2014 Offseason

[darrylgann]

Think JD was a victim of AJ's success. We probably could of had one of San Diego's pitchers if they weren't all in it for this year. Who would of thunk in the same division with LAD and the World Champs. JD did what he could after that. So far.

 

[donaldson79]

I agree with you all on Detweiler. He may really help us out in the middle of the rotation. I just hope we do not mess him around by having him start then go to the pen and back. Stick with him as a starter.[/QUOTE]

We didn't sign him, nor did he sign with us, to be a BP man. He'd always been a starter until the Nationals got so loaded with SP they had little choice - in their minds anyway - but to move him to the pen.

I know some of ya are down on Bowden and his predictions. But here's what he says about us and Shields.


The Rangers have quietly met with Shields and realize that he would not only be an important signing for them to place behind Yu Darvish and ahead of Derek Holland in their rotation, but he would also give them protection if Darvish, Holland, Martin Perez and/or Colby Lewis don't come back fully healthy. Like other teams, they also value his leadership and mentorship qualities.

The real question here is whether the Rangers are willing to spend the kind of money it's going to take to sign Shields after the dreadful results they had last year with their free-agent signing of Shin-Soo Choo and trade for Prince Fielder, who spent much of the season on the disabled list (making eight figures in the process). Rangers assistant GM Thad Levine told me they had a great meeting with Shields and his wife, but the team would have to make a trade or two to lower payroll in order to sign him. That lowers the odds, but it's still quite possible.

Odds: 7-to-1

I don't know what this sentence is implying. Anyone have a guess as to who he's referring too?

 

[donaldson79]

Tepesch? really? what are you basing this on?

Sometimes your statements indicate "if a guy can't top out at a # 2 position, or a # 3 at worse, then who cares?" And this isn't the way most rotations work.

Everyone can't be Yu, Holland, nor can every team spend like the Angels or the Dodgers.

On the optimistic side, I can see Lewis being a # 4 for us this season, with Tep filling the # 5 spot without this being a tragedy-of-tragedy.

Would we be a lot better with Yu, Shields, Holland, Detweiler, Lewis? Of course. But the team seems to be stuck on a budget number, which frankly, I don't get. Ain't my money either.

 

[WastinSomeTime]

I agree with you all on Detweiler. He may really help us out in the middle of the rotation. I just hope we do not mess him around by having him start then go to the pen and back. Stick with him as a starter.[/QUOTE]

We didn't sign him, nor did he sign with us, to be a BP man. He'd always been a starter until the Nationals got so loaded with SP they had little choice - in their minds anyway - but to move him to the pen.

I know some of ya are down on Bowden and his predictions. But here's what he says about us and Shields.


The Rangers have quietly met with Shields and realize that he would not only be an important signing for them to place behind Yu Darvish and ahead of Derek Holland in their rotation, but he would also give them protection if Darvish, Holland, Martin Perez and/or Colby Lewis don't come back fully healthy. Like other teams, they also value his leadership and mentorship qualities.

The real question here is whether the Rangers are willing to spend the kind of money it's going to take to sign Shields after the dreadful results they had last year with their free-agent signing of Shin-Soo Choo and trade for Prince Fielder, who spent much of the season on the disabled list (making eight figures in the process). Rangers assistant GM Thad Levine told me they had a great meeting with Shields and his wife, but the team would have to make a trade or two to lower payroll in order to sign him. That lowers the odds, but it's still quite possible.

Odds: 7-to-1

I don't know what this sentence is implying. Anyone have a guess as to who he's referring too?

I would have to put Shields behind Holland based on how well he pitched when he came back last season.

 

[scotsman1948]

Sometimes your statements indicate "if a guy can't top out at a # 2 position, or a # 3 at worse, then who cares?" And this isn't the way most rotations work.

Everyone can't be Yu, Holland, nor can every team spend like the Angels or the Dodgers.

On the optimistic side, I can see Lewis being a # 4 for us this season, with Tep filling the # 5 spot without this being a tragedy-of-tragedy.

Would we be a lot better with Yu, Shields, Holland, Detweiler, Lewis? Of course. But the team seems to be stuck on a budget number, which frankly, I don't get. Ain't my money either.

just not impressed with Tepesch, could i be surprised? sure but i just don't think that he would even be a #5 on a majority of teams in MLB but the Rangers are so thin at SP that we have to consider him in that position

 

[romeo212000]

just not impressed with Tepesch, could i be surprised? sure but i just don't think that he would even be a #5 on a majority of teams in MLB but the Rangers are so thin at SP that we have to consider him in that position

You're not often impressed with any of our prospects.

 

[jta4437]

We didn't sign him, nor did he sign with us, to be a BP man. He'd always been a starter until the Nationals got so loaded with SP they had little choice - in their minds anyway - but to move him to the pen.

I don't know what this sentence is implying. Anyone have a guess as to who he's referring too?

He didn't sign at all, it was a trade

As far as Shields goes, he would essentially any of the extra cash we do have, which I think is what we're trying to use to fill multiple spots on the roster

I would think we would have to shed some payroll, but have zero clue as to who we could/would trade to get that done, no one wants nor would we get any value for Fielder and Choo right now and Andrus, Beltre, Holland & Darvish would be counterproductive

 

[jta4437]

You're not often impressed with any of our prospects.

Scotty: "Rangers needs a #3 pitcher"
Board: "How would you have gotten that done this offseason, based on the contracts being offered and the prospects being thrown around?"
Scotty: "that's not my job, it just needs to get done, otherwise JD is going through the motions"
Board: "That's not very helpful"

 

[romeo212000]

He didn't sign at all, it was a trade

As far as Shields goes, he would essentially any of the extra cash we do have, which I think is what we're trying to use to fill multiple spots on the roster

I would think we would have to shed some payroll, but have zero clue as to who we could/would trade to get that done, no one wants nor would we get any value for Fielder and Choo right now and Andrus, Beltre, Holland & Darvish would be counterproductive

Bowden said as much that we'd have to shed payroll to sign shields.

 

[romeo212000]

Scotty: "Rangers needs a #3 pitcher"
Board: "How would you have gotten that done this offseason, based on the contracts being offered and the prospects being thrown around?"
Scotty: "that's not my job, it just needs to get done, otherwise JD is going through the motions"
Board: "That's not very helpful"

This pretty much sums it up. Total cop out. This is a fun game. Let me try.


Saddles: "The Rangers are under a major payroll restriction and I'm giving them an E grade this offseason for empty pockets."

Board: "Based on the players available and the money they're getting, what would you prefer JD and the ownership do instead? Which player would you want them to drop money on, and how much, since you seem all bent out of shape about the Rangers current long term commitments?"

Saddles: "I'm not saying I want them to spend the kind of money that's being spent on anyone available. I think there's some really bad contracts and trades being given out."

Board: "Then why do you keep bitching about the Rangers ownership having empty pockets and not spending money?"

Saddles: ........crickets......

 

[jta4437]

We didn't sign him, nor did he sign with us, to be a BP man. He'd always been a starter until the Nationals got so loaded with SP they had little choice - in their minds anyway - but to move him to the pen.

I know some of ya are down on Bowden and his predictions. But here's what he says about us and Shields.


The Rangers have quietly met with Shields and realize that he would not only be an important signing for them to place behind Yu Darvish and ahead of Derek Holland in their rotation, but he would also give them protection if Darvish, Holland, Martin Perez and/or Colby Lewis don't come back fully healthy. Like other teams, they also value his leadership and mentorship qualities.

The real question here is whether the Rangers are willing to spend the kind of money it's going to take to sign Shields after the dreadful results they had last year with their free-agent signing of Shin-Soo Choo and trade for Prince Fielder, who spent much of the season on the disabled list (making eight figures in the process). Rangers assistant GM Thad Levine told me they had a great meeting with Shields and his wife, but the team would have to make a trade or two to lower payroll in order to sign him. That lowers the odds, but it's still quite possible.

Odds: 7-to-1

I don't know what this sentence is implying. Anyone have a guess as to who he's referring too?

James Shields is a risky investment - SweetSpot Blog - ESPN

 

[romeo212000]

James Shields is a risky investment - SweetSpot Blog - ESPN

I'd be very bullish on Shields.

 

[jta4437]

Bowden said as much that we'd have to shed payroll to sign shields.

I think we could take on about 10 million of Shields' contract but it would eat up all our flexibility for other/future deals

Everything after that would require a trade of some serious dough, about 8-10 million

 

[donaldson79]

He didn't sign at all, it was a trade

As far as Shields goes, he would essentially any of the extra cash we do have, which I think is what we're trying to use to fill multiple spots on the roster

I would think we would have to shed some payroll, but have zero clue as to who we could/would trade to get that done, no one wants nor would we get any value for Fielder and Choo right now and Andrus, Beltre, Holland & Darvish would be counterproductive

Yeah...yeah that's it.....That's what I meant to say.

I wish we'd get a little wiggle room on the budget and pick up a nice, solid SP (Shields isn't a must, but a decent starter) to contribute and then add the backup catcher required, utility INF, etc. But the organization seems set on the budget plan.

 

[jta4437]

I'd be very bullish on Shields.

I'd do 4 years tops, but that would cost us about 18-20 million a year, blech

3 years and 60 million would be ideal but unfortunately everyone sees $$$ signs in their eyes after the stupid deals guys like Santana and McCarthy have received this offseason

 

[jta4437]

Yeah...yeah that's it.....That's what I meant to say.

I wish we'd get a little wiggle room on the budget and pick up a nice, solid SP (Shields isn't a must, but a decent starter) to contribute and then add the backup catcher required, utility INF, etc. But the organization seems set on the budget plan.

Telis and Rua/Sardinas can fill those roles if needed

Those guys alone could cover every position on the diamond and be PRs (Sardi/Deshields) and PHs (Rua),

C: Telis
1B: Rua
2B: Rua, Sardinas, Deshields
SS: Sardi
3B: Rua, Sardi
COF: Rua
CF: Deshields

 

[jta4437]

I'd do 4 years tops, but that would cost us about 18-20 million a year, blech

3 years and 60 million would be ideal but unfortunately everyone sees $$$ signs in their eyes after the stupid deals guys like Santana and McCarthy have received this offseason

And I realize this would require a payroll shedding move, and thats kinda the issue right now

 

[donaldson79]

Telis and Rua/Sardinas can fill those roles if needed

Those guys alone could cover every position on the diamond and be PRs (Sardi/Deshields) and PHs (Rua),

C: Telis
1B: Rua
2B: Rua, Sardinas, Deshields
SS: Sardi
3B: Rua, Sardi
COF: Rua
CF: Deshields

Good point.

And I don't know what plan we have for Gimenez. Let's not forget that Yu likes pitching to him.

 

[jta4437]

Good point.

And I don't know what plan we have for Gimenez. Let's not forget that Yu likes pitching to him.

Forgot about him

 

[WastinSomeTime]

Forgot about him

Me too and we may be better playing him over Telis for now.