Series Thread: Rangers Face The Orioles at Camden Yards Sept. 5-8

[saddles]

More from TR Sullivan:

Will Saturday’s game in Baltimore quiet the Rougned Odor critics?
-- Viki S., Los Angeles

Odor has his detractors, no question about it. That’s going to happen when you hit around .200 and strike out 157 times. But he has one big supporter and that is Chris Woodward. The Rangers' manager loves Odor’s passion, energy and intensity, and that’s why he continues to stand by his second baseman during what clearly has been a trying season. Odor still has much-needed improvement to show, but Woodward continues to express faith in him

 

[WastinSomeTime]

Completely disagree with you. Trevino has very few games played and has a .269 BA and 2 HR. He has shown he can throw you out and has made several defensive stops. He has only played in 26 games.
Guzman on the other hand is one of,if not the best, defensive 1B in our division. He does lack in offensive production but the ability to hit the long ball is there. He needs the opportunity to get things figured out before cutting him loose.
If this is the team that is supposed to take us to the WS 2020 I might agree but that is not the case and imo it is way early to let them go without some time to work out the hitting. It might be noted that Santana had not done much before coming over.

Agree. Defense means nothing to crawler.

 

[WastinSomeTime]

Not pushing for going after the WS next season but with the new park it would be nice to see a more competitive team out there then what we played this season. Team Mendoza

Hey, I am always for a more competitive team. But I was just trying to be realistic with our ownership.

 

[Nightcrawler]

More from TR Sullivan:

Will Saturday’s game in Baltimore quiet the Rougned Odor critics?
-- Viki S., Los Angeles

Odor has his detractors, no question about it. That’s going to happen when you hit around .200 and strike out 157 times. But he has one big supporter and that is Chris Woodward. The Rangers' manager loves Odor’s passion, energy and intensity, and that’s why he continues to stand by his second baseman during what clearly has been a trying season. Odor still has much-needed improvement to show, but Woodward continues to express faith in him

Lame. In other words, woody knows he sucks but doesn’t want to do anything about it.

 

[Kelleyman]

More from TR Sullivan:

Will Saturday’s game in Baltimore quiet the Rougned Odor critics?
-- Viki S., Los Angeles

Odor has his detractors, no question about it. That’s going to happen when you hit around .200 and strike out 157 times. But he has one big supporter and that is Chris Woodward.

Guess TR has heard of SportsHoopla detractors but think Crawler is far off the chart......funny how he names Woodward vs FO belief. Wonder why FO not mentioned

 

[saddles]

Guess TR has heard of SportsHoopla detractors but think Crawler is far off the chart......funny how he names Woodward vs FO belief. Wonder why FO not mentioned

Because he is a Rangers employee for one thing. No one in the organization will admit he has been given this many chances due to his contract. Even our local soft-ball-tossing beat guys will mention the contract.

 

[scotsman1948]

Hey, I am always for a more competitive team. But I was just trying to be realistic with our ownership.

I know. what I expect is more of the same from them which is signing mediocre low cost FA's and troop out a carbon copy of the team we opened this season with but I can dream of an opening day starting pitching staff of Cole, Minor, Lynn, Allard and Burke, a bullpen of Chavez, Clase, Hernandez, Kelley, Leclerc, Martin, Montero and Springs. and a positional group of Abreu, Andrus, Calhoun, Gallo, Grindal, Granite, Heineman, IKF, S. Marte, Rendon, Santana, Solak and Trevino.

I recognize that JD and Ownership aren't going to do nothing or close to nothing this off-season but I can dream of them putting a team together that will bring fans into the new park

 

[DT LUNA]

Lame. In other words, woody knows he sucks but doesn’t want to do anything about it.

Politics Crawler! Woody is covering his bosses mistakes most likely because he is grateful for his job.

 

[saddles]

Rangers shut down flame-throwing prospect, but not for a setback. He was throwing 102 mph
Right-hander Alex Speas, the Rangers’ second-round pick in 2016, was shut down on his road back from Tommy John surgery, but not because of a medical setback.

He was too healthy and was throwing too hard.

A reliever, Speas was in his 14th month after surgery when he blew up the radar gun during a bullpen session while rehabbing in Arizona.

He threw six fastballs at 102 mph.

His slider came in at 94 mph.

The Rangers had seen enough, and slammed on the brakes.

Speas made two appearances with the rookie team. He walked two and struck out two in only one inning, as his pitch counts were monitored.

He probably won’t make a Clase-type jump in 2020. Speas must still harness all that velocity, as Clase, who started the season at Hickory, has learned to do.

But it appears Speas has the best arm, even if it has been surgically repaired, in the system.

CROUSE EARNS PRAISE
Hans Crouse entered the season as the Rangers’ top prospect, and lord knows the Rangers need to develop their own big-league starting pitchers.

The right-hander has been shut down for the season and is not pitching for Hickory in the postseason. He has a bone spur in his elbow that will be shaved away in an early-October operation.

The Rangers expected that Crouse will be a full-go for spring training.

His numbers this season weren’t necessarily becoming of an elite pitching prospect. Crouse, who turns 21 on Saturday, pitched to a 4.41 ERA and struck out 76 in 87 2/3 innings. He also allowed 12 home runs.

He pitched with the bone spur that limited the effectiveness of his main off-speed pitch, a slider. He gutted out his season rather than shutting things down, and the innings he logged will serve him well as he continues his development.

The front office has taken note.

“I’m proud of what Hans did,” general manager Jon Daniels said. “Once he had the confidence from the medical side that this wasn’t something that could get worse, it was more a matter of pitching through discomfort. And it’s big.

“If he hasn’t done that, he would not have had close to a full season, and you look up next year and his innings would have been more limited. The fact that he was able to push through it is a building block for the season and puts him in better position for next year.”

 

[saddles]

More from the above article:

NEW PROSPECT AT FIRST?

Sam Huff, who started the season at Hickory and finished it at High A Down East, is a shoo-in to be the Rangers’ Minor League Player of the Year, and not just because he was MVP of the Futures Game.

He’s a catcher who swatted 28 home runs over the two levels while playing terrific defense behind the plate.

But among those who made a statement for top honors is first baseman Curtis Terry, who played at the same two levels as Huff and looked to be the better hitter of the two at Down East.

Terry, 22, was selected in the 13th round of the 2015 draft and spent three seasons at Class A Short Season Spokane. That doesn’t bode well for most prospects, but Terry made a jump this season.

He batted .293 overall with 25 home runs, but .322 with 10 home runs in 67 games at Down East. At 6-foot-3 and 263 pounds, he’s athletic for a bigger player.

“He’s always been able to hit, but I don’t think he’s come into his power like he is now,” said Paul Kruger, the director of minor-league operations. “The biggest thing for us is his ability to play first base now is legitimate. Now, it’s any ball hit to him he’s going to make a play on. That’s been is biggest step forward.”

 

[saddles]

Lame. In other words, woody knows he sucks but doesn’t want to do anything about it.

I have heard Woodward imply that Odor's starting assignment is not guaranteed, and that this month is very big for Odor.

 

[scotsman1948]

I have heard Woodward imply that Odor's starting assignment is not guaranteed, and that this month is very big for Odor.

with how he has played this year why waste this month looking at more of the same?

 

[DT LUNA]

with how he has played this year why waste this month looking at more of the same?

Pretty much agree. Guess he is giving him a last chance to show something but more likely Woody is in a jam trying to cover JD's mistakes and make the world happy at the same time. I understand your frustrations as I have the same one. We will likely see Solak next year and Odor in a limited role. Actually there is not many realistic options. JD is as much or more of the problem as Odor. Next year is going to be huge in Ranger land and changes must be coming if certain FO people want to survive. Outside pressure will be devastating if status quo remains. Keep the faith.

 

[saddles]

with how he has played this year why waste this month looking at more of the same?

I think there is still one person too stubborn to give up on him so they are foolishly keeping him in the lineup and insisting he has at least one more chance.

 

[Nightcrawler]

I think there is still one person too stubborn to give up on him so they are foolishly keeping him in the lineup and insisting he has at least one more chance.

He’s never going to freaking turn it around tho. I know it, you know it, Luna knows it, nearly 60-70% of ranger fans probably know it.

Orioles are off the schedule, it’s time for him to start striking out again and looking like a moron doing it. It’s for the good of the team, let’s not waste more time and at bats on this guy next year. He can be a back up or something.

He’s a junk hitter. He hits bad pitchers. Probably 80% of his stats are against the royals, orioles, and mariners.

 

[DT LUNA]

He’s never going to freaking turn it around tho. I know it, you know it, Luna knows it, nearly 60-70% of ranger fans probably know it.

Orioles are off the schedule, it’s time for him to start striking out again and looking like a moron doing it. It’s for the good of the team, let’s not waste more time and at bats on this guy next year. He can be a back up or something.

He’s a junk hitter. He hits bad pitchers. Probably 80% of his stats are against the royals, orioles, and mariners.

GRUMPY CAT IS GONNA GET YOU.

 

[saddles]

This is a great idea.

 

[Kelleyman]

1.Is Odor stunting any one players development this year?
2.Solak is playing daily and probably should get more time in the field but don’t think he is stunted. Do you think it is an accident we traded for him?
3. Where is the insider info that the FO office is making out the lineup? Is it JD or ownership if this is the case?

Really surprised in a developmental year like this that Odors playing time stirs up such emotional mudslinging responses. But maybe being able to sound off like this is fun or therapeutic for some. Maybe like me doing this Ha

IMO it’s not that big of a deal one way or another this year and might work to our advantage.

 

[saddles]

 

[saddles]

1.Is Odor stunting any one players development this year?
2.Solak is playing daily and probably should get more time in the field but don’t think he is stunted. Do you think it is an accident we traded for him?
3. Where is the insider info that the FO office is making out the lineup? Is it JD or ownership if this is the case?

Really surprised in a developmental year like this that Odors playing time stirs up such emotional mudslinging responses. But maybe being able to sound off like this is fun or therapeutic for some. Maybe like me doing this Ha

IMO it’s not that big of a deal one way or another this year and might work to our advantage.

If I was a betting man, I would be willing to bet that you would be okay with Odor starting as long as they keep running him out there.

There is no insider information lol. It is common sense and can be seen when rose colored glasses are not worn. Woody makes out the lineup, but he does it based on what the organization is trying to accomplish. Even the Homer beat guys like Evan acknowledge Odor's contract has been in play when it comes to his status in the organization.

My question is, why does it bother you so much for folks to blame management for things? I see guys on here lay into players for one bad at bat or one bad pitch selection sequence, and that never seems to bother you. We had calls in the past for Choo to be "launched to the moon" and not a peep, but in this situation you seem to take it personal. You certainly have the right to feel that way and to express those feelings, but I sure don't get it.

By the way, I think ownership is pretty much hands off. For the most part, JD is the chief decision maker in upper management.