2014 Offseason

[Bmurph]

Well ... there is always Choo! He can play CF!

Choo will need to return to form offensively this season, if his value and contract is ever going to be consider not a total flop. He is just a really bad OF.

 

[WastinSomeTime]

Want TEX to go with both Rua and Smolinski but gonna be tough.

Here's how I see it:
C (2) Chirinos, Corporan
IF(4) Prince, Odor, Beltre, Andrus
OF(4) Martin, Choo, Rua, Hoying/Deshields
DH (1) Moreland
UIF (1) Rosales/Alberto

That leaves one spot for Smolinski or Ludwick or Pegeuro or ??

If you are looking to make TEX better in 2015 for their big pennant run ... well ... don't think any of those guys get you there. But if you are looking to make TEX better in 2016+ ... I think the answer is Smolinski based on upside potential.

And if you are wrong you go get another guy to be #13 ... its not like you are goin got the WS and your #13 is the missing piece.

And that is why he should make it. He has done everything asked of him so far and we are talking at the big league level. And he just may make Texas better in 2015.

 

[Bmurph]

Tanner Scheppers to return to Rangers on Tuesday

Pitcher Tanner Scheppers pitched a bullpen session on Saturday and was cleared to return to game action.

Scheppers sprained his ankle on March 8. He'll pitch for the Rangers in a spring training game on Tuesday, according to the Fort Worth Star Telegram's Jeff Wilson.

 

[Bmurph]

Anthony Ranaudo to pitch in minor league game for Rangers

Pitcher Anthony Ranaudo will return to the mound in a minor league game for the Rangers on Monday.

Ranaudo left his last start with elbow discomfort. He was able to complete a pain-free 35-pitch bullpen session on Saturday according to the Fort Worth Star Telegram's Jeff Wilson.

 

[Bmurph]

Rangers' Rougned Odor out due to root canal

Rangers second baseman Rougned Odor will miss Monday's game after undergoing a root canal procedure, according to a report by the Fort Worth Star Telegram's Jeff Wilson.


Rangers' Ross Ohlendorf leaves game Sunday with groin injury

Rangers pitcher Ross Ohlendorf was able to throw two innings Sunday before leaving with tightness in his right groin, reports The Fort Worth Star Telegram.

Ohlendorf went out to pitch the third inning, but couldn't make it through his warmups. He will be further evaluated Monday. Ohlendorf finished with four strikeouts and one unearned run in two innings.

 

[Bmurph]

Rangers' Mitch Moreland drives in three runs in win

Rangers first baseman Mitch Moreland contributed three RBI in Sunday's win against the Brewers.

Moreland hit a two-run single in the first inning and a single that scored Prince Fielder in the third inning. He went 2-for-3 for the day.

I think all-around it was a good day," Moreland said, via MLB.com. "Their guy had trouble throwing strikes, and our guys had some patient at-bats. We scratched out some runs and it carried through the rest of the day."

What if Mitch finally stayed on the field all year?

 

[Bmurph]

WATCH: Joey Gallo's majestic swing in slow motion
By David Brown | Baseball Writer

March 15, 2015 8:06 pm ET

Rated a consensus top 10 prospect because of his power bat, Joey Gallo figures to start the season in the minors for the Texas Rangers. But he's hitting well in spring training, improving to 9 for 19 after a lining an RBI double to right coming off the bench Sunday afternoon in a 12-5 victory against the Milwaukee Brewers. Good thing Nick W. Schaller had the presence of mind to apply Vine to a replay of Gallo doing work.

Here's a more replete review of Gallo's double against Jorge Lopez:


Gallo, 21, has been a high-strikeout, high-walk kind of guy in the minors so far, and he batted only .232 in 291 plate appearances at Class AA in 2014. Kind of Adam Dunn-ish, though Adam Dunn hit 462 home runs in 2,001 career games.

A post at FanGraphs says not to worry about the strikeouts, going forward. Chris Mitchell, just Friday, wrote:

Joey Gallo swings beautifully. (USATSI)




Gallo's ridiculous power numbers drive his rosy forecast, but it also helps that he does a little more than just crank homers. He posted a healthy 16% BB% last year, and walked more often than his league at both minor league stops. His projection also gets a boost from his strong BABIP, which shows he hits the ball hard, even when it doesn't clear the fence. Both of these characteristics have enabled him maintain respectable on-base numbers — in lieu of his strikeouts — and could mean good things for his future as a major-leaguer.
That means more pretty Vines and more doubles and dingers in the future for Gallo, who's position is third base, and seemingly would be a fine replacement for Adrian Beltresomeday.

Also: More Jerry Callow jokes from "My Cousin Vinny":


Topics: Adam Dunn, Adrian Beltre, Texas Rangers, MLB

 

[saddles]

Want TEX to go with both Rua and Smolinski but gonna be tough.

Here's how I see it:
C (2) Chirinos, Corporan
IF(4) Prince, Odor, Beltre, Andrus
OF(4) Martin, Choo, Rua, Hoying/Deshields
DH (1) Moreland
UIF (1) Rosales/Alberto

That leaves one spot for Smolinski or Ludwick or Pegeuro or ??

If you are looking to make TEX better in 2015 for their big pennant run ... well ... don't think any of those guys get you there. But if you are looking to make TEX better in 2016+ ... I think the answer is Smolinski based on upside potential.

And if you are wrong you go get another guy to be #13 ... its not like you are goin got the WS and your #13 is the missing piece.

I wouldn't have a problem with your scenario and I wouldn't have a problem with letting Smolinski play everyday in Round Rock.

 

[saddles]

Rangers' Mitch Moreland drives in three runs in win

Rangers first baseman Mitch Moreland contributed three RBI in Sunday's win against the Brewers.

Moreland hit a two-run single in the first inning and a single that scored Prince Fielder in the third inning. He went 2-for-3 for the day.

I think all-around it was a good day," Moreland said, via MLB.com. "Their guy had trouble throwing strikes, and our guys had some patient at-bats. We scratched out some runs and it carried through the rest of the day."

What if Mitch finally stayed on the field all year?

I think he would put up numbers that would shock a lot of folks. That is mostly due to how little a lot of folks expect from him.

Getting him to stay on the field all year is another thing entirely. Has his injuries been due to him being injury prone or is it a series of unfortunate events?

 

[saddles]

If it was a good play by Mitch ... I don't even need to see it to know Prince wouldn't get to it.

As long as Mitch is going to be in the lineup I sure would much rather see him at 1B and Prince at DH.

 

[saddles]

They said tomorrow's game will be broadcast on the Angles radio network if anyone can find it online.

 

[saddles]

Choo will need to return to form offensively this season, if his value and contract is ever going to be consider not a total flop. He is just a really bad OF.

I looked this up once and I believe Choo flashes more power when he isn't leading off.

 

[Bmurph]

I think he would put up numbers that would shock a lot of folks. That is mostly due to how little a lot of folks expect from him.

Getting him to stay on the field all year is another thing entirely. Has his injuries been due to him being injury prone or is it a series of unfortunate events?

Could be a bit of both possibly. I do remember when it was tough to keep Cruz and Kinsler in the lineup many years back, because they were oft injured or seemingly injury prone. Napoli was never really considered all that great until he wound up having his first really great year in Texas. I will continue to be one of the doubters until he proves otherwise, but what would we say if Mitch stayed healthy and hit say 30 bombs and drove in 90+ this year?

 

[Nightcrawler]

Could be a bit of both possibly. I do remember when it was tough to keep Cruz and Kinsler in the lineup many years back, because they were oft injured or seemingly injury prone. Napoli was never really considered all that great until he wound up having his first really great year in Texas. I will continue to be one of the doubters until he proves otherwise, but what would we say if Mitch stayed healthy and hit say 30 bombs and drove in 90+ this year?

Pigs would fly, Hell would have frozen over, and i'll be dead wrong. i'm the biggest Mitch critic on the board and I view Mitch in the same light as Kirkman and K-garden. Lots of hype, lots of potential, and no results. All 3 of those guys received more chances from the Ranger organization than I would have liked to see them receive.

 

[Bmurph]

Pigs would fly, Hell would have frozen over, and i'll be dead wrong. i'm the biggest Mitch critic on the board and I view Mitch in the same light as Kirkman and K-garden. Lots of hype, lots of potential, and no results. All 3 of those guys received more chances from the Ranger organization than I would have liked to see them receive.

You're a Mitch critic? No shit? I could have sworn I saw you at that ST game today cheering your ass off in the stands. Oh well must have been someone else?

Mitch has also provided limited results as well. You cant compare him to Taylor or Kirkman. If healthy he's proven he could provide good results at the ML level.

Year Age Tm Lg G PA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS BB SO BA OBP SLG OPS OPS+ TB GDP HBP SH SF IBB Pos Awards
2010 24 TEX AL 47 173 145 20 37 4 0 9 25 3 1 25 36 .255 .364 .469 .833 118 68 3 1 0 2 5 3/9
2011 25 TEX AL 134 512 464 60 120 22 1 16 51 2 2 39 92 .259 .320 .414 .733 93 192 9 4 2 3 6 39/D
2012 26 TEX AL 114 357 327 41 90 18 0 15 50 1 1 23 71 .275 .321 .468 .789 106 153 8 1 2 4 5 3/D9
2013 27 TEX AL 147 518 462 60 107 24 1 23 60 0 0 45 117 .232 .299 .437 .736 99 202 10 3 0 8 1 *3/9
2014 28 TEX AL 52 184 167 18 41 9 1 2 23 0 0 12 43 .246 .297 .347 .644 82 58 7 1 2 2 0 D3/71
5 Yrs 494 1744 1565 199 395 77 3 65 209 6 4 144 359 .252 .316 .430 .746 99 673 37 10 6 19 17
162 Game Avg. 162 572 513 65 130 25 1 21 69 2 1 47 118 .252 .316 .430 .746 99 221 12 3 2 6 6

 

[romeo212000]

"Mark my words ... he will flame out wherever he goes."

Am not going to use the Quote box to quote myself.

So TEX succumbs to stupidity and trades for "he who has pitched in one park for one team and is now ... at this point of time ... NOW 31 years old" and TEX is stuck with him and his contract for how many years? Four?

Mark my words ... he will flame out wherever he goes ... but would especially be bad for TEX who really doesn't need him in 2015 but in maybe 2016 or 2017 when Hamels will be 32-33yo and making $23.5mil per and all the prospects TEX needed to be in contention in 2016 - 2017 will be in PHL stable. So it will not matter.

Cole Hamels is a swimming pool, sail boat, airplane, motor home ... things you throw money into whose value goes down starting when you sign on the line.

That is an outstanding analogy.

 

[romeo212000]

Watching the game on a big time delay. The starting lineup looks really good all around. Looks like a dead heat for the starting LF position between Rua and Smolinski. Fielder looks to be getting good lift on the ball again. Is this the year Moreland stays healthy? If so, I think he gives good numbers. Btw, comparing him to Kirkman and Teagarden is beyond assinine.

 

[saddles]

Could be a bit of both possibly. I do remember when it was tough to keep Cruz and Kinsler in the lineup many years back, because they were oft injured or seemingly injury prone. Napoli was never really considered all that great until he wound up having his first really great year in Texas. I will continue to be one of the doubters until he proves otherwise, but what would we say if Mitch stayed healthy and hit say 30 bombs and drove in 90+ this year?

Wow. I think that would lead the team in HRs.

If Mitch never does anything else he will always have my respect for how well he performed offensively against SF in the 2010 WS and also in the ALCS that year.

 

[romeo212000]

Also, Chi chi isn't ML ready, and Martin isn't quite clicking yet. Still seeing pitches, but pounding too many into the dirt.

 

[romeo212000]

Oh, and Gallo is going to be SPECIAL!!!