2014 Offseason

[jta4437]

One thing I feel pretty sure about; we need to get a catcher who can call a decent game, and play decent defense.

If we desire to keep Yu and frankly other hitters too, then some emphasis has to be on catching and not hitting IMO.

You just described Chirinos... Yu needing a personal catcher is ridiculous, it's not like he's a knuckleballer

Wellington Castillo was pretty good defensively according to defensive metrics, and the bat isn't terrible for a catcher

Between the 2 I could see decent offense and defense on any given night

 

[jta4437]

Braves wanted Chi Chi and Mazara for Gattis....

Pretty ridiculous when you consider what they ended up getting, not bad players but not to those 2 guys' level

 

[saddles]

and that means they never will

It means that I will believe it when I see it. We could eventually have an owner who throws out an ARod type contract and lures one in, but I don't see it happening anytime soon. The best chance we have of it happening is if it is one of our own pitchers who decides to give us a home town discount or decides they would rather pitch here than leave. If it is going to happen it could be when Derek becomes a free agent. That is, if Derek becomes one of those type pitchers and I think he will.

 

[saddles]

One thing I feel pretty sure about; we need to get a catcher who can call a decent game, and play decent defense.

If we desire to keep Yu and frankly other hitters too, then some emphasis has to be on catching and not hitting IMO.

I think eventually we will have a catcher who can do both in Alfaro. He is probably only a year away so whoever we pick up is only a one year backup so any number of guys will do in my opinion. I will even take Laird. Frankly, I wouldn't have a problem going with Chirinos and Gimenez.

 

[saddles]

Evan Grant's #5 prospect is Nomar Mazara.

Texas Rangers No. 5 prospect is crown jewel in trio of highly-treasured outfielders | Dallas Morning News

Perhaps the biggest technical adjustment Mazara made between his signing and the end of the 2014 season was the steady reduction of a big leg kick (think Ruben Sierra/Juan Gonzalez) that took him out of proper hitting position. In 2014, he essentially used a “toe-tap” trigger to get his front foot down earlier and give him more time to watch the ball and recognize the pitch.
The results: Well, start with strikeouts, which dropped from 131 in 506 plate appearances in 2013 to 121 in 558 plate appearances in 2014. It was a reduction of almost five percent in his percentage of plate appearances that resulted in strikeouts.
On its own, though, a reduced strikeout rate means little. It’s what happens instead in those plate appearances that previously resulted in whiffs that make the difference. In the case of Mazara, it meant more walks and more home runs. He saw a 50 percent increase in his 2013 walks from 44 to 66. He averaged a homer every 22 at-bats in 2014, compared every 35 at-bats in 2013.

 

[saddles]

Video | texasrangers.com

I enjoyed the video with DeShields and the one with TR Sullivan talking about our farm system.

 

[ESPN Refugee]

Doesn't take much to amuse me

 

[scotsman1948]

It means that I will believe it when I see it. We could eventually have an owner who throws out an ARod type contract and lures one in, but I don't see it happening anytime soon. The best chance we have of it happening is if it is one of our own pitchers who decides to give us a home town discount or decides they would rather pitch here than leave. If it is going to happen it could be when Derek becomes a free agent. That is, if Derek becomes one of those type pitchers and I think he will.

if the right pitcher comes along and the Rangers want him bad enough they will get him. so far what i've seen over the years is the Rangers liking a player and willing to go a certain distance in their attempt to get them and when they reached that point and other teams went higher the Rangers backed off.

 

[darrylgann]

if the right pitcher comes along and the Rangers want him bad enough they will get him. so far what i've seen over the years is the Rangers liking a player and willing to go a certain distance in their attempt to get them and when they reached that point and other teams went higher the Rangers backed off.

@mlbtraderumors: Rangers, Padres, Cardinals, Red Sox Are “Primary Suitors” For Cole*Hamels http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/?p=46007

 

[Xx srs bsns xX]

Which leads to the question of.... what would you offer for Hamels?

 

[RevSader]

Which leads to the question of.... what would you offer for Hamels?

Elvis and some prospects.

 

[True Rangers Fan]

Problem with RAJ is that he's expecting 3 or 4 top prospects for Hamels.

 

[RevSader]

Problem with RAJ is that he's expecting 3 or 4 top prospects for Hamels.

He seems kinda dumb. I think they should just legally change the names of 3 lesser players to Gallo, Mazara, and Jackson.

 

[saddles]

if the right pitcher comes along and the Rangers want him bad enough they will get him. so far what i've seen over the years is the Rangers liking a player and willing to go a certain distance in their attempt to get them and when they reached that point and other teams went higher the Rangers backed off.

Name me the Ace type pitcher that the Rangers have went out and gotten in open bidding free agency. They other teams always go higher or the pitcher simply doesn't want to pitch here. That is the way it has always worked out and as much as you want to believe that isn't so it still is the case.

 

[Hambombs]

@mlbtraderumors: Rangers, Padres, Cardinals, Red Sox Are “Primary Suitors” For Cole*Hamels http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/?p=46007

Get it done!

 

[scotsman1948]

Which leads to the question of.... what would you offer for Hamels?

Jackson, Sardinas, Mazara & filler (s)

 

[saddles]

@mlbtraderumors: Rangers, Padres, Cardinals, Red Sox Are “Primary Suitors” For Cole*Hamels http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/?p=46007

These guys at MLB Trade Rumors just will never get it where it concerns the Rangers. They include them in almost every costly acquisition. I guess one day they are going to get lucky and actually be right. lol

 

[Duane1952]

@mlbtraderumors: Rangers, Padres, Cardinals, Red Sox Are “Primary Suitors” For Cole*Hamels http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/?p=46007

If it is going to cost us Alfaro, i say no.

 

[scotsman1948]

Name me the Ace type pitcher that the Rangers have went out and gotten in open bidding free agency. They other teams always go higher or the pitcher simply doesn't want to pitch here. That is the way it has always worked out and as much as you want to believe that isn't so it still is the case.

Obviously you didn't read what I wrote. I said the Rangers set a limit and if it goes beyond that limit then they drop out. I haven't seen a pitcher come available in FA that the Rangers were willing to go beyond that limit but the day will come

 

[saddles]

Jackson, Sardinas, Mazara & filler (s)

They would want Alfaro, Mazara and another very high prospect and that doesn't include Jackson or Sardinas.