Bleacher Report - Articles by Blake Hurtik

Hamilton Brings Rangers Into National Spotlight

Blake Hurtik — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 18:02:33 -0400

So, you may have heard about this tattooed former drug addict who can send a baseball out of Yankee Stadium and into the stratosphere by now.

Certainly 28 home runs in the first round of the Home Run Derby in baseball's most hallowed of grounds will garner the rest of the attention Josh Hamilton hadn't already received up to the halfway point of his dream season.

His magical first half leaves you searching for a superlative that hasn't been said about him. Heck, the New York Times has done a couple of articles about the 27-year old, not to mention that Sports Illustrated cover that renamed him "The Unbelievable Josh Hamilton."

When's the last time anyone can remember a Texas Ranger not named Walker receiving this much of the nation's attention? Instead of faux kung fu kicking his way through bad guys, Hamilton has specialized in using his big-barreled bat to karate chop fastballs into the welcoming stands of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington.

And with a resurgent Rangers team staying afloat, four games above .500 at the break (who saw that one coming?), even with a pitching staff as uneasy as ever, Hamilton has positioned himself as the spokesman for the revamped Rangers.

He's their ambassador to the baseball world after years of mediocrity, and the new face of a type of team that Rangers fans aren't accustomed to.

Sure, they put up loads of runs and can't pitch a lick, but instead of overpaid veterans knocking those homers and sending balls into the gap, a rough and tumble bunch of youngsters are busy piling up the fat offensive numbers.

Their lineup boasts three real MVP contenders in Hamilton, Milton Bradley, and Ian Kinsler, and plenty of rookies that are producing (David Murphy, Brandon Boggs), or are maybe a year away from being regular starters (Chris Davis, Max Ramirez).

Not to mention, the pitching staff will only get better with time as injuries mend and young players progress.

But what would all that mean without Hamilton there? Sure, had they not decided to ship off Edinson Volquez in exchange for him, they could possibly have a Cy Young contender instead of an MVP.

Texas would have a solid anchor at the front of the rotation, but who would replace the 21 homers and 95 RBI of Hamilton? Marlon Byrd? Boggs?

But more importantly, had the Rangers not pulled the trigger on the deal, they could very likely be in a similar position, standings-wise, staying alive, but out of reach of the Angels, but would they even be an afterthought in the national baseball consciousness?

Not a chance.

I can only imagine how big team president Nolan Ryan and general manager Jon Daniels' smiles were as they watched their wonder boy launch 500-foot shots into the dark New York sky.

Sure, it's tough to let go of a Cy Young candidate, especially in pitching-starved Arlington, but the Rangers got an MVP and public-relations dream in return.

Hamilton has given Rangers fans someone to be proud of. A look at the status updates on my Facebook account is a testament to that—over 15 different people referenced his Derby triumph.

So while the Rangers claw their way back to relevance and respectability, they can thank their tattooed wonder-boy for what has been accomplished and what is yet to come.

Rangers Gone Green: Recycled Arms Fill Out Texas Roster

Blake Hurtik — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 18:52:22 -0400

I have a distinct memory of heading down to the junkyard as a youngster with my dad to forage for some marginal part for his '79 Chevy pickup.

The feeling of looking upon acres of twisted steel and broken glass that used to constitute cars and trucks has stuck with me since those days.

Now, I find the sensation rushing back to me every time I set eyes upon the 2008 Texas Rangers' roster—particularly the pitchers.

In this day and age of eco-consciousness and increased importance on recycling, an environmentalist would look kindly upon the Rangers for stocking their roster with pitchers who were headed for baseball's junkyard, their arms and success a distant memory.

With an eternally struggling pitching staff, the team hopes to find some diamonds in the rough by investing in other clubs' rejects and outcasts, the latest being the signing of John Patterson to a minor-league contract.

The Nationals released their 2007 Opening Day starter last after the righty posted a 7.00 ERA and a .317 opponents' average against this spring. Patterson is battling chronic nerve issues in his throwing arm and had surgery in September. He won't be ready for minor league play late April at the earliest, according to the team's Web site.

Patterson stands as a textbook case of untapped potential.

Originally the fifth overall pick by the Expos in 1996, he ended up signing with Arizona and was a heralded prospect for the D-Backs, pitching parts of 2002 and 2003 for them before he was sent back to Montreal in 2004 for Randy Choate.

He continued to show flashes, highlighted by his 2005 campaign in which he went 9-7 in 31 starts, striking out 185 in 193.3 innings with a 3.13 ERA.

But, then, the injury bug bit him and has restricted him to just 15 starts the past two seasons, including an abysmal 1-5 effort last year to go with an ugly 7.47 ERA in seven starts.

Patterson's poor spring was the last straw for the Nats who cut ties with him to move along with their youth movement.

For the Rangers, it's a low-risk move that could pay off later in the year.

I wouldn't count on him having a major effect on the team, but, with pitching being a constant need around Arlington, he'll definitely get a look.

Being a former top-10 pick doesn't hurt, either.

Eddie Guardado's addition to the bullpen differs from Patterson's situation in that he consistently has proved himself at the Major-League level.

Everyday Eddie was a figurehead of the Twins' bullpen from 1995-2003 and racked up most of his 183 career saves in the Twin Cities, eclipsing the 40-save mark twice. Guardado also saw success for two-and-a-half seasons with Seattle.

After being traded to Cincinnati in 2006, Guardado had Tommy John surgery in 2007 and made 15 appearances with a 7.24 ERA before being shut down.

Now, he is believed to be at full-strength and the 37-year-old should provide a solid seventh-inning option for manager Ron Washington while sharing his experience with newly ordained closer C.J. Wilson. Barring further injury issues, he'll play a large role in the Rangers' 'pen.

The signing of Jason Jennings appears to be working out based on the former Rockie and Astro's spring numbers. In four starts and 11.2 innings, Jennings holds a 1.54 ERA and has struck out seven.

Another former first-round pick, Jennings saw success with the Rockies, winning the NL Rookie of the Year award in 2002 after going 16-8 in 32 starts with a 4.52 ERA in 185 innings.

In the hitter-friendly Coors Field, that's as good as holding a 2.52 ERA.

He established himself as a solid pitcher through the next four seasons, eclipsing the 200-inning mark twice.

But, like Guardado, after being traded to Houston, Jennings imploded, going 2-9 in 18 starts with a 6.45 ERA before being shelved with an elbow injury and drew the ire of Astros' fans.

With a clean slate of health, the Rangers hope they pulled off a steal. And given his track record at Coors, pitching at the Ballpark doesn't seem to be an issue—a rarity for starters.

Perhaps the most intriguing salvage project of all the Rangers have on their hands is another minor league contract signee: Sidney Ponson.

Few pitchers have been associated with as much drama as the Aruba-native.

From assault charges to drunken driving, Ponson has been no stranger to controversy. The problem is, pitching poorly means a much shorter leash for a player.

Ponson put himself on the map in Baltimore after a 17-win season in 2003. He's also eclipsed 200 innings four times for the Orioles.

But his experiences with other teams have not gone as well. While he was a solid middle-rotation starter in Baltimore, Ponson struggled mightily in stints with the Giants, Cardinals, Yankees, and, most recently, Twins. On top of that, he hasn't posted a sub-5.00 ERA since 2003.

Unlike Jennings, I'm skeptical about Ponson. The guy weights 260 pounds and is only 6-foot-1. Injuries follow him around, and it's unclear if he's grown up any off the field, even though he's 31.

But looking at these names, you can't help but yearn for 2003.

Take a look at what the Rangers' rotation would look like with 2003 stats. If only we could turn back time: Kevin Millwood (14-12, 222.0 IP, 169 K, 4.01 ERA), Vicente Padilla (14-12, 208.7, 133, 3.62), Ponson (17-12, 216.0, 134, 3.75) and Jennings (12-13, 181.3, 119, 5.11) with Guardado (41 saves, 2.89 ERA) closing it out. Maybe not the most flashy numbers, but something any Rangers fan would drool over.

Realistically, don't be surprised if Jennings turns out to be a solid No. 3 starter and Guardado posts an ERA in the 3-4.00 range. The jury's still out on Ponson and Patterson and the best case scenario could be the two playing a similar role to Jamey Wright—spot starts and middle-to-long relief.

Until then, Rangers fans can take comfort in their eco-friendly team for helping out with the free-agent pitcher problem

Come to think of it, anyone have Al Leiter's number? I think he might be interested.

The Texas Rangers' Senseless Catcher Controversy

Blake Hurtik — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 14:52:20 -0400

If you've paid any attention to the Texas Rangers in spring training, aside from the usual starting pitching woes that have surrounded the team since, well, forever, there's a good chance you've noticed the coverage of the ongoing catcher position battle.

Manager Ron Washington and General Manager Jon Daniels would have you believe the incumbent Gerald Laird holds an edge over hot-shot prospect Jarrod Saltalamacchia.

According to both of them, Laird plays superior defense and knows how to call a game and handle a pitching staff.

On the other hand, Saltalamacchia, according to the two of them, has got the bat, but is still clumsy behind the plate, even though he has made strides.

My question is: how could Laird even be considered to hold an edge over Saltalamacchia?

This is the same Laird who owns a career .246 average and hit just .224 in his first full season last year. If those numbers don't excite you, don't forget his nine homers and 47 RBI in 407 ABs. Or how about the 103 strikeouts and 'astronomic' .278 on-base percentage?

Convinced yet?

Of course, management would have you look at his 2006 numbers where he hit .296 with seven homers and 22 RBIs in 243 ABs backing up Rod Barajas, as well as his decent spring numbers: a .313 average, team-high four home runs and eight RBI compared to Salty's .259 average, two homers and eight RBI in 26 ABs.

But if we're going to seriously consider spring numbers, Adam Melhuse would have to be in the running with his .300 average and .364 on-base percentage. To his credit, the former Oakland backstop has generated talk of sending Saltalamacchia back down to Triple A to work on his defense while he mans the back-up spot.

Are we sure this is the same Saltalamacchia that was the centerpiece of the Mark Teixeira trade?

In 308 ABs between Atlanta and Texas last year, Salty batted .266 with 11 homers and 33 RBI, a glimpse of his power potential.

Now there's no doubt that Laird's the better defender. He threw out 39 of 98 attempting base-stealers last year compared to Saltalamacchia's 8 of 37. But the Rangers themselves could be to blame for stunting his defensive growth by playing him 24 games at first base and 22 at catcher.

What doesn't make sense is why Saltalamacchia isn't given the first opportunity to prove himself in a full-time role. They say they've committed to making him a catcher, but why risk stunting his growth further by having him ride the pine behind an average-at-best veteran?

Let me make this clear. I have nothing against Laird. He's been a class act and fan favorite who worked his butt off to get where he is.

But he's a backup catcher at best. The Rangers need only look to the lack of interest he drew when they shopped him around at the winter meetings.

The Rangers are obviously committed to a youth movement and rebuilding process, so they should put their Major League-ready talent on the field. Salty will grow behind the plate and in the batter's box. They just need to give him the chance.

Let him sink or swim, and if the result is the former, ol' reliable Laird will be waiting in the wings, ready to chip in a base hit here and there.

And if he tanks, well Taylor Teagarden and Max Ramirez sure are making waves in the minors.

But first, let us see if the Teixeira trade was a boom or bust.

Team Mentality Carries Texas into Tourney

Blake Hurtik — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 16:16:18 -0400

As the No. 7 Longhorns prepare for another NCAA tournament run, they find themselves in a drastically different position from last season.

Kevin Durant owned the Forty Acres in 2007 and, while he put fans in the seats, the team failed to effectively gel around its super-stardom bound forward.

The result showed with a disappointing second round exit at the hands of USC.

This year, the second-seeded Longhorns can be truly considered a complete team.

Everyone has heard about D.J. Augustin. The sophomore point guard played a perfect second fiddle to Durant last year, but has emerged as arguably the top point guard in the country and succeeded his former partner as the figurehead for Texas basketball.

Augustin averages almost 20 points per game to go with 5.7 assists per game. He also sports a 2-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio.

A.J. Abrams and Damion James have also made themselves known--Abrams for his dead-eye 3-point shooting (99 3's on the year) and James for his scrappy play and ability to take over a game.

But the unsung hero for Texas has been junior forward Connor Atchley. Rising from obscurity, the Clear Lake grad has finally earned his scholarship coach Rick Barnes awarded him after initially wanting him to walk on.

And fans' attitudes about the forward have changed too. A look at Facebook groups with the name "Connor Atchley" in the titles and you'll find some dating back to last year with less than flattering comments. Now the former "consistent liability" is being hailed as the "Vince Young of Longhorn basketball." Quite the jump.

He's stepped up with timely 3-pointers and put-backs and has a knack for blocking shots (a team-high two a game). Who would've thought.

Outside of their solid starting five that also includes Justin Mason, Texas' depth could be cause for concern. Freshmen Gary Johnson and Alexis Wangmene have shown flashes but that's about as deep as the squad goes.

Their shallow bench probably won't be a factor against Austin Peay in the opening round. With a name that most casual fans would guess is a high school not far from the UT campus, the Governors (hailing from Tennessee, dontcha know?) are making their sixth tournament appearance and are hoping to put up a good fight.

Forward Drake Reed leads the team with 14.6 ppg and will do his best Fly Williams impersonation. The hot-dogging Williams led the Govs to back-to-back tournament appearances in the 1970s and their first ever NCAA win.

Beyond that, Texas will face Miami (FL) or St. Mary's in the second round. If the Longhorns can make it out of Little Rock alive, they should receive a boost with the rest of the tournament playing out in Houston and San Antonio.

But first, they'll need to take care of business against the Governors.

One things for sure, it won't be a one man show this time around.