Josh Lile

When a farm system grows exponentially in the span of a year some guys are bound to get left behind. Sometimes guys have a down year in the face of newer, younger, and sexier players entering the system. Then sometimes guys just get hurt. Joaquin Arias came over with Alfonso Soriano in the Alex Rodriguez deal with a lot of promise. A shoulder injury set him back and his arm is still recovering, but he’s being a little unfairly overlooked.

The Joaquin Arias calling card has always been his defense. When he came over he had an electric arm and made spectacular defensive plays at shortstop. Filling in for the injured Ian Kinsler at second base Joaquin is still making those plays, but with less zip on his throws. The surprising thing about his time in Texas this season has been his offensive game. In admittedly few at bats Arias is hitting .325 with an .800 ops. A second baseman with great defense and an .800 ops is a valuable commodity in todays game.

Arias’ problem is that his on-base percentage is .325. He doesn’t have a walk yet in the show. He steps up to the plate and hacks. Luckily for him so far it’s been working, but it won’t forever. Joaquin will have to change his approach some to be a successful major leaguer. As of now he’ll never be a viable top of the lineup hitter, but he’s still only 23. He has time to mature from a hacker to a hitter.

Arias may not be at the top of mind anymore, but he’s still very much a legitimate prospect. At 23 he has a world of experience that most 23 year olds don’t. With the Rangers likely to splash into the trade market at least once this offseason for pitching don’t be surprised to find Joaquin Arias’ in the middle of discussions. He won’t be a headliner of a package, but he’ll bring a solid return.

Josh Lile

Eddie Guardado lasted longer with the Texas Rangers than Eric Gagne did. Now if the Rangers end up with a return better for Guardado than they got for Gagne then watch out. Guardado packed his bags tonight to return to one of his former teams in what could be one of many August deals for the Rangers. Millwood, Padilla, and Catalanotto have apparently cleared waivers unlike Guardado.

So who the hell is Mark Hamburger? He’s a former undrafted free agent that the Twins signed out of a tryout camp. He apparently is hitting close to 96 out of the pen, or has at least once, with a solid breakingball. Does he immidiately make a significant impact on the depth of the Rangers farm system? Not particularly, but he appears to have a live arm.

If the Rangers are able to pull off any other deals the returns will likely be higher unless the deal is for Catalanotto. At this point Millwood and/or Padilla have decent chances of moving along. With the team in a tail spin neither is really needed. The pitching is terrible with them, how much worse can it get without them? The bullpen has been just as bad as the rotation as of late, but now we get to see how Frank Francisco can work as the closer. Bill White gets to show what he has as well since he replaced Guardado on the roster. 2008 is the time to learn about guys. Here comes Francisco and Whites chance to prove they belong on the 2009 roster.

Josh Lile

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, and it was also a mix of both. The state of professional baseball in Texas is complex. At the major league level the state is looking at two teams that deserve to finish no higher than .500. At the minor league levels a stark contrast is apparent. On the one hand the Rangers have the 2nd best system in the sport. On the other hand, the Astros have either the 29th or 30th ranked system. This is a tale of two franchises. One that is doing things the right way, and one that is doing things the wrong way.

The organizations have differing philosophies these days. It’s free agency vs. development. Which idea will be a priority?The idea of Free Agency is that it is meant to augment your core and
periphery when your pro roster has a hole that your farm and player
development system can’t fill. The Rangers have players with varying skill sets that are ready or almost ready to contribute at the major league level. The Astros do not. This is the fundamental difference between the Rangers and Astros in 2008 and moving forward.

You may be asking yourself, “What’s the point”. The point is that building through Free Agency is unsustainable. Players that hit Free Agency generally are older which means they are either at the end of their prime years, or already in the twilight of their careers. These players also don’t play for free. The financial commitment required to bring potentially useful Free Agents in tends to not be worth it.

The financial side really is the key here. The Rangers are in the 4th largest market in the US, but are able to save some money while the organization builds. The Astros keep spending money, but have a similar product. Both organizations need pitching. Where does each turn? In Free Agency either could try to make a run at CC Sabathia or Ben Sheets. What about the trade market? The Astros have virtually no trade chips. They can pick up the Randy Wolf’s of the world, and thats about it. Not so for the Rangers. The Rangers could also rely on younger guys next year and hope they continue to learn The Astros? They likely will be forced to venture into the Free Agent market since their system is so bad. Mike Hindman of the Dallas Morning News’ Texas Rangers blog points out how ridiculous the pitching free agent market is at this location . As if you needed more reason to avoid the Free Agent Market, check out his rotation of the highest paid Free Agent starters.

Short-term quick fixes or long-term growth? I know which solution I would go for. The Rangers finally hit rock bottom, and have decided to go about a rebuilding program. The Astros still suffer from the “Curse of the Killer B’s”. They always think they are close to contention and never want to admit that its time to rebuild. Sports take guts. It takes guts to tell your fans that they have to wait a few years for the finished product to arrive, but that when it comes it will be great. If the Astros ever want to get to the level they want to get to they should try to get some of the Rangers’ guts to rub off on them.