saying he 'sulked in the corner most of the time'?

    Now all of a sudden he's a great ing leader?

  7. #32
    Believe. txstr1986's Avatar
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    http://rangersblog.dallasnews.com/20...nclick_check=1

    ESPN: The Magazine’s article on Ian Kinsler’s departure from the Texas Rangers wasn’t even on newsstands (if they even still exist) Tuesday when the second-baseman backtracked on many of his comments and admitted some looked “ridiculous” and “childish.”

    Kinsler said many of his comments were taken out of context and that the article was written for “drama.” Considering the fact it was in something called “The Conspiracy Issue,” you have to at least wonder if he’s got a point. So I thought I’d take a look at some of his comments and try to decipher what the real context was.

  8. #33
    Erryday I'm Hustlin' Robz4000's Avatar
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    I agree with a lot of his points tbh. Daniels ing sucks, trading Young was a dumb move, and the team really has lost itself.

    That said, Kinsler comes out as a whiny in that interview. Like it or not you were the leader, and blaming your slump on that is ridiculous.

  9. #34
    you are a faggot Phillip's Avatar
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    Daniels ing sucks
    How? The team consistently got better ever since he came on board, they got to the WS twice, and have been consistently winning 90 games for years now. He took a weakness that has plagued the team its entire existence, and turned it into a strength (pitching). He has consistently found good, youthful talent, and made splashes in FA and trades that the fans were unsure about, that ultimately to paid off well (signing Beltre, letting Cliff walk, getting Rios to replace Cruz, trading Tex for Andrus, Harrison, and Feliz, trading for Josh Hamilton, trading away Soriano, giving Colby a second run). Several of those moves had fans scratching their heads and even pissed at JD, but as time went on, it was clear that they were the right moves and the team benefited.

    What more can you really ask? Dude has done a magnificent job overall.

    trading Young was a dumb move
    In what way was it dumb? By the time he traded him, for several years Young had been a TERRIBLE defender, consistently sucked in the playoffs, and simply became too inconsistent in general. He wasn't worth anywhere close to the money they were paying him.

  10. #35
    adolis is altuve’s father monosylab1k's Avatar
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    Young sucked ass in Philly, was a non-factor in LA, then got so little interest from other teams his best option was to retire. Texas could have traded him for syphilis and gotten the better end of the deal.

  11. #36
    adolis is altuve’s father monosylab1k's Avatar
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    Also I'm honestly shocked at what an emo little Kinsler is being.

  12. #37
    Dragon style JamStone's Avatar
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    Kinsler sounds like a bitter , a scorned lover. I was never much of a fan. And I think he could very well be on the steep decline in his career. I only take solace in the trade because I felt Fielder's contract was immovable and he clearly needed to leave. I think Fielder will do just fine in Texas production wise, but his time had run out in Detroit for many reasons. I just didn't want Fielder around anymore, and that is Kinsler's one saving grace for me. He is the guy that helped get Fielder out of here. I don't have very high expectations from Kinsler. If he can hit around .275 with a .340+ OBO with 15-20 HRs and for the most part just shuts up and plays, I'll view that as a win for the Tigers. But I still don't like him very much. He seemed like a d-bag in Texas. That view doesn't change now that he's with the Tigers.

  13. #38
    Erryday I'm Hustlin' Robz4000's Avatar
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    How? The team consistently got better ever since he came on board, they got to the WS twice, and have been consistently winning 90 games for years now. He took a weakness that has plagued the team its entire existence, and turned it into a strength (pitching). He has consistently found good, youthful talent, and made splashes in FA and trades that the fans were unsure about, that ultimately to paid off well (signing Beltre, letting Cliff walk, getting Rios to replace Cruz, trading Tex for Andrus, Harrison, and Feliz, trading for Josh Hamilton, trading away Soriano, giving Colby a second run). Several of those moves had fans scratching their heads and even pissed at JD, but as time went on, it was clear that they were the right moves and the team benefited.

    What more can you really ask? Dude has done a magnificent job overall.



    In what way was it dumb? By the time he traded him, for several years Young had been a TERRIBLE defender, consistently sucked in the playoffs, and simply became too inconsistent in general. He wasn't worth anywhere close to the money they were paying him.
    I'm still of the opinion that the improvements in pitching were the results of Ryan, not Daniels. IIRC, it was Ryan who lobbied hard for the Rangers to make the move for Darvish. While the pitching has improved, its only done so over the past 2-3 seasons. Add to the fact that the Rangers made it to b2b WS behind the power of their bats and in spite of their pitching (sans the bullpen and Holland somewhat). The moves Daniels has made since their last run have been weird at best, terrible at worst. Remains to be seen what Rios will bring in place of Cruz (definitely like that they kept him tho), but in the end tearing down the foundations of those runs (getting rid of Kinsler, Young, Cruz, and to a lesser extent Hamilton) have yet to pay off and the acquisitions of Fielder and Soo Choo are steps back.

    As for the Young trade, while true his best days were far behind him he still did a lot for the franchise and in the end they misses his bat. Like him or not he's had some clutch moments for the Rangers on his time here. I know he was against becoming a utility player but I have to think he'd of sucked it up considering the team's success the past two seasons.

  14. #39
    non-essential Chris's Avatar
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    Phillip and Jamstone with the goods tbh

  15. #40
    you are a faggot Phillip's Avatar
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    I'm still of the opinion that the improvements in pitching were the results of Ryan, not Daniels. IIRC, it was Ryan who lobbied hard for the Rangers to make the move for Darvish. While the pitching has improved, its only done so over the past 2-3 seasons. Add to the fact that the Rangers made it to b2b WS behind the power of their bats and in spite of their pitching (sans the bullpen and Holland somewhat).?
    Wrong.

    Cliff Lee was a HUGE part of getting to the WS in their first run. Without some incredible pitching performances by him against Tampa and New York, and his confidence he seemed to inspire across the entire pitching staff (especially Colby and CJ), they probably flame out in the first round.

    The second year, Colby was a monster, and the pitchers were consistently finding ways to get outs when they needed to. They held a lethal offense in Detroit to a .244 average for the series. I would hardly say that they won "in spite" of their pitching. Their pitching staff most definitely held their own in each run.

    Now I can understand feeling that it was more Nolan who got the pitching going, but there is no question that JD had a part in it too, and generally has a good eye for talent.

    The moves Daniels has made since their last run have been weird at best, terrible at worst. Remains to be seen what Rios will bring in place of Cruz (definitely like that they kept him tho)
    So far, I would say it is definitely a win. They lost arguably their best slugger for 50 games, and still won 91 games.

    but in the end tearing down the foundations of those runs (getting rid of Kinsler, Young, Cruz, and to a lesser extent Hamilton) have yet to pay off and the acquisitions of Fielder and Soo Choo are steps back.
    No one got rid of Cruz. He chose to sign elsewhere after monumentally letting the team down. Yet the team still was willing to offer him a contract. He screwed himself. JD had nothing to do with that. If it wasn't for JD netting Rios, the team doesn't even have a chance at sniffing the playoffs, especially when combined with all the other injuries that killed them.

    Young as already discussed, wasn't bringing anything to the squad, and clearly quit on the team his last year here along with Josh. There is nothing he was bringing to the table that was severely missed.

    Josh wanted WAY too much money to only play 100 games a year, and daydream through 50 of them. Are you kidding?

    What happens with Kinsler remains to be seen, but in return, they got a player who has about the same playoff track record as Kinsler (inconsistent, occasionally disappearing) but generally far more overall production, and doesnt get picked off stealing 10+ times a year.

    As for the Young trade, while true his best days were far behind him he still did a lot for the franchise and in the end they misses his bat. Like him or not he's had some clutch moments for the Rangers on his time here. I know he was against becoming a utility player but I have to think he'd of sucked it up considering the team's success the past two seasons.
    Clutch regular season moments perhaps. I won't deny that. But I don't really recall any clutch playoff performances. However, I DO recall his lack of defensive range and ability costing his team dearly multiple times in the dreaded game 6 of the 2011 WS though. Oh yeah, then there was that game he went crazy against Detroit, after the Rangers were already up big and had all the momentum. Sooooo clutch

    What makes you think he would have sucked it up? Twice in the past, they asked him to take a lesser role due to a decline in production, and he cried about it and asked to be traded. It was time for him to go.

  16. #41
    Erryday I'm Hustlin' Robz4000's Avatar
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    Wrong.

    Cliff Lee was a HUGE part of getting to the WS in their first run. Without some incredible pitching performances by him against Tampa and New York, and his confidence he seemed to inspire across the entire pitching staff (especially Colby and CJ), they probably flame out in the first round.

    The second year, Colby was a monster, and the pitchers were consistently finding ways to get outs when they needed to. They held a lethal offense in Detroit to a .244 average for the series. I would hardly say that they won "in spite" of their pitching. Their pitching staff most definitely held their own in each run.

    Now I can understand feeling that it was more Nolan who got the pitching going, but there is no question that JD had a part in it too, and generally has a good eye for talent.



    So far, I would say it is definitely a win. They lost arguably their best slugger for 50 games, and still won 91 games.



    No one got rid of Cruz. He chose to sign elsewhere after monumentally letting the team down. Yet the team still was willing to offer him a contract. He screwed himself. JD had nothing to do with that. If it wasn't for JD netting Rios, the team doesn't even have a chance at sniffing the playoffs, especially when combined with all the other injuries that killed them.

    Young as already discussed, wasn't bringing anything to the squad, and clearly quit on the team his last year here along with Josh. There is nothing he was bringing to the table that was severely missed.

    Josh wanted WAY too much money to only play 100 games a year, and daydream through 50 of them. Are you kidding?

    What happens with Kinsler remains to be seen, but in return, they got a player who has about the same playoff track record as Kinsler (inconsistent, occasionally disappearing) but generally far more overall production, and doesnt get picked off stealing 10+ times a year.



    Clutch regular season moments perhaps. I won't deny that. But I don't really recall any clutch playoff performances. However, I DO recall his lack of defensive range and ability costing his team dearly multiple times in the dreaded game 6 of the 2011 WS though. Oh yeah, then there was that game he went crazy against Detroit, after the Rangers were already up big and had all the momentum. Sooooo clutch

    What makes you think he would have sucked it up? Twice in the past, they asked him to take a lesser role due to a decline in production, and he cried about it and asked to be traded. It was time for him to go.
    Yet in the end pitching ended up being their downfall. In the first two games of the 2010 WS they gave up 20 runs. Lee had some great moments but overall the pitching staff sucked. In 2011 they couldn't get a good enough game out of their starters, Holland's performance notwithstanding.

    Although Rios did work when he came in, it ended up being a huge loss. The offense made adjustments but they couldn't cover up the loss of Cruz. Not sure they'll do it this season either, as he's been big in both the regular and postseason. As I said I like Rios but I don't think he'll offset what Cruz brought offensively.

    The Rangers effectively booted him when they gave away his number. Not sure if he made it apparent he wasn't gonna come back but showing that level of disregard for someone who put in work for the franchise would turn away a lot of players.

    Even if Young was done the intangibles he brought were important. I can't remember the situation with Young after 2012 but iirc he wasn't quitting like Hamilton. Besides all that, Young did a lot for the organization and deserved the chance to retire on top.

    As for Hamilton he quit and burned his bridges. Would've liked to see him back but that bridge was burned. The $125 million he ended up getting seemed about right when he signed, but in hindsight the Rangers dodged a bullet.

    We'll have to wait and see on how Fielder fits in this season, but as of now I feel they'd of been better off with Kinsler or trading him for prospects or a more proven first baseman in postseason play.

    The Rangers had never had the excellence they were experiencing at the time so it remains to be seen if Young would've refused again. Winning makes players more willing to adjust; might've felt he was more helpful where he was in the past. As for clutch, he'd never really played in the postseason beforehand, so all we had was regular season clutch. Defensively he was bad by then but as a hitter he could still produce.

  17. #42
    you are a faggot Phillip's Avatar
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    Yet in the end pitching ended up being their downfall. In the first two games of the 2010 WS they gave up 20 runs. Lee had some great moments but overall the pitching staff sucked. In 2011 they couldn't get a good enough game out of their starters, Holland's performance notwithstanding.
    While you overstate some things here, I don't generally disagree, however your initial statement was that they made the WS each year on their bats, and their bats alone. That is completely incorrect.

    Although Rios did work when he came in, it ended up being a huge loss. The offense made adjustments but they couldn't cover up the loss of Cruz. Not sure they'll do it this season either, as he's been big in both the regular and postseason. As I said I like Rios but I don't think he'll offset what Cruz brought offensively.
    So... that is JDs fault, that Cruz decided to use PEDs and get suspended? I believe JD's effect on the team is what the original argument was about. Without Rios, the team doesn't crack 90 wins even.

    The Rangers effectively booted him when they gave away his number. Not sure if he made it apparent he wasn't gonna come back but showing that level of disregard for someone who put in work for the franchise would turn away a lot of players.
    Yeah, letting your team down with WS aspirations and getting yourself suspended for 50 games was a great way to show your worth and gratefulness for the franchise you play for

    Even if Young was done the intangibles he brought were important. I can't remember the situation with Young after 2012 but iirc he wasn't quitting like Hamilton. Besides all that, Young did a lot for the organization and deserved the chance to retire on top.
    What intangibles? Going from being a .330+ hitter in the regular season, to below .250 in the postseason? Or being too lazy to move your feet to dive for hits that come your direction, and giving up singles that any mediocre fielder would be able to prevent from happening? I'm sure those set a great example for the young talent on the team. Such great intangibles...

    As for Hamilton he quit and burned his bridges. Would've liked to see him back but that bridge was burned. The $125 million he ended up getting seemed about right when he signed, but in hindsight the Rangers dodged a bullet.
    Yet you say that was a weird move at best, and that it has yet to pay off in any way... maybe you should try thinking BEFORE you have you retract such re ed statements.

    We'll have to wait and see on how Fielder fits in this season, but as of now I feel they'd of been better off with Kinsler or trading him for prospects or a more proven first baseman in postseason play.
    We will have to see. But I don't see any reason to feel any better with Kinsler, than with Fielder. At this point in his career, he was bringing almost nothing to the table that Fielder doesn't. But Fielder brings plenty of things to the table that Kinsler doesn't.

    The Rangers had never had the excellence they were experiencing at the time so it remains to be seen if Young would've refused again. Winning makes players more willing to adjust; might've felt he was more helpful where he was in the past. As for clutch, he'd never really played in the postseason beforehand, so all we had was regular season clutch. Defensively he was bad by then but as a hitter he could still produce.
    He had two full postseason WS runs to at least have ONE series where he proved he was clutch. He never did. In his 6 series, only twice did he hit over .250 for an entire series, twice hitting below .200 and averaged a .261 OBP. Had a 6 K to 1 BB ratio. That's atrocious beyond belief. No way around it. He SUCKED in the playoffs. Quit making excuses for his extreme suckage. He blew at astronomical levels.

  18. #43
    Erryday I'm Hustlin' Robz4000's Avatar
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    While you overstate some things here, I don't generally disagree, however your initial statement was that they made the WS each year on their bats, and their bats alone. That is completely incorrect.



    So... that is JDs fault, that Cruz decided to use PEDs and get suspended? I believe JD's effect on the team is what the original argument was about. Without Rios, the team doesn't crack 90 wins even.



    Yeah, letting your team down with WS aspirations and getting yourself suspended for 50 games was a great way to show your worth and gratefulness for the franchise you play for



    What intangibles? Going from being a .330+ hitter in the regular season, to below .250 in the postseason? Or being too lazy to move your feet to dive for hits that come your direction, and giving up singles that any mediocre fielder would be able to prevent from happening? I'm sure those set a great example for the young talent on the team. Such great intangibles...



    Yet you say that was a weird move at best, and that it has yet to pay off in any way... maybe you should try thinking BEFORE you have you retract such re ed statements.



    We will have to see. But I don't see any reason to feel any better with Kinsler, than with Fielder. At this point in his career, he was bringing almost nothing to the table that Fielder doesn't. But Fielder brings plenty of things to the table that Kinsler doesn't.



    He had two full postseason WS runs to at least have ONE series where he proved he was clutch. He never did. In his 6 series, only twice did he hit over .250 for an entire series, twice hitting below .200 and averaged a .261 OBP. Had a 6 K to 1 BB ratio. That's atrocious beyond belief. No way around it. He SUCKED in the playoffs. Quit making excuses for his extreme suckage. He blew at astronomical levels.
    Let me rephrase it then: they made it mostly due to their bats. Outside a few notable performances by Lee and Holland, their pitching was underwhelming. At least nowadays they have a great pitching core, but I stand by that being a result of Nolan Ryan and not Daniels.

    Cruz ed up taking PEDs, but if that was the lead issue with him having bis number given away so easily and him inevitably not being resigned then I have a problem with it.

    I was referencing what he did in the 2011 postseason run. He doesn't explode offensively they prolly lose to Detroit. I think he took that suspension so he could play in the postseason tbh. Can't remember if the FO told him to take it or if he made the decision himself thinking ahead to the offseason and free agency. If it was the latter then he ed up.

    By intangibles I mean his clubhouse leadership and setting an example for the rest of the roster (tho I guess you could argue his ing about switching positions mitigated that). He was also one of the few players on that 2011 squad I trusted at the plate with the game on the line outside Hamilton, Kinsler, and Cruz (in the postseason anyway). By this point he was done as an infielder and should've moved to the utility role.

    I said to a lesser extent Hamilton; after the disappointment of 2012 I was fine letting him go, but analytically it seemed like a dumb move considering how well he'd been playing the past few seasons, 2012 included.

    Like I said, lets see how Fielder fits in. Right now we're on different sides about what to expect, but once we reach October or even earlier one of us shiuld have a different should.

  19. #44
    you are a faggot Phillip's Avatar
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    Let me rephrase it then: they made it mostly due to their bats. Outside a few notable performances by Lee and Holland, their pitching was underwhelming. At least nowadays they have a great pitching core, but I stand by that being a result of Nolan Ryan and not Daniels.
    smh some people will do anything to discredit people. This is on par with Dominique's ridiculous critique of Lebron's 61 point game.

    Cruz ed up taking PEDs, but if that was the lead issue with him having bis number given away so easily and him inevitably not being resigned then I have a problem with it.
    He didn't want to take a 1 year deal IIRC, and that is all Texas was willing to offer. The dude is past 30, consistently hurt, cost the team a WS by being too afraid to run into a wall, and just got busted for PEDs. Why would they be willing to give him a long-term contract??

    When he declined, Texas figured he would probably get picked up pretty quickly by some other team willing to unload stupid money to sign him, but surprisingly (and smartly), that didn't happen. So they already got his replacement at that point. I think it was more that they expected him to be picked up, as opposed to trying to be s to him as you seem to suggest.

    I was referencing what he did in the 2011 postseason run. He doesn't explode offensively they prolly lose to Detroit. I think he took that suspension so he could play in the postseason tbh. Can't remember if the FO told him to take it or if he made the decision himself thinking ahead to the offseason and free agency. If it was the latter then he ed up.
    He screwed up regardless. Either he shouldn't have taken them, or he should have made sure he didn't get caught. He screwed up this season more than anything else. But somehow by your previous statements, you seem to want to blame JD for it...

    By intangibles I mean his clubhouse leadership and setting an example for the rest of the roster (tho I guess you could argue his ing about switching positions mitigated that). He was also one of the few players on that 2011 squad I trusted at the plate with the game on the line outside Hamilton, Kinsler, and Cruz (in the postseason anyway). By this point he was done as an infielder and should've moved to the utility role.
    Yeah, he sure did a wonderful job of leading the clubhouse and setting an example, when basically the entire team appeared to be mentally checked out by seasons end, outside of Beltre, Darvish, and Andrus.

    I said to a lesser extent Hamilton; after the disappointment of 2012 I was fine letting him go, but analytically it seemed like a dumb move considering how well he'd been playing the past few seasons, 2012 included.
    They didn't WANT to let him go. They still tried to resign him. They just didn't want to sign him to the albatross contract that he wanted. He wasn't, and clearly ISN'T REMOTELY worth it.

    Like I said, lets see how Fielder fits in. Right now we're on different sides about what to expect, but once we reach October or even earlier one of us shiuld have a different should.
    Even if Fielder busts (which I doubt he will), that will be one of a very small number of bad moves JD has made during his tenure here. That was the original argument, about your claim that JD sucks, which is about as far from the truth as it gets.

  20. #45
    Believe. Chawaman's Avatar
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    Watching the game while "studying"... why the f do we still have kirkman?

  21. #46
    Veteran td4mvp2k's Avatar
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    fuk dat... let me know when they get a new skip tbh

  22. #47
    you are a faggot Phillip's Avatar
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    Now Profar out for 10-12 weeks with a shoulder tear?

    Who is the conditioning coach? This may be the 3rd straight season that gets majorly screwed up due to a plethora of injuries

  23. #48
    Believe. txstr1986's Avatar
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    Soto is out 10-12 weeks with a knee injury as well...

  24. #49
    Erryday I'm Hustlin' Robz4000's Avatar
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    Man, at least the Padres look to be exciting this season...

  25. #50
    Believe. txstr1986's Avatar
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    Worst. Spring. Training. Ever.

    Darvish to miss Opening Day and possibly land on the DL. http://www.lonestarball.com/2014/3/2...or-opening-day

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