Outside the Texas Rangers 4/25

Actual emails from people who know nothing about me, it’s Evan Grant’s Outside the Texas Rangers.

You’re getting the drill by now, I hope. Someone does a mailbag, I answer it for them with generally less regard for not making my fans sounds stupid since, well they’re not my fans.

The actual answers are here

Q: Was there any inkling during spring training that the bats would be this bad? No one outside of Kinsler is hitting much at all. Did anyone see this coming?

Dave Stewart

Yes, and No. The team knew there were questions with the team’s lineup. They started with Sammy Sosa, with no one able to predict what would happen once he faced real pitching looking to get him out. Brad Wilkerson and Hank Blalock were both returning from off-season surgery and in the spring there were mixed results. Nelson Cruz and Gerald Laird were also being asked to do something neither had done before.

So there were some inklings of trouble, but there have been 4 things that were harder to ID:

Kenny Lofton – Players are expected to drop off as they get older, but Kenny had avoided that. I think every expectation was that his game would translate well into what is old age for a ball player.

Michael Young – A batting champion, a good two strike hitter, and someone who’s about as unflappable as it gets as a hitter. You tell me one person who thought he’d start like he has, and I’ll tell you one person who’s obviously dopey.

Mark Teixeira – He didn’t heat up until midseason last year, but that was easy to blame on the World Baseball Classic. Every expectation was that even if he didn’t start off like he finished, he wouldn’t be the same hitter who looked uncomfortable in the box last April.

Frank Catalanotto – Dependability at the plate was his best asset. You knew you were going to get a good – not great, not bad – hitter. Or you THOUGHT you knew that.

It’s just been a worst case scenario for the lineup from top to bottom. Ron Washington’s biggest issue right now is figuring out how to work the guys in and out of the lineup so they stay fresh and don’t think too much. He’s used to slow starts though, from his time in Oakland.

Q: There was a lot of talk this spring about C.J. Wilson being a "Renaissance man." What do baseball lifers think of players who have interests outside of baseball? Do managers give more chances to guys who devote 100 percent of their energy to baseball? Is C.J. Wilson hurting his career by letting it be known that he cares about something other than God, family and baseball, the three interests players typically mention?

Lance Simmons

Every player has outside interests. Every team has entrepreneurs, hunters, and drinkers. Some stay in town, some go home. Some are single, some are family guys. Younger, older... baseball teams are generally an interesting mix of guys from across social, economic, and cultural backgrounds.

CJ’s availability to people sometimes gets him more attention than Wes Littleton’s interests. The old-school types look at him and think he’s a “lefty,” who are stereotypically considered quirky.

The locker room isn’t “Ball Four” or “North Dallas 40” any more. The way CJ helps and hurts his career is on the mound. Even if it doesn’t work out in baseball, I doubt he’s going to teach English to a bunch of dumb Army recruits though, so I don’t think he’ll ever be considered a “Renaissance Man.”

Q: Why did it take so long for the Rangers to give Kameron Loe a start? You'd think a guy who led spring training in ERA wouldn't be sent to the bullpen. When given a chance to start the other night, he obviously did pretty well.

Jason Rohde, Omaha, Neb.

As the first question addressed, spring training isn’t necessarily an indicator of future success. That’s not to say the team didn’t like Loe.

Remember that the place Loe occupies in the rotation got one start before Kam took it. So don’t look at the calendar to determine “so long.” This team has long been short on pitching, and thought they’d have more options at finding guys who could pitch if they gave Jamey Wright a shot in the rotation. One option down, Loe to go.

Long term, it could make Loe hungry to perform, or it could make him into Doug Davis – who faltered every time he thought his spot in the rotation – who didn’t find success in Texas, but since has become a viable alternative for Milwaukee and, now, Arizona.

Q: I was having a discussion with my wife about the quality start. We were basically in [agreement] that the quality start is a baloney stat. What does a quality start actually measure? Why even have it? A pitcher having a quality start does not even do any good if the team loses the game. If a pitcher has a quality start but loses 4-3, what good did it do? Another bogus stat is the hold.

Monte, Dallas

A pitcher’s record is more baloney if you are trying to draw knowledge from the numbers. How good was a pitcher that won 15 games, but gave up a ton of runs? The record is dependent on other people’s performance

Now, the term “quality” might be a little bit generous considering the performance required to get there. Six innings and three runs is an ERA of 4.50. While not bad, is it “quality?” It’s supposed to measure the performance of a pitcher in giving his team a chance to win.

What about a guy that goes 5 innings and allows no runs? He’s still forcing a manager to use the bullpen for 4 innings, which impacts games days down the road.

But baseball has not only the quality start, the hold, but six times more stats than any sport. All are designed to weigh a player’s performance to help determine value (to a team, and in dollars). Taken individually, all stats are basically baloney, to use your terms. But when you look at a pitcher’s ERA, record, ERA+, WHIP (Walks + Hits / Innings Pitched), and a myriad of other stats you hopefully have a better picture of the player.

That’s what ALL stats are for in sports – an attempt to quantify a player’s performance empirically.

Q: I was wondering if you get to listen to a lot of the opposing radio guys on your road trips and how much attention you pay to them. I think Eric Nadel is one of the greats and I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on your favorites/least favorites in the rest of MLB.

JP Heat, Lufkin, Texas

I think Ranger fans benefit from having 4 great broadcasters, and a good set of writers who report on the team.

I don’t get a chance to hear as many different broadcasters as I would like, but much like cheese curd for people in Wisconsin – they are all supposed to be regional flavors. They hope to appeal to the likes and dislikes from the fans nearest to them.

So while I can’t relate to some people, hopefully their team’s fans can.

Here’s a short list of teams who have people calling their games on TV or radio that I’ve listened to enough to like and/or relate to: Florida, Philadelphia, LA Dodgers, Milwaukee, Kansas City, Seattle, St. Louis, Minnesota.

Q: With all the attention A-Fraud is getting for his finally clutch hitting and having walk-off hits, what is the Rangers record for walk-off hits in a season? Career? Same for AL/NL.

George Trost, Grand Prairie, Texas

I need an intern to answer questions like this.

Q: I'm wondering why the Rangers don't bunt more often than they do. I cringe every time Michael Young comes to the plate and there's a runner on first. It seems he almost always knocks into a double play. I grew up as a kid watching baseball and it seems that back then the players bunted more than they do now. Just curious.

Sandra

Their lineup hasn’t been constructed with players who bunt, so that is a factor. Playing in the AL also changes that dynamic – there’s no pitchers spot so each spot in the lineup should be able to hit. That being said, giving up an out that someone who can hit could use to drive not only the base runner in, but himself, is something teams have gotten away from.

But you want to take the bat out of Young’s hands because that’s how you saw it done by your little league coach? I’m going to cringe every time that Evan takes another stupid question from you.

Michael Young drove in 89 players not wearing the number 10 on their back last year. He grounded into 27 double plays, or about once every 25 at bats. That’s one for every four hits. You have quite selective vision.

Last year’s AL batting champ Joe Mauer did it every 21 at bats, runner up Robinson Cano did it at about the same pace as Young. These guys all had 2 things in common: lots of hits, and more double plays than they wanted. But that’s the risk involved with, you know, swinging the bat and making contact.

Q: I am sure you are getting many questions about Michael Young and his lack of being Michael Young, but I would like to add one more to the mix: In your opinion what is going on? Is it his approach at the plate? I know Washington has been stressing taking walks more and Young has always been an aggressive first-pitch swinger. Could it be a mechanical problem he is trying to work out? I am just curious what your thoughts are on this.

Travis, Moody, Ala.

If I had any idea why he isn’t hitting that I could say with any authority I’d call him, not put it in a blog.

I guess my suggestion is to have him bunt more, then atleast Sandra could be happy.

It’s a number of things factoring into his start: His timing could be a tick off, he’s hitting the ball at people when he hits it hard, and now he’s probably over thinking the misses.

The Rangers gave him 80 million dollars because he’s shown not only ability, but also the ability to change when things need it. When he and Rudy figure out what’s wrong, he’ll come on strong. For your sake and mine, I hope it’s soon.

Q: The Oakland A's had a strategy in which they shifted their entire defense to the right side of the field against Teixeira. On Sunday, they continued to pitch him outside. Standard baseball knowledge would tell you that you hit a pitch where it is thrown. That said, would that not mean the A's were going against their own strategy? Is Teixeira not capable of hitting to the opposite field? In that situation, why not drop a bunt? Eric Chavez was standing to the right of where the shortstop would have been. Doesn't add up to me.

The shift is one teams have used for years against left-handed hitters. The temptation from the outside is always go the other way.

That’s because we all think of the old adage “hit ‘em where they ain’t.” Teams think that players like Teixeira will stay with the same approach when hitting, regardless of whether the infield is facing backwards, all on the left, or all on the right.

They are often right, and players will tell you that they won’t be taken out of their game.

Look at it this way: An outfield shifts and shades to play differently against several players. If the left fielder takes four steps towards center, do you then want Mark aiming for left field?

Probably not. He tried this week to beat the shift, and it didn’t work. So not only did he not hit for power, he didn’t get on base.

Now, bunting will likely get Mark on base – assuming he can execute it and not hit it where the catcher or pitcher can get it, not exactly a guarantee since he’s rarely asked to bunt. His job is to hit the ball far.

Another way to keep a team from applying the shift is for Lofton, Catalanotto and Young to get on base in front of him. That’d help with many of the problem’s he’s having.

Q: Is there an injury issue with Brandon McCarthy? His velocity appears to have been down the last two games.

Adam Morris

Ahh, you didn’t let me down. I was worried! Do you keep record of how many times he uses one of your emails? Will you send me an email?

Your question: His ego is certainly bruised, and my hopes are taking a beating. Other than that, I’m unaware of any injuries regarding McCarthy.