If we're going to get snarky, did I say JD didn't have the core of the pennant teams together before Nolan arrived? Put that A&M education to use.

hawk1689 said:

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Nolan Ryan was a figurehead within the organiation under JD's tenure that used his position to sell hot dogs and mislead the ignorant into believing he had something to do with the product on the field. He was also an overrated pitcher that isn't even in the top 5 pitchers of my lifetime. JD was responsible for the Latin American and Asian focus of our scouting department that has lead to players like Ogando, Mazara, Darvish, etc. being added into the conventional talent acquisitions through trades and the draft.

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Part of why Nolan (and Greenberg and others) left the organization at one point or another way they were doing much more than "figurehead" work.

And none of that would contradict a belief that JD did great transformational things.

Agnzona said:

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I thought Banister did a pretty good job this year, but going younger is certianly the trend and now is a good time to make a change. Have to at least appear to be on the upswing heading into the new stadium.

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I think his (self assessed) stubbornness leads to some weird lineups and decisions; but if he had kept the job for getting guys to play hard and all that stuff, whatever communcation issues were happening doomed him.

The bottom line is JD has that resume Lafraud mentioned earlier and that would always win out over Bannister if there were divides within the organization.

Have to wonder, though, how much JD is on the clock now given the coming managerial reset, new stadium, and impending end to the Beltre era.

Edit- I'm sure Grant is right but wonder how many seasons of "trust" JD will be given. 2-3ish years before huge decisions must be made regarding the Mazara-Gallo generation.

Nolan is a great dude but not the reason we had all the success we had

Street_Cred_Norm said:

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I'm telling you guys that the players could not stand him.

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The coach I know, I don't think had a great relationship and totally healthy feeling about it all. He wouldn't ever get too far into it, but one can detect it.

I think everyone is cheering for Wakamatsu, he's a universally respected guy.

I think JD's got 2 years to get this thing to where it's clearly headed in the right direction. Don't have to be competing for a title by then, but a pitching staff you can win at a high level with needs to be coming together by then. And these young hitters need to maintain the progress they've been making.

Dang. Figured somebody would note that they pulled Beltre in the 6th today to a standing O.

If this is it, I'll miss him as much as any Ranger ever. Sunny, Pudge, Nolan. I put him right up there with Dirk, Pudge, Roger, Emmitt, and Coach Landry. Maybe only a half step lower, like Nolan, because he spent so many years elsewhere.

Just the definition of playing the game the right way - Ripken, Molitor, Trout, to name a few.

#BeltreForManager

Schall 02 said:

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#BeltreForManager

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#Youngformanager and #Beltreforbenchcoach

It was a kick in the nuts watching Beltre walk off the field at the BPiA for probably the last time. I almost lost it when he and Andrus hugged at 3B. Hands down the best to ever wear a Rangers uniform and one of the best personalities of any athlete I've watched in any sport.

Quote:

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Hands down the best to ever wear a Rangers uniform

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I don't want to start a fight on this, but I just want to add that Pudge played the game the same way - enthusiasm, effort, intensity, talent. Picking one over the other is a waste of time.

My son almost named his hamster Beltre. Almost.

94chem said:

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Quote:

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Hands down the best to ever wear a Rangers uniform

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I don't want to start a fight on this, but I just want to add that Pudge played the game the same way - enthusiasm, effort, intensity, talent. Picking one over the other is a waste of time.

My son almost named his hamster Beltre. Almost.

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Agree on how Pudge played the game. To me, there was just something different about Beltre. Maybe it was that relationship he had w/ Elvis that we were able to see on the field. Pudge, by nature of being a catcher, wasn't able to have that kind of on-field back and forth w/ another player. I grew up catching, so Pudge was my all-time favorite. I never thought someone could come close to him in my eyes, but Beltre has surpassed him. But, you are correct. Comparing the two is pointless. We were immensely fortunate to watch both.

I do think the fact that Beltre spent the last 8 years of his career here, so we got to see him reach milestones and also walk away, is the biggest difference between the two. Pudge bounced around near the end, and while he did wear the Rangers uniform one last time, it just didn't have the same feel to it.

Sundberg came back at the end as well. Both he and Pudge were Rangers to the core, but both got to go win titles elsewhere.

I liked the hug between Boo and Beltre. Throw in Buddy Bell, and the Rangers have had 3 all-time great defensive 3rd basemen.

Twitter doesn't show up at work. All I ever see is an empty gray box.

LeClerc is getting squeezed horribly.

Street_Cred_Norm said:

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LeClerc is getting squeezed horribly.

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Yeah, ump big-timed him on several calls to Trout and Ohtani. At least he made it out of the inning unscathed. LeClerc has turned into a legit closer.

And now blue rings up Gallo on a pitch clearly out of the strike zone....

And..... Matt Moore sucks... not that we didn't already know that

Walkoff HR for the Angels....

_lefraud_ said:

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Gallo hit his 40th home run last night, which makes him the first Ranger in over 15 years with back to back 40 home run seasons.

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smh send him down to AAA to figure things out

11th in the AL in Slugging %. 19th in the AL in OPS. Top 50 in OBP.

The BA isn't pretty. The K's aren't pretty. But the guy is an extreme version of how teams are looking to play the game these days.

He is Dave Kingman reincarnated.

Old Tom Morris said:

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11th in the AL in Slugging %. 19th in the AL in OPS. Top 50 in OBP.

The BA isn't pretty. The K's aren't pretty. But the guy is an extreme version of how teams are looking to play the game these days.

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These kinda stats are why it still baffles me that Banny had him hitting 2nd in the opening day lineup. He's an all or nothing hitter that should be further down in the order, not a get-on-base guy. But, alas, that ship has thankfully sailed. Not JD must work some magic and get a good manager, while also rebuilding entire system.

Bartolo Colon is an American hero

bigcat22 said:

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All this talk about Beltre retiring is making me sports cry. Michael 'Young tweeting things like this isn't helping either. Such a shame we couldn't win either of them a ring in 2011

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Astros fan with mad respect for Beltre. If he's not a first or second balloter, it's time to tear the ****ing thing down.

A tip of the cap to a guy who is #10 in WAR from 1970-now, played killer defense and popped the ball with some real authority.Probably second favorite Ranger behind M.Y.

Ag2012 said:

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Bartolo Colon is an American hero

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Yet another pointless Friday evening game... and Adrian is there driving in Elvis twice so far, and yukking it up like he's on a jv high school bus ride.

apologies if this has been discussed earlier, but with nothing left to really play for these last few weeks, why hasn't Calhoun started every game? Might as well plug him into the line up to get him MLB experience and see what he's got

Is he supposed to be doing something else?