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2020 Texas Rangers Offseason


CowtownHorn

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38 minutes ago, Elmer_Fudd said:

Also wouldn't be a surprise if the schedule gets revised with different dates and such.

Yep. Guessing the new schedule would have to be reformatted to have the same percentage of divisional games as usual. And interleague probably will be scrapped.

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Something to read from TR, at least. 

Quote

The Rangers, like the rest of baseball, face the great unknown, wondering when the game will resume.

But there were a few things they did learn in Spring Training before baseball was shut down.

1) Odor must carry big load
The Rangers know Todd Frazier is a proven Major League hitter, but they don’t know what they will get out of Ronald Guzmán, Greg Bird or Sam Travis -- don’t forget him -- at first base. If Frazier has to play first, can Isiah Kiner-Falefa or Matt Duffy provide the needed offense at third? The Rangers really need a big year from Rougned Odor at second base to help carry the offense, and he was having an excellent camp before the shutdown.

2) You never know where utility players might end up
The Rangers wanted Nick Solak to get early work in center field. The next step was to try him at third base. His best position is second base. Then Willie Calhoun went down with a fractured jaw, so it appeared that Solak could be the Opening Day left fielder. But if the season is delayed long enough, Calhoun could be back out there for Opening Day, leaving Solak back in a utility role, with Danny Santana locked in as the center fielder.

3) The rotation was headed in the right direction
The Rangers were feeling good about their rotation when everything came to a halt. Corey Kluber and Lance Lynn were up to 85 pitches and five-plus innings in their last outings. Mike Minor was right behind with 4 2/3 scoreless frames in his last outing. Kyle Gibson looked as if he was going to be ready for the start of the season after dealing with ulcerative colitis last season. His weight and strength were back to normal. Jordan Lyles was showing an improved changeup to go with his high fastball and swing-and-miss curve. Overall the starting five was a big positive for the Rangers.

4) Rangers are smitten with White, Taveras
Last summer Eli White seemed to be another Triple-A utility candidate with some speed, athleticism and so-so offensive numbers. Now he is being described as an elite defensive center fielder who is starting to figure things out offensively. Switch-hitting rookie Leody Taveras is another center fielder who the Rangers think can play defense at a high level, once his offensive productivity increases. They were the most exciting rookies in camp.

5) Youth may be served in bullpen
The Rangers brought a few veteran relievers into camp on Minor League contracts to compete for spots in the bullpen. But it was some of the young pitchers who were most impressive including right-handers Jonathan Hernández and Demarcus Evans, and left-handers Taylor Hearn and Brett Martin. Right-hander Luke Farrell was also enjoying a strong camp. But the most impressive reliever for the Rangers was right-hander Nick Goody, claimed off waivers from the Indians. He pitched six scoreless innings, allowed one hit, walked two and struck out 14.

 

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I'm so old I was around after college and living in Arlington when the last stadium opened. I completely recall saying to others "why are so many others building domes and we arent in this august heat". For 30 years FA pitchers didnt want to come here because they would be totally gassed by august 31 and their agents would tell them so.

Looking forward to the next 20 years. We almost did it with a shithole outdoor stadium.

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3 hours ago, markstanco said:

I'm so old I was around after college and living in Arlington when the last stadium opened. I completely recall saying to others "why are so many others building domes and we arent in this august heat". For 30 years FA pitchers didnt want to come here because they would be totally gassed by august 31 and their agents would tell them so.

Looking forward to the next 20 years. We almost did it with a shithole outdoor stadium.

 that ballpark was far far from a shithole outdoor stadium!!!  

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On 3/16/2020 at 4:10 PM, Vic Mackey said:

Yep. Guessing the new schedule would have to be reformatted to have the same percentage of divisional games as usual. And interleague probably will be scrapped.

Well, that is one good thing to come out of this pandemic. 

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Replaying the Adrian retirement ceremony game on FSSW now. Goddamn, our offense was gross last year. 

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Shin-Soo Choo - DH
Delino DeShields - CF
Elvis Andrus - SS
Nomar Mazara - RF
Logan Forsythe - 3B
Rougned Odor - 2B
Danny Santana - LF
Ronald Guzman - 1B
Jeff Mathis - C

 

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On 5/1/2020 at 2:53 PM, TheStoicPaisano said:

So Clasé just ate an 80-game suspension for PEDs. Hope Kluber has something in the tank for y’all.

That definitely makes the trade look even better. You suppose the Rangers knew something was up with him?

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From a Cleveland fan perspective...I just hope that Clase’s 2019 wasn’t a result of the PEDs. Cleveland shut him down mid-March with a lat strain, so maybe (hopefully?) he took the PED during rehab. I don’t know if the players are stateside right now, but a bunch of the PED suspensions have hit Dominican natives like Clase.

Indians fan thought COVID would help with Clase and Carrasco getting extra rehab. No bueno. DeShields as a starter on a 90-win team is a big ask.

Edited by TheStoicPaisano
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Oddibe is my favorite all time name. I tried to talk my wife into naming one of our kids Oddibe, but she wasn’t having it. 

Was sitting in the outfield with wife and kids when Gary Matthew’s made that highlight catch off the wall. Well, I should have been. Wife and kids got hot and wanted to leave. We were losing, so I gave in. As we were just about out of the stadium, the crowd erupts. I knew we weren’t up to bat yet, so couldn’t figure out why they got loud all of a sudden. Get back to the hotel room and see the highlight. Damn it!

Edited by YoungCounty
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On 4/17/2020 at 6:14 PM, DougO said:

I heard they started playing games in Taiwan. Put that shit on TV.

Korean baseball on ESPN now, no fans. Incredibly bored announcers, anonymous American fat dude doing play by play in Korea and obligatory annoying female doing commentary virtually in the comfort of her own home.

Samsung leads Kia 9-2 in the 8th. Hell yes. Samsung TVs rule, watching the game one one now. Fuck Kia.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Am I the only ranger fan excited about the idea of no season?
 

we would get 

1) spared from watching an awful team again this year

2) Choo and fielder completely paid off

3) lose one year of odor without having to watch him

4) one year closer to odor not being a ranger anymore

5 wouldn’t have to watch the cheating Astros possibly win a World Series.

 

im rooting for no season and we can pick things up again next year.

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