Longview's Davis Optioned to Oklahoma City, Smoak Promoted...

[slinky16]

I disagree. If offenses got you there, then the Rangers would have a couple of championships by now with the offenses they've had. What's the point in the offense getting you there if the defense is gonna cost you the series?

 

I for one would be satisfied just to get back into the playoffs regardless of what takes us there and what happens when we get there. Its been a long drought, and during a drought even a little bit of rain can satisfy.

[Five0pd310]

I do follow the Rangers, enough to know that this guy had the shift put on him after about three weeks in the bigs. He is obviously pretty easy to figure out for big league defenses and pitchers. Thats why he is in Oklahoma City. By the way did you see Smoaks bomb last night. It was great! I

I wouldn't call it great, but congradulations to him all the same. I wish him many more.

[Five0pd310]

That is why I stated Andrus's fielding % and not his amount of errord,,put it to you this way

 

Andrus right now is bottom 3 in fielding % so far this season. By your account he needs to go because his hype is all about defense and he is not producing defensively at this point.

Read my post again. I do not think Andrus is not producing defensively. I think he is doing just fine defensively. That fielding % could be even better with a first baseman who knew what he was doing, but Andrus' defense is simply a product of trying to do more than any other short stop in the league.

[FriscoFan]

Man, you guys are really reaching now. First, Smoak can't hit....now he can't play defense. Geesh, he's only got 1 error. Davis has 2 errors at AAA. He better improve that D and cut down on those errors or he'll NEVER be back up! bahahaha.

[AgentOO7]

Well call me a homer or any other name you wish, i think Davis should be up here. I think when he didn't get of to the great start he knew everyone was expecting in the first few games he started pressing and never stopped because he knows how highly the club thinks of Smoak. If Chris would've had another week or so of people not talking about sending him down everyday, i think he would have worked through it and started producing like he is in the minors now.

and where are yall seeing all of this about Smoak not wanting to be a ranger and just using Texas as a "stepping stone"?

[stevosev7]

Well call me a homer or any other name you wish, i think Davis should be up here. I think when he didn't get of to the great start he knew everyone was expecting in the first few games he started pressing and never stopped because he knows how highly the club thinks of Smoak. If Chris would've had another week or so of people not talking about sending him down everyday, i think he would have worked through it and started producing like he is in the minors now.

and where are yall seeing all of this about Smoak not wanting to be a ranger and just using Texas as a "stepping stone"?

so basically he can't handle pressure...just another reason for him to not be our 1st baseman...if he can't handle ppl talkin about him, how is he supposed to handle a clutch at bat in the playoffs?

 

smoak hasn't really proven anything, but neither has Davis. that's why it is still a battle. take david ortiz for example. they guy started last year horribly...it was super ugly, but he has already proven himself as a player, so he never got sent down...maybe benched a few times, but they KNEW his bat would come around...that's just not something you can count on with chris davis because he hasn't proven it. Smoak deserves a chance

[Five0pd310]

Man, you guys are really reaching now. First, Smoak can't hit....now he can't play defense. Geesh, he's only got 1 error. Davis has 2 errors at AAA. He better improve that D and cut down on those errors or he'll NEVER be back up! bahahaha.

Apparently you skipped over the entire conversation.

 

It's not the direct errors that has been his problem so far (although a dropped throw is quite ugly) it's that he's not saving his fellow infielders from errors. Davis picked bad throws better than anyone I've ever seen. BTW....Smoak's defense was issue #1 with me and nearly everyone else I've talked to. I don't know where you're getting that people are just coming up with that.

[AgentOO7]

It's not the direct errors that has been his problem so far (although a dropped throw is quite ugly) it's that he's not saving his fellow infielders from errors. Davis picked bad throws better than anyone I've ever seen.

 

A perfect example today... Young makes an awesome snag and smoak just swipes at the ball, and to me it looked like he turned his head completely away, and cant even knock the ball down and the runner gets to third. those are plays that Chris made 99.9% of the time and when he didn't he at least touched the ball and stopped it from getting away. And is anyone else as disappointed with his bat as i am? yeah he can hit the ball a mile and he has a good eye but he seems to pop up way to much and is starting to look just as bad as Davis did but with way worse defense

[Ratface]

Smoak is atrocious at 1B. He's an infielder killer.

 

And by the way - Davis will soon be back in Arlington. VERY soon.

[AgentOO7]

I have a feeling your right about Davis being back soon. Maybe they give Chad Tracy a chance this time, anybody know how his defense matches up to Davis'?

[Five0pd310]

A perfect example today... Young makes an awesome snag and smoak just swipes at the ball, and to me it looked like he turned his head completely away, and cant even knock the ball down and the runner gets to third. those are plays that Chris made 99.9% of the time and when he didn't he at least touched the ball and stopped it from getting away. And is anyone else as disappointed with his bat as i am? yeah he can hit the ball a mile and he has a good eye but he seems to pop up way to much and is starting to look just as bad as Davis did but with way worse defense

What you saw is correct. Smoak turned his head because he was afraid of the low throw. Inexcusable for a professional player. I will add though, Young needs to stop with the sidearm ####. Load up and throw the ball.

[stevosev7]

just wondering...how many of yall on these message boards just heard what tom grieve had to say about justin smoak? hehehehe

[FriscoFan]

just wondering...how many of yall on these message boards just heard what tom grieve had to say about justin smoak? hehehehe

 

Lol, I did....and totally agree! :thumbsup:

[Five0pd310]

Some of us have to work. What'd he say?

[FriscoFan]

Some of us have to work. What'd he say?

 

Not his exact words, but basically they have had several negative comments on their msg boards about J Smoak, just like on here. He said the people on the msg boards arent baseball people, and just dont know what they are talking about.

Something to that affect....

[stevosev7]

Some of us have to work. What'd he say?

lol ok guy...considering this was said at approx. 7-7:30 pm on a friday evening, forgive me for not laboring away

 

not just that people on message boards don't know what they are talking about, but also the fact that smoak is a patient hitter and makes good contact. If a guy goes 0-8 over two games, but 5 of those AB's were hard line drives right at a fielder then you shouldn't start calling for him to be replaced. Grieve was saying he has been feeling like smoak would start finding the gaps and recently that is exactly what he's been doing.

[Five0pd310]

I don't deny that, but I still don't like him. He was a Ranger hold out. That's how I will always see him.

 

In defense of us "anti"-Smoakers....he hadn't been getting solid contact until fairly recently. Much of the criticism came when he was a routine popup machine. I've been accused of some stuf, but ne'er a non-baseball person. I'm just not afraid to speak my opinion if I disagree with someone...even Jon Daniels.

[Five0pd310]

P.S. - Get a job, ya bum. lol

[stevosev7]

P.S. - Get a job, ya bum. lol

got two of em....and going to college full time :notworthy:

[TxBroadcaster]

He was a Ranger hold out. That's how I will always see him.

 

.

 

 

You act like h is the only one or even close to be the only one..He held out till the last moment..ALOT of players do. Just how the biz works

[Five0pd310]

You act like h is the only one or even close to be the only one..He held out till the last moment..ALOT of players do. Just how the biz works

Are you saying I'm required to like it?

 

Let me be clear. I never like it. Period. I don't care who it is. Does that make my position more clear? Boxing commissions cheat and steal. It's how the biz works. Should I have to submit to that fact too, or am I allowed to dislike it?

[stevosev7]

Are you saying I'm required to like it?

 

Let me be clear. I never like it. Period. I don't care who it is. Does that make my position more clear? Boxing commissions cheat and steal. It's how the biz works. Should I have to submit to that fact too, or am I allowed to dislike it?

you can dislike it all you want. but i can promise that one of these "good guy" ball players, probably at least one that you are personally a big fan of, has held out...all bennett was saying is that it happens regularly. that doesn't make it right. and you don't have to like it, but you might as well accept it and enjoy the fact that smoak is hitting .400 these last two weeks

[etos10]

you can dislike it all you want. but i can promise that one of these "good guy" ball players, probably at least one that you are personally a big fan of, has held out...all bennett was saying is that it happens regularly. that doesn't make it right. and you don't have to like it, but you might as well accept it and enjoy the fact that smoak is hitting .400 these last two weeks

 

I will be the first to admit that Smoak looked GOOD on Tuesday night. Last night, not so much. He struck out once and looked like a little leaguer. His error on Ichiro's hit was pitiful. He is learning to stretch more and did actually catch an easy foul out, but I am just not that impressed. Is he better at the plate than Davis, maybe slightly. Is his defense at a major league level yet? Emphatically NO. But I have seen improvement--so I am cautiously optimistic that maybe he will come around. I have also accepted that fact that Davis will never play for Texas again out side of the minor leagues. The Rangers have shown they don't want him, so I hope he gets traded elsewhere and I think he will prove them wrong about him.

[Five0pd310]

you can dislike it all you want. but i can promise that one of these "good guy" ball players, probably at least one that you are personally a big fan of, has held out...all bennett was saying is that it happens regularly. that doesn't make it right. and you don't have to like it, but you might as well accept it and enjoy the fact that smoak is hitting .400 these last two weeks

No. I don't have to accept it. When the Ragners needed extra money to sign more talent, Michael Young deferred his own salary so the team could get it done. Pudge Rodriguez did the same thing. Smoak simply demanded more because of the hype that was bestowed upon him. He had no right in that since he was simply a draftee. He can go skip a rope for all I care.

[wtlobos]

No. I don't have to accept it. When the Ragners needed extra money to sign more talent, Michael Young deferred his own salary so the team could get it done. Pudge Rodriguez did the same thing. Smoak simply demanded more because of the hype that was bestowed upon him. He had no right in that since he was simply a draftee. He can go skip a rope for all I care.

:notworthy: :notworthy: :notworthy:

 

Everyone in the Rangers front office are smoking something because both of these guys are 23, Davis is the better defender, Davis has proven himself in the majors, Smoak can barely make the routine plays, he is hitting for power but not much else. They didn't give Davis a chance to get hot. Borbon is still struggling to get going, they didn't send him down, why send Davis down?