Moreland and Fielder have obviously been donkey **** recently and much of the year and I'm in the camp that you give Gallo a whirl and see what happens.

But I understand there has to be some understanding of what is best long-term and I understand the fear he'll get picked apart by major league pitching and it'll ruin his value and perhaps put him in a developmental rut.

Fielder can't really be moved and JD has stuck with Moreland's mediocrity (or worse) for so long I'm under no illusion Moreland will get cut loose early.


Personally, I don't know if I trust Bannister would use Gallo appropriately so I don't know really what to think.

Busby - "banister trying to put a little mojo back in the rangers lineup."

By putting Fielder at cleanup again?????!!!!!!!

It's mid-****ing July. At what ooint for even an instant this year has Fielder resembled someone that should be hitting 4th?

Ok, I'm going to make the case against trading for a top SP.

In the playoffs you need 3-4 SP who can get you to the 6th. You have a deeper BP, because you have 1-2 less SPs and your SPs can go mid-starts. All hands on deck.

We have:
Hamels: 18 GS, 3.21 ERA, 1.33 WHIP
Darvish: 4 GS, 3.15 ERA, 1.20 WHIP
Perez: 19 GS, 4.05 ERA, 1.42 WHIP
Griffin: 10 GS, 3.81 ERA, 1.29 WHIP

As terrible as the SP has looked, with Griffin and Darvish back, we need one more servicable SP.

It doesn't take much to improve over Ramos\Lohse\Martinez\Chi Chi.

But, a playoff rotation with those 4... add Colby if healthy, and while I'd love a ToTR SP, we can get by without one.

Now consider what it would cost us to improve.

Here are the guys we are talking about:
AL
Tropeano (LAAA): 3.12 ERA, 1.462 WHIP
Moore (TB): 4.33 ERA, 1.30 WHIP
Odorizzi (TB): 4.47 ERA, 1.27 WHIP
Archer (TB): 4.68 ERA, 1.41 WHIP
Gray (Oak): 5.12 ERA, 1.48 WHIP

NL:
Teheran (Atl): 2.96 ERA, 0.97 WHIP
Santana (Minn): 4.12 ERA, 1.30 WHIP
Cashner (SD): 5.05 ERA, 1.478 WHIP
Corbin (DBacks): 5.25 ERA, 1.514 WHIP
De La Rosa (Col): 5.50 ERA, 1.573 WHIP

There just isn't the difference maker who jumps out as someone I'd put above Perez or Griffin or Colby.

Then, consider what we give up. We are struggling to field a rotation in Round Rock. WE have some very strong SP trade options in AA

We have Gallo, Brinson, among others.

However, when you look at the players we've given up, and the holes we now have (in AAA), giving up anyone from AA, will really leave us in trouble in the future.

Yes, we'd look for someone with team control through say 2018, but a lot of our trouble in SP is the reminents of the trades - Hendricks, Eickoff, et al.

I'd be willing to take on some salary like Santana, but not give up much to get him. Other than that... I don't want to give up a SP. Especially from AA (Sadzeck, Payano, Ortiz, Mendez), A+ (Urado), A (Tate).

If we can give DeShields, Alberto, or some of those guys... fine. Give up some Rule V guys, but other than that... our future is now and we can't give it away.

Ok. I tried.

Nomar looks lost at the plate

Prince scored from 2nd on a single?

Very competent looking swing from Hamels.

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Nomar looks lost at the plate

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Yeah, for his first month or two, he looked wise beyond his years on making a decision on the breaking stuff by either laying off or having the bat control to get a piece of it. He's struggling more with it now.

6 up 6 Ks for Hamels

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Nomar looks lost at the plate

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Well to be fair that K was on a pretty much perfect pitch. I agree though, it seems like he is prone to sliders that break and almost hit him in the feet. I have faith that he'll adjust though

Hamels and Darvish are the only two guys on that list you'd feel comfortable giving the ball to in the playoffs.

As posted a few days back, Perez has started about 6-7 big games and has pitched poorly in almost all of them.

We should appreciate what Griffin has given us, but it's highly unlikely he finishes the season with a sub 4.20 or so ERA.

Some ugly ABs from Ranger hitters this series

Beltre needs to get his **** together. Too many errors and terrible at bats from him recently.

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Beltre needs to get his **** together. Too many errors and terrible at bats from him recently.

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Pretty much the entire team needs to get their collective **** together.

and as always the unearned runs scores.

It seems like every Cubs RBI has come with two outs after we've done something stupid to allow a guy on.

Any guesses for how many pitches we'll see this inning? My guess is about 10, with most of those coming in one at bat. The plate discipline has been terrible this series

Nice AB fron Rua. Laid off some close pitches

John Lackey has one of the most punchable faces in baseball. I've hated that guy for forever

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John Lackey has one of the most punchable faces in baseball. I've hated that guy for forever

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We are of one mind.

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John Lackey has one of the most punchable faces in baseball. I've hated that guy for forever

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We are of one mind.

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The fact that he played with the Angels for forever doesn't help

That's the Fielder we all know

My god, Fielder. swung three times and struck out on the same breaking ball in the same location. That's how you know nobody respects you. It's almost funny at this point.

Great game, Cole, but why in high heaven are you swinging on 3-1.

I'm glad we avoided the Cubs #1 and #2 starters...

Refreshing to see Cole back to his normal self but the slumping of damn near all of our bats is a bit concerning.

And here we go....

And here it goes

Fatass made a play

Lol and Prince of all people puts a stop to it

Feels like that was the first break we've gotten in those kinds of situations in a while. And fielder making the play of all people...

Woooo reverse jinxed it!

Looks Fielder is finally turning a corner...


Just kidding he still sucks