Series Thread: Rangers Play The Indians In Cleveland April 30 - May 2

[saddles]

He got hurt in Game 2.

Take him out of the equation completely and my conclusion remains the same. We are what we are.

 

[saddles]

The very bad start for Round Rock and Frisco

We’re a month into the 2018 season and so far many of the infrequent highlights the Texas Rangers have provided have come from watching rookies Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Ronald Guzman dip their toes into Major League waters. Both played five games with AAA Round Rock before getting the call, and both have held their own for the last three weeks.


If you’re hoping to look beyond those two, or you’re hoping to turn to the Rangers’ higher-level farm teams to see some kind of encouraging storyline or interesting prospect or future contributor, or you’re hoping for some reinforcements to maybe possibly help drag this thing out of the AL West basement, it is my unfortunate duty to inform you that it just ain’t there.


The Rangers’ Triple-A and Double-A teams both had very, very awful months to start the 2018 season, going a combined 15-34. Win/loss records are a secondary concern in the minors, but the sticking point is the slow start for almost every single notable prospect that started the year at either the AAA or AA level.


The Express lost last night to fall to 9-16 with a -42 run differential. As Fraley noted, they didn’t have a starting pitcher win a game in April. The two highly-touted prospects remaining behind after Guzman’s promotion, Willie Calhoun and Yohander Mendez (#2 and #5 on the Rangers’ BA list, respectively), are struggling. Calhoun’s bat hasn’t been what it usually is, his strikeouts are up and his power is down. Mendez, on the other hand, is having a very similar season compared to what he did with Frisco last year, which is the problem. He led the Texas League in homers allowed in 2017 and is currently second in homers allowed in the PCL this season, having allowed six in 24 innings. I am rather impressed with his ability to wheedle his ERA to a perfect 6.66, but in the grand scheme of things I hope for him to lower that.


For the RoughRiders, April saw them post a staggering 6-18 record, the worst month of April in the history of the team, which is relevant because they’ve been the Rangers’ AA affiliate for the entirety of their 15-season existence. It speaks to the dearth of talent there is between the big league club and the more prospecty A-ball teams. It’s possible they have less young talent in that age 22-25 AA range than they ever have. Frisco’s roster has turned over and is currently filled mostly with organizational depth and floundering C-level prospects. The guys ranked by BA (Brett Martin, #18; Josh Morgan, #22; Yanio Perez, #23; Jose Trevino, #28) have been a mixture of injured and atrocious. Morgan and Perez have played a combined 8 games. Brett Martin has allowed more runs than he has pitched innings. Jose Trevino is OPSing .474 as a 25-year-old repeating AA. Michael De Leon, Pedro Payano, little/big Profar… they’ve been ‘meh’ at best through the first 20-some games.

 

[saddles]

 

[True Rangers Fan]

Take him out of the equation completely and my conclusion remains the same. We are what we are.

Well, in my opinion I think injuries have made us worse than we would otherwise be.

 

[saddles]

One of the few bright spots in the upper levels this season.

 

[saddles]

Well, in my opinion I think injuries have made us worse than we would otherwise be.

Injuries make every team in the game worse than they would have been otherwise. This is not 2014. We have certainly not been inordinately damaged by injuries to this point.

Injuries actually corrected the management mistakes of continuing with Odor and not allowing Colon to have a spot in the rotation.

 

[saddles]

Jared Hoying has 11 HR in a little over 100 AB in the Korean league. That gives him almost as many AB there as he got for the Rangers.

 

[WastinSomeTime]

This was not going to be a good ball club to begin with and to me it had more to do more with our pitching. That same problem is going on at RR and Frisco.

 

[DT LUNA]

This was not going to be a good ball club to begin with and to me it had more to do more with our pitching. That same problem is going on at RR and Frisco.

I already stated pitching was the biggest factor. FO wanted and is rebuilding or we would have spent money to acquire better pitchers than we did.

 

[saddles]

I already stated pitching was the biggest factor. FO wanted and is rebuilding or we would have spent money to acquire better pitchers than we did.

They should have admitted as much to Beltre. I wish they would have went all in with the rebuilding, but that would have included trading Beltre and Hamels in the offseason and openly admitting they were rebuilding.

 

[donaldson79]

Seems like most everyone is satisfied with Profar, and frankly, he's played poorly at short. Every throw from him is an adventure all-unto-itself. He did look pretty good at 2nd though. But thinking that IKF and Profar, are a better than Odor and Elvis is completely incorrect IMO.

 

[Kelleyman]

Seems like most everyone is satisfied with Profar, and frankly, he's played poorly at short. Every throw from him is an adventure all-unto-itself. He did look pretty good at 2nd though. But thinking that IKF and Profar, are a better than Odor and Elvis is completely incorrect IMO.

I agree Profar is a favorite and does protect the plate better than Odor but his arm at SS is now suspect. We have him for a while but just like I did not give up on Gallo. The same is the same for Odor. Although Profar definitely has a greater Baseball IQ Odor looks to me to be more athletic and a higher ceiling Not time to write him off just yet

 

[Kelleyman]

They should have admitted as much to Beltre. I wish they would have went all in with the rebuilding, but that would have included trading Beltre and Hamels in the offseason and openly admitting they were rebuilding.

You assume they did not shop these guys or would get value out of them. Perhaps Beltre allowed himself to believe we would be a strong contender. A lot of things had to right which have not to contend

You think it best to tell team we are planning on being non competitive That does not fly well with a mgr or baseball players. You might need to rethink Put yourself in Rangers FO and club position. Seems critical to me

 

[DT LUNA]

Seems like most everyone is satisfied with Profar, and frankly, he's played poorly at short. Every throw from him is an adventure all-unto-itself. He did look pretty good at 2nd though. But thinking that IKF and Profar, are a better than Odor and Elvis is completely incorrect IMO.

Profar not even close to Elvis. Although it's a small sample size, I think IKF so far appears better than Odor in every category.

 

[True Rangers Fan]

Profar not even close to Elvis. Although it's a small sample size, I think IKF so far appears better than Odor in every category.

We thought Odor was something special too, in a very similar sample size. Or at least, Don and I did.

 

[WastinSomeTime]

I agree Profar is a favorite and does protect the plate better than Odor but his arm at SS is now suspect. We have him for a while but just like I did not give up on Gallo. The same is the same for Odor. Although Profar definitely has a greater Baseball IQ Odor looks to me to be more athletic and a higher ceiling Not time to write him off just yet

Agree as it was just in 2016 that we saw a much better Odor as far as results go in 2016. Pitchers have realized they do not need to throw him strikes to get him out and that is where he needs to get things straightened out.

 

[donaldson79]

I'm not ready to kick anyone of the trio of IKF/Profar/Odor to the curb just yet. And like several of ya have already made mention of, especially in reference to IKF and Profar, the sample size is quite small and needs to play itself out.

My problem with Odor is, he's been given way too much exposure at this point. And some of it, maybe a lot, he isn't responsible for. That falls on being on the lineup card every game.

Ideally, I'd like for the team to recognize that Odor needs to go back to the drawing board, i.e. AAA, and work on the many things he needs to improve upon. This would 'potentially' solve several problems. One, it gives Odor a real chance to get everyday work, without having the pressure of being in the bigs. Second, it gives us a chance to let the other two youngsters extended playing time.

 

[WastinSomeTime]

I already stated pitching was the biggest factor. FO wanted and is rebuilding or we would have spent money to acquire better pitchers than we did.

I noticed that now. HA, sorry DT. That usually happens to me. I got caught up on all the other reasons of what could be the issue with this team. Doesn't look good for a few years.

 

[WastinSomeTime]

I'm not ready to kick anyone of the trio of IKF/Profar/Odor to the curb just yet. And like several of ya have already made mention of, especially in reference to IKF and Profar, the sample size is quite small and needs to play itself out.

My problem with Odor is, he's been given way too much exposure at this point. And some of it, maybe a lot, he isn't responsible for. That falls on being on the lineup card every game.

Ideally, I'd like for the team to recognize that Odor needs to go back to the drawing board, i.e. AAA, and work on the many things he needs to improve upon. This would 'potentially' solve several problems. One, it gives Odor a real chance to get everyday work, without having the pressure of being in the bigs. Second, it gives us a chance to let the other two youngsters extended playing time.

I can see that being a good idea with Odor. He has got to become smarter at the plate. Profar and IKF add value in their ability to play multiple positions whereas Odor doesn't so it seems 2B or nothing for him.

 

[WastinSomeTime]

Anyone think that Calhoun's funk at RR could coincide with the fact that his chances are growing slimmer and slimmer in being called up?