Michael Young wants out…is he wrong to do so?

Peace out, Arlington

So, this has been teased for the past few months now, and I think the acquisition of Beltre pretty much pushed him over the edge.  Michael Young is now saying he wants to be traded away from the Texas Rangers because he no longer trusts management.  Management says that he has simply changed his mind and decided he no longer wants to accept the everyday DH role.

I can see this from both sides, and I can see both sides having at least some ground to stand on. 

Michael Young is the face of the franchise.  For the past 11 years, he’s been here, toiling through the Texas heat, through Hicks, through John Hart, through Buck, you name it.  He’s maintained he wanted to be here, wanted to the the captain, wanted to be the face of the team.  He was active in the local community (as active as Dallas would let him be…remember, no one knew who the Rangers were until about August of 2010?).  He learned under A-Rod, moved for Elvis and never made a peep about being upset.  The club finally turns the corner, makes the historic run, and he’s asked to step further back from the limelight and become a DH.  Michael Young feels that the club has finally become what he hoped it would be, and now the club  no longer wants him. 

It’s like something out of a bad teen movie.  Guys dates girl who isn’t that hot, but is really great to be around. Girl discovers the gym and fashion and makeup. Girl becomes really hot and leaves the guy for greener pastures.  Guy feels heartbroken and left behind.  Michael Young feels jilted and is looking to nip it in the bud and leave early.

The Rangers, however, don’t exactly feel like Young is what he used to be.  He didn’t produce in the WS, and he was a liability at the hot corner.  If the Rangers brass feel like they are going to stay a competitor, they feel like Young is a liability that his 200 hits a season doesn’t really balance out.  It’s why they made the moves for Beltre and Napoli.  Either Mike Young gets on board or they trade him for what he’s worth.  Nolan Ryan and JD have proven that they’ll put the club in front of individual players every time.  It’s why Lee isn’t here.  It’s why CJ making outrageous demands next winter won’t be listened to.  It’s taking a “team first” philosophy and putting it before the “player first” mentality. 

As a fan, the question remains, what do we want to believe and see?  Do we want to see and believe in the players that have been there for US for 11 years?  Do we want to trust management that brought us *this* close to the promised land last year?  Do you trust the man in the laundry or the laundry itself? 

So, now that they’re done, will you talk about them?

 

Yes.  Now, that they’re done, I’m going to talk about “them”, the Texas Rangers.

What can you say about this season short of it was fantastic?  I understand that the team fell short of the playoffs by petering out and playing a shitty last 20 games.  (I’m assuming the last 6 games aren’t going to be gangbusters and the Red Sox aren’t going to drop 6 straight.)   However, this season was much different than the 80+ win season of a few years ago. 

One reason.  There’s a future.

A couple of years ago, when the Rangers had the nice season no one believed that the next season or seasons were going to be great.  That team wasn’t young, it had guys like Tex who we all knew wasn’t going to stay.  It was an aberration.  

The team this season actually backed up the message that we’ve been hearing from the front office for years. “Wait for 2009, wait for 2010, that’s when we compete.”  Now, the young prospects are paying off, more importantly, it’s the pitching that’s arrived.  The staff is young and promising.  Feldman, Hunter, Nippert, Holland, Feliz, all set for promising futures.  Add in the futures of young guys like Davis, Murphy, Andrus, Borbon and upcoming guys like Smoake and you’ve got a nice core of players to work with.

So why are we still worried as fans? 

Money. 

Tom Hicks ran out of money this year, and the MLB has, for all intents and purposes, taken over the Rangers.  Which means that the other owners have a say in how things are run.  Which means the Rangers can only offer slot values for draft picks, hence not being able to sign their top pick this year. It means not having the capital to sign free agents, which MUST HAPPEN WITH MARLON BYRD AND JOSH HAMILTON.

Tom Hicks has always been the problem with the Rangers.  The front office and the team are finally solid and promising, but the problem begins and ends with the owner.   If Tom Hicks can’t sell his team to a buyer who can afford to grow the Rangers, all the good vibes ad promise that have been built this season are for shit.

Hey, what about….

Nope, still not mentioning them unless they slide out of contention.

Why aren’t we talking about [NAME REDACTED]?

It’s simple.  Both Big and I are HUGE believers in the jinx factor. 

We ain’t sayin’ shit until we feel it’s safe.

I’m not sure what to say

It’s the Ho!

I saw this link on The Big Lead, and I really didn’t know what to say.  The only thing that came to mind was “Oh uh-My uh-God!'”

Chan Ho Park signed with the Phillies because they promised him the opportunity to win a job in the rotation.

He wanted that job so badly that he chose not to pitch for South Korea in the World Baseball Classic.

He learned Tuesday afternoon that those decisions paid off: he had beaten out J.A. Happ for the fifth job in the rotation.

Who do you want behind the plate?

Taylor Teagarden and Jarrod Saltalamacchia are battling right now for the starting catcher's spot on the Texas Rangers's roster. Max Ramirez has all but shored up the backup catcher spot, and neither of the main guys is going to be happy sitting in a backup role...which brings up the question: who's going to get traded?

Ideally, no one. I agree. However, I am pretty realistic here. The Rangers need some help (hello, pitching) and both of these guys are top notch players who, with the right prospect pairing, could land the Rangers a good pitcher in return.

The question, again, remains, who do you want as your everyday catcher? Teagarden or Salty?

They're both young guys (TT is younger). Both big guys (Salty is bigger). Both play solid on both sides of the ball (Salty better offense, TT better defense).

So what's the difference?

Teagarden is the homegrown Dallas kid who was brought up through the Rangers system. (He's a Longhorn, so BIAS ALERT!) He wants to play here, which isn't a usual thing for Ranger players. Debuting last year in the bigs, Teagarden hasn't got the amount of experience other catchers do, but has shown enough promise in both the minors and the bigs to prove he's ready.

Saltalamacchia was the big trade piece with the Tex deal. He's a switch hitter who, in a pinch, can play first base if you need him. He was drafted right out of high school into the Braves system and was immediately one of the top prospects. He made his bigs debut in 2007, therefore allotting him more experience to have proven he's a guy who can play day in and day out.

I already alluded to it, that I'm a Teagarden guy. However, I think Salty's a good haul and choice as well. Depending on the packaged return player, I'm pretty much on the fence as to who stays and who goes.

How to make baseball more exciting...

I'm a big baseball fan, but I don't consider myself a baseball purist. I like the DH and interleague play, and I'm so tired of the steroid issue, that I'd say just open the gates and let players do whatever they want to really level the playing field.

That's why I don't feel bad opening the debate to a new concept that might make baseball more appealing in the late summer and early fall.

Open up the wild card spots to 5 PER LEAGUE instead of 1.

What???

Exactly. Right now, Major League Baseball is comprised of 30 teams and only 8 of those teams get to play in the playoffs, the 6 division winners and 2 wild cards. That's 4 AL teams and 4 NL teams. Pretty exclusive.

You can point to the NFL and say they only allow 12 teams, but remember, that's 4 division winners and 2 wild cards. So, the opportunity is pretty open. Plus, the NFL is different from the other sports in how the season runs its course, so I would look at that as the anomaly. However, look at basketball and hockey. 30 teams in each league. 16 teams make the playoffs. Top 8 in each conference (3 division winners, next 4 in rankings). Do you know what this breeds? Excitement in the final stretch of a season.

Take it from a Rangers fan who never sniffs the postseason. How much more exciting would it be in August if you knew that the Rangers were, rather than being 6 games out of the Wild Card, only 1 game out of the 8th final playoff spot? Wouldn't that make the games that much more exciting? Wouldn't the players feel like they were playing for something more than peanuts? Wouldn't that make fans want to go to the night games at the ball park to cheer their team into the postseason?

I look to basketball and hockey to see that the teams that are "right there" always put together these magical, Cinderella runs at the end of a season to push through to the playoffs and ride that wave because all it takes is to "get in" and then everyone comes back to 0-0 records. You're telling me that wouldn't work in baseball?

You can make the argument that they play twice the amount of games in the regular season, and each series is 7 games, it'd be too much. Okay, then don't make all the series 7 game series. Make the first two rounds 5 game series and the last two 7 game series.

Baseball is in trouble and is losing fans with all the scandals that are in place. Selig (who should be fired and crucified) needs to do something to a) reinvent baseball and b) reinvent his image. This could be the thing that can repackage the game into something that people get excited about beyond spring training and outside of the east coast.

My, this is some fantastic tasting sugar water

Damn it, wrong Texas Ranger

The Musers had Tom Hicks on the other day from Surprise to talk about how Rangers spring training is going, and, well, I fell for it again.

I've drank the kool-aid after a few days, I think the Rangers are going to put shit together this year. Yes, after swearing I'd never come back and I'd mock and ridicule this team starting now, I'm right back to where I am every year...a believer.

I believe that Mike Young is going to increase his range and become a fantastic 3rd baseman for this team.

I believe that Elvis Andrus is going to seriously contend for rookie of the year.

I think Teagarden is ready to step up and dominate the catcher's position this year and be the backstop and throw-out guy we need.

I think the outfield is familiar enough with themselves to be able to play the way they need to play to win.

I think Max Damage's bat is going to pop more this year than last.

I expect big things from Marlon Byrd and Chris Davis.

And the pitchers? You'd better believe that Mike Maddux is the best acquisition this team made all winter. Combining him, Nolan Ryan's mentality and all the young pitching talent this team has is going to be the push the Rangers need to get over the hump and get the god damned pitching monkey off this city's back.

Watch out Major League Baseball...the Texas Rangers are coming for their glass slipper.

Sometimes you've got to realize she ain't interested

Desperate much?

You know how when you go up to a girl at a bar and you might say hello or make some intial greeting and you get rebuffed?

Most of the time, you might walk away and find another target. However, other times you try a different route to break the ice and offer to buy her a drink. If she says yes, then you're in for a conversation, at the least, or maybe she wants a free drink, but at least she's given you a chance.

But if she says no to the drink, you pretty much get the point, right? RIGHT?

Nope, some guys don't get that point, they ask one more time, only this time they pretty much jump the point and offer her diamonds.

Does it really happen? No, but I'm pretty sure that's what the Dodgers have just done to Manny Ramirez, and HE STILL SAID NO!

There's no way Manny returns to LA, right? Boras has burned that bridge with Colletti for rejecting 3 ginormous offers.

What did he just turn down?

2 years, $45 Million, guaranteed.

TURNED IT THE FUCK DOWN! What the hell is going on here? What does Scott Boras know that no one else does? Does he have pictures of Frank McCourt fucking 12 year old Thai boys?

Either Scott Boras and Manny have balls the size of grapefruits and this game of chicken is going to net Manny the ability to buy Costa Rica for himself, or he's gonna wish he said yes to this deal.

I wonder how the rest of America feels with losing their jobs and seeing his son of a bitch turn down $45 Million to play baseball for a living and live in Los Angeles. Cry me a fucking river.

Next story please

Okay, Alex Rodriguez tested positive for steroids in 2003. I remember hearing the news come down last Saturday and being very surprised. I might even say that I was a little angry because I thought there was a chance that, as much of a douche as he is, he was going to "lead" baseball out of the steroid era into a cleaner era and wipe any "dirty" records off the books.

You know how long that lasted? Between 30 and 45 minutes, and then I saw cow in a pasture and immediately forgot everything I was thinking.

And that's what it's come to, we don't care anymore.

Sure, the media would like us to hoot and holler as much as they do, and want us to burn Rodriguez in effigy, but why? This isn't our first dance with steroids in baseball. We already had our shock and outrage 5 years ago.

Look, I'm not saying I'm happy with it, but I don't care anymore. It's like the scene in "Starship Troopers". Whatever version of football that they were playing was the new breed of football. Everyone was used to it, and that's it. Performance enhanced players? They've become the new breed of baseball, and we're just used to it. Good metaphor? Hell no. Did it make my point? Hell yes.

What's worse is, the sports media has turned into a bunch of women. No, I don't mean they're all female, I mean that they say one thing, get it, and then ask for the complete opposite. Let me essplain, when Clemens and Bonds came under fire, everyone screamed "just admit it, and we'll forgive you and move on". Rodriguez admits what he did, and now everyone screams "boy that was a stupid explanation, he shouldn't have said anything". What the hell do you people want? (read that in your best Norm voice)

I'm much more interested in someone scoring an interview with Iverson and asking why he chopped his hair off as opposed to someone working to track down a person with the last name "Rodriguez" in the Dominican Republic.

Just once, please, let me walk into baseball season with a positive outlook on the game. Is it too much to ask?

No, No, No, No, Never, Never, No!

Baseball has been berry berry good to me

Look, I want to believe as much as anyone. Any since the 06 Tigers, 07 Rockies and 08 Devil Rays did it, everyone is looking for the next "big surprise" team to storm the MLB and get to the World Series.

I appreciate the hype, America, but it is NOT going to be the Texas Rangers.

But, they have the best farm system in America!

Nolan is going to make changes around here regarding mentality!

We've got Max Damage poised to repeat his dream numbers!

We're going to sign Ben Sheets and Kris Benson!

I really want to believe it to, and looking at the three past years of Cinderellas, I still hold on to a shred of hope.

But I'm not stupid.

If any team can fuck up their situation like Carl Badlander fucked over mine, it's Jon Daniels and Tom Hicks. Unlike Big's "I love Tom Hicks" initiative, I believe that he is a hands off guy, but only for he right price.

All the pitchers in the farm? Either going to overpitch and get hurt (Hurley), get traded before their prime (Young, Volquez), outright fail (Loe), or just never make it to the bigs (Diamond.)

Nolan's forcing people to try and do what they did when he was playing. Guys aren't that tough anymore, and Texas is too hot for them to pitch complete games in August. Bringing guys up too early is going to damage them in Texas, and we'll be left with the Loe's and Benoit's of the world.

Josh Hamilton was a great story last year. I really want him to do well. Josh Hamilton will hit a sophomore slump because pitchers know his mentality now, and Jon Daniels will get scared and trade him. Mark it.

Ben Sheets and Kris Benson are great names to bring in. What will really happen is that they'll be injured in no time flat, and it'll be just like the Adam Eaton move. A year of "meh" and then he'll move along.

I want to believe, but I'm not someone who just stumbled across the Rangers. I've been a fan and seen shit just fail for 20 years now.

Come on, Mike, the party's just 2 years away (again)!

BENEDICT!

So, if you haven't heard the news already, Mike Young, "face" of the Texas Rangers, is asking to be traded. Why? Because the Rangers have asked him to move to 3B to allow for the promotion of hot prospect, Elvis Andrus, in order to "put as many championship caliber athletes on the field at one time."

Allow me to speak for no one but myself here, "meh".

I know what you're thinking, "MEH!? ARE YOU RETARDED? IT'S MICHAEL YOUNG!"

So? Are you really going to sit there and tell me you think this Ranger team is going to contend or anything while Young is still in his prime and contributing? You're more of a delusional homer than I am, in that case.

I believe Michael Young signed his big contract with the Rangers under the idea that they would take 2 years (remember, every year they say "we're 2 years away"). He was tagged the captain and the face of the franchise. He's the perennial all-star and gold glover. Mike Young was our guy and he was going to be our guy for years to come.

However, this team is still a solid 3 to 4 years away from being anything close to resembling a contender in the West. Michael Young's production is already starting to falter, though his defense is as stalwart as ever.

Would I love to see Young on the hot corner while he leads a young and talented infield of Davis, Kinsler and Andrus?

Hell and Yes.

Do I also believe that if the Rangers can package Young at his peak and actually get something in return that can be here and primed in a few years?

Yes (not with the conviction as before, but I'm realistic).

We complained when Juando left, but we got over it.

We complained when Pudge left, but we got over it.

We scratched our head with the A-Rod trade and pay, but we got over it.

We'll get over Mike Young and continue to drivel in the hell of Ranger fandom.

Nolan Ryan calls out his pitching staff

Nolan at Spring Training this year when pitchers and catchers report

The fellas at the The Sporting News dug up this nugget regarding Rangers President, Nolan Ryan.

Nolan, apparently, wants to see his pitchers throw more complete games and he's tired of seeing the Rangers run to the bullpen all the god damn time.

It all starts with stronger pitchers.

"To me, it's a matter of physical conditioning, and then you get into the area of mental toughness," Ryan said. "That's what we're trying to address now."

Ryan wants Texas pitchers to learn the difference between being sore and being hurt.

Ryan suggested pitchers are too willing now to stop when they feel the tiniest of twinges. An examination invariably shows something wrong, because pitching is an unnatural act for the shoulder.

"Pitchers feel pain sometimes and think they're hurt," Ryan said. "A lot of times, they're not. They have to learn to pitch through it."

In short, Nolan just called the Rangers' pitching staff a bunch of pussies.

I love this guy. I mean, it's not like pitchers can't do this anymore, right? What's a torn labrum and Tommy John's here and there? And the 108 degree heat for two months of the season...suck it up, pussies. Ryan did it age 45. Blog about that, C.J. Wilson.

Look at all the Free Agents!

To save money, we're going with iron-on patches!

Yes, that's right, it's free agent time for baseball.

Lots of big names still out there, lots of moves still happening.

So, what's that mean for the Rangers?

Not a god damned thing. Here's why.

The Rangers have made the statement that they want to stay in the $70 Million salary range this year because they feel that's what they can compete with.

Given salary guarantees and escalations, that means the Rangers have about, oh, 5 players that are going to command about $50-$55 Million of that salary

Kevin Millwood ($11M)
Vicente Padilla ($12M)
Michael Young ($16M)
Hank Blalock ($6M)
Frank Catalanotto ($6M)

Yes, the Rangers have the bevy of catchers they can trade (specifically Laird who's due to get, I think, like $2 or $3 Million this year). And, it's true, the Rangers have one of the best farm systems in the Majors according to Baseball America.

That being said, do we trust that JD and Nolan are going to make the right moves and bring up the right guys and not trade away the future to keep the salary where Tom Hicks wants it?

Welcome to Rangerville!

If the Starbury thing happens, then the theory is true

I bet her breath smells terrible

I posed a theory to Big and Bear while walking down the street the other day. Sure, that might seem gay if you think about the fact that no one walks down a street in the state of Texas, let alone a fat guy, a bear and the guy from "Temple of Doom" who keep saying "Kaaliiimaaa!", but that's not really relevant here. (And have I got a sitcom idea for ABC!)

I posed the theory that Dallas fans are given a choice. Either the Cowboys are good and all the other teams suck, or the Cowboys suck and some of the other teams do well. While the Cowboys have had their downswing over the past decade, we've seen the following happen:

-The Stars become a relevant team and won the Stanley Cup in 1999.
-The Mavericks become a relevant team and a perennial 50-win, playoff bound, championship contending team.
-The Rangers have an 80 win season and we see players like Teixeira, Young, and Hamilton play.
-The Dallas Burn leave the Cotton Bowl for their own stadium in Frisco and re-christen themselves FC Dallas.
-North Texas wins the Sun Belt conference a few times and makes bowl appearances.
-South Lake High School becomes the darling of a nation's high school football programs

Now, the Cowboys see a turn around and begin to swing back towards greatness, and what happens?

-The Stars are the second to worst team in their division and can't seem to right the ship.
-The Mavericks look old and overpaid and, oh dear god no, are looking to make a TERRIBLE TERRIBLE decision.
-The Rangers are about to overpay free agents and trade away young talent in an effort to be the next Tampa Bay Rays.
-FC Dallas trades away their best forward for Kenny Cooper and haven't smelled a solid victory against the in-state rivals, Houston Dynamo, in awhile. (I have no idea if that's true, but you'd believe me anyway)
-Todd Dodge, in one move, screws two programs, South Lake and North Texas

So which do you prefer?

America's Team going through epic fail with the relative success and championship contention of the rest of the teams in the area?

OR

The Cowboys making runs at the title and the rest of the city's sports teams stuck a shit storm.

This makes sense to everyone, so of course the MLB said no

Marky Mark and the Cuban Bunch

Granted, this comes from the rumors section of SI.com, but Bud Selig and the baseball owners association is going to do everything it possibly can to make sure that Mark Cuban will never own the Chicago Cubs.

If you haven't followed the story, Sam Zell of the Tribune company wants to sell the Cubs, and he's got a list of bidders. One of those bidders was our own shark toothed wunderkind, Mark Cuban. His bid? $1.2 billion, yes with a "b". However, things keep stalling out because Zell has to get full approval from the baseball owners association and, utlimately, Bud Selig.

The baseball owners association needs a Mark Cuban to shake things up. Forgive me if Steinbrenner, Hicks, Angelos, Reinsdorf, and Loria don't really do much to fire up a fan base. I don't see those guys having a beer with fans and sitting behind (or in) the dug out to yell and rant and rave with fans.

I know I've said before that Cuban buying the Cubs will take his focus away from the Mavericks, but at this point, I think Cuban buying the Cubs could save baseball. Re-invigorate a major fan base. Be in the news on a daily basis. Openly chastise the owners and Bud Selig for the same shit that fans have been doing for years now. Ultimately, by having a guy like Cuban bust up the cronyism and old boys network of the owners association would be just the spark baseball needs to re-establish itself as a top sport.

I'd really just like to see Mark Cuban and Tom Hicks sitting together at the AA Center and Cuban taking Hicks to task about something baseball related. And then they'd get in a money fight and throw bricks of $100 bills at each other. And the Mavs dancers would be naked. That'd be awesome.

A Ranger fan must be named editor of Deadspin. Soon.

Will Leitch. Original Editor of Deadspin, founded in 2005. Lifelong St. Louis Cardinal fan. St. Louis Cardinals, World Series Champions, 2006.

A.J. Daulerio. Current Editor of Deadspin, named in 2008. Lifelong Philadelphia Phillies fan. Philadelphia Phillies, World Series Champions, 2008.

I hereby request, nay, demand that A.J. and Rick over at Deadspin find a Texas Rangers fan to be named the next editor of Deadspin.

Come on, the slightest bit of help here...please?

Best. Metaphor. Ever.

I agree with your thoughts sir. Do you have a newsletter I may subscribe to?

Over the past couple of days, I've had to notable points about how absurdly shitty it is to be a Rangers fan. Well, Richie Whitt (yes, he of Greggo's story fame), at the Dallas Observer Sportatorium Blog had this metaphor in regards to Danks pitching a gem to get the White Sox into the playoffs.

"You must be sickened after watching lefty John Danks, once upon a time one of Texas’ best prospects, pitch like Sandy Koufax in a game that got his team into October. Three days’ rest. Two hits. One championship.

Perfect. Danks has 12 wins and is already a post-season hero. Texas’ return for him – Brandon McCarthy – finished the year with one win and countless injuries.

Sorry Rangers fans, but the girl you dumped just won Miss America. The girl you’re dating: Herpes."

Wow. Just perfect.

So, let's recap. Danks pitching like Koufax in Chicago. Adrian Gonzalez as the best value in baseball in San Diego. Tex protecting Vlad in Anaheim.

And I'm supposed to look forward to Neftali Perez, the Lizard and Chris Davis?

Oh to be a Rangers fan...part deux

I already mentioned how much it pains me to see John Danks possibly pitching the ChiSox into the postseason...then I come across this.

Adrian Gonzalez the best value in baseball.

Damn it. Damn it. Damn it.

-Only eight players finished with more home runs than Gonzalez: Ryan Howard ($10 million), Adam Dunn ($13 million), Carlos Delgado ($16 million), Manny Ramirez ($20 million), Albert Pujols ($13.8 million), Ryan Ludwick ($411,000), Miguel Cabrera ($11.3 million) and Ryan Braun ($455,000, plus $2.3 million bonus).

-Seven players finished with more RBI than Gonzalez: Howard, Josh Hamilton ($396,830), Justin Morneau ($8.4 million), David Wright ($5.25 million) and Mark Teixeira ($12.5 million).

-Gonzalez was one of five players to play in 162 games this season: Ichiro ($17.1 million), Raul Ibanez ($5.5 million), Morneau and Howard were the others.

Gonzalez also plays Gold Glove-level defense, as he finished with a .996 fielding percentage. That number is equal to that of Albert Pujols who won the Gold Glove in 2006, and is .003 better than 2007 winner Derek Lee.

Sure thing, Nolan Ryan, let's keep Daniels in office. After all, Chris Young and Adrian Gonzalez for Adam Eaton and Aki Otsuka turned out to work so much in the Rangers favor.

Oh yeah, you remember why this trade was made, right? Teixera was a fixture at first base so Gonzalez would never be on the field, and Eaton was a ground ball pitcher instead of the strike out pitcher that Young was.

Shit.

Hat tip: Awful Announcing

Oh to be a Rangers fan...

I'm getting ready to go to work this morning, and I've put on Sportscenter. Again, as much as ESPN's machine tends to furiate me, it's better than hearing about how I have no money left in the morning...and I have a bit of a crush on Hannah Storm.

Anyway, they were discussing the big playoff between the ChiSox and Twins tonight and discussing probable starters. Lo and behold, on 3 days rest, the Chicago White Sox felt that the guy they needed and wanted to pitch them into the postseason was none other than this guy:

That angry faced man is none other than John Danks, former Ranger top prospect, traded away for Brandon McCarthy.

Let's revisit that logic for a minute.

The Rangers felt that McCarthy was much more polished and major league ready, and the White Sox were willing to let him go, so they pulled the trigger.

Now, McCarthy hasn't pitched all year for injury and Danks is the man Chicago is depending on to get them into the postseason.

That's one D doing well. The V had his best season yet. And the other D had Tommy John already and hasn't broken out of the minors.

Yup, welcome to Ranger-ville.