Texas Rangers Spring Training 2020

[Kelleyman]

JD doing a chat currently on Athletic site. Paywall

 

[DT LUNA]

Just in case you might stroll by, hope you are well. Stay safe!

 

[saddles]

 

[Kelleyman]

 

[Kelleyman]

 

[Kelleyman]

 

[WilltheThrill]

I just watched the replay on MLB.com of Game 6 of the 2010 ALCS, when the Rangers eliminated the Yankees to go to their 1st World Series. It brought back so many good memories of being at that game, yet it was rather bittersweet, knowing what a special team that was and how they would only go on to lose back-to-back World Series... first to a bunch of garbage hitters like Cody Ross, Edgar Renteria, and Aubrey Huff who all got hot at the right time, and then of course infamously to David Freese and his only moment in the sun.

But man, that 2010 lineup was just ridiculous:

Andrus
Young
Hamilton
Guerrero
Cruz
Kinsler
Murphy
Molina
Moreland

Every one of those guys was either in his prime or not too far removed from it (performance-wise). Since suffering through watching the mediocrity we have now, I’d almost forgotten what it was like to watch a lineup that was so clutch and so dangerous 1-9. In that 5th inning, they put up 4 runs on Hughes and Robertson, and they made it look easy. 8 guys came up to bat, and not a one of them had a bad at-bat. No Rougned Odor swinging at pitches over his head. No Joey Gallo just blindly guessing at pitches. No Ronald Guzman being badly over-matched. Just really quality at-bats and clutch hits.

Moreland started off the inning with a single. Elvis sacrificed him to 2nd (which Wash loved to do). Young grounded out after several pitches, advancing Moreland to 3rd. Hamilton was intentionally walked to get to Vlad (DUMB). Vlad took one curve ball for a strike and then clobbered the very next one off the wall for a 2-out double, scoring Mitch and Josh. Then Nelly came up and fouled off multiple pitches before hitting a bomb to dead center for another 2 runs. Then Kinsler lined one into the corner for a 2-out double before Murph finally ended the inning grounding out after a long at-bat (and the pitch before he hit one out but just foul). The Ballpark was going absolutely nuts, the whole dugout was jumping up and down, and I had a lump in my throat watching it and re-living it. I was almost as excited tonight watching it as I was back then when it happened.

What could have been...

 

[DT LUNA]

I just watched the replay on MLB.com of Game 6 of the 2010 ALCS, when the Rangers eliminated the Yankees to go to their 1st World Series. It brought back so many good memories of being at that game, yet it was rather bittersweet, knowing what a special team that was and how they would only go on to lose back-to-back World Series... first to a bunch of garbage hitters like Cody Ross, Edgar Renteria, and Aubrey Huff who all got hot at the right time, and then of course infamously to David Freese and his only moment in the sun.

But man, that 2010 lineup was just ridiculous:

Andrus
Young
Hamilton
Guerrero
Cruz
Kinsler
Murphy
Molina
Moreland

Every one of those guys was either in his prime or not too far removed from it (performance-wise). Since suffering through watching the mediocrity we have now, I’d almost forgotten what it was like to watch a lineup that was so clutch and so dangerous 1-9. In that 5th inning, they put up 4 runs on Hughes and Robertson, and they made it look easy. 8 guys came up to bat, and not a one of them had a bad at-bat. No Rougned Odor swinging at pitches over his head. No Joey Gallo just blindly guessing at pitches. No Ronald Guzman being badly over-matched. Just really quality at-bats and clutch hits.

Moreland started off the inning with a single. Elvis sacrificed him to 2nd (which Wash loved to do). Young grounded out after several pitches, advancing Moreland to 3rd. Hamilton was intentionally walked to get to Vlad (DUMB). Vlad took one curve ball for a strike and then clobbered the very next one off the wall for a 2-out double, scoring Mitch and Josh. Then Nelly came up and fouled off multiple pitches before hitting a bomb to dead center for another 2 runs. Then Kinsler lined one into the corner for a 2-out double before Murph finally ended the inning grounding out after a long at-bat (and the pitch before he hit one out but just foul). The Ballpark was going absolutely nuts, the whole dugout was jumping up and down, and I had a lump in my throat watching it and re-living it. I was almost as excited tonight watching it as I was back then when it happened.

What could have been...

Yes and today we can't start a game. Sad but nothing is forever short of death and taxes.

 

[DT LUNA]

I do not see how we will have baseball this year.

 

[Nightcrawler]

I just watched the replay on MLB.com of Game 6 of the 2010 ALCS, when the Rangers eliminated the Yankees to go to their 1st World Series. It brought back so many good memories of being at that game, yet it was rather bittersweet, knowing what a special team that was and how they would only go on to lose back-to-back World Series... first to a bunch of garbage hitters like Cody Ross, Edgar Renteria, and Aubrey Huff who all got hot at the right time, and then of course infamously to David Freese and his only moment in the sun.

But man, that 2010 lineup was just ridiculous:

Andrus
Young
Hamilton
Guerrero
Cruz
Kinsler
Murphy
Molina
Moreland

Every one of those guys was either in his prime or not too far removed from it (performance-wise). Since suffering through watching the mediocrity we have now, I’d almost forgotten what it was like to watch a lineup that was so clutch and so dangerous 1-9. In that 5th inning, they put up 4 runs on Hughes and Robertson, and they made it look easy. 8 guys came up to bat, and not a one of them had a bad at-bat. No Rougned Odor swinging at pitches over his head. No Joey Gallo just blindly guessing at pitches. No Ronald Guzman being badly over-matched. Just really quality at-bats and clutch hits.

Moreland started off the inning with a single. Elvis sacrificed him to 2nd (which Wash loved to do). Young grounded out after several pitches, advancing Moreland to 3rd. Hamilton was intentionally walked to get to Vlad (DUMB). Vlad took one curve ball for a strike and then clobbered the very next one off the wall for a 2-out double, scoring Mitch and Josh. Then Nelly came up and fouled off multiple pitches before hitting a bomb to dead center for another 2 runs. Then Kinsler lined one into the corner for a 2-out double before Murph finally ended the inning grounding out after a long at-bat (and the pitch before he hit one out but just foul). The Ballpark was going absolutely nuts, the whole dugout was jumping up and down, and I had a lump in my throat watching it and re-living it. I was almost as excited tonight watching it as I was back then when it happened.

What could have been...

I recently watched some of that game too.

my first thought is always....... I can’t believe we didn’t pick cano out of that list of prospects the yankees sent us.

 

[Kelleyman]

I do not see how we will have baseball this year.

Some say Baseball will be played and could go to late November. CBA is not finalized. Will be checking

 

[Kelleyman]

 

[DT LUNA]

The way the virus is moving in all directions, how can site be picked? Seems almost impossible.

 

[True Rangers Fan]

I do not see how we will have baseball this year.

I'm adopting this approach as well. We've got a long road ahead with this pandemic. We haven't slowed the spread yet. Have to slow it, then stop it, then recover... and that's before we can get back to the way things used to be. Otherwise it has a resurgence, and we're back to square 1.

 

[WilltheThrill]

I'm adopting this approach as well. We've got a long road ahead with this pandemic. We haven't slowed the spread yet. Have to slow it, then stop it, then recover... and that's before we can get back to the way things used to be. Otherwise it has a resurgence, and we're back to square 1.

Depends on how you look at it, I guess. A lot can happen in 6-8 weeks. We’re only 2 weeks into the virus here in the US, and we’ve gone from a handful of isolated cases and sports getting shut down to 100,000 cases and entire cities being virtually shut down. We’re definitely still on the upswing in terms of new cases coming in, and we’ve got multiple weeks of a battle ahead. But the rate at which cases were doubling in New York has slowed down, so who knows how much longer it will be before the cases hit their peak amount... 2 weeks? 4? Tough to say. Now that GM is being compelled to create 40,000 additional ventilators and more people are taking this seriously than they were 2 weeks ago, I could see a situation where hospital overcrowding and widespread transmission of the virus are no longer severe threats (like they are now) in 4-6 weeks from now. There are just so many variables in play on what will happen and when it will happen, but I could see a shortened June through November season happening if things fall right.

 

[Kelleyman]

Depends on how you look at it, I guess. A lot can happen in 6-8 weeks. We’re only 2 weeks into the virus here in the US, and we’ve gone from a handful of isolated cases and sports getting shut down to 100,000 cases and entire cities being virtually shut down. We’re definitely still on the upswing in terms of new cases coming in, and we’ve got multiple weeks of a battle ahead. But the rate at which cases were doubling in New York has slowed down, so who knows how much longer it will be before the cases hit their peak amount... 2 weeks? 4? Tough to say. Now that GM is being compelled to create 40,000 additional ventilators and more people are taking this seriously than they were 2 weeks ago, I could see a situation where hospital overcrowding and widespread transmission of the virus are no longer severe threats (like they are now) in 4-6 weeks from now. There are just so many variables in play on what will happen and when it will happen, but I could see a shortened June through November season happening if things fall right.

Part of the huge issue with the virus is hospitals not able to handle the volume. Thus flattening he curve. To me unless it is eradicated all will get it but the aged and those in poor health are the high risk. If and that is a big if are hospitals can handle the flow due to mass production then baseball will happen sooner.
I can see a scenario where baseball starts July 4 and endangered late November.

But yes still speculation at this point. However is not Korean baseball about to begin?

 

[Kelleyman]

Nice perspective from a guy who has been through a few things

 

[WastinSomeTime]

Part of the huge issue with the virus is hospitals not able to handle the volume. Thus flattening he curve. To me unless it is eradicated all will get it but the aged and those in poor health are the high risk. If and that is a big if are hospitals can handle the flow due to mass production then baseball will happen sooner.
I can see a scenario where baseball starts July 4 and endangered late November.

But yes still speculation at this point. However is not Korean baseball about to begin?

We could play all the MLB games in North Korea because after all they have not had any coronavirus cases.

 

[saddles]

For me the list would be Raffy, Tex, Hargrove, Clark, O'Brien.

Honorable mentions to Napoli, Moreland, Stevens, Spencer and Putnam.

 

[saddles]

I think the season starts up in late June or early July.