2017 Texas Rangers offseason thread

[saddles]

if EA is the only one left of the true veterans what reason would he have to stay? why would he not opt out after next season if it gave him a chance to sign on with a team that would challenge for the WS? and why would we as fans deny him that option?

Some guys would do just like you suggest and others wouldn't. It all depends on what is most important to him.

Of course, this scenario we are talking about isn't going to happen anyway as JD and ownership are scared to death of the word "rebuilding". If we suspend reality and assume they will do as we are discussing then maybe Elvis looks around after a year of playing with Gallo, Mazara, Calhoun, Profar, and Guzman and sees a future here. Maybe JD assures him that once Hamels and Beltre are off the books that spending will resume next offseason. Maybe that convinces him and maybe not.

 

[donaldson79]

What pitching options should the Rangers look at with spring training quickly approaching?

Gerry Fraley: The market is full of mid-level free agent possibilities such as Brandon McCarthy, Jason Vargas and old friend Andrew Cashner. Jon Daniels has been resolute about not making big expenditures for pitching this off-season, and it appears he will adhere to that. That leaves the Rangers looking for bargains. There are some out there.

With Elvis Andrus' option coming up, do you think he bolts after next season?

Gerry Fraley: Don't think he automatically bolts, but he is more than likely to opt out. Always get on the market when possible. Elvis' current deal calls for him to earn $88 million through 2023. My guess is he could do better this time around. I do wonder if the freeze in the market this off-season will have an effect on Elvis and make him to stay with what he has.

Was trading Yu Darvish a mistake?

Gerry Fraley: Not in the least. The Rangers were not going to meet Darvish's price. If they were, a deal would have been done before last season. The Rangers also needed to start re-stocking a farm system that has been depleted by trades and graduations. They got three prospects from the Dodgers. If one makes it, it will be a good deal. If two make it, it will be an outstanding deal. If three make it, the club will be flabbergasted. The Rangers needed prospects.

Is the eventual successor to Adrian Beltre on the Rangers roster now? If so, who?

Gerry Fraley: Could be Profar, if he stays in the organization. Don't see Gallo in that role, His long body makes it tough to play third. Gallo has good hands and could be an ideal first baseman. There is not a third baseman in the system who is close to the majors.

How much longer will Adrian Beltre be a Ranger?

Gerry Fraley: Depends on how the club performs, If the Rangers are out of contention around the All-Star break, they owe it to Beltre to move him to a contender, He has no interest in being part of a rebuilding project at this stage of his career, Nor should he.

 

[scotsman1948]

Some guys would do just like you suggest and others wouldn't. It all depends on what is most important to him.

Of course, this scenario we are talking about isn't going to happen anyway as JD and ownership are scared to death of the word "rebuilding". If we suspend reality and assume they will do as we are discussing then maybe Elvis looks around after a year of playing with Gallo, Mazara, Calhoun, Profar, and Guzman and sees a future here. Maybe JD assures him that once Hamels and Beltre are off the books that spending will resume next offseason. Maybe that convinces him and maybe not.

JD and the ownership told Beltre that this season to keep him on the books and not asking for a trade and they have failed to deliver on those promises so far this off-season so why would EA believe them next off-season? he may decide to return and pass on using his opt out clause but why would he pass on the chance to go to a competitive team and stay with a team 3 to 5 years away from even being relevant.

 

[Kelleyman]

Gerry Fraley: Could be Profar, if he stays in the organization. Don't see Gallo in that role, His long body makes it tough to play third. Gallo has good hands and could be an ideal first baseman. There is not a third baseman in the system.

Good reason to keep Profar
Also a hedge against Elvis opting out. But methinks they rework contract at break

 

[saddles]

JD and the ownership told Beltre that this season to keep him on the books and not asking for a trade and they have failed to deliver on those promises so far this off-season so why would EA believe them next off-season? he may decide to return and pass on using his opt out clause but why would he pass on the chance to go to a competitive team and stay with a team 3 to 5 years away from even being relevant.

I am not saying he will stay. I just don't think his leaving is as certain as you do. I think there is a 30-40% that he stays.

It seems obvious Yu wanted to come back to the same team so it is possible Elvis feels the same way. He has a longer history here than Yu does.

I actually expect Beltre will get an extension offered to him this spring.

Management will keep doing just enough with this team to keep from having to use the R word. We are stuck in the 75 to 85 wins mode for the forseeable future. A time or two injuries may cause us to slip closer to 70 or a lot of luck may push us closer to 90 a time or two.

 

[saddles]

Keith Law's 2018 top 100 prospects -- Nos. 50-1: Introducing tomorrow's superstars

The Rangers only have Taveras on his list and Taveras is 3 years away.

If you're not going for it in today's MLB environment, you're -- well, let's not say "tanking" and just go with "developing." Teams that build from their farm system, through the draft, the international market and trades of veterans for prospects, keep reaching and winning the World Series. The Royals had the No. 1 farm system in baseball in 2011 and won two pennants, including a world championship in 2015. The Cubs hit the top five in 2013, ranked No. 1 in 2015 and won the World Series in 2016. The Astros had the No. 1 farm system in baseball in 2014 and won their first title in 2017.

I don't think any of this is a big coincidence: Teams can't buy championships. They can buy a player or two to finish off a good roster, but the bulk of a pennant-winning roster comes from within, either through cheaper players the team developed from its farm system or veterans acquired by trading such prospects.

 

[scotsman1948]

I am not saying he will stay. I just don't think his leaving is as certain as you do. I think there is a 30-40% that he stays.

It seems obvious Yu wanted to come back to the same team so it is possible Elvis feels the same way. He has a longer history here than Yu does.

I actually expect Beltre will get an extension offered to him this spring.

Management will keep doing just enough with this team to keep from having to use the R word. We are stuck in the 75 to 85 wins mode for the forseeable future. A time or two injuries may cause us to slip closer to 70 or a lot of luck may push us closer to 90 a time or two.

well if we aren't going to make serious moves now then we need to seriously consider doing the "R" word. Beltre is not going to seriously consider re-signing with a team that is not going to compete in the short time he has left in baseball. i would offer to trade him to a team that has the parts to compete for a playoff spot and of his choice. it is not likely but a team like Boston could use him at 3rd with Devers and Holt there but they need Beltre's bat

 

[scotsman1948]

Keith Law's 2018 top 100 prospects -- Nos. 50-1: Introducing tomorrow's superstars

The Rangers only have Taveras on his list and Taveras is 3 years away.

If you're not going for it in today's MLB environment, you're -- well, let's not say "tanking" and just go with "developing." Teams that build from their farm system, through the draft, the international market and trades of veterans for prospects, keep reaching and winning the World Series. The Royals had the No. 1 farm system in baseball in 2011 and won two pennants, including a world championship in 2015. The Cubs hit the top five in 2013, ranked No. 1 in 2015 and won the World Series in 2016. The Astros had the No. 1 farm system in baseball in 2014 and won their first title in 2017.

I don't think any of this is a big coincidence: Teams can't buy championships. They can buy a player or two to finish off a good roster, but the bulk of a pennant-winning roster comes from within, either through cheaper players the team developed from its farm system or veterans acquired by trading such prospects.

well it is time to start building our minor league system by trading the few MLB assesses we have in Hamels, Choo, Beltre and Andrus for the prospects to help rebuild it. it would require us sucking for the next few years and putting some of our better prospects already in the system on the Globe Life Park field but if we are only going to bring in the Moore's, Fister's, Cashner's etc and hold on to the 4 i've mentioned then we are only lengthening the time it will take for us to rebuild. Houston gutted their major league roster to speed up the rebuild of their minor league system so did the Cubs. it is timefor us to do the undesirable and follow their lead

 

[True Rangers Fan]

This offseason has been so painful.

 

[scotsman1948]

The latest baseball prospectus list of the top 100 minor leaguers only has 2 rangers prospects on it Calhoun at 31 and Taveras at 56. We need to start the rebuild by rebuilding our minor league system by trading the top 4 MLB players on our roster. Yes it will painful but there is no other way

 

[DT LUNA]

The latest baseball prospectus list of the top 100 minor leaguers only has 2 rangers prospects on it Calhoun at 31 and Taveras at 56. We need to start the rebuild by rebuilding our minor league system by trading the top 4 MLB players on our roster. Yes it will painful but there is no other way

I'm letting you boys figure it out. At this point I have no idea about what is going on but it makes little sense to me. Ya'll figure it out and let me know.

 

[scotsman1948]

I'm letting you boys figure it out. At this point I have no idea about what is going on but it makes little sense to me. Ya'll figure it out and let me know.

The ones who need to figure it out are JD and the owners. Either we are working to compete or w are rebuilding. They can't seem to make up their minds so they are doing nothing and are hoping it resolves itself

 

[scotsman1948]

If I were Belted I would walk into JD's office tomorrow and ask to be allowed to talk to other team' about a trade

 

[Kelleyman]

The ones who need to figure it out are JD and the owners. Either we are working to compete or w are rebuilding. They can't seem to make up their minds so they are doing nothing and are hoping it resolves itself

FYI sir. There is very little movement in all of baseball currently. Not just our fav team Rangers.


Are you so sure no work is going on? As said MANY FA are still out there and no one is giving in on demands. JDM may not sign before opening day as said. I kind of like this because as time goes by our chances of resigning Darvish increases and I won't have to take down my banner

 

[saddles]

FYI sir. There is very little movement in all of baseball currently. Not just our fav team Rangers.


Are you so sure no work is going on? As said MANY FA are still out there and no one is giving in on demands. JDM may not sign before opening day as said. I kind of like this because as time goes by our chances of resigning Darvish increases and I won't have to take down my banner

It looks like the Cubs are going to get him.

 

[saddles]

FYI sir. There is very little movement in all of baseball currently. Not just our fav team Rangers.


Are you so sure no work is going on? As said MANY FA are still out there and no one is giving in on demands. JDM may not sign before opening day as said. I kind of like this because as time goes by our chances of resigning Darvish increases and I won't have to take down my banner

Unfortunately, this kind of offseason is new to baseball as a whole, but not necessarily for us.

 

[Nightcrawler]

This offseason has been so painful.

My biggest concern at this point and I’m very worried about it, we all know that the obvious move is to beef up the farm. We’ve seen the rangers build a really good minor league system in the past. The only question is, did AJ preller build that farm? Did Thad levine build that farm? Did Nolan Ryan help with the farm?

We might’ve suffered a brain drain while our team was good and building the minor league system back up could be much more difficult this time around. It doesn’t help that we’ve never homegrown an ace. I don’t know if Charlie hough was homegrown or not, but if he is, all the people who drafted and developed him are long gone.

 

[donaldson79]

I don’t know if Charlie hough was homegrown or not, but if he is, all the people who drafted and developed him are long gone.

Charlie was a Dodger for a decade before he headed our way.

 

[Nightcrawler]

Charlie was a Dodger for a decade before he headed our way.

He was way before my time, but thanks for clarifying.

 

[donaldson79]

I was pretty vocal about Darvish not coming back to the Rangers in 2018. But I never thought it would be b/c the Rangers didn't want him; even at a reduced rate.