The Officially Official Off Season Thread (2016)

[Duane1952]

Profar was 2 for 3 today with 3 walks.

He is younger than 29 of the 38 players on his team.

Looks like his bat is still there.

 

[Xx srs bsns xX]

He is younger than 29 of the 38 players on his team.

and yet people (on here) were (and assume still are) so quick to give up on him. Saying he is/was done.

 

[saddles]

and yet people (on here) were (and assume still are) so quick to give up on him. Saying he is/was done.

Yep. Some were through with him a couple of years ago when he was 20. I think some fans are already beginning to doubt that Gallo will ever become a good hitter in the big leagues. Some fans just never see potential until that potential becomes success at the big league level. Then there are fans like me that probably lean on potential too much. I guess it takes both kinds to balance each other out.

 

[True Rangers Fan]

Some fans just never see potential until that potential becomes success at the big league level.

That's a weird statement. Potential is great, but it's nothing to hang your hat on.

 

[saddles]

That's a weird statement. Potential is great, but it's nothing to hang your hat on.

Exactly. You are a good example of what I was talking about.

 

[RevSader]

and yet people (on here) were (and assume still are) so quick to give up on him. Saying he is/was done.

I have rightly tempered my expectations. I don't doubt him, but not playing baseball in close to two years is a huge hurdle for him to over come. I hope he can come back and meet some of that potential.

 

[RevSader]

That's a weird statement. Potential is great, but it's nothing to hang your hat on.

Not that weird. Guys might never meet their potential, but how often do guys with absolutely zero potential blow up? For every Albert Pujols (he's a pretty good example of a super late pick who no one expected anything of) there are how many first round picks that team expect to do well. You invest in guys like Profar hoping it will come back in terms of production. He's been with the org since he was a teenager. They want to see great things from him and if he didn't have that potential they wouldn't have spent this much time on him.

 

[True Rangers Fan]

Not that weird. Guys might never meet their potential, but how often do guys with absolutely zero potential blow up? For every Albert Pujols (he's a pretty good example of a super late pick who no one expected anything of) there are how many first round picks that team expect to do well. You invest in guys like Profar hoping it will come back in terms of production. He's been with the org since he was a teenager. They want to see great things from him and if he didn't have that potential they wouldn't have spent this much time on him.

What I meant was: potential is something to be recognized, but until it manifests into actual success, expectations should reasonably be tempered. From a fans point of view.

 

[RevSader]

What I meant was: potential is something to be recognized, but until it manifests into actual success, expectations should reasonably be tempered. From a fans point of view.

I can't really hold the last two years against him as a player. He hasn't been physically able to play.

 

[True Rangers Fan]

Exactly. You are a good example of what I was talking about.

Am I? Because I'm pretty sure I've not made too many statements on Rangers prospects overall, so you probably don't have a firm grasp on how I evaluate "potential."

 

[True Rangers Fan]

I can't really hold the last two years against him as a player. He hasn't been physically able to play.

Again - I'm not specifically talking about Profar. I'm talking about the concept of "players with potential", and how all the potential in the world is awesome, but ultimately worthless unless success is achieved. You can think a player has potential without trying to figure out how many All Star Games he'll be at.

 

[saddles]

Am I? Because I'm pretty sure I've not made too many statements on Rangers prospects overall, so you probably don't have a firm grasp on how I evaluate "potential."

You thinking what I said was weird is where I got that you were a good example. That is what I had a grasp on.

I would imagine your lack of statements about prospects is also born out of you being on the side that doesn't think much of potential until it manifests itself on the big league level. That is just a guess though.

 

[True Rangers Fan]

I would imagine your lack of statements about prospects is also born out of you being on the side that doesn't think much of potential until it manifests itself on the big league level. That is just a guess though.

I don't, that is true. Because success in the majors is the point. There's a long, long history of prospects who flamed out. Potential is nice, but success is what counts.

(referring to all players here, not anyone specifically)

 

[saddles]

When you have an organization like this one that believes in building a strong farm system then potential is a very heavy player when it comes to decision making. That is why Elvis was given the job in the offseason a few years back They went on potential. Even when prospects are traded away potential comes into play in evaluating the wisdom of a possible trade. You simply cannot wait until you have proof that a young player is going to succeed in the big leagues before making very important decisions regarding that player's role on the team.

The reality is that almost all young guys struggle to some degree when they first come up so if you have to see success at the big league level then you are going to give up prematurely on many young players. Without those young players you would have to spend way too much in free agency so unless you are the Yankees or the Dodgers then you have to give potential a chance many times along the way.

 

[True Rangers Fan]

When you have an organization like this one that believes in building a strong farm system then potential is a very heavy player when it comes to decision making. That is why Elvis was given the job in the offseason a few years back They went on potential. Even when prospects are traded away potential comes into play in evaluating the wisdom of a possible trade. You simply cannot wait until you have proof that a young player is going to succeed in the big leagues before making very important decisions regarding that player's role on the team.

I mentioned this earlier, and I'll say it again - I'm speaking from a fan's view. Not from a baseball Front Office view. I have no idea what it's like to evaluate a player as a GM.

 

[donaldson79]

That's a weird statement. Potential is great, but it's nothing to hang your hat on.

Potential and $6 gets ya terrific cup of coffee at StarBucks.

 

[saddles]

I don't, that is true. Because success in the majors is the point. There's a long, long history of prospects who flamed out. Potential is nice, but success is what counts.

(referring to all players here, not anyone specifically)

I think that is one way we are different though. You are referring to all players. I think you have to take it on a case by case basis. Guys like Profar and Gallo and even Brinson and Mazara are completely different that the potential shown by the vast majority of those who flamed out. You can't lump in guys like Ian Kinsler, Hank Blalock, Warren Morris, and Kelly Dransfeldt all together. Kinsler and Blalock showed much more potential in the minors by the time they had been through the system. There are a lot of Kelly Dransfeldt types, but very few Jurickson Profar types.

 

[RevSader]

Potential and $6 gets ya terrific cup of coffee at StarBucks.

Have never heard someone call their overpriced bean water terrific.

 

[saddles]

Potential and $6 gets ya terrific cup of coffee at StarBucks.

Yes, but it gets you a lot more than that if your goal is to move up within an organization and eventually become an All Star. It is useless in the wrong place and extremely useful in the right place.

 

[RevSader]

Yes, but it gets you a lot more than that if your goal is to move up within an organization and eventually become an All Star. It is useless in the wrong place and extremely useful in the right place.

Yeah...the Astros have given Mark Appel every chance to succeed despite his struggles. Why is that? Because exactly what you are saying. A third rate prospect is not going to be given those extra chances.