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| Wednesday, July 12 | ||||||||
| We told you what we thought of the Rangers' first-half performance, now you've told us. Here is what you had to say about our reports and what the Rangers have to do in the second half:
"Where have you gone Todd Zeile?" He's gone to New York and we hope he stays there. Mike Lamb is the man at third. Scot Martin Fort Worth, Tex. Everyone calls this team underachieving. But what can you expect from a team who loses a bat like Todd Zeile and a pitcher like Aaron Sele? Two more holes for a team that already had their share. The starting pitching is weak, and with the loss of ROTY candidate Ruben Mateo, the outfield is weak.
Sadly enough, a team that gets little respect to begin with is having to deal with the I-told-you-so's this season. Injuries have been the obvious killer. While it might be hard to imagine where this team would be without Pudge, it would be equally impossible to imagine the positive influence that would come from a healthy Justin Thompson, Ruben Mateo, Rusty Greer, Gabe Kapler, Royce Clayton OR Darren Oliver. That's SIX projected regulars who have missed significant time, which has led to first-half inconsistency. However, the team caught fire before the break, as some of those players actually were able to get in some semblance of a groove. The Rangers may not win the division, but I wouldn't count them out of the wild-card race. Looking back now, trading Juan Gonzalez was a big mistake. The players we got for him are nice, but the main reason
Brent Smith Coppell, Tex.
I disagree with your assessment of Jeff Zimmerman as the biggest disappointment. True, he started off VERY slow while looking absolutely horrid at times. But, he has turned it around as of late and has proven he can still get guys out. Tim Crabtree, on the other hand, has not. He has been throwing batting practice all year to opposing lineups and has shown no sign of coming around. Each time he makes an appearance, no lead is safe. So, Crabtree is my biggest disappointment.
Trade Wetteland now! Make your closer job a platoon situation if necessary, or even groom Francisco Cordero as your future closer. Get something for Wetteland while you can. While this may make your team worse in the immediate future, it makes you better in the long run (See Chicago
White Sox).
Still think Aaron Sele wasn't worth offering a contract to? I sure as heck don't! He's 10-3 for our arch-rival Mariners. This bad call may turn out to be the big one that bites Texas in the rear!
I agree with the majority that cite Ranger pitching as the greatest disappointment and reason for mediocrity. The starters are inconsistent: Helling wins seven, then loses seven, Loiza has good start then loses it, Oliver's bum arm, etc. The relief corps is a disaster starting with Crabtree and Zimmerman. But Wetteland provided the most emotional losses pitching two games with a one-run lead as visitors but offering back-to-back home runs to lose (the first in Cleveland preventing a three- game sweep late in April). Royce Clayton is somewhat disappointing, but the larger blame goes to a much-overrated pitching staff! Hope the young guys, i.e. Perisho, Davis, Cordero and Glynn can pull it together. It is hard to be surprised by the team's performance this year. We traded our best player and decided to get younger with a bunch of players that we had no idea how they would do. Well, now we know. Let us just hope that Juan Gonzalez truly wants to be a Ranger and asks to come back home as a free agent. I think that they could make a run at the West crown, because Seattle and Anaheim will slump some in the second half they always do. But Texas would have to play flawless baseball.
The Rangers should pack it in for this year. Get what you can for Wetteland and re-sign Segui, then hold on until the offseason and try and get Mussina. Hopefully, next year will bring a staff of Mussina, Thompson, Rogers, Ryan Glynn, and a question mark.
Keep Loaiza as long relief and move Cordero into the closer role, let him take his lumps and gain experience this year hopefully he will be ready to close games by next year, if his psyche can handle some failures now. | ALSO SEE Midseason report: Texas Rangers | |||||||