2014 Offseason

[saddles]

get the impression that the Rangers are looking for Beltre to retire as a Ranger

They do seem to feel that way. I think the ability to defer $2 million was a very big factor in getting the extension done several months prior to having to do so.

 

[saddles]

Man, looking at the DMN, EA and Prince look like they actually arrived in good shape. That's a win by itself

One of them arrived in great shape last year as well.

 

[saddles]

http://www.dallasnews.com/sports/te...questions-at-4-p.m.-tuesday-ask-yours-now.ece

 

[scotsman1948]

The new national TV money actually started last year and was assumed to be about $30 million more per team than the previous national TV contracts. The local TV contract increase starts this year. Something happened that kept them from spending any of the additional funds this year and hopefully it is only a one year problem.

man i hope so too

 

[saddles]

http://rangersblog.dallasnews.com/2...add-left-hander-for-bullpen-competition.html/

The Texas Rangers added a left-hander for the bullpen competition on Tuesday, acquiring left-hander Edgar Olmos from Seattle on a $20,000 waiver claim.

Olmos, 24, has appeared in five major-league games with Miami in 2013. He is a power pitcher with a fastball in the 92-94 mph range but has had control problems. At the Double- and Triple-A levels of the Miami organization last year, Olmos had 60 strikeouts with 30 walks in 77 2/3 innings.

“He looks the part,” general manager Jon Daniels said of Olmos, listed at 6 feet 4 and 220 pounds. “We’ll get him in here with our coaches and see what he can do.”

 

[saddles]

http://rangersblog.dallasnews.com/2015/02/texas-rangers-hold-tryout-camp.html/

This points out why I desperately wanted us to lose a lot more games last September than we did. The first overall pick is a lot of times significantly better than the 4th overall pick. David Price was taken with the first pick in the 2007 draft. That is why the late season surge was a disappointment to me.

The Texas Rangers will have the fourth overall pick in the June draft. They got a good look on Tuesday at a failed No. 4 choice.
Left-hander Daniel Moskos, taken by Pittsburgh the fourth overall pick in the 2007 draft, participated in a tryout camp put on the by the club. Moskos, 28, has pitched in 31 major-league games, with Pittsburgh in 2011.

 

[romeo212000]

http://rangersblog.dallasnews.com/2...add-left-hander-for-bullpen-competition.html/

The Texas Rangers added a left-hander for the bullpen competition on Tuesday, acquiring left-hander Edgar Olmos from Seattle on a $20,000 waiver claim.

Olmos, 24, has appeared in five major-league games with Miami in 2013. He is a power pitcher with a fastball in the 92-94 mph range but has had control problems. At the Double- and Triple-A levels of the Miami organization last year, Olmos had 60 strikeouts with 30 walks in 77 2/3 innings.

“He looks the part,” general manager Jon Daniels said of Olmos, listed at 6 feet 4 and 220 pounds. “We’ll get him in here with our coaches and see what he can do.”

No risk with high possible reward.

 

[ESPN Refugee]

The new national TV money actually started last year and was assumed to be about $30 million more per team than the previous national TV contracts. The local TV contract increase starts this year. Something happened that kept them from spending any of the additional funds this year and hopefully it is only a one year problem.

Ok ya that's what I was thinking that the new deal was probably already in place. Thanks for clarifying.

 

[Justinkm83]

I think it is because they want very badly to keep this year's salary as low as they can. I hope this means that the tight-fisted budget approach is over after this season.

I get the feeling these owners are tight wads.

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2015/02/rangers-exercise-adrian-beltres-2016-option.html

I don't understand the hurry in doing this, but it is done now. Happy for Adrian.

I guess if Gallo proves he is ready for 2016 he will need a position change.

http://rangersblog.dallasnews.com/2...ercise-option-on-adrian-beltre-for-2016.html/

I think there's plenty of reasons for the signing. One I haven't seen mentioned is if for some reason we're out of the race, Beltre might want to go to a team that's contending. He is much more valuable with a 1.5 years left on his contract than he would be as a rental. Damn good signing IMO, no matter which route is taken. I hate thinking Beltre might not finish his career here. The signing gives us insurance in case Gallo doesn't progress.

 

[romeo212000]

I get the feeling these owners are tight wads.

You know damn well that's not true. Look at the money they've spent on Darvish, Beltre, Choo, and Fielder. They're very particular with how they'll spend their money, but they've proven they will spend it.

 

[saddles]

I get the feeling these owners are tight wads.


I think there's plenty of reasons for the signing. One I haven't seen mentioned is if for some reason we're out of the race, Beltre might want to go to a team that's contending. He is much more valuable with a 1.5 years left on his contract than he would be as a rental. Damn good signing IMO, no matter which route is taken. I hate thinking Beltre might not finish his career here. The signing gives us insurance in case Gallo doesn't progress.

I heard someone on The Ticket mention today how the extra year would make him more valuable should we fall out of contention and trade him this July. I don't think that is a legitimate reason though because the team we trade him to would have had the right to extend him if they wanted to. In fact had we not extended him the teams we would offer him to would have had more leeway with him given that option of extending him. Therefore he might even be more valuable had we not extended him, leaving it to them to decide. I believe that whole point is irrelevant though as I believe the Rangers consider Beltre untouchable no matter what was offered for him.

Signing him now as opposed to signing him 7-8 months from now didn't have any effect on him remaining here though. Extending him would have kept him here through next season no matter if we had done it now or 7-8 months from now. Nothing about making it happen now keeps him here any more than having it happen this fall.

Another thing to consider is that even if we trade him in July he could still very well end his career here as he will eventually be a free agent. Then again, I don't see any way they would consider trading him now.

 

[saddles]

The signing gives us insurance in case Gallo doesn't progress.

I know it insures Gallo will not play 3B for us before 2017 no matter how well he hits in the minors from here on out. Maybe not even after that as I think they want to wrap Beltre up for even longer.

 

[DT LUNA]

I heard someone on The Ticket mention today how the extra year would make him more valuable should we fall out of contention and trade him this July. I don't think that is a legitimate reason though because the team we trade him to would have had the right to extend him if they wanted to. In fact had we not extended him the teams we would offer him to would have had more leeway with him given that option of extending him. Therefore he might even be more valuable had we not extended him, leaving it to them to decide. I believe that whole point is irrelevant though as I believe the Rangers consider Beltre untouchable no matter what was offered for him.

Signing him now as opposed to signing him 7-8 months from now didn't have any effect on him remaining here though. Extending him would have kept him here through next season no matter if we had done it now or 7-8 months from now. Nothing about making it happen now keeps him here any more than having it happen this fall.

Another thing to consider is that even if we trade him in July he could still very well end his career here as he will eventually be a free agent. Then again, I don't see any way they would consider trading him now.

Why would they want to trade him? He can play and DH till 2017 and more than likely retire a Ranger HOF'er. His age won't let him play effectively beyond two more years IMO.

 

[Justinkm83]

You know damn well that's not true. Look at the money they've spent on Darvish, Beltre, Choo, and Fielder. They're very particular with how they'll spend their money, but they've proven they will spend it.

JD had to move 2 million around in order to try to get LH relief. I'm assuming that's the reason anyways. I think there's reason to believe they're being tight wads. The Choo and Fielder contracts are probably the reason for it though.

 

[saddles]

JD had to move 2 million around in order to try to get LH relief. I'm assuming that's the reason anyways. I think there's reason to believe they're being tight wads. The Choo and Fielder contracts are probably the reason for it though.

Something has them extremely cautious about not going over what was basically the 2013 budget the past two years. They are being more tight with their money as of late. Whether that makes them tight wads I guess is up to one's personal definition of that term. I just hope that whatever made JD decide after the 2013 season that the budget for both 2014 and 2015 would remain almost static is something that goes away by the next offseason. He knew even before the disastrous 2014 season that his budget wouldn't be expanded during this offseason so that makes me think whatever was wrong was going to last at least until after the 2015 season. I hope they were simply facing a temporary 2 year challenge financially and that by next offseason everything will be different.

I believe the Beltre signing was in big part due to saving the $2 million. I still think there is a good chance that the reason we didn't replace our hitting coach is because we didn't want to pay for the one we hired while we were still paying for the one we let go. Whether that qualifies as "tight wads" I will leave to each person to decide on their own. Also, past extravagant expenditures don't disqualify anyone from becoming a tight wad and just because someone is a tight wad presently does not mean that they will always be one. Sometimes things happen that change the way we spend money temporarily whether we are discussing individuals or major organizations.

 

[romeo212000]

JD had to move 2 million around in order to try to get LH relief. I'm assuming that's the reason anyways. I think there's reason to believe they're being tight wads. The Choo and Fielder contracts are probably the reason for it though.

We don't know why he did that. There's plenty of motive. They'll spend money on the right guys at the right times like they always have.

 

[saddles]

Why would they want to trade him? He can play and DH till 2017 and more than likely retire a Ranger HOF'er. His age won't let him play effectively beyond two more years IMO.

The only way you would want to trade anyone is if it made your team better over the long run. If someone offers the club a great deal no one should be untouchable. Back in the day I hated trading Toby Harrah, but getting Buddy Bell for him made it a good deal even though at the time Toby was the face of the franchise. Should a great deal not come along for Adrian then they shouldn't consider trading him, but if someone wants to unload a lot of very good young talent then I would have no problem accepting him being traded.

 

[saddles]

If the whole goal in locking down Beltre for 2016 was to keep him from worrying about getting enough PA then shouldn't they have locked him up at this time last year? The number of PA was just as important last season as this one. He needed 1200 total to make the 2016 year vest automatically.

 

[DT LUNA]

The only way you would want to trade anyone is if it made your team better over the long run. If someone offers the club a great deal no one should be untouchable. Back in the day I hated trading Toby Harrah, but getting Buddy Bell for him made it a good deal even for though at the time Toby was the face of the franchise. Should a great deal not come along for Adrian then they shouldn't consider trading him, but if someone wants to unload a lot of very good young talent then I would have no problem accepting him being traded.

At this time in his career I don't see anyone giving the farm for him now. The guy as great as he is losing value. Better to keep him this late.

 

[Bmurph]

the move to extend AB gives them options in different scenarios