Series Thread: Rangers Royally receive Kansas City for four 7/28-7/31

[darrylgann]

Well, at least we have a new pitcher pitching, I suppose. And the trading heats up. Can't tell you what to expect from this series. I hope a split.

 

[Nightcrawler]

Well, at least we have a new pitcher pitching, I suppose. And the trading heats up. Can't tell you what to expect from this series. I hope a split.

3 out of 4

 

[True Rangers Fan]

I predict they get the shit kicked out of them. Then August hits, they pull their heads out of their asses, and play better.

 

[saddles]

Rangers strike deal for pitching help before loss to Athletics

Harrell, 31, spent last season pitching in Korea and said that the time there gave him an extended opportunity to fine-tune his pitching. The results have been plain to see.

Harrell went 2-2 with a 3.38 ERA in five starts with the Braves, who watched him work six scoreless innings Tuesday against Minnesota. He went 5-2 with a 3.06 ERA in 15 games/11 starts this season in the minors.

“I think the biggest thing for me was last year going to Korea,” Harrell said. “There’s a big language barrier, so you really have to focus on yourself and learn about what you were doing wrong. So, I had a lot of time to work with myself over there and get a feel for what I needed to do to get better.

“The Rangers have a good organization and I played against them for several years with the Astros. They’ve won a lot lately. So, it’s going to be great to go there and try to make a postseason push.”

Daniels called Alvarez a “real interesting guy” who piled up the strikeouts in the minor leagues but is doing it in the major leagues for the first time. Alvarez used a deceptive delivery, a good slider and plus-velocity to strike out 28 batters in 15 innings for the Braves, who claimed him off waivers from the New York Mets in late May.

Manager Jeff Banister said that the Rangers are leaning toward having three lefties in the bullpen: Jake Diekman, Alvarez and Alex Claudio.

 

[WastinSomeTime]

I predict they get the shit kicked out of them. Then August hits, they pull their heads out of their asses, and play better.

I don't know what to think. They keep finding ways to lose games. Yu pitches great and Bush just falls apart.

 

[saddles]

 

[PDay8810]

I don't know what to think. They keep finding ways to lose games. Yu pitches great and Bush just falls apart.

really is a group effort these days. No matter how hard you throw it, they will hit it if location is poor. Location and falling behind in counts remains a huge problem for this teams pitching. The hitting with runners in scoring position the last month and the number of strike outs is also telling for our offensive struggles.

 

[saddles]

More from Jamey Newberg on yesterday's trade for Harrell and Alvarez.

Harrell has made five big league starts this year. All in the last four weeks. Josh Boyd and his crew probably saw most if not all of them, three of which were outstanding. Boyd might have even seen him in Korea in 2015. The Rangers surely saw plenty of him when he was with Houston in 2011-2014 (hitting him very hard in three Arlington starts), and pitching coach Doug Brocail has history with him with the Astros.

If he helps Texas win a couple games, even if he shifts into long relief before the season ends, then right on. Every win is going to count.

But this might be the Dario Alvarez trade. Yes, since 2014 alone he's pitched at every level from Low A to the bigs, and he's logged only 15 major league innings this year.

But in those 15 frames, he's shown an uptick in velocity, a wipeout slider that misses bats, and a staggering 28 strikeouts -- against just three unintentional walks. The 16.80 K-per-nine rate is second best in baseball among pitchers with at least 10 innings pitched. Opponents are hitting .200/.279/.364 against him.

At the very least, he deepens the bullpen and reduces Alex Claudio's role. At best, he allows Texas to back off of Jake Diekman a bit, so that he's not gassed by 162+.

And Texas controls the two through 2020 and 2021, respectively.

 

[Bmurph]

Rangers' Yu Darvish: Strikes out six in quality start
by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire
Darvish allowed two runs, four hits and no walks over six frames, but didn't factor into the decision in Wednesday's 6-4 loss against the Athletics.

After struggling with his command and surrendering a leadoff triple and solo shot in a rocky first inning, the right-hander settled in nicely as he allowed just two other batters to reach base before departing in the sixth with a one-run lead. The 29-year-old was in line to collect his first win since June 3, until the bullpen imploded and surrendered four runs in the eighth inning. Darvish will get another shot to add to the win column this Tuesday when he takes the mound in Baltimore.

 

[Bmurph]

July 27, 2016 6:16 pm
Rangers' Matt Duffy: Designated for assignment
by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire


Duffy was designated for assignment Wednesday.

He was just optioned to Triple-A Round Rock last week but will now be DFA'd to make room on the 40-man roster after the Braves acquired a pair of pitchers from Atlanta on Wednesday. A team could claim Duffy via waivers, for the second time this month, otherwise he'll simply report to Round Rock.

 

[Bmurph]

July 27, 2016 5:40 pm
Rangers' Lucas Harrell: Headed to Arlington
by RotoWire Staff | Special to CBSSports.com


Harrell was dealt from the Braves to the Rangerson Wednesday, Kevin McAlpin of Sports Radio 680 The Fan reports.

Harrell will likely slot in as the team's fifth starter after the recent struggles of both Kyle Lohse and Nick Martinez in the role. The 31-year-old owns a mixed bag of results in his five major league starts this season, allowing one or fewer in three of the five while allowing nine over 9.2 innings in his other two to compile a 3.38 ERA and 1.26 WHIP overall. Harrell has struggled with his command as well, owning just a 21:12 K/BB ratio over 29.1 innings. While the move to Texas should result in better run support, the journeyman likely won't impact a ton of fantasy leagues.

 

[Bmurph]

July 27, 2016 5:38 pm
Rangers' Colby Lewis: Continues progressing to rehab assignment
by RotoWire Staff | Special to CBSSports.com


Lewis (lat) has felt good in recent workouts and is expected to return at the end of August, Stefan Stevenson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports.

The team plans to have Lewis make two or three rehab starts, then join the team in the last week of August. Before being injured, Lewis had been enjoying one of the best seasons of his career, as he's 6-1 with a 3.21 ERA and 1.02 WHIP.

 

[Bmurph]

July 27, 2016 5:36 pm
Rangers' Dario Alvarez: Traded to Rangers
by RotoWire Staff | Special to CBSSports.com


Alvarez was traded to the Rangers on Wednesday, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports.

The 27 year-old is having a solid season for the Braves, compiling a 3.00 ERA and 1.07 WHIP with 28 strikeouts in 15 innings. Alvarez will join the fellow left-handers Jake Diekman and Alex Claudio in the Rangers bullpen. Lucas Harrell is heading to Texas as well. The Braves will receive prospect Travis Demeritte in return.

 

[Hambombs]

Jonathan lucroy anyone?

 

[Xx srs bsns xX]

Jonathan lucroy anyone?

At this point, I'm not even sure what they really need.

Starter pitches great... bullpen blows it.
Starter sucks...bullpen is great.
Offense clicks...pitching sucks.
Offense sucks...pitching is great.

Like, do they go and get a SP...only for the offense to shit the bed still?
Do they go and get a bat...only to have the pitching fail again?

Or just stand pat and roll with what ya got... Personally, that's where I'm kind of at right now.

 

[DT LUNA]

As some have said, this is a bad team. No it is not. They have been playing below expectations but this is not a bad team. We have had our share of ups and downs some you expect and some you don't. A bad team would not be at the top of their division mid season. Pitching has suffered mainly due to injury and their replacements have not fared well. In general we could have played better but to say this is a bad team is just wrong imo.

 

[Bmurph]

At this point, I'm not even sure what they really need.

Starter pitches great... bullpen blows it.
Starter sucks...bullpen is great.
Offense clicks...pitching sucks.
Offense sucks...pitching is great.

Like, do they go and get a SP...only for the offense to shit the bed still?
Do they go and get a bat...only to have the pitching fail again?

Or just stand pat and roll with what ya got... Personally, that's where I'm kind of at right now.

Yeah I was pondering this the other day and thought, not sure if id be interested giving up lots of pieces (Gallo, Profar, Odor, Ortiz, Brinson, Mazara, Mendez, Jurado, Tate, Guzman, Trevino etc) to get SP. Only to have the left over pieces on offense not be able to score enough runs. Maybe Moreland, Jackson, Faulkner, Beras, Nicholas or Rua could be enough of a combo to bring in a MORP along the lines Santana or Volquez? Then maybe there is enough left to add a bat without mortgaging a bunch prospects on a front of the rotation type

 

[Duane1952]

Jonathan lucroy anyone?

Yes, but not at the Brewers asking price.

 

[Nightcrawler]

We will make one more move im thinking

 

[DT LUNA]

We will make one more move im thinking

And what will that move be? SP maybe?