Beltre Not Close to Returning, No Problem for Rangers
A little taste of success, when combined with an expanding budget, can make for an interesting off-season. The Texas Rangers experienced that in the off-season, first bidding nine figures for Cliff Lee, and then signing Adrian Beltre to a five-year, $80 million contract. Yet it’s one lesser move, and a non-move, that have really spurred the Rangers lately.
After the Rangers signed Beltre and essentially removed Michael Young from third base, the third position he’s played for them, he predictably requested a trade. Rumors of a Rockies trade abounded, but never came to fruition. Eventually both parties agreed to drop it, instead using Young at DH and wherever needed in the infield.
About 20 days after the Beltre signing, the Rangers swung a trade, swapping reliever Frank Francisco for Mike Napoli. The Blue Jays had recently acquired Napoli from the Angels, but decided that they’d rather have Francisco in their bullpen than Napoli as their DH and sometimes catcher. The Rangers, who were likely dismayed to have Francisco accept their arbitration offer, were glad to add Napoli’s bat, even if it would be tough to find him playing time.
On July 22nd Beltre hurt his hamstring running to third and has been on the DL ever since. He was hitting well overall at the time, a .353 wOBA in 421 PA, including a .318/.342/.654 (.419 wOBA) during a 114-PA hot streak. At the time the Rangers held a three-game lead over the Angels, so such an injury might have been seen as a major blow. That is, if the Rangers didn’t have a contingency plan in place.
The fix came naturally. Young, who had been mostly flipping between first and DH, became the primary third baseman. Napoli, who had been taking some reps at DH but was mostly the backup catcher, started filling the DH spot more often. He also filled Young’s half of the first base platoon with Mitch Moreland. As a result the Rangers haven’t missed a beat since losing Beltre. They’re 17-13, which is nearly identical to their season record of 74-56.
Young was in the midst of an excellent season when Beltre got hurt. (He got hurt, in fact, on a Young double.) To that point he had a .372 wOBA through 420 PA, or 18.6 runs above average. Since the injury he has been on fire as well, mostly singling his way to a .385 wOBA in 133 PA. But Young wasn’t the real replacement in this equation. While he slid into Beltre’s position, he was already a regular in the lineup. The real beneficiary was Napoli.
While an injury did cost Napoli 20 or so days, his playing time was still limited. He had started just 49 of the team’s 100 games as of July 22nd, and had pinch hit in another eight. His production, particularly in terms of power, had been monstrous in that limited time, though, a .399 wOBA and 13.4 runs above average. Since the injury, though, he’s truly proven his worth. He has started in 28 of the team’s 30 games, and one of those was the day after the injury, when the Rangers were trying out Chris Davis. In 115 PA he has produced a .450 wOBA and 12.2 runs above average. That’s right in line with what Beltre has produced all season.
No team is glad to suffer injuries, especially ones that keep a player off the field for more than a month. The Rangers would prefer to have Beltre healthy and playing, but while he’s recovering they’ve fared just fine. Young has continued his excellent season, and Napoli has stepped up in a big way. This past winter the Rangers might have made their headlines with the Beltre deal, but it’s the Napoli acquisition that has really put them over the top. He’s put together the season of his career, and just at the right time.
Joe also writes about the Yankees at River Ave. Blues.
The weird thing was it took so long to get Napoli regular playing time. Napoli, reputed defensive warts and all, is so much of a better hitter than Torrealba that he clearly was the better choice at catcher.
(FWIW, my “eye test” tells me that some of Napoli’s horrid defensive reputation is exaggerated. No one will ever confuse him with a Molina, but he’s adequate.)
From what I remember reading when Toronto acquired him, his poor defensive reputation rests largely on lousy/unsophisticated game calling.
For all of AA’s good moves, this one is/was-at-the-time, a real head-scratcher.
As a Rangers fan, I was ecstatic when I learned of this trade. However, the first half of the season when Napoli kept sitting drove me insane. I knew he never got enough PT in Anaheim despite being the best power hitting catcher in the majors, so when Wash did it too, I went ballistic. I hope we extend him for 4-5 more years and make sure he starts over Yorvit in the playoffs. Long live Nap Smear!
What nobody mentions is that Beltre’s injury, necessitating Young to play at 3B, has opened a gaping hole on the left side of the infield. Through 816 innings, Beltre had accumulated a UZR of 11, while MY has accumulate -1.2 UZR through just 244 innings at 3B.
And from the eye test… he’s just brutal. Fun to watch if you like to shout ‘ole!’
yeah, his range is turrible
Michael Young is a real American. If you guys were real american’s you would realize he should win the MVP.
A little more perspective on Napoli’s season so far. Out of players with 300+ PA, only Bautista, Braun, and Votto have a higher wOBA.
Defensively the left side of the IF is much weaker, Young reminds me of a hipless Lowell at 3B.
Napoli is batting 259 over his past 14 games.
Rangers are a weaker team without Beltre.
Also, Moreland has 716 OPS at 1B since July 1. If Beltre was back, Napoli would be getting more time at 1B.
Obviously the Rangers aren’t as good of a team with out Beltre. That is why they gave him a 5yr/$80 million contract–to you know..improve the team when he’s in the field/lineup.
I’ve been waiting a couple weeks for Napoli to get some well deserved ink here. Tremendous bat.
That’s great and all, but my fantasy team’s offense is being inconsistent again, and I need Beltre back!
…especially since my only other 3B–Michael Cuddyer–just got hurt and I’m relegated to trying to sign Chipper Jones.
I think the author of this article is missing the boat here by suggesting that Napoli’s signing means it’s “NO PROBLEM” that Beltre’s been on the injured list for quite a while (and figures to stay there for at least another three weeks…) Yes, having Napoli on our roster has been huge, and Ron Washington FINALLY coming to his senses and giving Nap the extended chance to prove himself (which Mike Scioscia refused to do) has obviously improved the Rangers’ punch. But this club is stillin trouble without Beltre not only because Adrian has the softest hands at the hot corner this side of Ken Caminiti or Clete Boyer, but because he drives in runs no matter who’s on the mound for the opposing team. The Rangers–despite their overall team BA with runners in scoring position–tend to disappear against the strongest clubs in the American League, (witness the complete demolitions they’ve suffered against the Red and White Sox the past two series…)
To me, this is a “Good-Time-Charlie” ball club where everybody gets along with each other but there doesn’t seem to be any tough minded, Kirk Gibson-like bull dog leader who pulls his teammates out of tailspins (like the one they currently find themselves in) either by his play on the field or by the force of his personality in the club house or both. That quality certainly appears to be absent from their coach, Ron Washington, who seems likable enough, but who reminds me of Dennis Green when he was coaching the Vikings or Bruce Boudreau of the Washington Caps. Both of those teams were\are high-scoring clubs that are poor on fundamentals and focus. But that fact tends to get slurred over by all the pyrotechnics on offense–except when they go up against the strongest teams. The Rangers, the Capitals in hockey and those Viking teams during the Chris Carter, Robert Smith, Randy Moss era all turned out to be undisciplined paper tigers when they had to face the best teams in clutch situations.
Texas needs to have all hands on deck in order to make it to the American League Championship.The fact that they lead the world in errors with the very same outfit, pretty much, that was so good defensively last year points both to a lack of leadership and a lack of purpose among their players. And with their in and out starting pitching, they pretty much HAVE TO score six runs a game if they’re going to get past the Red Sox, the Yankees or even the Angels. And their series victory over Anaheim may turn out to be Fool’s Gold…
We’ll see shortly.
Hurry up and come back Adrian. Despite what the author implies, WE NEED YOU!
Clifford
Santa Monica, Ca
I think the author of this article is missing the boat here by suggesting that Napoli’s signing means it’s “NO PROBLEM” that Beltre’s been on the injured list for quite a while (and figures to stay there for at least another three weeks…) Yes, having Napoli on our roster has been huge, and Ron Washington FINALLY coming to his senses and giving Nap the extended chance to prove himself (which Mike Scioscia refused to do) has obviously improved the Rangers’ punch. But this club is still in trouble without Beltre not only because Adrian has the softest hands at the hot corner this side of Ken Caminiti or Clete Boyer, but because he drives in runs no matter who’s on the mound for the opposing team. The Rangers–despite their overall team BA with runners in scoring position–tend to disappear against the strongest clubs in the American League, (witness the complete demolitions they’ve suffered against the Red and White Sox the past two series…)
To me, this is a “Good-Time-Charlie” ball club where everybody gets along with each other but there doesn’t seem to be any tough minded, Kirk Gibson-like bull dog leader who pulls his teammates out of tailspins (like the one they currently find themselves in) either by his play on the field or by the force of his personality in the club house or both. That quality certainly appears to be absent from their coach, Ron Washington, who seems likable enough, but who reminds me of Dennis Green when he was coaching the Vikings or Bruce Boudreau of the Washington Caps. Both of those teams were\are high-scoring clubs that are poor on fundamentals and focus. But that fact tends to get slurred over by all the pyrotechnics on offense–except when they go up against the strongest teams. The Rangers, the Capitals in hockey and those Viking teams during the Chris Carter, Robert Smith, Randy Moss era all turned out to be undisciplined paper tigers when they had to face the best teams in clutch situations.
Texas needs to have all hands on deck in order to make it to the American League Championship.The fact that they lead the world in errors with the very same outfit, pretty much, that was so good defensively last year points both to a lack of leadership and a lack of purpose among their players. And with their in and out starting pitching, they pretty much HAVE TO score six runs a game if they’re going to get past the Red Sox, the Yankees or even the Angels. And their series victory over Anaheim may turn out to be Fool’s Gold…
We’ll see shortly.
Hurry up and come back Adrian. Despite what the author implies, WE NEED YOU!
Clifford
Santa Monica, Ca
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