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The Feds Meet Self-styled "God's Anointed Avenger"
© 1992 by Gretchen Passantino.
This article first appeared in World MagazineGod's anointed met the enemy at Mount Carmel. From his sanctuary he watched more than 400 of his enemies prepare for the assault. He alone stood for the Lord, the Almighty, the only true God. He was confident that his enemies would fail. And when they did, he would fulfill God's avenging Will and slaughter them all. Self-styled prophet Vernon Howell (aka David Koresh) last week re-enacted Elijah's ancient stand against the prophets of Baal. Howell's standoff occurred at his cult's headquarters, "Mount Carmel," near Waco, Texas. Elijah's standoff had occurred on Mount Carmel in ancient Israel. When the Lord answered Elijah's prayers and not those of the prophets of Baal, Elijah slaughtered them all. As of this writing, Howell is still waiting for the Lord to answer him. FBI and ATF agents, having lost four ATF agents in their initial assault February 28, are prepared to stop any further slaughter.
Howell is no Elijah. His carefully constructed persona fails to mask his religious delusions. He adopted the name David Koresh to symbolize his belief that he is God's Anointed for today. David was God's anointed as the king of Israel; Koresh is a designation of the Persian king Cyrus, who was ordained by God (Isaiah 45:1) to authorize and finance the rebuilding of the Jewish temple after the Babylonian captivity (2 Chronicles 36). When outsiders, including the media and law enforcement call him "David Koresh" he says that proves even his enemies know he is God's Anointed. He claims to be Jesus Christ, the "Lamb" of Revelation 5, and God's avenger against the world.
A shy, reclusive ninth-grade dropout from Texas had evolved into a despotic cult leader, able to command hundreds of followers and hold off 400 federal agents for days outside his dusty Mount Carmel compound.
The CultVernon Howell's cult traces its origin to 1929, when Bulgarian immigrant Victor Houteff, dissatisfied with his own Seventh Day Adventist church in Los Angeles, broke away and moved to Texas to start his own church, which he called "the Shepherd's Rod." The Seventh Day Adventists have a tradition, started by founder Ellen G. White, of accepting modern-day prophecy and of expecting the imminent return of Jesus Christ in judgment. Ironically, one of Houteff's contentions with the Seventh Day Adventist church was that it was not pacifistic enough -- he disagreed with its practice of approving member participation in the armed forces in noncombat positions.
At the beginning of World War II Houteff changed the group's name to Davidic Seventh-day Adventists. When he died in 1957, his wife, Florence, assumed control and prophesied that the Second Coming of Christ would occur by April 22, 1959. Florence resigned from leadership of her 1,400 member group when the prophesy failed.
The Davidic Seventh-day Adventists split during 1959, the core of the group remaining near Waco, Texas and eventually assuming the name "Branch Davidians" under the leadership of the Roden family. In 1981 Vernon Howell joined the group as handyman assistant to then-leader Lois Roden. In 1983, when Lois' son, George, assumed control of the group, Howell unsuccessfully fought him for control. Howell returned to the headquarters in 1987, led a gun battle against George, was acquitted of attempted murder charges, and assumed control of the group in 1988. From 1986 - 1991 he recruited new members in Canada, Hawaii, California, England, and Australia; and then concentrated on rebuilding and fortifying the headquarters compound, "Mount Carmel," during 1992.
Distinctive teachings of the Branch Davidians include that Howell is Jesus Christ, that they will be God's instruments to implement God's final judgment, that Howell, destined to be a martyr, is entitled to 140 wives, and that the Sabbath must be observed from sundown Friday through sundown Sunday.
The ManVernon Howell was born in 1960 and spent his childhood in Tyler, Texas. He was described as shy and reclusive, and diagnosed with "learning disabilities." He dropped out of school in the ninth grade, but claims to have memorized the New Testament by the time he was twelve.
At nineteen Howell was baptized into the Seventh Day Adventist church, but was asked to leave scarcely two years later because of behavior and scripture interpretation problems. That same year, 1981, he joined the Rodens' Branch Davidian sect.
Over the next seven years he grew into his later grandiose persona. He built his base of power, took over the sect, accumulated one legal wife (Rachel, then 14) and dozens of other women, and began preaching his version of the end of the world and the Last Judgment. He also pursued his lifelong love of hard rock music, associating with rock musicians, playing with different bands, and recruiting players for "God's" band.
Howell's dire predictions of coming warfare and his own martyrdom date to 1983 or 1984, when, according to one ex-member, "he was always teaching that he was going to be killed and going to be a martyr." Another ex-member recalled Howell's preoccupation with violence, recounting, "The night I met Koresh . . . he asked me, 'Would you die for Christ?' I said I guess so. He said, 'Would you kill for him?' I said no. He turned to my friend and said, 'Hey, you just brought me another weak Christian.'" The defense attorney for Howell and his followers in the trial over the 1987 gunfight with Roden remembered, "Vernon had told them that some day somebody was going to be coming for them, and that they better be ready."
Perhaps the most eerie connection between Howell and violence is his own interpretations of select Bible passages. He identifies himself with Elijah, who used God's power to defeat the false prophets of Baal at biblical Israel's Mount Carmel. He identifies with David, the king who subdued the enemies of God through warfare. He takes his last name, Koresh, a designation of the Persian king Cyrus, because he believes he, like Cyrus, is anointed by God to re-establish the true faith by destroying the ungodly. Most importantly, he identifies himself with the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, especially as Christ is described in Revelation 5, 10, and 18 -- the avenging Son of God who will destroy all the unrighteous with his heavenly army. One of his favorite self-descriptions is from Isaiah 11:4 -- "He shall strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, and with the breath of His lips He shall slay the wicked." Taking the language of Isaiah 63 and Revelation 18, he believes the "Day of Vengeance" has come, and he is the executioner.
The ShootoutThe stage was set. Howell, now 33, the same age as Jesus at His death, worked by his own prophetic agenda. He was ready for war. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (BATF) agents, working a nine month investigation which involved informants, surveillance, and undercover infiltration, were convinced that Howell was stockpiling illegal weapons and explosives, and in addition was propagating illegal activities including child abuse and unlawful intercourse with minors (He is said to take new "wives" when they are between 11 and 14 years old). The plights of the women and especially the children gave the investigation more impetus, and the BATF made its move to serve search and arrest warrants around 9:30 a.m. Sunday, February 28.
Within forty-five minutes, four ATF agents were dead, 15 wounded, and three cult members were later confirmed dead. Howell himself claimed to have been shot in the abdomen. ATF spokespersons tried to explain the debacle, surmising that someone had tipped Howell off minutes before the raid, noting that they were unaware of the .50 caliber armor-piercing machine gun in the control tower, and also pointing out that, with so many women and children in the compound, they were unable to return fire through walls at unseen targets, while Howell's followers shot indiscriminately through walls at the agents.
After the initial assault, a cease fire allowed ATF agents to remove their dead and wounded, and the long standoff began. Nearby residents noted that Howell's followers had stockpiled supplies. FBI spokesmen noted that the compound was largely self-sufficient with its own wells and supplies, and the members used to doing without electricity or indoor plumbing.
Throughout the next five days, Howell and federal officials negotiated the intermittent release of 20 children and 2 adults. By Friday, March 5, 106 individuals were left inside the compound, including Howell. At first Howell had telephone access to the media and granted interviews to the Associated Press and CNN as well as other journalists. However, the FBI later cut his direct communication with anyone but them. Howell resorted to making promises in exchange for having his taped messages, delivered by children as they left, aired on radio. Tuesday, March 2, he promised everyone would surrender peacefully if his 58 minute audio cassette message was aired "nationally." Several Texas radio stations aired the message, a rambling, disjointed survey of dozens of disconnected Bible verses, but Howell rescinded his promise to give up. He declared that God had told him not to leave, and he would take further action only when God told him what to do. Given his teachings concerning violence and martyrdom, many ex-members and cult experts are concerned that the standoff cannot end without further bloodshed.
One hundred seemingly normal, rational people followed him to almost certain death. But as one person agreed, it's easy to suspend disbelief, to become caught up in a charismatic leader's vision, as one person put it, "When you first see him. . . you think, 'Who's this guy kidding?' But when he's talking, it's like something comes over you and you get swept up with it. A little bit of charm and you get to the point where you believe this, you believe that, and you come so far, it's just that you believe all of it." And the world sits, mesmerized by live television coverage and screaming newspaper headlines, swept up ourselves, unwittingly, into one madman's vision of the end.
Gretchen Passantino
Lessons from Waco
By Gretchen Passantino
Copyright 1992 by Bob and Gretchen Passantino. Reproduction or publication of the content in any manner, without express permission of the author is prohibited.
This article first appeared in World MagazineWith excruciating deliberation, the FBI executed successive steps toward peacefully ending their armed standoff with Branch Davidian cult members near Waco, Texas. They called on years of hostage negotiation experience, panels of forensic psychology experts, teams of crisis intervention specialists, numerous religious, biblical, theological, and cult advisors, and the best anti-terrorist authorities. Step-by-step they narrowed the compound perimeters, restricted outside contacts, disrupted sleep and daily habits, and pressed the hoped-for peaceful resolution.
But on Monday, April 19, David Koresh and 86 Branch Davidians, including up to 24 children, died in a firestorm of gunfire, propane, lantern oil, and exploding munitions. Nine adults survived the end to the tense 51 day siege begun February 28 when Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms agents were attacked attempting to serve arrest and search warrants at the compound for illegal arms and ammunition. In that initial skirmish four ATF agents were killed, 15 wounded, and perhaps as many as 10 cult members were killed.
As congressional hearings continue and federal officials investigate, the religious aspects of the Waco disaster will be an important part of their deliberations. Were Koresh's religious convictions weighed heavily enough? Were his followers' fanatical loyalty and resultant actions properly guaged? Was there any way religious insight could have saved lives?
Most agree Koresh's religious convictions were accurately considered. Koresh was convinced that he was the Lamb of God, that God had appointed him the executor of God's judgment, and that he and his followers were destined for firey, deadly battle. Koresh's last two letters, included challenges such as "I AM your God and you will bow under my feet . . . I AM your life and your death. . . . Fear Me, for I have you in My snare."
Religious researcher Phillip Arnold attempted to convince Koresh of an alternate, non-violent understanding of apocalyptic scriptures Koresh applied to the siege. Koresh's attorney, Dick DeGuerin, tried to negotiate a peaceful surrender. And yet neither produced any wavering by Koresh from his personal Armaggeddon. As FBI lawyer Danny Coulson remarked, "Inside [the compound] he's God. Outside, he's an inmate on trial for his life. What was he going to do?"
Even given the inevitability of Koresh's self-destruction, there is some indication that the FBI could have anticipated more accurately the final results through more accurate religious analysis. The FBI was confident the Davidian mothers instinctively would send their children out of the way of the tear gas and demolition, and yet their calculations did expect the mothers' absolute conviction that sending their children out would be to destine them to death at the hands of the enemy. A Justice department official, speaking with the clarity of hindsight, remarked, "This wasn't a normal hostage situation. . . . Not only were they there, they were willing to do anything for this person."
The Branch Davidians believed Koresh's prophecies concerning the inevitability of their martyrdom by fire. Koresh's favorite apocalyptic scriptures speak of destruction (Revelation 11:5), judgment (Revelation 8:5), and cleansing by fire (1 Corinthians 3:13-15). Koresh often compared himself to the prophet Elijah, who challenged the prophets of the fase gods in ancient Israel. He told the story of how Elijah dared the enemies to display divine power through their sacrifices. They failed, and the true God Yahweh sent fire from heaven to consume Elijah's sacrifice on Mount Carmel. The false prophets fled, only to be slaughtered by Elijah. Koresh was their Elijah, they were the sacrifice, and the federal forces were the false prophets destined for destruction. Whether or not the Davidians set the initial fires, they found themselves cast in the divine drama prefigured by Elijah and consumated by David Koresh. In the end, whether they welcomed the flames or were forced by Koresh's indominatable will, there was no escape.
Could the FBI have devised some alternative designed to frustrate fulfillment of Koresh's fire images? Perhaps. Attorney General Janet Reno said, "based on what we know now, obviously [what we did] was wrong." But the playwright of the drama wrote only one ending: death and destruction.
We will learn from this tragedy. Law enforcement, psychologists, politicians, talk show hosts, and bureaucrats will suggest legislation, policies, and plans to prevent another Mount Carmel, just as they did after 1978's mass deaths of 913 Peoples' Temple members in Jonestown, Guyana. But laws and strategies don't use the most powerful weapons we have as members of a free society: individual commitment to rationality and personal religious responsibility.
Gretchen Passantino


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From: AutoBlog
NHTSA Official: Breach Is "First Example Of What's To Come"
A cyber-security gap that allowed for the remote hacking of a Jeep Cherokee has federal officials concerned. An associate administrator with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Thursday that news of the breach conducted by researchers Chris Valasek and Charlie Miller had "floated around the entire federal government."
"The Homeland Security folks sent out broadcasts that, 'Here's an issue that needs to be addressed,'" said Nathaniel Beuse, an associate administrator with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Valasek and Miller commandeered remote control of the Cherokee through a security flaw in the cellular connection to the car's Uconnect infotainment system. From his Pittsburgh home, Valasek manipulated critical safety inputs, such as transmission function, on Miller's Jeep as he drove along a highway near St. Louis, MO.

subset: commoncrawl


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iStripper named Katrina Moreno Talent of the Month – May 2018
Paris, France – iStripper has named the uruguayan star Katrina Moreno, their Talent of the Month for May.
According to the Casting Director, "Katrina is all we can expect from a Latina beauty! Sensual, playful, free and warm. Her professionalism and talents in front of a camera are simply amazing ! She is a fantastic performer and we are very proud to count her in our iStripper club !"
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iStripper is the only desktop application able to display real stripteases directly onto the computer taskbar, without background. The concept exists for 16 years and is supported by thousands affiliates who monetize their desktop trafic with innovative tools such as the popping models.
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We want to issue congratulations to Anthony Bongiovanni on his recent promotion from Survey Field Tech to Crew Chief. Operation Manager, Mike Stys, had some kind words:
"Please take a moment to congratulate Anthony. His work ethic, passion to learn, performance and recent LSIT certification has earned him a well-deserved promotion. Anthony has a bright future and we all should be honored to help create the environment for him to be successful. Also, thank you to everyone here for assisting, mentoring and helping Anthony continue to develop."
– Mike Stys, Operations Manager, San Diego
WHPacific is a full service, woman-owned multi-discipline Engineering & Architecture firm with offices throughout the United States. For over 50 years, our teams have been regarded for helping both public and private clients achieve success with their most challenging projects through the following core service lines: Transportation, Survey and Mapping, Development Services, Water Resources, Environmental Services, Aviation, Construction Services, and Industrial Facilities Engineering.


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How to Build a Strong Daycare Negligence Case
How To Handle Your Child Being Injured at a Daycare Center
A 5-year-old Arkansas boy recently died after he was left in a day care van all day. The boy may have been asleep when the van arrived at the day care early on a June Monday and never got off the van, which remained in the parking lot since 7 a.m., Arkansas, police said. The child was found dead in his booster seat hours later around 3 p.m., police said.
Sadly, this story is just one of many that Americans continue to read about on social media and see on the daily news. Leaving a child in the care of a sitter or a daycare facility is a decision that needs to be made with caution, care and diligent research. Parents need to take the extra precautions of interviewing and examining facilities carefully before leaving their child in the hands of caregivers at any type of daycare or babysitting facility.
Be Thorough, Take Extra Precautions
With discrepancies in daycare laws and inconsistent certifications required for different types of childcare facilities, it is always advisable to be more than thorough before placing your child under the care of any facility.
With the risk of burns, drownings, falls and poisonings, children need to be watched and protected. When children are not adequately supervised, injuries and even death are bound to occur. Many of the injuries and deaths that have occurred recently have happened at church daycare centers, or ministry daycares, those that are operated independently of state requirements and inspections.
Identifying Daycare Negligence
If your child has been injured at a daycare center in Indiana, the first step should be to obtain a clear understanding of what happened with your child. State and local agencies will investigate serious accidents and will make a finding agency feels is appropriate under the circumstances. The timing can be lengthy for a report from the agency. In the meantime, do your own work and ask for names of every person who may know about the accident and write down those names and that you were told that is not included in the written report. Keeping notes of your conversations with employees of the daycare center will help retain the information should be necessary later on.
Documenting the injuries with photographs or videos can also be an important step in showing the impact of the injury on the child. Likewise, it is very important that someone keep track of the medical treatment providers who help your child. For that reason, we suggest you keep a log of the medical providers you see and what they did for your injured child. Also, keep track of your child's recovery process as it usually if the parents and doctors who testify about the trauma and recovery in court.
Getting Results For Your Loved Ones
Stephen Wagner and Jason Reese can handle your daycare negligence or childcare injury claim with years of experience and proven results. Call the Indianapolis law firm of Wagner Reese today (888) 204-8440 for your FREE consultation!


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Shakespeare Behind Bars and Courage
Even before I had heard about the Shakespeare Behind Bars program, I was astonished at how powerful Shakespeare's words are. Shakespeare has inspired many people I personally know. The plays have entertained and delighted audiences for centuries. But in my wildest dreams I would have never believed how life-changing being a part of a Shakespeare production could be. Matt Wallace, Director of the program says this about the inmates: "Their courage and character continue to inspire me."
Shakespeare Behind Bars and Comedy
One may believe that there isn't much room for "improv" in a Shakespeare production because the text that is, Shakespeare's words are usually the star of the show. Directors have cut lines to modernize some of the plays to a manageable two-hour performance (Stratford is notorious for this method.) Purists argue that it just isn't Shakespeare when artistic adjustments are made – whatever the reason. I admit that simultaneously I am intrigued by and repulsed by the thought of removing scenes or lines. Matt Wallace found a workable balance in his Shakespeare Behind Bar's production of The Merchant of Venice.
Shakespeare Behind Bars and Meta-theatricality
Because Shakespeare's works reflect the humanity of individuals and show the singular events in life that can take one on a new and different path, who better to stage his works than Matt Wallace, director of Shakespeare Behind Bars, who works with inmates that interpret the events in life demonstrated by Shakespeare? This is in of itself a case of meta-theatricality; inmates are playing parts that encompass moral dilemmas and crime – perhaps even issues that they have directly faced – giving them the opportunity to explore their feelings unlike any typical therapy program could offer.


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Texpo Eurasia 2012 is a unique event of its kind In Turkey showcasing a wide variety of products. The event will encompass an exclusive collection of products and services from leading exhibitors which would include dye, hosiery machines, printing machines, textile chemicals, computer system and programs, etc. The visitors will get a wonderful platform to get new ideas and designs in the textile market. 29th Textile, Weaving, Spinning, Finishing, Knitting, Embroidery, Hosiery Machines, Side Industries and Chemicals Fair will serve as an ideal place for both exhibitors as well as visitors to develop business opportunities and maintain business relationships and links across the world.
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Michael P. Verna
Phone: (925) 935-3300
Fax: 925-935-0371
Email: email@example.com
Michael P. Verna's legal practice has focused on complex civil trial work since 1978. He has been recognized by his peers with admission to a number of exclusive trial lawyer organizations and by several legal publications. His track record of accomplishments range from recovering well over $100 million for his plaintiff clients to obtaining defense verdicts in multi-million dollar claims against his corporate and government clients. Mr. Verna is board certified in civil trial and pre-trial advocacy, and routinely handles cases in courts throughout the United States.
To visit Mr. Verna's Best Lawyers profile, click here.
Areas of Practice
Certified Legal Specialties
- Board Certified: Civil Trial Advocate, National Board of Trial Advocacy (American Bar Association accredited), 1986-Present
- Board Certified: Civil Pre-Trial Practice Advocacy, National Board of Legal Specialty Certification (American Bar Association accredited)
Bar Admissions
- California, 1978
- Supreme Court of California, 1978
- U.S. District Court Northern District of California, 1978
- U.S. District Court Eastern District of California, 1998
- U.S. District Court Central District of California, 1998
- U.S. Court of Appeals 9th Circuit, 1988
- U.S. Court of Appeals 11th Circuit, 2006
- U.S. Court of Appeals 2nd Circuit, 2009
- Supreme Court of the United States of America, 2002
- University of California, Hastings College of the Law, San Francisco, California
- University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, California
- B.A. summa cum laude - 1975
- Honors: Phi Beta Kappa
- Major: Pre-Law
- Panelist on numerous presentations to ABA members on issues related to civil trial law, American Bar Association
- Guest speaker at comparative law forum in Munich, Germany dealing with litigation systems of the U.S. and the E.U., European Air Law Association, 2007
- Lead panelist on doctrine of forum non conveniens and jurisdictional disputes in international litigation, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
- Multiple presentations over several years dealing with civil litigation and trial tactics and practices, Contra Costa County Bar Association
Honors and Awards
- Faculty: National Institute of Trial Advocacy, 1987
- Best Lawyers in America, 2006-present, Peer-reviewed recognition by Best Lawyers legal publication as among top 5% of lawyers in civil litigation in the U.S.
- Super Lawyers of Northern California, 2005-present, Peer-reviewed recognition by Thompson Reuters legal publication as among top attorneys in commercial trial litigation in California
- National Trial Lawyers Association, Peer-reviewed invitation only admission to elite trial lawyers organization recognizing top 100 business tort litigation attorneys
- American Board of Trial Advocacy, 1999, Peer-reviewed invitation only admission to elite trial lawyers organization for only those attorneys meeting stringent criteria of demonstrated skill, expertise, and ethical standards in trial work
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- The American College of Master Advocates and Barristers, Senior Counsel, Peer-reviewed invitation only admission to civil trial attorneys society promoting highest standards of ethics and litigation skill
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- "Top Attorney in Northern California" designation from San Francisco and Oakland magazines for accomplishments as trial attorney
Professional Associations and Memberships
- American Bar Association, Vice-Chairman of Aviation and Space Law Committee
- American Association for Justice
- Consumer Attorneys of California
- International Association of Defense Counsel
- San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association
- Contra Costa County Bar Association
- National Italian American Bar Association
- State Bar of California
Past Employment Positions
- Bronson, Bronson & McKinnon, Associate/Partner, trial attorney on complex civil litigation matters, 1978 - 1986
Pro Bono Activities
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- Arbitrator, Appointed by American Arbitration Association to periodically act as arbitrator in complex litigation matters.
- Mediator, Routinely retained by private parties and counsel to assist in resolving complex disputes
Michael P. Verna In The News
Michael P. Verna has appeared on numerous local and national TV News Network and on various radio stations, to discuss the legal issues and ramifications of aviation accidents, catastrophic and personal injury cases. Below is a sample of some of Michael's appearances.
My family worked with Michael on a multi-year case that was extremely complicated and included dealing with courts in several other nations. It was an emotionally heart-wrenching case that involved the death of a family member in a plane crash. Throughout the process Michael was very honest and straightforward with us about our chances of success while crafting a very creative and unique legal strategy that left the other side with no choice but to take us seriously. There is no better expert in the field. I strongly recommend Michael for any aviation related case. We had a very positive outcome for ours. You are in good hands.
Mr. Verna conducted diligent research, developed a compelling legal strategy, and was very effective in the courtroom--even when certain rulings made during the trial required a flexible approach in presenting my case. Throughout he was informative, sought input, and communicated status, next steps, and conducted good preparation of the witnesses that testified to support my case. I appreciate his expertise, work ethic, communication style, scope of services, and results.


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Inforbit Solutions is a new entrant in the market but being guided by the industry & market veteran who has helped many companies in the region with their ERP, CRM, HRM, Document Management, Workflow Management, Business Process Management etc. Inforbit provides indepth consultancy around Microsoft Office 365 and SharePoint solutions. We follow a tailored approach to help you plan, design, deploy, customize and operate your enterprise' investment proficiently. Founder has delivered multiple large & small projects successfully and helping businesses achieve integrated capabilities, increasing IT productivity and lowering cost.
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Following the well-received 'A Lifetime of Memories' pool sector ad, SPASA Victoria is excited to present a brand new ad for our spa sector members.
The ad comes as a result of the recent announcement that we're investing in a comprehensive PR campaign promoting the benefits of pool & spa ownership, and using a SPASA Victoria member.
The ad, capitalizing on Melbourne's unpredictable weather, is based on the concept of 'Four Seasons in One Day' and sells the idea of a spa being an all year round luxury. It features a family enjoying their spa in all four different weather conditions.
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As the younger brother of Rays minor leaguer Erold Andrus, Elvis was on the prospect landscape at an early age. The Rangers had a chance to sign him during international scouting director A.J. Preller's first week on the job in 2005, when the club had Andrus at its Dominican complex for a workout. But Andrus was hampered by a leg injury and Texas couldn't justify blowing 70 percent of their then-modest international budget on him. Instead, he signed with the Braves for nearly $600,000 and held his own against much older competition in his first three years in the United States. Last July, he and Jarrod Saltalamacchia were the centerpieces of a five-prospect package Atlanta surrendered for Mark Teixeira and Ron Mahay. After changing organizations, Andrus thrived in the hitter-friendly high Class A California League and then batted .353 as the youngest player in the Arizona Fall League. After his regular season ended, Andrus arrived early at instructional league and had dinner with Preller and farm director Scott Servais. He dazzled the pair with his desire to lead, telling them that his favorite shortstop is Derek Jeter because "he's a leader and a winner, and that's what I am." He also picked Sammy Sosa's brain about how to get other players to respect him as a leader. That makeup sets Andrus apart, not just off the field but on it, where he has a unique ability to slow the game down and always put himself in the right position to make plays. He long has been regarded as a naturally gifted defensive shortstop, with sure hands to go with plus range and plus arm strength, which is especially evident when he goes into the hole or on relay throws from the outfield. He's an above-average runner who's improving as a basestealer, and he shows the ability to make adjustments at the plate. A gap-to-gap hitter with a mature approach for his age, Andrus has a short, direct swing path and enough strength to project to hit 10-20 homers per year in the big leagues. Andrus remains somewhat raw offensively, but he has made progress with the Rangers, who wanted him to narrow his wide, spread-out stance to get more weight transfer and drive the ball better. His inconsistent stride causes him to get out of rhythm at times, but he showed improvement in the fall. Texas gave Andrus the green light to run whenever he wanted, and he's still refining his technique and picking up nuances such as when he can steal third base. Though he has an accurate arm and gets plenty of carry on his throws, he sometimes makes careless throwing errors. Andrus' all-around game draws comparisons to an in-his-prime Edgar Renteria's. As with Renteria, defense will always be Andrus' calling card, but he has a chance to be a solid No. 2 hitter in the big leagues if he's given more at-bats to develop. He figures to get a shot at playing at Double-A Frisco as a teenager in 2008.
A two-way star in high school who also pitched some after transferring from Texas to Navarro (Texas) JC, Davis has taken off as a power hitter in pro ball. He followed up his solid 2006 debut with a monstrous first full season, finishing second in the minors with 36 homers and 118 RBIs and setting a California League record with a 35-game hitting streak. Not only does Davis possess well above-average power, but he knows how to use it, thanks to a balanced approach and willingness to use the whole field. He has improved against lefthanders, shortened up his swing somewhat and showed an ability to make adjustments against more advanced pitching as he has moved through the minors. Despite a plus arm, Davis is a below-average defender at third base, with poor footwork and actions. He played right field in his pro debut but is a below-average runner who likely will be limited to first base down the road. Though he has a good feel for hitting, he swings and misses a lot. He tends to start his hands high then drop them down before the pitch, making him vulnerable against pitches above the belt. Davis could be an impact middle-of-the-lineup bat in the big leagues even if he is limited to first base. He needs another season in the minors to see more quality pitching, and he figures to split 2008 between Double-A and Triple-A Oklahoma.
At the lower levels of the minors, Hurley was often able to dominate hitters simply by overpowering them, but he has had to learn how to adjust to hitters at higher levels. When he began overmatching Double-A batters in the first half of 2007, the Rangers moved him up to Triple-A, where he wore down late and experienced his first real taste of adversity. Hurley has a pair of plus offerings in his sinking 92-95 mph fastball that runs down and in and his firm slider with good depth. He refined his command of both pitches in 2007, and Texas forced him to focus on developing his changeup in Triple-A. He made some progress with the changeup early, flashing some turnover fade. As Hurley ran out of gas down the stretch, his changeup wasn't as comfortable coming out of his hand and he struggled to locate it. He also got hit hard when he left his fastball up in the zone. It usually takes him a few innings to get his velocity up, as he works at 88-92 mph early in games. Hurley will likely get a chance to crack the big league rotation in spring training, but a return to Triple-A and a midseason callup seems more likely. He projects as a mid-rotation starter in the Kevin Millwood mold.
After leading Texas to the College World Series and posting a solid pro debut in 2005, Teagarden ended his year with Tommy John surgery. He worked his way back as a DH late in 2006 and entered 2007 mostly healthy, but elbow fatigue in late April set him back. He wound up catching just two or three games per week the rest of the way and serving as a DH the rest of the time. Most Rangers officials regard Teagarden as a major league-ready defensive catcher already, thanks to his soft hands, solid footwork and feel for the game. His arm is slightly above average but plays up further thanks to his footwork, quick release and accuracy. He threw out 33 percent of basestealers in 2007. Offensively, he entered pro ball with a rather flat swing path at times, but he since has improved his load and been able to generate more loft and backspin, giving him solid-average pull power and doubles pop to the opposite field. He has natural leadership skills. Teagarden still needs a little more work calling games, but his intelligence should expedite that process as he gets more work behind the plate. Because of his patient offensive approach, he takes his share of strikeouts. The Rangers took the reins off Teagarden in the fall, and he should be ready to catch nearly every day in 2008--likely back at Double-A to start the year. Texas may not need him thanks to Saltalamacchia, but Teagarden should be ready to be an everyday catcher by 2009.
Feliz lacked the name recognition of the other youngsters the Braves gave up in the Mark Teixeira trade last July, but he could wind up as the crown jewel of the haul. Rather than blowing hitters away with his fastball after the trade, he focused on developing his secondary stuff and still struck out 27 in just 15 innings. With some time to refine his command, Feliz' fastball could rate as an 80 on the 20-80 scouting scale. With a smooth, effortless arm action, he pumps heaters that sit at 94-97 mph and touches 99, exploding on hitters. He stays on a good line to the plate and throws strikes. He has an athletic build and he's a hard worker. Feliz flashes a promising three-quarters breaking ball in the high 70s, but it's inconsistent. One day he'll show a plus curve with very good depth, and the next day he'll drop his arm, causing the pitch to flatten out and spin but not bite. He tends to throw his changeup too hard, right into hitters' bat speeds, but he has some feel for the pitch and made progress with it in instructional league. His command currently lags behind his control. Feliz has a chance to open 2008 as a 19-year-old at low Class A Clinton, but he's still a long way from the majors. If it all comes together for him, he has the potential to be a true No. 1 starter, though some scouts see him as a flamethrowing closer down the road.
Since he was named Baseball America's top 15-year-old prospect in 2004, Main has generated buzz for his lightning-quick arm and supreme athleticism. A number of clubs thought hard about drafting him as a center fielder, and the Rangers even let him DH for eight games in his debut in the Rookie-level Arizona League, where he batted .267. Main evokes Bret Saberhagen for his slight build, plus-plus arm strength, intelligence and determination. He pitches with minimal effort at 92-97 mph with a lively fastball, and he did a much better job keeping the pitch down in the zone in 2007 than he did in high school in 2006. Main's 75-78 mph downer curveball has tight rotation and good depth. It's an average pitch at times and could wind up better than that. He has good command for his age. He has plus-plus speed and the athleticism to field his position well. Main has the makings of an average changeup but needs to develop the pitch, which he used infrequently in high school. He also must get more consistent with his curveball. Added strength would improve his long-term durability. Main could wind up as a legitimate front-of-the-rotation starter in the big leagues. He figures to follow Kasey Kiker's development plan and start 2008 in extended spring training before going to low Class A around mid-May.
The Rangers have been careful with the undersized Kiker, first keeping him on a strict pitch count in his pro debut after his standout career as a workhorse at national powerhouse Russell County High (Seale, Ala.), then holding him back in extended spring training to start his first full pro season. The idea was to keep him to 20 starts in 2007, and Texas preferred to have him peaking at the end of the season rather than in July. It worked perfectly, as he repeatedly dialed his fastball up to 97 mph in a Midwest League playoff game. A bulldog who wants the ball in big spots, Kiker has the stuff and competitiveness to make up for his slight build. With a clean arm action from a high three-quarters slot, he pitches comfortably at 91-93 mph and has the ability to elevate the ball in the zone to get strikeouts when needed. He has a plus changeup with some tail to it. He always has thrown the changeup with good arm speed and commanded it much better in 2007, even using it when he was behind in the count. Kiker's 75-78 mph curveball has tight downward rotation and is a plus pitch at times, but it remains inconsistent. Though he has a strong lower half and keeps himself in great shape, his size raises questions about his ability to shoulder a starter's heavy workload over the long term. Kiker will start 2008 in the hitter-friendly California League, which will be a major test for him as a flyball pitcher. His three-pitch mix gives him a shot to be a mid-rotation starter in the big leagues by 2010.
Beavan was Baseball America's 2006 Youth Player of the Year after serving as the ace for the U.S. junior national team, which included striking out 11 in a shutout against Cuba on Cuban soil. He followed his standout summer with a dominating senior season, which included an 18-strikeout perfect game, and bypassed a commitment to Oklahoma to sign with the Rangers for $1,497,500 right before the Aug. 15 signing deadline. Beavan has an imposing, workhorse frame and a swagger on the mound. He pounds the strike zone with an above-average heavy fastball that sits at 92-94 mph and reaches 96 when he needs it. His mid-80s slider can be a plus pitch at times as well. Beavan tends to use a lower arm slot with his slider than he does with his fastball, causing it to flatten out. He should be able to tighten the pitch by cleaning up his delivery, and his velocity could climb if he learns to finish pitches instead of cutting himself off. He'll need to develop his nascent changeup to stick as a starter. He can be too brash at times, and he got a taste of humble pie in instructional league. Some scouts think Beavan profiles best as a two-pitch bullpen ace with a nasty streak, but the Rangers will give him every chance to start. He figures to make his pro debut at short-season Spokane in June.
Tennessee coach Rod Delmonico discovered Borbon almost by accident while recruiting another player in the Dominican Republic, and Borbon helped lead the Volunteers to the College World Series as a freshman before exploding onto the prospect landscape with a standout summer for Team USA in 2006. He missed the first eight weeks of his junior year after fracturing his ankle while sliding awkwardly during an intrasquad game, and though he never fully got on track during the season, the Rangers signed him to a major league contract worth $1.3 million, including an $800,000 signing bonus. Borbon garners comparisons to Johnny Damon for his prototypical center-field tools. His 70 speed on the 20-80 scale and his good instincts make him a plus defender in center. He has a strong, physical frame with gap-to-gap power, and he projects to hit 10-20 homers annually in the big leagues. He makes consistent, line-drive contact, is a good bunter and isn't afraid to work the count. He's also a natural leader. Like Damon, Borbon has a below-average arm, though Texas thinks it could become average if he can improve his exchange from his glove and retrain his muscle memory. Offensively, the Rangers want him to narrow his stance to get more weight transfer. He also needs to use the opposite field more and work on getting better jumps on the basepaths. He'll have to be more patient as a pro than he was as an amateur (37 walks in 155 games) to be a leadoff hitter. Borbon has the tool set to be an everyday center fielder in the big leagues. He should open 2008 in low Class A and could move fairly quickly.
The Red Sox signed Beltre for $600,000 in 2006 and traded him to Texas along with Kason Gabbard and David Murphy for Eric Gagne last July. After shining in his Rangers debut, Beltre reported early to instructional league, where the gifted athlete further impressed by bowling a strike in the first roll of his life during the club's bowling tournament. Scouts drooled over Beltre's legitimate five-tool potential after he signed with Boston, with one even comparing him to a young Barry Bonds. The Rangers liken his wiry-strong frame to that of a young Kenny Lofton, and like Lofton he's an above-average runner who gets good jumps and reads in center field to go along with a plus arm. Beltre has a loose swing and quick wrists and projects to hit for above-average power as he fills out. Though Beltre has good bat control and isn't afraid to work the count, he tends to get jumpy with runners on base. His swing can get too big and he's prone to chasing pitches in the dirt. He's raw in every phase of the game and hasn't yet figured out how to use his speed on the basepaths. Given time and at-bats, Beltre could blossom into a true five-tool superstar, but he's a long way off. He'll likely start 2008 in extended spring training before heading back to Spokane.
After holding his own in the Midwest League as an 18-year-old in his 2006 U.S. debut, Poveda returned to the MWL and mastered it in '07 before earning a late promotion. Though he's still officially listed at 200 pounds, the Rangers say Poveda is finally starting to fill out his angular frame and is now closer to a more durable 215 pounds. That build evokes fellow Venezuelan Freddy Garcia and Yankees righty Carl Pavano, and like those former No. 3 starters, Poveda is a strike-thrower with a good work ethic and solid mound presence. His solidaverage fastball sits at 89-92 mph and occasionally touches 93, and he might have a touch more projection left. His straight changeup is a plus offering that can sometimes be plus-plus, and he throws it in any count to righties as well as lefties. He has developed his downer curveball into an average offering that he can sometimes get hitters to chase in the dirt. He still needs to continue refining the pitch and learn how to attack advanced hitters, but he figures to continue his rapid climb through the system in 2008, starting back at high Class A Bakersfield. He could reach Double-A by midseason and could be a mid-rotation starter in the big leagues by 2010.
Harrison did not pitch for the Rangers after being acquired as part of last July's Mark Teixeira trade with the Braves because he had developed a nasty case of turf toe that affected his delivery, leading to shoulder irritation. He changed from a no-windup delivery to a full windup in an effort to add velocity, but the Rangers decided to shut him down until the Arizona Fall League, where a healthy Harrison went 5-0, 2.00 in 27 innings. Harrison's biggest strength is his excellent feel for pitching and ability to work all quadrants of the strike zone. His four-pitch mix includes an average 88-93 mph fastball and an average changeup that he throws in any count. He also throws two breaking balls: a slurve with darting three-quarters break and a big, slow 71-75 curveball that is more of a show pitch. Harrison has a big, physical frame and pitches downhill from a three-quarters arm slot. He's not a great athlete and his body is maxed out, so his ceiling is probably as a No. 3 starter, though he's more likely a No. 4 or No. 5. Added to the 40-man roster in November, he figures to advance to Triple-A to start the season and could see the big leagues sometime in 2008.
In the summer of 2006, Ramirez held his own against players up to three years older than him in the Cal Ripken Sr. League, a summer college wood-bat league where he ranked as the No. 1 prospect. An up-anddown senior season caused him to slip to the Rangers at No. 44 overall in the draft, and he passed up a scholarship at Georgia Tech to sign for a $1 million bonus right before the Aug. 15 signing deadline. He was still working his way into game shape in instructional league, but he flashed the electric stuff that has garnered comparisons to John Smoltz and A.J. Burnett. Ramirez oozes projection, but he already pitches at 92-94 mph with his high-riding four-seam fastball, which he ran up to 96 in instructs. His short, tight, low-to-mid-80s power curveball projects as a potential plus-plus offering, but he's still learning to command it consistently. Ramirez is just starting to develop his changeup, and he still struggles to repeat his delivery, often opening his front side and changing his release point, causing the ball to go all over the place. He's got plenty of time to smooth all of that out, and if it comes together for him, he could be a bona fide top-of-the-rotation starter. He figures to open 2008 in extended spring training before heading to the Arizona League.
Castillo had thrown just three innings in the U.S. before heading to Spokane in 2007, and though he took his lumps against much older competition, he still ranked as the No. 5 prospect in the league. During instructional league in 2006 and in extended spring last year, Castillo showed three quality pitches, highlighted by a plus fastball that parks at 92-95 mph and touches 97. His breaking ball was a true power curveball at 81-82 mph, and his 78-80 mph changeup had some split-finger action. But while Castillo still showed that lively, sinking fastball and promising changeup in Spokane, he struggled to get around his breaking ball, causing it to flatten out and look like a slider that spun but lacked action. He worked on correcting the problem in instructs after the season, but he'll need to focus on the curveball and becoming more consistent with his changeup in the spring. Though Castillo has some feel for pitching, he needs to improve his command. He has the potential to be a No. 2 starter or a closer in the big leagues down the road, but he'll likely get a shot at low Class A Clinton in 2008.
After earning second-team freshman All-America honors as a starter in 2006, Hunter thrived in the bullpen for Team USA, then split 2007 between the closer role and Friday starter spot for the Crimson Tide. The Rangers popped the draft-eligible sophomore with their third supplemental first-round pick (No. 54 overall) and signed him for a $585,000 bonus, and he excelled out of the bullpen for Spokane, where he ranked as the No. 7 prospect in the short-season Northwest League. Hunter's hulking, rather soft frame belies his athleticism--he was a two-time junior Olympic judo champion, and he's surprisingly quick off the mound. A leader off the field, Hunter took Rangers top pick Blake Beavan under his wing in instructional league, and his commanding presence carries over to the mound. Hunter pounds the strike zone with a solid-average 90-94 mph fastball, the centerpiece of his quality four-pitch mix. His short, tight, late-breaking curveball is his better breaking ball, a plus pitch at 82-84 mph, but his slider and changeup with split-finger action are usually average offerings, though he sometimes gets around his slider, causing it to flatten out. Some scouts see Hunter as a tenacious late-innings bulldog in the Jonathan Broxton mold, but others envision him as an innings-eating workhorse along the lines of Joe Blanton. In either case, he was one of the most polished pitchers in the 2007 draft class and figures to move very quickly, starting with a likely assignment to high Class A in 2008.
Like Chris Davis in 2006, Duran went into the Rangers' predraft workout in 2005 and really impressed the club, convincing them to take him in the sixth round and award him a $90,000 bonus. He flew under the radar despite solid outputs in his first two pro seasons, but he exploded in 2007 in the Double-A Texas League, where he ranked as the No. 14 prospect after finishing among the leaders in most offensive categories. He held his own in the Arizona Fall League after the season, batting .281/.385/.422 despite spending his mornings in Arizona working with Rangers outfield coordinator Wayne Kirby on learning left field. Versatility figures to be Duran's best ticket to the majors--he's an average defensive second baseman with adequate range and a strong arm that allows him to fill in at third base and shortstop. Offensively, Duran packs some punch into his compact frame, and his short, quick, smooth stroke produces consistent, hard line-drive contact and average pull power. He's a very aggressive hitter who loves to hit early in the count, though a little more patience could do him some good. He used to be a dead pull hitter but has gotten better at knocking pitches on the outer half to the opposite field. Duran profiles as a Placido Polanco type who can play multiple positions but is a good enough hitter to eventually settle in as an everyday second baseman. He could get to the big leagues in 2008.
During his college career at Stanford, Mayberry played mostly first base like his father, two-time major league all-star John Mayberry. The Rangers drafted him in the first round in 2005 knowing that it would take time to refine his impressive but raw set of tools, and the progress has been slow but steady. He showed power but struggled to make consistent contact while hitting in the three-hole in the first half of the year at Bakersfield, but he was able to relax after a promotion to a more competitive Frisco team, where he batted lower in the lineup. Mayberry has well-above-average raw power that he is still learning to tap into--he's made progress shortening his swing, but he's still vulnerable on the inner half and struggles to authoritatively pull the ball with consistency. He has above-average arm strength but a slow release because of his long levers. Accordingly, he's a long strider and a fringe-average runner underway, but he lacks first-step quickness, making him a fringe-average defender in right field. He's always going to strike out a lot and never will hit for a high average, but he could be an everyday big league right fielder who hits 35 home runs. He'll likely head back to Double-A in 2008.
Font and Fabio Castillo were the jewels of the Rangers' 2006 international haul, and Font held his own in his stateside debut as a 17-year-old in 2007. Despite his youth, Font already has a strong, physical frame, and the Rangers say he finished the year at 237 pounds after starting it at 210. Though he's pigeon-toed when he walks around, he's more athletic than he looks. His arm strength is his best asset, as he runs his fastball up to 97-98 mph and sits at 93-96, though he has a long arm action and some effort in his delivery. He still needs to develop his fastball command, but it's not bad for his age. Font's secondary stuff is a work in progress. He has good feel for a changeup, which is his No. 2 pitch right now, but he's still experimenting with a mid-70s curveball. Some in the Rangers system think his arm action is more suited to a slider, but for now he just needs to learn how to maintain his arm speed when throwing a pitch that spins. Font remains very green, but he has front-of-the-rotation upside. He figures to get a crack at Spokane in 2008.
Diamond has been one of the Rangers' top prospects ever since they drafted him 10th overall in 2004, and he earned postseason all-star honors in 2005 in the California League and 2006 in the Texas League. But Diamond began feeling elbow discomfort off and on in the Rangers' mini-camp last January, and it flared up after a spring training appearance against the Mariners in early March. He had Tommy John surgery and missed all of 2007, but his recovery was on schedule, and he began throwing off a mound in November. The Rangers expect him to throw simulated games in spring training, but he likely won't return to game action until June 1. When healthy, Diamond attacked hitters with a 91-94 mph fastball that reached 95-96. His plus changeup has always been his No. 2 pitch, and his long arm action caused him to abandon his overhand curveball in favor of a promising 82-83 mph slider in 2006. He needs to get better at putting hitters away. Diamond closed in college and could eventually wind up as a power bullpen arm, but the Rangers protected him on their 40-man roster and will give him every chance to start. Expect him to get a shot at Triple-A by season's end barring any setbacks.
Santana anchored the Rangers' strong 2005 international haul, signing with the Rangers for a $325,000 bonus. He had cleanup surgery in his shoulder that caused him to miss all of 2006, but he finally made his debut in the Arizona League in 2007, though he missed a month after breaking a bone in his thumb on a foul tip. Santana is a premium athlete who drew interest as a center fielder from other clubs, and one Rangers official described him as "Raul Mondesi, if you put him behind the plate." He has a strong, square-shouldered frame and quick hands that give him a short path to the ball. He has yet to tap into his plus raw power, but he demonstrated a maturing offensive approach last summer, hitting with confidence in two-strike counts and using the whole field. Santana is a plus runner, not just for a catcher. He receives well, has good footwork and does a good job blocking balls in the dirt. He has some arm strength, but his arm action is actually too short and could use some more arm swing. If he can straighten out his throwing, he has the ability to be a special catcher in the big leagues, and enough offensive potential that he could still be an impact player at another position. He could get a shot at the Midwest League in '08, but a return to Spokane (where he finished 2007) might do him some good.
After struggling mightily in his first crack at the Midwest League in 2006, Whittleman returned to the circuit with a vengeance in 2007, hitting .343 with nine homers and 30 RBIs in the first two months of the season. That performance earned him a spot in the Futures Game, where he walked and homered against Mets flamethrower Deolis Guerra in two plate appearances. The Rangers hoped that performance would spark a hot second half, but pitchers began approaching him more cautiously and he started pressing and chasing balls down out of the zone. Whittleman batted just .162 after the MWL all-star break and .240 after Texas gave him a change of scenery with a promotion to high Class A. Whittleman's fall in the instructional league was cut short by a viral infection in his spleen, but the Rangers expect him to be fine by spring training. Whittleman has a smooth lefthanded stroke with average power. He has a patient approach and can spray hard line drives from line to line, although the Rangers would like to see him get more aggressive and pull the ball a little more. Whittleman has improved somewhat at third base, where his strong arm and decent instincts give him a shot, but he committed 34 errors for the second year in a row and needs to become more consistent. He tends to put too much pressure on himself and is still learning to cope with failure. Whittleman should return to Bakersfield in 2008 and could still become an everyday corner bat in the big leagues.
Murphy's development has been slow and deliberate since the Red Sox drafted him 17th overall in 2003, but he finally broke through to the big leagues for a brief stint in 2006 and was traded to Texas along with Kason Gabbard and Engel Beltre in July's Eric Gagne deal. The Rangers gave him a longer look in the majors after the trade, and he was one of the team's hottest hitters down the stretch. Murphy has plus raw power, but his smooth, easy swing is more tailored to making contact and finding the gaps in games. He has a mature, patient approach and does not strike out often. Defensively, Murphy is adequate in all three outfield positions, thanks to average speed, good instincts and a solid arm. He's not a burner on the basepaths, and he doesn't hit for enough power to hold down a corner outfield spot, but he's a versatile enough defender with enough offensive ability to fit in as a quality fourth outfielder for the Rangers in 2008. Unless he taps into his raw power in his late 20s, Murphy doesn't figure to profile as an everyday outfielder.
Ramirez has been moved prior to the trade deadline two years in a row, first going from the Braves to the Indians for Bob Wickman in 2006, then getting shipped to Texas for Kenny Lofton in 2007. He has hit since his first professional season in 2003, and he continued to do so in high Class A, along the way being voted by managers as the Carolina League player with the best plate discipline. Ramirez is a mature, gifted hitter who maintains his balance and bat control through his swing despite a high leg kick and a lot of hand movement in his trigger. He has good power to the gaps and occasional home run pop, and he could hit enough to play first base or left field if he has to move from behind the plate. He was signed as a third baseman and is still working to shore up his footwork and receiving behind the plate, but he has enough athleticism and arm strength to at least have a chance to catch in the majors. Texas put him on its 40-man roster in the offseason, and he figures to do the bulk of the catching at Double-A in 2008.
Rangers scout Russ Ardelina recommended Mendoza after seeing him pitch in the Red Sox system, and Texas acquired him in a deal for Bryan Corey in July, 2006. Boston had released him in 2005 and picked him back up off waivers after just two starts in the Padres system. He spent most of 2007 in Double-A, leading the Texas League in complete games and finishing second in wins before earning a September callup to the majors, where he earned his first win with five innings of one-run ball against the Orioles in his second start. Mendoza relies heavily upon his low-90s sinker, which tops out at 93-94 and induces plenty of ground balls when he's right. He has a rubber arm and a durable frame with a barrel chest and long limbs. Mendoza also throws strikes with a slurvy breaking ball and a changeup, but neither is a swing-and-miss pitch, and he does not get many strikeouts, making him very reliant on strong infield defense. His ceiling is limited, but he has a shot to crack the Rangers' Opening Day roster as a back-of-the-rotation starter or a swingman.
As a hitter, the powerful Madrigal drew comparisons to Albert Belle for his thick body and swing mechanics, and the Angels signed him as an outfielder for a $150,000 bonus. After he batted just .235/.273/.348 in his third straight season in the low Class A Midwest League in 2006, the Angels decided to convert him to the mound, and he had a breakout season back at Cedar Rapids in '07. But when the Angels inadvertently failed to place him on the 40-man roster before the end of the World Series, Madrigal became a minor league free agent, and the Rangers scooped him up. Madrigal has a strong, durable frame, a good arm action and a repeatable delivery. He mostly overpowered MWL hitters by pounding the strike zone with his plus fastball at 93-96 mph, but he'll flash an average slider at 83-86 in warmups. Madrigal won't be able to get by solely on his fastball in the upper levels, so he'll need to tighten the slider and develop more confidence in the pitch. The Rangers expect him to move quickly and will give him a look in big league camp, though he's more likely to close in Double-A this year.
Arias had advanced steadily through the Rangers system since being acquired from the Yankees in the 2004 Alex Rodriguez trade, but 2007 proved to be a lost season for him. With Michael Young entrenched at shortstop in the big leagues, Texas tried Arias out in center field during spring training, but he developed shoulder soreness trying to make outfield throws and was sidelined until late June. After a brief comeback attempt, Arias had arthroscopic surgery on his shoulder and was shut down for the season. He did not have any structural damage, however, and should be ready to compete for a utility job in the majors in spring training. When healthy, Arias is a plus-plus runner with good range and excellent arm strength at shortstop. He has an aggressive, line-drive approach at the plate but needs to improve his selectivity. He's shown little or no power over the course of his minor league career, posting a slugging percentage above .400 only once. Arias has a thin, fragile frame, and some in the organization questioned his toughness in 2007. He'll need to increase his defensive versatility if he's to have any value to the Rangers. As a gifted athlete with multiple standout tools, Arias could still emerge as a valuable everyday shortstop, but it seems unlikely that will happen with the Rangers.
The Rangers drafted Phillips out of Galt (Calif.) High in 2004 and signed him as a draft-and-follow in 2005. After getting off to a 1-0, 1.19 start in April during his full-season debut in 2006, Phillips struggled with his confidence for three months before getting back on track in August and carrying his progress over to instructional league. He went back to the Midwest League in 2007 and finished third in the league in ERA and second in strikeouts. Phillips is a quick-twitch athlete who got in trouble in the past when he rushed himself, but he made a lot of progress controlling his tempo and delivery in '07. His feel for pitching and command are his best assets, while his stuff is solid if not overwhelming. He works at 87-91 mph with his fringe-average fastball, and his second pitch is a solid-average changeup. He flashes a quick, downer curveball with tight rotation, but it can get slurvy at times. Phillips' upside is limited, but the Rangers feel confident that he will eventually be a back-of-the-rotation starter in the big leagues. He'll advance to high Class A in 2008.
Vallejo is a model of perseverance. He overcame the deaths of both of his parents, and he rebounded from a rough debut in the Midwest League with a solid performance in his second crack at the circuit in 2007. In just his second season since former Rangers special assistant Terry Shumpert taught him to switchhit, Vallejo improved his batting average against righthanders from .240 to .260, but he made even more progress against lefties, jumping from .220 to .294. He has more strength from the right side than the left and slugged 85 points higher against lefties, but he profiles as a slasher from both sides of the plate. Vallejo is a well-above-average runner who made huge progress as a basestealer last year, swiping 47 bases in 50 attempts. He's a plus defender at second with excellent range, a strong arm and sure hands. Vallejo is still learning to control the zone and cut down his strikeouts, and he improved his bunting but still has work to do. He'll never hit for power and projects as a speedy, slick-fielding second baseman who could hit in the No. 9 hole or lead off in the majors. There's been talk of skipping Vallejo to Double-A in 2008, but the Rangers want to continue to build up his confidence and will likely send him to high Class A.
Garr spent most of his collegiate career at Northern Colorado as a third baseman, and he led the Bears in batting in his sophomore and junior years while smacking eight homers each year. He also served as Northern Colorado's closer his last two years, registering 12 career saves, though he logged just 35 collegiate innings and had erratic command. Still, he flashed a 93-mph fastball, and the Rangers signed him for a $65,000 bonus as a ninth-round pick. He succeeded as a reliever at three levels during his first full season in 2007, and his heater has climbed to 92-96 mph with heavy life that induces plenty of groundballs. He has a short-arm delivery that provides good deception, and he has a bulldog mentality. He's still developing his secondary stuff, but he has flashed an average slider and average change with split-finger action. He's still learning how to attack hitters, and he seemed to get a little gun-shy against Double-A hitters at the end of the season. Garr will return to Double-A in 2008 and could find his way to the big leagues by season's end. He projects as a solid setup man.
After missing most of 2002 and 2003 with Tommy John surgery, Galarraga's workload increased dramatically in his next two seasons in the Nationals organization, and he was worn out when the Rangers acquired him as part of the Alfonso Soriano trade in December 2005. As a result, he pitched just 70 innings in 2006 while battling shoulder fatigue, but he bounced back with a 160-inning campaign in 2007, culminating in three big league appearances in September. Galarraga works at 89-94 mph with a fastball that he keeps down in the strike zone. His slider is an above-average pitch, and his changeup is an adequate third pitch. He made some adjustments last year to get more downhill plane on his fastball, as he gets into trouble when he leaves the pitch up. Galarraga's stuff is decent but not special, and he profiles as a No. 5 starter and swingman in the majors, though he'll likely head to the Triple-A rotation in 2008.
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My First Jaguar Race
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My First Jaguar Race game information:
This weekend you are gonna drive your first Jaguar car into a racing competition in the Alp Mountains. Get ready and prepare yourself for this awesome event. A lot of good drivers will come from all over the world the take the reward, so do all you can to prove your unique driving skills and abilities. Good luck
How to play:
Arrow keys to control car
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The Front Door | My new home, sweet home in the great state of New York. (Photo by Me)
Bedtime Stories
This Robot Dog's Ugly is Only Skin Deep
It looks more organic than robotic. The four legs march under the barrel chest of the robot, snapping up two at a time in perfect precision. But when Boston Dynamic's creation, BigDog, is pushed, or it walks across ice, it suddenly looks very much alive as it stumbles to correct itself, and... More »
What Music Stirs Your Ancient Gaming Memories?
In today's edition of Speak-Up on Kotaku, commenter Arok_Lazarus wonders what music transports us back to the games we used to play. So I've been listening to a lot of Queen lately again. More »
See The First Spectacular Trailer And Amazing Screens For Spider-Man: Edge Of Time
In order to help the Amazing Spider-Man save the future, Spider-Man 2099 has to save the past. That's the kind of convoluted story you get when you start messing with temporal physics, but who cares when it looks this good? More »
Crysis 2's Manhattan Vs. Real Life Manhattan
When a great-looking video game imitates a real life place, how close do the two get? Compare the downtown Manhattan of Crysis 2 to the real thing and you'll see what happens when just one real intersection, where State St. More »
How the Playstation Helped Shape the Most Interesting iPad Game of the Year
It all started with a song, an instrumental created with a Playstation by Canadian musician Jim Guthrie, it seems. Speaking to NOW Magazine, Guthrie explains how he went from days creating music for Three Gut Records to working with a team of five on what would become iPad gaming darling... More »
The Future of Gaming at 35,000 Feet
The future of airborne gaming may include a full-sized monitor, surround sound and plenty of legroom, if you've got the cash to drop on a plush, "Not For Wimps" airline seat. The seat, designed by Contour Aerospace and Factorydesign, is among the future design concepts being shown off at the... More »
I spent the weekend and today sitting in the van with our three dogs and T&T as we made our way from our old home in Colorado to our new one in New York. This afternoon we got the call from our attorney that we officially now own a home in the Empire State. Now to unpack everything and get my game room set up. –Brian Crecente
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Happy February! First, THANK YOU to everyone who everyone who loved and supported Street Yoga throughout 2013. We were more than blessed by how freely you gave of your time, energy, experience, and finances. Because of you, Street Yoga ended 2013 strong.
SPECIAL THANKS to...
2013 December 'Campaign for Kids' donors! We are humbled by your generosity, grateful for your support, and even more committed to offering thoughtful, inspired, trauma-informed yoga classes to our youth and on-going education for our volunteers.
Street Yoga has exciting news!
In 2012-13 Street Yoga partnered with Ryther Child Center to study the impact of yoga on body awareness and resilience. Available here is an info graphic for your reference, results at a glance! Full article available soon.
37.5% more study participants self-reported that they "notice [their feelings] without having to react to them." This is significant, as the lack of ability to emotionally self-regulate is one of the most prominent features of youth who have experienced trauma (van der Kolk, 2003, Trauma Center at the Justice Resource Institute).
Yoga is a tool helping young people heal from their past traumas. Street Yoga is thrilled to be on the forefront of the emerging field of yoga as therapy.
Again, thank you for your support throughout 2013, and thanks for making it possible for us to continue to do high quality and meaningful work!
In gratitude,
Jessica Osberg
Click here
Connect with the Street Yoga Family
Contact the Seattle Branch:


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66 Redditch Road Kings Norton Birmingham, B38 8QSTel: 0121 458 2550
Click here to view types of contraception offered.
You do not need to be registered at the surgery to access the service and there is no need to be referred by your own GP.
Call us on 0121 458 2550 to speak to one of our GP's.
Are you aged between 15 and 24 years old? You can pick up a free, self screening kit from reception. You do not need to be registered at the surgery to get one. Contact the surgery for details or visit www.umbrellahealth.co.uk
The doctors and staff at The Kings Norton Surgery and Ash Tree Surgery in Birmingham are proud to offer the highest standard of patient-centred healthcare. We aim to provide a full range of services in a traditional general practice setting. Our values are high standards of clinical care with good patient relationships, allowing the patient to be fully involved in their care. We have a permanent medical staff of five doctors (two female, three male) and do not use Locums thus ensuring continuity of patient care. We are also committed to training doctors of the future and have strong links with the University of Birmingham Medical School and the GP training unit. We usually have two registrars, who are fully qualified doctors but are completing general practice training. Our services include a full range of contraceptive services including coils and implants, Warfarin monitoring, minor surgery, nail care, stop smoking, antenatal and postnatal care, childhood vaccinations and NHS Health Checks. This is in addition to looking after any other illnesses, short lived or ongoing, that patients may have.
In addition to everything you need to know about the practice you will also find a wealth of health-related information in the menu on the right hand side. Please have a look around and do send us some feedback if you like.
There is a ramp entrance to the front of the Surgery with very easy access to all parts of the building including ground floor toilets. Parking is available at the front and the side of the building.
If you wish to register for online appointment booking or request repeat medication, please click on 'Request an Appointment' or 'Repeat Prescriptions'. You will then be directed to the 'Patient Access' website where you can register your details
Copyright 2006 - 2020 My Surgery Website | Privacy & Usage | Edit | Staff Home | Site Map | Accessibility | Site T&C's | Service T&C's


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or WAN Optimisation
a. The act or process of speed maximisation.
b. maximising the efficiency of data flow across a wide area network
At Ioscom we design and implement a number of powerful application acceleration and WAN optimisation solutions for the organisation's branch offices. These solutions improve the performance of any TCP-based application operating in a WAN environment.
At ioscom we endorse technologies from global leaders in the field of WAN Application Acceleration
With WAN optimization, we


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Meet Diamond Ott, Who Many are Calling, "The Fittest Soldier in the World"
1st Sgt Diamond Ott, 37, with the US Army 1st Cavalry Division based at Fort Hood is known to be the strongest soldier. He is also a certified Extreme Fitness Trainer and dedicates his time to helping the Army build stronger and better soldiers.
Ott has spent over 16 years in the US Army, and is very focused on both his training and keeping the troops—and civilians—motivated to hit their own fitness goals.
Check out the video below where he pretty much puts any athlete to shame with how he trains. This is why Ott is called "the fittest soldier in the world".
Diamond also pays close attention to his diet as he stays very lean throughout most of the year.
Want to get your mental game on the same level as Diamond Ott?
Learn how to think like a Navy SEAL in just 30 days? Get SEALgrinderPT's Mental Training System!
A typical workout routine for this super soldier includes a wide variety of bodyweight exercises and mixed weights displaying superior body control. Some of the exercises we have never seen before so its hard to describe them.
Diamond Ott Workout #1
Bench pushups to clap
Bar muscle ups
Tire strikes with mace
Laying barbell helicopters
Full ab rolls with resistance band
Ab scorpions
Heavy Dumbell flyes
He was named after Neil Diamond (his mom is a fan). He was born in American Samoa and grew up playing soccer. He joined the Army and deployed to Afghanistan in 2012 and is now a first Sargeant.
Goals: Deadlift 520 lbs Bench 420 lbs. His 2 mile run in under 15 minutes.
QUESTION: Coach, can you give me some tips on how to be more mentally tough so I can train like the soldier in the video up above?
ANSWER: Check out this article: How To Master Mental Toughness?
QUESTION: Hey Coach McLeod, do you know how I can learn to get more out of my daily fitness routine?
ANSWER: Yes; read this article: 5 Tips from US Navy SEAL Jocko Willink on How to Crush the Day the Way You Want.
Question: How can I join the US Army Special Forces?
Answer: Check out the main website here:
MMA in the Military: US Army Combatives Program
Functional Fitness for Special Forces Athletes


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One Man Dies a Million Times
A true story, set in the future.
About seeds and genetic diversity, about growth and decay, about love and war, about hunger of all kinds. About what it means to be human, even when all your humanity is stripped away.
Caught in the grip of a war-torn Russian winter, the city is starving to death. Despite their hunger, Alyssa and Maksim heroically work to preserve the treasures of the world's most important seed bank – treasures that hold the key to the future of their country's food supply - even though its sustenance could mean their survival.
Programming descriptions are generated by participants and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of SXSW.
Director: Jessica Oreck
Executive Producer: Donald Bartling
Producer: Jessica Oreck
Screenwriter: Jessica Oreck
Cinematographer: Sean Price Williams
Editor: Jessica Oreck
Production Designer: Sergey Zaikov
Sound Designer: Alexei Sinitsyn
Music: Paul Grimstad, Cody Martinez, Kruzhok
Principal Cast: Alyssa Lozovskaya, Maksim Blinov, Vladimir Koshevoy, Alena Artemova, Konstantin Malyshev
Additional Credits: Сoordinating Producer: Fyodor Druzin, Line Producer: Yaroslav Kuzin, Costumes: Anis Kronidova, Costumes: Anastasia Potashkina, First Assistant Director: Diana Ugryumova, Second Assistant Director: Anastasia Nesterova, Third Assistant Director: Sofia Safonova
Public Film Contact
Jessica Oreck
Myriapod Productions, LLC
Jessica Oreck
Myriapod Productions, LLC
Publicity Contact
Henry Heshelman
Henry Heshelman
Primary Entry: Platinum Badge, Film Badge
Secondary Entry: Music Badge, Interactive Badge, Film Festival Wristband
Year: 2019
Premiere Status: World Premiere
Genre: Drama, Experimental, Sci-Fi
Screening Section: Visions
Screening Category: Narrative Feature
Country: United States
Language: Russian
Runtime: 97:00 mins


text: Every month, the National Association of Realtors measures home buyer interest by tracking the number of times lock boxes are opened at for-sale properties. Known as foot traffic, the number of interested buyers looking at homes for sale is a good indicator of future home sales and overall demand for real estate. In May, foot traffic rose for the sixth consecutive month and improved year-over-year in all but four of the included metro areas. The index – which scores results on a scale where any number above 50 means more than half of the included markets had stronger foot traffic than the month before – registered a 59 in May, 13.8 points higher than one year earlier. The consistent gains indicate that, despite higher home prices and rising mortgage rates, Americans' interest in buying homes has not suffered. In fact, even in markets where foot traffic was slower than last year, all but one showed an improvement from last month's year-over-year measure. Overall, it is an indication that the spring selling season has been stronger than last year's and the trend should continue through the summer. It's also a positive sign that better economic conditions and an improved labor market will likely balance out the effects of possible mortgage rate increases over the coming months. More here.


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Originally posted on https://www.autoshopdigital.com/auto-repair-marketing
When it comes to getting your auto repair shop noticed on the internet, it can be confusing to know which marketing techniques are going to work for you – and which might just be a waste of your time and money.
We know that you don't have all day to get the ball rolling, so we've got 10 auto repair marketing ideas to help you get your shop ranking highly and gain some traction with your email lists so that customers who need you can easily find you.
Did you know that when it comes to trusting what's read on the internet, 84% of people trust online reviews as much as they trust information coming from people they actually know? Which can seem a little daunting, but when it comes to auto repair shop marketing, this is a great opportunity to showcase what you do and get recognition for it.
Encourage customers to leave reviews whenever possible. When it comes to where you place on Google searches, the site takes around 200 factors into consideration, but online reviews are a huge component of it. Train and ask your staff to request reviews. It's also encouraged to follow up with clients after their visits with you. This is a great way to ensure that you're getting the benefits of your hard work without having to spend an extra dollar. Word of mouth is the best free advertisement around.
Related: The Dangers of Yelp for Your Auto Shop: The Better Alternative
The thing to remember – from how you rank on an internet search engine, to how people can find your company – is to ensure that you're offering up value from the get-go. The easiest way to do this is by generating content to get people to click on your website. What does this mean for an auto repair shop?
It might feel like the internet is full of thought leaders and people spinning content, but you can easily do it too, and better. Share your content on social media and make sure you're following SEO best practices to enjoy the organic reach this content will get you. The more organic your online traffic is, the less you have to spend on advertisement.
Email helps to keep in touch with your customers. Unlike many other industries, auto shops can be bad at getting the email addresses of customers or website visitors. This automated process is a great way to increase sales and repeat sales.
You might feel a little out of your depth when it comes to what you should email people, but it's not as terrifying as it seems.
Once you've got a list and start sending out emails, remember it also helps to be topical and seasonal. If you're coming into winter months, email them some tips on keeping your car in peak condition through the snowy season. Also, don't worry too much about being formal or stand-offish – instead engage with your customers as you do on the daily.
When it comes to impressing potential customers and getting them to invest in you, the first step is making sure you have a decent, professional looking website. This should include:
Think about how frustrating it is for you to visit a website where the information that you need isn't readily available and instead takes you hours to find. You don't have hours on a website: you have about 15 seconds. Your website should be so easy to navigate that it wouldn't take a customer more than 3 clicks to find what they're looking for.
Don't worry about cramming the site with every piece of information that you think they may want. Instead, think through the perspective of a customer. While a dark gray font on a black background might feel cool and cutting edge to you, remember that people want to easily read the information that's at hand.
Related: Why Your Auto Shop Needs a Modern, Professional Website
While customers may be turned off by an aggressive hard sell, there's no denying that everyone wants the opportunity to save a little bit of money. Everyone appreciates a gift every once in a while. Gift giving to prospective customers is a great way to get someone through the door. And gift giving to your existing customers is a great way to turn your already loyal customers into brand advocates. This could be anything from complimentary snacks, free trinkets, or a rewards program.
You can also reach out to other local businesses and see if they might be interested in giving a voucher for a discount or a free oil change to their customers. This is a great idea to build relationships within the local area, as their customers are likely to appreciate getting to be your customer too. You may have to spend a little more on branding, but it'll be worth it in the long run when you gain loyal customers.
Other potential outreach companies include auto detailers, insurance agents who sell auto insurance, and auto parts stores.
It's important for you to know your brand so that you can easily explain it to other people. Has your auto shop been in business for a long time? Is your business family owned? Whenever possible, you want to make sure that people can know and understand your brand's image and what you stand for. Make sure to highlight customer testimonials along the way.
If you offer something specific, then make sure that you tell people – make it clear and transparent why they should use your auto shop over the competition.
It's also important to make sure your branding is consistent across whatever platforms you use – your website, your Facebook, your Instagram, etc. Do you know what fonts you want to use and what the color scheme is? Things like this might seem trivial, but people remember visuals more strongly than words. Particularly if you are getting involved with outreach, it helps to have a logo that people can recognize and understand as your brand. Then when they're wondering which auto shop to use, a particular one will come to mind.
When you're planning your auto shop marketing strategy, it helps to look around and see what other people are doing and how well they're doing it. What do you want to do the same? What do you want to do differently? Make sure you have everything listed out so you can track what's working and log any helpful feedback.
Facebook Lead Ads are a great way to highlight your business to people in your area, as well as helping promote freebies or discounts to local people. They allow you to target your audience with geographical location, as well as giving you important lead information like names and email addresses (for your email list!) Even a low budget of around $5 a day will help you to generate leads and give you important email addresses for future outreach.
Related: Car Dealer Marketing Tips to Drive Sales in 2019
If you've ever wondered how Facebook or Instagram seems to know when you've been visiting a certain site, the truth is actually pretty simple: a Facebook pixel. This pixel is unnoticeable on your site but allows you to send Facebook ads and Instagram ads to people who have already been on your site. This is more valuable than ads in some ways as it targets those who have already been on your site and are aware of your business – and therefore are more likely to be looking to buy your services.
Use social media to make you more approachable and to share the wins that you can celebrate daily. Feature photographs of happy customers, beautiful cars, or even behind the scenes in the auto shop. This is a great way to not only show that you care about your customers and see them as individuals, but it gives them insight into the people behind the brand. This will make customers see you and your brand as relatable and more likely to use your services.
SEO, or search engine optimization, involves you making sure that search engines know to list your website when people are looking for specific things. So you want to make sure that your auto shop appears, for example, when people are looking for "[Your City] Auto Repair".
This is a hyper-simplified version of how SEO works, but to get your website found on Google you should make sure your website's data is accurate. Google provides a free keyword planner here to help you decide what should go on each page.
Other ways to help boost your SEO:
Related: 10 Creative Ways to Grow Your Auto Dealership
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text:
Servicii » Servicii IT » Service software
Project Manager / Functional, DEV, or SDM
Inscrisa pe data de 12 februarie 2016
Vauban is developing new projects and need to consequently reinforce its organization by hiring several Project Managers per domain.
Our needs are focused on the following domains (you can apply for one of them):
1. for major financial services companies (banking ...
Java developer / Team Leader
Working with top 100 premiums companies in several industries, Vauban wants to expand its team of Java developers. We have many international clients who entrust us with complex projects with very modern technologies in areas such as Investment Banking, Telecom, IT&C, ...
Front-end Developer
Vauban este o companie inovativa de procese de business si servicii informatice aflata in continua crestere.
Cu peste 200 de angajati si 3 birouri in Bucuresti, Pitesti si Chisinau, Vauban livreaza servicii si cele mai noi solutii de business pentru Top 100 companii, ...


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1692 members2902 Comments 98 Likes
Posted on May 21, 2019 at 7:14pm 3 Comments 1 Like
I finally got around to cutting up that cheap student guitar and sticking it onto that black cheesecake pan I've been planning to use for the past year. I need to go back and find a thicker piece of wood to mount inside the pan, though.
I also need to cut off the top two tuner holes and redo the nut for 4 strings. If this works out well, I may try…Continue
Posted on June 27, 2018 at 8:07pm 5 Comments 1 Like