2019 Texas Rangers Spring Training Thread

[Kelleyman]

Have to think CF converts to either LF or RF depending upon arm strength. Not worried about our crop of CFs making the transition. Elite speed in the OF us a good thing.

Re 3B. Guess Gallo and Olt may qualify. Surely Tejada has the arm and SSs move over but having Beltre was a luxury.

Now 1B way back we had Davis and Smoaknand now Guzman but I can see a guy like Masada converting to this position. Think we have this covered

 

[saddles]

Seems like they are trying to make things less complicated that weren't really that complicated.

The best thing they could do to improve deadline trades would be to get rid of the second wildcard in each league. That would keep teams from not trading just because they have a shot at the second wildcard. Most of the time chasing that second wildcard is like chasing fool's gold.

 

[saddles]

Have to think CF converts to either LF or RF depending upon arm strength. Not worried about our crop of CFs making the transition. Elite speed in the OF us a good thing.

Re 3B. Guess Gallo and Olt may qualify. Surely Tejada has the arm and SSs move over but having Beltre was a luxury.

Now 1B way back we had Davis and Smoaknand now Guzman but I can see a guy like Masada converting to this position. Think we have this covered

Per management and Gallo himself, we developed an OF when we developed Gallo. Although, I think he may be a long term answer at 1B in a couple of years.

I wish they would unskew their grading system that punishes corner, power hitting types and rewards guys who play in the middle.

We do have some corner guys way down in the system that may move up in our prospect rankings this year.

 

[Duane1952]

Per management and Gallo himself, we developed an OF when we developed Gallo. Although, I think he may be a long term answer at 1B in a couple of years.

I wish they would unskew their grading system that punishes corner, power hitting types and rewards guys who play in the middle.

We do have some corner guys way down in the system that may move up in our prospect rankings this year.

Gallo going have to improve quite a bit to be at first. Guzman is a better 1B.

 

[saddles]

Matt Blood, Rangers prospects at Spring Training

 

[saddles]

Hans Crouse talks pitching style at Rangers camp

Crouse knows that his delivery, while not ideal from a mechanical standpoint, is a big part of what makes him unique as a pitching prospect. The results, meanwhile, only underscore the 20-year-old right-hander’s ability to make it all work consistently.

“I do things a little differently than most people,” admits Crouse, “so I like that they’ve let me keep my creativity.”

Rather than overhaul Crouse’s delivery, the Rangers instead have implemented training that they believe will allow him to better repeat it, while also keeping him healthy long-term.

“I’ve been doing posture stuff to open up my body more,” he said. “I’ve always been a tightly bounded guy, so just some flexibility stuff to get down the mound a little easier and get more extension.”

Crouse reached full-season Class A Hickory late in the 2018 season and posted a 2.70 ERA in five South Atlantic League starts. Altogether, the Dana Hills (Calif.) native logged a 2.47 ERA with 62 strikeouts and a .209 BAA in 54 2/3 innings (13 starts) across two levels.

“I think the biggest thing was just getting into a better routine. Just prepping my body, especially before I go out there,” he said when asked about his takeaways from the season.

Beyond learning about the physical demands, Crouse has realized that he’ll need a quality third pitch -- no matter how dominant he is with his fastball and breaking ball -- in order to be successful at higher levels.

As a result, developing a changeup, and learning how to use it, is a focal point for him this spring and the entire 2019 season.

“I’m starting to get really comfortable with it,” Crouse said, “and I think it’ll play big for me this year.

“The biggest thing with it,” he continued, “is just matching my arm speed and just throwing it how I would throw my fastball. My focus with my eyes in the zone … I need to drop it a little more than I do with my fastball so I can get that true changeup movement.”

In terms of usage, Crouse and the Rangers already have a plan in place.

“Start pitching backwards a little more to guys, just to work on my secondary stuff, especially my changeup, and getting more comfortable throwing it to right-handed hitters, because I’ve mostly been throwing it to lefties here and there so far,” he said.

Having a changeup, even if only average at the best, at his disposal would greatly improve Crouse’s chances of sticking as a starter long-term, as it gives him an offering needed to neutralize left-handed hitters, turn over a lineup and generally keep hitters off his plus fastball-slider combo.

The Rangers believe Crouse has all the components, both physical and mental, needed to develop a third pitch and improve his delivery, viewing him as a future fixture at the front of their big league rotation.

 

[saddles]

Gallo going have to improve quite a bit to be at first. Guzman is a better 1B.

If Guzman can improve on offense he may have a stranglehold on 1B. There are a lot of parts to that 2021 puzzle and we aren't sure yet just what they all are. There is lots to find out between now and then. The more we can keep guys like Choo and Pence out of the lineup the more we can find out.

 

[Kelleyman]

 

[saddles]

MLB Rumors: Home Run Derby Winner to Receive $1 Million Bonus

Major League Baseball players will reportedly have quite the incentive to participate in the Home Run Derby this year.

According to Jeff Passan of ESPN.com, one facet of the new agreement MLB and the MLB Players Association are set to announce Thursday is a $1 million prize for the winner of the annual event. He noted there will be $2.5 million in prize money overall, with $1 million of it going to the winner alone.

The change to the Home Run Derby was one of many, as Passan noted there will now be a single trade deadline and an All-Star Game Election Day in 2019 and a three-batter minimum for pitchers and new roster rules in 2020.

The 2020 rule changes will have the biggest impact on the field from a day-to-day basis. Pitchers who enter the game will have to face at least three batters before exiting, while regular-season rosters will feature 26 players instead of 25. However, September rosters can only expand to 28 instead of 40.

As for the All-Star Game, the top three vote-getters from a fan vote will participate in a one-day election, which Passan said will help the league market its stars.

 

[saddles]

I love the three-batter rule for relief pitchers. I think I would like the 26-player roster change if they caped the number of pitchers a team could have on the roster.

I wonder if the September cap of 28 players will lead to more over-the-hill veterans being released before the season is over to make room for more prospects getting to play after teams are pretty much eliminated.

 

[saddles]

I have just assumed this was a foregone conclusion since they signed Mathis.

 

[saddles]

 

[DT LUNA]

Thats a scary thought.

 

[Duane1952]

How many times will he strikeout.

 

[saddles]

Looks like he will make a fine AAA pitcher.

 

[saddles]

 

[DT LUNA]

I have just assumed this was a foregone conclusion since they signed Mathis.

Is this supposed to be a surprise?

 

[scotsman1948]

Gallo going have to improve quite a bit to be at first. Guzman is a better 1B.

Still think Gallo is our future at DH when Choo leaves

 

[saddles]

Still think Gallo is our future at DH when Choo leaves

I think it all depends on how each of several guys develop between now and then, along with who gets traded between now and rhen.

 

[saddles]