Kuzul

The Texas Rangers‘ outfield had their third trip to the DL Saturday, as Julio Borbon held the lucky ticket. That makes the trifecta complete. All three opening day starting outfielders are currently on the DL.

First came Josh Hamilton on the infamous slide in Detroit April 12.

Next was Nelson Cruz on May 3. Cruz left the game with “tightness in his quad.”

Borbon left the game Friday due to a “pull in his hamstring.”

The Rangers still won the game 4-1, but losing your best defensive outfielder will take a toll on the workload of the bench.

Craig Gentry was recently called up to replace Cruz. The Rangers called up Endy Chavez from AAA Round Rock (Tex). Chavez is 33 and has nine years of big league experience. He is a career .270 hitter who had to miss part of the 2009 season due to a torn ACL after a violent collision with Yuniesky Betancourt.

He signed with the Rangers for the 2010 season, and started in AA Frisco. He posted a .545 batting average in 32 games and was quickly promoted to AAA Oklahoma City (currently Round Rock), but sustained an injury yet again.

For the 2011 season he is back, healthy, and like Brett Tomko, ready to play for a major league club again. The opportunity came when Borbon was placed on the DL.

This begs the question: Would highly touted prospect Engel Beltre have been called up if it weren’t for his trashcan throwing fiasco?

Beltre is ranked as the best outfielder in the farm system, and fifth best overall prospect for the Rangers. According to BaseballAmerica.com, he has the best outfield arm and is the best overall defensive outfielder for the Rangers.

From the San Antonio Express News:

“Frisco RoughRiders outfielder Engel Beltre has been suspended indefinitely by the Texas League for his role in an altercation with fans after Tuesday’s game against the Missions.

The suspension likely will be for 10 days, but a definitive ruling is scheduled to be announced today, a spokesman for the league said.

Beltre was identified as the player who tossed the trash can into the stands moments after the RoughRiders’ 7-6 loss to the Missions.

The Texas Rangers, Frisco’s major-league parent club, also disciplined the outfielder, placing him on the temporarily inactive list and optioning him to the team’s extended spring training site in Arizona.”

Read more: http://www.mysanantonio.com/default/article/Frisco-player-suspended-as-a-result-of-melee-1355970.php#ixzz1MNXILuJc

It’s sad to see that high emotions cost a great young athlete a chance at making the big club. There was a good chance he could have been called up after Borbon’s injury. For his sake, i hope he learns from this situation.

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Julio Borbon is second in all off baseball in committing errors thus far in Spring Training. The league leaders in errors typically are infielders who have many more opportunities than outfielders. Borbon has five errors this Spring, he has a total of seven errors in his career in the regular season.

The Rangers in recent years have been proponents of competition amongst players, however with Julio they have broke away from that tradition. Manager Ron Washington stated early in the off-season that Borbon is going to be the opening day center-fielder, which left no room for competition, or any urgency for Borbon to play his best all-around ball to WIN his roster spot.

Behind Borbon there really is no true center-fielder, according to the Rangers that is. The Rangers want Borbon to be “the guy” so bad they’re forcing it on him.

Texas is so enamored with Borbon’s potential that it seems they do not want to look into any recourse for center-field. However I find it necessary to look at Borbon’s alternatives, so here’s three options the Rangers could execute in search of the best fit for the team in center-field.

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A beautiful day for baseball in Surprise, Ariz., on Sunday, but a loss on the field 11-8 makes the day for Rangers fans feel cold.

The closest the Rangers ever came to the defending World Series Champions was 2-1 in the third inning. In the top of the fourth, the Giants wiped the spring summer grass with the Rangers.

Tommy Hunter gave up a five-run fourth, and the Giants never looked back.

Hunter’s frustration clearly showed in his post-game interview when said “Today was…shoot, I don’t know what it was, I’ve got to get better. That’s the bottom line.”

He does.

In the top of the fourth inning, Julio Borbon didn’t help Tommy Hunter’s cause much, by dropping a fairly easy fly ball.

The sun was the main cause for the error, but he still needs to make that catch, although Hunter was lit up by giving up four earned runs in 3 1/3 innings at that point.

In his interview, you can tell his effort and the dropped fly ball of Borbon’s in the top of the fourth, clearly had Hunter rattled emotionally.

After all, giving up seven runs in 3 2/3 innings isn’t going to impress anyone, regardless if only four of the seven runs were earned.

They could have won the game, or at least had a chance without the costly error. Rangers want wins. Stats will come and go, but as long as they get wins. They will be OK.

The AL West isn’t the strongest division in baseball, so getting wins will be important.

Hunter is trying to earn a spot in the rotation for the Rangers. He is really isn’t showing he can handle the work.

With a 8.31 ERA in three spring training games, his quote is correct: “I didn’t give us a chance to win. That is a starter’s main objective. I didn’t get it done today.”

Ron Washington said of Hunter, “As long as he’s pitching and getting his work in, that’s all that matters. This is Arizona: there are a lot of things that happen down here that don’t happen during the regular season. He needs to work on things and we’re certainly going to give him that opportunity. No decision has been made.”

Hardly a ringing endorsement of his talent, or for that fact, making the team.

“I know I can win in the big leagues. I need to get back to where I was last year,” Hunter said.

As for the outfield, going into this season, the powers that be in Texas want Borbon to have his spot in center field, but his play early into spring hasn’t been all that stellar. Sunday’s mishap didn’t help him much, either.

The Rangers want Hamilton to be in left field because, “Hamilton has a less of a chance of getting hurt in left,” according to former CEO Chuck Greenberg on “The Ben and Skin Show” of 103.3 ESPN Dallas/Ft.Worth last week.

The Rangers like Hunter. They also like the fact he was somewhat successful last season with a 13-4 record. Will that help him “earn” a spot for this season? Seems likely.

Borbon, on the other hand, is costing this team runs this season…something the Rangers can’t afford.

This season, the pitchers have to do what they did last season when Cliff Lee wasn’t on the team. They need to get a fast lead in the AL West.

Errors in the outfield will not help Borbon’s cause, nor help this team’s chances of winning games.

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Blessed with a solid core of dynamic hitters, talented pitchers and skilled defenders, the Texas Rangers possess an exciting, well-rounded team that will endeavor to defend their 2010 American League Championship. 

Stars like Josh Hamilton, Michael Young and Adrian Beltre have track records to give an idea of what to expect from them in 2011. If health permits, the Rangers know what type of production they will likely receive from well-established players as they seek to return to the World Series.

To do so, they will need the production from the stars, as well as players stepping up their game throughout the squad. With loads of emerging talent throughout their roster, there is any number of players who could turn a corner in 2011 to make valuable contributions to the Rangers efforts to once again reach the playoffs.

As we steadily progress towards Opening Day, let’s check out some of the Rangers poised to make a leap in their development and become significant players for Texas in 2011. 

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Picture this scene; it’s late July, and the Mets are sitting in last place with no hope of reversing their fortunes.  In other words, it’s become yet another lost summer in Queens.

Fortunately for the Mets, patrolling Center Field is a healthy and all-star caliber slugger named Carlos Beltran.  His hefty salary has become an albatross to the Mets’ payroll, and Sandy Alderson is actively shopping him, gauging the interest level of current playoff contenders.

Who offers the best package?  What exactly would the Mets seek in return for Beltran?

Here are five possible trade scenarios that will benefit contending teams in the short term, as well as the Mets and their commitment to the future.  

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After losing four games in a row, Rangers fans are fearing the worst. It’s all too familiar of a scenario for a Rangers fan. The trend usually involves the Rangers battling for first place until around the All-Star break, and then a slow and painful collapse ensues.

Recently it may look as though this trend will continue, with losses against the Rays and the Orioles to construct a four game losing streak. The Rangers just can’t seem to pull it together, especially against the Orioles, who swept the Rangers in a four game series leading into the All-Star break.

Why will this year be different?

Rest.

Of their normal eight starters (pitcher not included) the Rangers are consistently fielding two. Mitch Moreland (the newcomer) at first base, and Julio Bourbon (the speed demon) in center field. They are also batting only four of the normal nine starters for the lineup. Vladimir Guerrero, Josh Hamilton, Julio Bourbon, and Mitch Moreland.

The rest of the lineup consists of bench players, designated hitters, and temporarily called up players. These include David Murphy (bench) left field, Vladimir Guerrero (DH) right field, Jorge Cantu (bench) first and third base, Andres Blanco (bench) infielder, Joaquin Arias (bench) infielder, Taylor Teagarden (Minors) catcher).

Why so few starters? Is the Ranger lineup really so banged up that they can only start a few of their best players?

No not really. They just have such a large lead in the West, why not rest some players?

Lets run down the list and see just how hard the Rangers have been trying to win these past few games.

Michael Young is listed as active, yet has sat the bench a couple of nights, he slept wrong and was a little stiff. You know the team is confident when they sit this guy, he just doesn’t miss games.

Ian Kinsler tweaked something. Probably could have played, but definitely don’t want to take the risk. By the way, with Ian Kinsler healthy the Rangers are 47-29, without him they are 20-24. They will need this guy at 100 percent.

Nelson Cruz is out just to make sure his hamstring is back to 100 percent before things get real serious for the Rangers. He has had trouble with it before and started to again, but the last thing he said before he went on the DL was that if felt better after two days of it being sore. Precautionary move by Ron Washington.

Matt Treanor hurt his knee running to first base a while back. He ought to be back before very long though. Either way the Rangers hope Bengi Molina will be the primary catcher, supplementing Treanor the way they are doing now with Teagarden.

Elvis Andrus is active, just taking a breather with Michael Young on the bench a little more frequently than normal.

Really, the bottom line is that Ron Washington just wants all of his players to be 100 percent for the final stretch down and into the playoffs. The batting order will likely reflect that of the order used when the Rangers took that 11 game winning streak.

1. Elvis Andrus
2. Michael Young
3. Ian Kinsler
4. Vladimir Guerrero
5. Josh Hamilton
6. Nelson Cruz
7. Bengie Molina
8. Mitch Moreland
9. Julio Bourbon

The differences being in slots seven and eight where Bengie Molina has taken over for Matt Treanor and Mitch Moreland is in for Justin Smoak (dealt to Mariners in part of deal for Cliff Lee).

This is one of, if not the strongest lineup in the majors when all are healthy. This is exactly Ron Washington’s plan, and that means taking a few losses right now, to win them when they count.

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Can you believe the Big 12 Conference is going to break up? I never thought I would ever see that. I mean how can Nebraska be in the Big 10 and Oklahoma and Texas be in the Pac 10?

It just doesn’t seem right.

It also doesn’t seem right that Kansas is going to end up in the Mountain West Conference. The reason nobody wants Kansas is because basketball doesn’t count as much as football. Texas is the No. 1 revenue producing college football program with about $70 million in revenues. North Carolina is the No. 1 revenue producing college basketball program with about $16 million.

There is your answer right there. The reason I bring this up is because I love college sports and it is just weird to see all of this happen.

Now back to baseball. And perhaps sticking with the Big 12/Texas theme, has anyone noticed how hot Texas Rangers’ OF Julio Borbon has been lately?

After hitting .312 with 19 SBs in 46 games, Borbon was expected to be a breakout star in 2010. However, Borbon got off to a terrible start this baseball season.

Borbon got off to a .191 start in April and there was a possibility that Borbon would be sent back to the minors. However, Rangers manager Ron Washington moved Borbon down to the ninth spot in the order and since then, Borbon has thrived.

Since being moved into the ninth spot in the order, Borbon has hit .328 to raise his average to .276. In the month of June, Borbon has been especially hot.

This month, Borbon is hitting .467 and is really helping the Rangers stretch out their already potent lineup. I would like to see Borbon walk more, however. He only has three walks the entire season. Even Yuniesky Bentancourt has walked nine times this season.

Borbon has finally found his hitting stroke and has turned things around in 2010. Now if he could only learn how to take some pitches, his turnaround will be complete.

You can follow The Ghost of Moonlight Graham on Twitter @ theghostofmlg

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