2017 Texas Rangers offseason thread

[DT LUNA]

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

You're right and a good point.

 

[DT LUNA]

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.

Good read. Thanks pal.

 

[scotsman1948]

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.

i believe that the Marlins were one of the teams that expressed an interest in Profar and he doesn't fit here so start by offering him as part of the package

 

[scotsman1948]

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 honestly thought Gallo was not ready and now i think he still has a way to go. Cashner and Ross were part of that medical rehab group that i think is a waste of time. Looking at the whole picture Cashner was good as far as era was concerned but most other pitching stats he wasn't good and that is per 90+% of the experts. they say some team will overpay him and i hope we aren't that team

 

[scotsman1948]

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.

DeShields in CF will only make the defense behind the pitcher worse. he needs to written in ink as the 4th outfielder

 

[saddles]

i believe that the Marlins were one of the teams that expressed an interest in Profar and he doesn't fit here so start by offering him as part of the package

It would take a whole lot more than Profar though. Maybe Taveras, Ragans, and Guzman plus Profar. At least.

 

[scotsman1948]

It would take a whole lot more than Profar though. Maybe Taveras, Ragans, and Guzman plus Profar. At least.

now that is ridiculous no way would they expect that.

 

[True Rangers Fan]

DeShields in CF will only make the defense behind the pitcher worse. he needs to written in ink as the 4th outfielder

the problem is, DDJ is a weapon at leadoff that we don't have with anyone else.

 

[romeo212000]

I figured you were busy being daddy.

Also yes.

 

[Nightcrawler]

Also yes.

Off topic here but

If I was an OU fan I'd be pissed off. It looks like they're getting hosed by the officials.

 

[saddles]

now that is ridiculous no way would they expect that.

Are you kidding. If he is controllable as long as you say he is going to cost a ton. He is 25 year-old CF who has had an OPS over .800 the last two years. I actually may have undervalued him now that I think of it. He should cost us a whole lot more than Lucroy did. A tremendous amount more.

 

[DT LUNA]

Off topic here but

If I was an OU fan I'd be pissed off. It looks like they're getting hosed by the officials.

Sucking up are ya? lol

 

[romeo212000]

Off topic here but

If I was an OU fan I'd be pissed off. It looks like they're getting hosed by the officials.

God damned right. Texas was fucking tackling our pass rushers every fucking play. I honestly think the fix was in. Fuck those refs.

 

[donaldson79]

I honestly think the fix was in.

A failed fix........How's that happening?

 

[romeo212000]

A failed fix........How's that happening?

Apparently there wasn't enough to go around to the replay officials too. Replay officials corrected two horrible calls at the end of the game that would've easily changed the outcome.

 

[scotsman1948]

the problem is, DDJ is a weapon at leadoff that we don't have with anyone else.

from what we saw in the 2nd half of 2017 i could agree, if it continues in 2018, but he is a major liability in cf. we need an above average cf'er even if we have to pay somewhat heavily in prospects to get him. Christian Velich fits that bill and is controllable thru 2022

 

[scotsman1948]

Are you kidding. If he is controllable as long as you say he is going to cost a ton. He is 25 year-old CF who has had an OPS over .800 the last two years. I actually may have undervalued him now that I think of it. He should cost us a whole lot more than Lucroy did. A tremendous amount more.

well if it does in the long run it would be worth it he is controllable thru 2022. he would give us a solid cf'er plus a solid bat to go with it. use deshield in left as leadoff.

1. deshield lf
2. choo dh
3. yelich cf
4. beltre 3b
5. mazara rf
6. andrus ss
7. gallo 1b
8. chirinos c
9. odor 2b

bench
nicholas c
robinson util
rua 1b, 3b, lf
fa of'er on the cheap

 

[donaldson79]

well if it does in the long run it would be worth it he is controllable thru 2022. he would give us a solid cf'er plus a solid bat to go with it. use deshield in left as leadoff.

1. deshield lf
2. choo dh
3. yelich cf
4. beltre 3b
5. mazara rf
6. andrus ss
7. gallo 1b
8. chirinos c
9. odor 2b

bench
nicholas c
robinson util
rua 1b, 3b, lf
fa of'er on the cheap

Are you forgetting about Calhoun, or did you omit him on purpose? B/c I think he's going to be here next year, even if it's in a platoon situation.

 

[scotsman1948]

a

Are you forgetting about Calhoun, or did you omit him on purpose? B/c I think he's going to be here next year, even if it's in a platoon situation.

actually i did forget him. substitute him for rua and use him and deshields in a platoon setup in lf

 

[DT LUNA]

Are you kidding. If he is controllable as long as you say he is going to cost a ton. He is 25 year-old CF who has had an OPS over .800 the last two years. I actually may have undervalued him now that I think of it. He should cost us a whole lot more than Lucroy did. A tremendous amount more.

Pitching will get priority imo and the budget most likely will not afford both.