Texas Rangers 2019-2020 Offseason Thread

[saddles]

SMH

"Have to be able to manage in the postseason"

Lol

 

[saddles]

The Phillies have fired Kapler.

 

[WastinSomeTime]

Starling Marte trade: The Texas organization can run Joey Gallo up the middle, which is quite a nice luxury, but probably prefers to limit the wear and tear to their star slugger. Better to plant him in a corner and install a regular center fielder. Delino DeShields Jr. isn’t that. With Willie Calhoun also an option in a corner, the Texas org could (but would not necessarily need to) utilize Nomar Mazara in this or another trade.

Their other option is if Guzman was not to get it going offensively which is too early to be sure of then Gallo could play 1B to limit the wear and tear if that is what they are worried about. But I would hope he is not that fragile. I think he is a really decent OFer.

 

[WastinSomeTime]

The Phillies have fired Kapler.

I guess the honeymoon is over in Philly.

 

[scotsman1948]

Their other option is if Guzman was not to get it going offensively which is too early to be sure of then Gallo could play 1B to limit the wear and tear if that is what they are worried about. But I would hope he is not that fragile. I think he is a really decent OFer.

didn't Gallo openly comment that he didn't want to play 3rd or 1st?

 

[DT LUNA]

Their other option is if Guzman was not to get it going offensively which is too early to be sure of then Gallo could play 1B to limit the wear and tear if that is what they are worried about. But I would hope he is not that fragile. I think he is a really decent OFer.

I agree. He has proven that when he played Cf. He has the arm of a cannon and RF is a perfect fit.

 

[scotsman1948]

Their other option is if Guzman was not to get it going offensively which is too early to be sure of then Gallo could play 1B to limit the wear and tear if that is what they are worried about. But I would hope he is not that fragile. I think he is a really decent OFer.

I could envision an outfield of Calhoun, Marte & Gallo easily

 

[saddles]

didn't Gallo openly comment that he didn't want to play 3rd or 1st?

He made a comment about 3B, but I can't recall him saying anything about 1B. Even his comment about 3B wasn't strong enough that he would refuse to play there if that is what the team needed.

 

[jta4437]

I don’t like the team because of their fans. Astro fans are insufferable haters and the city of Houston hates the cowboys for no reason. We aren’t rivals and play in the opposite conference.

I have to agree for once, not totally but in general

 

[jta4437]

I don't ever recall seeing post season baseball so full of teams I either despise, could care less, or downright hate! There isn't one single team which I'm cheering for. All my energy is cheering against and that's no way to enjoy baseball; any other sport for that matter.

Thus, I won't be watching much ball, just checking the box scores.

I'm rooting for Tampa Bay, I like their organization and the way its run and scouted, their fans sucks and their stadium sucks, but its a well run organization despite the reluctance to spend money on players

 

[WastinSomeTime]

I'm rooting for Tampa Bay, I like their organization and the way its run and scouted, their fans sucks and their stadium sucks, but its a well run organization despite the reluctance to spend money on players

I am with you on pulling for Tampa Bay. They do a great job of producing pitchers, they seem to really like playing together and I like Cash as their manager as seems to be even keeled. You are right about the fans and the stadium as well. Probably a lot of retired people there who are too busy with bocce ball and pickle ball. HA! That is coming from a person who should be retired but isn't.

 

[Kelleyman]

"Have to be able to manage in the postseason"

Lol

Did you approve of the use of his pen?

BTW. Good one

 

[Kelleyman]

Roberts made a series of moves that set his pitchers up to fail, his team flailing toward the offseason and the fans wanting to puke.

For reasons that will never be clear, Roberts left the left-handed Kershaw in the game in the eighth inning to face Anthony Rendon, one of the game’s best hitters, then Juan Soto, another one of the game’s best hitters, even though Kenta Maeda and Adam Kolarek were both presumably alive and able to pitch to those guys with a much better chance of setting them down. Apparently, Roberts has not yet seen Kershaw implode in the playoffs enough when asked to do too much.

 

[saddles]

 

[saddles]

Rangers fans hoping Solak can unseat Odor in 2020. There appears to be an path to do so

Pro tip: If you want to make Texas Rangers fans mad, tell them that Rougned Odor will be the starting second baseman next season and Nick Solak will start the season in the minor leagues.

Pro tip II: Immediately duck for cover.

Nothing this season, and perhaps as many as the past three seasons, has irritated a Rangers fan more than seeing Odor’s name and his sub-.210 average in the lineup. And just when it looks like a suitable replacement has been found, Odor has the support of the manager and a massive contract on his side.

So where does that leave the suitable replacement, Solak?

Maybe it’s not as hopeless as it might look.

General manager Jon Daniels said late in September that Odor must be better in 2020 and that a big contract won’t dictate who will receive the lion’s share of the playing time.

Manager Chris Woodward, Odor’s staunchest ally, said in the final days of the season that things Odor did to reel in a strong September must be replicated during his off-season work and in spring training.

History says that won’t happen.

Odor has started off ice cold each of the past three seasons, and only once did he recover. That was in 2018, when he batted .253, posted a career-high .326 on-base percentage and was a 2.7 WAR thanks largely to improvements defensively.

But he batted only .203 and finished with a -0.4 WAR in 2017, and batting only .205 in 2019 and with a -0.3 WAR. He hit a combined 63 home runs in those seasons, with 30 of them coming in 2019, but managed to register an OPS of only .649 in 2017 and .721 this season.

It took a .984 OPS in September, the most difficult month to get a true evaluation of players, for Odor to get above .700.

Solak, meanwhile, finished his first taste of the majors with an .844 OPS. He hit for average (.293), reached base (.393) and hit for power (.491 slugging percentage).

He did so essentially as an everyday player bouncing between second base, third base and designated hitter.

Woodward called Solak, who retained his rookie status, the Rangers’ best player from his MLB debut Aug. 20 through mid-September. Even when Solak stumbled some in September, he still managed to hit for a higher average and reach base more often than Odor.

Solak’s success is based in his approach. He understands the strike zone and doesn’t stray from it often. If he gets a good pitch, he usually puts his A swing on it.

He saw his power numbers climb this season, though he was hardly alone in the year of the home run. He launched 27 home runs at Triple A and five more with the Rangers after hitting only 19 in 2018 in Double A.

It’s not unusual for hitters to develop power as they climb through the minor leagues.

That happened with Odor.

But what will happen with him over the next sixth months will dictate where Solak opens next season and if he can unseat Odor at second base.

 

[saddles]

The problem with Jeff Wilson's scenario where Solak unseats Odor mid-season, is what do the Rangers do with Odor at that point? Do they go a man short in the pen to keep a backup 2B on the roster when he cannot play another position?

 

[DT LUNA]

The problem with Jeff Wilson's scenario where Solak unseats Odor mid-season, is what do the Rangers do with Odor at that point? Do they go a man short in the pen to keep a backup 2B on the roster when he cannot play another position?

He and Choo have been blocking better players to long. Do what is necessary to clean up the mess and start a new direction to the play offs once more.

 

[Kelleyman]

 

[Kelleyman]

Re Odor one extra roster spot next year. Up to 26

 

[saddles]

Re Odor one extra roster spot next year. Up to 26

I doubt most teams would see any wisdom in rostering a player who can only backup one position, except catcher, even if the rosters went to 27. Most will probably add one more bullpen piece.