Rangers close out June with 3 in KC: TEX @ KC 6/27-9

[saddles]

More from the Levi Weaver article:

Next on the list is Cole Winn, who dominated at Double-A Frisco in 2021 before getting two starts in Triple A at the end of the season. This year at Round Rock, Winn is 4-0, but with a 5.43 ERA. His 47/39 K/BB ratio in 58 innings isn’t a disaster, but isn’t exactly screaming for a promotion, either. Still, Young says he feels similarly about Winn and Leiter, both 22 years of age.

“I think the numbers don’t really tell the full story, with both pitchers,” Young said. “I think they’re both adjusting. They’re both young for their respective levels. Jack, we challenged in Double A, straight out of college. He basically has skipped two levels of development. But we felt he was ready for it. His peripheral numbers are very good. There’s a learning curve. And I think that these players are equipped to handle it, Cole and Jack are equipped to handle the challenges that come along with that. Cole’s pitching against much older competition than he faced last year in Double A. He’s seeing really high-quality hitters on a nightly basis. … I think the way they respond to this adversity sets them up for success moving forward. So we’re very pleased with both players, and (have a) full expectation that they’re going to have strong second halves of the season as they continue to improve and get better.”

 

[Kelleyman]

From an article by Levi Weaver addressing some of the problems that some of our pitching prospects have went through this year:

Meanwhile, Leiter’s first year of pro ball has been more about learning to overcome challenges than it has been about putting up gaudy numbers. He’s 2-6 with a 5.36 ERA, having struck out 60 and walked 28 in 48 1/3 innings for the Frisco RoughRiders.

General manager Chris Young, speaking earlier this month, said he wasn’t worried, and that giving Leiter a challenge was all part of the plan.

“My guess is if he started in High A, he would have been absolutely dominant and would have been at Double A pretty quickly anyway,” Young said. “I’m not sure there would have been, developmentally, much for him to achieve there.”

While Leiter’s ERA isn’t aesthetically pleasing, Young considers that an “antiquated metric,” insisting that he’s perfectly content with the season Leiter is having, based on, for instance, the high number of strikeouts and the low number of hits (44). So where has the challenge come from?

“The walks, the command, not throwing enough strikes,” Young said. “That’s part of maturity. His stuff is really, really good. And there have been moments of dominance, followed up with moments of inexperience and youth. They’re natural. I really am happy he’s going through this. Ideally, every player experiences a good level of adversity before they get to the big leagues. Because you know they’re gonna experience it here. I think that’s part of development.”

Read the whole article. Pretty good read.
Mentioned Burke and Howard and Ragans He thinks if someone comes up quick it will be Howard but Cole could not be far behind

 

[saddles]

We need to hit an elite position player at some point

We did. His name is Josh Jung.

 

[saddles]

 

[True Rangers Fan]

Why does the board like elite position players?

 

[True Rangers Fan]

funny, there was a Reddit thread this morning about how the Rangers should bring him back since he is "obviously struggling mentally" in NY. I commented that he should go to San Diego. Better climate and former Rangers do well there.

 

[Kelleyman]

We did. His name is Josh Jung.

Hmm we shall see but he is average defensively I hear. Do want to see him play

 

[scotsman1948]

funny, there was a Reddit thread this morning about how the Rangers should bring him back since he is "obviously struggling mentally" in NY. I commented that he should go to San Diego. Better climate and former Rangers do well there.

just say NO

 

[Kelleyman]

funny, there was a Reddit thread this morning about how the Rangers should bring him back since he is "obviously struggling mentally" in NY. I commented that he should go to San Diego. Better climate and former Rangers do well there.

Newberg must go there for his mantra.

 

[saddles]

Hmm we shall see but he is average defensively I hear. Do want to see him play

I remember reading that Moreland would have a hard time defensively at 1B while he was in our upper levels and playing mostly in the OF.

 

[True Rangers Fan]

 

[saddles]

 

[WastinSomeTime]

From an article by Levi Weaver addressing some of the problems that some of our pitching prospects have went through this year:

Meanwhile, Leiter’s first year of pro ball has been more about learning to overcome challenges than it has been about putting up gaudy numbers. He’s 2-6 with a 5.36 ERA, having struck out 60 and walked 28 in 48 1/3 innings for the Frisco RoughRiders.

General manager Chris Young, speaking earlier this month, said he wasn’t worried, and that giving Leiter a challenge was all part of the plan.

“My guess is if he started in High A, he would have been absolutely dominant and would have been at Double A pretty quickly anyway,” Young said. “I’m not sure there would have been, developmentally, much for him to achieve there.”

While Leiter’s ERA isn’t aesthetically pleasing, Young considers that an “antiquated metric,” insisting that he’s perfectly content with the season Leiter is having, based on, for instance, the high number of strikeouts and the low number of hits (44). So where has the challenge come from?

“The walks, the command, not throwing enough strikes,” Young said. “That’s part of maturity. His stuff is really, really good. And there have been moments of dominance, followed up with moments of inexperience and youth. They’re natural. I really am happy he’s going through this. Ideally, every player experiences a good level of adversity before they get to the big leagues. Because you know they’re gonna experience it here. I think that’s part of development.”

Corporate speak. Not buying it.

 

[WastinSomeTime]

More from the Levi Weaver article:

Next on the list is Cole Winn, who dominated at Double-A Frisco in 2021 before getting two starts in Triple A at the end of the season. This year at Round Rock, Winn is 4-0, but with a 5.43 ERA. His 47/39 K/BB ratio in 58 innings isn’t a disaster, but isn’t exactly screaming for a promotion, either. Still, Young says he feels similarly about Winn and Leiter, both 22 years of age.

“I think the numbers don’t really tell the full story, with both pitchers,” Young said. “I think they’re both adjusting. They’re both young for their respective levels. Jack, we challenged in Double A, straight out of college. He basically has skipped two levels of development. But we felt he was ready for it. His peripheral numbers are very good. There’s a learning curve. And I think that these players are equipped to handle it, Cole and Jack are equipped to handle the challenges that come along with that. Cole’s pitching against much older competition than he faced last year in Double A. He’s seeing really high-quality hitters on a nightly basis. … I think the way they respond to this adversity sets them up for success moving forward. So we’re very pleased with both players, and (have a) full expectation that they’re going to have strong second halves of the season as they continue to improve and get better.”

Again don't buy it. A 47/30 K/BB is a disaster and it will not be a good thing if it continues at the MLB level. It will be really hard to overcome.

 

[DT LUNA]

Do many teams have a slugger like Seager hitting #2? Use to be unheard of.

 

[saddles]

From Scott Lucas:

I witnessed what was probably the worst of Cole Ragans' three AAA starts, and it was still pretty good. Ragans walked only one batter, but four additional three-ball counts, some other elongated at-bats and questionable fielding conspired to make yesterday his shortest outing since April 10. Ragans dealt a 90-94 fastball, 85-89 cutter (usually 87-88), 80-84 changeup and 73-75 curve. Ragans doesn't ignore the top of the zone with the fastball but isn't really trying to ride above bats with it like so many these days. He tends to work lower and move it horizontally. The changeup was his best secondary, actually his best pitch, period. Its locations formed a backwards "L" from the catcher's view, running across the bottom of the zone and then up the outer edge. He can place it well enough to get calls and run it inside a little to righties. Best as I can tell, he didn't offer a single one to a left-handed batter, and given his command, I wish he would. The cutter wasn't amazing on its own but pairs well with the fastball. The curve appeared very sparingly, just three times (all balls) after the 1st.

Not much was hit hard. The first run scored after an error, two fairly soft singles, and Ragans' own too-delicate throw to third after snaring a liner with the bases loaded. Only two balls reached the outfield via air, both landing in front of an outfielder.

In a trying half-season for many would-be Texas starters, Ragans has stood out, and I'm hopeful he reaches Arlington this season. He's not going to be a #2 starter, but could he fill out a rotation? He's looking like he could.

 

[DT LUNA]

Dunning walking on thin ice early

 

[jta4437]

Do many teams have a slugger like Seager hitting #2? Use to be unheard of.

Trout hits 2nd

 

[True Rangers Fan]

Do many teams have a slugger like Seager hitting #2? Use to be unheard of.

seems like I read recently that that's where a team should be batting their best hitter

 

[True Rangers Fan]

Corporate speak. Not buying it.

the proof is in the pudding, as they say. i tend to block out what the FO, the manager, and the media say.