OFFICIAL OFF SEASON THREAD ( 2017 )

[UK Cowboy]

Always be thankful for those loved ones that you have. We lost my sister-in-law to cancer yesterday afternoon. She was like a second mom to my kids when they were growing up. She and her sisters were like the younger siblings that I never had once I started dating my wife. She leaves behind a husband and a 7 year-old son. She was 47.

Good gosh man...I'm 47 and have a 6 and 8 year old. Too young. Y'all are in my prayers Brother

 

[darrylgann]

According to Morosi:

Mike Napoli's marketplace has intensified since the Encarnacion signing; #Rangers one of multiple teams involved, no deal imminent yet. @MLB

 

[darrylgann]

.@Evan_P_Grant's sources say the Texas Rangers getting more aggressive with Mike Napoli talks p.d-news.co/c334

 

[darrylgann]

According to Sullivan:

Sources: Rangers, Napoli talking 2-year deal atmlb.com/2ismhEX via @mlb

 

[saddles]

Thanks for all the nice words guys. I appreciate it. Shirley was a big Rangers fan.
During the years she was between husbands she would always go with us to take our kids to the games. My wife and I took her to her first game back when she was about 15. Her and her first husband went with us during the last weekend of the old Arlington Stadium. Good memories.

 

[Bmurph]

Thanks for all the nice words guys. I appreciate it. Shirley was a big Rangers fan.
During the years she was between husbands she would always go with us to take our kids to the games. My wife and I took her to her first game back when she was about 15. Her and her first husband went with us during the last weekend of the old Arlington Stadium. Good memories.

Enjoy the memories, Shirley is feeling better already, I presume. Oh and F cancer! You are a good man Bennie, keep your chin up for your family. I am sure you are!

 

[Bmurph]

Rangers Likely To Re-Sign Josh Hamilton

By Jeff Todd | December 28, 2016 at 8:49pm CDT

DEC. 28: Re-signing Hamilton to a minors pact is a “formality” now that he’s been cleared by the Rangers’ medical staff, writes MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan. Hamilton will still have to earn his way onto the Major League roster in Spring Training, though.

DEC. 23: The Rangers are “likely” to strike a deal to re-sign veteran outfielder Josh Hamilton, according to Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Team doctors are said to have taken a look at Hamilton’s surgically repaired left knee and determined that he should be ready to go next spring.

Of course, the expectation at this point is that Hamilton will need to battle for a roster spot as a minor-league signee. The 35-year-old never managed to play last year, as he ultimately required two procedures to address ligament damage in his knee. He was released in August, with both team and player suggesting at the time that a new deal was contemplated.

Hamilton’s most recent MLB action came in 2015, when he returned to the Rangersafter the Angels cut bait on his ill-fated free-agent contract. He managed to take 182 plate appearances, producing a .253/.291/.441 batting line with eight home runs.

While it seems that there could still be power in Hamilton’s long-feared bat, he’ll need to turn things around in the on-base department to return to productivity. He struck out 52 times while drawing only ten walks in his recent run with Texas.

Hamilton did post above-average offensive numbers during his two seasons with the Halos before that, though, even if his .255/.316/.426 slash fell well shy of hopes when he inked a five-year, $125MM to head to Los Angeles. He received that huge contract after posting five consecutive All-Star campaigns with the Rangers from 2008 through 2012.

Beyond the performance and health questions, Hamilton’s record includes a troubled history with substance abuse that stretches to the early stages of his professional career. But Texas was willing to take on the associated risks when it accepted a small piece of the remainder of his contract with Los Angeles, and obviously feels that he has held up his end of the bargain since coming back into the fold.

 

[Bmurph]

Rangers, Mike Napoli Discussing Two-Year Deal; Other Teams Still In The Mix

By Steve Adams | December 28, 2016 at 8:20pm CDT

8:20pm: Napoli and the Rangers are discussing a two-year deal, reports Sullivan, and both sides are “highly motivated” to finalize a contract. However, an agreement is not yet imminent, according to Sullivan, who reports that Napoli is still receiving interest from other clubs. Sullivan lists the Athletics (as Grant speculated upon below) and, a bit more curiously, the Orioles as teams with potential interest.

Oakland could certainly use an offensive upgrade over Yonder Alonso at first base and did finish as a sort of runner up to the Indians in the Encarnacion sweepstakes. Baltimore, meanwhile, has an opening at designated hitter, and Napoli could also help to spell Chris Davis at first base from time to time there as well. The O’s have been more focused on outfielders as of late, however, making the link to Napoli a bit of a surprise.

DEC. 28, 5:45pm: Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News reports that with the holidays in the rear-view mirror, the Rangers have become more aggressive in their pursuit of Napoli. That meshes with a recent tweet from MLB Network’s Jon Morosi, who reported that the market for Napoli has “intensified,” though Morosi also adds that the Rangers are one of multiple teams in the mix.

Earlier today, FanRag’s Jon Heyman reported that Napoli is no longer seeking three years but instead is aiming for a two-year deal. Per Heyman’s report, there’s a yet-unreported suitor in the mix for Napoli’s services. Grant speculates that Oakland could consider Napoli after missing out on Encarnacion, knowing he could be flipped in a trade later this year if he performs well.

DEC. 23: There’s a “strong possibility” that in the wake of Edwin Encarnacion’s three-year agreement with the Indians, free-agent slugger Mike Napoli will land with the Rangers, reports MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan (on Twitter). While there’s no deal done between the two sides, Sullivan adds that there are indications that talks between the two sides are “hot.” Earlier today, Jim Bowden of ESPN and MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM tweeted that the Rangers had become the front-runners for Napoli now that Cleveland is out of the mix.

Napoli, 35, would give the Rangers a needed option at first base and/or designated hitter. Texas lost Prince Fielder due to persistent neck issues that forced him to abruptly retire earlier in 2016, and longtime Ranger Mitch Moreland has already inked a one-year deal with the Red Sox this winter. Napoli, as previously noted, is a known commodity for Rangers GM Jon Daniels and manager Jeff Banister, as he enjoyed a highly productive 35-game run with the Rangers in 2015 after being acquired from the Red Sox in an August swap and spent the 2011-12 seasons in a Rangers uniform as well.

Napoli hit .295/.396/.513 with the 2015 Rangers and went on to bat a solid .239/.335/.465 with a career-high 34 homers for the Indians this past year. That gives the slugger a .246/.342/.471 batting line and 39 home runs in 736 regular-season plate appearances dating back to when he was acquired by the Rangers in 2015. However, it’s also worth noting that Napoli was dreadful down the stretch for Cleveland in 2016, hitting just .157/.292/.279 over his final 40 games of the season. He also failed to turn things around in the postseason, hitting .173/.232/.288 as Cleveland made a deep run to Game 7 of the World Series against the Cubs.

 

[Nightcrawler]

Wow some movement? I guess JD gave the brain trust the last week off for the holidays because it was radio silent.

 

[donaldson79]

Eric Nadel: What Rangers' next move should be after securing a veteran hitter | SportsDay

 

[Kelleyman]

Eric Nadel: What Rangers' next move should be after securing a veteran hitter | SportsDay

Interesting Nadel thinks Profar can play LF and thinks we get one more bat which is obvious and a SP like Ross

 

[scotsman1948]

Interesting Nadel thinks Profar can play LF and thinks we get one more bat which is obvious and a SP like Ross

Anything is possible but how many positions are they going to play him at? And I worry about the injury problem rearing it's ugly head again

 

[saddles]

Interesting Nadel thinks Profar can play LF and thinks we get one more bat which is obvious and a SP like Ross

I still don't get why Odor is never mentioned as a candidate to change positions.

 

[romeo212000]

I still don't get why Odor is never mentioned as a candidate to change positions.

Probably his lack of height.

 

[DT LUNA]

Anything is possible but how many positions are they going to play him at?And I worry about the injury problem rearing it's ugly head again

Your first question is unknown. The second concern can apply to anyone. Don't borrow trouble. Today has enough of it's own.

 

[scotsman1948]

I still don't get why Odor is never mentioned as a candidate to change positions.

Don't know maybe they don't see it a moving forward move

 

[saddles]

Probably his lack of height.

Someone brought up Puckett the other day and there is also DeShields whose height hasn't been his drawback.

 

[DT LUNA]

Someone brought up Puckett the other day and there is also DeShields whose height hasn't been his drawback.

Scotty may be right. They may not see a move here helping the team going forward. I don't see Profar in the OF for the same reason. He or Odor could be valuable in a trade and either one will be nice at second. If we lose Pro, that means Hanser will be around awhile.

 

[romeo212000]

Someone brought up Puckett the other day and there is also DeShields whose height hasn't been his drawback.

There are always exceptions, though DDJ's arm certainly is a drawback and maybe that's in question for Odor too.

 

[romeo212000]

Scotty may be right. They may not see a move here helping the team going forward. I don't see Profar in the OF for the same reason. He or Odor could be valuable in a trade and either one will be nice at second. If we lose Pro, that means Hanser will be around awhile.

I'd rather sign Rosales than see Hanser anymore. I don't expect good offense. Just better than the equivalent of what you and I can provide.