2014 Offseason

[donaldson79]

Interesting?

Daniels said the club counseled C Robinson Chirinos against playing winter ball in Venezuela this season to help him stay fresh and healthy for next year. “We want him to carry a load for us next year,” Daniels said.

If this is totally true, you & I can forget about Russell Martin. Never thought it was a real opportunity for us to begin with though.

 

[saddles]

not talking about going big time but we can make some moves this off-season and at least be competitive or we can sit on our hands and do nothing and maybe be competitive in 2 or 3 or 4 years while we wait and see if any of them pan out. personally i want them all to pan out but i know that only 1 in 4 ever does so you have to also use FA and trades around them.

i would like to see them make a trade rather than FA for a pitcher and re-sign Colby and then let the 3 you mentioned battle it out for the #5 spot.

If you are expecting 1 in 4 to pan out then you are more optimistic about them than I am. I am hoping Gallo, Mazarra, Alfaro, Williams, Chi Chi, and one of Jackson or Thompson pan out. For every one of those guys there are 10 or more who won't. If only one or two of those guys pan out and we keep the present budget I don't think we will be competitive anytime in the next 3-5 years. I am talking about being competitive enough for a trip to the WS. Nothing else matters to me.

I think we agree on how the rotation for next year will be formed. I think they sign Colby and trade for a pitcher. I just hope we don't regret the trade down the line.

As far as trying to be competitive I think that is determined by the budget.

 

[saddles]

"It's the first time he's been healthy and able to test the market," Daniels said. "I think it's an opportunity he should take advantage of. I think he understands where we're at and what we want to do and I think we're both mindful of the calendar as well. We understand there are other suitors for both and we're being respectful of each other and communicated so nobody is surprised. But if I had to guess [if] it would get done, at the end of the day: you never know."

Rangers open for a Colby Lewis return - Dallas Texas Rangers Blog - ESPN Dallas

 

[saddles]

Notes: Rangers moving on from Engel Beltre - Dallas Texas Rangers Blog - ESPN Dallas

 

[saddles]

While right-hander Colby Lewis surveys the free agent market after an initial round of conversations with the Rangers, the possibility remains strong that he will return to the Rangers for 2015.


Two sources said Monday that the likelihood remains high for continuing the relationship. One source close to Lewis said he believed it was “everybody’s intent,” that Lewis remain with the Rangers.

General manager Jon Daniels, who spoke to Lewis as recently as last week, said if “he had to guess, I think it gets done.”

Colby Lewis? return to Texas Rangers remains likely | Dallas Morning News

 

[saddles]

"Acknowledging that there is a market for shortstops, Texas Rangers general manager Jon Daniels said Monday that the club could entertain a deal to move one this winter, even if that ends up being Elvis Andrus."

“It’s not a secret that we have depth there,” Daniels said upon arriving at the Major League Baseball General Managers meetings in Phoenix. “Its an area of strength for us. We’ve talked about the possibility for a while. We just have to decide if now is the time to make a move there.”

Jon Daniels on dealing middle infielder: ?We have to decide if now is the time to make a move? | Dallas Morning News

 

[saddles]

Wow, Evan Grant is being Evan again. He has an article today that points to JD hiring Michael Young as proof that JD wasn't threatened by having an ex-baseball player in a significant role. First of all, let me say that I never bought into the theory that JD felt threatened by Nolan. A lot of fans did though and Evan attempts to dispel that theory, but does so my making a very big stretch.

Evan says, "Those are not the actions of a GM “threatened” by the presence of a former star player in a significant role. Take that away and the arguments for why Daniels may or may not have “pushed” Ryan out seem to fall away."

Feeling threatened by a Hall of Fame Legend who has a position that is not below you on the organizational chart is completely different than feeling threatened by a very good ex-player who is definitely well below you in the organizational chart. There is a much better argument to be made than the one Evan makes.

Texas Rangers hiring of Michael Young, promotion of Steve Buechele change the ?narrative? | Dallas Morning News

 

[scotsman1948]

If you are expecting 1 in 4 to pan out then you are more optimistic about them than I am. I am hoping Gallo, Mazarra, Alfaro, Williams, Chi Chi, and one of Jackson or Thompson pan out. For every one of those guys there are 10 or more who won't. If only one or two of those guys pan out and we keep the present budget I don't think we will be competitive anytime in the next 3-5 years. I am talking about being competitive enough for a trip to the WS. Nothing else matters to me.

I think we agree on how the rotation for next year will be formed. I think they sign Colby and trade for a pitcher. I just hope we don't regret the trade down the line.

As far as trying to be competitive I think that is determined by the budget.

same here on the bold.

don't think you can be competitive and try to hold to a limiting budget in today's game. you might do it for 1 season maybe 2 but eventually you either increase your payroll and hold on to your stars or spend years building, tearing down and re-building your team while trying to hold to a budget. you don't go crazy but you make increases that allow you to hold on to your stars while bringing in FA/trades.

 

[saddles]

same here on the bold.

don't think you can be competitive and try to hold to a limiting budget in today's game. you might do it for 1 season maybe 2 but eventually you either increase your payroll and hold on to your stars or spend years building, tearing down and re-building your team while trying to hold to a budget. you don't go crazy but you make increases that allow you to hold on to your stars while bringing in FA/trades.

Agreed. I have been thinking for about 12 months now that they should either rebuild or increase the budget. This trying to do both will just lead to mediocrity unless you have a lot of injuries like this past season. I would have rather they went on a rebuilding program last offseason and continued at the trade deadline than to cling to this budgeted amount and try to survive and hope everything works out perfect. I think we were at the point a year ago where we should have decided to spend a good deal more than $133 million or rebuild. I would have been fine with either plan.

 

[DT LUNA]

same here on the bold.

don't think you can be competitive and try to hold to a limiting budget in today's game. you might do it for 1 season maybe 2 but eventually you either increase your payroll and hold on to your stars or spend years building, tearing down and re-building your team while trying to hold to a budget. you don't go crazy but you make increases that allow you to hold on to your stars while bringing in FA/trades.

The budget should not be a negative factor yet. Remember it's about the same as last year and look what we got with it, Choo and Fielder. JD can still do a lot of good if he plays his card right.

 

[scotsman1948]

The budget should not be a negative factor yet. Remember it's about the same as last year and look what we got with it, Choo and Fielder. JD can still do a lot of good if he plays his card right.

agreed. i am intrigued by the Yankee interest in Elvis. if we could trade him for a couple prospects (contingent on either Profar or Sardinas stepping up big time) and lose that contract we could free up money that could go toward either a pitcher or a bat and still possibly go the trade route for which ever we don't pick up in FA. and in these day and times of baseball $150M isn't much different from $138M

 

[scotsman1948]

Agreed. I have been thinking for about 12 months now that they should either rebuild or increase the budget. This trying to do both will just lead to mediocrity unless you have a lot of injuries like this past season. I would have rather they went on a rebuilding program last offseason and continued at the trade deadline than to cling to this budgeted amount and try to survive and hope everything works out perfect. I think we were at the point a year ago where we should have decided to spend a good deal more than $133 million or rebuild. I would have been fine with either plan.

same here i think JD and the Rangers ownership couldn't decide and when they finally reached a decision it was too late to do either

 

[WastinSomeTime]

agreed. i am intrigued by the Yankee interest in Elvis. if we could trade him for a couple prospects (contingent on either Profar or Sardinas stepping up big time) and lose that contract we could free up money that could go toward either a pitcher or a bat and still possibly go the trade route for which ever we don't pick up in FA. and in these day and times of baseball $150M isn't much different from $138M

Just as long as the Yankees do not low ball us as from what I read they are figuring his stock is down after last year and they can get him on the cheap and at 26 he will rebound. Rebound to what exactly? Not sure.

 

[saddles]

The time to trade a middle infielder is next offseason. This team has been bit by injury too much to depend on Profar until he proves himself healthy enough to play in the regular season. We have always taken the philosophy that SS is a position that we would stock up on because there is always a demand for a good SS. If that is the case then there should be a good market available a year from now as well.

 

[darrylgann]

12m12 minutes ago[/ame] Sources: [URL="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Rangers?src=hash"]#Rangers unlikely to sign Cuban slugger http://www.star-telegram.com/2014/11/11/6280233/sources-rangers-unlikely-to-sign.html …

 

[jta4437]

12m12 minutes ago Sources: #Rangers unlikely to sign Cuban slugger http://www.star-telegram.com/2014/11/11/6280233/sources-rangers-unlikely-to-sign.html …

No surprise there

 

[DT LUNA]

The time to trade a middle infielder is next offseason. This team has been bit by injury too much to depend on Profar until he proves himself healthy enough to play in the regular season. We have always taken the philosophy that SS is a position that we would stock up on because there is always a demand for a good SS. If that is the case then there should be a good market available a year from now as well.

No fault of his own but Profar really has us in a bind. We need him back 100% asap.

 

[scotsman1948]

The time to trade a middle infielder is next offseason. This team has been bit by injury too much to depend on Profar until he proves himself healthy enough to play in the regular season. We have always taken the philosophy that SS is a position that we would stock up on because there is always a demand for a good SS. If that is the case then there should be a good market available a year from now as well.

with Elvis, Jurickson, Rougned, Sardinas, Travis Demeritte, Ti'Quan Forbes and Yeyson Yrizarri it would seem to be a good time to trade now

 

[scotsman1948]

No surprise there

not to me either

 

[saddles]

with Elvis, Jurickson, Rougned, Sardinas, Travis Demeritte, Ti'Quan Forbes and Yeyson Yrizarri it would seem to be a good time to trade now

Well, after those first three you mentioned I think there might be a good chance to trade one or more of the rest of those for needed pitching.