Texas Rangers 2019-2020 Offseason Thread

[saddles]

Do that give out rings for short term incremental improvement now?

 

[Kelleyman]

Joey Gallo Swung Less, Except When it Was Good to Swing More

I thought this was good article. Joey needs to swing but make sure he is recognizing pitches and they are in the zone. Let’s hope he can keep improving incrementally

 

[Kelleyman]

29 game packages took a jump in price. May do that again but not likely this year

 

[Kelleyman]

Baseball season sees football in its rear view mirror.
Bring on the great game

 

[Nightcrawler]

Baseball season sees football in its rear view mirror.
Bring on the great game

I like the saying under your screen name.

I wish it were true.

 

[saddles]

Baseball season sees football in its rear view mirror.
Bring on the great game

 

[Uncle Siggy]

I thought this was good article. Joey needs to swing but make sure he is recognizing pitches and they are in the zone. Let’s hope he can keep improving incrementally

Since he came into the league the strike zone has went crazy and its understandable that he and other batters have had a hard time with zone recognition. It has expanded considerably in the lower part of the zone which helps shorter guys more than taller guys. Here are a few articles with links to others that you might like.

The 2016 Strike Zone

Are The Umpires At It Again?

The Strike Zone Time Travel Test: How Much of Baseball’s Anemic Offense Really Stems From the Swollen Zone?

 

[WastinSomeTime]

Since he came into the league the strike zone has went crazy and its understandable that he and other batters have had a hard time with zone recognition. It has expanded considerably in the lower part of the zone which helps shorter guys more than taller guys. Here are a few articles with links to others that you might like.

The 2016 Strike Zone

Are The Umpires At It Again?

The Strike Zone Time Travel Test: How Much of Baseball’s Anemic Offense Really Stems From the Swollen Zone?

Didn't read the article so it may have mentioned it but the obvious issue to me is calling pitches off the plate a strike especially to left handed hitters. And many are not even close to being a strike.

 

[saddles]

https://www.star-telegram.com/sports/mlb/texas-rangers/article239775353.html

Odor, on the cusp of what could be a make-or-break season, chose to do his off-season training in Miami. Rangers personnel has had to come to him for winter checkups, and he was not a participant at the off-season mini-camp last month.

That feels ... wrong. Right?

Those who matter, general manager Jon Daniels and manager Chris Woodward, say it isn’t a big deal that their biggest problem is out of sight. Odor, they said, is working the same facility where Miguel Cabrera, Salvador Perez and J.D. Martinez have worked in the past.

Jose Vazquez, the Rangers’ strength and conditioning coach, and Callix Crabbe, the assistant hitting coach, have traveled to Miami to check in with Odor at Bommarito Performance. They have returned with positive feedback.

Everyone is on the same page, even the famed trainer who doesn’t work for the organization but is training the organization’s biggest lineup headache.

That’s the evidence at hand, in addition to frank conversations the Rangers had last season with Odor. They told him he needs to earn his job this spring after a season in which he hit 30 home runs but batted only .205 and was a -0.3 WAR player.

If he doesn’t improve he might not be just a second baseman anymore. The Rangers could turn to Matt Duffy to play second regularly or possibly Isiah-Kiner Falefa or Nick Solak, and Odor would become more of a utility player.

For his part, Odor has told key club officials that his performance had been weighing on him heavily. He was embarrassed. Daniels disclosed that Jan. 25 during a Q&A session during the Comerica Peek at the Park.

Maybe what the Rangers were offering locally wasn’t working for Odor.

Maybe he hit rock bottom last season.

Maybe that’s what it will take for him to listen to the Rangers as they hope he can be the player he was in 2016.

But maybe it would have been nice for them to see his progress for themselves this off-season.

 

[DT LUNA]

https://www.star-telegram.com/sports/mlb/texas-rangers/article239775353.html

Odor, on the cusp of what could be a make-or-break season, chose to do his off-season training in Miami. Rangers personnel has had to come to him for winter checkups, and he was not a participant at the off-season mini-camp last month.

That feels ... wrong. Right?

Those who matter, general manager Jon Daniels and manager Chris Woodward, say it isn’t a big deal that their biggest problem is out of sight. Odor, they said, is working the same facility where Miguel Cabrera, Salvador Perez and J.D. Martinez have worked in the past.

Jose Vazquez, the Rangers’ strength and conditioning coach, and Callix Crabbe, the assistant hitting coach, have traveled to Miami to check in with Odor at Bommarito Performance. They have returned with positive feedback.

Everyone is on the same page, even the famed trainer who doesn’t work for the organization but is training the organization’s biggest lineup headache.

That’s the evidence at hand, in addition to frank conversations the Rangers had last season with Odor. They told him he needs to earn his job this spring after a season in which he hit 30 home runs but batted only .205 and was a -0.3 WAR player.

If he doesn’t improve he might not be just a second baseman anymore. The Rangers could turn to Matt Duffy to play second regularly or possibly Isiah-Kiner Falefa or Nick Solak, and Odor would become more of a utility player.

For his part, Odor has told key club officials that his performance had been weighing on him heavily. He was embarrassed. Daniels disclosed that Jan. 25 during a Q&A session during the Comerica Peek at the Park.

Maybe what the Rangers were offering locally wasn’t working for Odor.

Maybe he hit rock bottom last season.

Maybe that’s what it will take for him to listen to the Rangers as they hope he can be the player he was in 2016.

But maybe it would have been nice for them to see his progress for themselves this off-season.

Seeing is believing. I hope he comes around but have little hope that he will.

 

[saddles]

Seeing is believing. I hope he comes around but have little hope that he will.

He had a great ST last year, so him doing so again would not surprise me.

 

[DT LUNA]

He had a great ST last year, so him doing so again would not surprise me.

And he still hit .205 and played awful so I would not be surprised if he does again.

 

[Nightcrawler]

https://www.star-telegram.com/sports/mlb/texas-rangers/article239775353.html

Odor, on the cusp of what could be a make-or-break season, chose to do his off-season training in Miami. Rangers personnel has had to come to him for winter checkups, and he was not a participant at the off-season mini-camp last month.

That feels ... wrong. Right?

Those who matter, general manager Jon Daniels and manager Chris Woodward, say it isn’t a big deal that their biggest problem is out of sight. Odor, they said, is working the same facility where Miguel Cabrera, Salvador Perez and J.D. Martinez have worked in the past.

Jose Vazquez, the Rangers’ strength and conditioning coach, and Callix Crabbe, the assistant hitting coach, have traveled to Miami to check in with Odor at Bommarito Performance. They have returned with positive feedback.

Everyone is on the same page, even the famed trainer who doesn’t work for the organization but is training the organization’s biggest lineup headache.

That’s the evidence at hand, in addition to frank conversations the Rangers had last season with Odor. They told him he needs to earn his job this spring after a season in which he hit 30 home runs but batted only .205 and was a -0.3 WAR player.

If he doesn’t improve he might not be just a second baseman anymore. The Rangers could turn to Matt Duffy to play second regularly or possibly Isiah-Kiner Falefa or Nick Solak, and Odor would become more of a utility player.

For his part, Odor has told key club officials that his performance had been weighing on him heavily. He was embarrassed. Daniels disclosed that Jan. 25 during a Q&A session during the Comerica Peek at the Park.

Maybe what the Rangers were offering locally wasn’t working for Odor.

Maybe he hit rock bottom last season.

Maybe that’s what it will take for him to listen to the Rangers as they hope he can be the player he was in 2016.

But maybe it would have been nice for them to see his progress for themselves this off-season.

I can’t be the only ranger fan in the universe sick of this guy. We gave him an ill advised early extension. We actually jettisoned all of his possible competitors. We made it clear to him that it’s his spot.

all he’s done since then is shit the bed and get outplayed by the guys we sent elsewhere across the league. For instance, Hanser Alberto had a much better year than odor last year and he’s always been a better fielder than odor. More versatile too.

quite frankly, I’m surprised that no effort was made to move him or bring in a guy to compete with him. Then again, after Santana thoroughly outplayed him last year and still didn’t start, it tells me that this organization is unbearably stubborn and hard headed. You can’t keep doing the same thing, the same exact way, over and over again, and expect different results.

This guy just looks lost when we are facing middle to upper tier MLB pitching. He can hit the junk ballers from bad teams but that’s about it I guess.

 

[WastinSomeTime]

He had a great ST last year, so him doing so again would not surprise me.

Some positives is that he has been told he has to earn his position. Than he is embarrassed by his performance and admitted it. In anything where a person needs help they need to admit they have a problem first. And he is trying to do something about it at a place with a history of good results. So based on that if he crashes and burns then he is done. Otherwise we have the Odor who made a positive impact his 1st 3 years in the league.

 

[DT LUNA]

Some positives is that he has been told he has to earn his position. Than he is embarrassed by his performance and admitted it. In anything where a person needs help they need to admit they have a problem first. And he is trying to do something about it at a place with a history of good results. So based on that if he crashes and burns then he is done. Otherwise we have the Odor who made a positive impact his 1st 3 years in the league.

You are absolutely right on the points you make. However whether he crashes and burns is yet to be seen. To many opportunities have come and gone.

 

[Uncle Siggy]

If he doesn’t improve he might not be just a second baseman anymore. The Rangers could turn to Matt Duffy to play second regularly or possibly Isiah-Kiner Falefa or Nick Solak, and Odor would become more of a utility player.

Maybe having to field and bat is too much for him mentally maybe DH only might help (I know we already have at least 3 of them)

 

[saddles]

Some positives is that he has been told he has to earn his position. Than he is embarrassed by his performance and admitted it. In anything where a person needs help they need to admit they have a problem first. And he is trying to do something about it at a place with a history of good results. So based on that if he crashes and burns then he is done. Otherwise we have the Odor who made a positive impact his 1st 3 years in the league.

I don't really foresee a scenario where he is done. I think even if he has a 8 week period where he is awful and Solak or Santana gets the position that he isn't necessarily done. Even after that, I think the first sign of a slump from whoever replaces him, means Odor goes back into the lineup until he once again has a 6 to 8 week slump. He is going to have one or two good stretches and that will earn him another life each time he does. Meanwhile, his potential replacement is going to go cold due to very infrequent play.

The best we can hope for is the miracle that he actually rights his own ship.

 

[WastinSomeTime]

I don't really foresee a scenario where he is done. I think even if he has a 8 week period where he is awful and Solak or Santana gets the position that he isn't necessarily done. Even after that, I think the first sign of a slump from whoever replaces him, means Odor goes back into the lineup until he once again has a 6 to 8 week slump. He is going to have one or two good stretches and that will earn him another life each time he does. Meanwhile, his potential replacement is going to go cold due to very infrequent play.

The best we can hope for is the miracle that he actually rights his own ship.

I can understand you thinking that way. But it is possible that they have given him ample time to right himself that if it doesn't get any better they realize it is a lost cause and it is time to do something different. Or we can hope. I also hope Woody has power to do what needs to be done to make that move. If he hits like he did last year again this year I just think they will have to do something based on the article.

 

[DT LUNA]

I don't really foresee a scenario where he is done. I think even if he has a 8 week period where he is awful and Solak or Santana gets the position that he isn't necessarily done. Even after that, I think the first sign of a slump from whoever replaces him, means Odor goes back into the lineup until he once again has a 6 to 8 week slump. He is going to have one or two good stretches and that will earn him another life each time he does. Meanwhile, his potential replacement is going to go cold due to very infrequent play.

The best we can hope for is the miracle that he actually rights his own ship.

Well said Bennie. Best to be positive

 

[saddles]

One of my all time favorite Rangers.