The 2023 Texas Rangers Spring Training Thread

[saddles]

 

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[saddles]

This is from Evan Grant about Miller's role on the team with Grossman getting the LF job full time. This is basically how I felt about Miller going into the offseason. I am not sure why they even brought him back. We had too many guys to protect from Rule 5 to keep him on the roster going into last November.

"The decision potentially puts Brad Miller, a left-handed hitter, into a triangulated platoon that would include Jonah Heim and Mitch Garver, the team’s primary catchers. When one of the catchers is not starting, they would be a candidate to DH. But Miller would probably get a lot of opportunities against right-handed starters. From 2018-21, he had an .831 OPS against right-handed pitching."

"He struggled last year to one of the worst seasons of his career and missed most of the second half of the season with a hip injury."

"It’s possible, though, too that Miller’s playing time could get squeezed by Josh Smith, perhaps a younger version of Miller. Smith, a left-handed hitter, has hit .367 with a .972 OPS for 30 at-bats this spring. Miller is hitting .222 with a .751 OPS."

"It also raises the question of how committed to Miller the Rangers might be. He is guaranteed $4 million, which might make the team hesitant to cut ties with him before the season. Then again, in Smith and right-handed hitting Ezequiel Duran, the Rangers have another platoon version of the things Miller can do and they do have a looming 40-man roster issue in order to get a pitcher or two on the opening day roster."

 

[saddles]

I am not letting Perez's yesterday concern me. They had him on an extremely short leash. He threw 16 pitches. All of the hits were singles, one an infield single. He started every batter with a strike if I am not mistaken, but two of those were hits.

Had this been a regular season game he would have been given an opportunity to right himself and may have went 6 or 7 innings and everyone would be talking about how he didn't let a bad first inning get to him and possibly, how he wound up getting a Quality Start.

Also, I doubt he will ever face anything close to that kind of a lineup very often, if ever.

 

[saddles]

Jeff Wilson has his latest roster projection out. He has both Ragans and Dunning in the bullpen. I think that would be a huge mistake. Those two in the pen with Otto injured leaves no solid options at AAA for depth. A year from now, Dunning and Ragans and Otto would all be great options for the pen while guys like Kent, Bradford, Winn and White could serve as AAA depth.

He also has Duran making the roster. I would rather see him starting every day in the minors at this point in his career.

 

[saddles]

I was trying to come up with a grade to give the "Rebuild." There are some questions to answer before giving out a grade though.

Is the rebuild officially over?

When did it actually start?

Should it have started earlier and if it should have, should the timing be a part of the grade?

What are the parts of the rebuild that should be looked at to come up with a grade?

I think with the acquisition of four starting pitchers and plans to play veterans in LF does signal that the Rangers believe the rebuild is over.

I do believe the rebuild started several years too late, but I understand the thinking that didn't want to start it after the 2013 season like I personally wanted to happen. Even still it should have definitely started before it did. I think when the Rangers pursued Rendon that that showed they were not in rebuild mode at that time. When they couldn't land Rendon I think they finally realized they needed to rebuild. So, using that reasoning it seems the rebuild started in early 2020.

I think the draft, trades made, the development in the minors, and the use of young players are the most important things to consider in giving the rebuild a grade.

The draft has been a mixed bag for me. The 2021 draft netted us 2 good prospects from the top 4 picks. I think Cauley and Moller were terrible picks.

I liked getting Porter and Leiter last year, but I would have liked getting Termarr Johnson and the best guy available in the 4th round a lot better. I also would have liked to have traded for a comp pick. The fact that we signed two SS the year before when we were loaded with MIF prospects, and that keeping us from having a third round pick, is a negative factor as well.

The Gallo trade was an excellent one, but even that was lessened by signing two expensive free agents who blocked the two biggest prizes we got from that trade. The Gibson trade was just awful and needs no further explanation. There were some other lesser trades that helped. It remains to be seen what will be the long term effect of the Nate Lowe trade.

I do think the rebuild ended a year too early. We still have young guys to find out about and we will not be able to get a conclusive answer. Those include, but are not limited to, Dunning, Otto, Ragans, Smith, Duran, and Thompson.

The overuse of Calhoun and Miller last year kept us from finding out about some guys last year as well.

The development of some of our prospects over the last couple of years has been poor.

Those are the things I am thinking about when trying to come up with a grade. What am I missing?

I have thought this over for a few weeks. My grade for the rebuild is:

C-

 

[saddles]

Someone to keep an eye on.

 

[saddles]

Huff hit .308 this spring with an OPS of 1.025. When a guy hits like that, I don't care how many of the outs are strikeouts.

 

[Duane1952]

Huff hit .308 this spring with an OPS of 1.025. When a guy hits like that, I don't care how many of the outs are strikeouts.

And Garver has not had a good spring.

 

[DT LUNA]

Huff hit .308 this spring with an OPS of 1.025. When a guy hits like that, I don't care how many of the outs are strikeouts.

That is what we expected a year or so ago. Maybe this will be the year he puts it together.

 

[Hambombs]

Degoat doing his thing

 

[True Rangers Fan]

Degoat doing his thing

 

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[True Rangers Fan]

 

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[Bmurph]

Thompson needs to start hitting as does Garver

 

[DT LUNA]

Thompson needs to start hitting as does Garver

Bubba has too much talent to not make this team. He must start hitting!

 

[Kelleyman]

Huff hit .308 this spring with an OPS of 1.025. When a guy hits like that, I don't care how many of the outs are strikeouts.

I guess-Leon is still on camp. Bochy is making the call. Maybe they just want him starting like Duran should. Would think a catcher could get 35% starts and some pinch hits

 

[Kelleyman]

Huff hit .308 this spring with an OPS of 1.025. When a guy hits like that, I don't care how many of the outs are strikeouts.

It is spring but yeah they definitely like Garber over Huff