On this date in 1995, the Orioles acquired David Wells from the Reds for Curtis Goodwin and minor leaguer Trovin Valdez. This marked the second time Boomer was traded that year as he was shipped from the Tigers to Cincinnati at the July deadline. Today's links..
- As Prince Fielder continues to look for his next home, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch takes a good look inside agent Scott Boras' infamous binder to see how he is framing his client. The book on Fielder not only compares him to the best sluggers from today but also puts him side-by-side with some of the best hitters of all-time.
- Richard Justice of MLB.com takes a look back at some of Boras' best deals and tacticts that the agent has used in years past. Justice wonders aloud if the agent will employ "mystery teams" to drive up the bidding.
- Even though the Rangers have a great deal of rotation depth with the expected addition of Yu Darvish, it's not a certainty that they will deal one of their starters, writes Buster Olney of ESPN.com (Insider req'd). Even after the departure of C.J. Wilson, Olney rates the club's rotation as the sixth-best in baseball.
- The John Danks extension seems to indicate that the White Sox aren't ready to rebuild, but MLB.com's Scott Merkin isn't yet sure of the club's intentions. Merkin says that the futures of Carlos Quentin, Gavin Floyd, and Matt Thornton will be telling.
Well since I can’t get to Buster’s Blog because you gotta pay the lady and I did not. That’s a reference to Storage Wars, BTW.
Anyway here’s my top Ten and in no particular order.
Atlanta Braves
Philadelphia Phillies
Tampa Bay Rays
St Louis Cardinals
Milwaukee Brewers
Detroit Tigers
LAA Angels (2011)
San Fran Giants
Chicago White Sox
Yankees/ Red Sox (Tie)
Also, maybe the A’s in 2011, but they couldn’t stay healthy and underachieved.
I would have all those teams ahead of the Texas Rangers, even if they still had CJ Wilson. While I don’t dislike the Ranger rotation, I do think their talent lies in their line-up not the rotation. I can’t believe Buster Olney has them 6th. That is as outrageous as my “French” Accent!
The Whitesox??
How can we take a list seriously when that same team traded their closer for nothing at all.
Well when you have Homer Simpson in one of those futurama in a jar for an icon.. you have to say something.
Anyway, maybe the White Sox is pushing it, but I do like Danks and especially Floyd. Maybe substitute the Reds now.
What I do know the Rangers are not in the Top 6.
you put white sox right after the giants. . we should take your opinion for what it is.
you are so quick to judge me.
I said in no particular order…
irregardless. the list is terrible
Well I don’t get paid like Buster Olney, what do you want ??
PS Irregardless isn’t a word, plus it’s not like I said the O’s were top 10. Then my list would not only be terrible, but an outright lie. I will give you a like because you got me to laugh.
But your right the white sox staff put up surprisingly good numbers in the sense that i wouldnt have guessed how well they did. They were practiculary identical to the rangers last year and didnt just lose their best pitcher so im not sure what all this fuss is about.
They did just lose Buehrle…not that he’s anything to talk about though.
(sarcasm)
If you didnt put the word sarcasm there you may of have a solid second point.
Irregardless is indeed a word, most people/dictionaries will advise against using it, but it is a word. Don’t attack people about their grammar because they call you out on your baseball opinion, counter with stats not dictionaries.
ok there genius where are the nats on your list??
Irregardless? Not so sure thats a word smart guy
It actually is now. Very similar to ain’t in that it was eventually added to the dictionary. Doesn’t make you sound smart but it is a part of our English language now.
Interesting that everyone jumps on the ChiSox pick but not the Yanks…
When you have the White Sox in the top 8 or so, it’s obvious you don’t know much.
Edit
come on lefty… yankees in the top 10? You’re better than that.
I tend to agree with you on the Rangers questionable 6th ranking by Olney. A great offense like the Rangers have can often cover up inefficiencies in a pitching staff and/or a defense.
Look at the stats of our pitching staff and I dare you to make yourself look ignorant again by saying that they’re not one of the better staffs.
We’ll see what happens without Wilson.
Look at the stats even without Wilson. They’re still one of the better ones.
You better hope that Holland and Harrison can replicate 2011. And you have no idea what Feliz and Yu are going to give you.
Holland and Harrison have improved every year they’ve been in Texas. People keep flipping out about Feliz cause of a down year last year. They forget he was a flat out dominant starter in the minors. And Yu Darvish will be fine.
So that’s two years?
Exactly. These jokers are going by the traditional view of the Rangers as offense first…not anymore. They have good, reliable starters…a couple of which (Holland & Feliz) could be aces…one ace inbound (Darvish)…Ogando, Feldman, Adams & Nathan in the bullpen…
People get on the yakees case because they lack a player that has been a consistent number 2, yet its fine for a team like the rangers to not have a number 1 or 2. The rangers right now have 5 question marks as no one knows if harrsison can repeat his yr, the yankees definantly have that one pitcher that isnt a question mark and it is for that reason that theirstaff should be considered the better one. Besides for the pointthat they performed at a similiar level last yr.
I can make you look ignorant with one sentence. ‘Go ahead, post more.’ There, that’s the sentence. But since you deemed to be ignorantly calling me names, i’ll ask you where i said the Rangers aren’t one of the top staffs? I said that ranking them 6th is questionable. Please don’t try to bolster your argument by saying the Rangers are adding Darvish to the rotation, because seeing as how so few Japanese league players have transitioned over to MLB with much more than early success because of the lack of familiarity for the players here, that won’t fly.
Did I say anything about Darvish? I know he’s a question mark.
I get tired of people dismissing the Rangers as an overall great team all of the time. Every time there’s a thread about the Rangers you get people on here that just try to stir up stuff.
Ranking them 6th is not questionable. They have youth and talent in their rotation. The only teams you can justifiably put in front of them are the obvious teams like (PHI, SF, LAA, and TB)
If anyone puts the Brewers up there then they are going purely off of Greinke’s reputation and not what he actually put out there.
The Cardinals have Carp (36 next season), Garcia, and Wainwright.
Or they could be basing it off his periphereals last year and the fact that the brewers and the cardinals staffs did better than the rangers last year and that the cards did this without their ace.
You didn’t have to specifically say Darvish. By your assertion that the Rangers are the 6th best, or better staff in baseball, that automatically includes Darvish once he is signed. It might interest you to know that my 2nd favorite team is the Rangers and i’m not saying anything hateful as someone who has an ax to grind…but maybe it wouldn’t. Greinke is at best a #3 starter as i see it now. Carp being 36 has little bearing on things if he pitches well and he does have a better history of doing so than most pitchers today. He also has a history of injury and that is always worrisome.
The Cards are my second favorite team lol.
I do think the Rangers are a top rotation in baseball without Darvish. I would keep them right where they are in ranking even if he signs. That’s right around 5, 6, or 7 at the lowest.
whoa wait!!! whats wrong with saying that the rangers are an overall great team….most clubs will kill or spend like idiots[see angels] to have a distinction like that
” A great offense like the Rangers have can often cover up inefficiencies in a pitching staff and/or a defense”
To a certain degree it can, but lack of it usually comes back to haunt in clutch situations.as in:
Boston had a 1 man pitching staff through much of the 70s (Tiant) and had the best offense in the game. They for the most part, led the Division, until August, sometimes September every year, but just about every year that lack of a pitching staff led to their downfall in the end.
A non staff in most occasions cannot be covered by a tremendous offense, no matter how good it is and the Rangers of ’11 can’t hold a candle to any the Sox had throughout the late 70’s. They have (had) 1 more good starter though which helped.
You obviously know nothing if you put all of those teams ahead of the Rangers.
Or maybe he watches baseball
You got me. I definitely don’t watch baseball…I just watched Major League, and that’s the extent of my baseball knowledge
That explains why you would think mark buerhrle was the white sox number one pitcher last yr while everyone else knows danks was the best on the staff. Either way its a stetch comparing losing the Two as wilson is the more irreplacable pithcer.
I didn’t say Buehrle was their ace, I said he’s been an important piece in their rotation.
Important sure but danks, and floyd still did better than him.
you have a lot to learn
The White Sox are barely top 20 let alone top 10. By far, the Rangers pitching was better than the White Sox. Take another look at the Rangers pitching staff–Olney is pretty close on the ranking: the Rangers rotation (with or without Darvish) is solid and backed up by one of the best bullpens (if not the best) in baseball now.
Do you Even watch baseball they were near identical with the rangers in fip, xfip and sierra and actually had the lead in two of those.
I don’t understand all the praise for the Rays rotation. If you look at their stats on Fangraphs, they’re nothing special.
James Shields, David Price, Jeremy Hellickson, Matt Moore… nothing special?
Very few teams have that type of young talent in their rotation.
Shields will be traded at the deadline, Hellickson had a nice 4FIP last season and Moore has yet to prove anything.
4 FIP for a rookie in the AL east.
James Shields hasn’t be traded yet, so suggesting that you are rating them lower because of his future trade is like me adding the Jays to the top 10 list for when they acquire a good starter..
And matt moore is the best pitching prospect in the world. Stephen Strasburg didn’t have to prove anything at the major league level for people to declare him good.
“rating them lower because of his future trade is like me adding the Jays to the top 10 list for when they acquire a good starter.. ”
Not the same thing at all. The lost of Shields will have more of an impact than the addition of one starter for the Jays. But you’re right. I shouldn’t rate them lower because of it. And please tell me you’re not serious about what you said about Moore. The list of players that were suppose to be “that good” goes on and on.
He’s already won AL ROY
Hey Miguel,
I think they are pretty good and they have to be to have gotten into the playoffs like they did in 2011.
Although, I think Tillman could be better than Hellickson in the long run. I know a lot of people are down on him (Tillman), but I really like him. One of these days he will get it together and hopefully, he is still with the O’s when he does.
That’s nice and all, but I’m looking at the numbers. The Rays rotation was below the Yankees in SIERA,xFIP, and FIP. Everyone seem to call them top 5 because of the “potential”.
So you’re saying that going in to next year you’d take Garcia and Colon over Hellickson and Moore.. because of numbers from one year of data? Completely dismissing things like age and potential?
No. I don’t dismissive potential, but I don’t get overzealous about it either, which is what most people on here do. “Shields-Price-Hellickson-Moore make the Rays sure thing for top 5 rotation”. How about this, we let them produce on the field in 2012 and then see were they stand?
And your dismissing experiance and ignoring the unpredictability of rookies. I dont see why garcia wont do well yet agian all he has to do is replicate the same xfip he has put up for two straigth yrs. ( but ya i’d rank the rays ahead of the yankees right now)
tillman? i saw him pitch 1 good game and that was in 2010!!! come on!!!
WSox, RSox, and Yanks ahead of Texas? I guess that’s why Olney works for ESPN and you don’t. Texas easily ranks ahead of all three of those teams. Right now, I’d put Texas rotation in the top 10 in baseball. Darvish is insane, Holland and Feliz both have ace potential, while Holland and Harrison have already proven to be good #3 if not better. Then you have Colby Lewis who is a lock to dominate the postseason and eat innings with quality numbers as he’s shown since he’s been in Texas. Our pitching doesn’t have to be our strength to be tops in the bigs, especially when we have a top 3 offense. So while I wouldn’t jump to top 6 just yet, they’re are definitely top 10.
The yankees have the better staffit wasclose last yr and the rangerslost their best player, unless you dont think coming within.04′ and .06 in sierra and xfip is close.
And im pretty sure the whitesox staff did better than the rangers last year either way the same rule would apply you lose your best pitcher you should fall down in the rankings.
We didn’t lose our best pitcher……..did you see Wilson in the post season? I would take Holland, Harrison, or Ogando to win a big game over Wilson.
Thats nice scherzer had a better postseason than verlander i guess that means hes the tigers best pitcher
Verlander is in a different realm as he is truly an ace. Wilson is not. Seeing a lot of Ranger games, Holland is the better pitcher. He had 4 complete game shutouts. The argument can be made that Wilson was more consistent than Holland but Holland and Ogando (he just wore out as it was his first as a starter) were actually better. Consistency comes with maturity and I may be speculating a little but I don’t think that in the coming year Wilson would have been our best pitcher. And any list about rotations or anything at this point is based on speculation. One injury to a #1 or #2 on this list and everythign changes. Makes for fun debates though. And yes, we as Ranger’s fans are very defensive about our pitching because we are tired of our stereotype as a great offense and offense only.
Maybe wilson is not an ace but he had a top 20 year last and was clearly better than holland.
agreed…..he cost himself that 100 mil he wanted because of that playoff performance
My top 10 for 2012, in not particular order:
Tampa
Detroit
Angels
Texas
Philly
Nats
SanFran
St.Louis
Milwaukee
Atlanta
If Hanson isn’t ready to start the season, I’ll take Cincy over ATL
I’d like to hire Boras to be my agent for a day just to see what the folder would look like.
“Has eaten EXACTLY the same number of live human beings as Babe Ruth.”
“Projects well to turn 40 at some point, much as Sandy Koufax did.”
“Nearly always remembers to flush the toilet, approaching Trevor Hoffman’s times remembered percentage.”
You sir, are funny!
Rays should be #2 after the Phillies but the Angels might of topped them. Not sure if Olney went by potential or more established but older guys. I mean a top 4 of Price, Shields, Hellickson and Moore should only be topped by the Phillies and their big 3.
My top 10
1. Phillies
2. Rays
3. Angels
4. Giants
5. Braves….health plays a huge role here
6. Brewers (another strong top 3 but not as strong as the others)
7. Cardinals
8. Tigers
9. Rangers
10. D’Backs….this might be a lack of memory pick but I like Kennedy – Hudson – Cahill
angels are obviously better than the rays starters. the angels have Weaver, Haren, Wilson, and Santana. thats better than all the rays “rookies”. but the Phillies still have the best with their big 3
Price and Shields are far from rookies, Hellickson never looked like a rookie even when he was one last year and if we go down to the 4 slot, would you rather have Ervin Santana or Matt Moore?
id rather have Santana because he’s expierenced and Moore’s only pitched 3 games, you never know what he’s gonna be like
I would rank them differently, but I agree with those 10 teams.
I’d also stick in the Nats as well as potentially tied for 10th. Their top 3 (health is a huge issue here) is better than the DBacks’ and both teams have issues in the back.
giants rotation > angels/rays
Brewers, Cardinals, and Tigers? Really?
Gallarado, Greinke and Marcum.
Carpenter, Wainwright and Garcia
Verlander (best SP in the game should count for 1.5 pitchers), Fister and Scherzer
I didn’t know you could count more than one for one person, my mistake……….
nats are very close to the tigers…..stras,zimmermann,gonzalez/verlander,fister,scherzer?? and before you bring out porcello ill bring out detwiler…..
Can anyone that has insider post his rankings?
1.phillies
2.rays
3.angels
4.giants
5.dbacks
6.rangers
7.tigers
8.nationals
9.mariners
10.braves
10b.dodgers
Can’t fathom how teams like the Rays, Yankees and Angels that the Rangers have beaten in the past 2 seasons have supposedly better pitching??? You guys need to update your records on the Rangers pitching staff.
I know right!!! its not like the Rangers offense had anything to do with it…
c’mon seriously.. Find me 1 person who isn’t a texas fan who would take the rangers staff over the Angels or Rays staffs..
Doesn’t mean that Texas isn’t a better team, just means their pitching isn’t as strong
I don’t think Texas’ pitching is better than the Angels or Rays. But take a look at the stats of our current guys, then factor in the t-ball park they play in, then add in Yu Darvish, this is a top 10 rotation. I’d say maybe 9th or 10th.
I didnt suggest otherwise
That’s what Lunchbox was saying. We have a very good, a very underrated rotation.
I would put the rotations in this order:
Phils
Giants
Rays
Angels
Braves
Rangers
Cards
Tigers
Brewers
Red Sox
Rays and Angels do have better pitching. They’ve added new guys who improve the rotation a lot, but the Rangers are an obvious top 10 rotation (I’d say about 8-10 area) and are much better than CHW, BOS, and NYY.
The stats disagree
Apparently people think that if a team has one great pitcher, an ace, that that makes you a better rotation overall.
The Rangers have a really solid rotation all the way 1-5. Even Scott Feldman would be a #4 on most teams.
Having an ace is great, and I do believe it’s the difference maker in winning a championship, but the Rangers made it to the WS twice having no true ace; just a bunch of 2’s and 3’s.
Phillies, Giants, Rays, Braves, Angels. Everyone else
Pretty much
Does Boras have the comparison of Mo Vaughn and Prince’s father Cecil in the binder? Those are the likely comparisons for Prince. The guy doesn’t work out! His body will balloon if the next few years. It’s genetics! Any team giving him more than 3 years will deeply regret it down the road.
Since I am winning friends and gaining popularity among all fans tonight, especially Ranger Fans. I was watching PTI tonight (good show!) actually one of my favorite shows. Anyway, what’s the deal with Yorvit Torrealba? Hitting an umpire like that in a Venezuela league no less! It’s meaningless winter ball! At the very least he least he should make a sincere apology for being a balloon head. In addition, the Rangers should do something, but I don’t think they can.
I can’t stand Kornheiser and Wilbon. Also, the Rangers have the power to do something, but why should they? He did it in Winter ball. As long as he doesn’t do it here who cares?
The reason they should do something about it is because it makes the Rangers look like idiots for employing him. What he did was assault an individual and had he done that on a street, in a club or any other public venue he would have charges brought against him. Saying “who cares” is tantamount to letting another star skate by without consequences for his stupid activities.
Yea, I bet if Yadier did it you’d sing the same song. Give me a break.
He pushed the umpire and nobody knows the circumstances of what was said between the two men. We all know that umpires can say and do things that are questionable.
I’m not a big fan of Torrealba. I think he’s a hot head at times. He pouts when he has a bad at-bat, but i’m not for weakening our team because of something he did in Venezuela that isn’t that big of a deal. You act like he got caught selling cocaine or something.
This does not make the Rangers look like idiots for employing him. I think steroids are an irrehensible part of baseball, but as far as I know A-Rod is still wandering out there next to third base every night for the Yankees.
So is taking steroids, and tarnishing the great game of baseball, worse than Torrealba pushing an umpire in Venezuela.
This is why I say, “who cares?”.
No, i’m not acting like he got caught selling cocaine or something. I’m acting like he assaulted another person. If it had been Yadi, i would be saying the same thing i’m saying now. You don’t know how i am as a person, but i’m getting a very good idea how you are as one. You are one of those enablers that have turned a blind eye to athletes that cause problems and get in to trouble, on or off the field.
No hes only enabling him because hes on the rangers, if arod did this im sure it would have been. A bigger story.
Yea, you really know me J.A.
You said feldman is a number 4 on most teams i’m sorry if i took that as you being extremely biased toward the rangers.
I hate when atheletes get away with something like that. The umpires attorney in Venezuela can take whatever action they want to. I hate that people that take steroids are allowed to still play the game. I hate that Michael Vick was allowed back into the NFL after all that he did. I hate that Donte Stallworth was drunk and killed somebody while driving, yet he’s back in the NFL. When you compare what these people have done, how can you say that what Yorvit did was on this level, and that he should be kicked out of the league?
I’ve been waiting for a way to get Yorvit out of Texas. JD should jump on this opportunity.
Texas is a beast team overall!! They play in a hitters ballpark!! If we don’t have good pitching then how did holland shutout the cardinals at home?!?!?!?