Posted on Mon, Jul. 21, 2008

Winning formula for Texas Rangers: go young, add pitching

FIRST SHOT: Should the Rangers be "sellers?" Yes!

Ian Kinsler, Josh Hamilton, Chris Davis and Max Ramirez should be the only players on the 25-man roster not considered as trade bait ... followed closely by Milton Bradley and "Face of the Franchise" Michael Young, in that order.

Yes, I’d trade MY in the wink of an eye for a real major-league pitcher. And before you throw this e-mail away, remember that pitching wins and Arlington has been the Mojave Desert when it comes to pitching.

The next two weeks will indicate how dedicated management is about "staying the course" with a youth movement, then they’ll have to resist the urge to "dumpster dive" for Kmart-type talent and medial rehab types in the off-season.

— Mike Murphy, Abilene

BUCKSHOT: Your e-mail was never going anywhere. So now, think of Michael Young as your e-mail.

SECOND SHOT: The Rangers are kidding themselves if they think they can make a [postseason] run with their pitching. Nolan Ryan needs to send a "sell order" to Jon Daniels and stick with the program.

Deal Hank Blalock, Vicente Padilla, Kevin Millwood, Jarrod Saltalamacchia or Gerald Laird, Eddie Guardado and Frank Catalanotto. Get more young pitchers in return and play these young guys ... [see Chris Davis] they need playing time now.

Do not move Milton Bradley! Sign him to a long-term contract.

And find a third baseman. How about Michael Young?

— Ken Metzel, Austin

BUCKSHOT: Michael Young will move as soon as the Rangers get Derek Jeter.

THIRD SHOT: Co-MVP is the best Kinsler can hope for, unless there is a "crack" in Hamilton’s armor ... relapse or injury. But what I’d really like to see is Bradley stay on a tear, then we could see baseball’s first three-way tie for MVP.

With rookies David Murphy and Chris Davis, the future looks bright for the Rangers ... everywhere but on the mound, where "bright" is "blight."

— Paul Wooten, Denver

BUCKSHOT: You’re a poet and I think you know it.

FOURTH SHOT: When I see their pitchers start an All-Star game, then maybe the Rangers can contend. Daniels should be fired for the John Danks trade (we’ll see him pitching in the All-Star Game next year).

Oh, that’s right, the Rangers don’t need starters. Contenders? What a joke!

— Karen Travis, Round Rock

BUCKSHOT: Hmm. They got rid of the wrong JD, you say?

LAST SHOT: The next time I want to see or hear from Brett Favre is when he speaks at his Hall of Fame induction.

I cannot imagine how hard it must be to hang up the cleats after a HOF career. [But] Brett’s "Beg Me To Come Back" is not how football should remember him.

— David Brooks, Fort Worth

BUCKSHOT: Favre has turned this thing into Ringling Brothers & Greta Van Susteren.