Stoney Posted October 1, 2017 Share Posted October 1, 2017 Shin-Soo Choo has been working on playing first base. Could be a DH/1B option next year. 2018 Team Payroll $102m ($165m in 2017) 2018 Free Agent Budget $63m 2018 Free Agents- Carlos Gomez, Andrew Cashner,Miguel Gonzalez, Tyson Ross, Jason Grilli, Dillon Gee 2018 Club Options- Mike Napoli, Tony Barnette, Positions of need- SP, Bullpen, 1B, CF SP- Cashner has said he wants to get paid. Pitched like it all year. $100m plus? He gone. Miguel Gonzalez is a solid veteran option that would be cheaper than Cashner but whose better days are behind him. Bullpen- A brutal, BRUTAL start out the Rangers behind the 8 ball and we could never catch up. Pieces are there (Claudio, Diekman, Bush, Leclerc, Kela) but not near enough pieces to be a playoff team. 1B- Napoli is gone unless he comes back on a reduced contract from his $11m club option. Gallo has earned a spot onthis team. Is in LF, 1B? Ronald Guzman is at AAA. Choo might get time there. The need is there for a RH bat. CF- Do you bring back Gomez? Does Drew Robinson/DeShields Jr become a cheap platoon? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thegreatbambino Posted October 1, 2017 Share Posted October 1, 2017 You also got Willie Calhoun in the OF 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stoney Posted October 1, 2017 Author Share Posted October 1, 2017 You also got Willie Calhoun in the OF Give me Willie in LF and Mazara in RF. That's a good young corner outfield. You can move Gallo to 1B until Beltre retires at 3B. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
THSfanatic Posted October 3, 2017 Share Posted October 3, 2017 Stoney....I'm asking this as a serious question & not trying to start something. Are you comfortable going forward with Odor at 2nd? I'm interested in your opinion because 2 years ago I thought he was going to really be an elite player. This year was so trending down I'm wondering if you think the Rangers are still comfortable with him as a future permanent piece. His plate performances that I saw were pretty bad. He's got pop but as his average plummeted I didn't see any sign he was attempting to correct it. Just an honest question 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stoney Posted October 3, 2017 Author Share Posted October 3, 2017 Is Odor gonna take the instruction like he did in 2015 and become that reliable player in the lineup again? Or is 2018 gonna be a repeat of a kid getting paid, pressing, swinging at bad first pitches and being a hole in the lineup? If 2015 was Odor at his peak, 2017 at his worst, will a .240 to .250 hitter with 20+ homer pop, a high strikeout rate and average defense be somebody that is a linchpin. This offseason is gonna be huge for Odor. Is he gonna work on his approach at the plate? Was it just a case of a kid pressing with a big contract? If 2018 is a repeat of 2017 then it's hard to be comfortable with Odor as the future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stoney Posted October 4, 2017 Author Share Posted October 4, 2017 Will the Rangers replace Darvish with another young phenom from Japan, Otani? Will Bannister make changes to the staff? Will we see Ronald Guzman and Yohander Mendez in Arlington next year? Will Ray Davis open the wallet or will we see a tightening of the purse strings since his new ballpark is getting built? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stoney Posted October 4, 2017 Author Share Posted October 4, 2017 Brad Holman will be replaced as bullpen coach with Hector Ortiz. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
THSfanatic Posted October 4, 2017 Share Posted October 4, 2017 When do ya'll start on your imitation Juice Box ?? :lol: 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stoney Posted October 5, 2017 Author Share Posted October 5, 2017 When do ya'll start on your imitation Juice Box ?? :lol: Have you seen the new pictures of it? Ugh. It's Enron except for the train and the left field stands coming in. What happened to taking elements of the Ballpark and putting them in the new place? Ugly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
THSfanatic Posted October 5, 2017 Share Posted October 5, 2017 It's hard to improve on perfection I guess ;) I know you like to rant about Minute Maid, but it is a beautiful park. A great place to watch baseball. People talk about it is too easy to hit a HR in the Crawford Boxes, but there are many examples of this. There are shorter fields......take the Green Monster or down the lines at many places. I don't see people go on tirades about them. The HR per park ratio puts it in the 10-15 range.......below Globe Life BTW. I would like to see a deeper left field here too, but center is one of the deepest. The same people that despise Minute Maid rave about Fenway & Wrigley.......go figure. They always talk about the "charm" but neglect to bring up the same points they have when trashing the Astros home field http://www.espn.com/mlb/stats/parkfactor/_/sort/HRFactor Sitting out in the summer in 105 degree heat doesn't sit well with some people & I contend that it has probably cost you guys some pitchers. You can say "that's baseball" but not every fan does (or should) feel like you do about baking in the sun for 3 hours. A park like Minute Maid makes sense when it is dead in the middle of a city as large as Houston especially with the heat/humidity.... I agree it doesn't make as much sense if you are going to set it out in a less dense area. Location Location Location Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stoney Posted October 8, 2017 Author Share Posted October 8, 2017 JD this week talked about pitching. His four main points which should scare and give some hope to Rangers faithful. 1. It's a bad offseason for free agent starters. 2. The Rangers may have to get creative with filling the rotation. Matt Bush has been asked if he would make the move. 3. If Otani posts the Rangers will be involved in trying to sign him. 4. The bullpen in '17 was built under the assumption we had 7 strong arms. Obviously we didn't. Closer would be a position of interest. JD also said that the payroll in 2018 would be closer to '16s than '17s. That will be a roll back from $165m to around $149m. Which is still a top 10 payroll but could mean the difference of a bat, a starter or two arms in the pen. I've had a suspicion of how much Ray Davis was willing to spend to be a player in the AL. Stoney's take on JD's pitching points. 1. If it's a bad offseason for a starter would it be time to call up Mendez from AAA? How much does Cashner value himself as a free agent? What magic can JD work with his reclamation project pitchers? I'd rather look in house than overspend for mediocrity on the open market. 2. Stop trying to convert relievers into starters especially guys with only a two pitch arsenal. We hit on CJ Wilson. We ruined Ogando, Feliz, Scheppers. Leave Bush in the pen. 3. I said earlier don't spend on mediocrity in the free agent market. Unless you have a shot at a young arm like Otani.The kid is built like Darvish physically. He's a power pitcher. A young arm like that would be a welcome addition. 4. The '17 bullpen put us in so big a hole early we couldn't work out way out of it. We have some pieces in place. Claudio, Deikman, Bush, Kela, Leclerc. That's not enough. We need to find a couple arms to upgrade the position. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
t-dub Posted October 10, 2017 Share Posted October 10, 2017 Is Odor going to learn to drop down a bunt to beat the shift??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stoney Posted November 6, 2017 Author Share Posted November 6, 2017 Don Wakamatsu new bench coach. Steve Buechelle moves to 1st base coach. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coach Rab Posted November 8, 2017 Share Posted November 8, 2017 What’s the news on Otaki... baseball news is pretty quiet on DFW stations Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stoney Posted November 8, 2017 Author Share Posted November 8, 2017 https://www.google.com/amp/abcnews.go.com/amp/Sports/wireStory/texas-pay-otani-yankees-twins-51017530 If/ when he posts JD has said Texas will look at signing him. We can give him a higher signing bonus than the Yankees or Twins can. I'm curious if he will stick to his wanting to hit and pitch in MLB. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stoney Posted November 8, 2017 Author Share Posted November 8, 2017 Napoli, Troy Barnette, Cashner all will be free agents. Free agents names to keep an eye on. Addison Reed as a setup/Closer. Lance Lynn has middle of the rotation guy. Lorenzo Cain as the next CF. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thegreatbambino Posted November 9, 2017 Share Posted November 9, 2017 Also read, Texas likes pitcher Alex Cobb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stoney Posted November 9, 2017 Author Share Posted November 9, 2017 Cobb has been linked to many trade rumors over the years between Texas and Tampa Bay. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
THSfanatic Posted November 10, 2017 Share Posted November 10, 2017 9 hours ago, thegreatbambino said: Also read, Texas likes pitcher Alex Cobb Who wouldn't like him ?? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thegreatbambino Posted November 10, 2017 Share Posted November 10, 2017 15 minutes ago, THSfanatic said: Who wouldn't like him ?? Why do you gotta be like that man? Lol 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stoney Posted November 10, 2017 Author Share Posted November 10, 2017 JD has the past two trade deadlines based on what Tampa Bay was asking for him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ftlotg32 Posted November 15, 2017 Share Posted November 15, 2017 How do you feel about giving DeSheilds a chance to be the everyday CF. Really feel he is still developing into a good lead off hitter. Can make things happen on the base paths. I know he isn't the best defensively and that would put him out there with Mazara and Calhoun making them a subpar OF, but could make for a nice offensive producing OF. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stoney Posted November 17, 2017 Author Share Posted November 17, 2017 If Gomez walks and we can use that money on the pitching, I'd be okay with DeShields and Robinson platooning. Lorenzo Cain is a name you will see attached to the Rangers this offseason. With ownership saying that payroll will be cut back there's gonna be a position or two that is cheaply manned by in house prospects. Guzman/Gallo at 1B. CF. Gallo probably back in LF if Guzman gets the callup and wins the 1B job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stoney Posted November 19, 2017 Author Share Posted November 19, 2017 Elvis Andrus had a career year. That big 10 year contract we hated? He has a opt out clause after 2018. He's bound to do that. Which begs the question: what do you do with Profar. Reports have the Yankees willing to trade pitching for Profar. Rangers need pitching. You also have a short stop that is out of options and must be on a 25 man roster or become a FA. Do you hold him for 2019? Do you trade him? What say you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cats69 Posted November 19, 2017 Share Posted November 19, 2017 1 hour ago, stoneykelly said: Elvis Andrus had a career year. That big 10 year contract we hated? He has a opt out clause after 2018. He's bound to do that. Which begs the question: what do you do with Profar. Reports have the Yankees willing to trade pitching for Profar. Rangers need pitching. You also have a short stop that is out of options and must be on a 25 man roster or become a FA. Do you hold him for 2019? Do you trade him? What say you? Profar really needs a change of scenery. I really hoped it would workout for us but now there's just no place for him in Texas. It would be our luck that he goes to NY or wherever else and him completely show out and show why he was the #1 prospect at one time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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