2014 Offseason

[True Rangers Fan]

Last season, I finally threw up my hands and surrendered my position as "VP of I Still Believe in Mitch Moreland" support group. Between his injuries/rehabs/extended slumps, my patience have been worn out. Abused actually, but that's on me.

However MM continues to be an intriguing piece rolling into ST. If he plays/hits well and maintains his health, then the Rangers may keep him, or use him as a trade piece. Some of this may depend on how PF looks at first; not that he's ever looked good there.

I should have joined this forum sooner then, always have been and always will be a Moreland defender.


Of course, my only reason for doing so is Game 3 of the 2010 WS, but still. They kept running Kirkman out there, what's one more go with Moreland?

 

[WastinSomeTime]

You develop them and see what falls through the funnel. Guaranteed all those pitchers won't be MLB pitchers.

It is a double edge sword. You are correct in your statement. Which is why it is good to load up on pitching in the minors. First of all we may think we know who will be a sure fire successful pitcher at the major league level but we really do not know. There are ptichers all the time that come out of nowhere. It is a crapshoot. But at the same time they are great trade chips and should be used for the right move. Back during our good runs we used our minor leagues to try and upgrade the team. Many thought losing Bleaven and Smoak for Cliff Lee was crazy. Turned out to be a good move. And Hamels may the type of pitcher for a move like that again. But it is not something that we can do over and over because in time we begin to deplete pitching in our minor league system which we did towards the end of 2011 and 2012 and now we are buidling it back up.

 

[WastinSomeTime]

I should have joined this forum sooner then, always have been and always will be a Moreland defender.


Of course, my only reason for doing so is Game 3 of the 2010 WS, but still. They kept running Kirkman out there, what's one more go with Moreland?

Two wrongs don't make a right. LOL! Just messing with you Ephland. I have been ready for Moreland to go for the last couple of years. Each year i decided I will pull for him since he is a Ranger and he just falls flat. Part of the problem was he was our starter at 1st. Did not excite me. And really do not want to see him in the OF. And we have so many that need to DH at times we could rotate that around and never need a full time DH. Just not sure we have a spot for him. But if he is a part of the team I hope he tears it up.

 

[donaldson79]

I should have joined this forum sooner then, always have been and always will be a Moreland defender.


Of course, my only reason for doing so is Game 3 of the 2010 WS, but still. They kept running Kirkman out there, what's one more go with Moreland?

You've stepped into a potential mine-field by your support of MM and the mere mention of Kirkman.

I do believe both of these guys will either make their "positive" mark this season - won't be for the entire season either if they don't produce - or we won't have to worry about either.

That said, the Rangers sure have shown an enormous amount of faith/patience toward both of em.

 

[romeo212000]

It is a double edge sword. You are correct in your statement. Which is why it is good to load up on pitching in the minors. First of all we may think we know who will be a sure fire successful pitcher at the major league level but we really do not know. There are ptichers all the time that come out of nowhere. It is a crapshoot. But at the same time they are great trade chips and should be used for the right move. Back during our good runs we used our minor leagues to try and upgrade the team. Many thought losing Bleaven and Smoak for Cliff Lee was crazy. Turned out to be a good move. And Hamels may the type of pitcher for a move like that again. But it is not something that we can do over and over because in time we begin to deplete pitching in our minor league system which we did towards the end of 2011 and 2012 and now we are buidling it back up.

Those were "all in" moves. Like JTA said, we're not in a position for an all in move right now. Sounds like you just want something, anything with a big name to happen regardless of if it makes sense

 

[True Rangers Fan]

Two wrongs don't make a right. LOL! Just messing with you Ephland. I have been ready for Moreland to go for the last couple of years. Each year i decided I will pull for him since he is a Ranger and he just falls flat. Part of the problem was he was our starter at 1st. Did not excite me. And really do not want to see him in the OF. And we have so many that need to DH at times we could rotate that around and never need a full time DH. Just not sure we have a spot for him. But if he is a part of the team I hope he tears it up.

There's no question Moreland has been giving ample opportunity and he has never produced consistently. If and when he's off the team it will be understandable, but I'm in the dude's corner as long as he is on the roster.

 

[saddles]

i did but everyone else seems to think they will so i will assume now that they will.


and what do you do with all those pitchers? like i said you have Gonzalez, Thompson, Jackson, Ortiz, Archer, Tepeshe, Martinez all piling up in a backlog with 2 spots available behind Yu, Derek & Martin. what do you suggest we do?

Some will become relievers. Once Chi Chi and Thompson show that they are ready to assume rotation spots the other guys will either be sent to AAA or they will be traded or they will go to the bullpen. It is probably at least several months too early to consider doing that now and it may even be a year and a half or more too early. You keep as many as you can stocked in AAA or AA for as long as you can.

The depth of good pitchers in the organization means we can save our money for position players and not have to sign free agent pitchers to long term very expensive contracts. Long term contracts for pitchers is the most risky thing in the game. Not having to do that will keep us financially healthy for the long term. That is if we don't make any more trades for someone like Fielder.

 

[saddles]

There's no question Moreland has been giving ample opportunity and he has never produced consistently. If and when he's off the team it will be understandable, but I'm in the dude's corner as long as he is on the roster.

I am in his corner as well. I see nothing wrong with having him as a backup 1B. He should not be starting on a contending team though.

 

[WastinSomeTime]

Those were "all in" moves. Like JTA said, we're not in a position for an all in move right now. Sounds like you just want something, anything with a big name to happen regardless of if it makes sense

No, you will never find where I have said that on this board for this coming year. If the right move is there and you have stocked up your minor leagues then you have the abilty to make that move and Hamels is one of those type pitchers where I could feel comfortable with. I really cannot think of too many other pitchers or really any at all right now I would want to make a move for. So if no Hamels then I would prefer to stick with what we have. I find it similar to the Lee move in that he was one pitcher I could see taking that kind of chance on at the time. But later we started trading guys like crazy and I did not think that was too wise. So I do not want just anybody and I am not for any big additions as far as position players go.

 

[Bmurph]

First pitch of the season it is.

Fantastic

 

[saddles]

It is a double edge sword. You are correct in your statement. Which is why it is good to load up on pitching in the minors. First of all we may think we know who will be a sure fire successful pitcher at the major league level but we really do not know. There are ptichers all the time that come out of nowhere. It is a crapshoot. But at the same time they are great trade chips and should be used for the right move. Back during our good runs we used our minor leagues to try and upgrade the team. Many thought losing Bleaven and Smoak for Cliff Lee was crazy. Turned out to be a good move. And Hamels may the type of pitcher for a move like that again. But it is not something that we can do over and over because in time we begin to deplete pitching in our minor league system which we did towards the end of 2011 and 2012 and now we are buidling it back up.

I don't think we are anywhere close to being in the same situation now as we were when we traded for Lee. Hamels does not put us over the edge and he also doesn't take his expensive salary away after the year. He would come at a time when he doesn't push us over the edge and he will be very expensive for quite some time and would block one of our young good inexpensive pitchers.

If we ever get in that same position again and there is a Hamels available for the rest of the year and we have overrated players like Smoak and Beaven that the other team covets then we should do a deal like that again. That may never happen again though. I never cared that much for Smoak, but I am glad Seattle thought a lot more of him than I did. The Lee type of trade like the Teixeira type of trade may never come our way again for a long time.

 

[scotsman1948]

Based on the makeup of the roster, I would probably agree, I'll give him through ST but I have no problems cutting ties at this point, he's had his chances and now it's time to see what others can do, we have a good number of 1b & dh guys ready to go

exactly my thinking

 

[saddles]

Evan Grant's #4 prospect is Jake Thompson.

Texas Rangers No. 4 prospect has legitimate chance to pitch in top part of starting rotation | Dallas Morning News

Thompson throws both a sinking fastball and a four-seamer and, according to Baseball America, he runs it up to 95 mph. The magazine describes his slider as a swing-and-miss pitch “two-plane” pitch, meaning it doesn’t just sweep across the strike zone, but breaks downward sharply.
Smoltz also mixed in a split-finger fastball as a devastating strikeout pitch, and picking up a changeup of some type is what usually separates run-of-the-mill sinker/slider pitchers from front-line starters. Thompson has already started to use his changeup and it could develop into something more than just an average pitch.
Thompson went 7-4 with a 3.06 ERA over 18 starts at both Class A clubs in the Detroit system last year before the trade. The Rangers challenged him by sending him directly to Double-A Frisco. He met the challenge well, going 3-1 with a 3.28 ERA in seven starts. For the full season, he threw 130 innings after throwing 83.1 in his first full minor league season. The goal for this year would likely be to get him to about 150.

 

[scotsman1948]

You worry.about that when it gets here, it's safe to say Perez needs a year, Ortiz could use a couple years in the minors, Thompson and Rodriguez about the same, with Jackson probably benefiting from as much develop time as we can get them

Point is, these guys need to be in the minors until injuries or advanced development say otherwise, if any of the above guys are in the majors this year, it's probably not a good thing for the rangers, unless they just flat out earn it, which isn't likely this season

but come 2016 or 2017 Thompson, Gonzalez, Jackson & Ortiz are projected to hit the majors and with Darvish, Holland & Perez locking down 3 of 5 starting positions thru at least 2019 and you have Tepesch, Martinez, Bonilla + who have already got ML starting experience. my point is that you use a couple of them to bring in someone like Hamel and you use the best of them to occupy and learn in the 5th spot while the others fine tune their pitching and if someone goes down or needs a rest you have them available

 

[romeo212000]

but come 2016 or 2017 Thompson, Gonzalez, Jackson & Ortiz are projected to hit the majors and with Darvish, Holland & Perez locking down 3 of 5 starting positions thru at least 2019 and you have Tepesch, Martinez, Bonilla + who have already got ML starting experience. my point is that you use a couple of them to bring in someone like Hamel and you use the best of them to occupy and learn in the 5th spot while the others fine tune their pitching and if someone goes down or needs a rest you have them available

I'd bet no more than 2 are ML ready by next season, if that. Remember how we always marvel at how teams like the Cardinals and Giants always find pitching in their system? Well, this is how you get there.

 

[darrylgann]

It is a double edge sword. You are correct in your statement. Which is why it is good to load up on pitching in the minors. First of all we may think we know who will be a sure fire successful pitcher at the major league level but we really do not know. There are ptichers all the time that come out of nowhere. It is a crapshoot. But at the same time they are great trade chips and should be used for the right move. Back during our good runs we used our minor leagues to try and upgrade the team. Many thought losing Bleaven and Smoak for Cliff Lee was crazy. Turned out to be a good move. And Hamels may the type of pitcher for a move like that again. But it is not something that we can do over and over because in time we begin to deplete pitching in our minor league system which we did towards the end of 2011 and 2012 and now we are buidling it back up.

I keep in the back of my head June's MLB draft. That grows big with each passing day as well. Wonder which HS or college should we be looking at (cue Terps if he's still alive). Can't wait till that starts up again as well as the pros. Wonder if there's a way we can follow that kid Houston couldn't sign.

We'll find an ace there.

 

[WastinSomeTime]

I don't think we are anywhere close to being in the same situation now as we were when we traded for Lee. Hamels does not put us over the edge and he also doesn't take his expensive salary away after the year. He would come at a time when he doesn't push us over the edge and he will be very expensive for quite some time and would block one of our young good inexpensive pitchers.

If we ever get in that same position again and there is a Hamels available for the rest of the year and we have overrated players like Smoak and Beaven that the other team covets then we should do a deal like that again. That may never happen again though. I never cared that much for Smoak, but I am glad Seattle thought a lot more of him than I did. The Lee type of trade like the Teixeira type of trade may never come our way again for a long time.

I can see your point on the Lee vs Hamels comparison. But on the overrated players that is a 20-20 hindsight. I thought Bleaven was overrated and obviously you did too but others did not. But at the same time there are those that we have thought would be great and did not pan out and vice versa.

 

[WastinSomeTime]

I keep in the back of my head June's MLB draft. That grows big with each passing day as well. Wonder which HS or college should we be looking at (cue Terps if he's still alive). Can't wait till that starts up again as well as the pros. Wonder if there's a way we can follow that kid Houston couldn't sign.

We'll find an ace there.

That will be interesting. Look forward to that myself.

 

[WastinSomeTime]

Evan Grant's #4 prospect is Jake Thompson.

Texas Rangers No. 4 prospect has legitimate chance to pitch in top part of starting rotation | Dallas Morning News

I am really hoping this guy turns out to be a real stud for us.

 

[donaldson79]

I don't think we are anywhere close to being in the same situation now as we were when we traded for Lee. Hamels does not put us over the edge and he also doesn't take his expensive salary away after the year. He would come at a time when he doesn't push us over the edge and he will be very expensive for quite some time and would block one of our young good inexpensive pitchers.

If we ever get in that same position again and there is a Hamels available for the rest of the year and we have overrated players like Smoak and Beaven that the other team covets then we should do a deal like that again. That may never happen again though. I never cared that much for Smoak, but I am glad Seattle thought a lot more of him than I did. The Lee type of trade like the Teixeira type of trade may never come our way again for a long time.

Lordy Bennie.....we didn't think they were overrated when we traded them. We just thought it was the right move at the right time.

A team can't depend on trading an "overrated" player (s) and expect to get something back. And I don't think we did this then, nor do I expect us to approach it for the future.