2017 Texas Rangers offseason thread

[Kelleyman]

I think it is the whole idea of realizing we may have to wait until we can be serious competitors for the WS again. We just have too many holes to be serious contenders next season. We might be able to acquire a lot of the pitching we need this offseason IF everything beaks right, but we are going to have to wait on our offense to mature.

Well you are right about IF things break right but I think it is foolish to try to tank and things can happen that could propel us. Other team injuries etc

I just don't think you can assume anything one way or another. Either way. So I guess I am a bit more hopeful than you and some.

 

[donaldson79]

perhaps it will take a couple of years but the biggest hole is the starting rotation and that would be the logical place to start. should have started on it before now but we didn't and now we are paying for it. the offense is 10X closer than the pitching. sign a couple of quality starters to multiple year deals to build around

Agree in that we've waited way too long to address our internal pitching prospects, and not being in a positive position to address it from the outside (FA/trades).

But totally disagree with the 10 fold equation on hitting. Odor/Mazara/Gallo are all "potential works-of-art" but it isn't going to happen in 2018. Perhaps even 2019. And Odor will never be a "work-of-art" but he'll make positive progress I think.

I'm seriously hoping that Odor's 2017 season is the lowest of low points and he makes some "adjustments" and perhaps we'll all soon forget said 2017 season.

 

[donaldson79]

Well you are right about IF things break right but I think it is foolish to try to tank and things can happen that could propel us.

Frankly, we'd be fools at this point to "tank" b/c our selection-process of draftees and development thereof leaves more than a lot to be desired. Why tank and get a better selection when we haven't shown any ability to "grow our own" to date?

 

[donaldson79]

Ok our hitters are likely not going to be as good as the Astros next year unless our young guys make huge jumps. But if we come how come up with good pitching then we could compete. Plus we may have a CF on the radar. We need to be better defensively. So yes there are glaring holes but let us wee how the offseason and ST progresses before we are considered non contenders.

Our hitters aren't "likely" to be as good as the Astros. Really? You're serious?

And who is the CF we have on our "radar?" Is his name Gomez?

"We need to get better defensively." Gosh, ya think? We are an dumpster fire on D. Ain't no way to put that much lipstick on this pig.

So exactly how does this team compete with the Astros, who don't show "glaring holes?" And we've got a bunch of glarers and it's damn near anywhere you chose to look.

I'm not trying to be condescending, but you're over glossing our shortcomings.

 

[scotsman1948]

Got to be patient but seems some don't understand that.

i understand and believe that we have to be patient in our approach but to build a WS team you have to make positive moves. and i believe that we need to start this offseason by addressing our longterm need for starting pitching. am i wrong? should we continue signing shortterm medical rehabs?

 

[scotsman1948]

Ok our hitters are likely not going to be as good as the Astros next year unless our young guys make huge jumps. But if we come how come up with good pitching then we could compete. Plus we may have a CF on the radar. We need to be better defensively. So yes there are glaring holes but let us wee how the offseason and ST progresses before we are considered non contenders.

I still think the best team often does not win the WS and sometimes match ups make the difference. The breaks went the way of the Yanks and they are now in ALCS. They are clearly not the best team but you never know.

with the Marlins looking to cut payroll down to 90M, Yelish fills that CF need and is controllable thru 2022

 

[DT LUNA]

Our hitters aren't "likely" to be as good as the Astros. Really? You're serious?

And who is the CF we have on our "radar?" Is his name Gomez?

"We need to get better defensively." Gosh, ya think? We are an dumpster fire on D. Ain't no way to put that much lipstick on this pig.

So exactly how does this team compete with the Astros, who don't show "glaring holes?" And we've got a bunch of glarers and it's damn near anywhere you chose to look.

I'm not trying to be condescending, but you're over glossing our shortcomings.

Rome wasn't built in a day and we won't see a contender in a day either. Just to much to correct,quote,"damn near anywhere you chose to look".

 

[scotsman1948]

I think it is the whole idea of realizing we may have to wait until we can be serious competitors for the WS again. We just have too many holes to be serious contenders next season. We might be able to acquire a lot of the pitching we need this offseason IF everything beaks right, but we are going to have to wait on our offense to mature.

Agree in that we've waited way too long to address our internal pitching prospects, and not being in a positive position to address it from the outside (FA/trades).

But totally disagree with the 10 fold equation on hitting. Odor/Mazara/Gallo are all "potential works-of-art" but it isn't going to happen in 2018. Perhaps even 2019. And Odor will never be a "work-of-art" but he'll make positive progress I think.

I'm seriously hoping that Odor's 2017 season is the lowest of low points and he makes some "adjustments" and perhaps we'll all soon forget said 2017 season.

Agree in that we've waited way too long to address our internal pitching prospects, and not being in a positive position to address it from the outside (FA/trades).

But totally disagree with the 10 fold equation on hitting. Odor/Mazara/Gallo are all "potential works-of-art" but it isn't going to happen in 2018. Perhaps even 2019. And Odor will never be a "work-of-art" but he'll make positive progress I think.

I'm seriously hoping that Odor's 2017 season is the lowest of low points and he makes some "adjustments" and perhaps we'll all soon forget said 2017 season.

well we are not perfect with our offense/defense but we are a lot better off there than we are with our pitching staff and we have to start somewhere so let's address the pitching no

 

[romeo212000]

Don't want you guys to think I've forgotten about my rangers. Been crazy busy, but I still love my boys. Sad to say they won't be contending for at least a couple years. Hopefully it will be fun to watch them build a bit. I hope they do right by beltre. I'll be driving back and forth between Dallas a lot the next two years for the doctorate program I was just accepted to so I'm planning on getting to some games. Might have to meet up sometime.

 

[Nightcrawler]

Don't want you guys to think I've forgotten about my rangers. Been crazy busy, but I still love my boys. Sad to say they won't be contending for at least a couple years. Hopefully it will be fun to watch them build a bit. I hope they do right by beltre. I'll be driving back and forth between Dallas a lot the next two years for the doctorate program I was just accepted to so I'm planning on getting to some games. Might have to meet up sometime.

Would there be a knuckle sandwich waiting for me?

 

[romeo212000]

Would there be a knuckle sandwich waiting for me?

Even if there was I'd buy you a beer afterwards.

 

[Duane1952]

Don't want you guys to think I've forgotten about my rangers. Been crazy busy, but I still love my boys. Sad to say they won't be contending for at least a couple years. Hopefully it will be fun to watch them build a bit. I hope they do right by beltre. I'll be driving back and forth between Dallas a lot the next two years for the doctorate program I was just accepted to so I'm planning on getting to some games. Might have to meet up sometime.

Congrats.

 

[Kelleyman]

Our hitters aren't "likely" to be as good as the Astros. Really? You're serious?

And who is the CF we have on our "radar?" Is his name Gomez?

"We need to get better defensively." Gosh, ya think? We are an dumpster fire on D. Ain't no way to put that much lipstick on this pig.

So exactly how does this team compete with the Astros, who don't show "glaring holes?" And we've got a bunch of glarers and it's damn near anywhere you chose to look.

I'm not trying to be condescending, but you're over glossing our shortcomings.

Oh ok. I am leaving a bit of wiggle room and yes I am quite serious. If Astros pitching goes down and they lose a couple players then things could go our way IF things break our way.

Defensively with a very good defensive CF we should be just fine in OF. Choo won't be out there. Odor needs to improve.

I just subscribe to the theory that great pitching beats great hitting. Now that of course is a stretch but if we get Otani we might just get Darvish too. Despite all the bullpen usage in the postseason I still like 3 solid pitchers in building a team for the postseason.

I think it is premature to doom the Rangers at this point even with their glaring holes. Sometimes it takes time sometimes it doesn't and sometimes teams get lucky.

 

[Kelleyman]

Btw last year most on this board wanted to give up on Gallo and hated the Cashner move. It is ok to dream. Some do come true

 

[saddles]

how do you see it as prudent?

Because it would make us better in the long run.

 

[saddles]

with the Marlins looking to cut payroll down to 90M, Yelish fills that CF need and is controllable thru 2022

Trading for him would cost us a lot. That is part of the patience we have been discussing. We have to be patient enough to quit trading away the farm.

 

[saddles]

Btw last year most on this board wanted to give up on Gallo and hated the Cashner move. It is ok to dream. Some do come true

At least I wasn't wrong about both of those. lol

 

[saddles]

Don't want you guys to think I've forgotten about my rangers. Been crazy busy, but I still love my boys. Sad to say they won't be contending for at least a couple years. Hopefully it will be fun to watch them build a bit. I hope they do right by beltre. I'll be driving back and forth between Dallas a lot the next two years for the doctorate program I was just accepted to so I'm planning on getting to some games. Might have to meet up sometime.

I figured you were busy being daddy.

 

[donaldson79]

Btw last year most on this board wanted to give up on Gallo and hated the Cashner move. It is ok to dream. Some do come true

I was on the "be patient with Gallo" wagon, and on board with the signing of Cashner. FWTW

 

[donaldson79]

Question: Why would Ohtani want to sign with the Rangers? The only thing they have is a little more money to offer than the competition to a guy who doesn't need or spend it. Yes, they had Darvish, but they jettisoned him, which is a huge no-no in the Japanese baseball culture. Why would he want to pitch behind a below average infield and a way below average outfield defense? They already have too many DH types already, so Ohtani wouldn't be getting many at bats at DH. Endorsement money would be minuscule here compared to NY or the west coast. Give us some reason to hope that the Rangers can land Shohei Ohtani.

Evan Grant: The Rangers have spent years building relationships in Japan and are hopeful that will pay off. Beyond that, I think they are more open than many teams to Otani having a significant number of at-bats as either a DH or an outfielder. I'm not sure other teams are as willing as Texas to explore that possibility. But, yeah, while I think the Rangers have a decent shot to land him, I don't give any individual team better than a 20 percent chance right now. And I think the ability to go to a team and win is significant. If Otani looks at it in that manner, it would be difficult to view the Rangers as a leading contender. Houston, New York, Boston, Cleveland, Washington the Chicago Cubs and LA Dodgers all would seem to a more direct path to the World Series than do the Rangers for the next couple of years.

Question: How comfortable do you think the Rangers are with making Delino DeShields their everyday starting CF?

Evan Grant: I did not get the feel of a very strong endorsement by manager Jeff Banister when the question came up last week in the season wrap-up press conference. He mentioned the need for "consistency," which is true of most young players. DeShields improved significantly as a hitter and as a route runner in 2017, but his arm is always going to be on the weak side for a center fielder. I think the Rangers believe that on a championship team, DeShields is a fourth outfielder, who starts once a week in CF and once or twice a week (against left-handed pitching) in LF. And he plays as a pinch runner late-inning sub at least once more per week (if situation calls for it). Might not make him an every day starter, but likely would get him into the majority of the team's games. The Rangers would love to have Carlos Gomez back on a one-year deal or might look into free agent Lorenzo Cain. But long-term free agent contracts for center fielders are rarely good deals and the need for pitching significantly outweighs all other needs. The Rangers may have to prioritize pitching, play DeShields in center and be done with it.