Texas Rangers Spring Training 2020

[saddles]

 

[saddles]

Jamey Newberg predicts breakout seasons from starting pitchers, Cole Winn and Tyler Phillips. Both finished very strong last year. He also thinks relievers, Alex Speas, Jonathan Hernandez, and Kelvin Gonzalez will have breakout seasons.

 

[True Rangers Fan]

PSA
Single game tickets go on sale this Friday.

*Excludes Opening Day

 

[saddles]

Keith Law has our farm system at number 17. Here is what he had to say.

17. Texas Rangers
Texas has a lot of guys you’d like to have, but perhaps not a lot of guys you’d go out of your way to trade for, although they certainly have some players in Category 1 who might get to Category 2. They tried some things on the pitching side that have not worked out, with a rash of Tommy John surgeries in the past year-plus that stands out even in an industry that seems to treat them like they’re paper cuts. There’s a lot of untapped athleticism in the system as well.

 

[saddles]

Keith Law jas our farm system at number 17. Here is what he had to say.

17. Texas Rangers
They tried some things on the pitching side that have not worked out, with a rash of Tommy John surgeries in the past year-plus that stands out even in an industry that seems to treat them like they’re paper cuts.

Here is a national media member who follows every team. He thinks our number of Tommy John injuries stands out when compared to the rest of baseball. Our local media really tries to downplay that aspect though.

 

[Nightcrawler]

About the only time I have a problem with the game length is when they have a rain delay, after about an hour I'm ready for good food and refreshments in another zip code. Once in awhile all of the "non strategy" sessions on the mound get on my nerves but usually I'm good.

another reason I’m so glad we got the new ballpark is roughly 100 games on the schedule ( all our home games and AL west road games) have barely any chance of being rained out.

Here, Houston, and Seattle all have games inside

I barely ever see LAA and Oakland have rain.

 

[True Rangers Fan]

Here is a national media member who follows every team. He thinks our number of Tommy John injuries stands out when compared to the rest of baseball. Our local media really tries to downplay that aspect though.

I'm curious as to how you think the local media should be handling that aspect.

 

[saddles]

I'm curious as to how you think the local media should be handling that aspect.

Acknowledging it would be a great start.

I think that would be the normal way for the media to be expected to handle anything. I am curious as to why you would need to ask that question?

 

[saddles]

Rangers 2020 Top 30 Prospects list

 

[saddles]

 

[saddles]

1 Josh Jung 3B 2021

2 Sam Huff C 2021

3 Leody Taveras OF 2021

4 Cole Winn RHP 2022

5 Nick Solak 2B/3B/OF 2020

6 Maximo Acosta SS 2024

7 Hans Crouse RHP 2021

8 Anderson Tejeda SS 2021

9 Joe Palumbo LHP 2020

10 Sherten Apostel 3B/1B 2022

11 Davis Wendzel 3B 2022

12 Steele Walker OF 2021

13 Bayron Lora OF 2024

14 David Garcia C 2022

15 Bubba Thompson OF 2022

16 Ronny Henriquez RHP 2022

17 Luisangel Acuna SS/2B 2023

18 Ricky Vanasco RHP 2022

19 Osleivis Basabe SS 2023

20 Yerry Rodriguez RHP-

21 A.J. Alexy RHP 2022

22 Demarcus Evans RHP 2020

23 Heriberto Hernandez OF/1B/C 2023

24 Tyler Phillips RHP 2021

25 Jonathan Hernandez RHP 2020

26 Brock Burke LHP 2020

27 Jonathan Ornelas SS/2B/OF 2022

28 Chris Seise SS 2022

29 Randy Florentino C/1B 2023

30 Keithron Moss 2B/3B 2023

 

[Kelleyman]

Yes our prospects have a few with high ceilings but no sure things. Evans is pretty low IMO and Bubba and Swiss are still on list

 

[Kelleyman]

Here is a national media member who follows every team. He thinks our number of Tommy John injuries stands out when compared to the rest of baseball. Our local media really tries to downplay that aspect though.

I listened to a podcast yesterday and what was addressed was the change of local media. It would seem that old school guys like Fraley are no longer the norm. Yes it is a bit more milk toast but to get access they have to be more user friendly to the club. EG a prime example

 

[saddles]

Biggest jump/fall

Here are the players whose ranks changed the most from the 2019 preseason list to the 2020 preseason list.

Jump: Sam Huff, C (2019: 21 | 2020: 2) -- His huge raw power translated into 28 homers last season. He added a memorable blast in the SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game and also threw out 48 percent of basestealers.

Fall: Julio Pablo Martinez, OF (2019: 2 | 2020: NR) -- His athleticism is obvious but he has scuffled offensively, batting .248/.319/.423 as a 23-year-old in high Class A in 2019.

Best tools

Players are graded on a 20-80 scouting scale for future tools -- 20-30 is well below average, 40 is below average, 50 is average, 60 is above average and 70-80 is well above average. Players in parentheses have the same grade.

Hit: 60 -- Josh Jung
Power: 60 -- Sam Huff
Run: 65 -- Bubba Thompson (Osleivis Basabe)
Arm: 70 -- Anderson Tejeda
Defense: 65 -- Leody Taveras
Fastball: 70 -- Demarcus Evans
Curveball: 60 -- Joe Palumbo (A.J. Alexy, Demarcus Evans, Cole Winn)
Slider: 65 -- Hans Crouse
Changeup: 60 -- Tyler Phillips
Control: 60 -- Tyler Phillips

How they were built

Draft: 12 | International: 13 | Trade: 5

Breakdown by ETA

2020: 4 | 2021: 8 | 2022: 11 | 2023: 5 | 2024: 2

Breakdown by position

C: 3 | 2B: 2 | 3B: 3 | SS: 6 | OF: 5 | RHP: 9 | LHP: 2

 

[saddles]

I listened to a podcast yesterday and what was addressed was the change of local media. It would seem that old school guys like Fraley are no longer the norm. Yes it is a bit more milk toast but to get access they have to be more user friendly to the club. EG a prime example

Why the difference between the local Cowboys coverage and the local Rangers coverage?

 

[saddles]

 

[True Rangers Fan]

Acknowledging it would be a great start.

I think that would be the normal way for the media to be expected to handle anything. I am curious as to why you would need to ask that question?

Because your comment was along the lines of "they're not covering it the way I think they should", not "they're not covering it at all."

 

[saddles]

Because your comment was along the lines of "they're not covering it the way I think they should", not "they're not covering it at all."

They are covering it, but downplaying it. They are not acknowledging the problem the way that Keith Law did in that quote I gave.

They aren't covering it the way I think they should because I think they need to acknowledge it being more than most clubs.

Why are you so concerned about me wanting the media to do a better job? Why, of all the things posted on this board over the past few days, is that one of the few things you chose to discuss/complain about?

 

[Kelleyman]

Why the difference between the local Cowboys coverage and the local Rangers coverage?

It was not addressed
Thinking when Verlander would not talk to reporter.

I think there is a difference but do not think our reporters are the only softballers. It is nationwide

 

[saddles]

It was not addressed
Thinking when Verlander would not talk to reporter.

I think there is a difference but do not think our reporters are the only softballers. It is nationwide

Well, I never read local reporters coverage of other teams, so I wouldn't know about that.

We did have Galloway who thrived in this market. Engle is a little harder hitting, but he doesn't cover them on a regular basis.

You mentioned Fraley earlier, but he didn't exactly push back. He was one of the only ones to report about what the scouts said about Fielder though. Had it not been for him, that story would still be covered up.