Texas Rangers 2019-2020 Offseason Thread

[saddles]

More changes.

 

[DT LUNA]

More changes.

 

[WastinSomeTime]

Yeah, really. Thanks TR.

 

[WastinSomeTime]

By the way DT thanks for your service as this day is for you and others like you including my dad and brother-in-law who both passed away 7 1/2 years ago. My brother-in-law was a country bumpkin sent to Vietnam. Had never been anywhere else outside of the Abilene, Texas area. What a jolt for him. He passed away from Agent Orange. When I heard that I was like I have not heard that in a long, long time. I didn't know that those who served in Vietnam were still dying from that.

 

[DT LUNA]

By the way DT thanks for your service as this day is for you and others like you including my dad and brother-in-law who both passed away 7 1/2 years ago. My brother-in-law was a country bumpkin sent to Vietnam. Had never been anywhere else outside of the Abilene, Texas area. What a jolt for him. He passed away from Agent Orange. When I heard that I was like I have not heard that in a long, long time. I didn't know that those who served in Vietnam were still dying from that.

Thank you Wasting. It's been fifty years since I left to go over seas. I now think of our vets dying from AO. What a waste. Price that has to be made and why I too thank my brothers and sisters for their service today and always.

 

[saddles]

Thank you Wasting. It's been fifty years since I left to go over seas. I now think of our vets dying from AO. What a waste. Price that has to be made and why I too thank my brothers and sisters for their service today and always.

Yes, thank you very much DT.

 

[saddles]

Than you to any other veterans on the board as well.

 

[DT LUNA]

Yes, thank you very much DT.

You are welcome

 

[Kelleyman]

If ranking 7th in WAR for position players in MLB is a down year... then he's pretty damn good

Errr. Yes pretty good for a down year. Made me check after throwing it out

 

[saddles]

The Rangers are willing to play the free agency game. Now comes the hard part: winning it.

Daniels has made it clear since the season ended that he expected the Rangers would increase their payroll, which was about $130 million in 2019, but didn’t indicate by how much. On Monday, by saying the Rangers were prepared to investigate the top of the market, he seemed to imply an increase of $30 million or more would not be out of the question. It would take as much to land one of the premier free agents.

To that end, the Rangers have been in touch with just about everybody on the just-opened free agent market. Yes, that includes the likes of both ace Gerrit Cole and third baseman Anthony Rendon, two sources said. Both are conveniently repped by agent Scott Boras. He also has other top-tier free agents, including pitchers Stephen Strasburg and Hyun-Jin Ryu and third baseman Mike Moustakas.

The first thing the Rangers must determine is how willing they are to dive into Cole and/or Rendon. Both are liable to require investments of seven or more years and $200 million or more.

And they might not stop there. Daniels said adding a top-tier free agent would “not necessarily” keep the Rangers from filling other needs with significant free agents.

“We’re going to sort through what’s best for us,” he said. “We’ve got an idea of where we’d like to go.”

It’s a dramatic change from the recent past.

 

[saddles]

More from the above article.

The next step: Convincing somebody to take a lot of money. Not as easy as it sounds. The question is what do the Rangers have to sell. Back in 2010, during the pursuit of Adrian Beltre, the Rangers were coming off a World Series and had a young core under control. After 2013, when the Rangers pursued Choo, they did so with four consecutive 90-win seasons on the resume.

Now, they’ve got to sell guys on a new ballpark, which is going to be nice and comfortable, and a vision. For guys like Cole, who came so close a world championship this year, and third baseman Josh Donaldson, who is going into his age 34 season without having been to a World Series, it will be a much tougher sell.

 

[saddles]

https://www.star-telegram.com/sports/mlb/texas-rangers/article237261674.html

General manager Jon Daniels has said that the Rangers will have the money to go after the top free agents, but did he have the financial rug swept from under him as he headed to the annual GM meetings in Scottsdale, Arizona?


“Our budget has not changed in quite some time,” Daniels said Monday. “We’re going to have the resources to get back into the games that we sat out the last couple years. It just depends on if we determine if now is the time to do it.”

It could be, and the top names on the market are at need positions for the Rangers — third base, starting rotation, first base and catcher. The Rangers have looked ahead, when players like Francisco Lindor, Kris Bryant and Trevor Bauer can become free agents, to see if it’s wiser to make a splash in subsequent off-seasons.


The Rangers might go that route if some of their targets come off the board.


But free agency isn’t the only way for the Rangers to add help where they could use it, and one goal for Daniels this week is to feel out other GMs to see if they might be a good trading partner.




A trade might put less money on the books, while potentially costing the Rangers some prospects. They also have a surplus of lefty-hitting corner outfielders, with Nomar Mazara thought to be the one who will be shopped.


As for the ballpark, it should be a nice tool this off-season to help sell the Rangers to free agents, but Daniels suggested that Globe Life Field could have more of an impact next off-season.


The club expects the new ballpark will create more revenue, giving the Rangers more money to spend in free agency after this season, and it might take a season for word to spread throughout baseball at how nice the new player amenities are.


Of course, money and the chance to win will always be the top recruiting tools. The Rangers are going to have more of it, no matter how over budget the new ballpark ends up being.


“I do think it makes us more attractive,” Daniels said. “I think it’s a clear symbol of ownership’s commitment to win.”

 

[saddles]

This one is especially for Crawler!

 

[saddles]

 

[DT LUNA]

More from the above article.

The next step: Convincing somebody to take a lot of money. Not as easy as it sounds. The question is what do the Rangers have to sell. Back in 2010, during the pursuit of Adrian Beltre, the Rangers were coming off a World Series and had a young core under control. After 2013, when the Rangers pursued Choo, they did so with four consecutive 90-win seasons on the resume.

Now, they’ve got to sell guys on a new ballpark, which is going to be nice and comfortable, and a vision. For guys like Cole, who came so close a world championship this year, and third baseman Josh Donaldson, who is going into his age 34 season without having been to a World Series, it will be a much tougher sell.

What does he mean by dramatic change?

 

[saddles]

MLB Top 29 Free Agent Predictions

Another one that says we sign Zack Wheeler, he of the 4.70 ERA and 1.48 WHIP against the AL in his career. That would be a terrible signing.

 

[saddles]

What does he mean by dramatic change?

Going after top tier free agents and being willing to sign other significant free agents even if they sign a tip tier guy.

Years ago, I got lambasted on one of these boards for suggesting that JD tells the truth when he speaks about how much money they will spend. That always proved to be the case and that bodes well for this offseason. I will take him at his word again.

 

[DT LUNA]

Going after top tier free agents and being willing to sign other significant free agents even if they sign a tip tier guy.

Years ago, I got lambasted on one of these boards for suggesting that JD tells the truth when he speaks about how much money they will spend. That always proved to be the case and that bodes well for this offseason. I will take him at his word again.

Should start hearing things soon

 

[donaldson79]

are we going to make the same mistake with Guzman that we have made with odor? And Mazara?

this particular international crop, or group if you will has been disappointing to say the least. I wish we could flush these guys and start over.

for example, Juan Soto is 21 years old and he’s already produced a higher WAR or better stats than Mazara and odor COMBINED, in much less time and AB’s.

You want to compare Maz & Guzman with perhaps the most exciting rookie since Mike Trout?

And you're serious aren't you?

 

[DT LUNA]

You want to compare Maz & Guzman with perhaps the most exciting rookie since Mike Trout?

And you're serious aren't you?

Never know what the boy will put in his water next. lol