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King Felix will own the Rangers........well for my fantasy team I surely hope so.
I believe the Rangers will win the West, but it won't be easy. The Mariners improved quite a bit this offseason (on paper, at least) and I think Oakland is a potential sleeper. And I guess we can never count out the Angels, although I think they their window is closed for awhile.
Of course, I just read that Kinsler will likely start the year on the DL.
http://trsullivan.mlblogs.com/archiv...eaded_for.html
King Felix will own the Rangers........well for my fantasy team I surely hope so
And the Rangers will own the Silver Boot once again. Sorry, Astros fan.
It's the Rangers year. For the playoffs at least.
Yeah probably but like I have always said, who gives a rats ass about some stupid ing boot.
Lets Go Reds
You care enough to curse over it repeatedly, in multiple threads.
Yeah probably but like I have always said, who gives a rats ass about some stupid ing boot.
Just because you and Mono keep bringing it up year in and year out when everyone knows its a joke of a le.
The fact that you've responded twice clearly shows you don't care.
I have hope but also concern. The bats need to start the season hot and stay fairly consistent across the board. They've been quiet in ST so far.
The rotation worries me. Harden is an unknown, and although his velocity is starting to increase as the season draws near he is clearly a fastball dominated strikeout pitcher who can be susceptible to long balls in the DFW heat. CJ has been impressive but still unknown as a strter, Feldman is the best thing going in the rotation and hopefully will live up to last season. Colby Lewis is a huge unknown since he's been throwing to Japanese hitters the last couple years and has been up and down in ST. Harrison has been damn good and Hunter's been out. Lot of question marks there.
I never bring it up, its always some Rangers fan that has nothing else to hold on to.
I didn't say you bring it up. But you sure as don't know how to leave it alone.
There are questions about the rotation, sure. But we got guys like Derek Holland in AAA, whereas in years past we had crap in AAA. That is the main difference. There is so much pitching depth that the rotation doesn't worry me nearly as much as it normally would.
Leave it alone, you brought it up lol.
Yeah, because I know you can't leave it alone.
I'm not sure what to think of the Rangers this season. There was alot to be encouraged about after last year, and there's alot to be encouraged about in terms of new ownership. But I just don't know if this is the year.
Texas will have the best bullpen in baseball. That's a given. They're absolutely loaded at that spot. I don't agree with keeping Feliz in the pen, but I don't hate the idea either. He could easily be the best closer in baseball within a year or two, and stay that way for another 15. I'm not nearly as confident about our starting rotation. It seems like we're putting a whole lot of faith in guys who have never shown an ability to stay healthy. Talentwise, our starters are definitely a step above last season. Essentially trading Harden for Millwood increased the talent but I don't see Harden putting in that workhorse inning total that Millwood put in. I have a feeling we're going to regret letting him go.
Offensively, it all depends on the youngsters. Can Borbon take another step? Can Davis keep his momentum going? Can Smoak come in at some point and contribute?
I have faith Kinsler will turn it around, and that Vlad will come up big for one last year. The key on offense is being able to produce runs while expecting nothing out of Josh Hamilton. Amazing how a year ago we all thought he was headed for supers om. Now, I'd take a .260/25/80 season out of him without thinking twice.
Overall, this team has what it takes to win the West. It all depends on if they can stay healthy, and if the offense can rebound from an abysmal 2009.
I say they go 90-72 this season, and hopefully that's enough to get into the playoffs.
The Tom Hicks era is over. Dude is a corporate raider...he knows nothing about building. Tom Hicks was the worst thing that ever happened to the Rangers.
Nolan Ryan OTOH was already the best thing that ever happened to the Rangers, and now he owns the team. And no one wants a World Series more than Nolan does.
The least stupid person in all of pro-sports now owns the Rangers. Sit back and enjoy the trip
I realize I overestimated the impact of Nolan for the last 2 years btw...I was expecting him to do for the Rangers what he did for the Astros last time he was there...he didn't do it, wasn't pro-active much at all with the pitchers and I couldn't figure out why until he wound up owning the team. Makes total sense now....seeing as how he intended to buy the team.
Keep in mind that in addition to being an outstanding businessman with a once in an eternity right arm...he also is a genius pitching coach that can turn a pitcher from a typical run of the mill hard thrower into one of the greatest pitchers in history and automatic first ballot HOF'er, with a 15 minute practice session(Randy Johnson).
It's going to be good
My expectations today are that we're going to be extremely compe ive and if we don't win our division, I'll be disappointed.
—Nolan Ryan, ESPNDallas.com: January 26, 2010.
When you hear Nolan say something like that...just realize you are listening to such a master of non-controversrial and humble coach speak he typically makes Mack Brown seem like Muhammad Ali or Joe Namath in comparison.
It's going to be good. And soon
I can't tell if youre serious or facetious with that "Ryan made Randy Johnson in 15 min" stuffI realize I overestimated the impact of Nolan for the last 2 years btw...I was expecting him to do for the Rangers what he did for the Astros last time he was there...he didn't do it, wasn't pro-active much at all with the pitchers and I couldn't figure out why until he wound up owning the team. Makes total sense now....seeing as how he intended to buy the team.
Keep in mind that in addition to being an outstanding businessman with a once in an eternity right arm...he also is a genius pitching coach that can turn a pitcher from a typical run of the mill hard thrower into one of the greatest pitchers in history and automatic first ballot HOF'er, with a 15 minute practice session(Randy Johnson).
It's going to be good
I am 100% dead serious. He also gave Bobby Witt some advice that sent Bobby Witt on a the holy terror of his career...until he blew his arm out. Seems like Witt won 17 in a row after working with Nolan.
Astors made the WS when he hung with their pitchers for spring training. Yeah some of it was Clemens and Pet te of course, but they both idolize Nolan. Roger Clemens idolizes Nolan Ryan. Think about that for a second.
Nolan? He was the real deal. Not a typical human being. And he turned himself from a wild arm thrower into a power pitcher...there was no one wilder than Nolan, and it was not talent that lead to him overcoming his wildness...it was something he worked at, as was maintaining his mechanics and developing his one of kind circle change. That's why he can do what most freaks of his nature in sports cannot...and impart part of what he could do, to others, in the coaching sense.
In other words...our pitching is about to kick the out of the American league. That's right...Ranger pitching.
Last edited by whottt; 04-01-2010 at 12:32 AM.
Remember this...in 1987 Nolan had what most doctors would have called a career ending injury for a 40 year old man. He tore a tendon in his elbow that "required" surgery to fix.
He did not get surgery, he simply let it heal over with scar tissue...and went on to pitch 2 more no hiiters and rack up another 1000 or so K's after the age of 40 with what should have been a blown out arm.
By the way, this works, I tore a ligament in my knee skiing and just let it heal and I can walk and run and do everything, other than just jump around endlessly. Just let it heal...like they did before they knew what ligaments were.
In 1993 at the age of 47 that scar tissue finally gave out in the last game of Nolan's career....he threw a pitch, felt his arm pop and knew it was over. He threw one more pitch just to make sure and there was no doubt to Nolan at least...that pitch he threw with a blown out arm, at the age of 47, the final pitch of his career was a 98 MPH fastball.
Most definitely not a normal human being. Most definitely a legend in the true sense.
Everyone talks about the fathers and sons he struck out...I believe I remmber him mentioning in an interview that in spring training he actually struck out a grandfather, father, son combination. That would be the Bell family...Gus, Buddy and David.
People often exaggerate feats to make people seem more legendary than they are...you don't have to do that with Nolan. He actually did the .
Yes...a 15 minute session with Nolan turned Randy Johnson from a wild thrower with potential(exactly like Nolan was for many years) into probably the most dominant left hander in history. And if you don't believe me...Randy Johnson(another guy who idolizes Nolan) has mentioned it many times.
15 minute session with Nolan.
I actually have bad memories of it because Nolan was still pitching when he did it and Randy Johnson was still with the Mariners in our divsion...and Johnson promptly started tearing the Rangers a new asshole with what Nolan taught him about control. It was like geez Nolan...nice ing job there slick.
He probably would have done it more often with other pitchers except he hates giving advice, does not feel it's his place to go up and tell people how to pitch, and only does it when someone asks him.
Last edited by whottt; 04-01-2010 at 01:03 AM.
Ok, fair enough. I feel you overestimate his god like abilities to impart greatness a bit, but I have no doubt he and Maddox are definitely improving the staff's abilities. We'll see how well guys like Feliz, Holland, Scheppers, Kasey r, and Martin Perez do as very young pitches with good to great potential in this system. I hope you're right.
IF they are a fast ball pitcher Nolan can fix them like no other. More importantly, they listen to him.
As far as an overestimation...if we were talking about a mere mortal I probably would be, however...I'm not:
Prior to that meeting Randy Johnson had a career record of 46-61, the very next season Johnson would go 19-8 and go on a streak of 11 consecutive winning seasons in which his W-L would be 175-58 with 5 CY Youngs. He went from averageing well over 5bb/9 to under 3bb/9.
Pre-meeting - 46-61
Post meeting(up until he got arm troubles) - 175-58
Land on the ball of his foot instead of his heel...said Nolan.
Feldman just signed a 2 year extension
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