2014 Offseason

[darrylgann]

Kirkman has been released.

NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

 

[darrylgann]

and

Jamey Newberg ‏@NewbergReport 3m3 minutes ago

Haven't seen anything from Rangers or local writers, but @RRExpress tweets that M.Choice, L.Jackson, & J.Eickhoff have been optioned to AAA.

 

[True Rangers Fan]

Choice to AAA.

 

[romeo212000]

and

Jamey Newberg ‏@NewbergReport 3m3 minutes ago

Haven't seen anything from Rangers or local writers, but @RRExpress tweets that M.Choice, L.Jackson, & J.Eickhoff have been optioned to AAA.

Right where they need to be. I like Jackson, but he's definitely not ML ready yet.

 

[donaldson79]

For those who have the availability to get KTXA, they've got the game on at 3 this afternoon.

 

[donaldson79]

Choice to AAA.

I'm almost surprised they didn't send him down to AA, and not as a punishment or acknowledgement of him going backwards. But to let him regroup and relax at the lower level is all.

 

[WastinSomeTime]

and

Jamey Newberg ‏@NewbergReport 3m3 minutes ago

Haven't seen anything from Rangers or local writers, but @RRExpress tweets that M.Choice, L.Jackson, & J.Eickhoff have been optioned to AAA.

The right moves there.

 

[darrylgann]

Right where they need to be. I like Jackson, but he's definitely not ML ready yet.

Hope he has one hell of a year there.

 

[WastinSomeTime]

Fraley needs to be more thorough in his writing. He only gives the combined numbers for all LF candidates and is cherry picking to try to prove his point. So I guess I'll do his leg work for him and be the one to be relatively objective.

Smolinski: .333/.391/.619/1.010/1HR/2 RBI/3K/21 AB

Rua: .250/.280/.500/.780/1HR/4 RBI/8K/24 AB

I'm only including those two because we all know the decision is going to come down to those two. Smolinki's line is absolutely smoking. Granted it's an extremely small sample size, but we're talking about spring training results here. Fact is, it completely negates the tone of Fraley's article.

Rua's stat line is less impressive, and the high strikeout rate is mildly concerning, but again we're talking small sample size in the first three weeks of spring training. Both he and Smolinski have flashed power, and Rua is hitting .250, and is managing a fairly respectable OPS of .780 in spite of his low .280 OBP.

Both Rua and Smolinski are doing what we were hoping to see from them at this point in the spring. So thanks for playing Fraley, but next time, do better.

Thanks for the info. One thing Smolinski does have is some MLB time even thought also a small sampls size. In 92 PA/ 86 AB 349/391/512 avg/OBP/Slg with 5 2b and 3 HRs. Had 24 SO which is high but can be expected at the MLB level for the first time. Not too shabby.

 

[WastinSomeTime]

Hope he has one hell of a year there.

Would be good to see him perform at a high level at AAA this year after struggling last year at this level.

 

[jta4437]

Thanks for the info. One thing Smolinski does have is some MLB time even thought also a small sampls size. In 92 PA/ 86 AB 349/391/512 avg/OBP/Slg with 5 2b and 3 HRs. Had 24 SO which is high but can be expected at the MLB level for the first time. Not too shabby.

A lot of people question his power but if he can hit 15-20 with solid LF defense, I'm good with that, I'd rather see Rua at 1B or 3B going forward anyway, especially since he's pretty much always been a IF

How this plays into where Gallo ends up remains to be seen, but I still don't think Gallo stays at 3B, but its always good to have more than one option

 

[darrylgann]

Would be good to see him perform at a high level at AAA this year after struggling last year at this level.

Yep. Is Thompson there in RR or in Frisco? Love to see him have an outstanding year.

 

[jta4437]

Yep. Is Thompson there in RR or in Frisco? Love to see him have an outstanding year.

I think he's starting in AA

 

[saddles]

I would still prefer Rua's upside over Smolinski's in LF this year. Based on their careers Rua deserves to show what he can do up here more than Jake. If we are going by ST stats then both Smolinski and Gallo should be playing everyday for the Rangers, but that isn't the case. Both were impressive in short stints up here last year, but based on the upside shown in their respective minor league careers I would give the nod to Rua.

 

[True Rangers Fan]

I would still prefer Rua's upside over Smolinski's in LF this year. Based on their careers Rua deserves to show what he can do up here more than Jake. If we are going by ST stats then both Smolinski and Gallo should be playing everyday for the Rangers, but that isn't the case. Both were impressive in short stints up here last year, but based on the upside shown in their respective minor league careers I would give the nod to Rua.

Banister and the Rangers are absolutely not just going by stat lines in their judgement of the LF candidates.

 

[saddles]

A lot of people question his power but if he can hit 15-20 with solid LF defense, I'm good with that, I'd rather see Rua at 1B or 3B going forward anyway, especially since he's pretty much always been a IF

How this plays into where Gallo ends up remains to be seen, but I still don't think Gallo stays at 3B, but its always good to have more than one option

Rua has played more games in the OF than at 1B though. The vast majority of his experience is at 2B and 3B and he is blocked there. With Prince's contract and their strong reluctance to consider him a DH it appears 1B is a blocked position as well.

 

[romeo212000]

I would still prefer Rua's upside over Smolinski's in LF this year. Based on their careers Rua deserves to show what he can do up here more than Jake. If we are going by ST stats then both Smolinski and Gallo should be playing everyday for the Rangers, but that isn't the case. Both were impressive in short stints up here last year, but based on the upside shown in their respective minor league careers I would give the nod to Rua.

I'm not ready to say who I would give the nod to yet, but at this point if you held a gun to my head I would say Rua.

 

[jta4437]

I would still prefer Rua's upside over Smolinski's in LF this year. Based on their careers Rua deserves to show what he can do up here more than Jake. If we are going by ST stats then both Smolinski and Gallo should be playing everyday for the Rangers, but that isn't the case. Both were impressive in short stints up here last year, but based on the upside shown in their respective minor league careers I would give the nod to Rua.

I just don't think Rua's future is in the OF, its nice he can play there, but I don't think it's his future, not that Smolinski is the future in LF either

It'll sort itself out, Smolinski will become who he truly is in more ABs, now or in the regular season, same with Rua

They just need to jerk either around like they did Choice,

BTW Smolinski is only 1 year older than Rua

 

[saddles]

Banister and the Rangers are absolutely not just going by stat lines in their judgement of the LF candidates.

I hope they go by several years of results and I think they will.

 

[romeo212000]

Banister and the Rangers are absolutely not just going by stat lines in their judgement of the LF candidates.

I agree. So far, Bannister is looking like the type of manager I wish they'd had in 2010 and 2011.