Texas Rangers - what is going on?

[Phoenix]

I keep seeing twitter updates of them losing player after player today. Boggle.

Nathan, gone. AJ, gone. Kitten Face, gone. What in the world is going on...

 

[MichaelWinicki]

I keep seeing twitter updates of them losing player after player today. Boggle.

Nathan, gone. AJ, gone. Kitten Face, gone. What in the world is going on...

I wouldn't get too concerned at this point. The current squad had maxed out. Some new faces were needed. Getting Fielder was a good start, even though I'm not as big on his long-term productivity as some (I think his contract is going to be an albatross) but in the short-term it's potentially a good move.

 

[TheCoolFan]

Good. Time to clean house and start with some new blood. Nathan was a goner, they weren't going to pay him and AJ was just a one-year rental.

 

[jterrell]

All expected moves except Gentry being traded.

Nathan was a nice fit but they weren't paying him big bucks.
Can find a better option in price per performance on the 40 man.

AJP wasn't really wanted back. The best prospect in the organization is a catcher. JD may force Wash to add him and play him some a la Profar.

Gentry is a non-story to me. Outside Grubes building him a following from a catchy nickname and schtick the guy was a utility outfielder and late game defensive replacement with no power whatsoever on a team that wanted to add power.
Nice role-player but the Rangers just grabbed the A's 2nd best prospect.

 

[Kristen82]

All expected moves except Gentry being traded.

Nathan was a nice fit but they weren't paying him big bucks.
Can find a better option in price per performance on the 40 man.

AJP wasn't really wanted back. The best prospect in the organization is a catcher. JD may force Wash to add him and play him some a la Profar.

Gentry is a non-story to me. Outside Grubes building him a following from a catchy nickname and schtick the guy was a utility outfielder and late game defensive replacement with no power whatsoever on a team that wanted to add power.
Nice role-player but the Rangers just grabbed the A's 2nd best prospect.

Choice reminds me of Andre Ethier - has good but not great power, might not hit .300 but will prob. go .270-.290, draws a decent amount of walks, has just enough speed to be able to play CF but is probably better suited to the corners, has a decent throwing arm, etc.

Nice that we're getting younger this season instead of just plugging older vets into the lineup like we've done the last few years. Profar, Choice, Andrus, Martin, Moreland, E. Beltre, Darvish, Holland, Perez, Harrison, Scheppers, Feliz, Ross = 13/25 roster spots taken up by guys 27 or younger.

 

[Derinyar]

I wouldn't be surprised to see Moreland not here on opening day. Just not much call for a LH first baseman that doesn't really hit RHP incredibly well.

 

[Kristen82]

I wouldn't be surprised to see Moreland not here on opening day. Just not much call for a LH first baseman that doesn't really hit RHP incredibly well.

True but we need a guy capable of spelling Fielder at 1B occasionally so he can DH or sit. Fielder plus that heat concerns me. Suppose we could sign Morse or Hart. I'm also scared of Moreland turning into Chris Davis redux in TB or PIT or wherever he lands.

 

[Derinyar]

True but we need a guy capable of spelling Fielder at 1B occasionally so he can DH or sit. Fielder plus that heat concerns me. Suppose we could sign Morse or Hart. I'm also scared of Moreland turning into Chris Davis redux in TB or PIT or wherever he lands.

I'm not that worried about Moreland turning into Davis. Davis is younger then Moreland and was a much better prospect coming up. I'd more worry about the trade of Gentry coming back to bite us, and I'm basically not worried about that. As far as Fielder I'm still betting he plays 150+ at 1b, and its not worth keeping a player around to backup him at 1b for that few a number of games, less then 1 a week. Moreland only makes a lot of sense if for the team if he's also going to play consistently at either DH(bad choice because his bat usually stinks) or in the OF(which now looks like a bad choice because its crowded). Moreland is just that sorta average player who just seems to have run his time here with this team.

 

[jterrell]

Choice reminds me of Andre Ethier - has good but not great power, might not hit .300 but will prob. go .270-.290, draws a decent amount of walks, has just enough speed to be able to play CF but is probably better suited to the corners, has a decent throwing arm, etc.

Nice that we're getting younger this season instead of just plugging older vets into the lineup like we've done the last few years. Profar, Choice, Andrus, Martin, Moreland, E. Beltre, Darvish, Holland, Perez, Harrison, Scheppers, Feliz, Ross = 13/25 roster spots taken up by guys 27 or younger.

Not sure what to make of Choice just yet but he seems exactly like you describe.

Love that he is a local guy who won't wilt in the heat and brings some power.
That invariably costs money and or high draft choices.

He's also cheap for now which can help with signing Shoo.

 

[jterrell]

True but we need a guy capable of spelling Fielder at 1B occasionally so he can DH or sit. Fielder plus that heat concerns me. Suppose we could sign Morse or Hart. I'm also scared of Moreland turning into Chris Davis redux in TB or PIT or wherever he lands.

Rangers have honestly been VERY lucky at 1B.
Davis was obviously the big exception but we've had a string of top 10 prospects: Smoak, Tex et al who've provided us a bounty in trade.

Moreland may well be worth more as trade bait to a team like TB who prefers solid players with manageable salaries to stars they have to pay than he is to us as a platoon/utility guy.

I think Moreland is a better NL fit as a mediocre hitter but plus defensive guy.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

I love this Gif.

Have to say, this is about right with Darvish.

 

[Kristen82]

Not sure what to make of Choice just yet but he seems exactly like you describe.

Love that he is a local guy who won't wilt in the heat and brings some power.
That invariably costs money and or high draft choices.

He's also cheap for now which can help with signing Shoo.

Not sure if Choice will be actually "major-league ready" this season, but I wouldn't be disappointed if we started the season with him as our starting LF'er. More likely is we add Choo and Choice is in RR to start next season.

And if Moreland is gone we still need someone to spot Fielder @ 1B from time to time. Fielder's D @ 1B isn't the greatest, and I doubt we'd find another player on the market or in our system who offers Moreland's combination of D and proven power at his level of affordability, not to mention he has some versatility in that he can play corner OF. He hit really well before his injury last year so I'd be interested to see what he can do over a full season completely healthy.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

Masked behind the huge contract that Seattle paid to Cano, the Astros picked up a starter for $30 mil today.

The Rangers have feasted on the Mariners for years and took the Astros to the cleaners this season and now both teams are making some noise in the division.

 

[RamziD]

With Beltran going to the Yankees, it looks like the only big FAs left that could really improve the Rangers' offense are Choo, Cruz, and Kendrys Morales. I like Choo, but his hitting against lefties and likely $100M+ contract concern me a little. We need to sign one of those guys, though.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

I keep expecting an announcement that the Rangers signed Choo... But no cigar– yet.

 

[Tabascocat]

I keep expecting an announcement that the Rangers signed Choo... But no cigar– yet.

Looks like Boras priced Choo out of Texas. I fully expect the Yankees to sign him soon even though he turned down the initial offer. Still don't know why they signed Elisbury, seems pointless if they do get Choo.

 

[Kristen82]

Maybe we go after someone lower in profile like Viciedo for LF or Lind for DH. If the latter, maybe Moreland gets some glove time in LF during ST.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

Looks like Boras priced Choo out of Texas. I fully expect the Yankees to sign him soon even though he turned down the initial offer. Still don't know why they signed Elisbury, seems pointless if they do get Choo.

No... now that they've signed Beltran, not much need for Choo, even though I like Choo as a player. Whoever gets him be it the Rangers or whomever will get a decent player. That OB% he brings is pure gold.

Maybe the Rangers will revisit the Choo situation now that it seems Tanaka may not be posted.

 

[Tabascocat]

Choo signs with Rangers, 7 yrs and 140 million. Didn't really see this coming since the Yankees offered almost the same. Guess he really didn't want to play in NY.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

Choo signs with Rangers, 7 yrs and 140 million. Didn't really see this coming since the Yankees offered almost the same. Guess he really didn't want to play in NY.

Good signing for the Rangers.

I guess with the difference in state tax rates the size of the contract is pretty similar.