[txphile]

Manager's Office -- The Ballpark at Arlington (Arlington, TX)
March 3, 2003

Looking around my office, I saw great potential. Sure there was work to be done, but the potential was there. Five out of the six guys had actually shown up on-time, for the new guy..."the novelty." I know I was laughing inside. It would've been instant suicide to break composure this early in the game though.

Eddie Gantt, the 45 year-old hitting coach from Tuscaloosa. He had a solid reputation for bringing up young guns. More importantly, he had never been known to screw up some kid's development by being overly pushy. 'Slow-and-steady' is good. He'd only been signed onto the staff last spring but there were already auspicious signs of his influence on the team's batting.

Steven 'Ironside' Desalvo, an 11-year veteran pitching coach ~~~ all eleven of those years spent with the Rangers. If our team's pitching is representative of his work, then we have a LOT of things to discuss ASAP. The grapevine is probably right about him just wanting to cruise until retirement. I don't cruise, however; not on the road and most assuredly not in the ballpark.

My minor league coaches, all huddled together to one side of the room. Discussing each others' prospects no doubt. Good. 'Working-when-you're-not-working' is good.

The legendary Lester McAdory, manager of the AAA Oklahoma City RedHawks for 19 years and counting. He had led the RedHawks to league titles in probably half of those years. There was no one better suited for manning the launching pad that our future big leaguers would use to break into the majors. Two of our starters for the upcoming season are his personal 'projects.' I expect tremendous things from those two.

James McFarlin, the dependable manager of the AA Frisco RoughRiders out of the Texas League...right in our own back yard. He is perhaps the person I am most familiar with out of the whole bunch. His team currently houses the future of Rangers pitching...three phenoms critical to my plans to bring us to the level of World Series contenders. He had better not fail me. Failure is unacceptable.

Alvin Hungate, the rookie manager who is in a position similar to mine (albeit on a much smaller scale). He takes over a solid ballclub in the Stockton Ports. I did leave everything in good working order there, if I do say so myself.

Our illustrious Chief-of-Scouting was conspicuously absent. I had heard phenomenal things about him, never having actually met him in person though. Not showing up to the first meeting...not a good start. I decided to start without him nonetheless.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Gentlemen. I have called this little get-together just to get a few things straight before we get down to the business of baseball."

The low buzz of baseball gossip faded before I continued.

"My name is T.L. Mackey. I have been entrusted with this ballclub's managerial duties. The press doesn't seem to think that this is a good move. I know some of you have doubts too. So, it's going to be part of my job to convince both you and everyone else that their fears and doubts are unwarranted. Questions?

Gantt and Desalvo were noticeably quiet. Too quiet for my taste...I need guys who lay it all out there and stick to their guns. McAdory was the first to break the silence...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

McAdory: So... You're how old again?

Mackey: 26.

McAdory: That's what I thought. And everything I've heard about the 'Stockton Miracle' is true?

Mackey: If you only knew the half of it.

McAdory leaned back in his seat and looked over at his AA counterpart who nodded in return.

McAdory: (smirking) I don't know what you're planning on doing here, Mr. Mackey. But if it's anything like what you pulled off in Stockton... (extending his hand) ...it's gonna be one hell of a ride.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was at this point that the office door burst open and a portly man stumbled through, clutching two handfuls of papers and manilla folders. Before I could react, he introduced himself: Wilmer Witherspoon, Chief of Rangers Scouting...fresh off of the red-eye out of La Guardia and a week of scouting talent up-and-down the East Coast.

Yes. It's gonna be one hell of a ride.

[txphile]

Texas Rangers Positional Breakdown
March 25, 2003
by T.L. Mackey

Catchers

Robert Lumsden - a 38 year-old with 1 year left on his contract. He hit a decent .263 last year with 2 HR, 12 RBI, and a .333 OBP in just 95 at-bats. Let's not kid ourselves...catcher is not our strongest position. Lumsden can get the job done for the moment as long as he keeps doing his job well on defense.
Wilmer's H/HR/BB ratings: 5/3/6 (2.5 stars)


1st Basemen

Robert Debord - another 38 year-old with 1 year left on his contract. He only pulled a .273 last year...not the kind of numbers I like for a "go-to-guy" at first base. He did slug out 43 HR with 105 RBI, however. And his walks outnumbered his strikeouts 104 to 94, the only guy on the club to accomplish such a feat. In short, Debord is an obvious leader in the clubhouse and is still producing. He'll be the top guy at 1B on opening day.
Wilmer's H/HR/BB ratings: 3/10/6 (3 stars)

Minh King - a 31 year-old utility guy really. He is equally effective at either 1B or at C. Pretty good production offensively for limited opportunities. He hit .268 and had 10 HR with 19 RBI. King has a problem with patience, however. He struck-out 23 times and only drew 2 walks. Blech! King will still find playing time now that Debord is 38...at least until I find a better option.
Wilmer's H/HR/BB ratings: 5/7/2 (2.5 stars)


2nd Basemen

Thomas Messick - a 22 year-old who is just itching to bust loose. You can tell by looking at the kid's work ethic. He was the number-two guy at 2B last season...getting only limited opportunities at the plate. But he did do well for his first year in the majors. A modest .211 BA with 3 HR, 17 RBI, and a .306 OBP in just 147 at-bats. He's also been solid defensively. Messick will gain playing time this year.
Wilmer's H/HR/BB ratings: 6/4/3 (4 stars)

Alex Hoosier - a 26 year-old from Canberra, Australia of all places. He was the primary second baseman last year, pulling in a .262 average with 9 HR and 62 RBI. Hoosier also managed 6 stolen bases, ranking second on our team in that category. A good solid player who plays with his head even though some of the natural ability may not be there.
Wilmer's H/HR/BB ratings: 4/1/3 (1 star)


3rd Basemen

Bill Clark - 'Big Bad Bill'...the Canadian Bruiser. Clark is a 21 year-old phenom hailing from Toronto. He was thrust into AAA last season and exceeded all expectations. This will be his first season in the majors, but it will be a definite trial as we have no other options at 3B currently. Lester McAdory may have pulled off a coup in this prospect.
Wilmer's H/HR/BB ratings: 5/8/5 (5 stars)


Shortstops

William Schmidt - The 27 year-old lynchpin to the Rangers offense. Schmidt banged in 57 HR and 142 RBI while maintaining a .300 average last year. He also boasted a .392 OBP and 9 stolen bases to lead the team in all offensive categories. Keeping Schmidt with the Rangers and keeping him happy are top priorities.
Wilmer's H/HR/BB ratings: 6/11/3 (5 stars)

Celso Escandon - a 21 year-old rookie from the Dominican Republic. His offensive and defensive abilities are about average and he has a titan ahead of him on the depth chart, but we are hoping for him to develop into a good backup so that Schmidt will be well rested for postseason runs.
Wilmer's H/HR/BB ratings: 2/1/3 (2.5 stars)


Left Fielders

James Viveiros - a 37-year-old defensive specialist with a solid bat. Not much is wrong with this guy's numbers. He batted .270 last year with 13 HR and 60 RBI. No errors committed in over 100 games too. As long as the production doesn't dip, he can expect some serious playing time this year.
Wilmer's H/HR/BB ratings: 6/5/3 (2 stars)

Cordell Spencer - a 33 year-old who is almost the spitting image of Viveiros as far as stats go. A batting average of .276 with 22 HR, 77 RBI, and a strong .333 OBP. He too will prove to be a valuable asset in the outfield.
Wilmer's H/HR/BB ratings: 5/7/2 (2 stars)


Center Fielders

Jose Quinones - a 24 year-old sensation from Guadalajara, Mexico. He had a modest debut year in the majors last season. Offensively, he managed a .235 average with 1 HR and 9 RBI in 81 plate appearances. He has a good head for the game defensively and Wilmer is sold on his ability to develop into a stud outfielder.
Wilmer's H/HR/BB ratings: 4/6/5 (4.5 stars)

Balta Ramirez - the 31 year-old mainstay of the Rangers outfield. He's played centerfield for Texas since being drafted in 1992. He continues to be a dependable producer...16 HR and 62 RBI with a .267 BA and .333 OBP. He is a fan favorite and will undoubtedly continue to dazzle the crowds with his acrobatic fielding displays.
Wilmer's H/HR/BB ratings: 4/6/4 (2 stars)


Right Fielders

Steve Rosson - a 25 year-old star who has continued to develop nicely. He batted .260 with 15 HR and 60 RBI last year. While he split playing time 50/50 at RF last year, we expect the balance of playing time to shift in Rosson's favor this year.
Wilmer's H/HR/BB ratings: 5/8/4 (4 stars)

Lee Faith - a 33 year-old who shared RF duties with Rosson last year. His offensive numbers from last year were competitive with Rosson's but many insiders believed this was merely a fluke. He batted a strong .282 with 8 HR and 35 RBI over the course of the season. Faith will still be called upon to produce this year, although it will be in more of a supporting role.
Wilmer's H/HR/BB ratings: 5/4/2 (2.5 stars)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Key Players:
Bill Clark
William Schmidt

[txphile]

Texas Rangers Pitching Breakdown
March 25, 2003
by T.L. Mackey

Starters

Benicio Duenas - the 38 year-old southpaw is one of only two lefties on the entire pitching staff. He was our best starter by far last season, garnering a 13-8 record with a 3.84 ERA in 33 starts. Despite being 9 years older than the next oldest Ranger starter, he was our only pitcher able to go for 200+ innings, ending up with 210.2 IP. His decent K:BB ratio and consistency are in short supply within this year's starting rotation...he is undeniably our #1 guy.

Jacob Reinhardt - a right-handed 29 year-old who has proven to be a reliable starter. He went 8-12 last year with a 4.18 ERA in 31 starts. His 1.23 WHIP was the best of any of our starters, as is reflected by his 102 K's and only 47 BB's yielded. I expect him to earn at least 10 wins this year and would not be surprised if he managed as many as 15.

Pedro Solis - another one of our 29 year-old righties. He too has shown some glimpses of being a solid starter. His 9-14 record and 4.71 ERA from last season, coupled with a 3:1 K/BB ratio, suggest that he could very well put together a breakthrough year. At least that's the hope.

Phillip Labarge - our other leftie...a 27 year-old from Montreal. He accrued a 3-5 record in 10 starts last year, holding down an ERA of 4.98. He doesn't have much zip to his throws and his K/BB ratio is average, but he gets the #4 spot on our rotation primarily because he is a leftie...of which we don't have nearly enough.

David Bechtol - yet another 29 year-old rightie. He actually performed well for us last year...going 9-8 with a 5.75 ERA in 25 starts. His WHIP and OBP were noticeably high, however ~~ 1.59 and .653, respectively. Bechtol is probably a more capable pitcher than Labarge, but I can't ignore those numbers.


Bullpen

Melchor "El Toro" Mesa - Gold. Pure gold. A 27 year-old jewel from Miami, Florida. He had team bests in both ERA (1.79) and WHIP (1.01), going 2-0 with 10 saves in 45.1 IP last year. His fastball is deadly, but his exceptional control makes this merely a 2nd or 3rd option. Oh to have a starter or two like this...

Andres Escalena - perhaps Mesa's equal in talent. This 29 year-old rightie was our closer last year, picking up 40 saves in 61 appearances. His 3.00 ERA and 1.07 WHIP were second only to Mesa's, but he did manage a slightly better OBP of .202. Add in his 71 K's with only 20 BB's surrendered and you have a top notch surgeon on the mound.

Fred McCaa - a 28 year-old rightie who underachieved last year. Despite his lackluster numbers (3-6, 4.22 ERA, 20 K, 22 BB), he has nearly the talent level of Escalena and should be able to pull in some more significant numbers. McCaa must improve his production if our bullpen is to function into September.

Todd Black - a solid 31 year-old rightie who went 3-2 with a 3.44 ERA in 49.2 IP last year. He has a tendency to fall into slumps from time-to-time but has always shown the resiliency needed to dig himself out of those holes. As long as he shows a good work ethic and keeps his production decent, he has a spot on our roster.

Robert Cargile - a dependable 27 year-old rightie who was our #2 reliever last year, earning 19 saves in 55 appearances. He often found himself in pitched battles, ending up with a 7-8 record and 4.30 ERA. As the reliever with the most stamina, he will likely see a good amount of action this season and should fare well provided he gets some run support.

Bruce Ashley - "The Bullpen Elder." At 34 years of age, Ashley is an inconsistent and sometimes explosive rightie. Explosive in the bad sense of the word. He went 33.0 IP last year, going 1-3 with a 5.73 ERA and 1.58 WHIP (rivalling starter Dave Bechtol for team "honors"). Although Ashley is a highly respected stand-up kind of guy, I will be on the lookout for other options for his spot in the bullpen.

[txphile]

Rangers Minor League Report
March 25, 2003
by T.L. Mackey

{Minor League Reports will be constructed at the end of every other series during the season. This comes to intervals of roughly 1 to 1 1/2 weeks.}

Oklahoma City, AAA (0-0)

We have a number of prospects here, 3 of which I hope will develop into big league material.

-- 25 y.o. Rico Covarrubias, 4-star left fielder from Tegucigalpa, Honduras
-- 27 y.o. Rafael Martinez, a 2-star first baseman from Mexico City
-- 29 y.o. Joseph Magnus, a 1.5-star right fielder from Lincoln, Nebraska

These guys are now in their late twenties and have yet to bust into the majors, but their development has been steady and they may fill some very important gaps we have at 1B and in the outfield.


Frisco, AA (0-0)

This is probably the strongest of our minor league ballclubs. It's certainly the repository for the future of Rangers pitching. Three names to watch out for:

-- 22 y.o. Timothy Clary, 4-star southpaw starter
-- 24 y.o. Juan Laroche, 3.5-star righthanded starter
-- 22 y.o. Andrew Moorehead, 3-star southpaw starter

Frisco's offense will also receive a boost from the presence of Stanford phenom James "Battle" Creek, a 22 year-old left fielder who Wilmer Witherspoon is sold on. Considering our relative weakness at LF, a guy like Creek could be a godsend.


Stockton, A (0-0)

Oh boy... Let's just say that there is plenty of room for any interested walk-ons between the ages of 18 and 38.

[WillTheThrill]

So far, this looks like one of the better team sim reports on this board. Keep it up!

[edman85]

Originally posted by txphile
Texas Rangers Positional Breakdown
March 25, 2003
by T.L. Mackey

Catchers

Robert Lumsden (Hasleman?) - a 38 year-old with 1 year left on his contract. He hit a decent .263 last year with 2 HR, 12 RBI, and a .333 OBP in just 95 at-bats. Let's not kid ourselves...catcher is not our strongest position. Lumsden can get the job done for the moment as long as he keeps doing his job well on defense.
Wilmer's H/HR/BB ratings: 5/3/6 (2.5 stars)


1st Basemen

Robert Debord (Palmiero) - another 38 year-old with 1 year left on his contract. He only pulled a .273 last year...not the kind of numbers I like for a "go-to-guy" at first base. He did slug out 43 HR with 105 RBI, however. And his walks outnumbered his strikeouts 104 to 94, the only guy on the club to accomplish such a feat. In short, Debord is an obvious leader in the clubhouse and is still producing. He'll be the top guy at 1B on opening day.
Wilmer's H/HR/BB ratings: 3/10/6 (3 stars)

Minh King (Greene)- a 31 year-old utility guy really. He is equally effective at either 1B or at C. Pretty good production offensively for limited opportunities. He hit .268 and had 10 HR with 19 RBI. King has a problem with patience, however. He struck-out 23 times and only drew 2 walks. Blech! King will still find playing time now that Debord is 38...at least until I find a better option.
Wilmer's H/HR/BB ratings: 5/7/2 (2.5 stars)


2nd Basemen

Thomas Messick (Blalock?)- a 22 year-old who is just itching to bust loose. You can tell by looking at the kid's work ethic. He was the number-two guy at 2B last season...getting only limited opportunities at the plate. But he did do well for his first year in the majors. A modest .211 BA with 3 HR, 17 RBI, and a .306 OBP in just 147 at-bats. He's also been solid defensively. Messick will gain playing time this year.
Wilmer's H/HR/BB ratings: 6/4/3 (4 stars)

Alex Hoosier (Young) - a 26 year-old from Canberra, Australia of all places. He was the primary second baseman last year, pulling in a .262 average with 9 HR and 62 RBI. Hoosier also managed 6 stolen bases, ranking second on our team in that category. A good solid player who plays with his head even though some of the natural ability may not be there.
Wilmer's H/HR/BB ratings: 4/1/3 (1 star)


3rd Basemen

Bill Clark - (Tex) 'Big Bad Bill'...the Canadian Bruiser. Clark is a 21 year-old phenom hailing from Toronto. He was thrust into AAA last season and exceeded all expectations. This will be his first season in the majors, but it will be a definite trial as we have no other options at 3B currently. Lester McAdory may have pulled off a coup in this prospect.
Wilmer's H/HR/BB ratings: 5/8/5 (5 stars)


Shortstops

William Schmidt - (I don't know, what's his salary?) The 27 year-old lynchpin to the Rangers offense. Schmidt banged in 57 HR and 142 RBI while maintaining a .300 average last year. He also boasted a .392 OBP and 9 stolen bases to lead the team in all offensive categories. Keeping Schmidt with the Rangers and keeping him happy are top priorities.
Wilmer's H/HR/BB ratings: 6/11/3 (5 stars)

Celso Escandon - (No idea) a 21 year-old rookie from the Dominican Republic. His offensive and defensive abilities are about average and he has a titan ahead of him on the depth chart, but we are hoping for him to develop into a good backup so that Schmidt will be well rested for postseason runs.
Wilmer's H/HR/BB ratings: 2/1/3 (2.5 stars)


Left Fielders

James Viveiros - (Sierra?) a 37-year-old defensive specialist with a solid bat. Not much is wrong with this guy's numbers. He batted .270 last year with 13 HR and 60 RBI. No errors committed in over 100 games too. As long as the production doesn't dip, he can expect some serious playing time this year.
Wilmer's H/HR/BB ratings: 6/5/3 (2 stars)

Cordell Spencer -(Greer or Gonzo?) a 33 year-old who is almost the spitting image of Viveiros as far as stats go. A batting average of .276 with 22 HR, 77 RBI, and a strong .333 OBP. He too will prove to be a valuable asset in the outfield.
Wilmer's H/HR/BB ratings: 5/7/2 (2 stars)


Center Fielders

Jose Quinones - (Ludwick?) a 24 year-old sensation from Guadalajara, Mexico. He had a modest debut year in the majors last season. Offensively, he managed a .235 average with 1 HR and 9 RBI in 81 plate appearances. He has a good head for the game defensively and Wilmer is sold on his ability to develop into a stud outfielder.
Wilmer's H/HR/BB ratings: 4/6/5 (4.5 stars)

Balta Ramirez - the 31 year-old mainstay of the Rangers outfield. He's played centerfield for Texas since being drafted in 1992. He continues to be a dependable producer...16 HR and 62 RBI with a .267 BA and .333 OBP. He is a fan favorite and will undoubtedly continue to dazzle the crowds with his acrobatic fielding displays.
Wilmer's H/HR/BB ratings: 4/6/4 (2 stars)


Right Fielders

Steve Rosson - (Mench) a 25 year-old star who has continued to develop nicely. He batted .260 with 15 HR and 60 RBI last year. While he split playing time 50/50 at RF last year, we expect the balance of playing time to shift in Rosson's favor this year.
Wilmer's H/HR/BB ratings: 5/8/4 (4 stars)

Lee Faith - (No idea) a 33 year-old who shared RF duties with Rosson last year. His offensive numbers from last year were competitive with Rosson's but many insiders believed this was merely a fluke. He batted a strong .282 with 8 HR and 35 RBI over the course of the season. Faith will still be called upon to produce this year, although it will be in more of a supporting role.
Wilmer's H/HR/BB ratings: 5/4/2 (2.5 stars)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Key Players:
Bill Clark
William Schmidt

I love playing guess the player!

[thebigUNIT]

Looks fantastic! Keep up the good work.