2014 Offseason

[WastinSomeTime]

I keep thinking Choice is going to put it together this year.

Maybe offensively he can but even that is questionable but his defense was really disappointing to me when given the opportunity last year. That I am not sure will be straightened out. It would be nice if he did as he has some pop.

 

[donaldson79]

Fraley on Ron Washington's mysterious exit from Rangers, a reason he may have stepped away | Dallas Morning News

 

[saddles]

Fraley on Ron Washington's mysterious exit from Rangers, a reason he may have stepped away | Dallas Morning News

Wash was the prime example of the Peter Principle at work.

 

[saddles]

Jamey Newberg has some interesting things in his report this morning. Here is one of them.

The current outfield picture in Arlington may seem thin, but Ben Carsley (Baseball Prospectus) includes three Rangers — Nomar Mazara, Nick Williams, and Lewis Brinson — among 15 outfielders across baseball to keep tabs on for 2016 and beyond. Seattle had one outfielder on the list, and no other AL West clubs were represented.

 

[saddles]

This is another item from the Newberg Report this morning.

Kiley McDaniel (FanGraphs) reports that the Rangers are planning to shift 21-year-old righthander Jose Leclerc to the rotation in 2015, likely in Frisco, after four standout seasons in relief. Leclerc (who I had as the Rangers’ number 28 prospect in the 2015 Bound Edition) served as High A Myrtle Beach’s closer in 2014, punching out 12.4 Carolina Leaguers per nine innings and holding them to a .193/.322/.361 slash line with a fastball that touched 98 and a hammer curve.

 

[saddles]

This information about Russell Wilson was also in the Newberg Report.

[FONT=Times New Roman,serif]Russell Wilson — whom the Rangers have confirmed will appear at spring training again this year — fired his football agent Bus Cook in December and entrusted his financial affairs to Mark Rodgers, who has no other football clients. Rodgers has been Wilson’s baseball agent since a month before the Rockies drafted him in 2010 (and two years before the Seahawks drafted him). In an article Rodgers wrote himself for a Florida newspaper a year ago, he said among Wilson’s goals before he’d been drafted by anyone was to play in both the NFL and the Major Leagues, and he wanted to be represented by someone who believed he could do that. [/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman,serif]· Twelve days ago, hours before the Super Bowl, Rodgers did an interview on MLB Network Radio and said this, on the subject of reporting again to Rangers camp: “Russell would like to go back. Baseball is near and dear to his heart. If he could figure out a way to do both, he would.” [/FONT]

 

[saddles]

Then there is this interesting tidbit from Jamey.

[FONT=Times New Roman,serif][FONT=Times New Roman,sans-serif]There will never be a relevant time to include this, so I will get it out of the way now: In the 1978 MLB Draft, Los Angeles-area high school righthander Babe Laufenberg was San Francisco[/FONT]’[FONT=Times New Roman,sans-serif]s pick in the 20th round, 11 slots before Texas chose Southern University lefthander Keith Shellings and 13 slots before Philadelphia took a Spokane high school infielder named Ryne Sandberg. [/FONT][/FONT]

 

[saddles]

National writer: Texas Rangers have failed to impress this off-season | Dallas Morning News

"The good news is that 2015 should be better for the Rangers than 2014 was. The bad news is, that’s not saying very much after pretty much everybody got hurt, Ron Washington quit as manager, and Texas lost 95 games. It’s fair to put a lot of eggs into the “half the roster doesn’t get the plague” and “maybe Shin-Soo Choo and Elvis Andrus remember that the bat is used to hit baseballs” baskets, but at some point, don’t you have to say, “Gee, we sure are planning to give a lot of at-bats to Mitch Moreland again,” and do something about that? Adding Yovani Gallardo and Ross Detwiler to the middle-to-back-end of the rotation is a good thing, and Texas did not have to give up the farm for necessary pitching help. Texas appears stuck in between being the team that thought Prince Fielder was the missing piece last winter and being the team that sits in the doldrums until prospects like Joey Gallo are ready to contribute. The Rangers never did seem to figure out which side of the equation they were on this winter, and that is a lousy recipe."

 

[donaldson79]

National writer: Texas Rangers have failed to impress this off-season | Dallas Morning News

I saw this article today as well. So let me ask ya something, "what does this guy think we should have done?"

To me, we're kind of stuck for the short run until we can figure out who can bounce back, who can make progress, and this doesn't mention our first time new manager.

It just seems the Rangers are being criticized with little to no discussion on what they didn't do which they could/should have done.

 

[Justinkm83]

I keep thinking Choice is going to put it together this year.

Same here. I'm a fan of Rua's game too

 

[saddles]

I saw this article today as well. So let me ask ya something, "what does this guy think we should have done?"

To me, we're kind of stuck for the short run until we can figure out who can bounce back, who can make progress, and this doesn't mention our first time new manager.

It just seems the Rangers are being criticized with little to no discussion on what they didn't do which they could/should have done.

The national writers are just not up to speed on what is going on with this team no matter how much they think they are. That is why I never pay much attention to Rangers trade rumors by the national guys. Of course Evan is pretty bad about that kind of thing as well.

 

[saddles]

Same here. I'm a fan of Rua's game too

I think Rua will surprise a lot of folks this year.

 

[Hambombs]

National writer: Texas Rangers have failed to impress this off-season | Dallas Morning News

LOL. That guy sounds fun at parties

 

[DT LUNA]

I saw this article today as well. So let me ask ya something, "what does this guy think we should have done?"

To me, we're kind of stuck for the short run until we can figure out who can bounce back, who can make progress, and this doesn't mention our first time new manager.

It just seems the Rangers are being criticized with little to no discussion on what they didn't do which they could/should have done.

He probably didn't think so about the KC Royals this time last year either. Blow him off like a bad disease.

 

[True Rangers Fan]

National writer: Texas Rangers have failed to impress this off-season | Dallas Morning News

Translation: the Rangers didn't make a big enough splash for my liking, therefore, they failed.

Call me crazy, but I prefer a GM that wouldn't overreact to the anomaly that was 2014.

 

[romeo212000]

I think Rua will surprise a lot of folks this year.

I do too. Of course, I was certain choice was gonna be our next Marlon Byrd and we know how that's turning out.

 

[romeo212000]

LOL. That guy sounds fun at parties

Lol. This is one of your better posts.

 

[Windingmywatch]

I keep thinking Choice is going to put it together this year.

Yea ... I think that is going to be on his tombstone too.

 

[saddles]

Rangers to give top talent a look in big league camp | texasrangers.com

 

[DT LUNA]

Rangers to give top talent a look in big league camp | texasrangers.com

Things starting to get interesting.