Texas Rangers 2018-2019 Offseason Thread

[saddles]

 

[Kelleyman]

May have MILB deal in place for Bush with MLB kick in once he returns to the bigs. Maybe true for Sampson as well for AAA depth

 

[Kelleyman]

SR Bush throws out First Pitch about 30 years ago. Bush family good for baseball Will be missed. RIP

 

[saddles]

 

[saddles]

The 27-year-old southpaw has pitched for the Lions since 2011, when he was 20. This season, Kikuchi went 14-4 with a 3.08 ERA in 23 starts, with 153 strikeouts in 163 2/3 innings. He spent time on the disabled list with left shoulder stiffness, and has dealt with shoulder issues over his career.

In eight years pitching in NPB, Kikuchi has gone 73-46 with a 2.77 ERA in 158 games (153 starts), totaling 903 strikeouts in 1,010 2/3 innings. He's been especially impressive over the last three seasons. From 2016-18, Kikuchi went 42-17 with a 2.51 ERA in 71 starts, with 497 strikeouts in 494 1/3 innings.

Before beginning his professional career, Kikuchi pitched for the same high school as two-way Angels star Shohei Ohtani -- Hanamaki Higashi High School. He considered joining MLB immediately out of high school in 2009, but he decided to stay in Japan.

What's his scouting report?
Kikuchi's fastball averages around 92-94 mph, and he can reach 96-98 mph at times. That's not only unusual velocity among NPB left-handers, it's also above-average for the Major Leagues. In 2018, the average fastball velocity among left-handed MLB starters was 91.4 mph.

Kikuchi's main secondary pitch is a slider. Along with his fastball-slider combination, he also mixes in a curveball and changeup.

As MLB.com's Jon Paul Morosi reported this past summer, multiple MLB scouts believe that Kikuchi has the ceiling of a No. 2 starter in the Major Leagues. He doesn't have the superstar expectations that countrymen like Ohtani, Yu Darvish and Masahiro Tanakacarried, but he could slot into the middle of an MLB rotation.

 

[saddles]

I would be very careful about signing Kikuchi.

 

[Kelleyman]

I would be very careful about signing Kikuchi.

Shoulder issues trigger this? I will probably check out some video

 

[saddles]

Shoulder issues trigger this? I will probably check out some video

Yes, I would want to have him checked out thoroughly. Maybe give an option of opting out of part of the contract if he doesn't meet minimum inning requirements.

 

[saddles]

Rangers rebuilding bullpen this offseason

 

[saddles]

He was a big disappointment.

 

[Duane1952]

Rangers rebuilding bullpen this offseason

I don't know if I would call signing Chavez a big step to building the bullpen.

 

[Kelleyman]

I don't know if I would call signing Chavez a big step to building the bullpen.

More like shoring up. Younger guys make it a build IMO

 

[scotsman1948]

was reading BR and they suggested Leclerc for Johan Camargo. they also suggested Profar to the Cubs

 

[saddles]

was reading BR and they suggested Leclerc for Johan Camargo. they also suggested Profar to the Cubs

Don't you think Carmargo would take more than Leclerc?

 

[scotsman1948]

Don't you think Carmargo would take more than Leclerc?

i would think so. I was only stating what BR was saying

 

[scotsman1948]

i also saw a series of trades that the writers on the Nolan Writin' site thought out during the Thanksgiving week:

1. Nomar Mazara & Jose Leclerc to Tampa Bay for Matt Duffy 3B, Guillermo Heredia OF & Shane McClanahan LHP

2. Joey Gallo & Hans Crouse to San Francisco for Chris Stratton RHP, Mac Williamson OF & Hunter Strickland RHP

3. Delino Deshields Jr to Seattle for Ryon Healy 1B/3B

4. Joe Palumbo LHP, Kyle Cody RHP, Yohander Mendez LHP & Jose Trevino C to Washington nationals for Tanner Roark RHP & Michael A. Taylor CF

5. Jurickson Profar to Arizona for T.J. McFarland LHP & Kevin Cron 1B

not crazy about any of them but it is interesting how their minds work

 

[saddles]

 

[saddles]

i also saw a series of trades that the writers on the Nolan Writin' site thought out during the Thanksgiving week:

1. Nomar Mazara & Jose Leclerc to Tampa Bay for Matt Duffy 3B, Guillermo Heredia OF & Shane McClanahan LHP

2. Joey Gallo & Hans Crouse to San Francisco for Chris Stratton RHP, Mac Williamson OF & Hunter Strickland RHP

3. Delino Deshields Jr to Seattle for Ryon Healy 1B/3B

4. Joe Palumbo LHP, Kyle Cody RHP, Yohander Mendez LHP & Jose Trevino C to Washington nationals for Tanner Roark RHP & Michael A. Taylor CF

5. Jurickson Profar to Arizona for T.J. McFarland LHP & Kevin Cron 1B

not crazy about any of them but it is interesting how their minds work

I think that site is just some fan with a website. He has some pretty off-the-wall ideas sometimes.

 

[saddles]

71 more days.

 

[scotsman1948]

I think that site is just some fan with a website. He has some pretty off-the-wall ideas sometimes.

but I did say they were crazy