2019 Texas Rangers Spring Training Thread

[saddles]

 

[saddles]

Chris Woodward praises Eli White

 

[Kelleyman]

This us from the Mac Engel article I posted a link to earlier this week. He is interviewing JD about the rebuild.

How long can this last before you start seeing some real gains to prove that what you are doing is right?

We have talked about a timeline internally, and I don’t totally want to lay it out. ... The time line piece for me? We sat here in 2007, and we thought 2011. Or 2012. In 2009, we won 87 games and if there was a second wild-card I think we would have won the second wild-card. In 2010, we go to the World Series.

I don’t see a ton of value in laying out a timeline when the best laid plans are ... I don’t want to suggest that no sense of urgency like we have time. I want our people to be pushing.

After you signed Shin Soo Choo to a seven-year contract in 2013, you said we have to make sure your minor leaguers are developing and can replace the older veterans so you can sustain a good club. Did you do that effectively?

Not enough. Not well enough, no. Some areas, yes. Some of it is, you look at the rankings of different publications (of prospects). Baseball America has us 25th and Baseball Prospectus has us ninth. My sense is we are somewhere in between. Here today, are we self sufficient to replace all of our pieces? No, we’re not. We will be. I think we have some pitchers who are ready to step in this year. Some outfielders the year after that.

A lot of our talent is young. I think there is such a discrepancy between those rankings, is they are young. They are high-end talent and that creates a lot of variability. Their potential outcomes are pretty broad.

You have made no major contract additions for several years now. Has that been a JD decision or an organizational decision?

Two things, the lesson we talked about before; it has to be the right time and the right fit where the club is at. I really have not felt like it’s been the right time.

You have been in a job most people don’t last this long. How would you say you have done?

I would say there are a lot of things I am proud of, and a lot of things I want to get better at. You ask me in Oct. 2005, you can go to the World Series a couple of times and postseason X times, would that be a success? I would have said yes. Absolutely. Are we satisfied? No.

Not a Mac E fan but pretty good questions. Wonder which OFs are referenced for next year

 

[saddles]

 

[saddles]

Behind the changes in Ronald Guzman's swing that led to his early power surge in Rangers spring training

 

[saddles]

Not a Mac E fan but pretty good questions. Wonder which OFs are referenced for next year

I would imagine which OF depends on who progresses fastest kind of like the pitchers he had in mind. I also imagine when he says next year that he may not specifically be referring to the beginning of next year. Some pitchers maybe later on this year and an OF or two a year or so after that.

Heineman could be ready this year so I am assuming he didn't have him in mind.

Maybe some after trade deadline additions each year.

 

[scotsman1948]

eventually Daniels will bring him back

 

[saddles]

SP prospects Hearn, Burke, Hernandez, Mendez, Jurado, Palumbo, Crouse, Alexy, and Phillips should all be ready between a few months from now and a couple of years from now. This should allow for a lot less of the tactic of going after injured pitchers and signing them to a one year deal in the next few offseasons. Those first five could all be ready between now and twelve months from now. The last four could be ready between a year from now and two years from now. Ragans, White, Cody, and Englert should be right behind those guys.

 

[saddles]

Harper’s $330 million deal won’t sting Rangers. But did Arenado’s extension leave a mark?

Arenado was considered by many, including the Surprise Five, to be the ideal free-agent target for the Rangers to pursue and help christen the first year of Globe Life Field. With no third basemen in the minors close to ready, Arenado would fill a hole and maybe fill some seats for years to come.

As things stand now, the most attractive free agent who fits the Rangers would be left-hander Madison Bumgarner. Native Texans Here are two others to consider:

Former TCU player Matt Carpenter and former Rangers right-hander Yu Darvish.

 

[DT LUNA]

Woody does not like the term "rebuilding"

 

[Bmurph]

Harper’s $330 million deal won’t sting Rangers. But did Arenado’s extension leave a mark?

Arenado was considered by many, including the Surprise Five, to be the ideal free-agent target for the Rangers to pursue and help christen the first year of Globe Life Field. With no third basemen in the minors close to ready, Arenado would fill a hole and maybe fill some seats for years to come.

As things stand now, the most attractive free agent who fits the Rangers would be left-hander Madison Bumgarner. Native Texans Here are two others to consider:

Former TCU player Matt Carpenter and former Rangers right-hander Yu Darvish.

I got no interest in Darvish, seems to be damaged goods. Bumgarner would be expensive. Rockies got Arenado for a good deal, I would have been good with paying him that contract

 

[saddles]

Woody does not like the term "rebuilding"

It is what it is. I don't understand him or anyone else in the organization thinking they have to distance themselves from the term.

 

[DT LUNA]

It is what it is. I don't understand him or anyone else in the organization thinking they have to distance themselves from the term.

He is new and wants to look positive to keep the young guys seeing the same way. He knows the truth.

 

[saddles]

I got no interest in Darvish, seems to be damaged goods. Bumgarner would be expensive. Rockies got Arenado for a good deal, I would have been good with paying him that contract

Bumgarner has slipped a bit as well. His ERA, his WHIP, his strike out rate and his walk rate have worsened. His ERA last year was only about a third of a run better than Derek Holland's ERA and Derek threw about 40 more innings and had a better strikeout rate. Bumgarner is not going to put up the numbers of an ace it wouldn't seem.

He is a NL starting pitcher though so JD will probably be very interested.

 

[saddles]

 

[saddles]

He is new and wants to look positive to keep the young guys seeing the same way. He knows the truth.

I hope the young guys realize the team is rebuilding or they are going to be really bummed about the team's lack of spending.

 

[Duane1952]

Scary deal for the Rangers today. Pitcher Luke Farrell was hit in the face with a batted ball.

 

[DT LUNA]

Scary deal for the Rangers today. Pitcher Luke Farrell was hit in the face with a batted ball.

Wishing him well.

 

[saddles]

 

[Duane1952]

I knew it was pretty bad. He stayed down for a long time. Trainers from both teams ran on the field as soon as it happened.