2013 Spring Training Thread

[jta4437]

Gracias


Holy cow that kid has a swing. When he fills out he is going to be a beast. Man, that's a power stroke if I've ever seen one.

That is quite an impressive swing

Moreland looks to be seeing the ball well too

 

[Windingmywatch]

Gracias


Holy cow that kid has a swing. When he fills out he is going to be a beast. Man, that's a power stroke if I've ever seen one.

I'm thinking TEX might want to work him out at a COF spot too in addition to 3b. You never know. Am thinking 6-5, 205 might fill out to be a more prototypical COF than a 3bman. And TEX could use a prospect 3b/COF type that doesn't have to learn COF stuff at ST.

 

[Windingmywatch]

Toe (Harrison) ... Stomach (Holland) ... Neck (Darvish)

Harrison may have solved his issue ... and Holland is supposedly okay and wiill start a minor league game Tue ... but wonder if Darvish really does have a neck issue or whether TEX is looking at Lowe to contend for the #5 along with Kirkman?

 

[Xx srs bsns xX]

So I just learned of Holland's mishap & how he is no longer engaged.....

Hopefully the single life serves his pitching career better than the engaged life did.

 

[Windingmywatch]

So I just learned of Holland's mishap & how he is no longer engaged.....

Hopefully the single life serves his pitching career better than the engaged life did.

So has she been tracked to the source of his stomach ailment last year and at WBC?

 

[Windingmywatch]

Dang --- efficiency. Ortiz and Robertson combined go 4.0IP facing the minimum 12 batters using a total of 36 pitches ... 27 for strikes. Bet they are both having fun.

TEX last year had Ross as the sole lefty ... could maybe have three lefties this year the way both Robertson and Ortiz are throwing.

 

[romeo212000]

Lowe had another nice outing as well.

 

[jta4437]

I think the real questions now are who the last bullpen and bench guy ends up being (I'm going with Scheppers and Baker)

Scheppers at least until Soria is healthy again

 

[Xx srs bsns xX]

I think the real questions now are who the last bullpen and bench guy ends up being (I'm going with Scheppers and Baker)

Scheppers at least until Soria is healthy again

Lack of "power" arms out of the bullpen... IMO. Of the right handed variety anyways. Wont be the case later in the year (Soria/Feliz)...but for now, its lacking. Makes me miss Ogando being in there.


Bench wise... Baker, Soto, Martin/Gentry, and the person that steps up to play SS. (Garcia?)

 

[jta4437]

Lack of "power" arms out of the bullpen... IMO. Of the right handed variety anyways. Wont be the case later in the year (Soria/Feliz)...but for now, its lacking. Makes me miss Ogando being in there.


Bench wise... Baker, Soto, Martin/Gentry, and the person that steps up to play SS. (Garcia?)

Lindbolm, Frasor, Scheppers and Nathan all have excellent strikeout numbers, I don't know why you think there is a lack of power arms

 

[Windingmywatch]

Am beginning to think the #5 spot might end up totally different than was projected (Perez vs Ross ... or a pretender).

Let's assume that Colby is ready on 1 June to take a spot in the rotation ... in which case why disrupt Ross' development? If TEX sees him as a potential viable SP and if Kirkman/Lowe look to be pitching the best ... why not put one or the other in the #5 spot and let Ross begin in AAA? Then when Colby returns Kirkman/Lowe just drops back to the bullpen.

IMO Holland and to an extent Harrison advancement was hampered by bouncing them back and forth between being SPs and RPs in the same season. Holland especially. I think putting Ross in the #5 spot with Colby looming on the scene will be a distraction for him. Why not eliminate that distraction by opening in AAA where he is only a phone call away? If TEX is unsure of who to install as its #5 ... then it has to worry about who it's #6, #7 and #8 are too. A call for a fill from AAA is only one toe, one stomach or one pillow away.

Assuming his excellent ST continues I think Lowe in the #5 may make the most sense and best options in the bullpen. I"m not sold on Scheppers making the OD roster either and TEX has to figure out what it wants to do with Coty Woods. With Lowe in the #5 spot this is what the bullpen might look like:

Nathan (Closer)
Frasor (RH)
Woods (RH)
Lindblom (RH)
Kirkman (LH-long)
Robertson (LH)
Ortiz (LH)

I am a risk taker and others may see other safer options but with Woods, Lindblom and Ortiz getting exposure early one or two of them may turn out to be Robbie Ross 2.0 as far as success is concerned.

Lowe has to have somebody to bump when he comes back to the bullpen when Colby returns and it would be better for TEX to have options as to who gets bumped. I think Nathan, Frasor, Robertson, and to an extent Kirkman plus Lowe once Colby returns all on the relief staff will give Woods, Lindblom and Ortiz quite a bit of support.

So I think figuring out what to do with the bullpen depends on what TEX does with #5. Installing Ross in the bullpen after being stretched out to start is a step back for him and rather than replaying Holland's troubles putting him in the SP category now will create opportunities for others in the bullpen to stave off getting bumped when Colby returns.

 

[jta4437]

Why not start Ross at the ML level and then send him down to continue starting when Lewis is ready??

I think if he's capable at the ML level he needs to get as much time as possible pitching to ML hitters as a starter

Wash has also already said Lowe is not a starting candidate, not that I take anything anyone says too literally

 

[Xx srs bsns xX]

Lindbolm, Frasor, Scheppers and Nathan all have excellent strikeout numbers, I don't know why you think there is a lack of power arms

Had forgotten about Lindbolm & Frasor...

 

[Windingmywatch]

Lack of "power" arms out of the bullpen... IMO. Of the right handed variety anyways. Wont be the case later in the year (Soria/Feliz)...but for now, its lacking. Makes me miss Ogando being in there.


Bench wise... Baker, Soto, Martin/Gentry, and the person that steps up to play SS. (Garcia?)

Garcia and Baker. With MY gone it opens up opportunities for a guy like Baker. It's like how good you feel when you get rid of your constipation.

 

[Windingmywatch]

Why not start Ross at the ML level and then send him down to continue starting when Lewis is ready??

I think if he's capable at the ML level he needs to get as much time as possible pitching to ML hitters as a starter

Wash has also already said Lowe is not a starting candidate, not that I take anything anyone says too literally

"Why not start Ross at the ML level and then send him down to continue starting when Lewis is ready??"

Living up in Arkansas I miss out hearing some of the comments so if Wash has said Lowe isn't an SP candidate that certainly will play ... but how much of that was messaging to the other guys competing? I have come to believe that nothing that is said to the media as relates to future roster decisions means much. If Lowe wasn't being looked at to potentially start ... what the heck was he doing pitching 3.0IP yesterday ... getting him ready for long relief? Psssft. Lowe is in the mix.

If Wash were to say Lowe was competing for that spot this late in the spring ... if you are Robbie Ross wouldn't you take that to mean "TEX doesn't think I am ready". Sure TEX could install Ross as the #5 but "last man standing" may not be a good reason for him to get the job. What if he does "okay" and then gets bumped by Colby down to AAA (notice I didn't say back to AAA) ... that might hurt his development almost as much as being bumped to the bullpen? Wouldn't you rather have your #6 getting regular work at AAA rather than limited early season work as the #5? Seems to me a veteran as your #5 works out better because a veteran understands the limited role a #5 has. Need to get Ross used to regular use.

Kirkman has much more to gain by taking the #5 and so does Lowe. Using Lowe as #5 opens up a RH bullpen spot for Woods or Lindblom plus Kirkman is still there to eat innings if needed.

One other thought about relying on power arms coming out of the bullpen. Let me remind everyone about power arms susceptibility to the long ball at RBIA. Examples: Feliz, Ogando, the other Lowe ... and Scheppers to an extent too. I think if you have strike out pitchers in your bullpen that is better than power arms if you have them. Having a balance of LHP to RHP in your bullpen helps keep LH bats out of the lineup and takes away (to a degree) the advantage LH hitters have at RBIA.

I speculate.

 

[jta4437]

"Why not start Ross at the ML level and then send him down to continue starting when Lewis is ready??"

Living up in Arkansas I miss out hearing some of the comments so if Wash has said Lowe isn't an SP candidate that certainly will play ... but how much of that was messaging to the other guys competing? I have come to believe that nothing that is said to the media as relates to future roster decisions means much. If Lowe wasn't being looked at to potentially start ... what the heck was he doing pitching 3.0IP yesterday ... getting him ready for long relief? Psssft. Lowe is in the mix.

If Wash were to say Lowe was competing for that spot this late in the spring ... if you are Robbie Ross wouldn't you take that to mean "TEX doesn't think I am ready". Sure TEX could install Ross as the #5 but "last man standing" may not be a good reason for him to get the job. What if he does "okay" and then gets bumped by Colby down to AAA (notice I didn't say back to AAA) ... that might hurt his development almost as much as being bumped to the bullpen? Wouldn't you rather have your #6 getting regular work at AAA rather than limited early season work as the #5? Seems to me a veteran as your #5 works out better because a veteran understands the limited role a #5 has. Need to get Ross used to regular use.

Kirkman has much more to gain by taking the #5 and so does Lowe. Using Lowe as #5 opens up a RH bullpen spot for Woods or Lindblom plus Kirkman is still there to eat innings if needed.

One other thought about relying on power arms coming out of the bullpen. Let me remind everyone about power arms susceptibility to the long ball at RBIA. Examples: Feliz, Ogando, the other Lowe ... and Scheppers to an extent too. I think if you have strike out pitchers in your bullpen that is better than power arms if you have them. Having a balance of LHP to RHP in your bullpen helps keep LH bats out of the lineup and takes away (to a degree) the advantage LH hitters have at RBIA.

I speculate.

You must obviously be bored b/c you seem to be overthinking this way too much

 

[Windingmywatch]

Yea... had to hang at home waiting for some furniture my wife ordered.

 

[Al Falfa]

"Why not start Ross at the ML level and then send him down to continue starting when Lewis is ready??"

Living up in Arkansas I miss out hearing some of the comments so if Wash has said Lowe isn't an SP candidate that certainly will play ... but how much of that was messaging to the other guys competing? I have come to believe that nothing that is said to the media as relates to future roster decisions means much. If Lowe wasn't being looked at to potentially start ... what the heck was he doing pitching 3.0IP yesterday ... getting him ready for long relief? Psssft. Lowe is in the mix.

If Wash were to say Lowe was competing for that spot this late in the spring ... if you are Robbie Ross wouldn't you take that to mean "TEX doesn't think I am ready". Sure TEX could install Ross as the #5 but "last man standing" may not be a good reason for him to get the job. What if he does "okay" and then gets bumped by Colby down to AAA (notice I didn't say back to AAA) ... that might hurt his development almost as much as being bumped to the bullpen? Wouldn't you rather have your #6 getting regular work at AAA rather than limited early season work as the #5? Seems to me a veteran as your #5 works out better because a veteran understands the limited role a #5 has. Need to get Ross used to regular use.

Kirkman has much more to gain by taking the #5 and so does Lowe. Using Lowe as #5 opens up a RH bullpen spot for Woods or Lindblom plus Kirkman is still there to eat innings if needed.

One other thought about relying on power arms coming out of the bullpen. Let me remind everyone about power arms susceptibility to the long ball at RBIA. Examples: Feliz, Ogando, the other Lowe ... and Scheppers to an extent too. I think if you have strike out pitchers in your bullpen that is better than power arms if you have them. Having a balance of LHP to RHP in your bullpen helps keep LH bats out of the lineup and takes away (to a degree) the advantage LH hitters have at RBIA.

I speculate.

Ogando got racked again today so there may be a bigger concern than just a number 5 starter.

 

[Windingmywatch]

Ogando got racked again today so there may be a bigger concern than just a number 5 starter.

Somebody on the old board I think used to say that you always need double the SPs you thought you needed.

 

[romeo212000]

I'm starting to worry about ogando. Things should be coming together right now.