First west coast trip of the year - Rangers V. Halos 4/19-21

[True Rangers Fan]

What a nice surprise so far in Garcia.

Really think he should be batting no lower than 3rd in the lineup.

 

[True Rangers Fan]

for the love of God can someone tell me what the hell is going on in Oakland

 

[saddles]

 

[saddles]

Is he another Nelson Cruz or just a poor man's Dave Hostetler?

 

[Uncle Siggy]

for the love of God can someone tell me what the hell is going on in Oakland

Like I said first 20-30 games are kinda screwy

A's went from 1-7 to 12-7 , Asterisks went from 5-0 to 7-10...

It's that time of year...

 

[Uncle Siggy]

Is he another Nelson Cruz or just a poor man's Dave Hostetler?

I said before that if he keeps his K's down below 35% he'd probably stick, (cause we know he can hit) but with 2 guys having an almost 50% K rate on the team I'd say he's safe for awhile...

If he can get his K rate down to 25% or less he may morph into something close to a Cruz (and more athletic to boot), which is something the team could use and has needed since Cruz left...

 

[saddles]

 

[DT LUNA]

Those were the days.

 

[saddles]

I have listened to the podcast that Sean Bass, Michael Tepid, and Scott Lucas do each week. Here are some of their thoughts.

They doubt that Adolis Garcia will continue to impress longterm. One said that he could make a fine 4th OF eventually.

They think Trevino's success will allow Huff to continue to develop this year in Frisco and next year in Round Rock.

They questioned the idea of sending Benjamin and Sborz down while keeping Hearn.

They love Jordan Lawler as the Rangers pick in the draft, assuming Leiter is taken by the Pirates. They also acknowledge that once he is drafted, you can forget about him coming to the big leagues for four years.

In discussing how the Rangers develop minor league pitchers, Scott Lucas brought up the fact that of all the Rangers homegrown starting pitchers, the leader in the category of most innings pitched for the Rangers in the last three seasons is Kyle Cody. The grand total of 18 innings that Cody tossed last year leads in that category. That is unreal. In all of 2018, 2019, and 2020, no homegrown starter has thrown more than 18 innings as a starting pitcher in a single season for the Rangers. The last time they had a home grown starting pitcher throw 150 innings in a big league season was when Derek Holland did it in 2013.

 

[True Rangers Fan]

I have listened to the podcast that Sean Bass, Michael Tepid, and Scott Lucas do each week. Here are some of their thoughts.

They doubt that Adolis Garcia will continue to impress longterm. One said that he could make a fine 4th OF eventually.

They think Trevino's success will allow Huff to continue to develop this year in Frisco and next year in Round Rock.

They questioned the idea of sending Benjamin and Sborz down while keeping Hearn.

They love Jordan Lawler as the Rangers pick in the draft, assuming Leiter is taken by the Pirates. They also acknowledge that once he is drafted, you can forget about him coming to the big leagues for four years.

In discussing how the Rangers develop minor league pitchers, Scott Lucas brought up the fact that of all the Rangers homegrown starting pitchers, the leader in the category of most innings pitched for the Rangers in the last three seasons is Kyle Cody. The grand total of 18 innings that Cody tossed last year leads in that category. That is unreal. In all of 2018, 2019, and 2020, no homegrown starter has thrown more than 18 innings as a starting pitcher in a single season for the Rangers. The last time they had a home grown starting pitcher throw 150 innings in a big league season was when Derek Holland did it in 2013.

What strikes me as incredibly odd is them pointing out the tremendous lack of homegrown pitching, but also loving Jordan Lawler as the first round pick.

 

[jta4437]

I thought Tavares had turned the corner there in ST but going forward I'd like to see more

C- Trevino/Heim
1B- Lowe
2B- Solak
3B- Culberson/Holt
SS- IKF
LF- Dahl
CF- Garcia
RF- Gallo
DH- Calhoun
UTIL- White

 

[True Rangers Fan]

I thought Tavares had turned the corner there in ST but going forward I'd like to see more

C- Trevino/Heim
1B- Lowe
2B- Solak
3B- Culberson/Holt
SS- IKF
LF- Dahl
CF- Garcia
RF- Gallo
DH- Calhoun
UTIL- White

So, everyone but Taveras.

 

[True Rangers Fan]

The Shift Ended Jay Bruce’s Career. Now MLB Must Act

Posting since we have our own player who faces extreme shifts regularly.

 

[DT LUNA]

The Shift Ended Jay Bruce’s Career. Now MLB Must Act

Posting since we have our own player who faces extreme shifts regularly.

Be interesting how to accomplish this. LOL drawing lines like football where players can 't line up off sides till ball is hit.

 

[True Rangers Fan]

Be interesting how to accomplish this. LOL drawing lines like football where players can 't line up off sides till ball is hit.

I don't know how important it is to "solve" the issue of the shift, but if I know one thing, I have no faith in Manfred to do it.

 

[DT LUNA]

I don't know how important it is to "solve" the issue of the shift, but if I know one thing, I have no faith in Manfred to do it.

I have wondered why the shift had not been used years before.

 

[True Rangers Fan]

I have wondered why the shift had not been used years before.

Just guessing here, but I think it's because it was an unwritten rule that you didn't do it.

 

[saddles]

They are experimenting with rules regarding the shift in AA this year.

"The experimental rule at the Double-A level for 2021 is a limit on defensive shifts. The rule says that "the defensive team must have a minimum of four players on the infield, each of whom must have both feet completely in front of the outer boundary of the infield dirt." According to MLB, this restriction on defensive positioning is intended to increase the batting average on balls in play. Depending on the results of the experimental rule change, MLB may decide to then require two infielders to be positioned entirely on each side of second base in the second half of the Double-A season. Defensive shifts have been around a very long time, but in recent years, MLB shifts have gotten more and more bold."

 

[Nightcrawler]

If there’s any possibility Rocker could be the next Dillon Tate, I’d consider drafting Lawler. Id love for leiter to fall to us tho.

 

[donaldson79]

One-trick pony no more: Gallo emerges in '21

Joey Gallo has been traditionally known as a one-trick pony since his MLB debut in 2015. He has two 40-homer seasons (2017-18) and a career OPS of .825 entering play Saturday. But in '21, Gallo is so much more. Gallo’s slash line of .256/.467/.326 through 14 games doesn’t tell the

www.mlb.com

“It shows I don't need to hit for power to still be effective, so I think that's pretty cool,” Gallo said. “At the same time, [hitting home runs] is just not what the team needs from me right now. The team needs for me to get on base and keep the line moving for the guys behind me."

...Gallo put in the effort over the last few years to become a more well-rounded player. He said that he remembers that people called him “the worst 40-home run hitter” and he has worked to become more than just that. It started with his defense, where he won an American League Gold Glove in right field in 2020, and he has developed into even more at the plate in ‘21.

Gallo is also not worried about the naysayers anymore. While he doesn’t really use social media much, he’s focused on the task at hand -- becoming a better player and leader for the Rangers.

“I just tried to focus on ... what's going on in our clubhouse, what's going on within our team and within our walls, that's really it,” Gallo said. “I don't really focus too much anymore like what the media is saying and stats and how other players are doing, stuff like that. I just focus on the task at hand and that's for us to win a game today. And tomorrow is going to be the same thing.”

Perhaps I 'misquoted' or 'overstated' on Norm's behalf. But his overall view sure didn't seem like a shot in the arm for Gallo's future with Rangers.....And frankly, that's a wonderful quote from Gallo re: 'focusing on us/winning today's game' blah-blah, but the cold-hard-truth is - as WE all know - is this: Today's game matters not an iota! It's not even about 2022. It's the bigger picture.......Gallo is going to cost someone around a quarter of a billion dollars very soon, and it won't be b/c they think he's willing to take a walk/bunt against the shift, or win one for the Gipper nonsense.

IMO Gallo is a tremendously talented player. He has power few have, well above average speed in the OF/base paths, terrific arm (under appreciated), seems like a good teammate, and honestly, pretty decent guy.......However, he's on pace to hit about a dozen HRs, and his cost is a Gazillion shortly! But what-the-hey. Maybe he'll lead us to a few games under .500, and then the Great Satan (Galloway's term for Boras), can con someone into paying the freight......I hope it ain't the Rangers!