2011 Texas Rangers

[StylisticS]

I think you use DH to rest some of your guys during the season, you can use their bats but they don't have to play the field, I personally think Vladdy would be welcome back but he's fallen off after the all star break and that worries me. If Bengie doesn't come back I go after Victor Martinez to go with Treanor. And I want Crawford to fill out our OF, I don't like Bourbon out there and with Crawford your OF would look like this: Crawford, Hamilton, Cruz (That's scary right there)

While that OF would be power heavy, the speed would be amazing and yes, Hamilton's speed is deceptive. But I don't think he comes to Texas. LAA or Boston bound even though he's originally from Texas.

 

[Joe Realist]

I don't think so, I think the Rangers have a great shot to resign him (if the money and the years are right). They won't overpay for him like the Yankees will do on just about every player, but they will put up a competitive offer.

Well, I hope he does stay in Texas, rather than the Yankees, but I also wished the Phillies never traded him.

 

[YosemiteSam]

I don't think we need another outfielder, but we do need another DH. Vlad was huge for us at points this year, but he went through slumps where his mechanics were even horrible for his normal standards. With Vlad it was either feast or famine.

You speak as if he actually had some type of mechanics to start with. :laugh2:

 

[Stautner]

You speak as if he actually had some type of mechanics to start with. :laugh2:

With Vlad I use the term loosely

 

[Gzus]

While that OF would be power heavy, the speed would be amazing and yes, Hamilton's speed is deceptive. But I don't think he comes to Texas. LAA or Boston bound even though he's originally from Texas.

I think it all hinges on if we get Cliff Lee to stay or not. If Cliff stays then I don't think we have the money to go after Crawford, but if we can't get Cliff to stay then we'd go after Crawford.

 

[YosemiteSam]

I think it all hinges on if we get Cliff Lee to stay or not. If Cliff stays then I don't think we have the money to go after Crawford, but if we can't get Cliff to stay then we'd go after Crawford.

We don't need Crawford. We sure don't need to spend that kind of money on Crawford. If I'm going to spend big bucks in FA, do on pitching. Pitching is what matters in playoffs. (as everyone who faced the Giants were rudely taught)

 

[Stautner]

I think it all hinges on if we get Cliff Lee to stay or not. If Cliff stays then I don't think we have the money to go after Crawford, but if we can't get Cliff to stay then we'd go after Crawford.

If we don't get Lee we hopefully could go after Crawford and another proven veteran pithcer that is a step below Lee. We still need that strong veteran presence on our staff, unless anyone thinks HArdin can come back and provide it.

 

[The Horned Frog]

I'd like to see Molina lose 50lbs. :laugh2:

You called????

 

[Stautner]

We don't need Crawford. We sure don't need to spend that kind of money on Crawford. If I'm going to spend big bucks in FA, do on pitching. Pitching is what matters in playoffs. (as everyone who faced the Giants were rudely taught)

Well, when the other team has pitching you do have to have someone that can hit it.

I'm not sure where I would change something, but I do think we need some more consistency in the batting lineup. The feast or famine offense makes it difficult to maintain the ability to score enough runs throughout the entire playoffs. The famine can hit at anytime, like it did in the World Series, and like it did for much of August. We have to find a way to keep an even keel instead of riding waves and counting on the waves to be their at the right time. Maybe DH and Catcher would be the places to change.

But I also agree we need at least one strong veteran pitcher to go with the rest. Ideally it would be Lee, but I think we could do fine with someone a tier down from Lee's level. Holland and Hunter and perhaps some minor leaguers will be more mature and ready to help more, so the bottom end of the rotation should be fine.

A strong veteran in the bullpen would be nice too. Not a closer - I think we are set there - but a guy who is well respected for his work ethic and his acheivements in baseball. Our bullpen is very young otherwise, and it would be great to have a guy like that as an example.

 

[Gzus]

With the Rangers not picking up Vladdy's option, I think if you can pick up Crawford you can use the DH to rotate your outfielders. You'd have: Murph, Cruz, Hamilton, Cruz, Bourbon. All 5 could be rotated through the DH to provide hitting while not working the field (limiting injury).

 

[Stautner]

With the Rangers not picking up Vladdy's option, I think if you can pick up Crawford you can use the DH to rotate your outfielders. You'd have: Murph, Cruz, Hamilton, Cruz, Bourbon. All 5 could be rotated through the DH to provide hitting while not working the field (limiting injury).

This is a good point. This kind of rotation works much better with Crawford than Vlad. Vlad is pretty limited in the OF.

I also think that while we would lose a little power having Crawford instead of Vlad, we would add more consistency at the plate, which I think the team sorely needs. Obviously we would add speed as well.

I think there is some chance the Rangers could still end up with Vlad though, just at a lesser price than the option provided. Of course, if money is a factor (perhaps to free up money to sign Lee?) then Craword might be out of the picture because he will demand a hefty salary.

 

[utrunner07]

Wash signed a 2 year extension today.

 

[Gzus]

Wash signed a 2 year extension today.

Up next Jon Daniels, then Cliff Lee

 

[TellerMorrow34]

I'll be upset if they don't give Mitch Moreland every oppurtunity to be the first baseman. He was pretty darn good this year and I was pretty pleased with him in the WS.