Your Texas Rangers are 2015 AL West Champions!

[DT LUNA]

Why do you all go to bed so early?

 

[romeo212000]

Not in bed. Actually watching the stars.

 

[Kelleyman]

If my memory is correct, Saddles preaches the same every year. I don't blame him either. I want the Rangers to be up around the 140-150 million range.

Oh yes I have heard the budget needs to increase for a while. When that happens tickets likely increase as well I have no idea what the proposed budget is or what it should be. However, I hate to pay other teams to take on our "mistake" contracts just to pay another premium on the FA market. That does not sound like value to me. Trades IMO are more likely.

 

[romeo212000]

Oh yes I have heard the budget needs to increase for a while. When that happens tickets likely increase as well I have no idea what the proposed budget is or what it should be. However, I hate to pay other teams to take on our "mistake" contracts just to pay another premium on the FA market. That does not sound like value to me. Trades IMO are more likely.

I could see some finagling to swing a guy like Upton. Most likely not Cespedes. But again, with Gallo, Mazara, and Brinson knocking on the door, how much do we really pursue guys like that anyways?

 

[Kelleyman]

Delino only has the arm for LF traditionally a power hitting position. I wonder if we could replace him for a player with power in CF and have Josh platoon and come off the bench. I do agree we need more power in the lineup and are currently getting nothing out of LF, CF, SS and Prince really should produce more. We are short on RH power bats so a trade is likely. Mitch has been good but match him with a less friendly contract may open a spot. FA shopping is generally an overpay. If would be nice if a young guy can make it to the bigs early and produce. What the Cubs have done to me is amazing.

 

[romeo212000]

Delino only has the arm for LF traditionally a power hitting position. I wonder if we could replace him for a player with power in CF and have Josh platoon and come off the bench. I do agree we need more power in the lineup and are currently getting nothing out of LF, CF, SS and Prince really should produce more. We are short on RH power bats so a trade is likely. Mitch has been good but match him with a less friendly contract may open a spot. FA shopping is generally an overpay. If would be nice if a young guy can make it to the bigs early and produce. What the Cubs have done to me is amazing.

I've got Brinson replacing DDJ, maybe as early as next season. We definitely need RH power. That's why I feel like Upton is a great fit.

 

[Kelleyman]

I could see some finagling to swing a guy like Upton. Most likely not Cespedes. But again, with Gallo, Mazara, and Brinson knocking on the door, how much do we really pursue guys like that anyways?

We have to put a good team on the field. I just think those guys are likely not ready to start the year. We need some bridge players until they are ready.

 

[romeo212000]

We have to put a good team on the field. I just think those guys are likely not ready to start the year. We need some bridge players until they are ready.

Upton wouldn't be a bridge player. Hamilton would be a bridge player.

 

[Kelleyman]

I've got Brinson replacing DDJ, maybe as early as next season. We definitely need RH power. That's why I feel like Upton is a great fit.

I would think Brinson is our future CF but hate to give up speed and lead off bat. Move DeShields to left field. It is going to take some juggling to make it work. Of course we have coveted Upton for a while. All this makes me think we may move some position players as we need to replace power especially if we keep DDJ assuming he starts

 

[Kelleyman]

Upton wouldn't be a bridge player. Hamilton would be a bridge player.

Talking about CF but yes Hamilton is a bridge player especially if we keep DDJ in CF

 

[romeo212000]

Talking about CF

DeShields is the bridge player.

 

[romeo212000]

I would think Brinson is our future CF but hate to give up speed and lead off bat. Move DeShields to left field. It is going to take some juggling to make it work. Of course we have coveted Upton for a while. All this makes me think we may move some position players as we need to replace power especially if we keep DDJ assuming he starts

Move DeShields to LF why? So we can have another COF who doesn't hit for power? Brinson isn't a 30 homer guy. Maybe 20 which is awesome for a cf, but still. If Brinson and Mazara fulfill their potential, Delino probably doesn't have a position on this team. The good news is he'll have some trade value.

 

[RevSader]

Move DeShields to LF why? So we can have another COF who doesn't hit for power? Brinson isn't a 30 homer guy. Maybe 20 which is awesome for a cf, but still. If Brinson and Mazara fulfill their potential, Delino probably doesn't have a position on this team. The good news is he'll have some trade value.

I like Lino, but yeah his role might dwindle if some other players pan out here.

 

[romeo212000]

I like Lino, but yeah his role might dwindle if some other players pan out here.

I like him a lot, but yeah. If our guys on the farm pan out, I don't see a spot for him.

 

[Kelleyman]

Regardless of what team needs DeShields best position is LF. But if he is they we will need to make up the power elsewhere. Trying to think creatively. I don't think Odor, Elvis or Belte are moving. The rest I am it so sure of although I think it will be tough to move Prince. And we have not really addressed pitching as I think Hgallardo is likely gone

 

[romeo212000]

Regardless of what team needs DeShields best position is LF. But if he is they we will need to make up the power elsewhere. Trying to think creatively. I don't think Odor, Elvis or Belte are moving. The rest I am it so sure of although I think it will be tough to move Prince. And we have not really addressed pitching as I think Hgallardo is likely gone

This team needs hitting a lot more than pitching. I think you'll see some young guys step up this year.

 

[saddles]

If my memory is correct, Saddles preaches the same every year. I don't blame him either. I want the Rangers to be up around the 140-150 million range.

2 years ago at this time I was saying similar things about Abreu, McCann, and either Cruz or Napoli. Then I heard JD say in an interview with Norm Hitzges that payroll would remain about the same not only that offseason, but the next one as well. I didn't believe him at first but once he did exactly what he said he would do I believed him. Then last offseason I said they wouldn't increase it much because it had already been settled. This offseason I am back to thinking they should increase payroll because I haven't heard anything from JD about not doing so.

It is time for them to increase it. The Tigers outspent us by about $31 million last year. The Giants were right under the Tigers. I don't see why our budget can't be as big as those teams when we have good players available to spend money on.

 

[saddles]

I'm just saying you're speaking in ways you can't possibly have the knowledge to be speaking the way you are. It will be an interesting offseason to be sure. I really do hope they find a big bat to spend on as I think they're close. I'm not sure Davis or Wieters is that bat though.

If we didn't comment on here about offseason moves unless we had inside information this board would be very quiet. lol

All I am basing it on is that we have pretty much kept a lid on things for a couple of years and JD alluded to the fact that that would be because he didn't see anyone in free agency worth going much higher for in the past 2 offseasons. I think it is time for that to change. If they can't spend significantly more this year when they see how this season played out then I don't think they would ever spend more. We were eighth in spending this year and we are one of the biggest markets in the country. If they are going to keep their powder dry any longer they might as well throw the powder away.

 

[saddles]

Delino only has the arm for LF traditionally a power hitting position. I wonder if we could replace him for a player with power in CF and have Josh platoon and come off the bench. I do agree we need more power in the lineup and are currently getting nothing out of LF, CF, SS and Prince really should produce more. We are short on RH power bats so a trade is likely. Mitch has been good but match him with a less friendly contract may open a spot. FA shopping is generally an overpay. If would be nice if a young guy can make it to the bigs early and produce. What the Cubs have done to me is amazing.

I had no problem with that philosophy 2 years ago. If you will remember I either wanted to go big in spending or reboot. Take a year or two to step back and rebuild this thing to a minor degree. That would have meant trading Beltre at the deadline in 2014. It would have meant trading Kinsler for a couple of lower level prospects instead of Fielder. It would have meant a lot of disappointed fans. In the long run it might have been better though. We will never know.

 

[saddles]

This team needs hitting a lot more than pitching. I think you'll see some young guys step up this year.

If we did trade both Choo and Fielder how much payroll do you think we could realistically save when you consider how much we would have to pay them if they stayed minus how much we have to pay other teams to take them? $10 million on each on average? Maybe $20 million total savings?