2019 Texas Rangers Spring Training Thread

[Bmurph]

I watch them. Gives me a chance to see some of the better prospects in the organization.

I watch them when I can get them on TV because..............well hell it is RANGERS BASEBALL!

 

[saddles]

 

[DT LUNA]

Fake baseball is done!


Now we’re playing for keeps.


I never watch my teams in the preseason. It feels like a waste of time because you know the coaches aren’t really trying to win the games.

Players play to win. Coaches evaluate to give us more wins when they count.

 

[DT LUNA]

Good move on Ben

 

[Kelleyman]

 

[Kelleyman]

Granite pitches too????

 

[saddles]

Granite pitches too????

He corrected that later.

He is a rock solid OF.

 

[jta4437]

He corrected that later.

He is a rock solid OF.

I like what I've read about him, might by a DDJ replacement in CF later this season, if DDJ falters

Also Heineman (still not a fan) or Tocci if he hits in AAA

 

[saddles]

Crawdads Announce Opening Night Roster

The roster features the Rangers number one and two prospects with the right handed Hans Crouse and outfielder Julio Pablo Martinez. The team includes four more of the Rangers Top 30 Prospects, as ranked by MLB.com: shortstop Chris Seise (#12), infielderJonathan Ornelas (#18), catcher Sam Huff(#21), and third baseman Sherten Apostel(#22).

 

[saddles]

 

[saddles]

 

[saddles]

Glad to see Apostel and Arias playing on different teams this year so they don't have to split 3B duties.

 

[saddles]

 

[saddles]

Yes, they are.

 

[saddles]

I hope the kid does well.

 

[saddles]

Raising Arizona V. 2019 (Part III)

Tepid is really pumped about our farm, to say the least.

 

[saddles]

From Tepod's article:

As for the overall state of the farm, it’s safe to say the pendulum has swung the other way. Completely the other way. Just a few years ago we were all positively giddy about the offensive upside of more than a handful of dudes. Quite a few of them are big league regulars these days. Back in those days, say 2013, we would lament the lack of arms filling the pipeline. That ain’t the case anymore. Texas has a prettaayyyy prettaayyyy impressive cache of hurlers. There’s potential pitcher dudes way down on the farm, and definitive pitcher dudes way up the farm. There’s potential dudes folks haven’t even heard of. I mean I saw Peter Fairbanks throw 100mph. I saw John King throw 94mph sinkers. Hever Bueno sat 95 for an inning. (I asked the man himself; it’s “AY-ver, the H is silent)Francisco Villegas touched 2500RPM sidearming it from his left hand at 92mph. Kyle Keith. Kyle Keith? Yeah, he sat 94 for an inning and missed bats with both a CH and a few bendy CBs. Deep. Want more? How about Wyatt Sparks who looks like a middle infielder who signed up to pitch and never looked back. ‘Member that name. Ever heard of Josh Smith? Well, Josh Smith is a lefty who had injury issues, including TJ, and a transfer in college, but he’s healthy now, he’s shaped like a middle linebacker, he’s left-handed and he also throws 95mph. Nick Starr was drafted last year by the Reds, but didn’t pass their notoriously stiff physical and became a free agent. Texas said “yuuuup, why not” and signed Starr and he’s is a 6’3” 230lb righty who came in and dealt a torrent of hissing and diving FBs that were, you guessed it, 95mph. There’s uhhhhhlot of potential dudes down there and not just the one’s we already know.

 

[saddles]

More from Tepid:

There aren’t a ton of position players wildly jumping out at the moment. There’s tools, so it’s all but certain some of these kids are gonna grab the brass ring this season, but at the moment, there’s more hope than reality. I’m not sure I saw a potential double-plus glove, though Chris Seise, Ryan Dorow, and Frainyer Chavezstood out with the leather. I’m not sure I saw potential game-realized double-plus power, though Ty Reed, Big Rig Terry, Sam Huff and Sherten Apostel stood out with plenty of potential thump. Lots of speed, headlined by Bubba who is even faster than I remembered. He’s gonna grab unanimous 60s and likely a few 70s from scouts in that column. There’s an absolute fleet of scrappy undersized middle-infield types with names like Jonathan Ornelas, Jayce Easley, Keithron Moss, Keyber Rodriguez and the aforementioned Chavez and Dorow. Tons of baseball instincts among them. Of that crew, if I had to pick some early leaders in the clubhouse, I’d go with Ornelas and his lightning quick stick and Chavez who added to his salty glove with more pop in the bat than I expected. They’re all small and very young. Can’t wait to see how all these fellas grow both physically and on the diamond.

 

[saddles]

One more excerpt from Tepid:

As for the upper-level fellas with the familiar names, I’m happy to report no one did anything to indicate they’re at all interested in taking a step back in 2019. Unlike years past, no big ol’ bold names went down for TJ (that I’m aware of anyway) and all the guys seemed to be healthy and ramped up for the oncoming season. Taylor Hearn looked ready, Joe Palumbolooked ready, Jon Hernandez looked ready. On my final day I got to see several innings from Brock Burke and whoooo boy there’s puhlenty to dream on there. FB has lots of life and his control is dang good. Command will likely be one of several focuses for him this year in Frisco, but this is a dude of high order. He uses his CB a lot, because it’s really good and he can already throw it for a strike or chase. He sure looks the part too. Big, strong, athletic frame and he repeats his downhill delivery well. We can get excited about Brock and if you’re a DFW local, ya might wanna get to Frisco sometime this summer to check him out as he keeps working towards his goal.

 

[saddles]