The 2023 Texas Rangers Spring Training Thread

[saddles]

More from Evan on Josh Smith:

Though the majority of his playing time should come against right-handers, it was important that Smith be able to hit the ball the opposite way. The changes included less head movement and more hip rotation.

“He’s built off a really strong offseason,” offensive coordinator Donnie Ecker said. “He changed his entire engine. He can rotate his hips faster and it allows him to stay closed longer. That at-bat shows that you don’t have to cheat against left-handed pitching.”

The engine overhauled, Smith can run a little cleaner now when it comes to handling the real work - juggling a handful of gloves and positions.

 

[saddles]

More from Evan on Smith:

“I had a good spring training and I had started a move there that I took into the season and it just didn’t work,” Smith said. “I never got comfortable. I fell into a trap of thinking and trying new things. I was pulling off everything. So even when I felt like I squared a ball up, I was hitting it off the handle.”

The Rangers spent the offseason trying to get Smith back to where he had been. In theory, he fits well on the roster. He’s the most likely utility man, best-suited to give Corey Seager a day off occasionally at short, the best left-handed option if the club wants to sit right-handed hitting rookie Josh Jung against an occasional right-hander, the best insurance option if Brad Miller doesn’t pan out in a left field platoon.

 

[saddles]

Prospects Live has this guy ranked at #212. Maybe the Rangers can pick him.

 

[saddles]

 

[saddles]

Good news here.

 

[True Rangers Fan]

Poor Gallo. The shift ban only applies to infielders. So the Red Sox simply put their LF into short RF.

 

[saddles]

Poor Gallo. The shift ban only applies to infielders. So the Red Sox simply put their LF into short RF.

I had read where some teams might do that. An opposite field triple might be a lot more tempting for him, and others, than an opposite field single has been.

Looks like a line drive into right-center could easily make it to the wall, too.

 

[True Rangers Fan]

I had read where some teams might do that. An opposite field triple might be a lot more tempting for him, and others, than an opposite field single has been.

At this point I'm fairly certain Joey can't hit the ball the other way.

 

[saddles]

 

[True Rangers Fan]

guys are getting hurt league-wide, it's crazy. Dodgers lost Lux for the season, Vlad Jr. hurt his knee today, etc.

 

[saddles]

It is a good thing we have Otto, Ragans, and Dunning as backups to our rotation. We may need all three of them during the first week of the season.

 

[saddles]

I have heard great things this spring about Ragans, Winn and Vanasco. If all three of those guys step up a notch or two from what they did last year it would be very big for our organizational depth.

 

[True Rangers Fan]

It is a good thing we have Otto, Ragans, and Dunning as backups to our rotation. We may need all three of them during the first week of the season.

deGrom gets a lot of attention for his injuries, but so far Gray has seemed pretty brittle himself.

 

[Nightcrawler]

Too early to worry in my opinion. Give it a few more weeks. Most stints on the DL are 10-15 days anyway right?

 

[True Rangers Fan]

Too early to worry in my opinion. Give it a few more weeks. Most stints on the DL are 10-15 days anyway right?

these are pretty important days, though.

 

[Kelleyman]

Weather is cool and a long season. Wonder if just being super conservative. If warm weather they might be starting

 

[Kelleyman]

Odorizzi is the guy I think may not start the season

 

[Kelleyman]

deGrom gets a lot of attention for his injuries, but so far Gray has seemed pretty brittle himself.

DeGrom attention stems from the hater NYC media lol

 

[Kelleyman]

So much invested

 

[saddles]

Another bullpen possibility.