2014 Offseason

[donaldson79]

This from Michael Young:

On what he’s going to do in working with guys in spring training:

“(It’ll be) kind of a case-by-case basis but I think one thing I’m really really looking forward to is working with those young minor league kids and giving them just basic things that I think that any player can use in order to be an impact big leaguer. It’s interesting. When I think about the things I want to pass on to younger kids, it’s not necessarily the things that I’ve learned or done well. I want to show them the things I could’ve done better, the things that I feel like were flaws in my game. We’ve all got them.”

 

[scotsman1948]

Yes, we will have to pay him. That is a given. I am just saying that he will probably play enough to keep us from collecting on the insurance. He has to not play for an extended period of time for the insurance to kick in and then there are deductibles as well. I half way expect him to play just enough to keep the insurance from kicking in. That would be our luck.

maybe he will but like others on here i just don't think he will ever pitch at the ML again

 

[Justinkm83]

For some reason I thought the winter meetings started this week. It looks like they don't start until next month.

 

[darrylgann]

For some reason I thought the winter meetings started this week. It looks like they don't start until next month.

There is a GM meeting Monday thru Wednesday this week and a Winter Meeting in mid December. Not sure the difference in the two.

 

[Justinkm83]

There is a GM meeting Monday thru Wednesday this week and a Winter Meeting in mid December. Not sure the difference in the two.

Oh ok, thanks.

 

[ESPN Refugee]

2014 winter meetings in San Diego from December 7-11.

 

[Justinkm83]

The Dodgers are aggressively marketing Matt Kemp, Carl Crawford, and Andre Ethier, reports Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports in a series of tweets.The club is swimming in depth with Yasiel Puig, Scott Van Slyke, and Joc Pederson also in the mix for big league reps. L.A. is willing to kick in significant money depending on the return. Some teams are interested in the left-handed bats, while Kemp is drawing wide interest. Puig is “not in play.”


How about Kemp to BOS and Cespedes to TEX with minor leaguers going to LAD?

 

[Xx srs bsns xX]

The Dodgers are aggressively marketing Matt Kemp, Carl Crawford, and Andre Ethier, reports Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports in a series of tweets.The club is swimming in depth with Yasiel Puig, Scott Van Slyke, and Joc Pederson also in the mix for big league reps. L.A. is willing to kick in significant money depending on the return. Some teams are interested in the left-handed bats, while Kemp is drawing wide interest. Puig is “not in play.”


How about Kemp to BOS and Cespedes to TEX with minor leaguers going to LAD?

Pass. I want no part of Cespedes.

Would rather see what Rua/Smolinski/Choice/etc can do.

 

[Xx srs bsns xX]

So it appears the Yankees have interest in Elvis as well.. (who knew?) lol.

 

[saddles]

Some Winter Leagues notes from Gerry Fraley.

"Nomar Mazara and Teodoro Martinez, outfielders in the Texas Rangers’ minor-league system, are both bidding to hit .400 in winter-league play.Martinez had two hits for Aragua in a 6-4 win over Lara in the Venezuelan league on Saturday night, raising his average to .393 for 89 at-bats. Martinez, 22, is second in the league to Mark Minicozzi of the San Francisco organization. He is hitting .427.
Mazara “dropped” to .400 with a one-hit performance for Licey in an 8-1 win over Estrellas. Mazara, 19, does not qualify amongthe league leaders because he has only 25 at-bats."


"Right-hander Cody Buckel, the Texas Rangers’ minor-league pitcher of the year in 2012, debuted in the Australian Baseball League on Saturday with a scoreless outing.
Buckel worked three innings for the Melbourne Aces. He allowed one hit but was inconsistent with his control, a problem in the last two seasons. Buckel allowed two walks and had 25 strikes in 47 pitches."


"Patrick Cantwell, a catcher in the Texas Rangers’ organization, continued his defensive improvement in the Arizona Fall League by throwing out two runners on Friday.
Cantwell started the AFL season by throwing out only two of the first 11 runners who tested him. He has now thrown out five of the last eight runners.
Cantwell, who spent time in the major-league camp last season, has not been hitting Arizona. He is down to .152 with no extra-base hits in 33 at-bats. Cantwell hit .268 with a .341 slugging percentage for 276 at-bats with Double-A Frisco this season."

 

[saddles]

I thought T R Sullivan had a great answer for a fan asking if the Rangers had learned their lesson about switching relievers to starters.

"The Rangers went to two World Series, in part, because C.J. Wilson made a successful transition from the bullpen to the rotation. Alexi Ogando made a successful transition, as well, in 2011. The mistake the Rangers probably made with Ogando was moving him back to the bullpen in '12, rather than letting him build on what he accomplished as an All-Star in '11.
So results vary with each pitcher. Certainly, it didn't work out with Neftali Feliz and Tanner Scheppers -- and both will be in the bullpen in 2015. With Robbie Ross, it's hard to say. Certainly, he was better as a reliever than as a starter. But he was a starter throughout his time in the Minor Leagues.
The Rangers will always keep their options open with every pitcher. But, undoubtedly, they will be more circumspect in considering who they ask to switch in the future."

 

[donaldson79]

I thought T R Sullivan had a great answer for a fan asking if the Rangers had learned their lesson about switching relievers to starters.

"The Rangers went to two World Series, in part, because C.J. Wilson made a successful transition from the bullpen to the rotation. Alexi Ogando made a successful transition, as well, in 2011. The mistake the Rangers probably made with Ogando was moving him back to the bullpen in '12, rather than letting him build on what he accomplished as an All-Star in '11.
So results vary with each pitcher. Certainly, it didn't work out with Neftali Feliz and Tanner Scheppers -- and both will be in the bullpen in 2015. With Robbie Ross, it's hard to say. Certainly, he was better as a reliever than as a starter. But he was a starter throughout his time in the Minor Leagues.
The Rangers will always keep their options open with every pitcher. But, undoubtedly, they will be more circumspect in considering who they ask to switch in the future."

Good post and I agree.

I can't rattle off a long list of names by team, but my guess is, most organizations move guys around from BP to starter and vice-versa quite a bit actually.

 

[Justinkm83]

Mariners are very interested in V Mart and Hanley. God that's going to suck if they land one of them.

Looks like the Rays are trading Hellickson.

 

[scotsman1948]

So it appears the Yankees have interest in Elvis as well.. (who knew?) lol.

do they have anything we would be interested in?

 

[saddles]

do they have anything we would be interested in?

If they gave us a choice we would probably take the next Arias instead of the next Cano.

 

[saddles]

"Rangers GM Jon Daniels comes to the two-day GM Meetings here looking to make moves. It’s not time to panic, but it is time to do something.

The Rangers’ payroll will remain near the $133.5 million it was in 2014 and Daniels isn’t trying to open the checkbook for a high-priced free agent such as Jon Lester.

Daniels instead will seek trades while being mindful of the riches in the Rangers' Double-A system, where most of the young talent resides."

Texas Rangers start GM Meetings looking to improve - ESPN Dallas

 

[DT LUNA]

"Rangers GM Jon Daniels comes to the two-day GM Meetings here looking to make moves. It’s not time to panic, but it is time to do something.

The Rangers’ payroll will remain near the $133.5 million it was in 2014 and Daniels isn’t trying to open the checkbook for a high-priced free agent such as Jon Lester.

Daniels instead will seek trades while being mindful of the riches in the Rangers' Double-A system, where most of the young talent resides."

Texas Rangers start GM Meetings looking to improve - ESPN Dallas

I have no faith in Moreland or Aducci helping this club. Smolinski is a "maybe". Did not think JD was serious about the pitching, Nick Mik etc. Look like a Daniel's smoke screen.

 

[darrylgann]

I have no faith in Moreland or Aducci helping this club. Smolinski is a "maybe". Did not think JD was serious about the pitching, Nick Mik etc. Look like a Daniel's smoke screen.

Good time for Terps to jump in. Need some inside information.

 

[DT LUNA]

Good time for Terps to jump in. Need some inside information.

Is his source still around?

 

[saddles]

I have no faith in Moreland or Aducci helping this club. Smolinski is a "maybe". Did not think JD was serious about the pitching, Nick Mik etc. Look like a Daniel's smoke screen.

It was Calvin Watkins that mentioned Nick, Nick and Mikolas.

I think we will get the best of those three plus Bonilla, Colby, and one starter acquired via trade. Probably Tepesch will be the winner of the group of the 4 youngsters. I just hope we don't regret the trade a couple of years down the road when we have a more realistic chance of competing. It will be a challenge for JD to trade for a pitcher who doesn't put him over his budget while at the same time acquiring a pitcher who is better than the youngsters.