Texas Rangers 2024-2025 Offseason Thread

[scotsman#1948]

well that was good news. they DFA'ed Grant Anderson

 

[saddles]

well that was good news. they DFA'ed Grant Anderson

I imagine he will pass through waivers and we will sign him to a minor league deal.

 

[saddles]

From Stefan Stevenson:

"They've been on a nice little run and it's coming to an end." -- Joc Pederson on the #Astros 8-year playoff run in the AL West.

 

[saddles]

From Evan Grant:

Petersons deal has a mutual option for a third year and includes an opt out after the first year.

 

[Kelleyman]

Lenny Randle infamous Ranger gone
RIP. Per Spokane Indians site

 

[Nightcrawler]

From Stefan Stevenson:

"They've been on a nice little run and it's coming to an end." -- Joc Pederson on the #Astros 8-year playoff run in the AL West.

I like him already.

 

[Kelleyman]

Nice little run. Astros Twitter has noticed

 

[DT LUNA]

I imagine he will pass through waivers and we will sign him to a minor league deal.

Why would they want to do that?

 

[saddles]

Why would they want to do that?

They see him as more important than we do. That is why he hasn't been DFAed until now.

They want depth and that includes guys who are not on the 40-man roster. Hopefully we have enough minor league relierer prospects who do well that they never see a need to bring him up.

 

[saddles]

From Bob Nightengale:

There were 20 teams who reached out to Japanese star Roki Sasaki, according to agent Joel Wolfe, with recruiting films, clips and books

From Chris Cotillo:

About 20 teams sent initial pitches to Sasaki. Only a few got in-person meetings, all under 2 hours at the Wasserman office in LA. Wolfe says it's possible he visits a couple cities before deciding. Decision between 1/15-1/23.

 

[saddles]

From Bob Nightengale:

Roki Sasaki requested that no team include any of their own players in the recruiting visits.

 

[saddles]

From Jeff Wilson:

Roki Sasaki is in Japan meeting with his family and advisers, agent Joel Wolfe said, and there is no clear timeline of when the second round of meetings will begin.

 

[saddles]

From Evan Grant, about the Joel Wolfe Press Conference about Roki Sasaki:

He said he does not as of this moment see Sasaki signing on Jan. 15 as soon as int'l signing period opens. He said it would likely be somewhere in the window between the 15th and his 45-day deadline. But, I imagine, that could put a hold on some int'l FA activity for teams in mix

 

[saddles]

From Bob Nightengale:

Agent Joel Wolfe on why Roki Sasaki wants to come to MLB now, sacrificing at least $200 million instead of waiting two years: ‘He's a guy that wants to be great. He's not coming here just to be rich.
‘He wants to be one of the greatest, ever.’

 

[saddles]

Let's have some fun and predict what day Sasaki will sign. It will be between the 15th and the 23rd. I will say January 20.

 

[saddles]

From Jeff Wilson:

“Roki is not a finished product,” Wolfe said of a pitcher who dominated the past three seasons in Nippon Professional Baseball for the Chiba Lotte Marines. “He is a guy that wants to be great. He’s not coming here to get rich. I see that now, and he’s articulated that.

“He has a more long-term, global view of things. I believe Roki is very interested in pitching development and how a team is going to help him get better both in the near term and over the course of his career.”

Wolfe said that Sasaki didn’t want any MLB players to attend the initial meetings in Los Angeles. Wolfe said that the meetings generally consisted of a few club executives, the manager and pitching coach, and members of the biomechanics, development and medical staffs.

Teams presented videos and power points, created “books” of information and had all done hundreds of hours of research.

Sasaki also caught to level the playing field for all teams involved.

“One thing he had me set forth was that all the meetings would run for the same time, which was less than two hours, and all the meetings would take place at our offices,” Wolfe said.

“He was engaged. He asked questions, and he gave every team something that he called a homework assignment. I think it was a great opp for the teams to really show what they specialize in.”

Wolfe said that his conversations with the 23-year-old Sasaki have not included any direction about teams having Japanese players. Many have forecasted that the Dodgers and Padres are the front-runners for Sasaki because of their rosters include Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Yu Darvish.

Sasaki also doesn’t want much information about his decision-making process available, which led to Wolfe being guarded in his answers or not answering specifics at all. He did not confirm which teams or how many teams have met with Sasaki, though 20 clubs submitted proposals.

Those that made the cut are waiting to hear what’s next.

“Teams will be notified,” Wolfe said.

 

[saddles]

From Jared Sandler:

MLB players who ranked in Top 15 in OBP, SLG, and OPS vs. RHP last year?

Aaron Judge
Juan Soto
Shohei Ohtani
Bobby Witt Jr.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
Rafael Devers
Yordan Alvarez
Marcell Ozuna
Gunnar Henderson
COREY SEAGER
JOC PEDERSON

Joc Pederson’s MLB ranks vs. RHP in 2024

BA: 21st (.281)
OBP: 6th (.392)
SLG: 14th (.531)
OPS: 10th (.923)

Pederson’s success against RHP isn’t limited to 2024. Over Pederson’s last three seasons he’s slashed .267/.367/.503/.870.

Another note on Pederson worth mentioning is his success against fastballs. Remember, the Rangers struggled against fastballs last year and in Burger and Pederson they’ve added two guys who have crushed heaters. Pederson slugged .636 against FB last year.

At the end of the day, the Rangers went into this off-season needing to improve vs RHP and to improve vs the fastball.

The Rangers .379 SLG vs RHP in 2024 ranked 26th as did their .683 OPS. Texas had a .394 SLG vs fastballs last year, 27th in MLB.

From a lineup standpoint, while things change a ton, imagine having a 900 OPS guy vs RHP hitting behind Seager against a righty and offering that level of protection. Having that type of threat was missing last year.

Finally, for my believers out there, Pederson’s .378 xwOBA in 2024 was in the 95th percentile, aided by a 93rd percentile average exit velocity (92.3) Pederson has good plate discipline illustrated by a BB% in the 94th percentile (12.2%).

 

[scotsman#1948]

Let's have some fun and predict what day Sasaki will sign. It will be between the 15th and the 23rd. I will say January 20.

i'll say the 17th

 

[DT LUNA]

Let's have some fun and predict what day Sasaki will sign. It will be between the 15th and the 23rd. I will say January 20.

How about the 18th

 

[saddles]

From MLB Traderumors:

Wolfe: “Market Size Isn’t A Factor” In Sasaki’s Decision​

December 30th, 2024 at 7:25pm CST • By Anthony Franco
Wasserman’s Joel Wolfe, the agent for NPB star Roki Sasaki, tells SNY’s Andy Martino that “market size isn’t a factor either way” in the player’s decision. At the Winter Meetings, the agent opined that Sasaki may prefer going to a smaller market after clashing with media members in Japan. However, Wolfe stressed at the time that was his own opinion and that he and Sasaki had yet to discuss the matter in depth. It seems the pitcher isn’t giving that any weight.

Sasaki has conducted initial meetings with at least seven teams, most of whom are big-market franchises. Previous reports indicated he met with Dodgers, Rangers, Yankees, Mets and Cubs. The Giants are believed to have gotten a meeting as well. Jeff Sanders of the San Diego Union-Tribune reports today that the Padres were also granted a meeting during Sasaki’s trip to the U.S. earlier this month.