Your last place Texas Rangers return home to face the Yanks for 4 - May 17-20

[saddles]

Do the Rangers bats have a comeback win in them?

 

[True Rangers Fan]

Do the Rangers bats have a comeback win in them?

not against Chapman.

 

[True Rangers Fan]

Figure we were gonna get an ugly game, just thought it'd be from Lyles

 

[saddles]

 

[True Rangers Fan]

good test for him

 

[saddles]

Refreshing to read this.

 

[saddles]

The MLB Pipeline Top 10 Draft Prospects

The Top 10:
Marcelo Mayer, SS, Eastlake (CA)
Jordan Lawlar, SS, Jesuit Prep (TX)
Jack Leiter, RHP, Vanderbilt
Henry Davis, C, Louisville
Kumar Rocker, RHP, Vanderbilt
Brady House, SS, Winder-Barrow (GA)
Jackson Jobe, RHP, Heritage Hall (OK)
Kahlil Watson, SS, Wake Forest (NC)
Ty Madden, RHP, Texas
Colton Cowser, OF, Sam Houston

 

[saddles]

I thought I would post what Keith Law had to say about draft prospect Henry Davis, the Louisville catcher, last month. Law has Davis as his top draft prospect while MLB has Davis at 4.

Louisville catcher Henry Davis has an incredible eye at the plate, rarely swinging and missing, making hard contact with power, and showing a plus arm with good hands on defense.

So why the &^@$ isn’t he the top prospect in this draft class?

The assumption all spring has been that the first overall pick, held by Pittsburgh, would be one of the two Vanderbilt right-handers, Jack Leiter (No. 1 on my board) or Kumar Rocker. But the industry has long held that position players are safer picks than pitchers, and there are few more valuable position players than catchers who can hit and defend. Davis can do those things, and there aren’t many better hitters in this class at any position

Davis has an elite approach at the plate, an ideal combination of selectivity, pitch recognition, and hand acceleration, so that he just doesn’t swing and miss. I saw one swing-and-miss in 10 plate appearances over two games, and his whiff rate this season is only around 6 percent, while he reached base safely in eight of those trips to the plate via five hits and three walks. His swing is beautiful, with the aforementioned quick hands and great hip rotation to allow him to drive the ball, and he showed no problem catching up to 96-97 against UVA. Behind the plate, he receives well but needs some work with blocking, while the Cavaliers never even tested his plus arm.

 

[saddles]

More from Keith Law on Davis.

Two days of watching Davis gave me strong Buster Posey vibes, and Posey, who went fifth overall in the 2008 draft, should have gone first. (He was No. 2 on my draft board that year, behind Tim Beckham, who was the first overall pick and the consensus top prospect. I had it wrong.) Posey hit with the old silly bats, but his .463/.566/.879 line as a junior — with a nearly 2:1 walk to strikeout ratio — would probably look a lot like Davis’ current line of .409/.533/.678, with a BB:K ratio over 2 if Posey used the modern composite bats the NCAA requires now.

Even if you think Davis is Posey Lite, is that a more valuable player than a good No. 2 starter, which is Leiter’s projection? Would you prefer the certainty of a catcher who hits to the wider variance in outcomes for Rocker, who can show you No. 1 stuff and has a workhorse build, but lacks the command or consistency of a Leiter? Joey Bart was the No. 2 pick three years ago, with an inferior offensive profile and track record to Davis, striking out far more often. Maybe it’s time to reconsider the idea that the first pick has to be one of the Vandy boys, even if Pittsburgh is limiting its choices to college players. Davis is, at the very least, good enough to be in their decision set.

 

[True Rangers Fan]

Refreshing to read this.

Been seeing people wonder if anyone in that clubhouse likes Tony LaRusso

 

[saddles]

It is interesting to see how some of these lists can vary. For instance, Braden Montgomery, a high school OF, is listed at 18th on Keith Law's board, but at 60th on the MLB Pipeline board. Will Taylor, another high school OF, is listed at 15th on Law's board and 27th on MLB board.

 

[saddles]

 

[True Rangers Fan]

Seems like the top 5, however that particular analyst has it, is full of guys who "have the potential to be really good." No clear cut standout. Which, to me, suggests that a team should draft based on overall need.

 

[Nightcrawler]

We are loaded at the catcher position for awhile. Don’t need to draft one. We need a guy who can come in and be a solid pitcher for the next 10 years. Leiter or rocker all the way.

 

[True Rangers Fan]

 

[Kelleyman]

I hate to pick a pitcher at the 2 slot if a position players who could be elite is available especially a catcher

 

[True Rangers Fan]

Rangers History Today: A Look Back at 'Sele and Helling Take the Shelling'

 

[Kelleyman]

 

[Nightcrawler]

I hate to pick a pitcher at the 2 slot if a position players who could be elite is available especially a catcher

If that kid was a Joe mauer / pudge Rodriguez type we probably would want him, but is he really that good?

 

[True Rangers Fan]

If that kid was a Joe mauer / pudge Rodriguez type we probably would want him, but is he really that good?

Did you miss the part about the Buster Posey comparison?