Rangers Get Kip Wells and Matt Stairs

The Texas Rangers reportedly gave only two AAA RHP's for Kip Wells and Matt Stairs. It's funny they got Stairs after the Royals just took the last two out of three from the Rangers. (I don't know what they saw in him, other than the fact that he's a left-handed batter.) Stairs is very limited defensively, and is hitting only .261 with 8 taters in 226 at-bats. I can't get too excited about Stairs.

GM Jon Daniels: "You know, I'm racking my brains to figure out what missing piece we need.

Tom Hicks: "I've got it! Let's get a big, slow, marginal hitter!"

Daniels: "Brilliant!"

The big prize is Wells. He's had an ERA over 6 this season, mostly because he's been trying to recover from a bloodclot in his armpit. But, he's 1-1 with a 1.83 ERA in his last three starts. So, there's reason to believe he's peaking just in time for the ballclub from Arlington to start the stretch drive. The Rangers gave very little up. On the down side, Wells' $4.15 Million contract expires at the end of the season. (Since he's playing for his next contract however, he ought to be highly motivated.)

Wells' arrival will ostensibly lead to the banishment of John Rheineker from the starting rotation, leaving Millwood, Padilla, John Koronka, Adam Eaton and Wells. This is very, very provocative. I can't remember the Rangers being so agressive at the deadline.

Different Tangent - There were numerous sources that mentioned Roy Oswalt as a chip in tradetalks between Astros/Orioles. That was an outrage. If I had to name two players for the Astros who should be untouchable, give me Oswalt and Berkman.

Rangers Pitching Impotence During Hicks Era

Same Old Same Old in Arlington

Groundhog Day! Rise and shine Campers!

ESPN is reporting that the Rangers are sending Kevin Mench, Laynce Nix, Francisco Cordero and a minor league arm to the Milwaukee Brewers for Carlos Lee (HR 28, RBI 81, R 60, OBP .347, AVG .286), a couple more position players and some gum. So, the Rangers essentially traded one big, average-fielding OF with power for another. The Rangers get to be rid of disappointing Nix. But, to do so, they part with a reliever who can still have flashes of overpowering nastiness (SO/BB: 54/16) in Cordero.

Texas has always been a bastion of great power hitters. Since the early 90's, Will Clark, Mickey Tettleton, Pudge Rodriguez, Juan Gonzalez, Ruben Sierra, Julio Franco, Mark Texiera, Hank Blalock, Michael Young come to mind. Fat lot of good it's done them.

This trade looks bad on its face because Texas has never been able to afford parting with solid pitching. Since Tom Hicks bought the team in 1998, the Rangers have been in last place in Team ERA every year, except for 1999 (They were 2nd to last.) Also, Lee's in the last year of his contract. The Rangers will a.) lose him or b.) overpay to keep him, when they should be spending their money on pitching.

The Rangers' futility can not be layed at the feet of it's coaches or management. Since Hicks took over, Johnny Oates, Jerry Narron and Buck Showalter have all been at the helm; all with similar poor results. The failure at Ameriquest can't be layed at the feet of the GM because there have been several: none of whom could bring about solid pitching (Doug Melvin, John Hart and John Daniels. The only people still in their same positions since Hicks bought the team are Hitting Coach, Rudy Jaramillo and Hicks himself. And, with Texas always at the top in offensive categories, its clear that Rudy gets a pass.

If I was a writer of even the slightest import, I might get a call from him reminding me that Arlington is a steambath every summer. So, the pitching staff wilts like a daisy every August and September. He'll say it can't be helped. And, I'll admit that the only thing that can grow and flourish during a nightgame at Ameriquest is my burgeoning prostate. But, that doesn't mean you can just throw up your hands and trade away good pitching.

Hicks might say that an owner should be judged by his willingness to spend enough to produce a winner. And, he would be right. But, the results have been the same whether he has had the highest (2003, 1998) team salary in the AL West or the lowest(2004): failure because of poor pitching.

It's always the same. Groundhog day.

Twins' Tyner Gives Lesson In Humility

Jason Tyner worked with my son a little bit in 2005 at the Southeast Texas Baseball Academy. My son wasn't hitting. His poor hitting numbers had bounced him all the way to the back of the lineup. Baseball is a game of numbers. I am certain that his problems were mostly psychological. Tyner said that sometimes things have to get to their lowest before a batter will release all his poor habits and techniques. One is not encumbered by his pride once he hits rock-bottom.

The past few years have tested the former Aggie's philosophy as well as his character. He was the 21st pick in the First Round of the 1998 Draft, by the Mets. The former All Big 12 Selection from Beaumont West Brook High School played from 2000-2003, providing the Tampa Bay Devil Rays with quickness in the leadoff spot and base-stealing ability. As an outfielder with great range, his career .980 fielding percentage is quite sturdy. One can only assume that the absense of power numbers was the reason for his demotion after 2003. During his three years with the Rays, Tyner never hit a home run, striking only 29 extra base hits in 778 at-bats.

Tyner is a married man, with a small child. It would have been easy to gather his winnings from a three year stint in the bigs and retire happily to life after baseball. Most athetes' pride would certainly not allow them to start again at the bottom. In 2004, Tyner signed a minor league contract with the Rangers. He languished there, performing well at the AAA level. But, my beloved Rangers missed on him, never intending to give him a real shot. (Come to think of it; a lot of Rangers outfielders go on to greatness with somebody else. See Travis Hafner, Adrian Gonzalez, Craig Monroe, etc.)

Undaunted, Jason signed the next year with the Twins, hoping to earn another shot for a call up. At the time, to say it was crowded in the Minnesota outfield is putting it mildly, as Rondell White, Torii Hunter, Michael Cuddyer, Shannon Stewart, Jason Kubel and others all sought playing time.

Aside from a brief call-up last year, it's been roughly three years since Major League Baseball has recognized the talents of our own Jason Renyt Tyner. A miraculous confluence of injuries gave Tyner the chance he's been toiling for in Rochester, NY the past two years. Stewart, Hunter, Ruben Sierra and Rondell White have all been off and on the DL in the past month.

Jason played his first game July 14th, going 2 for 4 with an RBI. He's played the last 11 games, and is hitting a voracious .372 with a very tidy .400 OBP. His speed has provided dazzling defensive gems against the likes of Cleveland's Casey Blake and Chicago's Joe Crede over the past two weeks. And, since he planted his feet in Minnesota's outfield, the Twins have been baseball's hottest team at 10-1.

But, baseball is a game of numbers. The absense of those almighty power hitting statistics may again spell the end of another few sublime frames of the game that he loves. And, if that be the case, he'll give us just one more lesson. He'll show what a man can do when he gets sent down, but is not encumbered by pride. Armed with his own unique combination of confidence and humility, he'll quietly start going about the business of yet another call up.