World Series Champions, Texas Rangers 2023-2024 Offseason Thread

[Kelleyman]

Crim now in the DH competition

lol but maybe yes

 

[saddles]

 

[saddles]

 

[saddles]

 

[saddles]

Rangers, Yankees, Astros Interested In Robert Stephenson

The market continues to materialize for free agent reliever Robert Stephenson. Jon Morosi of MLB.com tweets that the Rangers and Yankees …

www.mlbtraderumors.com

 

[saddles]

 

[armadillooutlaw]

Rangers, Yankees, Astros Interested In Robert Stephenson

The market continues to materialize for free agent reliever Robert Stephenson. Jon Morosi of MLB.com tweets that the Rangers and Yankees …

www.mlbtraderumors.com

He'd be a nice signing. Wouldn't mind him and Hicks if they're opting to not pursue Hader.

 

[saddles]

 

[saddles]

Bleachernation.com has just released their mock draft.

1. Texas Rangers: Josh Hartle (LHP) – Wake Forest

 

[saddles]

He'd be a nice signing. Wouldn't mind him and Hicks if they're opting to not pursue Hader.

That would make for a pretty good pen.

Hicks
Stephenson
Leclerc
Yates
Sborz
Burke or Hernendez
Bradford
Heaney

 

[armadillooutlaw]

That would make for a pretty good pen.

Hicks
Stephenson
Leclerc
Yates
Sborz
Burke or Hernendez
Bradford
Heaney

For sure. That's a pen that can protect some leads and give you some innings on the times when the starter is having an off day.
Would need to acquire another solid starting pitcher via trade if both Bradford and Heaney stay in the pen, which I'm not opposed to - they were both very good in that role during the championship run.
Think Owen White could be ready to make the leap to the rotation by chance?

 

[saddles]

For sure. That's a pen that can protect some leads and give you some innings on the times when the starter is having an off day.
Would need to acquire another solid starting pitcher via trade if both Bradford and Heaney stay in the pen, which I'm not opposed to - they were both very good in that role during the championship run.
Think Owen White could be ready to make the leap to the rotation by chance?

Myself, I would rather acquire a long man and let Bradford start, but I know the Rangers aren't going to do that. Somebody like Lugo would be perfect. They could let him, Heaney and Bradford compete in ST for the remaining spot and have the other two go to the pen.

 

[saddles]

For sure. That's a pen that can protect some leads and give you some innings on the times when the starter is having an off day.
Would need to acquire another solid starting pitcher via trade if both Bradford and Heaney stay in the pen, which I'm not opposed to - they were both very good in that role during the championship run.
Think Owen White could be ready to make the leap to the rotation by chance?

Owen would have to make a Ragans-like improvement in the offseason to be ready. Then they would probably trade him. Lol

 

[armadillooutlaw]

Myself, I would rather acquire a long man and let Bradford start, but I know the Rangers aren't going to do that.

Seems they prefer the experienced veteran route. It worked last year, however, to your point Bradford looks like a legitimate starter. Reminds me a lot of Dunning (generating outs off of weak contact) but seems to have a better knack at striking guys out, too.

 

[saddles]

 

[saddles]

From Stefan Stevenson:

Chris Young and manager Bruce Bochy have a ton of topics to discuss as they prepare the team to defend its World Series title.

During one of those conversations Monday morning at the MLB Winter Meetings at the Gaylord Opryland Resort, the topic turned to Ezequiel Duran.

"[We] were talking about this, how good Zeke looked down the stretch when we were doing live BPs, and we had the alt-site camp. Zeke was on fire; it was like the first half," Young said. "We just didn’t have a spot to get him in. But he was really, really good."

Duran, 24, is an easily forgotten piece of the Rangers championship season because he was left off the postseason roster after the emergence of Evan Carter in September and in lieu of an extra bullpen arm.

Duran was hitting .300 until mid-July and finished with 14 home runs, 22 doubles, and 46 RBI, while hitting .276. The middle-infielder — who can also play third, first, and outfield — is considered a valuable insurance policy on the Rangers' bench. He filled in admirably for Corey Seager, with only three errors in 37 games at shortstop. And when Josh Jung was injured, Duran filled in at third base. He made five errors in 22 games there, but three of them came in one game against the Milwaukee Brewers.

"It’s a luxury to have somebody like Zeke, and we’re going to need him," Young said. "He may get at-bats at DH, and he may play the infield. He can play third, short, second, and first. You can put him in the outfield. That’s a real luxury. Look at him and Josh Smith for our organization, and it makes our big-league team significantly deeper, in my opinion."

If teams are interested in acquiring Duran, say for some pitching, their offer needs to be good.
"We hold a super high bar on Zeke because we believe he has the potential to be a really impactful everyday player, and that may be this year if somebody goes down or if he outperforms somebody," Young said. "I put no limits on him. He’s just coming into his own. He’s really good."

 

[fanman8825]

I am not counting on Winn to do much at this point being 24. Those stats are ok with the exception of the walks, but this is in the Puerto Rican Winter League.
Hopefully we see better results in 2024 as he starts out in RoundRock.

 

[saddles]

I am not counting on Winn to do much at this point being 24. Those stats are ok with the exception of the walks, but this is in the Puerto Rican Winter League.
Hopefully we see better results in 2024 as he starts out in RoundRock.

Yeah, I am still very skeptical.

 

[WastinSomeTime]

From Stefan Stevenson:

Chris Young and manager Bruce Bochy have a ton of topics to discuss as they prepare the team to defend its World Series title.

During one of those conversations Monday morning at the MLB Winter Meetings at the Gaylord Opryland Resort, the topic turned to Ezequiel Duran.

"[We] were talking about this, how good Zeke looked down the stretch when we were doing live BPs, and we had the alt-site camp. Zeke was on fire; it was like the first half," Young said. "We just didn’t have a spot to get him in. But he was really, really good."

Duran, 24, is an easily forgotten piece of the Rangers championship season because he was left off the postseason roster after the emergence of Evan Carter in September and in lieu of an extra bullpen arm.

Duran was hitting .300 until mid-July and finished with 14 home runs, 22 doubles, and 46 RBI, while hitting .276. The middle-infielder — who can also play third, first, and outfield — is considered a valuable insurance policy on the Rangers' bench. He filled in admirably for Corey Seager, with only three errors in 37 games at shortstop. And when Josh Jung was injured, Duran filled in at third base. He made five errors in 22 games there, but three of them came in one game against the Milwaukee Brewers.

"It’s a luxury to have somebody like Zeke, and we’re going to need him," Young said. "He may get at-bats at DH, and he may play the infield. He can play third, short, second, and first. You can put him in the outfield. That’s a real luxury. Look at him and Josh Smith for our organization, and it makes our big-league team significantly deeper, in my opinion."

If teams are interested in acquiring Duran, say for some pitching, their offer needs to be good.
"We hold a super high bar on Zeke because we believe he has the potential to be a really impactful everyday player, and that may be this year if somebody goes down or if he outperforms somebody," Young said. "I put no limits on him. He’s just coming into his own. He’s really good."

Is this a "let's pump him up so we can get more value in a trade" talk?

 

[saddles]

Is this a "let's pump him up so we can get more value in a trade" talk?

I guess at this point, that is anybody guess since we don't really have much of a history of CY trading guys who have been on the big league roster. My guess would be no, that that isn't Young's style, but it would be just a guess. He didn't pump up Ragans prior to trading him, but that is just one instance.