2017 Texas Rangers offseason thread

[DT LUNA]

I knew all along that we wouldn't fill all the needs this offseason, but it is a bit discouraging that of the 6 biggest needs that I thought we had none of them have been filled to this point.

For certain I thought we would acquire one or two but some just want want and want and are critical when it doesn't happen. Rome was not built in a day.

 

[scotsman1948]

For some of us, the Rangers are still there.

well we are not. every team in west has gotten better to some extent except the Rangers. we barely held off the f'ing A's for 4th and we got worse during the off-season. our starting pitching for 2018 right now: Hamels(a declining pitcher), Fister, Minor and Perez with a ? beyond them. our outfield: Calhoun in left(no clue if he is close to being ready), DeShields in center and Mazara in right with Choo(DH) and either Tocci or Rua as the 4th outfielder. our infield: Beltre at 3rd(played 90 games last year), Andrus at SS, Odor at 2nd(yuck), Gallo at 1st(no idea how he will develop on what he did in 2017) and Chirinos at catcher with Centeno, Robinson and Profar on the bench. comparing those to the rest of the division and the AL indicates a team that will rank behind at least 10 other teams or more. that is not a competitive team that is a team designed to put 25 on the field

 

[scotsman1948]

For certain I thought we would acquire one or two but some just want want and want and are critical when it doesn't happen. Rome was not built in a day.

i will make it clear i was not expecting us to go out and buy, buy buy but i did expect us to, just like saddles, that we would add at least a couple of quality players this off-season and maybe 1 or 2 more next off-season instead we have added Fister and Minor as starters, we re-signed Barnett and signed Chris Martin as bullpen bodies and we picked up Carlos Tocci(rule 5), signed/re-signed Gonzalez, Hurlbut, Lopes, Jepsen and Alberto as minor league signings. there is nothing there that inspires me to expect anything from this team

 

[donaldson79]

For some of us, the Rangers are still there.

Sorry buddy. But I just don't see it.

Someone on here just a few short days ago was trying to rain on my parade b/c I recognized the shortcomings of this team earlier than they did. Now he seems to be on board with the position of "we'll just be playing" and not really competing for the post season like in seasons past.

But it doesn't mean this team won't be better than we think, and it will be interesting/entertaining to see if Gallo can show plate improvement, if Odor can prove he's smarter than the bag he's suppose to be playing, can Calhoun play LF and hit ML pitching, etc.

 

[True Rangers Fan]

I should clarify my point: are the Rangers going to be competitive in 2018? No.

Removing 2014 (because of injuries), the Rangers have been a competitive team for almost a decade now. 2018 will be the first time in a long time they going into a season without a solid shot at the WC at least. So to say "when we were competitive" means, umm, 2017 at the most recent.

 

[scotsman1948]

Sorry buddy. But I just don't see it.

Someone on here just a few short days ago was trying to rain on my parade b/c I recognized the shortcomings of this team earlier than they did. Now he seems to be on board with the position of "we'll just be playing" and not really competing for the post season like in seasons past.

But it doesn't mean this team won't be better than we think, and it will be interesting/entertaining to see if Gallo can show plate improvement, if Odor can prove he's smarter than the bag he's suppose to be playing, can Calhoun play LF and hit ML pitching, etc.

a lot of "ifs" that mean nothing without pitching and buddy our pitching sucks. the heavier the workload on your pen the worse your starting pitching is. and this staff is going to stress our pen to the max

 

[DT LUNA]

a lot of "ifs" that mean nothing without pitching and buddy our pitching sucks. the heavier the workload on your pen the worse your starting pitching is. and this staff is going to stress our pen to the max

Are you saying we won't sign any more pitching? I think we may because JD knows what we have and what we need to start 2018.

 

[scotsman1948]

Are you saying we won't sign any more pitching? I think we may because JD knows what we have and what we need to start 2018.

no i think we will sign at least one more starter but i think it will be another tier 3 or 4 pitcher and not quality

 

[Duane1952]

...in 2018. JD is trying to position the team for another window of long-term, sustained success.

With what? We lost Darvish, Cashner and have not replaced them with anybody close to their potential. They have nobody in AA or AAA anywhere close to contribute at the major league level. All the good talent is at the lower levels of the minor leagues. More than likely Beltre and Andrus will be not here after this season. Probably be at least 2020 before they are competitive. Maybe even not then. They are hoping that a bunch of prospects work out.

 

[True Rangers Fan]

With what?

With this:

All the good talent is at the lower levels of the minor leagues.

Building long-term, sustainable success takes multiple seasons to accomplish.

I have said it before, and I guess I'll say it again:

There is literally nothing JD can do as a GM right now to make the Rangers the team to beat in 2018. The moves simply are not there. That's why he's making the moves he's making, in order for the Rangers to be the team to beat a couple of years from now.

 

[jaar01]

Well, we are staring directly at a couple of noncompetitive seasons. JD has done next to nothing while rest of AL West is getting better. I suppose its part of some long range plan but it'll be 2020 before we can expect the Rangers to even sniff competitive baseball, and probably longer.

And pray you can get to the ballpark to watch Beltre play this season. Because by July 31st, 2018...he's gone.

Oh well. Back to 1970s and 80s Ranger baseball. Hopefully its a short visit.

 

[saddles]

I really think we are going to acquire another good pitcher this offseason. That won't be nearly enough to be a really good team though.

Competitive is a word that means different things to different people. I think we have been on a downhill trend since the 2011 season. I don't see sniffing a wildcard as really being competitive either. Not being able to get past the first round is not nowhere near good enough for me any longer so I haven't been thrilled with the team for some time now.

Like Ephland said, there is nothing JD can do at this point. I do blame him for getting us to this point though. He blew it bigtime in the offseason after the 2013 season in my estimation and that is still hindering us. The Hamels trade and the Lucroy trade were bad decisions as well.

 

[DT LUNA]

I really think we are going to acquire another good pitcher this offseason. That won't be nearly enough to be a really good team though.

Competitive is a word that means different things to different people. I think we have been on a downhill trend since the 2011 season. I don't see sniffing a wildcard as really being competitive either. Not being able to get past the first round is not nowhere near good enough for me any longer so I haven't been thrilled with the team for some time now.

Like Ephland said, there is nothing JD can do at this point. I do blame him for getting us to this point though. He blew it bigtime in the offseason after the 2013 season in my estimation and that is still hindering us. The Hamels trade and the Lucroy trade were bad decisions as well.

We need Yu or equivalent to build on. Hamel is not an ace and we need one to be a decent team.

 

[scotsman1948]

With this:



Building long-term, sustainable success takes multiple seasons to accomplish.

I have said it before, and I guess I'll say it again:

There is literally nothing JD can do as a GM right now to make the Rangers the team to beat in 2018. The moves simply are not there. That's why he's making the moves he's making, in order for the Rangers to be the team to beat a couple of years from now.

what moves is he making that will make the Rangers the team to beat in a couple of years? i must have missed them

 

[scotsman1948]

I really think we are going to acquire another good pitcher this offseason. That won't be nearly enough to be a really good team though.

Competitive is a word that means different things to different people. I think we have been on a downhill trend since the 2011 season. I don't see sniffing a wildcard as really being competitive either. Not being able to get past the first round is not nowhere near good enough for me any longer so I haven't been thrilled with the team for some time now.

Like Ephland said, there is nothing JD can do at this point. I do blame him for getting us to this point though. He blew it bigtime in the offseason after the 2013 season in my estimation and that is still hindering us. The Hamels trade and the Lucroy trade were bad decisions as well.

he can start correct the downward trend that he has created and that begins with 1 or 2 smart signings now and 1 or 2 next off-season. nothing crazy just logical steps

 

[Kelleyman]

Are you saying we won't sign any more pitching? I think we may because JD knows what we have and what we need to start 2018.

Rangers are intent on signing an impact controllable pitcher. I think it happens. The current roster of 39 won't be the one that starts the season. While it is far fetched that we are competitive for 1st place the WC is not inconceivable. Vets don't want to tank and surely not think in those terms before Christmas.

Also would not be surprise if we pick up a CF like Dyson and unless we find a trade partner for Choo, Calhoun starts in AAA. Also have hopes for Guzman. SP is an obvious bogey but like mentioned, I don't think we are finished. A trade may yet happen. Moore is on the market

 

[Kelleyman]

he can start correct the downward trend that he has created and that begins with 1 or 2 smart signings now and 1 or 2 next off-season. nothing crazy just logical steps

Minor was a smart signing and is a potential late multiple inning guy if we make playoffs

 

[True Rangers Fan]

Moore to TEX

 

[scotsman1948]

Rangers are intent on signing an impact controllable pitcher. I think it happens. The current roster of 39 won't be the one that starts the season. While it is far fetched that we are competitive for 1st place the WC is not inconceivable. Vets don't want to tank and surely not think in those terms before Christmas.

Also would not be surprise if we pick up a CF like Dyson and unless we find a trade partner for Choo, Calhoun starts in AAA. Also have hopes for Guzman. SP is an obvious bogey but like mentioned, I don't think we are finished. A trade may yet happen. Moore is on the market

well you called it the Rangers just traded for Matt Moore. not my idea of an impact controllable pitcher but it is a move. i guess we may be done

 

[scotsman1948]

Minor was a smart signing and is a potential late multiple inning guy if we make playoffs

Minor is a question mark. there is no way to know if he will make the transition back to starting or not. it ia gamble and that seems to be all JD can come up with right now