Rangers return home after... (checks notes) one day on the road: A's at the Grill for a couple

[saddles]

Don't thinkso. First Smith has to learn how to hit better. Secondly Lowe would DH and then a place for Mathias would have to be found. Don't see it happening.

Yeah, I knew no one but Mr. Kelly would be interested to even consider such a move. That is why I addressed it to him in particular. He believes in Smith as a SS so that is why I asked him.

 

[saddles]

Not immediately but if Smith impresses me as a hitter I think he is the best defensively.
Not sure who is best at 3rd Seager or JUng

Probably no move for now but maybe if Seager goes down and Smith blows it out

So, if Seager gets hurt and if Smith hits well then you would do it the next year? Even if Seager is out 6 to 8 weeks isn't that a small sample size to use for Smith? He could hit like Huff did in 2020 when Seager is hurt, and then hit like Huff did since 2020 after the move is made.

 

[Kelleyman]

So, if Seager gets hurt and if Smith hits well then you would do it the next year? Even if Seager is out 6 to 8 weeks isn't that a small sample size to use for Smith? He could hit like Huff did in 2020 when Seager is hurt, and then hit like Huff did since 2020 after the move is made.

I am thinking Smith needs a solid year at Round Roxk or at least most of one so he is set and if he comes in and does well then yes let him take the soot and he can lead off.
Can’t see him permanently taking position next year even with injury but maybe following year.

We can be patient with guys in AAA. They have talent

 

[Kelleyman]

I am not as big on Josh S as @saddles but it is curious the LAd wanted to keep Turner over Seager and it was not just money IMO. Turner is superior defensively but not-with as much pop

Josh to me has a huge baseball IQ. Love that route he took to catch the pop down the line
Seager does not make that play

 

[saddles]

I am thinking Smith needs a solid year at Round Roxk or at least most of one so he is set and if he comes in and does well then yes let him take the soot and he can lead off.
Can’t see him permanently taking position next year even with injury but maybe following year.

We can be patient with guys in AAA. They have talent

So you didn't see his year this year in Round Rock as solid? Or do you like guys to have 2 solid years in AAA before being considered to come up?

 

[saddles]

if he comes in and does well then yes let him take the soot

Again, that would be a very small sample size to make the decision to move Seager.

 

[Kelleyman]

So you didn't see his year this year in Round Rock as solid? Or do you like guys to have 2 solid years in AAA before being considered to come up?

Not from what I see now, his hitting approach is our is whack. I think he is trying to over hit it

 

[DT LUNA]

Not from what I see now, his hitting approach is our is whack. I think he is trying to over hit it

Seager needs to be more pitch selective.

 

[saddles]

Not from what I see now, his hitting approach is our is whack. I think he is trying to over hit it

So, you don't mean a solid year at AAA then. You mean being able to hit well for awhile with no prolonged slumps when they are brought up to the big leagues. AAA results are of no use then.

 

[saddles]

That is a way to kick the what-do-we-do-with-White can down the road.

 

[saddles]

From Jeff Wilson:

First-round draft pick Kumar Rocker has his first professional assignment.

The right-hander, selected with the third overall pick in July, is scheduled to pitch in the Arizona Fall League beginning next month. He is expected to log a few starts during fall instructs before his debut with the Surprise Saguaros.

 

[saddles]

More from Jeff Wilson:

Fourth-round pick Brock Porter will not pitch in fall instructs, which begins Monday. He was shut down at the end of his high school season in Michigan some six weeks before the draft, and the Rangers don’t want to build him up for only a handful of innings.

However, he is throwing off a mound at the Rangers’ complex in Arizona.

 

[saddles]

More from Jeff Wilson:

The Rangers’ instructional league will last only three weeks. A group of 50 players — mostly 2022 draftees and Arizona Complex League players — will play in games while others are either there to complete rehabs (Dustin Harris, for instance) or to work on individual instruction (e.g. Yosy Galan and Daniel Mateo).

The Rangers won’t play games every day.

Instructs will wrap up with a Texas tour that begins Oct. 9. Teams and sites are still to be announced.

 

[saddles]

Still more from Jeff Wilson:

White update

The Rangers remain hopeful that right-hander Owen White will pitch in games before the minor-league seasons end after spending time on the injured list with shoulder fatigue and mild discomfort.

White is throwing bullpen sessions and could be a candidate to pitch for Double A Frisco should the RoughRiders qualify for the Texas League playoffs. If not, the Rangers would consider bumping White to Triple A Round Rock.

He is also a candidate to pitch during instructs if he doesn’t pitch during the regular season, vice president Ross Fenstermaker said. The goal isn’t so much to get White a designated number of innings but to give him a mental boost.

“A lot of it is to give him closure on the 2022 season and make sure that he knows he’s healthy heading into the offseason,” Fenstermaker said. “We want to make sure he feels good about his offseason and he’s going to show up in spring training and not have any questions about his ability to step on a mound and compete.”

White was promoted in June from High A Hickory to Frisco, where he made four starts (3-0, 2.49 ERA) before hitting the injured list in July.

 

[saddles]

And one more from Jeff Wilson:

Baseball America selected three Rangers prospects in its ranking of the top 10 players in the Arizona Complex League — No. 6 Gleider Figuereo, No. 8 Yeison Morrobel and No. 10 Anthony Gutierrez. Shortstop Danyer Cueva was in the first group of players who just missed the cut.

All four were part of a Rangers Today feature story in July.

BA also declared that right-hander Emiliano Teodo had the best fastball this season in the Carolina League for Low A Down East. The Rangers believe his fastball and slider are among the best in the organization.

Teodo is a converted position player who signed as an international free agent for only $10,000.

Evan Carter got into the act, too. He was rated as the best defensive outfielder in the Carolina League for Hickory. Carter was promoted Tuesday to Frisco.

 

[saddles]

What they are doing with Porter sure sounds a lot like the ill-fated deload program of a few years ago that saw 3 high school draftees need TJ surgery just a few months later..

 

[Kelleyman]

So, you don't mean a solid year at AAA then. You mean being able to hit well for awhile with no prolonged slumps when they are brought up to the big leagues. AAA results are of no use then.

Are you trying to pigeon hole me lol?

Despite him doing well in AAA albeit not spectacular. I see his swing and what he tries to do with it. He has trouble with the FB high uo and above 96. So he needs work on that.
I hope AAA can provide it. To my amateur eye he does not go with the pitch enough.

It is not always about the analytics

 

[Kelleyman]

That is a way to kick the what-do-we-do-with-White can down the road.

It means the roster spot does not need to be provided yet. Fine by me either way but I hope we trade him

 

[saddles]

Lol

From Evan Grant:

After a 25-hour whirlwind day in Miami – residue from the season-delaying lockout – the Rangers started a shortstop and it was neither Corey Seager nor Marcus Semien. Seager got a day off after hitting his 30th homer and reaching a five-year high in games played. For the first time all year, Semien didn’t slide over to replace him. Whatever lays ahead for the Rangers with a manager, it should be clear, Semien isn’t really interested in shuttling between positions based on Seager’s situation.

“We talked about it a while ago,” said Semien, who came up as a shortstop but moved to second last year in Toronto and won a Gold Glove. “I told [former manager Chris Woodward] that if I play shortstop, I want to be the best shortstop I can be and if I play there every day, I can be really good. And if I play second, I want to be the best second baseman I can be. And to do that, I have to play every day. Staying there helps me stay consistent. Honestly, I’m still learning the position.”

 

[Kelleyman]

Lol

From Evan Grant:

After a 25-hour whirlwind day in Miami – residue from the season-delaying lockout – the Rangers started a shortstop and it was neither Corey Seager nor Marcus Semien. Seager got a day off after hitting his 30th homer and reaching a five-year high in games played. For the first time all year, Semien didn’t slide over to replace him. Whatever lays ahead for the Rangers with a manager, it should be clear, Semien isn’t really interested in shuttling between positions based on Seager’s situation.

“We talked about it a while ago,” said Semien, who came up as a shortstop but moved to second last year in Toronto and won a Gold Glove. “I told [former manager Chris Woodward] that if I play shortstop, I want to be the best shortstop I can be and if I play there every day, I can be really good. And if I play second, I want to be the best second baseman I can be. And to do that, I have to play every day. Staying there helps me stay consistent. Honestly, I’m still learning the position.”

Sounds like Semien would not mind playing SS regularly