Texas Rangers 2021 Spring Training

[Nightcrawler]

Anyone who wanted Choo back this year is a complete and utter moron.

 

[saddles]

Levi Weaver at the Atletic discusses in his latest article which non-roster invitees have the most chance to make the roster coming out of spring training. He lists them in this order of liklihood:

Yang
Kennedy
Bush
DeShields
Culberson/Holt

 

[jta4437]

Levi Weaver at the Atletic discusses in his latest article which non-roster invitees have the most chance to make the roster coming out of spring training. He lists them in this order of liklihood:

Yang
Kennedy
Bush
DeShields
Culberson/Holt

I never mind taking a flyer on a reliever. 1) if they pitch well you can weasel a prospect out of someone 2) You keep the team from potentially converting and rushing a potential starter into a reliever to fill a gap in the bullpen

On the cost benefit side of things, its usually a good bet, and even if you choose to "pay" a reliever it's usually chump change

 

[saddles]

 

[saddles]

 

[scotsman1948]

Levi Weaver at the Atletic discusses in his latest article which non-roster invitees have the most chance to make the roster coming out of spring training. He lists them in this order of liklihood:

Yang
Kennedy
Bush
DeShields
Culberson/Holt

I can see Yang,Kennedy, Wood and Holt making the team

 

[Kelleyman]

Glad this guy is back on the beat. You can tell he cares and is very engaged

 

[scotsman1948]

Woodward’s ominous Odor comment

A recent comment from Chris Woodward about Rougned Odor seems to indicate the Rangers are prepared to cut him loose next month

www.lonestarball.com

if i read it correctly Woodward is implying that Odor will be released

 

[Duane1952]

Woodward’s ominous Odor comment

A recent comment from Chris Woodward about Rougned Odor seems to indicate the Rangers are prepared to cut him loose next month

www.lonestarball.com

if i read it correctly Woodward is implying that Odor will be released

We can only hope so.

 

[saddles]

Woodward’s ominous Odor comment

A recent comment from Chris Woodward about Rougned Odor seems to indicate the Rangers are prepared to cut him loose next month

www.lonestarball.com

if i read it correctly Woodward is implying that Odor will be released

'“Rougie, I can’t do that with. If he comes into camp and he’s only competing with Solak at second base, and he doesn’t win the job, it’s really hard to keep him on the roster if he can only play second base,” the manager said. “If we have 26 guys, a four-man bench, and one guy plays second base only … that lack of versatility or flexibility, for me, it doesn’t make sense. So that’s why we’re kind of asking Rougie to move around.”'

That is the way I was thinking late in the 2019 season. They seem to be a year late with this, at least, but if they are serious, then kudos to management.

 

[donaldson79]

This from CBS Sports on breakout players by each team, and who they predicted for the Rangers.

Rangers

Nick Solak: Solak finished last season with a 90.4 percent in-zone contact rate and an 89.9-mph exit velocity. If you can find it in your heart to round up his exit velocity to 90 mph, then he was one of five hitters (minimum 100 plate appearances) in the 90/90 club, joining Mookie Betts, DJ LeMahieu, Anthony Rendon and Robinson Cano. Making contact nearly every time you swing, and hitting the ball hard in the process, is an almost foolproof way to excel at baseball. Who knew? Solak is still dogged by positional questions, but his bat is above reproach. He's going to hit, and hit a lot.

 

[jta4437]

This from CBS Sports on breakout players by each team, and who they predicted for the Rangers.

Rangers

Nick Solak: Solak finished last season with a 90.4 percent in-zone contact rate and an 89.9-mph exit velocity. If you can find it in your heart to round up his exit velocity to 90 mph, then he was one of five hitters (minimum 100 plate appearances) in the 90/90 club, joining Mookie Betts, DJ LeMahieu, Anthony Rendon and Robinson Cano. Making contact nearly every time you swing, and hitting the ball hard in the process, is an almost foolproof way to excel at baseball. Who knew? Solak is still dogged by positional questions, but his bat is above reproach. He's going to hit, and hit a lot.

I find it interesting that 3 of the 5 are at 2B, even though Solak spent a lot of time in the OF last year

 

[saddles]

Gallo with a first inning HR.

 

[saddles]

Apparently, Luis Ortiz has been turning some heads early on.

 

[saddles]

 

[saddles]

 

[saddles]

Guzmán debuts new swing, mentality

SURPRISE, Ariz. -- Ronald Guzmán had a batting cage installed in his backyard in the offseason, hoping to take his offensive skills to the next level. He wasn’t positive he would be back with the Rangers in 2021, so he wanted to better his game both mentally and physically. Guzmán

www.mlb.com

"Daniels compared Guzmán to Nelson Cruz, who was also designated for assignment at the beginning of the 2008 season. Cruz ultimately cleared waivers and became a key part of Rangers teams in the following years."

"Guzmán said Cruz was a key part of his development. Guzmán and Cruz have worked out together and Cruz mentored him on how to develop his swing. The two didn’t get to work out together this offseason, but Guzmán would recall conversations he had with Cruz over the years to improve going into this season."

 

[saddles]

Wendzel at SS today.

 

[Nightcrawler]

Return of the big stink......in cleanup?

 

[saddles]

These pitchers throw like top aces

www.mlb.com

Who throws ... Dustin May's sinker?​

Jonathan Hernández, Rangers
Domingo Tapia, Mariners
Miguel Castro, Mets
Walker Buehler, Dodgers
Alex Reyes, Cardinals

The sinker least like May's: Tyler Rogers, Giants

May's ridiculous power sinker, which famously made Manny Machado look like this last August, would seem to be in a class by itself. But what if we told you that his was 97.9 mph, with 98% active spin, 20.8 inches of total movement, delivered 5.4 feet above the ground ... and Hernández threw his at 97.7 mph, with 99% active spin, 20.3 inches of total movement, delivered 5.5 feet above the ground? You'd want to learn more about that pitch, right?

The 24-year-old Hernández was named "Rangers Rookie of the Year" by local media last season, when he led the Majors with 31 relief innings. We noticed, entertainingly in retrospect, that prior to 2020, Ben Clemens at FanGraphs wrote about Hernández' sinker with the title "You’ve Never Heard of Jonathan Hernández, but Maybe You Should Have." Like May, the sinker is the main event, but it's not his out pitch. Hernández got misses on 17.7% of swings on his sinker over the past two seasons, but a 47.1% on his slider and changeup. The fear of 98 with movement surely has a little to do with that.