latest offseason news

[scotsman1948]

Could just be a smoke screen.

it probably is a smokescreen but it is interesting that these are still active

 

[Xx srs bsns xX]

The Risk of Ogando - ShutDownInning

Fairly decent article talking about Ogando / front office. Kinda makes you think about all the risks the FO has taken...

...and for those that wish to not click the link...here it is...

The most overlooked move of the 2011 Rangers’ season happened in late March.
In Surprise, Arizona, Mark Lowe showed he was incapable of locking down a closer’s role, that was his for the taking. The entire bullpen was in shambles all spring.

Neftali Feliz and Alexi Ogando were both being stretched out for the rotation, further showing the weaknesses of the bullpen. Feliz was showing some promise on his abbreviated move to the rotation. However given the lack of competence in the Rangers bullpen, the Rangers were forced to remove Feliz from the rotation.

Then, Tommy Hunter pulled a groin muscle, and was determined to be out several weeks. So with Feliz already committed to the bullpen, the Rangers were forced to slot Alexi Ogando into the rotation.

Ogando was definitely a second option to Feliz for the rotation. Ogando was seen as an emergency of sorts, a filler till Hunter got healthy, or maybe Dave Bush or Brett Tomko would step up. Ogando seemed to be the last option the Rangers wanted in the rotation.

Jon Daniels and Co. came up smelling like roses. Ogando befuddled hitters with his two pitches and earned himself an invite to the Mid-Summer Classic. Few teams could be so lucky to have their emergency, 5th starter go to the All-Star game.

Ogando wore down in the second half and some hitters caught on to his limited pitch repertoire. When the calendar flipped to October, Ogando was completely gassed and very ineffective for the playoffs.

Now the calendar has turned to 2012, but the story remains the same. Feliz has been given a rotation spot and Ogando is on the outside waiting for Tommy Hunter to get injured again. Problem is, Hunter isn’t good enough for the Rangers’ 25-man roster anymore, and he’s also a Baltimore Oriole.

The Rangers have Yu Darvish, Derek Holland, Colby Lewis and Neftali Feliz set for the rotation. Matt Harrison, Alexi Ogando and Scott Feldman are left with undefined roles at the moment.

In light of the crowded rotation, the theme has been for either or both of Harrison and Ogando to move to the bullpen. Harrison was quietly the Rangers best pitcher, start to finish last year. And Ogando was the best starter of the first half.

Ogando’s delivery is far from fluid. His arm movement alludes that he would be better served in ‘short bursts’ in the bullpen. Ogando would be a true weapon in the bullpen.

I just think this is far from a final decision, with Ogando. The Rangers have said nothing of Ogando’s role for 2012. He is currently preparing to be a starter, but if Joe Nathan throws out his back, Ogando could easily transition back into the bullpen.

Also its been rumored that Matt Harrison or Colby Lewis could be on the trading block. Either way, the Rangers were very fortunate for the starting rotation to be so healthy all year in 2011. Having extra legitimate SP’s lying around is never a bad idea.

Given the success and affinity the Rangers have for transforming relievers into starters (CJ Wilson, Alexi Ogando, Neftali Feliz) I say it’s not a slam dunk, that Ogando never starts a game again.

The Rangers didn’t wait six years for Ogando to be freed from visa constraints to see him in ’short bursts’. I’d imagine they want to get as much as they possibly can out of Ogando, before he hits free agency at a older than normal age.

This is a front office that takes risks, like trading their top pitching prospect for a former drug addict.

This is a front office gives $15 million to a Cuban outfielder who wasn’t even in the starting line-up in the World Baseball Classic (Leonys Martin was benched in favor of Yeonis Cespedes).

This is a front office that routinely drafts undervalued athletes, who have the potential to be All-Stars. They don’t draft players who have limited ceilings.

This is a front office that lets an average reliever, with his only starting experience behind a Tommy John surgery, become an All-Star and walk away for $77.5 million.

This is a front office that signs an 16 year old out of Curacao as a SS, when every other team wanted him on the mound.

This is a front office that sticks with a manger who fails a drug test.

This is a front office that cans their hitting coach, with no worries, and doesn’t miss a beat.

This is a front office that traded away their top hitting prospect, in their division, for a SP that was only guaranteed to be here for three months.

This is a front office that isn’t scared to tell their all-time hit-king to move positions, multiple times.

This doesn’t seem to be a front office that will be fearful of irregular arm mechanics, particularly if they can get front-line talent for their risk. That’s essentially the Ranger’s modus operandi: "Take whatever risk necessary to get the best talent."

The takeaways:

The Rangers like to take risks.

The Rangers are successful risk-takers.

Don’t be surprised if Alexi Ogando is in the rotation, or the All-Star Game again.

 

[romeo212000]

The Risk of Ogando - ShutDownInning

Fairly decent article talking about Ogando / front office. Kinda makes you think about all the risks the FO has taken...

...and for those that wish to not click the link...here it is...

Yeah this guy is full of shit. Ogando useless for the playoffs. Go ask Tampa and Detroit how useless he was. He didn't wear out in the bullpen role until the WS. Lol at this guy for thinking he has a clue what the rangers are planning or believe is best for the club.

 

[Al Falfa]

not disagreeing with your assessment, but isn't any deal, short or long-term, with any player really a crap-shoot?


and getting an average of 24.5+ Hr's, 94+ RBI's a season makes it worth it

Hell, if you look at that way going to the mailbox is a gamble. His numbers are nice, but with Josh's history of injuries you're taking a bigger gamble 2 or 3 years down the road. Would have been nice to have our marquee playing playing on two good wheels last year, wouldn't it?
I'm not saying I don't want him to play here, but a long term deal with him is a bigger gamble than with most other players his age. I may be all wrong, but I think it's wishful thinking to assume he's going to settle for a deal chock full of incentives. There are other teams who will give him the money without the strings.

 

[scotsman1948]

Hell, if you look at that way going to the mailbox is a gamble. His numbers are nice, but with Josh's history of injuries you're taking a bigger gamble 2 or 3 years down the road. Would have been nice to have our marquee playing playing on two good wheels last year, wouldn't it?
I'm not saying I don't want him to play here, but a long term deal with him is a bigger gamble than with most other players his age. I may be all wrong, but I think it's wishful thinking to assume he's going to settle for a deal chock full of incentives. There are other teams who will give him the money without the strings.

and then a whole lot of people here will be bitching about letting him walk. we can't win either way

 

[romeo212000]

There's a rumor that fielder is meeting with Texas at a Dallas hotel.....

 

[romeo212000]

ESPN MLB Report: Prince Fielder meets with Rangers

It's no longer a rumor. I have a feeling we may get both fielder and Darvish with a trade coming soon. I didn't think there was any way they would sign both but it seems they're trying to prove me wrong.

 

[gregrey972]

There's a rumor that fielder is meeting with Texas at a Dallas hotel.....

Oh God I hope this means something!!! Darvish and Fielder would be a big time in your face to the Angels

 

[Al Falfa]

Yankees have been busy getting better..
Signed Hiroki Kuroda to one year $10 million dollar contract
Trade Montero and Nuesi for Pineda and Campos

 

[romeo212000]

Yankees have been busy getting better..
Signed Hiroki Kuroda to one year $10 million dollar contract
Trade Montero and Nuesi for Pineda and Campos

Dear lord. Seattle won't trade their ace for a huge haul, but they'll trade their very young and cheap all-star for that? Not dogging on montero or campos, but pineda deserved to be rookie of the year in my opinion I swear to god if I was a mariners fan I would hate jack z. I was wondering if Pineda was available, but with the young talent we already have in pitching it might have been redundant, and less than desirable to trade within our own division.

 

[scotsman1948]

Dear lord. Seattle won't trade their ace for a huge haul, but they'll trade their very young and cheap all-star for that? Not dogging on montero or campos, but pineda deserved to be rookie of the year in my opinion I swear to god if I was a mariners fan I would hate jack z. I was wondering if Pineda was available, but with the young talent we already have in pitching it might have been redundant, and less than desirable to trade within our own division.

the Yankees must have knowledge of something bad the Mariners have done because they, 99% of the time, take the Mariners to the cleaners on virtually every deal. the only one to escape the Yankees was Lee

 

[dmc0015]

The Yanks just made it all the more important for the Yu deal to get done. That's a pretty formidable rotation.

 

[romeo212000]

The Yanks just made it all the more important for the Yu deal to get done. That's a pretty formidable rotation.

Yup. And their rotation was their weak spot last year. This year they have their bonafide ace, and two legitimate #2's, plus a young and talented nova. They would've beat Detroit with this rotation last year.

 

[Al Falfa]

Dear lord. Seattle won't trade their ace for a huge haul, but they'll trade their very young and cheap all-star for that? Not dogging on montero or campos, but pineda deserved to be rookie of the year in my opinion I swear to god if I was a mariners fan I would hate jack z. I was wondering if Pineda was available, but with the young talent we already have in pitching it might have been redundant, and less than desirable to trade within our own division.

I don't think Seattle would have ever traded him to a team in our division. I'm surprised they traded him within the AL.
Anywho, I'm not sure I would want to face in the future the talent it would have taken to get him from Seattle.
I now worry more about getting past NY than the Angels in order to get back to the WS.

 

[scotsman1948]

* Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel tweets that the Rangers were impressed with how trim and fit Fielder looked in their meeting yesterday.
* Nolan Ryan says the Rangers' meeting with Fielder yesterday was just to see where he was at in the free agent process, tweets Anthony Andro of FOX Sports Southwest. Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star Telegram also tweets that the talks were preliminary.

 

[romeo212000]

* Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel tweets that the Rangers were impressed with how trim and fit Fielder looked in their meeting yesterday.
* Nolan Ryan says the Rangers' meeting with Fielder yesterday was just to see where he was at in the free agent process, tweets Anthony Andro of FOX Sports Southwest. Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star Telegram also tweets that the talks were preliminary.

I'm not saying the rangers are totally in on fielder, but you don't fly out to meet a team if they're just "checking in". JD is planning something sneaky.

 

[scotsman1948]

I'm not saying the rangers are totally in on fielder, but you don't fly out to meet a team if they're just "checking in". JD is planning something sneaky.

i agree, the rangers are planning something and i think it includes both Darvish and Fielder and a probable trade for a top-level CF'er using Moreland, Borbon, Lewis & others

 

[dmc0015]

i agree, the rangers are planning something and i think it includes both Darvish and Fielder and a probable trade for a top-level CF'er using Moreland, Borbon, Lewis & others

I like the sound of that. The next week or two should be very interesting.

 

[scotsman1948]

I like the sound of that. The next week or two should be very interesting.

don't ask why but the name Andrew McCutchen comes to mind

 

[scotsman1948]

another team eliminated from the Fielder chase?:

Signing Fielder is "just not going to happen" for the Cubs, manager Dale Svuem told reporters, including Chris De Luca and Godron Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times (Twitter link).