Jones’ overall line is now .257/.371/.532 and he just started against the righty Billingsley Sunday (and banged a HR off of him).

With Hamilton on the DL, Jones is a HUGE buy for me.

How does DM not get credit for Callaspo, or Davies. or JOAKIM SORIA, or locking Greinke up when there were significant doubts that he would want to stay in KC?? You say he doesn’t get credit, but you’re pretty much already giving the Rangers credit for building a strong rotation with prospects who haven’t even seen the major league yet and some who are struggling in the minors. Seems odd to me.

I’m not using results to evaluate the trade. I’m using the fact that the Rangers #1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 needs are all pitching, and they traded away a guy who could be a good pitcher for another hitter, when they already had a great offense. Simple as that.

Yeah…trading away pitchers like Volquez and Danks has done nothing to affect their chances of contending the past couple years. I mean, two above average starting pitchers..yeah, that’s nothing.

I don’t know why you feel the need to say the Rangers farm system is better than anyone else’s, I know this. I have said this. What I doubt is that they’ll actually hold onto and turn enough of them into good enough SPs to contend.

In what world do the Royals have a solid pitching staff? The one where Greinke had a 3.56 FIP last year and a sub 2 FIP so far this year. The one where Meche had a 3.62 FIP and a 2.32 FIP so far this year. The one where Davies had a 4.22 FIP last year and a 4.27 FIP so far this year. The one where Hochevar (who will be up soon enough) had a 4.43 FIP last year. Even Banny had a 5.03 FIP last year, which is above average for a #5 starter, easily. That’s a solid rotation, which combined with an elite closer and Juan Cruz and other nice arms..that’s a solid pitching staff and potentially the best in the AL Central.

Nowhere did I say the Royals were going to be the next Rangers. I said we were stockpiling talent and our farm system has gotten better every year under DM’s tenure, given that he’s had what, 2 drafts (he was hired right around the 2006 draft and didn’t not have control of the team at that point, if I recall correctly)…the farm system has gone from a wasteland with only two or three legit prospects to a top ten system. I’d say he’s done a pretty damn good job in two years. Next Rangers, I don’t know, but clearly doing well. That’s the point. I don’t get why you constantly need to compare the Rangers and Royals. The Rangers are clearly ahead of the Royals right now, duh..but that doesn’t make them a lock for the next few years.

I don’t think I said “loaded with impact talent.” I think I said we’re stockpiling talent…and him not mentioning Mike Moustakas as a legit impact prospect is ridiculous. Led the Midwest league in HRs as a teenager, a rare feat, dominated the 2nd half and is already crushing in Wilmington. Defense may be a concern, but he’s still a good prospect..and Gordon and Butler, while disappointing so far, have plenty of time to turn it around..and Gordon was fine last year. There’s plenty of potential everywhere.

No, they can’t afford to waste a bunch of money on aging veterans. Guillen is a mistake in that regard..but of all the “mistakes,” none of them are past 2010..which is right when our chances of contending are best. They are mistakes, but trying to portray them as mistakes that show that DM “can’t evaluate talent” and that are “killing any chances of contending” are going too far. Also, we were significant players in trying to acquire Rafael Furcal, Orlando Hudson, Hiroki Kuroda, and Torii Hunter, among others….if we had signed those guys, would DM still not be able to evaluate talent?? It’s not like some of the guys he has signed were DM’s top choices….he has been financially inefficeient sometimes, but saying he can’t evaluate talent is clearly ridiculous.