Series Thread: Rangers Travel to Tampa For Three Games With the Rays June 2-4

[Duane1952]

This team has no closer and that’s on CY.

 

[Senator_fan]

A real closer would have struck Morel out. 52 k’s in 128 AB. Ball game but no, Garcia blows.

 

[fanman8825]

This team has no closer and that’s on CY.

Yes it is. He did a bad job with bullpen

 

[saddles]

Chris Martin had more popping sounds when warming up tonight.

 

[WilltheThrill]

Been a while since I’ve posted, but I think there are a few universal truths we can all agree on about this Rangers team:

1) the starting rotation is as it should be- STRONG. You would expect those results based on the names involved- DeGrom, Eovaldi, Mahle, Leiter, etc. Those guys have always been great starting pitchers at least at some level.

2) the bullpen mostly stinks. You would expect that as well, as Chris Young didn’t feel the need to sign a real closer or prime time relievers. Milner has been good, everyone else has been mediocre or bad. But not unexpected.

However, what REALLY confuses me is the lineup. And by lineup, I mean every last player that has taken an at-bat for the Rangers.

These are not just good players. They’re great players. The amount of talent on their roster is overwhelming. And yet every single player on their roster is playing like a broken little leaguer. All of them. Not one of them is having a career season or even a good one by their standards. That is NOT a coincidence.

Great players don’t become garbage ones overnight. In fact, they seldom become garbage at any point in their careers. But since Bruce Bochy has arrived, this team has played like utter trash except for the first few months of 2023 and the WS run. Any elite player who spends more than a month with the team goes into the tank. Run down the list:

Semien- was a beast before arriving in Texas, but his career has been in a tailspin since mid-2023. He was awful during the WS run. And even a rapidly declining/aging Marcus Semien is better than this.

Seager- played like an MVP his entire career before arriving and even after for a while here, especially during the WS run. But he has been injured and very average since then.

Jung- who? He was an All-Star before Bochy arrived and at the very least on his way to becoming the next Hank Blalock. Now he’s either injured or very average.

Garcia- mashed before Bochy arrived, and since then has been unplayable except for his insane streak during the WS run. A truly awful hitter now.

Carter- had one of the best opening months in the Majors in quite some time in late 2023. Had the best eye of any hitter I had seen in a very long time. Clutch contact hitter who was phenomenal in the field. Rangers don’t win the WS without him. Since then? Always injured or struggling mightily.

Langford- made even Mike Trout look like a scrub with his performance in college and the minors. An unreal talent. And he’s had his stretches of brilliance here and there. But also struggling now. Wyatt Langford is NOT a .230 hitter. He’s an All-Star and future MVP. But he’s not playing like one.

Heim- was the AL All-Star for the first few months of his Rangers career. But he’s been on a noticeable downward trajectory since mid-2023.

Pederson- Joc Pederson is a much, much, much better hitter than he’s shown as a Ranger. His entire career has been nothing but mashing the ball as a platoon hitter. Not good enough to play in the field or face all pitchers, but absolutely elite as a platoon bat. He was great just last year. Now… what? We’re supposed to believe Joc Pederson just forgot how to hit a baseball? Even when old vets hit a wall, they don’t drop off from .290 to .090. He spent 3 months with the Rangers in Spring Training and regular season and turned into a laughingstock.

Burger- Never been an elite contact hitter, but he’s struggling to the worst batting average and HR/ab rate of his career. Like with Langford, a few good stretches here and there, but mostly bad.

My point to all of this is that there is DEFINITELY something foul and amiss with the Rangers’ clubhouse. Every single position player has gotten markedly worse since mid-2023 and many are even making keystone cops errors in the field. Now I’m not in the clubhouse, nor do I have any connections to anyone there like I used to in the Ron Washington/Jackie Moore days. So perhaps it’s unfair of me to keep mentioning Bochy’s name. I’m not saying he’s the entire problem. But I do know the majority of this tailspin and players just becoming much worse aligns fairly closely to Bochy’s arrival. What he could be doing to them to cause this… I don’t know. Not motivating? Not instructing? Giving poor advice? Bad strategy? Being a jerk who the players don’t respect? Lost the room entirely and the players are tanking to get rid of him? Just spitballing here. Maybe some of those. Maybe none.

But I’ve just played and watched WAY too much baseball in my many years to believe this joke of a team has much to do with actual talent. The talent is there. It’s obviously not the hitting coach’s fault. They fired their former “offensive coordinator” and brought in a new voice, and the hitting is still awful. And by no coincidence, the fielding is awful as well. That speaks to overall management. The players either aren’t ready to play, aren’t focused, or are upset/pissed to the extent that they don’t care.

This won’t change until drastic measures are taken with management and whatever the root of the problem is (Bochy, CY, etc).

 

[saddles]

Josh Trentadude is having a great season so far for the Hub City Spartanburgers. An ERA of 1.03 and a WHIP of 0.80.

 

[saddles]

Been a while since I’ve posted, but I think there are a few universal truths we can all agree on about this Rangers team:

1) the starting rotation is as it should be- STRONG. You would expect those results based on the names involved- DeGrom, Eovaldi, Mahle, Leiter, etc. Those guys have always been great starting pitchers at least at some level.

2) the bullpen mostly stinks. You would expect that as well, as Chris Young didn’t feel the need to sign a real closer or prime time relievers. Milner has been good, everyone else has been mediocre or bad. But not unexpected.

However, what REALLY confuses me is the lineup. And by lineup, I mean every last player that has taken an at-bat for the Rangers.

These are not just good players. They’re great players. The amount of talent on their roster is overwhelming. And yet every single player on their roster is playing like a broken little leaguer. All of them. Not one of them is having a career season or even a good one by their standards. That is NOT a coincidence.

Great players don’t become garbage ones overnight. In fact, they seldom become garbage at any point in their careers. But since Bruce Bochy has arrived, this team has played like utter trash except for the first few months of 2023 and the WS run. Any elite player who spends more than a month with the team goes into the tank. Run down the list:

Semien- was a beast before arriving in Texas, but his career has been in a tailspin since mid-2023. He was awful during the WS run. And even a rapidly declining/aging Marcus Semien is better than this.

Seager- played like an MVP his entire career before arriving and even after for a while here, especially during the WS run. But he has been injured and very average since then.

Jung- who? He was an All-Star before Bochy arrived and at the very least on his way to becoming the next Hank Blalock. Now he’s either injured or very average.

Garcia- mashed before Bochy arrived, and since then has been unplayable except for his insane streak during the WS run. A truly awful hitter now.

Carter- had one of the best opening months in the Majors in quite some time in late 2023. Had the best eye of any hitter I had seen in a very long time. Clutch contact hitter who was phenomenal in the field. Rangers don’t win the WS without him. Since then? Always injured or struggling mightily.

Langford- made even Mike Trout look like a scrub with his performance in college and the minors. An unreal talent. And he’s had his stretches of brilliance here and there. But also struggling now. Wyatt Langford is NOT a .230 hitter. He’s an All-Star and future MVP. But he’s not playing like one.

Heim- was the AL All-Star for the first few months of his Rangers career. But he’s been on a noticeable downward trajectory since mid-2023.

Pederson- Joc Pederson is a much, much, much better hitter than he’s shown as a Ranger. His entire career has been nothing but mashing the ball as a platoon hitter. Not good enough to play in the field or face all pitchers, but absolutely elite as a platoon bat. He was great just last year. Now… what? We’re supposed to believe Joc Pederson just forgot how to hit a baseball? Even when old vets hit a wall, they don’t drop off from .290 to .090. He spent 3 months with the Rangers in Spring Training and regular season and turned into a laughingstock.

Burger- Never been an elite contact hitter, but he’s struggling to the worst batting average and HR/ab rate of his career. Like with Langford, a few good stretches here and there, but mostly bad.

My point to all of this is that there is DEFINITELY something foul and amiss with the Rangers’ clubhouse. Every single position player has gotten markedly worse since mid-2023 and many are even making keystone cops errors in the field. Now I’m not in the clubhouse, nor do I have any connections to anyone there like I used to in the Ron Washington/Jackie Moore days. So perhaps it’s unfair of me to keep mentioning Bochy’s name. I’m not saying he’s the entire problem. But I do know the majority of this tailspin and players just becoming much worse aligns fairly closely to Bochy’s arrival. What he could be doing to them to cause this… I don’t know. Not motivating? Not instructing? Giving poor advice? Bad strategy? Being a jerk who the players don’t respect? Lost the room entirely and the players are tanking to get rid of him? Just spitballing here. Maybe some of those. Maybe none.

But I’ve just played and watched WAY too much baseball in my many years to believe this joke of a team has much to do with actual talent. The talent is there. It’s obviously not the hitting coach’s fault. They fired their former “offensive coordinator” and brought in a new voice, and the hitting is still awful. And by no coincidence, the fielding is awful as well. That speaks to overall management. The players either aren’t ready to play, aren’t focused, or are upset/pissed to the extent that they don’t care.

This won’t change until drastic measures are taken with management and whatever the root of the problem is (Bochy, CY, etc).

Hey, it is nice to have you come back around.

 

[jaar01]

Been a while since I’ve posted, but I think there are a few universal truths we can all agree on about this Rangers team:

1) the starting rotation is as it should be- STRONG. You would expect those results based on the names involved- DeGrom, Eovaldi, Mahle, Leiter, etc. Those guys have always been great starting pitchers at least at some level.

2) the bullpen mostly stinks. You would expect that as well, as Chris Young didn’t feel the need to sign a real closer or prime time relievers. Milner has been good, everyone else has been mediocre or bad. But not unexpected.

However, what REALLY confuses me is the lineup. And by lineup, I mean every last player that has taken an at-bat for the Rangers.

These are not just good players. They’re great players. The amount of talent on their roster is overwhelming. And yet every single player on their roster is playing like a broken little leaguer. All of them. Not one of them is having a career season or even a good one by their standards. That is NOT a coincidence.

Great players don’t become garbage ones overnight. In fact, they seldom become garbage at any point in their careers. But since Bruce Bochy has arrived, this team has played like utter trash except for the first few months of 2023 and the WS run. Any elite player who spends more than a month with the team goes into the tank. Run down the list:

Semien- was a beast before arriving in Texas, but his career has been in a tailspin since mid-2023. He was awful during the WS run. And even a rapidly declining/aging Marcus Semien is better than this.

Seager- played like an MVP his entire career before arriving and even after for a while here, especially during the WS run. But he has been injured and very average since then.

Jung- who? He was an All-Star before Bochy arrived and at the very least on his way to becoming the next Hank Blalock. Now he’s either injured or very average.

Garcia- mashed before Bochy arrived, and since then has been unplayable except for his insane streak during the WS run. A truly awful hitter now.

Carter- had one of the best opening months in the Majors in quite some time in late 2023. Had the best eye of any hitter I had seen in a very long time. Clutch contact hitter who was phenomenal in the field. Rangers don’t win the WS without him. Since then? Always injured or struggling mightily.

Langford- made even Mike Trout look like a scrub with his performance in college and the minors. An unreal talent. And he’s had his stretches of brilliance here and there. But also struggling now. Wyatt Langford is NOT a .230 hitter. He’s an All-Star and future MVP. But he’s not playing like one.

Heim- was the AL All-Star for the first few months of his Rangers career. But he’s been on a noticeable downward trajectory since mid-2023.

Pederson- Joc Pederson is a much, much, much better hitter than he’s shown as a Ranger. His entire career has been nothing but mashing the ball as a platoon hitter. Not good enough to play in the field or face all pitchers, but absolutely elite as a platoon bat. He was great just last year. Now… what? We’re supposed to believe Joc Pederson just forgot how to hit a baseball? Even when old vets hit a wall, they don’t drop off from .290 to .090. He spent 3 months with the Rangers in Spring Training and regular season and turned into a laughingstock.

Burger- Never been an elite contact hitter, but he’s struggling to the worst batting average and HR/ab rate of his career. Like with Langford, a few good stretches here and there, but mostly bad.

My point to all of this is that there is DEFINITELY something foul and amiss with the Rangers’ clubhouse. Every single position player has gotten markedly worse since mid-2023 and many are even making keystone cops errors in the field. Now I’m not in the clubhouse, nor do I have any connections to anyone there like I used to in the Ron Washington/Jackie Moore days. So perhaps it’s unfair of me to keep mentioning Bochy’s name. I’m not saying he’s the entire problem. But I do know the majority of this tailspin and players just becoming much worse aligns fairly closely to Bochy’s arrival. What he could be doing to them to cause this… I don’t know. Not motivating? Not instructing? Giving poor advice? Bad strategy? Being a jerk who the players don’t respect? Lost the room entirely and the players are tanking to get rid of him? Just spitballing here. Maybe some of those. Maybe none.

But I’ve just played and watched WAY too much baseball in my many years to believe this joke of a team has much to do with actual talent. The talent is there. It’s obviously not the hitting coach’s fault. They fired their former “offensive coordinator” and brought in a new voice, and the hitting is still awful. And by no coincidence, the fielding is awful as well. That speaks to overall management. The players either aren’t ready to play, aren’t focused, or are upset/pissed to the extent that they don’t care.

This won’t change until drastic measures are taken with management and whatever the root of the problem is (Bochy, CY, etc).

I think Bochy has worn out his welcome and I know he won't be back next season.

The question is does CY pull the trigger sooner knowing this is the best starting staff in Ranger history.

CY has to be considering it at this point. Team is playing poorly and something is amiss in the clubhouse.

 

[WastinSomeTime]

Chris Martin had more popping sounds when warming up tonight.

Back on the DL.

 

[Kelleyman]

What’s the deal with the Rangers pitchers covering 1B.

Smith was positioned wrong as well. Shkuld never have gone after ball

García a LHP on delvery lands toward 3B

A lot went wrong on that play

Really Smith has no business playing 1B. They ask him to do too much

 

[Kelleyman]

Chris Martin had more popping sounds when warming up tonight.

I thought he was going to test it popping or not

 

[DTLUNA]

Will the Thrill convinced me. It is no coincidence that this much proven offensive talent just suddenly goes south. However, seems strange that the rotation has all gone north. Why? Pitchers knocking their butt off and hitters show little interest by their performance.

 

[scotsman#1948]

Unbelievable

not really we don't have a real bullpen so no matter how good the starters do they know that once it's turned over to the "pen" their chances of garnering a victory virtually disappears

 

[scotsman#1948]

Chris Martin had more popping sounds when warming up tonight.

he's done

 

[scotsman#1948]

Will the Thrill convinced me. It is no coincidence that this much proven offensive talent just suddenly goes south. However, seems strange that the rotation has all gone north. Why? Pitchers knocking their butt off and hitters show little interest by their performance.

and obviously management has shown no interest in their performances. i heard that supposedly at least one starter has voiced objections to the state of the pen and was told "just do your job and don't concern yourself with anything else"

 

[Duane1952]

Will the Thrill convinced me. It is no coincidence that this much proven offensive talent just suddenly goes south. However, seems strange that the rotation has all gone north. Why? Pitchers knocking their butt off and hitters show little interest by their performance.

I said awhile back that Bochy had lost the locker room or clubhouse, whatever you want to call it.

 

[fanman8825]

he's done

Another odd signing for 5.5 million given his age if 38 at the time. Thought he started wear his age a little last year with the Red Sox

 

[scotsman#1948]

Another odd signing for 5.5 million given his age if 38 at the time. Thought he started wear his age a little last year with the Red Sox

apparently, the Rangers will put him back on the IL and call up Curvelo. believe this is the end for Martin

 

[saddles]

Glad to see Curvelo getting a chance. He has pitched well this year. I remember some thought he had closer potential when the Rangers acquired him.

 

[saddles]

From MLBTR:

So far in 2025, Curvelo has continued down that impressive trajectory. In his first crack at the Triple-A level, the 6’1″ righty has logged 22 innings with a pristine 1.64 earned run average, a 26.9% strikeout rate and a 7.5% walk rate. He’s been an extreme fly-ball pitcher in the past but is currently carrying a better-than-average 44.6% ground-ball rate. Curvelo is averaging 95.5 mph on his four-seamer and 95.0 mph on a sinker this year, but he’s thrown his 84.2 mph slider at a nearly 55% clip — far and away the most frequently used offering in his three-pitch repertoire.

Prior to the 2025 season FanGraphs’ Eric Longenhagen credited Curvelo with a 70-grade slider (on the 20-80 scale) but a 45 fastball that “plays down” due to the right-hander’s sub-par command. Outside of a rough 2022 season in High-A, Curvelo has never had much trouble throwing strikes — but he’s struggled at times with his precision/command within the strike zone.