Smoak and Ross enter the fold
August 15, 2008 by Josh Lile
Filed under Major League Baseball, Rangers
The Rangers inked their top two picks tonight as 1B from South Carolina Justin Smoak and SP Robbie Ross from Kentucky join the Texas organization. According to reports Robbie Ross will head to instructs while Justin Smoak will head to Spokane or Clinton.
13 months ago the Rangers appeared to be lacking anything resembling a corner infield or outfield after the trade of Mark Teixeira. Fast forward to August 15th, 2008. David Murphy, Chris Davis, Josh Hamilton, Milton Bradley, Justin Smoak, Max Ramirez, John Mayberry and Johnny Whittleman is corner depth that would make any organization jealous.
Justin Smoak is a switch hitting first baseman with the ability to play excellent defense. Baseball America compares him, go figure, with Mark Teixeira coming out of college. He hit 11 homers in 39 games last year with wood bats in the Cape Cod League. He should rocket through the Rangers system. It wouldn’t surprise me at all to see him in Oklahoma to end 2009. If Chris Davis further establishes himself next year the Rangers will have some more interesting questions to answer in the winter of 2009.
Robbie Ross is a high school lefty from Kentucky that seemingly has everything you’d look for in a pitcher except for size. At only 6′0 even he doesn’t have ideal pitcher size, but according to Baseball America his above average stuff comes from his athleticism and arm strength so his size shouldn’t hold him back. He’s a lefty with polish, stuff, and good command. The organization is starting to develop some left handed prospects, and adding Ross will only enhance that image.
Overall it was a good day for the Rangers organization. At this point the on the field results aren’t as important as overall growth within the organization. The organization stepped forward today without a question.
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August 16th, 2008 at 8:34 am
I’m hoping that Nolan Ryan remains in the “old school” mode. This preoccupation with height continues to irritate me to no end. I’ve watched a parade of terrible 6′4 pitchers continually get shelled game after game in the major leagues. If this kid Ross has great stuff I could care less if he is six foot tall or not.
I was watching a Rangers game when the commentators were talking about Ryan telling his minor league coaches that he wanted the pitchers to have the mindset that they are going to finish what they start. What a concept! Since Tony Larussa ruined baseball with his use of 8 pitchers every game we barely get a pitcher to throw 95 pitches anymore. Maybe he can turn it around again and the Rangers will have pitchers in the future that can go at least 7 if not 8 innings. We’ll see
August 16th, 2008 at 9:57 am
The Rangers have been preaching that all year. Early on Millwood and Padilla would routinely throw 110 or so pitches a start. Thats all fine and good if they don’t get hurt, but they’ve been banged up lately. It could just be a coincidence, but I don’t know how wise it is to have pitchers throwing 100+ pitches routinely in the Texas heat.