2014 Offseason

[DT LUNA]

I'm torn on this. I'd like to think Peguero has it together finally and would help the team, but fact is, he'd be sitting on the bench a lot and that is not what he needs. He may end up being a late bloomer like Cruz, but I'm inclined to feel like he should be playing every day in AAA and proving he deserves a shot. I just don't think Smolinski's ceiling is that high, and frankly I think he is a bench OF if he's going to have a major league career. Truth is, Peguero's ceiling is higher than Smolinski's and that should be taken into account when deciding who is going where. Peguero needs to be hitting every day waiting for the opportunity to get called up.

If Peguero gets his shot and Smo's at AAA, what is Ludwick's option?

 

[donaldson79]

If Peguero gets his shot and Smo's at AAA, what is Ludwick's option?

I asked this very question - along with what were our options with Nate Schierholtz too - a few days ago and heard nothing back.

It would be great to have both of these guys in AAA as options. But, I wonder what financial obligations we would have to make to each of them?

 

[donaldson79]

Rangers pitcher Matt Harrison: I feel like a kid again

Rangers pitcher Matt Harrison cleared the biggest hurdle to him getting back on the mound Monday. Harrison underwent spinal fusion surgery last year, but after throwing off the mound Monday, Harrison was as giddy as can be, reports the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

"I felt like a little kid again out there, like it was my first little league game or something," said Harrison. "Just the nerves of doing it again, it has been a 11 months. It almost felt like a day when I start a game, those nerves, the butterflies in the stomach, the good ones, not being able to eat as much that day. It's fun again."

Harrison is scheduled to throw off the mound again Thursday and increase his pitch total.

"When I get up to 30 to 40 pitches I'll start adding some [different] pitches," he said. "Right now I’m just getting my fastball location."

Would be like playing with house money to get Matt back later in the year

This is almost too good to be true. Still not counting on him at all, ever, frankly. But wouldn't this just be a God-sent gift for the team and him if he could get all the way back?

 

[Bmurph]

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Free-agent outfielder Ryan Ludwick has agreed to a minor league contract with the Texas Rangers and will go to spring training with his original team.

Ludwick would receive a $1.75 million, one-year deal if added to the Rangers' 40-man roster.

NaARLINGTON, Texas -- Free agent outfielder Nate Schierholtz has agreed to a minor league contract with the Texas Rangers after hitting a career-worst .195 last year.

Not sure what becomes of them if they don't make it on the big league roster? They may stay but would likely be offered to another club or waived and would likely catch on with another team.

 

[jta4437]

I'm torn on this. I'd like to think Peguero has it together finally and would help the team, but fact is, he'd be sitting on the bench a lot and that is not what he needs. He may end up being a late bloomer like Cruz, but I'm inclined to feel like he should be playing every day in AAA and proving he deserves a shot. I just don't think Smolinski's ceiling is that high, and frankly I think he is a bench OF if he's going to have a major league career. Truth is, Peguero's ceiling is higher than Smolinski's and that should be taken into account when deciding who is going where. Peguero needs to be hitting every day waiting for the opportunity to get called up.

Rua, Peggy & MM might be splitting time in a platoon type situation, not a strict one but rotating days off at the very least, hopefully none of sitting more than a day at a time, and hopefully they get it sorted out pretty quick

Smolinski's ceiling might not be that high but it might be just as high as Peggy ever gets despite a higher ceiling

Smols & Peggy are pretty much spares and I could care less whether their destination is AAA or the majors

Pegs has shown he can hit AAA pitching, so the only logical step for a 28 y/o journeyman is a ML bench or starting role

I'd give Smols a bit more time before pigeonholing him

 

[romeo212000]

Rua, Peggy & MM might be splitting time in a platoon type situation, not a strict one but rotating days off at the very least, hopefully none of sitting more than a day at a time, and hopefully they get it sorted out pretty quick

Smolinski's ceiling might not be that high but it might be just as high as Peggy ever gets despite a higher ceiling

Smols & Peggy are pretty much spares and I could care less whether their destination is AAA or the majors

Pegs has shown he can hit AAA pitching, so the only logical step for a 28 y/o journeyman is a ML bench or starting role

I'd give Smols a bit more time before pigeonholing him

In that case, it sounds like Peguero needs to be a bench player and Smolinksi needs to be playing every day in AAA. I honestly don't ever see either one being an "answer" as anything more than a fill on role player. I didn't realize what trash Smolinksi had for an arm until yesterday.

 

[WastinSomeTime]

Rua, Peggy & MM might be splitting time in a platoon type situation, not a strict one but rotating days off at the very least, hopefully none of sitting more than a day at a time, and hopefully they get it sorted out pretty quick

Smolinski's ceiling might not be that high but it might be just as high as Peggy ever gets despite a higher ceiling

Smols & Peggy are pretty much spares and I could care less whether their destination is AAA or the majors

Pegs has shown he can hit AAA pitching, so the only logical step for a 28 y/o journeyman is a ML bench or starting role

I'd give Smols a bit more time before pigeonholing him

Normally I want a veteran to fill in the gaps but this is one of the reasons I would like for Smolinski to be on the opening day roster. He did well last year and he is not someone that we have felt to be a core piece of the team. So let him stay on the team and plug the holes.

 

[jta4437]

Normally I want a veteran to fill in the gaps but this is one of the reasons I would like for Smolinski to be on the opening day roster. He did well last year and he is not someone that we have felt to be a core piece of the team. So let him stay on the team and plug the holes.

Perhaps I'm a little higher on Smols than most, just don't want him rotting away on the bench a la Michael Choice

But yeah more than likely his future is as a 4th OFer, which is what this role is, but Pegs' power potential is intriguing

 

[saddles]

I think I would like for one of the veterans(Ludwick or Schierholtz) to be the backup on the big league roster and let both Smolinski and Peguero go to Round Rock and play everyday. This might be the best minor league depth we have had in the OF in quite some time.

 

[donaldson79]

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Free-agent outfielder Ryan Ludwick has agreed to a minor league contract with the Texas Rangers and will go to spring training with his original team.

Ludwick would receive a $1.75 million, one-year deal if added to the Rangers' 40-man roster.

NaARLINGTON, Texas -- Free agent outfielder Nate Schierholtz has agreed to a minor league contract with the Texas Rangers after hitting a career-worst .195 last year.

Not sure what becomes of them if they don't make it on the big league roster? They may stay but would likely be offered to another club or waived and would likely catch on with another team.

Thank you very much Murph!

I'm happy to see this and wondered at what cost they'd come b/c on Baseball Reference.com they were showing some rather substantial financial commits to both if they made the big club right off the bat.

 

[saddles]

Forbes: Yankees worth as much as Cowboys; Rangers 11th most valuable MLB club | Dallas Morning News

Texas Rangers on the Forbes MLB Team Valuations List

The Texas Rangers check in at 11th of the most valuable MLB clubs, receiving a boost from the naming rights deal with Global Life and Accidental Insurance, according to the article. The 10-year deal is expected to be worth as much as $50 million. The Rangers are reportedly worth $1.22 billion.

"The team's blockbuster rights deal with Fox Sports Southwest kicks off in 2015," according to the article. "The agreement averages $85 million a year guaranteed for 20 years, and the team also received a 25% equity stake in the RSN."

Despite losing a few million here and there with operating losses this ownership is making money hand over fist based on the value of the team.

 

[donaldson79]

For those of us who can get KTXA, tonight's game is on at 9. FYI

 

[saddles]

Tepesch bolstering repertoire this spring with slow curve | texasrangers.com

"In the first inning, he made a couple of pitches up in the zone," Banister said. "After the first inning, he got the ball down when he needed to and put it inside when he needed to. His secondary pitches showed up well. He just needs to sharpen up his fastball command. I'd like to see the ball down in the zone and get more run."

 

[donaldson79]

Forbes: Yankees worth as much as Cowboys; Rangers 11th most valuable MLB club | Dallas Morning News

Texas Rangers on the Forbes MLB Team Valuations List

The Texas Rangers check in at 11th of the most valuable MLB clubs, receiving a boost from the naming rights deal with Global Life and Accidental Insurance, according to the article. The 10-year deal is expected to be worth as much as $50 million. The Rangers are reportedly worth $1.22 billion.

"The team's blockbuster rights deal with Fox Sports Southwest kicks off in 2015," according to the article. "The agreement averages $85 million a year guaranteed for 20 years, and the team also received a 25% equity stake in the RSN."

Despite losing a few million here and there with operating losses this ownership is making money hand over fist based on the value of the team.

I have no clue if what I'm about to throw out there has any basis in reality at all. But I'm wondering if the ownership group is trying to be somewhat frugal with the playing payroll now, in hopes of building a really terrific/domed stadium in a few years?

This make any sense or hold any water at all? Wishful thinking?

 

[saddles]

I have no clue if what I'm about to throw out there has any basis in reality at all. But I'm wondering if the ownership group is trying to be somewhat frugal with the playing payroll now, in hopes of building a really terrific/domed stadium in a few years?

This make any sense or hold any water at all? Wishful thinking?

The usually get so much help from the municipality that I don't know how much they need to save to do so. I don't remember the ownership group having to do that in the early 1990s. They usually take care of a lot of that with taxpayer money and debt. Of course, I am just guessing based on my memory of these things happening in the past.

 

[Xx srs bsns xX]

Not sure if this was ever posted here or not... (its been about a week since he wrote it)

Advice to Texas Rangers management: It's time to rebuild - MLB - ESPN

 

[Xx srs bsns xX]

Advice to Rangers: It's time to rebuild

As I walked into the lobby of the Texas Rangers' spring training headquarters in Surprise, Arizona, last week, the first thing I noticed was a huge picture of two Rangers executives, a manager and a player celebrating their American League championship in 2011. Something immediately seemed off to me: The only person in the picture still with the franchise is president of baseball operations (and GM) Jon Daniels.

Josh Hamilton, who was at the time their best player, is gone. Nolan Ryan, their CEO then? Gone. Ron Washington, their manager? Gone.

Then I thought about all the other good players from those 2010 and '11 World Series teams that are gone, from Ian Kinsler to Michael Young to Cliff Lee, C.J. Wilson, Nelson Cruz, Mike Napoli, Vladimir Guerrero and Darren O'Day, among others. In just 3½ years, some of the team's braintrust and many of its best players have all moved on. Even though the Rangers were still good in 2012 and '13, it feels like it was eons ago they were celebrating AL titles.

Injuries sunk this team in 2014. A lot of injuries, and to key players. But I have to wonder if their short-term thinking in terms of player moves -- in an attempt to stay on top in the AL West -- along with the departure of an owner, a CEO, a field manager and a bench coach has sent this team in the wrong direction for the first time since Daniels took over in October 2005.

What the Rangers need to do now is look in the mirror and realize their run is over. Blame it on injuries, front-office departures or anything you want to, but it's over.

It would be an unpopular decision, but the Rangers need to rebuild. We're talking a total shakeup, including trading away their best players. The good news is if they do it now and they do it right, they could be good again as soon as the second half of 2016. But if they don't, they could be looking at a three- to five-year process.

How they got here

The Rangers did what they could to extend their window of contention, making deals with short-term success in mind.

For instance, to give them a better chance to win the AL West in 2013, they traded three good pitching prospects in C.J. Edwards, Justin Grimm and Neil Ramirez, along with infielder Mike Olt, to the Chicago Cubs just before the trade deadline. The one player they got back? Matt Garza, who went 4-5 with a mediocre 4.38 ERA and then left the team via free agency at season's end. That trade looks like a disaster now, as Edwards, Grimm and Ramirez all look like they will help the Cubs, and they'll be under Chicago's control for at least the next five years. Those are three arms the Rangers really could have used last year with all their injuries and no doubt would love to have for this year, too.

Texas made the same type of short-term-thinking trade this offseason in shipping top shortstop prospect Luis Sardinas, reliever Corey Knebel and Marcos Diplan to the Milwaukee Brewers in exchange for Yovani Gallardo, whom the Rangers will control for just this season. That's another deal they'll probably regret in a few years.

So why rebuild now?

Last season was a living nightmare. The Rangers were supposed to be contenders after spending $130 million on a seven year-contract for Shin-Soo Choo and trading Ian Kinsler to the Tigers for Prince Fielder (thus committing another $138 million in future salary to him). They thought those moves would put them over the top. Then the injuries hit. Not just Fielder, Jurickson Profar and eventually Choo, but their entire five-man pitching rotation -- Yu Darvish, Derek Holland, Matt Harrison, Martin Perez and Colby Lewis -- spent time on the DL. There went the season; they finished 67-95.

Coming into this season, the Rangers were hoping everyone would be healthy so they could have a bounce-back campaign. But Profar, arguably their best trade chip, was shut down for a second straight season after having another shoulder surgery. Their ace, Darvish, threw exactly one inning in spring training before it was determined that he needed Tommy John surgery. One could question why the Rangers and Darvish didn't address this at the end of last season -- he missed all of September because of the elbow and had several tests taken just after the season -- but according to Daniels and the Rangers' medical staff, there's nothing the team could have done or would have done differently.

Meanwhile, fellow starter Martin Perez is still recovering from his own Tommy John surgery and won't be ready until midseason at the earliest, and Matt Harrison is headed back to the DL as he attempts to come back from lower lumbar spinal fusion surgery.

As much as the Rangers were hoping to patch the team together for another run this year, the Darvish injury should just about scrap that idea. Their rotation is simply not deep enough, and neither is their bullpen. Their farm system has some top prospects, such as third baseman Joey Gallo, catcher Jorge Alfaro and right-handed pitchers Jake Thompson and Alex "Chi Chi" Gonzalez. While Rangers fans are clamoring for the team to trade a top prospect for a star pitcher such as Cole Hamels, the team needs to hold on to all those prospects and start building around them for the future. In fact, the Rangers should instead be trying to trade for other teams' top prospects and quickly rebuild a young nucleus. They especially need to build up their pitching depth with young, healthy arms.

 

[Xx srs bsns xX]

So how do they go about it between now and the trade deadline?

This is pretty simple: They make everyone available and express a willingness to eat money when necessary to get the top prospect returns. To get more specific, here are five things they can do:

1. Trade Adrian Beltre … or at least listen to offers for him. The Rangers made a smart move in picking up Beltre's 2016 option because not only was it a relief for Beltre to protect himself from an injury, but it adds another year of team control of the star third baseman. That, in turn, increases his trade value. The Rangers' top prospect, Gallo, is a third baseman, and trading Beltre would open the door for him.

Now, finding a trade partner and getting the right return might not be as easy as you'd think with so many quality third basemen in baseball right now. But if Yunel Escobar doesn't work out at second base for Washington, they could always move Anthony Rendon there and trade for Beltre to play third. It's also likely that the Nats will lose shortstop Ian Desmond to free agency this November, so they could put Escobar at short and have Beltre at third and Rendon at second for 2016. The Rangers wouldn't get top pitching prospect Lucas Giolito for him, but they might be able to get another top pitching prospect such as A.J. Cole or Reynaldo Lopez as part of a package.

2. Trade Prince Fielder. I actually expect Fielder to be a Comeback Player of the Year candidate, as his neck is healthy, he's in great shape, and he's swinging the bat like he used to. If he has a great first half, the Rangers should consider dealing him for prospects.

Perhaps the San Diego Padres will find themselves one impact player away at the trade deadline, and although the Rangers would have to pick up much of Fielder's contract, trading him for prospects is a deal that could work for both sides. The Padres need better balance in the lineup, and Fielder would fit nicely between Kemp and Upton in the Padres' lineup. The Padres could offer up a package starting with top pitching prospect Matt Wisler and first baseman Yonder Alonso, who would likely hit better in Texas than he has in San Diego. Hunter Renfroe also could be dangled.

If that doesn't work, how about checking in with the Toronto Blue Jays, who desperately need a left-handed bat to blend in with Edwin Encarnacion, Jose Bautista, Josh Donaldson and Russell Martin. They also could offer a strong prospect package, depending on how much money the Rangers pay of Fielder's remaining deal.

3. Trade Yovani Gallardo (though they just acquired him). When the Rangers got Gallardo, the deal made sense: He'd slot in nicely behind Darvish and Holland as the team waited for Perez to return. Sorry, but that plan didn't work out.

Gallardo seems determined to hit free agency, and to lose him for just a draft pick, a player who wouldn't see the big leagues until 2020 or beyond, is absurd. They should make this right and deal him prior to the trade deadline to a contending team in need of a solid innings-eater. The Red Sox could be a nice landing spot for him, considering how deep their farm system is and how shallow their big league rotation currently is.

4. If Neftali Feliz gets off to a fast start, trade him while he has value. After becoming a solid closer in 2010 and '11, he tried his hand at starting and fell victim to Tommy John surgery in 2012. He missed most of 2013 and spent half of last season working his way back, but once he did, he pitched pretty well as the Rangers' closer late in 2014. He could help a contender.

5. Trade Choo, if they can find a taker. They could get prospects in return, but they also could allocate the money Choo is owed to their offseason spending following this season, when the starting pitching free-agent market could be as big as we've seen, including such names as Johnny Cueto, David Price, Jordan Zimmermann, Mat Latos, Doug Fister, Kyle Lohse, Rick Porcello and Jeff Samardzija.

The Rangers chances of winning their first World Series title has collapsed under the weight of starting pitcher injuries, and the only way to fix it is to reverse their transaction trend and start thinking younger. They have the pieces to acquire the top-tier prospects they need to rebuild quickly and become legitimate contenders again.

It's a difficult thing to trade your best players, but that's what needs to happen here, and sooner than later.

 

[romeo212000]

I stopped reading when I saw it was written by Jim Bowden.

 

[romeo212000]

I have no clue if what I'm about to throw out there has any basis in reality at all. But I'm wondering if the ownership group is trying to be somewhat frugal with the playing payroll now, in hopes of building a really terrific/domed stadium in a few years?

This make any sense or hold any water at all? Wishful thinking?

My guess is they're being a little frugal because they don't see a way to make themselves legitimate WS contenders until some younger players develop and better FA options present themselves. I bet when the window looks like it has a chance to blow wide open for a good period of time, they'll be spending again.