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I think the Rangers losing Hamilton is a blessing in disguise, his best days are behind him.
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I think he has a couple good seasons left. The injury bug is coming again soon however. I do not think he will be like the 2010 MVP type year again. I hated seeing him go away, losing so much run production potential. I also hated how he played at the end of last season.Originally posted by UserX View Post
I do agree in the long term the Rangers did not tie up a lot of money which is a blessing for future years.Some cars and a bike...
Some say... they have been raced, some a lotComment
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Napoli and the Red sox are renegotiating his deal. Most likely he'll still be able to get the same money/time but it will be incentive based instead of completely guaranteed.Originally posted by Geor! View Post
I'm sure there has been a few calls made since Ross signed with them.Originally posted by bucky View Post
He's got 2-3 good seasons before he's a full time DH for 2 seasons. Then the Angels won't re-sign him and let Albert step into the DH role for the remainder of his contract.Originally posted by UserX View Post.Comment
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Rangers are close to a deal with Lance Berkman. That would add a decent bat.Comment
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He's almost 37, how much gas could he really have left in the tank? He only played 32 games last year, hitting .259.Originally posted by Shorty View PostComment
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DH him and hope his limbs stay attached. Spot starts at first if need be. Vlad Guerrero's knees were falling the fuck apart and he made some good contributions.Comment
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Fuck that cuntbag.
/irrationality
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Lance Berkman: 'Happy to be Ranger'
Richard Durrett
ESPNDallas.com | January 6, 2013
Free-agent designated hitter Lance Berkman, whom sources said Saturday agreed to terms on a one-year deal pending a physical, wants Texas Rangers fans to know that he was wrong about his assessment of the club a few years ago and plans to win them over with his play.
Berkman said before the 2011 season began that he thought the Rangers were going to be an average team despite making the World Series the previous season, and he questioned whether the team's long-term deal with Adrian Beltre was "a reach."
He said prior to that World Series that he was wrong and reiterated that on Sunday.
"I'm prepared to let bygones be bygones, but I understand the fans remembering those comments," Berkman said. "Ultimately, I had to eat some crow and I was happy to do that. I tend to share an unvarnished opinion and not everyone was going to like that answer. It was my honest opinion and I was proved to be incorrect in my assessment, and it was not the first time I've been wrong.
"This is a different team and a different scenario and I'm happy to be a part of the Rangers organization. It's a winning team. Hopefully by playing well, I'll be able to win over some of those fans I ostracized by shooting my mouth off before."
Berkman, who turns 37 next month, is scheduled to undergo his physical on Monday after agreeing to a contract that would pay him $10 million in 2013, sources confirmed. The deal includes a vesting option for a second year should Berkman reach 550 plate appearances. There's a $1 million buyout on the option year as well.
"The reality is that if things don't go well this year, even if they had given me a second year guaranteed, I'm not going to hold somebody's feet to the fire if I don't think I can perform," Berkman said. "If I have a great year, it'd be great to come back and go at it again."
Berkman is expected to be the club's primary DH in 2013, though he could also play some first base, if needed. He said Rangers CEO Nolan Ryan reached out to him a few weeks ago to gauge his interest.
He said several factors made Texas the right choice for him.
"The first reason is because they have a very good team, a competitive time and a chance to win," Berkman said. "The second is the geographic location. I think it's easy on my family being in Houston to get back and forth to Dallas. Being a native Texan, it's nice to be back in the state.
"The third reason is they made me a great offer. They made it tough to turn down. The fourth side reason, I'd call it, is that it's an AL team and I can DH and I think that's going to help keep me healthy and the past history of knee injury, that's a great spot for me to take some wear and tear off the joints."
Berkman played just 32 games for the St. Louis Cardinals in 2012 and had two surgeries on his right knee. But in 2011, he hit .301 with 31 homers and 94 RBIs with an OPS of .959 as the Cardinals beat the Rangers in seven games in the World Series.
"I feel good," Berkman said. "I don't feel like I did when I was 25, but by the same token, considering I had two knee surgeries last year, I feel pretty good."
Berkman said he's also excited to hit at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, where he has a .289 average with seven homers and 21 RBIs in 121 career at-bats.Comment
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I say he gets "booed" his first 20 at-bats, for his shitty comment about Beltre. Then he gets "booed" for going 0-20. LOL!
I'll bet he is "excited". $10 million for a 37-year-old guy with a twice-bum knee? Ludicrous.Comment
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I find it somewhat humorous that the Ranger brass and reporters are saying they "salvaged" their off-season with the signings of AJP and Berkman. Does anyone really see them making it thru a 162 game schedule? All FA signings are risky but these two fit into an all new catagory for risk....Comment
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32 games last year, that's a great pace, and to top it off Nolan is the one who reached out to HIM. Seems legit. lolOriginally posted by Vertnut View PostComment
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Ian Kinsler to stay at second base
Richard Durrett
ESPNDallas.com | January 7, 2013
ARLINGTON, Texas -- Texas Rangers general manager Jon Daniels said the plan is for Ian Kinsler to start the 2013 season at second base, meaning it's likely that top prospect Jurickson Profar will start the season in the minors.
Daniels said that unless Profar and prospect Mike Olt have everyday positions in the majors, they'd probably start the season in the minors. And at this point it doesn't appear they do.
"Unless they had a regular spot, it doesn't necessarily make sense," Daniels said Monday. "I don't see these guys as bench players. It doesn't make sense."
Of course other factors, like injuries, could change everything. But after toying with the idea of moving Kinsler to first base to make room for Profar at second, the club is going into spring training under the assumption that the infield will be Mitch Moreland at first, Kinsler at second, Adrian Beltre at third and Elvis Andrus at shortstop.
"The more we've talked about it both internally and with Ian, it didn't seem like something we wanted to force," Daniels said. "You can make a good case for it, but we believe in Mitch Moreland."
Daniels said the club is pleased by Moreland's work this offseason, which included hiring a left-handed batting practice pitcher so he could get extra swings off a live arm. Moreland has struggled against left-handed pitching in his career, batting .232 in 177 at-bats.
Daniels also likes the idea of breaking in Profar or Olt to an everyday role during the season if it presents itself, taking some of the pressure off. But Daniels also said the front office will do what's best for the club. At this point, they feel it's with Moreland at first and Kinsler at second.
"Why put unnecessary pressure on a young player that's moving two veteran players?" Daniels said.
Profar, who topped ESPN.com's Keith Law's top-50 prospects in the middle of the 2012 season, made his big league debut in September. He hit a home run in his first major-league at-bat, becoming just the third teenager to do so. He also had a double in that game. He ended up 3-for-17 and played in just nine games. Should he start in the minors, he may not accrue enough days in the big leagues to reach a year of service time, which would allow the club to keep him under control for a little longer.
Olt came up Aug. 2 and played in 16 games, going 5-for-33 (.152). He battled plantar fasciitis and didn't play for much of September. Olt is considered one of the top defensive third baseman in the minors and played in the Futures Game (with Profar) as part of last year's All-Star festivities. Profar batted .281 tih 14 homers and 62 RBIs for Double-A Frisco in 2012. He had 16 stolen bases and drew 66 walks (with 79 strikeouts). Olt hit .288 in 95 games with Frisco last season. He had 28 homers and 82 RBIs.Comment
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Ticket prices going up about 15% this year, but I guess that's to be expected since it's a rebuilding year and they haven't done shit in the offseason but shed a ton of payroll.How do we forget ourselves? How do we forget our minds?
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