Hank Blalock

[Sweet Lou]

Any consensus on what he'll do this year?
Will he be the stud we thought hed be last year?
What do the Strangers do when Texiera is ready?
Anyone care to lay down some projections?

[John Bonzo]

I think that Blalock will have the starting 3B job opening day (but will sacrifice some time to Herbert Perry throughout the season). I dont really think that the experiment with Blalock at 2B will pan out, and Michael Young should keep that spot. Texiera should mostly DH, maybe getting a few games at 1B (to give Palmeiro a DH break)and even less at 3B during the season.

[shizzlemynizzle]

I think that Blalock will have the starting 3B job opening day (but will sacrifice some time to Herbert Perry throughout the season). I dont really think that the experiment with Blalock at 2B will pan out, and Michael Young should keep that spot. Texiera should mostly DH, maybe getting a few games at 1B (to give Palmeiro a DH break)and even less at 3B during the season.

I pretty much agree with this. I think that Blalock will open '03 as the starting 3B, and be there for years to come. The same can be said for M Young at 2B and Texiera at 1B. Young is well above average in the field (this staff needs all the defense it can get), and his bat is underrated. The Rangers traded away 1B prospect Hafner for a reason (Texiera)! It may take Texiera a while to break in because this team is loyal to Raffy, and the OF's are such gimps they will steal some DH AB's. Blalock may not see 500 AB's this year either because Perry is actually decent. But for 04 and beyond, Texiera-Young-AROD-Blalock will be concrete in the infield.

Unless of course they trade one of them for some pitching!

[MikeeDee]

A trade with the Yanks huh?

[John Bonzo]

it seems that Texas is pretty persistent on keeping both Blalock and Texiera, but i could see them trying to move Kevin Mench or someone like that (i really hope not to the yankees though)

[shizzlemynizzle]

What Bonzo? Why would they trade Mench? They traded Kapler for Hollandsworth, then didn't resign him. They got rid of Jason Romano. Glanville and Everett are not in the long term plans, and Juan Gone is only good for 200 AB's a year. How or why would they trade Mench?

[John Bonzo]

Mench is only signed through this year, too, i think (not that it would be too difficult to resign him). Ryan Ludwick should do well this year in AAA now that he is totally healthy and his strong arm will do well in RF in the future. Hes a huge power guy, though he not the most discipline at the plate. Lance Nix has a very good chance of becoming a productive everyday player next year (and has defense skills to play any OF position). Jason Hart can play a corner OF position. Jermaine Clark, but i dont expect too much from him. Jason Botts may have a shot, but not for a couple years. I seriously doubt that they will have any trouble re-signing Glanville (but im not sure if they will want to)

Can you tell that i get the texas rangers minor league report newsletter? (i admit that i had to refer back to it some, but i do try to stay up to date obn this stuff).

OK, so you have a pont that OF is a weak spot for Texas after this year, but the fact remains that it is not as weak as pitching, and i just keep hearing over and over again about how texas loves Blalock's defense and Texiera's offense, and that they will do everything they can to keep both of them.

Im really just still mad about the Hafner trade with Cleveland....they could have gotten so much more. At least with Pena they got a young pitcher who can be a decent starting pitcher one day (i guess that means an ace for texas).

[Captain Crash]

So, what are these guys worth in an auction league? Blalock and Tex?