World Series Champions, Texas Rangers 2023-2024 Offseason Thread

[saddles]

Yeah probably right about Carter but just not sure the reason you trade Leody is because of Wayarr superstar potential. LONG term of course the of should be Langford Carter and Adolis

Just think patience is good but do hope Wyatt is up soon
Wil be great to see him in ST

I would imagine Taveras is at the top of his trade value.

 

[saddles]

Padres, Nick Martinez Decline 2024-25 Options

The Padres and Nick Martinez have each declined their simultaneous options on the right-hander's services for the 2024-25 seasons, Kevin …

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I wouldn't mind a reunion.

 

[armadillooutlaw]

Padres, Nick Martinez Decline 2024-25 Options

The Padres and Nick Martinez have each declined their simultaneous options on the right-hander's services for the 2024-25 seasons, Kevin …

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I wouldn't mind a reunion.

I'm with ya. He's proven to be very reliable as a reliever and can also give you multiple innings in a pinch. Spotrac estimates his market value to be about 2yrs/18 million. That would be a steal.
Not to mention it would allow more flexibility with Heaney, who perhaps could get some use as a late inning guy like you suggested earlier?

 

[saddles]

I'm with ya. He's proven to be very reliable as a reliever and can also give you multiple innings in a pinch. Spotrac estimates his market value to be about 2yrs/18 million. That would be a steal.
Not to mention it would allow more flexibility with Heaney, who perhaps could get some use as a late inning guy like you suggested earlier?

How about the following for the top seven spots in the pen.

Hader
Leclerc
trade acquisition
Sborz
Moore
Heaney
Martinez

 

[Uncle Siggy]

I’ve been playing the Devil’s Advocate but I still don’t know who we bench to give Huff the sufficient playing time without effecting other parts of the team game. He is an above adequate catcher but do we put Heim on the bench to give him playing time there? He is a below average 1st baseman so replacing Lowe would adversely affect team defense. Other than Arizona we were the best defensive team with only 76 errors during the regular season. And at DH would he benefit from sitting until his next at bat?

Huff has a cannon arm, but has footwork issues, blocking issues, game calling issues, framing issues and strikeout issues (which needs to be addressed in the Minors). Until he improves in these areas he's always going to be a part time spare that can hit the ball 500' every once in awhile...

Best thing for him might be to find a team that thinks they can fix him and see what they can get in return for him...

 

[Uncle Siggy]

I think they'll go after at least one SP (probably Montgomery if he doesn't get too expensive) maybe 2 since I doubt Perez will be back. Also see getting at least one late inning RP maybe 2 depending on the market. I think they'll try to bring Chapman back cause he can still be trusted to some extent and let Maddox work with him. They'll also do the usual and sign some pitchers for depth in the Minors and hope one or 2 can be useful/return to form...

As far as position players go I think they'll bring Janks back if possible and probably another OFer cause Langford won't be on the team yet he'll be in AA or AAA. Also think they'll try to resign Garver if he's reasonable and Hedges since he's good behind the plate and in the clubhouse...

Things needed to be worked on:

Duran needs to spend way more time on his OF routes in they want to use him out there regularly instead of picking up another OFer (Leodys routes aren't that great either). Carter could stand a little polishing of his routes and improve arm strength/accuracy...

I can't stand seeing Taveras/Smith/Duran at the plate they need alot of work, enough said...

Most of the hitters could stand some work on identifying pitches/location and being patient at the plate, also realize some pitchers are very good at hiding what is coming...

Enough for now more things will probably come to mind later...

Lowe needs a new face...

 

[scotsman1948]

With the White Sox passing on Tim Anderson’s option, wonder if they would trade some good reliever(s) for a package around Duran

 

[DT LUNA]

I think they'll go after at least one SP (probably Montgomery if he doesn't get too expensive) maybe 2 since I doubt Perez will be back. Also see getting at least one late inning RP maybe 2 depending on the market. I think they'll try to bring Chapman back cause he can still be trusted to some extent and let Maddox work with him. They'll also do the usual and sign some pitchers for depth in the Minors and hope one or 2 can be useful/return to form...

As far as position players go I think they'll bring Janks back if possible and probably another OFer cause Langford won't be on the team yet he'll be in AA or AAA. Also think they'll try to resign Garver if he's reasonable and Hedges since he's good behind the plate and in the clubhouse...

Things needed to be worked on:

Duran needs to spend way more time on his OF routes in they want to use him out there regularly instead of picking up another OFer (Leodys routes aren't that great either). Carter could stand a little polishing of his routes and improve arm strength/accuracy...

I can't stand seeing Taveras/Smith/Duran at the plate they need alot of work, enough said...

Most of the hitters could stand some work on identifying pitches/location and being patient at the plate, also realize some pitchers are very good at hiding what is coming...

Enough for now more things will probably come to mind later...

Lowe needs a new face...

Taveras has had adequate time, more than Smith. Frankly both should be used in a package to acquire RP. Duran is used in OF and IF and may be more useful with more hitting instructions. Just an opinion.

 

[scotsman1948]

Taveras has had adequate time, more than Smith. Frankly both should be used in a package to acquire RP. Duran is used in OF and IF and may be more useful with more hitting instructions. Just an opinion.

Duran seems to have pissed off management. Whatever he did was bad enough that he got minimal playing time through the last weeks of the regular season and he was left off the postseason roster for all but the last 2 games of WS. They preferred Smith & Hedges over Duran

 

[scotsman1948]

Yoshinobu Yamamoto RHP has been posted and becomes probably the highest ranking free agent pitcher. Projected contract is 8 years, $218M with Yankees, Mets, Cubs, Dodgers, Giants listed as favorites. Texas is listed as an extreme long shot

 

[WastinSomeTime]

I think they'll go after at least one SP (probably Montgomery if he doesn't get too expensive) maybe 2 since I doubt Perez will be back. Also see getting at least one late inning RP maybe 2 depending on the market. I think they'll try to bring Chapman back cause he can still be trusted to some extent and let Maddox work with him. They'll also do the usual and sign some pitchers for depth in the Minors and hope one or 2 can be useful/return to form...

As far as position players go I think they'll bring Janks back if possible and probably another OFer cause Langford won't be on the team yet he'll be in AA or AAA. Also think they'll try to resign Garver if he's reasonable and Hedges since he's good behind the plate and in the clubhouse...

Things needed to be worked on:

Duran needs to spend way more time on his OF routes in they want to use him out there regularly instead of picking up another OFer (Leodys routes aren't that great either). Carter could stand a little polishing of his routes and improve arm strength/accuracy...

I can't stand seeing Taveras/Smith/Duran at the plate they need alot of work, enough said...

Most of the hitters could stand some work on identifying pitches/location and being patient at the plate, also realize some pitchers are very good at hiding what is coming...

Enough for now more things will probably come to mind later...

Lowe needs a new face...

I don't want Chapman back and if Maddux was able to fix anyone this past season I never saw it happen with the exception of maybe Leclerc and it sure didn't happen with Chapman.

 

[scotsman1948]

I don't want Chapman back and if Maddux was able to fix anyone this past season I never saw it happen with the exception of maybe Leclerc and it sure didn't happen with Chapman.

Personally Chapman was never fixable. They used him when there was no other choice

 

[DT LUNA]

I don't want Chapman back and if Maddux was able to fix anyone this past season I never saw it happen with the exception of maybe Leclerc and it sure didn't happen with Chapman.

Maybe he helped Sborz a little too. I think so.

 

[Uncle Siggy]

I don't want Chapman back and if Maddux was able to fix anyone this past season I never saw it happen with the exception of maybe Leclerc and it sure didn't happen with Chapman.

Chapman has become predictable the last 5 years and I'm sure that has led to his ineffectiveness at times. He used to throw a changeup and stopped right about 5 years ago, why I'm not certain because it made him less predictable. Getting him to throw just a bit more off speed stuff to get the hitters off balance may do him a world of good...

 

[Uncle Siggy]

Taveras has had adequate time, more than Smith. Frankly both should be used in a package to acquire RP. Duran is used in OF and IF and may be more useful with more hitting instructions. Just an opinion.

Taveras isn't going anywhere until they get more dependable starting OFers and backups for numerous reasons. He's serviceable, he's cheap, won't be a FA until 2028, a switch hitter and probably better than most backups. The thing I wonder is where did he get his swing it just seems really funky, it is effective to some degree but I think it and he could be better...

Some players it takes a long time before the light bulb pops on and he truly gets it, take Cruz as an example...

 

[saddles]

Huff has a cannon arm, but has footwork issues, blocking issues, game calling issues, framing issues and strikeout issues (which needs to be addressed in the Minors). Until he improves in these areas he's always going to be a part time spare that can hit the ball 500' every once in awhile...

Best thing for him might be to find a team that thinks they can fix him and see what they can get in return for him...

Do you have any information that shows he hasn't made strides in these areas in the past year or two? Are you sure these issues are not being addressed?

 

[saddles]

I don't want Chapman back and if Maddux was able to fix anyone this past season I never saw it happen with the exception of maybe Leclerc and it sure didn't happen with Chapman.

Yes, Bochy and Chapman are not a good combination.

 

[saddles]

Whatever the Rangers decide to do with Huff, it will not involve sending him to the minors. He is out of options and he would never pass through waivers, as almost no MLB GMs have developed the bias against him that some on this board have. He would get claimed in a heartbeat, and then he would be utilized by that team in the big leagues.

 

[scotsman1948]

Don’t really understand why but they are now showing the Rangers as co-favorites with Dodges and Giants to sign Ohtani

 

[saddles]

Some scouting reports on Sam Huff for the past:

From MLB Pipeline 2020:

Though just five players his size have caught 300 games in the big leagues, Huff moves surprisingly well for a huge man and should be able to remain behind the plate. He has improved his defense significantly since turning pro and scores well in Texas' framing metrics, though he needs to get more consistent with his receiving. His arm draws well above-average grades from some scouts and helped him erase 48 percent of basestealers in 2019.

From Prospects Live 2021:

Field: Inconsistent but capable defender behind the dish. Pro instruction and work ethic have yielded significant gains. XL frame helps him present a large quiet target. Calls a good game; appears to adapt to pitchers strengths and weaknesses throughout starts. Shows decently mobility considering his size. Average receiving skills; strong wrists allow for decent framing - occasionally over frames and stabs, especially at balls low in the zone. Footwork and blocking need refinement but are average. Overall, Huff is a solid average defender behind the dish. Grade: 50


Arm: Plus arm strength; long transfers and occasional errant throws bring the grade down a half tick. Pop times typically in 1.98 to 2.03 range. Grade: 55

All that being said, with Heim here, Huff's future here is most likely DH, 1B and backup C. That's if the organization wants him. I am not sure that is the case. I wouldn't be surprised if he moves on and becomes the next ex-Ranger that everyone wonders how they let him get away.