Rangers vs. Cubs

Rangers face off with the Cubs tonight. It’s hard to know what the Rangers will really do, as far as a win or loss, simply due to how they do not have Mark Teixeira and Hank Blalock in the lineup. To add insult to injury, Kinsler hasn’t really been on target. And really that can be said of the rest of the Rangers in the lineup, minus Young and Sosa. What I like about this series is that it is the first time Sosa has played against his former team, and it is the first time the Cubs have come to Arlington. I like both of those things. And what I like even better is that Sosa has 599 homeruns and can clock his 600th homerun against the team he has played for majority of his career. I guess I should add that I have tickets to tonight’s game. I want more than any material item in this world for Sosa to hit that milestone tonight. A look at tonight’s game:

Robinson Tejeda takes the mound for the Rangers tonight. Tejeda is 2-3 at home this season (5-7 for the season) with a 6.03 ERA. The opposing team is batting .300 against him. I can tell you this: He won last time I saw him pitch this year, so one of the two wins are with me in attendance (I think I give him a little boost). He has, however, lost four of his last five starts and raised his ERA from 4.53 to 6.49. That’s not what I would call good pitching. He’ll turn it around tonight. Current Cubs hitters are 2-18 against Tejeda, with 1 HR and 1 RBI. They have three walks and have whiffed five times. The OBA is .111 and their OBP is a .238 average. Cliff Floyd and Aramis Ramirez have one hit a piece.

Sean Christopher Marshall is pitching for the Cubs. He has only five games to show for the season and has a decision for each and every one (3-2). His ERA is a solid 2.12 this season and an even better 2.08 on the road. To make things even worse, his ERA is 1.74 in the month of June, so this kid just keeps getting better and better. His opponents are batting .170 on the road and .227 this month. The current Ranger is roster is batting ZIP against him. However, that only consists of five at-bats: two by Lofton and Byrd and one by Jamey Wright. You can’t really expect Wright to have a hit, since he is a pitcher. Marshall pitched last season in the majors, and compiled a 5.59 ERA in 125 2/3 innings. He also finished with a 6-9 record last year. Notably, his strikeouts are up from last year and his walks are down from last year (1.31 K/BB in 2006 and 3.86 K/BB this year). Last year, he gave up a HR every 6.28 innings. This year, it is one every 11 1/3 innings.

The reason I keep bringing up last years starts for Marshall is that I believe his numbers will move closer to that as the season goes along. It could start tonight. It could start in his next start or the next after that… I don’t know. It will happen. Either that, or this season could be a fluke season where his numbers are simply amazing and then he will revert back to reality in 2008. I don’t really think that this will be a fluke season. He’s too young for something like that. Maybe the Rangers can take him to school tonight, but with our bats not really being there, it could be an average night for him as this season moves along.

At night, Tejeda is 4-5 with a 6.65 ERA. Tejeda has done well against Chicago this season (actually, it’s the White Sox, but I’ll take what I can get), having a 1-0 record and 1.29 ERA in 7 innings.

Sammy Sosa will do some damage tonight, that much I am certain. How much damage? I don’t really know if it will be against the starter Marshall or the bullpen, but he will knock in at least one RBI. And I predict #600 this evening, only because I want him to slap that out while I am watching in person. How cool would that be? Let me tell you, VERY COOL, very cool indeed.

The Cubs record is 31-37 and the Rangers is 26-43 (the MLB lowest). The Cubs are the favorite going into this game. The Cubs have lost their last two and the Rangers won their last game. Cubs are 31-37 on grass and 14-17 at night. The Rangers are 24-41 on grass and 18-31 at night. Both teams are 5-5 in their last ten. Texas has won three of its last four. Marshall has won his last three starts and the Cubs have a 3-2 record in their last five (4-5 in their last nine).

The forecast for the Rangers: Rangers take this one by playing POWERBALL late in the game. Three homeruns for the boys in blue, one by Sosa as the Rangers power their way to a win: 6-4.

Rangers vs. Cincinnati

Well, I don't think the Rangers have arrived yet, but they have slapped two wins together. Surprise, surprise... Jamey Wright has a chance to match the Rangers longest winning streak this season (which is 3), with a win on Saturday. Jamey (who has an ERA of 16.87) faces off against Aaron Harang (3.93 ERA). In Harang's last five starts, the Reds have lost three of them. His last start, the Reds won 1-0 in which he pitched seven solid innings against Cleveland, giving up three hits and two walks while striking out 10. In fact, the last three starts by Harang the score was decided by one run, twice favorably for the Reds.

As everyone knows, Sosa loves facing the Reds in Cincinnati. Lifetime in the Reds house, he has 11 HRs in 74 at-bats. He'll hit #600 in Cincinnati, if and only if he stays in the lineup. And it can be possible for them to take him out so that he can slap #600 at home against his former team, the Cubs on the 19th. I'm fortunate to have tickets to that game.

For the Rangers to keep out of the lineup, it would mean that they believe they are out of the race. Now, let's think about this. Saying that if the winner of this division needs 90 wins to take the West (not really likely, should take quite a bit more, but bear with me on this), with the Rangers current record of 25-42 (17 games under .500), they would need to put together a record of 65-30 the rest of the way. It's not impossible, but for a team completely and totally in last place in the American League, to jump up and play 35 games over .500 would be phenominal. And to be honest, my faith is wavering on whether they can turn it around like that this season. The starting pitching is awful. Millwood is pitiful. Padilla is worse. Kameron Loe has been disappointing. Ian Kinsler and Michael Young have been off-key. Tiexiera has been a strike-out and Blalock is AWOL. Cat has been outright sickening. Sosa has been a surprising delight this season. I dig Lofton. I dig the bullpen. And I hate having said all this, but I just want the Rangers to change my attitude. PLEASE DO, GUYS!! I can't say that I like feeling this way about my team.

Well, with that said, let's check out Redman in AAA.

(June 9th)

AAA: at Oklahoma 3, Round Rock 8

Loss: Redman (1-1, 4.74)

Mark Redman had his first bad start in Oklahoma, allowing seven runs in seven innings. Franklyn German (4.55 ERA) threw a couple of scoreless frames.

Nelson Cruz single and doubled in four at-bats in his first game in AAA. Jason Botts singled and walked.

Oklahoma placed reliever Ezequiel Astacio on the DL with elbow soreness and activated reliever Michael Bumstead.

(June 14th)

AAA, Game 2: Oklahoma 2, at Albuquerque 3 (7 innings)

Loss: Redman (1-2, 4.62)

Oklahoma had the second game under control until the bottom of the 7th. Up 2-0, Albuquerque scored three runs on three hits, two walks and an error. Mark Redman pitched all 6.1 innings.

Guillermo Quiroz hit a solo homer in the 5th, and Nate Gold drive in Kevin West for Oklahoma’s other run. Nelson Cruz (.316/.435/.842) walked twice and singled.

Well, I don't know what to say except that Redman would do a good job in the Rangers organization if they can catch the ball. We haven't done a good job with that lately. Millwood pitches the last game of the Rangers/Reds series. 65 wins and 30 loses from this point on. It can happen. And taxes can be eliminated from the US ecomony. It can happen. Will it? Rangers have way better odds than the taxes thing, but both are extremely unlikely. Still - keep the faith. Saturday will prove whether the team has given up this year...

***Sosa in the lineup: to the last at-bat attitude.

***Sosa out of the lineup: Rangers already thinking next year.

Johnny Out.

2007 Draft: 6th to the 13th Round

Day Two of the Draft: (6th Round to the 13th Round)
Pick #200: Robert Wilkins (RHP) from Valhalla High School was born on 8/20/1989. He’s 6’4 and weighs 225 pounds.

Pick #230: Timothy Smith comes from Arizona State, which he played RF. He’s a lefty that stands 6’3 and weighed 225 pounds. He was born on 6/14/1986.

Pick #260: Jonathan Greene was a catcher at Western Carolina University. The right-hand batter stood at 5’11 and weighed in at 210 lbs. Greene’s birthday is 9/16/1985.

Pick #290: Ralph Stoneburner was born on 1/14/1985. Graduating from James Madison University, he stands an even 6 feet. Ralph bats from the right side and plays shortstop.

Pick #320: Andrew Laughter is a RHP from the University of Louisiana Lafayette. This funny guy doesn’t have a weight listed, but stands 6’4 with a birth date of 2/24/1985

Pick #350: Anthony Ranaudo was a pitcher from St. Rose high school and stands a towering 6’7. Anthony pitches with his right hand. He’s born on 9/9/1989 and weighs in at 225.

Pick #380: Thomas Pomeranz is a left hand pitcher from Collierville High School. His 190 pound and 6’5 frame actually bats right instead of left. Thomas was born on 11/22/1988.

Pick #410: Kyle Ocampo (RHP) comes from Riverside Poly High School. While Kyle stands 6’3, he only weighs 195. The youngster was born on 9/9/1988.

Drafted:

• Pitchers: 11
• Position Players: 6

Note: this is thru the 13th Round.

Matt West, Evan Reed, Garrett Nash, John Gast

Matt West will be another hometown favortie, should he hit the Big Time here. That's how it is in Texas with natives playing here. Gast looks to be the best of the bunch, but his injury could be the death of him, if he doesn't bounce back into form that he had in high school before the injury. The Rangers thus far have nine picks, three of which were not pitchers. Six pitchers in the first nine picks is more than addressing the issue of what the team is in DIRE need of currently. I would think the Rangers should get an A on this draft, if for nothing else than simply meeting the need at hand.

Name: Matt West
He's from Bellaire High School in Texas. West was born on November 21st, 1988, and stands at 6'2 and weighs in at a lean 195 pounds. He throws right-handed, and was a third baseman in high school.

Hitting Ability: West does have some hitting ability, but sometimes pulls off the ball and had trouble with offspeed stuff in this particular game.
Power: West has the chance to have power, but with the hitting issues mentioned above, there was concern about him getting to that power.
Running Speed: West is fairly athletic and runs close to average.
Arm Strength: West's arm grades out as average.
Fielding: West has good hands, but is more likely to profile at third at the next level.
Range: West has good feet and can cover some ground, but as he matures, he's a third baseman rather than a shortstop.
Physical Description: West has an athletic body with some room for growth and the corresponding power potential.
Strengths and Weaknesses: West has juice in his bat, handles the glove well. Overall, scouts like his athleticism. The question is whether his hittability will allow him to reach his power potential. He'll need to stop pulling off the ball and will have to work on recognizing offspeed stuff.

Scouting Report: West was known mostly for his arm strength coming into 2007, but his bat garnered a lot of attention early this spring and at one point seemed destined to make him a supplemental first-rounder. He has cooled off somewhat, particularly when he faced better competition, and now looks like more of a second- or third-rounder. West doesn't have a long track record as a hitter, but he has fared well in wood-bat workouts. He stays inside pitches well, uses the opposite field and has some power potential. He's a solid athlete with good hands, but he'll have to move from shortstop once he leaves high school. He's probably destined for third base because he's already 6-foot-2 and 195 pounds and second base would be a stretch once he fills out. West has committed to both San Jacinto (Texas) Junior College and Arizona State in order to keep his options open, but he's not considered a tough sign.

Name: Evan Reed

He's from Cal Poly. and was born on December 31st, 1985 (helping his parents get a nice tax deduction at the end of that year), and stands a nice 6'4 and weighs 225 pounds. He's a right-handed pitcher and hitter, and was a closer in college.

Fastball: Reed has a plus fastball that he can throw 91-95 mph.

Fastball Movement: Reed's heater is fairly straight, with below-average life.

Slider: Reed has a slider that projects to be an average pitch in the future

Control: Reed's command currently is below-average. It could be average in the future.

Poise: He's got fair makeup.

Physique: Reed is a big, strong body, a fair athlete only, who has a Brett Myers body type.
Strengths & Weaknesses: Reed has arm strength and a plus fastball, however command has not been consistent.

Scouting Report: Reed wasn't on many follow lists in high school; his graduating class at Quincy (Calif.) High, about 80 miles northwest of Reno, Nev., had just 63 students. He had chances to earn a spot in Cal Poly's rotation but has settled in as the team's closer, and ranked second in the Big West Conference this spring in saves. More importantly, Reed has proven durable with 30 appearances. He has good size and a strong body, delivering fastballs in the 94-96 mph range, though his stuff usually has a bit better life and command when he's in the 92-94 range. Reed throws a slider and changeup but works aggressively off the fastball, keeping the ball down and in the ballpark (no home runs allowed in 40 IP). He has a chance to move through the minors quickly if he can throw more consistent strikes.

Name: Garrett Nash

He's from Jordan High School in Sandy, Utah. Nash was born on August 24th, 1988, and stands at an even 6 feet and weighs in at a slender 175 pounds (which is at the high end of the ideal weight). He throws right-handed, but is a switch hitter. He plays short and outfield.

Hitting Ability: Nash came into his senior year with high expectations, but has not swung the bat as well as some expected.

Power: While power is not a big part of his game, and he has no power from the left side, he does have some pop from the right side of the plate.

Running Speed: This is his best tool. Nash can fly and his speed grades out as plus plus.

Base Running: He's not just speedy. Nash is an excellent baserunner and maximizes his speed on the basepaths.

Arm Strength: Nash doesn't have the arm strength to stay at shortstop, but could be a second baseman at the next level.

Fielding: Nash has good actions in the infield, but when the game speeds up, he's shown he doesn't have the hands to be a shortstop.

Range: Nash's range is OK, but he profiles better on the right side of second base.

Physical Description: Nash is a small and speedy middle infield/leadoff type.

Strengths and Weaknesses: Plus, plus speed. His bat is a little light and defensively, he profiles as an average second baseman.

Scouting Report: Nash is a Utah high schooler, listed as a shortstop but probably bound for second or center field. 6-0, 180 pounds, switch hitter. Baseball America considers him the 3rd best prospect from Utah and ranked him the 43rd best high-school prospect in the nation coming into the season. BA also rated him the fastest high-school baserunner in the nation.

Name: John Gast

John Gast is from Lake Brantley High School in Altamonte Springs, Florida. Born on February 16th, 1989, he stands at a good 6'1 with a weight of 195 pounds. He throws left-handed and bats the same. He was a starting pitcher in high school.

Fastball: Gast can throw his fastball anywhere from 86-91 mph, but it averages in the 88-90 mph range.

Fastball Movement: He shows above-average life at times with two- and four-seam fastballs.
Curve: Gast's curve sits anywhere from 71-76 mph. It's particularly tough for left-handed hitters as a late-breaking, high 3/4 break curve.

Changeup: This is Gast's third pitch and he doesn't throw it much. He needs to improve his command of it.
Control: Gast is advanced for a high school pitcher, with the ability to command three pitches. Poise: Gast is very poised on the mound.

Aggressiveness: He is an aggressive pitcher with a willingness and ability to pitch to both sides of the plate.

Physique: Gast is a strong-bodied left-hander in the Jarrod Washburn mold.
Strengths & Weaknesses: Gast has average stuff across the board with some deception. He is ahead of the learning curve in terms of knowing how to pitch. On the downside, there's not much projection there. He's likely not going to add much velocity or get much stronger.

Scouting Report: Gast is a high-school pitcher from Florida. Lefty, 6-1, 185. Not fantastic stuff and not a ton of projection, but he knows what to do on the mound. Baseball America ranked him the 34th best high-school prospect in the nation on April 20th. Unfortunately, on May 1st, he had Tommy John surgery. BA considered him a "cinch top-three pick" prior to the surgery.

Tommy Hunter

Tommy Hunter just has that "baseball name". It just rolls off the tongue "Tommy Hunter". Right now the Hunter is looking for a Major League spot...

Name: Tommy Hunter

He's from the University of Alabama, leaving as a Sophomore. Born on the 3rd of July in 1986, he stands a tall 6'4 and weighs in at 250 pounds. He throws right-handed, and was a starting pitcher in college.

Scouting Report: A draft-eligible sophomore, Hunter could garner attention as a third- to fourth-round pick if he's willing to sign for slot money. He stepped into the Tide rotation as a freshman last season and won 10 games, then made 14 appearances out of the Team USA bullpen last summer and compiled an impressive 23-4 strikeout-walk ratio. With a soft body that's not well proportioned, Hunter flunks scouts' eye test. He's a two-time junior Olympic champion in judo, however, and more athletic than he looks. He has a four-pitch repertoire, working off a solid-average fastball that bumps 93 mph and a power slurve at 82-84. His delivery is passable and his arm works well. Some scouts see him as a two-pitch set-up man in the mold of Braves reliever Tyler Yates, something of a poor-man's Jonathan Broxton. Others point out his ability to hold his velocity late into games and believe he profiles as a back-of-the-rotation starter.

Fastball: Hunter has a slightly above-average fastball that sits anywhere from 88-94 mph, with a comfort zone of 88-91 mph.

Slider: Hunter throws a slider that projects to also be an average pitch in the future.
Changeup: Hunter has a future-average changeup.

Control: He's got below-average command currently, but projects to average in the future.
Poise: Hunter is a tough kid with a bulldog approach.
Physique: Hunter has a big heavy build, kind of like Jonathan Broxton.

Strengths & Weaknesses: He projects to have at least three average offerings. His overall present command is below-average.

His weather forecast is this: An average pitcher, doing an average job... He has three pitches, all with average command. This isn't really all the bad, because if he gets any one of them to be his "go to" pitch, and develops it to something a little more special, he can become a serious threat in the Majors, should he progress to that level. He could end up cooking a good while in the minors, say four or five good years before even hearing about him again. Will he be wearing a Rangers jersey? Honestly, the likelihood of that is slim, if he is going to be a minor-leaguer that long. The chances of him be traded are quite a bit higher, especially if he can boost several other players, either top prospects or "right-now" players who can fill key roster spots in a race.

Neil Ramirez

Neil Ramirez is a return to the pitching overhaul. He's the fourth pick for the Rangers in the draft and the third pitcher. I AGREE with this draft thus far, even if the pitchers end out being a ***bust*** (which I hope and pray it will not be), at least the organization is addressing the issue at hand.

Name: Neil Ramirez
He's from Kempsville HS in Virginia Beach, VA. The youngest player selected by the Rangers thus far, he's born on May 25th, 1989, and throws right-handed. He was a starting pitcher in high school and stands at 6'3 and weighs in at 190 pounds.

Scouting Report: Ramirez entered his senior season ranked among the top prep pitchers in the country, but an up-and-down spring has depressed his draft stock. Last summer he ranked as the top prospect in the Cal Ripken Senior League, despite pitching against players that were as many as three years older. Most of his inconsistency this spring stemmed from mechanical flaws, though he also missed a week with a back injury. He has a drop-and-drive delivery and tends to rush to the plate, leaving his arm behind and causing his stuff to flatten out. His velocity has been anywhere from 88-96 mph. He'll flash an above-average curveball at 78 mph, but it gets loose and loopy at 71 mph as well. He has some feel for a changeup. He'll occasionally pitch to both sides of the plate with his fastball, while at other times work deep in counts. He could go as high as the supplemental round to a team that has seen him at his best and believes it can iron out the kinks.

Fastball: Ramirez was running his fastball up to 96 mph.

Curve: Ramirez threw his curve in the mid-to-upper 70s and it has the makings of a big league pitch.
Changeup: His changeup was in the upper 70s-low 80s. It's a work in progress but has the chance to be usable.

Control: His command is fringy-average right now with his secondary stuff, but showed above-average command with his fastball, which is important for a young pitcher.
Poise: Ramirez has a laid back demeanor on the mound, but gets fiery at times when the situation calls for it.
Physique: Ramirez has a terrific, projectable pitchers body.

Strengths & Weaknesses: Ramirez has a plus fastball with excellent command of the pitch. His secondary stuff lags behind the fastball. He doesn't command his curve or changeup consistently.

The weather forecast on him is "BLUE SKIES" baby. Ramirez is going to do well. He could also end up as trade-bate if Main doesn't get shipped elsewhere on down the road. I now recall how JD doesn't like to ship out great prospects, but somewhere down the line, the proverbial carrot is going to be dangled and a "Danks" trade is going to repeat itself. Thus far, the Danks trade is a bust. I would hope that the three pitchers selected today will be the next "DVD" trio within the next several years. Not likely, but it can happen. Ramirez has the physique that could land him a long career if he shoots up in the system quickly. Look for him in a Major League uniform in three years or so (maybe at the end of 2010).

Julio Alberto Borbon

Julio Borbon is an outfielder. A different selection from the first two picks (pitchers) and he is actually damaged goods.

Name: Julio Alberto Borbon

He's from the University of Tennessee. Born on February 20th, 1986, he throws left-handed, bats left-handed, and was an outfielder in college. He stands at 6'1 and weighs in at 190 pounds.

Scouting Report: The top college outfielder in a draft virtually devoid of them, Borbon broke his ankle during an intrasquad game a week before the spring season started. He made it back to the Tennessee lineup by the end of March, but he had just two home runs and seven doubles in 143 at-bats. He had not shown the consistent hard contact that made him Team USA's catalyst last summer, when the college national team brought home a gold medal from the World University Championship in Cuba. At his best, Borbon is a top-of-the-order hitter who makes sharp contact and changes games with his plus speed. He's more than a slap-and-run type, with above-average bat speed and some sock in his bat. A Dominican native, he has an aggressive approach and doesn't walk often. His defense is adequate, but he could improve his reads and routes. A popular comparison for Borbon is Johnny Damon, for the pop in his bat as well as his speed and well-below-average arm. He was expected to be taken in the first round despite a lackluster junior year.

Hitting Ability: In the past, Borbon has handled the bat well, showing excellent bat control and bunting ability. In this game, just his 13th of the season, the rust was still there.

Power: Borbon has shown some extra-base power in the past and could develop a little home run pop in the future, but that is not the key to his game.

Running Speed: Speed is a huge part of Borbon's game and he appeared to run at full speed without any hesitation, something he hadn't been doing in his first games back from a fractured ankle.

Base Running: Borbon has gone 34-for-43 in stolen-base attempts in his college career, including 3-for-4 this season. He has the ability to be a major basestealing threat and be a difference-maker iwth his baserunning.

Arm Strength: His arm is below-average, but should be just enough to play center field as a pro.

Fielding: Borbon can flat out catch the ball in center and has big-league skills in the outfield.

Range: Especially with his speed returned, Borbon covers a tremendous amount of ground.

Baseball Instinct: Borbon has excellent instincts and did the little things like moving runners over and bunting in this game.

Aggressiveness: Borbon appeared to be going full tilt in this game, as opposed to previous games when he still seemed a bit hobbled.

Physical Description: Borbon is a speedy leadoff/center-field type in the mold of a Kenny Lofton or maybe Johnny Damon.

Medical Update: Borbon fractured his ankle before the season began and returned to action on March 20.

Strengths and Weaknesses: His speed, when healthy. He also is a plus defender in center field. His bat is behind the rest of his game right now because of the time off, but he will have to show more bat for him to be considered as a high draft pick.

My weather forecast on him is that he will be a dud. He already has one injury before even playing in the organization. He most likely will be a career minor-leaguer, possibly topping off at AAA and might get Major League considerations, but most likely will not even collect a 100 at-bats on the Major level.

Michael Main

Michael Main is proof that the Rangers want pitchers. The club has selected two pitchers straight off the top of the 2007 draft. Here's a look at this kid... the items in bold were off a start earlier this year from scouts.

Name: Michael Main
He's from DeLand HS, in Florida. Born a little more than a month before Beavan on December 14th, 1988. He stands a good 6'2 and weighs in at 180 pounds. He throws right-handed, and was a starting pitcher in high school.

His scouting report:
Beavan is a very confident young man who knows all eyes are on him. He didn’t do anything to Baseball America's top 15-year-old in the nation in 2004, Main looked like a can't-miss prospect even before he could drive. Tendinitis in his rotator cuff cost him most of his junior season, but he recovered to lead DeLand High to the state final four and did so again this year. He has a lightning-quick arm that generates 97 mph heat, but more importantly he has learned how to pitch this spring. Even Main's jaw-dropping velocity wasn't enough to get outs when he got knocked around in a start at the Aflac Classic and other high-profile events last summer. This year, he has kept his fastball down in the zone, where it has lots of late movement. Main shows solid-average command presently, as well as the ability to spot this two-plane breaking ball where he wants it. His changeup has above-average run and sink. Main's slight build and lively repertoire make him comparable to Tim Hudson, but some teams see him as a safer pick as an outfielder. He's a 70 runner with good bat speed, and has even shown an ability to make contact from both sides of the plate. He's more likely to be drafted in the first round as a pitcher, however.

Fastball: Main's fastball was fairly true without too much movement.
Slider: Main's slider was up to about 84 mph and looked more like a hard slurve.

Changeup: He has offspeed stuff. Main didn't use changeups in this start.
Control: His command was pretty good considering he was pitching in cold and damp conditions.

Poise: Main showed good poise and mound presence, focusing through adverse conditions.

Physique: Main is a tremendous athlete who would also garner consideration as an outfielder.
Strengths & Weaknesses: Fastball velocity is a strength whereas secondary offerings are a bit of a weakness. His slider got long at times in this start.

My weather forecast on him is that he might be a bit a trade-bait and be sent elsewhere for a "right-now" player. I don't really think he'll see a Rangers uniform in this situation.

The Rangers next pick is coming up, the 35th pick.

Blake Beavan

The Rangers selected this kid, who should be a HUGE hometown favorite instantly. Talk about building attendance automatically. He's from the neighboring town of Irving, TX (soon to be former home of the Dallas Cowboys).

Name: Blake Beavan

He's from Irving High School. Born on January 17th, 1989 (I was a Freshman in High School when he was born - YIKES!), he stands a good 6'7 and weighs in at 210 pounds. He throws right-handed, and will be a starting pitcher if all goes well in the minors.

His scouting report:

Beavan is a very confident young man who knows all eyes are on him. He didn’t do anything to disappoint in his senior season. He was virtually unhittable all year with a plus fastball and slider coming from a big, athletic frame. He beat Cuba in Cuba for team USA last summer, so clearly he has no problem with pressure situations. His size and his arm strength alone would be enough, but throw in some decent command and excellent stuff and he won’t likely make it past the first 20 picks of the first round. (He was taken with the 17th Pick)

Fastball: Beavan was clocked up to 96 mph.

Slider: Beavan threw sliders in the 81-84 mph range, though they weren't as sharp as his fastball.

Changeup: He didn't throw many changeups, but when he did they were inthe 82-83 mph range.

Control: Beavan commanded his fastball to both sides of the plate extremely well, rare for a young pitcher of his body type.

Poise: Beavan showed good poise in a scrimmage-type setting. In the past, he's showboated at times on the mound, but there was none of that in this four-inning outing.

Physique: Beavan is big and strong with incredible arm strength and above-average athleticism.

Strengths & Weaknesses: Command of a plus, plus fastball. His secondary offerings. Both his slider and changeup were below average in this outing.

My weather forecast on him is that he will be making his first major league appearance at the end of the 2009 season, and will be a staple for the Rangers by 2011. He'll most likely be up-and-down throughout the 2010 season.

The Rangers next pick is coming up, the 24th pick.

Mark Redman Update

AAA: at Oklahoma 16, Colorado Springs 2
Win: Redman (1-0, 2.25)

Nate Gold went 5-5 with two homers, two doubles, five runs and seven RBI in a one-man obliteration of the Sky Sox. Both homers came with the bases empty. The right-handed Gold now sports a line of .280/.340/.524 and a ferocious reverse-split: .184/.279/.342 against lefties, .314/.363/.590 against righties. He had the same issue last year but not nearly to the same extent.

Jason Botts (.298/.398/.462) scored four runs on a 2-3 day with a triple and two walks. Suddenly red-hot Freddy Guzman went 4-5 with an RBI and two runs. He’s 7-11 in his last three games. Desi Relaford drive in four with two singles and a double. Kevin Mahar was 2-5 with a double, an RBI and two runs.

Jerry Hairston went 1-3 with a homer.

Mark Redman pitched six innings with two runs allowed on nine hits, no walks, and three strikeouts. Mike Wood tossed a couple of scoreless innings.

Chris Baker, not Scott, pitched on Saturday. My bad.

Name Change

Probably in a calculated effort to get themselves mentioned on ESPN and in newspapers and on talks shows all over the country (and in a blog alert or two), the Long Beach Armada of the independent Golden Baseball League announced today that they have changed their name to “the Long Beach Armada of Los Angeles of California of the United States of North America Including Barrow, Alaska.”

This is not a joke.

Gotta love baseball.

Jamey

Where does it end...