The Officially Official Off Season Thread (2016)

[scotsman1948]

I get what you are saying....and agree.... but you also cant count on Darvish next year to be a horse. He'll be coming off Tommy John and be on an innings limit. Not to mention the usual issues pitchers have after coming back from TJ surgery.

you are not allowed to think that way

 

[romeo212000]

you are not allowed to think that way

Don't be petty, Scotty.

 

[romeo212000]

that is not much of an up looking thought

Why? Any of those three have flashed the potential to do so, but two were sidetracked by injuries.

 

[romeo212000]

if you consider them the better option then we will just have to disagree. neither is capable of going thru a lineup 3 times which with them means you might get 4.1 to 5.1 innings per game if you are lucky and then you wear down your pen early

Most 5th starters do well to get into the 6th inning.

 

[saddles]

if you consider them the better option then we will just have to disagree. neither is capable of going thru a lineup 3 times which with them means you might get 4.1 to 5.1 innings per game if you are lucky and then you wear down your pen early

The facts just don't support what you are claiming. Chi Chi had 9 starts last year and he did better than that on all but 2 occasions. One of those was in his last start where he went exactly 5.1 innings only because they were limiting his pitches and innings down the stretch. He had very good results in the game and only threw about 90 pitches.

Nick Martinez had 21 starts and only went that few innings in 5 of those starts.

If we signed a pitcher for $12 million a year for 4 years with worse numbers something tells me you would be happy about that.

You tell me what pitcher do you want us to sign and for how much?

 

[saddles]

Rangers to seek pitching in Hot Stove season

When healthy, Darvish would join a rotation that includes left-handers Cole Hamels, Derek Holland and Martin Perez. That leaves one spot open.


The Rangers will make a $15.8 million qualifying offer to right-hander Yovani Gallardo, but the club still expects him to test the free-agent market looking for the best deal. They have also expressed interest in re-signing right-hander Colby Lewis, who led Texas in wins and innings pitched.


The Rangers will need depth, especially if Darvish tarries in his return, but they have Chi Chi Gonzalez, Nick Martinez and Anthony Ranaudo available to compete for the fifth spot in the rotation if needed.

 

[saddles]

More from the above article.

Potential targets
The Rangers are loaded with hard-throwing relievers but will likely invest in at least one more veteran arm if Ohlendorf leaves as a free agent. Among the attractive right-handers out there as free agents are Darren O'Day, Tyler Clippard, Ryan Madson, Matt Albers, Joakim Soria and Ryan Webb.


Financial situation
The Rangers had a payroll of about $141 million in 2015 and will likely be in that neighborhood again in '16. They have nine players signed for 2015 at an obligation of approximately $110 million. They also have 11 players eligible for arbitration although that list could get trimmed as the winter progresses.


Bottom line
The Rangers always go into the offseason stating they don't expect to play at the high end of the free-agent market. But before it's over, they are at least hanging on the periphery or ready to take a deep plunge. They will at least go poking around again.

 

[saddles]

Rangers' prospect Lewis Brinson playing in AFL

After fanning in 38 percent of his plate appearances in 2013, Brinson cut that to 25 percent and then 21 percent in the last two years. His OPS has risen from .427 to .812 to 1.004, and he ranked third in the Minors in that category in 2015. He batted .332/.403/.601 with 20 homers and 18 steals in 100 games at three levels (mostly at Class A Advanced) and might have made a run at a 30-30 season if a hamstring injury hadn't sidelined him for all of May.


Brinson attributes his success to his newfound patience.


"Having a plan up there this year, it's been 100 percent of my success," he said. "I have a book that I write in after my at-bats and I have little notes on pitchers I face, so I really took pride in that this year and really stayed disciplined up there. I'm really patient up there, trying not to be too aggressive early in the count, just work in the at-bat and get a pitch I like and make the pitcher pitch to me."


The 21-year-old Brinson continued to excel in the first three weeks of the Arizona Fall League season with the Surprise Saguaros. He went 12-for-40 (.300) in 11 games before the Rangers replaced him on Nov. 2, with six extra-base hits (including a league-best three triples) and five steals (tied for third in the AFL). He continued to maintain his plate discipline, walking nearly as many times (seven) as he struck out (nine).

"I'm out here just trying to get better, like everybody else," Brinson said. "I want to work on my hitting approach a little bit more. Defensively, my arm, I want to work on throwing guys out.

 

[romeo212000]

Would love to bring O'Day back.

 

[romeo212000]

Rangers' prospect Lewis Brinson playing in AFL

After fanning in 38 percent of his plate appearances in 2013, Brinson cut that to 25 percent and then 21 percent in the last two years. His OPS has risen from .427 to .812 to 1.004, and he ranked third in the Minors in that category in 2015. He batted .332/.403/.601 with 20 homers and 18 steals in 100 games at three levels (mostly at Class A Advanced) and might have made a run at a 30-30 season if a hamstring injury hadn't sidelined him for all of May.


Brinson attributes his success to his newfound patience.


"Having a plan up there this year, it's been 100 percent of my success," he said. "I have a book that I write in after my at-bats and I have little notes on pitchers I face, so I really took pride in that this year and really stayed disciplined up there. I'm really patient up there, trying not to be too aggressive early in the count, just work in the at-bat and get a pitch I like and make the pitcher pitch to me."


The 21-year-old Brinson continued to excel in the first three weeks of the Arizona Fall League season with the Surprise Saguaros. He went 12-for-40 (.300) in 11 games before the Rangers replaced him on Nov. 2, with six extra-base hits (including a league-best three triples) and five steals (tied for third in the AFL). He continued to maintain his plate discipline, walking nearly as many times (seven) as he struck out (nine).

"I'm out here just trying to get better, like everybody else," Brinson said. "I want to work on my hitting approach a little bit more. Defensively, my arm, I want to work on throwing guys out.

Keep that K% around 20% when he hits the bigs and he'll be fine.

 

[Kelleyman]

With Delino DeShields there, center field will not be center of Rangers offeason | SportsDay

I do not think it is a given that DDJ is automatically penciled in at CF. I think Martin is gone but if they could find a one year contract at CF they might jump at it and start DDJ at LF and platoon Mitch with Nap and Prince and Josh. It would be awesome if Brinson was ready

 

[romeo212000]

I do not think it is a given that DDJ is automatically penciled in at CF. I think Martin is gone but if they could find a one year contract at CF they might jump at it and start DDJ at LF and platoon Mitch with Nap and Prince and Josh. It would be awesome if Brinson was ready

Brinson isn't ready and you'd be moving a guy with no power to LF and unless you replace him in CF with someone with power (which there isn't exactly an abundance of power hitting CF'ers) what's the point?

 

[scotsman1948]

Why? Any of those three have flashed the potential to do so, but two were sidetracked by injuries.

the flashes were too few and too far between to suit me

 

[romeo212000]

the flashes were too few and too far between to suit me

Rua played outstanding for two months in 2014. He just never got going again nor had much of a chance to after his injury.

 

[scotsman1948]

The facts just don't support what you are claiming. Chi Chi had 9 starts last year and he did better than that on all but 2 occasions. One of those was in his last start where he went exactly 5.1 innings only because they were limiting his pitches and innings down the stretch. He had very good results in the game and only threw about 90 pitches.

Nick Martinez had 21 starts and only went that few innings in 5 of those starts.

If we signed a pitcher for $12 million a year for 4 years with worse numbers something tells me you would be happy about that.

You tell me what pitcher do you want us to sign and for how much?

hopefully if we were to sign a pitcher for that amount we would be smart enough to sign a quality pitcher. i don't really have any one in mind just someone better than Martinez etc

 

[scotsman1948]

Rua played outstanding for two months in 2014. He just never got going again nor had much of a chance to after his injury.

that is not a strong argument

 

[scotsman1948]

Would love to bring O'Day back.

same here but gut says the Orioles resign him

 

[romeo212000]

hopefully if we were to sign a pitcher for that amount we would be smart enough to sign a quality pitcher. i don't really have any one in mind just someone better than Martinez etc

So you don't really have any idea what you expect the Rangers to do or how they might make it happen. You just like throwing wish lists at them and expect them to pull a rabbit out of a hat.

 

[romeo212000]

that is not a strong argument

Stronger than any you've made today.

 

[Kelleyman]

Brinson isn't ready and you'd be moving a guy with no power to LF and unless you replace him in CF with someone with power (which there isn't exactly an abundance of power hitting CF'ers) what's the point?

Whole point which we have tossed around is DDJ is terrible at throwing people out. Of course the most likely scenario is DDJ starts and Stubbs comes in with a lead. Yes traditionally the COF is a power spot and we would have to make that up if DDJ is there. I am thinking defensively not offensively. You never know if Brinson has turned the corner and yes barring injury he will start in Frisco. I am just dreaming of best case scenarios,

What we need is a RHB probably 2 if we can hold on to Nap. Another SP and Lewis too if Gallardo turns down QO. Love to improve at catcher and hope our relief improves. If somehow we can get a power hitting CRF more likely via trade that is good but not to leave Brinson out of the mix next year.

Those are the realistic needs minus the last one which is a pure longshot