Official 2014 Texas Rangers Spring Training Thread

[darrylgann]

The games are going to be televised starting Thursday. I don't know about everyone else, but I'm tired of listening to the other teams radio broadcast.

That is good news indeed. I've just been reading the rap ups from ESPN/Dallas and tweets. I'm sure it will be Fox SouthWest.

 

[Windingmywatch]

.....and he's been trying to back up, explain, apology, whatever he could to make it stop.

Poor guy honestly didn't have a clue. Two little words - why not? - lead to days in in-fighting, name calling, polarizing, etc.

Pretty funny to me. I sat on the sidelines and watched it all.

Thought for about two minutes before posting my one liner. I can tell now we are all ready for the season to begin. We are definitely at mid-season form.

 

[Windingmywatch]

Would somebody give me a couple of examples of platoons that worked.

It's not a 50:50 split PT ... the LH guy gets 2/3 and the RH guy gets 1/3.

I think what Profar went through last year was not beneficial. Every day showing up not knowing if he was going to play and then if he was in the lineup where it would be. When writers swallow the idea that Choice could see PT in all three OF positions and DH ... they are buying into baseball fluff talk or they are buying into that thought that running Profar all over the field was a good idea.

Just give me a couple of examples of platoons that worked.

 

[Justinkm83]

That is good news indeed. I've just been reading the rap ups from ESPN/Dallas and tweets. I'm sure it will be Fox SouthWest.

Yes, and FS1, and TXA21.

 

[ESPN Refugee]

The fact that you think Wash "did something" that others couldn't speaks volumes. That Wash was dealt a far better hand and was given a better team than any other manager in team history somehow escapes you. It's that type of simple-minded analysis which puts incompetent people in charge in the first place.

Well facts are facts. You can't ignore end results. It's inevitable that you need to have talent to win and make it to WS's. Can't blame Wash for loses and completely ignore him when they win. That's not the way it works.

As I've said there is a middle ground here...I don't think anybody is 100% right or wrong and that's why I think Wash is a polarizing figure and topic that can go on forever and ever. I think Wash is good for this team but I don't think it's too much to ask him to get better and that goes for any manager out there or anybody out there in general in their normal day jobs.

 

[The Commish]

I know this is off topic, but any of you Rangerettes see Frank Howard play at Arlington Stadium? The mgr back then was a no name................

I certainly did.

 

[WilltheThrill]

Well facts are facts. You can't ignore end results. It's inevitable that you need to have talent to win and make it to WS's. Can't blame Wash for loses and completely ignore him when they win. That's not the way it works.

As I've said there is a middle ground here...I don't think anybody is 100% right or wrong and that's why I think Wash is a polarizing figure and topic that can go on forever and ever. I think Wash is good for this team but I don't think it's too much to ask him to get better and that goes for any manager out there or anybody out there in general in their normal day jobs.

Actually that is the way it works. It is much easier for a manager to lose a game than it is for him to win one, and that goes for all managers and not just Wash. Ultimately it's up to the players to perform. Therefore, even when a manager fields the best lineup possible or makes the correct decision, it's still up to the players to execute. However, when a manager makes a very poor choice or bad lineup, he is not giving his players the best chance to execute properly. If the manager continually benches better hitters in favor of lesser hitters, he is having more of an impact on the team's losing. At that point, it's not entirely the players' faults for not executing if more capable players were sitting on the bench. The same goes for when a manager calls for a much lower percentage play to be run. At that point he has put his players at a disadvantage.

A manager's job, especially in terms of in-game strategy, is to make the calls which give his guys the highest percentage chance of executing/winning. It is a thankless job and often unfair. I don't envy some of the calls Wash has to make because they're not always cut-and-dry. And yes, sometimes he does make the right calls. I'm not one of those who think that every last thing he does is terrible. However (and this is where Wash gets the majority of his heat from critics), Wash commonly exhibits poor judgment when it comes to making very obvious decisions. His calls often go against all fundamentals and best practices which are taught at every level from t-ball up to the majors. These are the ones which fans call him out on even as he's making them. So in that sense, yes, there are a lot of things he does as a tactician which put his teams at a disadvantage. Sometimes the players are good enough to where it doesn't matter. But many times they aren't, and that's where the "Wash costs us games" talk comes from.

I do think that Wash does a lot of things well which don't involve strategy. And I think there are many ways he has contributed to the team's success. But to anyone who has either studied or played the game, his in-game management skills are sorely lacking. I'm not on the fire Wash now bandwagon. I just spoke up because a claim was made that no one on this board could strategize better than Wash, and from the years of evidence I've seen that is wildly untrue.

 

[TDs3nOut]

Would somebody give me a couple of examples of platoons that worked.

It's not a 50:50 split PT ... the LH guy gets 2/3 and the RH guy gets 1/3.

I think what Profar went through last year was not beneficial. Every day showing up not knowing if he was going to play and then if he was in the lineup where it would be. When writers swallow the idea that Choice could see PT in all three OF positions and DH ... they are buying into baseball fluff talk or they are buying into that thought that running Profar all over the field was a good idea.

Just give me a couple of examples of platoons that worked.

I don't know that this is a great example, but I thought your question was interesting enough that I found this piece on the A's, written in March of 2013:

Anthony Castrovince: 'King of platoons' Bob Melvin back at it in Oakland | MLB.com: News

Excerpt (written about the 2012 A's):

"At year's end, the A's had platoon situations at no fewer than four of the nine positions on the diamond -- catcher, first base, second base and designated hitter. It was how they made the most out of their $55 million payroll. Guys like Jonny Gomes, Seth Smith, Chris Carter and George Kottaras bought into the benefits of the practice, not because they were content with a limited role but because they recognized that it worked. A's batters faced a pitcher of the same handedness 2,151 times last season -- the second-lowest such mark in the AL. Only the Indians, who did not have an all-right-handed-hitting regular in their lineup last year, had fewer plate appearances in this scenario.
"We found out," said right fielder Josh Reddick, "that Bob is the king of platoons.""

 

[terpsfball09]

haven't been in the rangers thread in awhile, I thought I'd drop in. A few more weeks til baseball season. Then there's somethin to do every night. Freakin can't wait.

 

[Bmurph]

haven't been in the rangers thread in awhile, I thought I'd drop in. A few more weeks til baseball season. Then there's somethin to do every night. Freakin can't wait.

You have missed out the last day or so, its been a real treat over here. Ready for the season to start myself, it is tough to have baseball conversations based on hypotheticals, unknowns and just generalizations. I would love to see how the roster rounds out and actual televised real games that count conversations

 

[Xx srs bsns xX]

If you guys are Insider subs on ESPN, then go to his blog and check it out.

He's got some absolutely horrid views - for us Ranger fans - on what's happening in Oakland.

If you want (gulp) I'll post some of it? But man, if he's right, the shit train is going to drive and deposit in Arlington Texas this season.

What article are you referring to? I cant find one that is of the caliber that you speak...

 

[WastinSomeTime]

Glad to see Santana go to the NL (Braves) and not to a rival.

 

[Duane1952]

The games are going to be televised starting Thursday. I don't know about everyone else, but I'm tired of listening to the other teams radio broadcast.

Bout time.

 

[jta4437]

Glad to see Santana go to the NL (Braves) and not to a rival.

That's what Santana was waiting on, some contender to get desperate and give up a 1st rounder and he still only got a 1 year deal

Our injury issues pale in comparison to what has happened in Atlanta recently, goo move on Atlanta's part, they really needed an extra quality arm

If Beachy and Minor can come back, they should be OK, if not, might be a bumpy road this year

 

[ESPN Refugee]

Actually that is the way it works. It is much easier for a manager to lose a game than it is for him to win one, and that goes for all managers and not just Wash. Ultimately it's up to the players to perform. Therefore, even when a manager fields the best lineup possible or makes the correct decision, it's still up to the players to execute. However, when a manager makes a very poor choice or bad lineup, he is not giving his players the best chance to execute properly. If the manager continually benches better hitters in favor of lesser hitters, he is having more of an impact on the team's losing. At that point, it's not entirely the players' faults for not executing if more capable players were sitting on the bench. The same goes for when a manager calls for a much lower percentage play to be run. At that point he has put his players at a disadvantage.

A manager's job, especially in terms of in-game strategy, is to make the calls which give his guys the highest percentage chance of executing/winning. It is a thankless job and often unfair. I don't envy some of the calls Wash has to make because they're not always cut-and-dry. And yes, sometimes he does make the right calls. I'm not one of those who think that every last thing he does is terrible. However (and this is where Wash gets the majority of his heat from critics), Wash commonly exhibits poor judgment when it comes to making very obvious decisions. His calls often go against all fundamentals and best practices which are taught at every level from t-ball up to the majors. These are the ones which fans call him out on even as he's making them. So in that sense, yes, there are a lot of things he does as a tactician which put his teams at a disadvantage. Sometimes the players are good enough to where it doesn't matter. But many times they aren't, and that's where the "Wash costs us games" talk comes from.

I do think that Wash does a lot of things well which don't involve strategy. And I think there are many ways he has contributed to the team's success. But to anyone who has either studied or played the game, his in-game management skills are sorely lacking. I'm not on the fire Wash now bandwagon. I just spoke up because a claim was made that no one on this board could strategize better than Wash, and from the years of evidence I've seen that is wildly untrue.

Sure I'll agree being a coach/manager is pretty thankless and that's fine. However 4 straight years of 90 wins shouldn't be ignored. Like you I'm not a fan of everything Wash calls especially the last couple of years. But in a bottom line business Wash has achieved more than any previous manager before him and has had a great run the last 5 years. Again managing a baseball team is not only strategy and x's and o's. Can we strategize better than him? I mean that's not even a question that can be answered and it's all about perception. What you may think is a right/wrong call could be completely different to someone else. Other than a select few I really think all managers have their shortcomings and that's why I always say that you go to any other fan base out there and they'll typically say the same things about their managers and coaches. The grass is always greener and a manager is usually always in a no win situation.

Like you I'm not in a fire Wash now person but I am also not someone that is completely against the idea of a managerial change at some point. I think the organization is in good hands with JD at the helm and if he thinks Wash should or should not be the manager of this club I am totally okay with that and to this point it's clear JD and clan feel Wash needs to be here.

 

[WastinSomeTime]

That's what Santana was waiting on, some contender to get desperate and give up a 1st rounder and he still only got a 1 year deal

Our injury issues pale in comparison to what has happened in Atlanta recently, goo move on Atlanta's part, they really needed an extra quality arm

If Beachy and Minor can come back, they should be OK, if not, might be a bumpy road this year

They have taken some hits. I noticed that they have been trying to lock up a lot of their young talent. There is some risk with that but if the players perform it saves Atlanta money down the road when you consider the escalating salaries.

 

[jta4437]

They have taken some hits. I noticed that they have been trying to lock up a lot of their young talent. There is some risk with that but if the players perform it saves Atlanta money down the road when you consider the escalating salaries.

Teheran for 32M over the next 6 years is a steal (potentially 7/44), now if he could only get that GB% higher

 

[Al Falfa]

The fact that you think Wash "did something" that others couldn't speaks volumes. That Wash was dealt a far better hand and was given a better team than any other manager in team history somehow escapes you. It's that type of simple-minded analysis which puts incompetent people in charge in the first place.[/QUOTE

Few people think of Jon Daniels as incompetent.

 

[WilltheThrill]

Sure I'll agree being a coach/manager is pretty thankless and that's fine. However 4 straight years of 90 wins shouldn't be ignored. Like you I'm not a fan of everything Wash calls especially the last couple of years. But in a bottom line business Wash has achieved more than any previous manager before him and has had a great run the last 5 years. Again managing a baseball team is not only strategy and x's and o's. Can we strategize better than him? I mean that's not even a question that can be answered and it's all about perception. What you may think is a right/wrong call could be completely different to someone else. Other than a select few I really think all managers have their shortcomings and that's why I always say that you go to any other fan base out there and they'll typically say the same things about their managers and coaches. The grass is always greener and a manager is usually always in a no win situation.

Like you I'm not in a fire Wash now person but I am also not someone that is completely against the idea of a managerial change at some point. I think the organization is in good hands with JD at the helm and if he thinks Wash should or should not be the manager of this club I am totally okay with that and to this point it's clear JD and clan feel Wash needs to be here.

I agree with a lot of what you're saying. It's certainly not fair to just ignore the Rangers' great overall record over the last 4 years when judging Wash as a manager. But at the same time, I don't think it's fair to just ignore the fact that the Rangers have had by far and away the best collection of overall talent they've ever had over the last 4 years either. Too many people take the simplistic view that Rangers best record ever = Wash is the Rangers' best manager ever. That's like saying that Erik Spoelstra is the Heat's best coach ever because they've won more titles under him than anyone else. But is that true? Umm, hell no. They had a guy named Pat Riley coach them before, and I'm pretty sure he's a better coach than Spoelstra.

 

[donaldson79]

Bout time.

Can you tell me which network is carrying the game please?