2014 Offseason Plans Thread Pt2

[ESPN Refugee]

Oh and seriously I am really hopefully Tepesch will get that 5 spot. I'd love to see Colby but seriously I have my doubts if he'll ever be able to pitch the way we saw a couple of years ago.

 

[jta4437]

The things I remember about Darvish was there were some that thought he was/would be overrated because it'd be a lot of money to invest on a Japanese. But at the same token the majority of people said that he's not a typical Japanese pitcher in just about every aspect.

People kept on comparing Darvish to Dice K, Nomo, Irabu, and some Yankee douches even mentioned Kai Igawa lol. Rangers did their homework and hit it out of the park. That's not to say all other pitchers now will turn out to be what Yu has done so far but but from what I remember most did think although he was a risky investment, he didn't seem to be the prototypical Japanese pitcher.

Same point I was trying to hit on, most of the people calling him overhyped or overrrated were people who WANTED him to fail and saw what they wanted to see

I admit I was skeptical at first due to the past failures of Japanese pitchers and then I read numerous reputable articles and went and viewed him on youtube and I was sold

 

[jta4437]

Tepesch won the vacant spot out of camp last year against everyone else. So he really shouldn't even be considered the dark horse any more.

As someone here has said often ... you gotta have a minimum of ten ML-ready SPs at ML and AAA levels to begin your campaign. If it comes down to making Ogando #5 and Tepesch #6 at Round Rock ... or maximizing the upside by putting Ogando back in the bullpen and making Tepesch #5 ... I think you go with the latter.

Now a dark horse ... that would be Colby Lewis ... or Michael Kirkman.

Or Cody Buckel, with his command issues (Steve Blass), or even Luke Jackson, due to him topping out at AA so far

 

[Windingmywatch]

If it comes down to Colby or Tepesch then I'll have to pull for Colby. However, I have serious doubts that Colby will make it back if his fastball velocity is still in the mid 80's range. To me, Tepesch has the stuff to succeed if he can keep the ball down and out of the middle of the plate. I think that will come with experience.

His 87mph fastball will get him killed out there. Still think Colby makes it as the long relief guy if not #5. But if Colby is #5 ... he's blocking a spot.

 

[jta4437]

His 87mph fastball will get him killed out there. Still think Colby makes it as the long relief guy if not #5. But if Colby is #5 ... he's blocking a spot.

I'd only want Colby in the #5 spot if he was the best pitcher to be there, based on past experience the long relief guy will eventually get some spot starts or extended chances as well

 

[donaldson79]

His 87mph fastball will get him killed out there. Still think Colby makes it as the long relief guy if not #5. But if Colby is #5 ... he's blocking a spot.

He's not blocking anyone if he wins the spot. No one's gonna give it to him.

 

[ESPN Refugee]

Same point I was trying to hit on, most of the people calling him overhyped or overrrated were people who WANTED him to fail and saw what they wanted to see

I admit I was skeptical at first due to the past failures of Japanese pitchers and then I read numerous reputable articles and went and viewed him on youtube and I was sold

Yep agreed. I remember Mitch Williams super skeptical on Darvish and finally about mid season when Darvish was doing well he became a Darvish homer. But I agree that skepticism will be there and rightfully so given a track record of previous Japanese pitchers.

 

[WastinSomeTime]

I agree 100%, would love to give Colbra the first shot if he's up to (he's had a year and a half) its just an issue if the body is up to it and can he get that velocity into at least the low 90s (90-91) regularly, he would probably be effective in the high 80s as well 88-89, so if he can regularly hit 88-91, then he's good to go

If not, I'd like to see Tepesch get a legit shot, and I gather he will

You know I would be watching those games that Colby started and guys would be doing nothing to his pitches and you would look at the velocity and it would be around 88-89 mph. When he came back from Japan he turned into a pitcher and not a thrower. He knows how to hit those corners and when his breaking pitch is on those guys are having a heck of a time at the plate.

 

[WastinSomeTime]

Yep agreed. I remember Mitch Williams super skeptical on Darvish and finally about mid season when Darvish was doing well he became a Darvish homer. But I agree that skepticism will be there and rightfully so given a track record of previous Japanese pitchers.

I don't know about you but I cannot stand to listen to Mitch Williams on MLB Network and like him even less if he is in the booth.

 

[donaldson79]

You know I would be watching those games that Colby started and guys would be doing nothing to his pitches and you would look at the velocity and it would be around 88-89 mph. When he came back from Japan he turned into a pitcher and not a thrower. He knows how to hit those corners and when his breaking pitch is on those guys are having a heck of a time at the plate.

If he can come back - pretty big if I know - it will really help our BP too since Ogando will move there.

Let's say this is exactly what happens, is Ogando our long man?

 

[ESPN Refugee]

I don't know about you but I cannot stand to listen to Mitch Williams on MLB Network and like him even less if he is in the booth.

Ya he's a bit annoying. His love fest for Nolan got a little too beaten down at times. He made it seem like Nolan is pretty much the only reason the Rangers are/were successful. I hate that.

 

[donaldson79]

I don't know about you but I cannot stand to listen to Mitch Williams on MLB Network and like him even less if he is in the booth.

Williams is a total beat down.

I sat next to his miserable ass at a Ranger luncheon many years ago, and he was about as an insufferable table-mate as I've ever encountered.

 

[jta4437]

If he can come back - pretty big if I know - it will really help our BP too since Ogando will move there.

Let's say this is exactly what happens, is Ogando our long man?

I think he becomes a guy that can pitch multiple innings if he's ON, but not necessarily a guy to pitch 4 innings because some comes out after a couple innings due to injury or ineffectiveness

Ogando's role should be holding leads not keeping games from getting out of control, unless he needs the work of course

 

[WastinSomeTime]

Ya he's a bit annoying. His love fest for Nolan got a little too beaten down at times. He made it seem like Nolan is pretty much the only reason the Rangers are/were successful. I hate that.

He seems to know very little about the Rangers.

 

[WastinSomeTime]

Williams is a total beat down.

I sat next to his miserable ass at a Ranger luncheon many years ago, and he was about as an insufferable table-mate as I've ever encountered.

That just cracked me up. I just saw A Christmas Carol in downtown Dallas and that was Dickensesque.

 

[jta4437]

He seems to know very little about the Rangers.

About the only thing he knows about the Rangers is that he used to pitch for them

 

[WastinSomeTime]

I think he becomes a guy that can pitch multiple innings if he's ON, but not necessarily a guy to pitch 4 innings because some comes out after a couple innings due to injury or ineffectiveness

Ogando's role should be holding leads not keeping games from getting out of control, unless he needs the work of course

I would agree but now that donaldson brought it up I am not sure who our long man would be. I have not looked at who we have in our pen as a whole.

 

[WastinSomeTime]

About the only thing he knows about the Rangers is that he used to pitch for them

Sometimes. Now there was a thrower and not a pitcher. Had no clue where his pitches would end up thus Wild Thing.

 

[jta4437]

I would agree but now that donaldson brought it up I am not sure who our long man would be. I have not looked at who we have in our pen as a whole.

Probably someone that we pick up as a ST invite, i don't see it as a crucial role to fill, if we're worried about our long man in December then things are pretty good right now

 

[donaldson79]

Sometimes. Now there was a thrower and not a pitcher. Had no clue where his pitches would end up thus Wild Thing.

Ya know, Williams and Bobby Whitt reminded me somewhat of one another; million dollar arms and a head full of cotton candy. Although Whitt was a very, very nice guy. But both guys never grasped the mental part of the game.

Never forget the no-hitter Whitt threw, for five innings. Had to take him out due to pitch count. At the end of 5 he had 10 Ks and 10 W. Now that's a stat line.