Series Thread: World Series preview? Rangers at Wrigley to play the Cubs 7/15-7/17

[DT LUNA]

Rooster has clearly demonstrated that he lacks the balls to do what is best for the team. He does what is best for the player. Not a good quality you want to have in a manager.

You honestly feel Banny is to blame in the case of Prince?

 

[saddles]

You honestly feel Banny is to blame in the case of Prince?

I certainly blame him for using him at 1B when there were better options. He has used Prince way too much this year. I blame JD for Prince being here, but that is old news.

 

[WilltheThrill]

I'm seeing 5 singles total from the offense, with no one driven in. But more specifically, my earlier comment was part of a more "in general" discussion. Meaning, in general, Prince is not the reason the ENTIRE offense sucks.

Saying the entire offense sucks is ridiculous. They've been great all season long. Today they were awful, and there's been another game or two over the last 2 weeks where they struggled, but they've been scoring plenty of runs in general.

And they are a much better offense when Prince Fielder is on the bench. Profar, Rua, and even Moreland are all better with the bat.

Prince is not their only problem, but he is a very big one and has been all season long. Just because one player isn't to blame for everything doesn't mean removing him wouldn't help out a lot.

 

[DT LUNA]

I certainly blame him for using him at 1B when there were better options. He has used Prince way too much this year. I blame JD for Prince being here, but that is old news.

If JD says play him then Banny plays him offense or defense. The question is, does JD do that?

 

[DT LUNA]

Saying the entire offense sucks is ridiculous. They've been great all season long. Today they were awful, and there's been another game or two over the last 2 weeks where they struggled, but they've been scoring plenty of runs in general.

And they are a much better offense when Prince Fielder is on the bench. Profar, Rua, and even Moreland are all better with the bat.

Prince is not their only problem, but he is a very big one and has been all season long. Just because one player isn't to blame for everything doesn't mean removing him wouldn't help out a lot.

I think we are all on the same page.

 

[darrylgann]

Astros are making noise. Sure hope we get our act together pretty soon here. Not going to matter if we can't hit.

 

[Bmurph]

Would like to see an impact move to follow this, doesn't sound like much here

Rangers Sign Alexei Bell

By Jeff Todd | July 15, 2016 at 1:28pm CDT

JULY 15: The Rangers announced that they have signed Bell to a minor league contract.

JULY 5: The Rangers are nearing a minor league deal with free agent Alexei Bell, according to MLB.com’s Jesse Sanchez (via Twitter). The 32-year-old outfielder hit the open market after leaving his native Cuba in search of a big league opportunity.

Bell owns an impressive track record in Cuba’s Serie Nacional, where he played for 14 seasons. In 3,441 career plate appearances, he owns a .319/.417/.547 batting line with 138 home runs. He was still running up those kinds of numbers in his final year of action there in 2014, and has top-notch plate discipline with a lifetime tally of 431 walks against just 439 strikeouts.

Since that time, Bell has spent time playing in Canada and, more recently, Mexico. He wasn’t doing much at the plate in a nine-game run with Quintana Roo earlier this year, though it’s hard to read too much into the results in such a short sample for a player who hadn’t played competitively in some time.

Despite his previous success, Bell hasn’t generated much buzz as a free agent. As Ben Badler of Baseball America explains, Bell owns a big arm that ought to work in right. But he doesn’t deliver premium power and isn’t a good runner. While he would have made for a really interesting prospect earlier in his career, Badler says that scouts aren’t optimistic about his potential to be a major contributor at this stage.

Despite those limitations, it’s not at all surprising to see a club take a shot on a veteran who has such an impressive track record. Whether or not he’ll earn a shot at the majors remains to be seen.

 

[scotsman1948]

Saying the entire offense sucks is ridiculous. They've been great all season long. Today they were awful, and there's been another game or two over the last 2 weeks where they struggled, but they've been scoring plenty of runs in general.

And they are a much better offense when Prince Fielder is on the bench. Profar, Rua, and even Moreland are all better with the bat.

Prince is not their only problem, but he is a very big one and has been all season long. Just because one player isn't to blame for everything doesn't mean removing him wouldn't help out a lot.

this team once the best team in baseball(just a few weeks ago) is now one of the worst. rotation stinks, bullpen is the worst in baseball and the offense is non-existent

 

[Bmurph]

Here's why the Cubs' win over Rangers on Friday was a total troll job
Three pitchers the Cubs used came from the Rangers in trades, but that's not all

• by Matt Snyder
• @MattSnyderCBS
• 1h ago • 1 min read

As if losing 6-0 isn't rough enough, Rangers fans and possibly the front office likely had a tough time with Friday's loss to the Cubs.

To start, Ryan Dempster threw out the ceremonial first pitch. Remember, the Cubs traded Dempster to the Rangers in 2012. In 12 starts with Texas, Dempster posted a 5.09 ERA. The team would lose the AL Wild Card Game, and Dempster signed with Boston the following offseason.

The Rangers gave up minor leaguers Christian Villanueva and Kyle Hendricksfor Dempster's 12 starts.

It just so happened that Hendricks started for the Cubs on Friday, and he was brilliant. In six scoreless innings, Hendricks allowed only three hits and lowered his ERA to 2.41 on the season. Heading into Friday night's action, only Clayton Kershaw and Madison Bumgarner have a better ERA. Seriously, Hendricks ranks third in all of baseball.


Kyle Hendricks ranks third in ERA among MLB starters. USATSI

So that's a gut punch, but it doesn't end there.

In 2013, the Cubs sent Matt Garza to the Rangers, where he made 13 starts and pitched to a 4.38 ERA. The Rangers missed the playoffs by losing a one-game playoff to the Rays. In return for that, the Rangers sent Mike Olt, Neil Ramirez, Carl Edwards Jr. and Justin Grimm to the Cubs.

Though Olt and Ramirez are no longer with the Cubs, Edwards and Grimm are.

Edwards took over for Hendricks and worked a spotless seventh, striking out two. He now has a 1.54 ERA with 14 strikeouts and three walks in 11 2/3 innings since being called up. The 24-year-old is starting to look like a late-inning type.

Oh, and Grimm notched the final three outs to seal the win over the Rangers.

Combine everything above with the fact that the Rangers have now lost 10 of their last 13 games and with the possibility that the once-10-game AL West lead could shrink to 4 1/2 games with an Astros win and, yes, I'd say that's a tough pill to swallow. If you know any Rangers fans, buy him, her or them a beer or three.


I will take 6, thanks.

 

[BULLPEN FAILURE]

Saying the entire offense sucks is ridiculous. They've been great all season long. Today they were awful, and there's been another game or two over the last 2 weeks where they struggled, but they've been scoring plenty of runs in general.

Nah, they suck.

 

[WilltheThrill]

Nah, they suck.

The stats would disagree with you.

 

[Kelleyman]

I certainly blame him for using him at 1B when there were better options. He has used Prince way too much this year. I blame JD for Prince being here, but that is old news.

Truth.........ST is old news. Ha. But anyways at some point DFA may be the best option. Just take your lumps

 

[DT LUNA]

this team once the best team in baseball(just a few weeks ago) is now one of the worst. rotation stinks, bullpen is the worst in baseball and the offense is non-existent

What are you taking for dementia?

 

[Kelleyman]

If JD says play him then Banny plays him offense or defense. The question is, does JD do that?

I have to think he FO has more integrity end to dictate playing time. However the one thing re the Banny hire was there was going to be more collaboration with FO. I think this was in response to when JD brought Profar up and Wash refused to put him in the lineup. Now we really don't know what has been said but my guess is Banny believes in Prince and that is why he plays him. He could certainly drop him in lineup at least. Once Prince sits then it becomes a FO decision whether to DFA him or ride it out or trade. Just an opinion

 

[darrylgann]

Truth.........ST is old news. Ha. But anyways at some point DFA may be the best option. Just take your lumps

What a statement that would make if it were to happen. To the rest of the team. Oh if it would only happen. Wouldn't help us financially unfortunately.

 

[DT LUNA]

I have to think he FO has more integrity end to dictate playing time. However the one thing re the Banny hire was there was going to be more collaboration with FO. I think this was in response to when JD brought Profar up and Wash refused to put him in the lineup. Now we really don't know what has been said but my guess is Banny believes in Prince and that is why he plays him. He could certainly drop him in lineup at least. Once Prince sits then it becomes a FO decision whether to DFA him or ride it out or trade. Just an opinion

You make some good points. We don't know for sure but it is hard to think Banny really believes in Prince. He sees the same as we.

 

[Kelleyman]

What a statement that would make if it were to happen. To the rest of the team. Oh if it would only happen. Wouldn't help us financially unfortunately.

These long term high dollar contracts come back to bite at times. Just ask the Angels and BoSox etc. It should really be thought as a cost of doing business. I am more for a DFA and rolling with youth and a lower payroll if it has been determined that Prince is finished. Regardless how can a mgr in good faith put Prince on 1B. Plus are we that bad off that we need to bat him 5th. He does not look like a #5 hitter for a WS contending team. He has had 1/2 year of BB. His past cred is gone IMO. Time to play the best if you plan to contend. Not trying o be knee jerk with a 5 game league but.....

 

[Kelleyman]

You make some good points. We don't know for sure but it is hard to think Banny really believes in Prince. He sees the same as we.

The on,u thing is why he plays him so high in lineup and starts him at 1B. Now Mitch has struggled and Profar better option but surely Banny is not dictated to bat extent by FO

 

[darrylgann]

These long term high dollar contracts come back to bite at times. Just ask the Angels and BoSox etc. It should really be thought as a cost of doing business. I am more for a DFA and rolling with youth and a lower payroll if it has been determined that Prince is finished. Regardless how can a mgr in good faith put Prince on 1B. Plus are we that bad off that we need to bat him 5th. He does not look like a #5 hitter for a WS contending team. He has had 1/2 year of BB. His past cred is gone IMO. Time to play the best if you plan to contend. Not trying o be knee jerk with a 5 game league but.....

Look what the Dodgers did with one of their outfielders. Crawford was it? It can be done.

 

[DT LUNA]

The on,u thing is why he plays him so high in lineup and starts him at 1B. Now Mitch has struggled and Profar better option but surely Banny is not dictated to bat extent by FO

Maybe a better thought that Banny and JD want to give him every chance to suceed before dfa'ing him. idk