WastinSomeTime
Well-Known Member
I'd agree. Would hate to waste his arm though. He's built nicely for a first baseman. My way too early assessment of how I see things playing out position wise for next season.
1) Choo may be playing himself into a position where the Rangers aren't looking to deal him this winter. If that's the case, Gallo is going to find it difficult to break into the outfield next season with Mazara ascending through the ranks.
2) Mazara will make a strong case to be the Rangers starting LF during ST, but will start at Round Rock as Hamilton will be the opening day LF. With that said, the second Hamilton goes down with an injury, Mazara will get the call and frankly may not let the position go.
3) Rua will get a lot of time at 3b in Round Rock. I think the organization still believes he can be a ML player, but he's just been jerked around a bit. Beltre will be our starting third baseman next season, but he will spend time on the DL and we'll need an able replacement. If the organization wants to move Gallo to 1b post Moreland, my guess is they're hoping Rua or maybe Profar can be ready to take the reigns in 2017 at third base.
4) Gallo needs some time to come around. He still hasn't gotten on track at Round Rock like we'd hoped he would, and with that in mind, I see no reason to expect that he'd be expected to break ST with the big club, and will need to show improvement at AAA next season before the club looks at giving him a spot in the lineup.
These are good assessments. I agree with #1 for sure as Choo playing better has coincided with our playing better. I even like how he has played in RF for the past month or so. On #2/3 I think that is accurate too but I might add that the emergence of Mazara at the AAA level may have caused the Rangers to rethink having Rua in LF. So moving him back to 3rd would be better overall for the Rangers and for Rua. There really is not a place for him at 2nd with Odor, Alberto and eventually Profar.