Looks like Washington got the memo

On the Texas Rangers website there is a story about Michael Young moving to #2 in the order. It looks like Ron Washington figured out you want your best hitter, who is Josh Hamilton, batting 3rd. Anyone have any thoughts?

Young might bat second for Rangers

SHERMMMM....great prediction, i was earlier on the "i'm white, you read" thread, that you basically said this exact thing!...great job, and also, that guy sure had a poor opinion of the Rangers didnt he?...i mean we know our pitch staff sux, but he coulda given us a little love...........i might put hank 3rd, and play josh no 4......that way hank would be protected in the order after 2 outs....

iho....

I think you might have blended 2 of my posts together. I put my batting order up on Banned Posters Blog 2008 Texas Rangers Preview. I ripped Scott White on his Blog Predictions--AL. Banned Poster had a good take on the Rangers. I was shocked by this. Scott White chose to rip on the Rangers Pitching Staff. It was bad but our pitching needs some help. Here is his entry on the Rangers:

4. Texas Rangers
The Rangers have already lost Brandon McCarthy this spring and much of this year's hope along with him. He wasn't an ace by any means, but it's just a bad omen to lose an up-and-comer for a team desperately trying to build up its starting staff. Unless they get rebound seasons from Kevin Millwood and Vicente Padilla, they might as well let a bag of marshmallows take the hill. Josh Hamilton and Ian Kinsler bring some nice upside to the lineup, and I can see the bounceback potential in Michael Young and Hank Blalock. But who else can they count on to hit? Hopefully, not Milton Bradley. Yup, the Rangers still have a long way to go.

Bounce back potential in Michael Young? Come on, the guy has 5 years of 200 hits. What is he talking about? It is easy to hate on the Rangers.

sherm....you are correct, but it was still a very astute observation nevertheless.and i would take Michael Young most  every time over all  other infielders, consistent, clutch, professional in his approach, and our allstar in july!..........maybe we can slow down the hatin this year if we get just a little production outta the long relief. our closers seem to be pretty reliable according to all the predictions i have seen from people in the know.

iho...

Who do they have leading off? I love having Young and Hamilton hitting 2 and 3. I would love to see Botts get more of an opportunity at 1B. Broussard isn't looking too sharp at the plate. It is starting to look like Bradley will start the season on the 15 day DL to give him more time to heal. That would give David Murphy more ABs and that would be great.

Shermboat19, I am completely with you on trading Byrd and Laird. They might increase their value by the trading deadline. If Byrd can repeat what he did last year and Laird improve off of his poor year last year, which he looks like he might do from his Spring numbers. If we wait, we might get more value????? Someone in the NL Central will over pay us trying to get over in that tight division.

I am trying to get optomistic about this year, but I see too many ifs in the starting rotation and they're already starting off wrong. But, minus McCarthy; it could be worse.

Its about time Wash figured out how to put a lineup together correctly. When the season starts it will be Kinsler, Young, Hamilton, Bradley, Blalock and thats exactly how it should be. They have already said Bradley will start the season as the DH, not on the DL. We wont need a 5th starter for the first month so Botts has that  much time to prove he belongs otherwise he will be released to make room for Mendoza, as he should be at that point. Broussard has actually been hitting the ball very well lately. He had a horrible start to the spring but has since turned it around.

Now on to my favorite player on this team. Mr Gerald Laird, One Man .5 Tools. I sure hope they are listening very closely to any and all offers made for him. Salty is absolutely not ready to be a MLB catcher at this point. His defense is simply not at the level of Laird. That being said he needs to be seeing MLB pitching day in and day out. Hes going to be doing the exact same thing defensively in AAA or in the majors so he needs to be getting that work on the big league team so he can get those MLB ABs. As far as Lairds trade value Im going to repeat something I have said in the past. The only way to hurt Lairds trade value is to let him play. As soon as Salty is in AAA and Laird isnt looking over his shoulder he will be the same old Laird. The Cubs have wanted Laird and Byrd in the past so why not send them both there. Murton, Samardzija and Gallagher. Id take those 3 for Byrd and Laird. The Cubs however would end up regretting it.

i will continue to be optimistic UNTIL WE ARE MATHEMATICALLY ELIMINATED,AND NOT A DAY SOONER.

IHO....

If you can't be optimistic now, when can you be. 

Every year some team comes out of nowhere and has a good year (See Milwaukee Brewers 2007).  There is no reason the Rangers can't be that team.  If Millwood, Padilla, and Jennings just perform at a decent level, then the Rangers will be an easy 10 wins better than last year.  That puts them at 87 wins.  This doesn't even take into account that the offense looks to be better than last year.

GO RANGERS!!!!

right on key........

iho...

i wonder if washington, or any of the starting pitchers, or any regulars like young, blalock, kinlser, feel this way.i doubt it.sorry atd, how can u NOT? go into any season without a degree of optimism, or even hope?while i am not stating the Rangers will win the pennant, i am still gonna hope and believe when opening day comes that this team will be in the hunt until the end.

thats called team spirit, you might wanna try it some time.

iho...

ATDel2784,

I understand your point, but I can't as a fan look for worst. I don't see this season through rose colored glasses. If we get to .500, I might run through the Ballpark naked. Frightening thought.

I will remain optimistic for this year until we are out of it, and then I will look forward to the trading deadline and then I will look forward to winter meetings and then I will look forward to Spring training. I said it in posts on the Rangers over the past few months, 2009 and 2010 are the years I will expect the Rangers to be in the lead of the West.

I think that Daniels is in the right frame of mind not to get thrown off the plan that he has laid out. Build up the minors and develop from within, pick up a FA or two to fill holes.

With the Great Game you'll never know what could happen. 69' Mets. 07' Rockies. Both Marlins teams. The list is endless.