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Mike Olt got a hit in his first at bat.

Hopefully the Rangers can build on last nights come back win and start to get their offense back on track.

Originally Posted by Beatofficer Pretty happy in getting Pence, 'specially with what the Giants gave up for him.

Wonder what Giants are going to do with him in the offseason. He is scheduled to make $14+ in his last year of arbitration and he is not a top tier OF. I can see trade to whatever team misses out on Hamilton/Melky/Swisher

In my opinion, Dempster made a huge mistake accepting a trade to Texas. Going from the weakest division in the MLB to that ridiculous hitters stadium will hurt his free agency by a lot.

Originally Posted by HornyPony Wonder what Giants are going to do with him in the offseason. He is scheduled to make $14+ in his last year of arbitration and he is not a top tier OF. I can see trade to whatever team misses out on Hamilton/Melky/Swisher In my opinion, Dempster made a huge mistake accepting a trade to Texas. Going from the weakest division in the MLB to that ridiculous hitters stadium will hurt his free agency by a lot.

Sabean came out after they got him and said that the Giants have the money to sign both Pence and Cabrera to an extension. With no outfield prospects close to the majors, they'll end up keeping him, 'specially after all the fan rage that came from the Beltran rental.

I dunno, Dempster is still a solid pitcher. He's never pitched in this stadium, and there is certainly a learning curve to pitching here, just ask Cliff Lee. He also got shelled here in his first start. Not all his starts will be that bad. And to be quite fair to him, he was facing a good team, and historically, Pujols has owned him up and down.

The bottom line is that he wants to win, and to do that, he accepted a trade to a division leader from a team rotting away in a cellar.

Dempster isn't that bad, but he'll be a 4.00 ERA pitcher with the downside of a potential 4.50 ERA in that ballpark. That has value, but he won't be a gamechanger.

Pence is pretty solid. He's had a down year this season, but if he plays like he has over the last 4 years he'll be worth $14 mil. As an aside, he's got pretty good power, if he ever added more loft to his swing he could hit 30 HR fairly easily.

Originally Posted by Beatofficer Sabean came out after they got him and said that the Giants have the money to sign both Pence and Cabrera to an extension.

GMs like to talk. Melky will want a 5-6 year deal. Sabean couldn't give Beltran a 2 year deal, the guy who is having one of his best seasons so far.

Originally Posted by GhostShark I dunno, Dempster is still a solid pitcher. He's never pitched in this stadium, and there is certainly a learning curve to pitching here, just ask Cliff Lee.

Lee and Dempster are very diferent pitchers. Lee had an amazing breakout year before being traded. Dempster was always an innings eater type of a starter, never a number 1 or 2. That usually translates to a back end of the rotation starter in the AL.

Originally Posted by Feeding the Abscess Dempster isn't that bad, but he'll be a 4.00 ERA pitcher with the downside of a potential 4.50 ERA in that ballpark. That has value, but he won't be a gamechanger. Pence is pretty solid. He's had a down year this season, but if he plays like he has over the last 4 years he'll be worth $14 mil. As an aside, he's got pretty good power, if he ever added more loft to his swing he could hit 30 HR fairly easily.

Dempster's ERA in Wrigley would be much lower. He is a good pitcher, but he hurt his free agent stock. Sure, if Pence manages to develop 30 HR power he will be worth $14 mill but as if now, I say no.

Originally Posted by HornyPony GMs like to talk. Melky will want a 5-6 year deal. Sabean couldn't give Beltran a 2 year deal, the guy who is having one of his best seasons so far.

Beltran didn't want to be in SF nor stay there. They offered him a 2 year deal but he took the Cardinals offer instead. I don't blame Sabean for not wanting to go beyond 2 years because pretty much every contract he's given to an aging player has crash and burned in recent memory.

Originally Posted by HornyPony Dempster's ERA in Wrigley would be much lower. He is a good pitcher, but he hurt his free agent stock. Sure, if Pence manages to develop 30 HR power he will be worth $14 mill but as if now, I say no.

Pence's worth, based on WAR, per season (in millions):

2007: $16
2008: $15.6
2009: $18.2
2010: $12.9
2011: $21.1

He's worth $14 million. He won't be a bargain at that price, but he wouldn't be overpaid. Since he's never had more than 25 HR or 97 RBI, he might not even get $14 mil in arbitration.

The Rangers weren't looking for a top-of-the-line starter in Dempster. They need an innings eater to replace Colby Lewis (the Rangers primary innings eater over the past two season), and that is something they got.

Originally Posted by Feeding the Abscess Pence's worth, based on WAR, per season (in millions): 2007: $16 2008: $15.6 2009: $18.2 2010: $12.9 2011: $21.1 He's worth $14 million. He won't be a bargain at that price, but he wouldn't be overpaid. Since he's never had more than 25 HR or 97 RBI, he might not even get $14 mil in arbitration.

He's had 4 straight years of 20+ HR an solid BA AVG and is on pace to do it again this year. Judges love that longetivity. He is a solid player but not 14 mill worthy in my opinion. Knowing Sabean who did not persue Bay, Holiday, Beltran when they were available, I wouldn't be surprised to see him get traded.

fWAR is very flawed for figuring out the value of players in terms of salary.

Brett Gardner

2010: $24.6
2011: $23.1

Was Gardner really twice as valuable as Pence in 2010?

It's nice to see Scott Feldman put it together after his early season struggles. He has earned the right to stay in the rotation.

Felix is the best pitcher in baseball. He better get an award this year.

Originally Posted by HornyPony He's had 4 straight years of 20+ HR an solid BA AVG and is on pace to do it again this year. Judges love that longetivity. He is a solid player but not 14 mill worthy in my opinion. Knowing Sabean who did not persue Bay, Holiday, Beltran when they were available, I wouldn't be surprised to see him get traded. fWAR is very flawed for figuring out the value of players in terms of salary. Brett Gardner 2010: $24.6 2011: $23.1 Was Gardner really twice as valuable as Pence in 2010?

Perhaps not twice as valuable, but he was certainly more valuable than Pence. He had a 58 point advantage in OBP, was a better baserunner, and is an elite defensive OF. Even if you regress his 24.9 UZR to more closely resemble his 2009 mark of 9.3, he'd have been worth around $18.5 million in 2010 dollars.

Originally Posted by HornyPony Felix is the best pitcher in baseball. He better get an award this year.

Um. He did last year.

Originally Posted by Feeding the Abscess Perhaps not twice as valuable, but he was certainly more valuable than Pence. He had a 58 point advantage in OBP, was a better baserunner, and is an elite defensive OF. Even if you regress his 24.9 UZR to more closely resemble his 2009 mark of 9.3, he'd have been worth around $18.5 million in 2010 dollars.

Fair enough but I don not like the emphasis of UZR on WAR. UZR is a very flaawed stat and is given too much of a value when figuring out a player' worth in my opinion.

Originally Posted by DestroVega Um. He did last year.

He won the Cy in 2010 not last year.

Oh yeah. My bad. Verlander won it last year.

Kuroda needs some recognition, shut out the best offense in baseball with only 2 hits allowed.

Let's not get this Twisted, Kuroda did indeed pitch well, and has all season (Curse me for dropping him early on Fantasy), but the Rangers killed themselves tonight. They go up there waving at the first pitch they say. They've hardly worked counts in the two games in NY so far.

Washington needs change the line-up. Mike Olt should be playing over Mike Young (the worst player in baseball based on WAR) and Craig Gentry being delegated to a bench position is just maddening. Back to Mike Young, the man hasn't hit a homer in nearly 2 months, and has just 6 XBH in the past month or so. He's declined, and he's declined quick. And Ron Washington refusing to bench him is just mind-boggling.

Now we know how Melky went from being the worst player in baseball in Atlanta to a star...

Melky missing the rest of the year means this pennant race in the NL West is going to get very interesting.