Texas Rangers Spring Training 2020

[WastinSomeTime]

Inbox: Who will get the call to close for Texas?

Not sure on this one but I hope that is open by them battling it out in ST because Leclerc looked like garbage last year.

 

[WastinSomeTime]

Interesting that Solak is being mentioned as a platoon partner for Guzman at 1B, along with some OF work, I'm sure Heineman will get some ABs there too

Between IKF, Heineman and Solak, backup positions should be covered, I'd rather Trevino make the team over Mathis though

With you on this one. He may be better than Chirinos for all I know. At least he is at stopping the running game.

 

[saddles]

My only issue with it is this. Is Odor having to do well to keep his spot and if so is Solak the guy who replaces him? Now if Solak is that bad of a defensive player which is to be seen then who is that person? Or does it mean they are throwing us a smoke screen and Odor is the guy no matter what.

Bingo!

 

[TechRaiderRider]

anybody have the inside skinny
on josh jung ??

 

[saddles]

anybody have the inside skinny
on josh jung ??

Lots of people really like his potential. I would like to see what he does this year before I get my hopes up to the level some have him at though.

 

[saddles]

Some have written that JD wants Santana to be in the over-romanticized role of super utility guy. So, how can Santana and Solak both do that?

 

[jta4437]

Some have written that JD wants Santana to be in the over-romanticized role of super utility guy. So, how can Santana and Solak both do that?

Dont see that happening, i think Santana is in CF and Solak gets play at the 3 OF spots and the IF, minus SS, platooning with Guzman at 1B a lot

Only question for me is whether 2B is his if Odor falters

 

[DT LUNA]

Dont see that happening, i think Santana is in CF and Solak gets play at the 3 OF spots and the IF, minus SS, platooning with Guzman at 1B a lot

Only question for me is whether 2B is his if Odor falters

We all wonder the same thing.

 

[Nightcrawler]

My only issue with it is this. Is Odor having to do well to keep his spot and if so is Solak the guy who replaces him? Now if Solak is that bad of a defensive player which is to be seen then who is that person? Or does it mean they are throwing us a smoke screen and Odor is the guy no matter what.

I really don’t buy what these guys are selling.

they’re saying all the right things when it comes to odor because he’s been the leaguing stock of the league the last few years. We stubbornly kept a AA quality player up here who was in over his head. I doubt you’d see very many other teams do that.

when it came time to do something about it. All we got were a laundry list of excuses backed up by a full fledged effort to polish a turd of a ball player. We heard the following :

he’s a leader in the locker room. Gotta keep him up at the big league level to maintain the culture here.

Odor aspires to replace the leadership void that Beltre left. Guys look up to him.

he’s trying so so so so hard. He’s such a great guy.

he’s literally doing all that we ask...... and more.

he’s buying in to the program. Just need the results to come. It’s only a matter of time.


Emily Jones before the broadcast “ Odor knows he’s been struggling, he’s been working on it so hard. I’ve rarely seen a ball player try so hard.”

JD said “ odor needs to stay active in the offseason. Way too lazy. He comes back and gets off to slow starts. We will fix that”.

The front office is just buying time and hoping beyond hope that something clicks. I can spare you all the suspense. It won’t.

the guy can’t hit good pitchers and he guesses most of the time. He’s garbage.

 

[Nightcrawler]

My only issue with it is this. Is Odor having to do well to keep his spot and if so is Solak the guy who replaces him? Now if Solak is that bad of a defensive player which is to be seen then who is that person? Or does it mean they are throwing us a smoke screen and Odor is the guy no matter what.

I know you say I’m negative, but I’m sick of being lied to by this front office.

im still going to be a fan of this team, but that doesn’t mean I have to be happy with the direction of the team or some of the players on its roster.

 

[DT LUNA]

I know you say I’m negative, but I’m sick of being lied to by this front office.

im still going to be a fan of this team, but that doesn’t mean I have to be happy with the direction of the team or some of the players on its roster.

We should learn something about Woody this season. If he has full control of the team, Solak likely starts at 2B. If not, then Woody does what he is told. I hope this is not the case.

 

[WastinSomeTime]

Dont see that happening, i think Santana is in CF and Solak gets play at the 3 OF spots and the IF, minus SS, platooning with Guzman at 1B a lot

Only question for me is whether 2B is his if Odor falters

Right. That is what I was wondering myself earlier. My thoughts though is that if odor falters again that there will be some in the media and plenty of fans that may put so much heat on management that they will have to do something.

 

[WastinSomeTime]

I know you say I’m negative, but I’m sick of being lied to by this front office.

im still going to be a fan of this team, but that doesn’t mean I have to be happy with the direction of the team or some of the players on its roster.

LOL! I understand that part of that but you are always picking on somebody. I can completely understand the Odor feelings and once Solak came along I was on board with that. But lay off of Guzman for now and give him a chance. I personally say very little about management one way or another.

 

[WastinSomeTime]

We should learn something about Woody this season. If he has full control of the team, Solak likely starts at 2B. If not, then Woody does what he is told. I hope this is not the case.

I agree except I can understand them starting Odor at 2b but if things remain the same then I want to see what transpires. And I am willing to be patient to a point to see how it all works out.

 

[saddles]

Dont see that happening, i think Santana is in CF and Solak gets play at the 3 OF spots and the IF, minus SS, platooning with Guzman at 1B a lot

Only question for me is whether 2B is his if Odor falters

I certainly agree about how it should happen. JD does appear to be considering doing differently with Santana though. I hope he decides to do the right thing.

 

[saddles]

It’s the season of optimism: 5 intriguing Rangers who will be judged on their spring-training performance

Greg Bird

The Rangers spent all winter trying to find a complement for or upgrade over Ronald Guzman at first base. Bird, in camp on a non-roster deal, is the best they could do. At 27, he’s still got upside, but he’s not come close to matching the promise he showed with the New York Yankees as a rookie in 2015. He’s been oft-injured and limited to 140 games over the last four seasons. During that time, he’s produced a slash line of .194/.287/.388/.675. Which simply would not cut it. But the hope is he’s recovered from ankle and plantar fascia injuries and can make adjustments.

It is going to be a flat-out head-to-head competition between Bird and Guzman to win the position or, at least, the left-handed portion of a platoon. Guzman fields well, but his bat has looked soft. It may well come down to who shows better against right-handed pitching. Bird actually has reverse splits in his career with an .818 OPS vs. lefties and .699 vs. right-handers.

Nick Solak

One reason the Rangers might be willing to consider a first base platoon is to get Solak more playing time to create enough of a role to justify keeping him on the big league roster -- even if he doesn’t have a regular position. Solak will add work at first base and in the outfield to his spring workload. He played second and third last year after the Rangers acquired him.

Even if he doesn’t show well at first base, the Rangers could consider using him at third base against lefties and moving Todd Frazier across the diamond to first base on those days. The Rangers know they have a hitter in Solak, but they still aren’t sure where to play him in the field.

Danny Santana

As the team’s MVP in 2019, he earned himself an everyday job. For now it’s as the center fielder because the Rangers don’t have anywhere else to play him regularly. Santana likes center and feels its his best position, but his defensive metrics there have never been very good. The Rangers also don’t have a clear cut backup on the roster or in camp.

How he looks in center field may help determine if the Rangers are willing to add to the roster, either with a minor league contract for a veteran such as Jarrod Dyson or Kevin Pillar or if they talk about a trade for somebody to potentially play a more substantial role such as Boston’s Jackie Bradley Jr.

Demarcus Evans

No reliever in camp has more upside than Evans, who might just be a closer-in-waiting. If he throws strikes, he’s the one minor league prospect with a real shot to win a spot. The safe play is to let Evans open the season at Triple-A Nashville and call for him when needed. The Rangers have enough veterans in camp on minor league contracts to find somebody to round out the bullpen. That’s the safe play. Let Evans work in high-leverage situations regularly in the minor leagues and wait for the inevitable bullpen crisis to ignite before calling for him. But a guy with a 100 mph fastball is so tempting.

Kolby Allard

General manager Jon Daniels has dropped some hints the club may be cautious with veteran Kyle Gibson, who dealt with ulcerative colitis last season. If Allard shows well, it might allow the Rangers to be all the more cautious.

Allard impressed the Rangers with his competitiveness last summer and displayed a little more fastball than had been expected. He’s spent the winter trying to rediscover a breaking ball that he withdrew from the last two seasons. He’s got an edge over other young guys to be first in line for an opportunity. All he has to do is reinforce that in the Rangers’ minds.

 

[Nightcrawler]

LOL! I understand that part of that but you are always picking on somebody. I can completely understand the Odor feelings and once Solak came along I was on board with that. But lay off of Guzman for now and give him a chance. I personally say very little about management one way or another.

I’ll lay off Guzman until 1 month of regular season games just for you buddy.


I’ll take another look at him then.

 

[Kelleyman]

Alas just scoured internet for some hard hitting Ranger off-season news and as you all know... zilch. So I will reluctantly transition.

Perhaps we get another bat but Spring Training is upon us

 

[Kelleyman]

I’ll lay off Guzman until 1 month of regular season games just for you buddy.


I’ll take another look at him then.

Do the same for Odor... willpower

 

[Kelleyman]

Not sure on this one but I hope that is open by them battling it out in ST because Leclerc looked like garbage last year.

If Allen has a great ST, I bet he gets the job.