2024 Texas Rangers

Leiter pitched a scoreless inning Friday in the Rangers spring opener win. Interesting to see how much work he gets with the big team this next month and whether he can become a relief option this year.
 
The first of the Boras crew that are unsigned, Bellinger, has signed one of those short-term with lots of opt-out type contracts that is essentially a one-year bridge deal and may be exactly the type the Rangers might be able to do with Montgomery, so suddenly he is potentially back on the table for Texas.
 
Leiter watch: He pitched two innings yesterday giving up four hits and a run and getting 1 K.

On the Ticket Monday here in DFW the talk by Bob Sturm (who openly advocated for a one-year deal in the segment) was that even a one-year bridge deal for Montgomery won't work because the luxury tax hit (which the Rangers are already over) makes a 20-25 million dollar one-year deal 1/3 more expensive with the tax. Ray Davis has already said he doesn't want to go any further over the tax and ultimately it is his money and with Ballys just a cluster there is a ton of unknown. Again, I understand the Rangers' argument. They don't know their tv revenue past this year to any certainty and they have over 100 million in Scherzer, DeGrom, and Mahle but that doesn't mean I agree with it and the likelihood only one of those three will get even 20 starts the whole year is such a risk that spending the extra money to run it back with this line up just makes sense.

All of that said, a year ago at this time I was just hoping for a .500 season that showed improvement so to be talking about a single piece for another World Series run this year is something I could not even have imagined 12 months ago.:texasflag:
 
As there is neither a '24 MLB nor Astros thread, I thought y'all would enjoy this. Lindy's predicts the Astros will finish in third place ... in the AL Central.

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FWHORN said:
Article up on ESPN+ on Rangers not "resting on their laurels." It is behind a paywall so I haven't linked but it includes a quote from CY essentially saying he doesn't think there are many additions coming to the Rangers roster at this point though he will keep an open mind. Since the only real issue left is Montgomery that has to be pointed at Monty and at Boras. CY also goes on to talk about financial responsibility in light if the uncertainty of the tv deal in future seasons something that was only just resolved for 2024 and is a huge unknown going forward. Given that uncertainty, it's hard to see the Rangers getting to a number Boras will tell his client to accept but then again, I am beginning to wonder if there a market with Boras' preferred number. At this point, the best case might be Maybe a 1-year deal with Monty based on a known quantity of the 2024 tv money and if Scherzer, DeGrom and Mahle come back you aren't locked in to more than this season. Crunch time for this issue is just about here.
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I don't know the numbers.

Why not offer a deal to Monty that ties a percent of his deal to the TV deals. Right now it would be smaller than Boras wants, but if a new deal comes through, might actually double Monty's deal into sick money. Rangers prep for the percentage either way. Risk/Reward.
 
X Misn Tx said:
I don't know the numbers.

Why not offer a deal to Monty that ties a percent of his deal to the TV deals. Right now it would be smaller than Boras wants, but if a new deal comes through, might actually double Monty's deal into sick money. Rangers prep for the percentage either way. Risk/Reward.
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You are thinking out of the box (which is always encouraged), but they are dealing with Boras and I would think he would laugh (not in front of the Ranger brass) at that. With him, cash talks and anything else walks.
 
ViperHorn said:
You are thinking out of the box (which is always encouraged), but they are dealing with Boras and I would think he would laugh (not in front of the Ranger brass) at that. With him, cash talks and anything else walks.
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And I'm not sure that would be allowed under the union's collective bargaining agreement. I like the idea myself but the union probably doesn't want to deal with contacts of that nature

Signing deGrom *and* Scherzer handcuffed the franchise. It is what it is
 
The more time goes by the less likely the Rangers sign Monty to some kind of contract for 2024.....

Edit: My phone is going bad.. I'm frequently looking at prior posts that were fine and on second look have several typos to correct. And no it's not my old eyes, booze, drugs or distractions by Taylor Swift!!:idk:
 
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Me thinks, we need Monty in the lineup.

No telling who among pitchers gets hurt or struggles along the way. Plus, it is NOT a given DeGrom and or Scherzer come back later in the year (post surgery) effective, sharp, in command, etc. pitching into the 5th or 6th innings, much less handing the Rangers a lead mid-to-late in the game.
 
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Gray got his first start of the spring yesterday in a blowout of the white sox and now all five likely Ranger starters have at least one Arizona outing.

Wyatt Langford continues to impress going 3-4 with two home runs. He is definitely showing out this spring and the talk of starting him in Triple A ball has quickly turned to how can he slot into the opening-day roster.

Leiter got in for another inning and walked one and struck out one in a scoreless inning. That is 3 appearances this spring as he tries to find a bullpen spot with the big team and is obviously being given every opportunity.

Nothing at all on Montgomery but continued talk and I think it's clear Ray Davis and Scott Boras mean no deal is realistically possible given their entrenched positions. A lot of spring ball still to play but we are only 25 days away from the opener against the Cubs.
 
ViperHorn said:
It is looking more and more like Davis is taking ownership lessons from Cuban.
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I wanted to address this separately from the Saturday game recap. While not signing Monty is reminiscent of Cuban's post-championship deconstruction of the Mavs it's not at all the same thing. Let's not forget that unlike Cuban who deconstructed the whole freaking team except Dirk after the Mavs won it all, Ray Davis still has half a billion plus invested in Seager, Semien, DeGrom, Eovaldi, and a host of others that has them way over the luxury tax. Further, this is one player not almost an entire roster. Also, the Rangers have a valid argument that they already have five legit starters and three more on the way in-season. I disagree with the argument but I totally get it and can't say it's just completely wrong and a betrayal of the fans. This is not remotely Cuban just throwing in the towel in 2012 for that season and years to come, it's one player who could be worth perhaps 3-5 more wins but who also has had issues of his own, and as the linked article below points out isn't a lead pipe cinch to be the Monty we say last October.

The Jordan Montgomery situation
 
FW, it is the same, but the opposite. Cuban, a basketball idiot, kept the best player and trashed the remainder of the team. Davis keeps the team but without the best pitcher, and the result is likely to be not what is expected. It will be August before the "real" pitching staff is available and up to speed. By then, barring injury to one of their key players, the Astros will be uncatchable and the Mariners will be in a strong second-place position. The offense cannot carry the team without a strong stopper which is what Montomgery did in 2023.

Davis made enough in 2023 to be able to afford the tax increase and sign the pitcher who carried the team in 2023 and, most importantly, wants to stay here.
 
ViperHorn said:
it is the same, but the opposite.
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You are not wrong, it is the opposite side of the coin and again I want the Rangers to suck it up, pay the tax, and sign him at least to a one-year or reasonable 3-5 year deal too. But I also get that Boras may not do a bridge contract or a reasonable 3-5 year deal which are the only kind I would consider with him and Bally's uncertainty and the fact that they are already way over the tax are considerations when it comes to how much more they want to invest long term in another pitcher. Plus, there is no guarantee that the Monty of last October is the Monty we will get this year or get in years two, three, four, etc.

I think we would all like to see the Rangers not leave anything on the table but on this one at least I am willing to say that they have a logical reason for doing what they are doing.
 
Read this funny thing on Chapman. He was with the Cubs when they won in '16 and Rangers in '23 - breaking curses. Now he's with the Pirates, who haven't won the WS since '79 or been in the LCS since '92. Watch out for the Bucs!
 
WorsterMan said:
The more time goes by the less likely the Rangers sign Monty to some kind of contract for 2024.....

Edit: My phone is going bad.. I'm frequently looking at prior posts that were fine and on second look have several typos to correct. And no it not my old eyes, alcohol, drugs or distractions by Taylor Swift!!:idk:
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the more time that goes by, are we only looking at two or so competitors for his services? everyone else mostly has a budget too.
 
Leiter watch: Leiter got a spring start yesterday going three innings and giving up two runs, both on a two-run home run. He has now had multiple spring appearances as both a starter and reliever and is clearly getting a long look for a possible roster spot.
 
Listened to the sports talk on the way home from the golf course this afternoon. Reporters are stating that they think the Rangers have the potential to shore up the bullpen quite a bit this season. That would really help, as the bullpen was the glaring weakness last season (right up to the playoffs, when they found themselves enough to win the World Series). They also feel that the Rangers have the best offense in the AL (and may have to win some 10-9 ball games along the way). I still think signing Montgomery would be a good move to help the starting rotation - if Boras would consider a short-term deal with opt-outs.
 
Never mind on Cease the Padres swooped in and traded four prospects for him.

The opening week rotation is locked in at this point as even if Monty signed tomorrow he wouldn't be ready until mid-April. It is clear the Rangers won't go long-term with him, nor should they given his age and track record outside of the run last fall. So lace em up and let's get ready to roll with Eovaldi (a true ace), Gray (a really good 3rd or 4th starter who will need to slot into the 2nd slot role), Heaney (a really good 5th slot who will need to step up as a 3), and Dunning and Bradford who would be long relievers and spot starters but need to fill the 4 and 5 hole until Scherzer gets back perhaps as early as late June and DeGrom and Mahle arrive likely in late July/August.

Langford continues to really impress and will almost certainly be on the opening-day roster and the Leiter watch continues as he makes a run at a bullpen role and perhaps some justification for that payday the Rangers gave him when he was drafted. The injuries to Lowe, Seager, and Jung worry me and whether even one of those three will be available on opening day is still a question.

Two weeks to opening night against the Cubs.:texasflag:
 
The fact that the Yankees have not taken the 7-year bait is telling. However, with Cole's injury, they may take the bait if they can get the term down to 4-5 years.
 
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