2024 Texas Rangers

A couple of hits in bottom of 4th, no runs yet. But with the pitch count over 60, Bochy says "Enough for the first outing." Pennington on to pitch. Routine 4-3 pitot to end the threat. On to top of 5th. Rangers 2-0.
 
Yeah, I'm still plugged in and watching... just not posting.

Very sad Cory done for the season. Jung has brought back energy and run production to this team.

Excited about return of DeGrom and Rocker!!

Very pleased DeGrom basically got thru 4 vs Seattle with 0 runs.

Langford smash makes it 3-0 T5th!
 
I was at Grapefest last night and by the time I got home deGrom was already done so I went to bed and woke up this morning to see the Ranger bullpen imploded in the 8th as Robertson had a very uncharacteristic meltdown and the Rangers lost 5-4.

61 pitches 3 and 2/3 scoreless for deGrom is incredibly encouraging and these past two nights plus the new contract for CY have just filled my Ranger optimism cup to the brim for 2025.

I'm even glad they shut down Seager and he had surgery so he will be fully healthy for spring training. Get Evan Carter healthy this offseason and sign Eovaldi and Yates and Texas will be a playoff-caliber ball club next year with a solid rotation and lineup.
 
How much money will be coming off the payroll in the off-season? That could determine a potential offer to Eovaldi. I'd really like to see the Rangers keep him. Leiter is still in the developmental stage - another year or so?
 
Rangers drop three straight in Seattle and fall back to 8 games under .500. Scherzer and Leiter split a game on Saturday with both going 4 innings but then LeClerc lost in the ninth. For some reason, Heaney got the start yesterday and got his usual 0-run support and another loss. Rangers have the final six at home starting tomorrow with Eovaldi, Bradford, and Rocker slated to pitch against Toronto and then deGrom and Scherzer for the Mariners. Next Sunday's pitcher is TBD but based on this past week it is likely Heaney as they will pair Leiter with Scherzer or deGrom who can only go four innings or so as they slowly get back into pitching shape. Bochy said he was going with a six-man rotation to end the year, so likely the same rotation for the final six-game road trip after this homestand.
 
Y'all have your playoff tickets, right?

I'm sure there are a few available for the first few games in Houston...

/ducks and departs
 
FWHORN said:
I was at Grapefest last night and by the time I got home deGrom was already done so I went to bed and woke up this morning to see the Ranger bullpen imploded in the 8th as Robertson had a very uncharacteristic meltdown and the Rangers lost 5-4.

61 pitches 3 and 2/3 scoreless for deGrom is incredibly encouraging and these past two nights plus the new contract for CY have just filled my Ranger optimism cup to the brim for 2025.

I'm even glad they shut down Seager and he had surgery so he will be fully healthy for spring training. Get Evan Carter healthy this offseason and sign Eovaldi and Yates and Texas will be a playoff-caliber ball club next year with a solid rotation and lineup.
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Astros fan here. I appreciate your optimism regarding the Rangers next year and your hope for DeGrom. Unfortunately, like Verlander injuries for both of them have become annual events. For the Astros, losing JV for most of the year is a blessing in disguise as 1) he won't vest for the 2025 season and 2) he is way over the hill now and may not even make the Astros playoff roster (assuming they hold on).

DeGrom was a super talent, but his innings pitched per dollars "earned" under his contract is horrible.....kind of like Mike Trout......or JV since 2020. Long term contracts in baseball are ridiculous, but most of the owners are still making a killing so if they can afford it they keep hoping to strike gold.
 
Hookem G said:
DeGrom was a super talent, but his innings pitched per dollars "earned" under his contract is horrible.....kind of like Mike Trout......or JV since 2020. Long term contracts in baseball are ridiculous, but most of the owners are still making a killing so if they can afford it they keep hoping to strike gold.
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There is no question that Free Agent pitchers are very costly. I hope CY is positioning the Rangers organization to develop pitchers in the minors - always been a weakness for the club. But that's the key to long-term competitive teams - develop your own talent in the minors so you can feed them into the big club at the right time. They can be controlled at a reasonable price until they're eligible for Free Agency.
 
HornHuskerDad said:
There is no question that Free Agent pitchers are very costly. I hope CY is positioning the Rangers organization to develop pitchers in the minors - always been a weakness for the club. But that's the key to long-term competitive teams - develop your own talent in the minors so you can feed them into the big club at the right time. They can be controlled at a reasonable price until they're eligible for Free Agency.
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Agree 100%. While the Astros minor league system has been ranked near the bottom for the last five years, they somehow continue to find and develop good pitchers. The injuries in their starting rotation has been crazy (I would argue second only to the Dodgers), yet once again they found a few nuggets and the team is limping into first place thanks largely to the epic collapse of the Mariners. They lost four starters this year and that doesn't count McCullers who likely will end up collecting $17.5 million per year for a total of four years without throwing a pitch. And he wonders why Astros fans are a bit upset that he has the nerve to participate in HEB commercials.
 
Hookem G said:
DeGrom was a super talent, but his innings pitched per dollars "earned" under his contract is horrible.....
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Unfortunately, there are a lot of aging future hall-of-fame pitchers that this same sentence could apply to and the Rangers barring a three to four-year run starting next year are on the short end of a rough contract with deGrom with just such an imbalance because of these lost two years at 37M a year. Hard to make up that lost 74M even spread out over the next four years. Even if deGrom starts 25 games next year, a big if and even if he then starts 25 games in years 4 and 5 and then also in the option year 6 (which vested for the team when he had Tommy John again last year), it still will be an imbalance. But that is the reality of baseball and the money numbers these days.

The Rangers have developed Bradford and if Rocker and Leiter can develop into starters then 3 of the starting 5 will be homegrown next year. that's a good ratio. Next year just like this year will hinge on injuries and whether the Rangers can stay healthy and find something resembling the offense they had in 2023.
 
Rocker threw three innings yesterday giving up two runs only one of which was earned and only two hits. Four walks was his Achilles heal but he also had 5 K's. He got a hard luck loss as the Rangers offense took the afternoon off, a way too disturbingly regular occurrence this season. He will get one more start next week in Oakland to send him into the fall and he should come into spring training with a really good shot at the four or five hole starting pitcher.

Jacob deGrom goes tonight and Scherzer/Leiter tomorrow. They also will get starts next week to close out the year in Anaheim. Scherzer wont be back unless its a 5-10M kind of contract and I don't see him signing one of those so last chance to see Mad Max in a Rangers uniform. He didn't play a lot but he was huge in the clubhouse and all this year even when injured he has been around with the younger players showing them the right way to be teammate. His three playoff starts last year weren't big performance wise but they were huge in terms of stepping up and not being afraid to take the mound in high pressure situations of game seven of an ALCS and game three of a World Series on the road.

Eovaldi got to 300 innings over his two seasons with Texas Tuesday so his option has vested but he will almost certainly opt out. He will be the big off season talking point as a lineup of deGrom, Eovaldi, Mahle, Bradford, and Rocker with Leiter, Gray, and Dunning as your long relief and spot starters would really set up to be strong.

I will be at the home finale Sunday trying one last time this season to break my regular season winless streak at the new Globe Life. If anyone else is going let me know.
 
FWHORN said:
a lineup of deGrom, Eovaldi, Mahle, Bradford, and Rocker with Leiter, Gray, and Dunning as your long relief and spot starters would really set up to be strong.
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A very nice lineup, indeed. And I like seeing some home-grown players - that will (eventually) relieve the need for expensive FA starters.
We also need to develop a strong bullpen for next year. And some offense would help, too!
 
HornHuskerDad said:
There is no question that Free Agent pitchers are very costly. I hope CY is positioning the Rangers organization to develop pitchers in the minors - always been a weakness for the club. But that's the key to long-term competitive teams - develop your own talent in the minors so you can feed them into the big club at the right time. They can be controlled at a reasonable price until they're eligible for Free Agency.
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HHD's observation is spot on - pay per pitch/per inning pitched is horrendous. However, the market is what it is so the fallback is W's and L's since that is how the records are kept.
FWHORN said:
a lineup of deGrom, Eovaldi, Mahle, Bradford, and Rocker with Leiter, Gray, and Dunning as your long relief and spot starters would really set up to be strong.
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That would be great and hopefully, Davis will let CY work towards that. However, Eovaldi is exposed contractually and the money might get crazy for him. Dunning is somewhat inconsistent so he could be exposed to trade for a mid-to-high draft position.
 
One last pitching injury as Scherzer got scratched last night and is back to the IL and done as a Ranger. The Rangers have dropped the first two to Seattle at home and have their final home game of the year this afternoon. Seven games left in an injury-filled and frustrating year that even if a very unlikely win streak here at the end were to somehow happen is still going to end with a sub .500 record. However, on the heels of the most magical moment in Ranger history, I am pretty sure it is something we can all handle.

Hang in there zealots this team could be very promising next year and remember Bochy wins every other year and this was the off year so next season........
 
FWHORN said:
One last pitching injury as Scherzer got scratched last night and is back to the IL and done as a Ranger. The Rangers have dropped the first two to Seattle at home and have their final home game of the year this afternoon. Seven games left in an injury-filled and frustrating year that even if a very unlikely win streak here at the end were to somehow happen is still going to end with a sub .500 record. However, on the heels of the most magical moment in Ranger history, I am pretty sure it is something we can all handle.

Hang in there zealots this team could be very promising next year and remember Bochy wins every other year and this was the off year so next season........
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Rangers could do my Astros a big favor and actually win a game against the Mariners. While the Astros lead seems secure nothing is done until the season is over (see 1964 Phillies collapse). Interesting that Scherzer and Verlander are ending the careers i a similar fashion given that they came up together. There last big paydays are over now, but I'm guessing there is a stupid owner out there that will sign them up next year. Both the Rangers and Astros will have some work to do next year to address question marks both on the mound and in the field. The Astros are way over the salary cap limit thanks to the Jose Abreu, Rafael Montero and Lance McCullers long term contracts. Additionally they are still paying deferred money to Zach Greinke. Added to this will be their efforts to sign Framber Valdez, Kyle Tucker and perhaps Alex Bregman although I think he is a goner. Jim Crane has made a fortune on his Astros investment, but even he has his limits.
 
Hookem G said:
Both the Rangers and Astros will have some work to do next year to address question marks both on the mound and in the field.
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And it will help both teams to shed some high salaries. The farm systems have limited resources to feed into the majors right now, so there will be (1) trades and (2) Free Agent signings. With both owners trying to avoid the over-the-cap tax, you would suspect a reluctance to enter into bidding wars for Free Agents. Guess we'll see how they approach this in the off-season.
 
Well, the regular season winless streak for me at Globe Life sure looked like it was going to hit nine straight when Seattle scored 3 in the top of the sixth to take a 5-0 lead but the Rangers got 4 back in the bottom of that inning including a 3 run shot by Wyatt Langford, and then a solo shot from Taveras in the bottom of the seventh tied it up leading to the bottom of the ninth walk-off hit by Semien to score Taveras who had gotten a two-out single and a stolen base to get into scoring position and the Rangers win the series and home finale 6-5 and break my own personal winless regular season streak at the new ballpark.

Texas goes 44-37 at home this season but 15 games under .500 on the road is never getting it done and that could get even worse these last six games. The Rangers head to Oakland for their last 3 games ever at the Coliseum and then on to Anaheim to end the year.

The offseason decisions on Eovaldi, Yates, Taveras, Heaney, and LeClerc just to name a few now begin to loom large and will no doubt take up the first couple of pages of our 2025 Texas Rangers posts.
 
FWHORN said:
Well, the regular season winless streak for me at Globe Life sure looked like it was going to hit nine straight when Seattle scored 3 in the top of the sixth to take a 5-0 lead but the Rangers got 4 back in the bottom of that inning including a 3 run shot by Wyatt Langford, and then a solo shot from Taveras in the bottom of the seventh tied it up leading to the bottom of the ninth walk-off hit by Semien to score Taveras who had gotten a two-out single and a stolen base to get into scoring position and the Rangers win the series and home finale 6-5 and break my own personal winless regular season streak at the new ballpark.

Texas goes 44-37 at home this season but 15 games under .500 on the road is never getting it done and that could get even worse these last six games. The Rangers head to Oakland for their last 3 games ever at the Coliseum and then on to Anaheim to end the year.

The offseason decisions on Eovaldi, Yates, Taveras, Heaney, and LeClerc just to name a few now begin to loom large and will no doubt take up the first couple of pages of our 2025 Texas Rangers pos
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HornHuskerDad said:
And it will help both teams to shed some high salaries. The farm systems have limited resources to feed into the majors right now, so there will be (1) trades and (2) Free Agent signings. With both owners trying to avoid the over-the-cap tax, you would suspect a reluctance to enter into bidding wars for Free Agents. Guess we'll see how they approach this in the off-season.
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Rangers drop opener in Oakland as they get walked off in the bottom of the ninth. It was possibly the last start for Eovaldi as a Ranger and sadly he couldn't get a win in what might be the end of his time in Arlington.

Houston clinched the AL West by beating Seattle. The AL West was there for the taking for several teams as Houston could win the West with as few as 86 wins. The playoff races remain fascinating and this could be a very interesting postseason even without the Rangers to keep us completely locked in.
 
FWHORN said:
The playoff races remain fascinating and this could be a very interesting postseason even without the Rangers to keep us completely locked in.
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Indeed. The fear is that the Yankees and the Astros will face off for the AL Championship - that would be similar to ou playing aggy; you'd like to see both teams lose, and you don't want either to win.
 
If my Astros make it to the ALCS I'd be stunned......that said I wrote this year's team off when they started 7-19 and somehow they were able to win the division once again. This team never gave up, but go into the playoffs with questions surrounding the health of Alvarez, bad hitting late in the season and an overpriced bullpen that cost the 15 games over the course of the season. I am betting that JV is not on the playoff roster given they only need three starters and he's been terrible since returning from his neck problem.

An interesting possible match up would occur if the Tigers find their way into the playoffs and play Houston. Don't you think A.J. Hinch would love to stick it to Jim Crane. Like all sports once you make it to the playoffs anything can happen.
 
Jung is out for the remainder of the season with recurring right wrist issues. he is going to see the doctor in Arizona who has operated on the wrist 3 times already. The doctor hopes the issue is that the plate he put in in April is rubbing against the tendon.
 
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