The 2023 Texas Rangers Spring Training Thread

[Nightcrawler]

Thanks to those of you who keep this board going. I don’t contribute as much as I should.

 

[Kelleyman]

Thanks to those of you who keep this board going. I don’t contribute as much as I should.

This board allows me to express Ranger angst and hope. No one should be under obligation especially in the offseason
I just follow Ranger activities on a daily basis generally
Hope all is well

 

[saddles]

From the MLBTR newsletter:

According to Jeff Passan of ESPN, Major League Baseball intends to have umpires be stricter about enforcing the rules regarding balks in 2023. In addition to the familiar balk rules and the new rules involving the pitch clock and limited disengagements from the rubber, which could result in more balks and automatic-ball penalties, umpires have been instructed to crack down on complex deliveries that could be seen as manipulating the pitch clock. Umps are to call an “illegal pitch” (and thus an automatic ball) on pitchers who take more than one step back or to the side in their windups. In addition, managers who leave the dugout to argue about pitch clock violations will be automatically ejected, according to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale. If this sounds like a potential trainwreck already, don’t forget that a number of pitchers will be away at the World Baseball Classic during the exhibition schedule and not subject to the new rules while they are away, giving them less time to test the fences and adjust to the new limitations.

With the sheer number of new rules, Manfred that seems focused on quashing every one of the game’s quirks. Beyond that, I remember 1988. Maybe Manfred doesn’t. That was the year that then-commissioner Peter Ueberroth decided the umpires needed to crack down on balk-rule violations, and it was indeed a trainwreck (there’s a better word for it, but this is a family newsletter). There were 356 balks in 1987, and 407 in 1989, but in 1988 there were 924, a 260-percent increase from the year before. If you look at the all-time single-season leaders for balks, 11 of the top 13 are from 1988, led by Dave Stewart’s 16. The numbers would have been worse if the umpires kept it up all season, but they quickly realized the situation was absurd and backed off. Stewart had 11 balks in April alone, tying the all-time single-season record in one month, in six starts. I’ll be curious to see how and if the league adjusts this year. If they’re smart, they’ll make those adjustments based on the Spring Training games, alone. Otherwise, expect April to be a, um, “trainwreck.”

 

[saddles]

 

[saddles]

Here is the top of Jamey Newberg's Top 72 Rangers Prospects list. Apparently, he subscribes to the theory that once a kid plays his first MLB game, he no longer qualifies as a prospect. Thus, Jung is not on the list.

1 Evan Carter
2 Owen White
3 Jack Leiter
4 Aaron Zavala
5 Anthony Gutierrez
6 Brock Porter
7 Luisangel Acuna
8 Kumar Rocker
9 Justin Foscue
10 Tekoah Roby
11 Dustin Harris
12 Thomas Saggese
13 Cole Winn
14 Mitch Bratt
15 Sebastian Walcott
16 Zak Kent
17 Emiliano Teodo
18 Yeison Morrobel

 

[Kelleyman]

Here is the top of Jamey Newberg's Top 72 Rangers Prospects list. Apparently, he subscribes to the theory that once a kid plays his first MLB game, he no longer qualifies as a prospect. Thus, Jung is not on the list.

1 Evan Carter
2 Owen White
3 Jack Leiter
4 Aaron Zavala
5 Anthony Gutierrez
6 Brock Porter
7 Luisangel Acuna
8 Kumar Rocker
9 Justin Foscue
10 Tekoah Roby
11 Dustin Harris
12 Thomas Saggese
13 Cole Winn
14 Mitch Bratt
15 Sebastian Walcott
16 Zak Kent
17 Emiliano Teodo
18 Yeison Morrobel

Where is Crim?

 

[saddles]

Here is the top of Jamey Newberg's Top 72 Rangers Prospects list. Apparently, he subscribes to the theory that once a kid plays his first MLB game, he no longer qualifies as a prospect. Thus, Jung is not on the list.

1 Evan Carter
2 Owen White
3 Jack Leiter
4 Aaron Zavala
5 Anthony Gutierrez
6 Brock Porter
7 Luisangel Acuna
8 Kumar Rocker
9 Justin Foscue
10 Tekoah Roby
11 Dustin Harris
12 Thomas Saggese
13 Cole Winn
14 Mitch Bratt
15 Sebastian Walcott
16 Zak Kent
17 Emiliano Teodo
18 Yeison Morrobel

5. Anthony Gutierrez, OF, Arizona Complex League (18)
International/2022 (+14)

To give you an idea of how high the industry is on Gutierrez, he earned votes from Baseball America writers as one of baseball’s top 150 prospects this winter even though the 18-year-old has played only 22 pro games stateside. The Rangers were opportunistic in bringing the outfielder into the fold, swooping in a year ago when most predictions had him waiting until the Nationals had enough cap space to sign him in 2023. Texas paid Gutierrez $1,997,500 and promptly sent him to the Dominican Summer League – but he didn’t last there long.

In 23 DSL games, Gutierrez hit .352 (good for 15th in the 49-team league) with a .408 on-base percentage and .539 slugging percentage (24th in the league) with only 18 strikeouts in 103 plate appearances. Promoted early in July to the Arizona Complex League, where he was nearly three years younger than the average player — and the difference between a 17-year-old and a 20-year-old is no ordinary three-year gap — he hit .271 with a .731 OPS and struck just as seldom, fanning 16 times in 87 trips.

The Rangers quietly believe Gutierrez has all the building blocks for superstardom if everything comes together — tools across the board, athleticism, size, feel, mentality — and some won’t be surprised if he’s in the major leagues before he turns 21. He’s a good bet to start his season as one of the youngest players in the Low-A Carolina League, manning center field for Down East.

 

[saddles]

Where is Crim?

He was on last week's list. I believe Jamey had him at 22. Which is higher than most anyone else has him, except me.

 

[saddles]

Here is Jamey Newberg's top 36:

1 Evan Carter
2 Owen White
3 Jack Leiter
4 Aaron Zavala
5 Anthony Gutierrez
6 Brock Porter
7 Luisangel Acuna
8 Kumar Rocker
9 Justin Foscue
10 Tekoah Roby
11 Dustin Harris
12 Thomas Saggese
13 Cole Winn
14 Mitch Bratt
15 Sebastian Walcott
16 Zak Kent
17 Emiliano Teodo
18 Yeison Morrobel
19 Dane Acker
20 Jonathan Ornelas
21 Cody Bradford
22 Blaine Crim
23 Ricky Vanasco
24 Winston Santos
25 Larson Kindreich
26 Marc Church
27 Danyer Cueva
28 Trevor Hauver
29 Gleider Figuereo
30 Marcos Torres
31 Cam Cauley
32 Avery Weems
33 Ryan Garcia
34 Chase Lee
35 Maximo Acosta
36 Ian Moller

 

[saddles]

This was my list last September. I will probably update mine toward the end of spring training.

1. Jung
2. Carter
3. Leiter
4. White
5. Foscue
6. Zavala
7. Winn
8. Harris
9. Englert
10. Crim
11. Roby
12. Acuna
13. Porter
14. Vanasco
15. Morrobel
16. Garcia, R.
17. Rocker
18. Bratt
19. Gutierrez
20. Ragans
21. Kent
22. Bradford
23. Wendzel
24. Figuereo
25. Saggese
26. Ornelas
27. Hauver
28. Acker
29. Osuna
30. Kindreich

 

[True Rangers Fan]

Thanks to those of you who keep this board going. I don’t contribute as much as I should.

we want you focusing on school.

 

[True Rangers Fan]

Players starting arriving this morning. Rangers Instagram had deGrom, Gray, Eovaldi (I think) walking in. Garver rode in on a scooter.

 

[saddles]

From Jeff Wilson:

First up today is the first spring workout for pitchers and catchers. There are 38 pitchers on the roster, 37 in camp (Brett Martin is rehabbing in Arlington) and two who won’t be at full throttle (Danny Duffy, Kyle Funkhouser). Several pitchers were on throwing Tuesday, including left-hander Andrew Heaney and right-handers Jon Gray and Nathan Eovaldi.

Cole Winn threw a bullpen at the same time as Kyle Cody. Zak Kent, Dane Acker, Mitch Bratt and TK Roby threw a little later. Bratt and Roby aren’t even in big-league camp, nor is another Tuesday thrower, Ryan Garcia.

Everyone seemed happy, and cold.

The weather that blew through Tuesday night (more on that below) might be an issue today, though surely the bullpen mounds were covered. Bullpen sessions are on the schedule.

The position players in camp won’t be nearly as affected. A small group that includes Josh Jung and Josh Smith worked on hitting Tuesday, with some on-the-field work.

 

[saddles]

 

[Kelleyman]

 

[saddles]

That AAA starting depth with Otto, Dunning and Ragans is going to be of upmost importance this year.

 

[True Rangers Fan]

 

[True Rangers Fan]

 

[True Rangers Fan]

Rangers hold Jacob deGrom out of first spring workout with left side tightness

 

[Kelleyman]

Maybe our stadium was a factor to DeGrom for signing here