New Tigers second baseman Ian Kinsler offered up some surprisingly candid remarks surrounding his old team, the Rangers, in an interview with Robert Sanchez of ESPN the Magazine. Kinsler touched on the fact that he wasn't happy to be asked to move off second base, didn't approve of how Michael Young was treated by the organization and ultimately called general manager Jon Daniels a "sleazeball." Kinsler, who told Sanchez he hoped the Rangers go 0-162 in 2014, tells the Detroit Free Press (All Twitter links) that he's not pleased with the way the story turned out: "I’m not happy about it. The story was written for drama and taken a little out of context. But it is what it is." Asked about the 0-162 comment, Kinsler told the Free Press: "It’s a matter of telling a joke, to be honest with you." The three-time All-Star said he's not planning to reach out to Daniels about the "sleazeball" comment, but stressed that it, too, was taken out of context.
Here's a bit more on Kinsler and some other AL West-related news items…
- Kinsler's former teammates Elvis Andrus and Adrian Beltre aren't bothered by the comments and don't have any ill will toward Kinsler, writes Gerry Fraley of the Dallas Morning News. Beltre told Fraley, "It doesn't bother me. He's still my friend." Andrus had a similar take, stating, "He's my buddy. … He's still my friend. I don't take anything from that." Manager Ron Washington told Fraley he's not affected by Kinsler's opinions.
- MLB.com's Doug Miller looks back on what seemed to be a win-win trade in January 2012, noting that neither the Mariners nor Yankees have gotten much value out of the Michael Pineda/Jesus Montero trade. Miller spoke with both players and their respective managers about the chances that each has to make an impact with their clubs this season.
- Astros third baseman Matt Dominguez tells Tom D'Angelo of the Palm Beach Post that he doesn't have hard feelings toward the Marlins for trading him and doesn't feel that the team gave up on him. "They thought that trade was in the best interest, decided to give me up, it’s worked out for me." Dominguez says that "everyone" knew his glove was ahead of his bat at the time of the deal, but he's starting to get his confidence back at the plate. The 24-year-old slashed .241/.286/.403 with 21 homers for the Astros last season.
- Bob Dutton of Tacoma News Tribune writes that Mariners top prospect is scheduled to begin playing catch on Thursday and is on a three-week program to build up arm strength. Barring setbacks, he could be able to join Seattle's rotation in mid-April.
not taken out of context: Ian Kinsler’s career home / road splits
home: .304 / .387 / .511
away: .242 / .312 / .399
No wonder he’s so upset about leaving Texas.
Makes sense.
I’ve watched him pout and be lazy the past two seasons. Thank goodness he’s out of here now.
In his eyes, nothing was ever a called strike. I couldn’t stand the slouching of the shoulders and the look of disgust as if he would never watch an actual strike go by.
As much as I disapprove of Kinsler airing his dirty laundry in public, it’s hard to completely write off what he’s saying. Between Young’s public feud and Nolan Ryan’s, Texas either needs to learn how to treat sentimental favorites properly or teach them not to talk about it to the media.
You can’t hang on to has beens and expect to keep winning, fan favorites or not.
Exactly–well said. It is that sentimentalism that destroyed the Astros, when they kept guys like Berkman and Biggio well past their best days as “fan favorites”. It’s a business first, plain and simple.
I was referring more to the positional switch when the team signed Beltre.
But Michael Young threw a fit and asked for a trade whenever Elvis came up and pushed him off of SS. As much as I like Michael Young (and really wish the Rangers would sign him as the hitting coach), he could never come to grips with the fact that he was not as useful in the field anymore and the Rangers were getting better fielders (and hitters in the form of Beltre).
Again, Young was a has been as far as his defensive liabilities. You keep him at third and there is no second WS.
I agree, but they should have handled it better so that he didn’t go whining to the media about it. I understand that some of that falls on Young, but when you’re dealing with fan favorites, there needs to be extra tact.
You have to be careful on dealing with sentimental players. If you pay too much attention to it they will rename you Jerry Jones.
Perfect example
Ahhhh, the good ol’ “it was taken out of context” remark when an athlete makes an controversial remark…
out of context? I guess Kinsler meant “Sleazeball” in the nicest possible way.
As a Rangers fan, I haven’t liked Kinsler for a long time now. He’s in the same mold as CJ Wilson–talented, but a head case who lets mistakes send him into spirals of batting slumps, base running mistakes and fielding errors. Kinsler’s refusal to change positions to accommodate Profar last season was one of the reasons that the Rangers didn’t make it to the postseason. Same as with MY, when you are no longer the best at your position, it is time to make room for a better player and you should be glad you’ll still get to start at a different position.
I forgot to mention how the Ranger fans won’t forget Kinsler’s comments and he’ll get the same warm reception that Hamilton did after he burned his bridges on his way out of Arlington.
Yeah i agree. Just shows you how classy Young is/was. That’s why he gets a standing ovation while Hammy/Cj/Kinsler get booed out of the stadium.
Young and Kinsler are nothing close to the same in terms of class. Ian should have learned something from MY, shame he wasn’t fit for it. We all know Ian has the talent to be an MVP but he doesn’t have it in him.
ESPN? Take things of of context? No way!!!
ESPN covering something that’s not Lebron James? SHOCKING!
Maybe Kinsler, Young, CJ et al all have a point?
Young is the only one that had a valued opinion. Until that opinion was drowned out by the fact they had better options in the positions he played.
I love how everyone gets so tired of players saying the same stuff about loving where they play, it not being about the money, and all the generic stuff we always hear. Then, a player expresses their true feelings, and every one acts like he kicked their dog. Get over it, Kinsler has every right to not like the way things were handled in Texas and Texas had every right to ship him out so they can field a better team.
I think its more the fact that a lot of the fan base in Texas did not care for Kinsler.
LOVED his ability…HATED his attitude.
LOVED his ability…HATED his pop ups.
LOVED his ability, HATED his picked-off routine.
As a Tigers fan, I don’t like this. Opposite of selfless Tigers MO.
Also don’t like that he even disrespected his current GM (Dombrowski) by stating he wanted to “prove him wrong”. Not a smart phrase to use about your CURRENT boss.
Some people play with a chip on their shoulder and I think that is all he is seeing in that, I operate that way. If he truly gets back to hitting line drives again you guys will have a hell of a player. If he sticks with that damned upper cut swing then you are screwed. They couldn’t get him to stop doing it in Texas so hopefully that big stadium will make him do it. I also hope you like pick offs, he gets picked off a lot.
perhaps not having him as a lead off hitter will work? He seemed to do well outside of that, the few times it occurred.
Honestly I hope he does well as he was a key player for us for two WS.
I can see how from a players perspective JD is a little cold, I actually asked him about this perception on a DMN webchat last year and he skirted around it and said that he has to make tough decisions. I will take the winning over the sentimental players though. (By the way, Harrison is only behind a week and half! lol)
Yes, we can never deny how important Kinsler was. I just think it has been time for a complete house clean, the hangover needs to stop. JD has the same philosophy as to what I think Billy Beane has. Keep the personal relationships aside and run the business. He is not here to make friends, I think he has a very specific role. Build and develop and that is it. As you said, winning is a cure to anything. Overall, I just think this is uncommon ground for Rangers fans. You want a world class franchise, you have to hurt some feeling along the way. Kinsler may have not enjoyed the last few years here, maybe the change was and is good for all. And thanks for the Harrison update. That was the fastest month I can ever recall. LOL.
Who is the mystery Mariners prospect scheduled to begin playing catch on Thursday?
Taijuan Walker has been shut and placed on this program and will join the rotation in mid to late April.
Thanks!
I think dominguez is going to be a more than serviceable third baseman this year. I think his average is going to hover around .250, but I think he’ll get 25 dingers and quite a few ribbies.
With his glove that will be real good especially since in 2 years he will be batting 7th.
.254 babip…so there might be a .260 avg there..20-25 HR