Texas Rangers 2016 Thread

Yeah, I think Holland is trade bait... with good reason.
Agree Yu & Griffin are a tweak away from the DL again....
We really need Colby back... it's killing us.
 
Rangers lose the first two in Anaheim and are 2-11 in their last 13. The only starter with a win in those 13 games is Hamels and in the last 8 games he is only starter to go more than 4 innings in a start. To say the Rangers are suffering at the starter role would be a huge understatement. Lohse was terrible last night, Chi Chi is not an option and Nick Martinez seems to have really teed off Bannister so who the fifth starter will be is an open question until a trade happens which now is all but a given. Holland starts throwing from mound this weekend so he is 2-3 weeks away at earliest (mid August maybe) and Lewis starts throwing catch this weekend so he is still a good 4-6 weeks away (late August/early September).

All of the above said, the Rangers still sit 15 games over .500 and 4 1/2 games up on Houston which has been kind enough to cool off of late. They are only two games back of best record in AL. If they were going to go through a bad stretch and these happen every year, they are doing so after giving themselves the room to do it. There is plenty of time to right this ship. For our peace of mind though it would sure be nice if the Rangers could get on that so we can all stop panicking.
 
Losing both Prince and Choo really puts the Rangers in a bind. Now they need to keep Profar in the lineup, rather than offering him in a trade. And with the thin market in top-quality starters, it's a seller's market and prices will be exorbitant - maybe beyond what JD can afford to pay. Perhaps he can find a back-of-the-rotation innings-eater at a reasonable price. IMO, the only hope for a top-quality starter is a potential trade with Tampa, and there's not much news leaking out on that potential.
 
Since neither Fielder or Choo have been consistent contributors this season, the immediate impact on the field will not be that great - until the next injury. If the goal is to win now Texas has no choice but to break the budget for a SP, a RP and a respected bat.
 
Rangers break another 4 game losing streak with Cole Hamels on the mound last night as they beat royals 7-4, since July 5 the Rangers havent won a game that Hamels didnt start. Chris Sale seems like he is having a mental breakdown in Chicago so he may be on the market after all but the price will be very steep, the Rangers are good at having head cases for starting pitchers so watch that one close, could take Profar and Gallo and more. Big start today for AJ Griffin as the Rangers look to break that very strange always lose unless Hamels starts streak they have been on for 13 games.
 
Rangers take the rubber match in Kansas City 2-1 and dont look now but they have a two game win streak and win their first series in July with just 7 days left in the month. AJ Griffin gave the Rangers five and the bullpen held KC scoreless over the last four. Rangers had multiple chances to blow this one open but in spite of 11 hits could only muster 2 runs which ended up being enough. After playing 19 of last 23 and 29 of their last 39 on the road, the Rangers finally return home for baseball in Arlington and hopefully find their June and May magic. Astros continue their torrid pace with a sweep of Angels to stay just 2 1/2 back.
 
Indeed a nice win today in KC. Wasted a lot of runners, but scored one more run than KC, and that's what counts. Very nice work by all the pitchers today.

From the news snippets I've seen, it looks like Sale is not going to be traded. Thus, for a front-line starter, the Rangers must look to Tampa. If I'm the GM, my position is that Profar is not available unless you're willing to give us Archer. If we're being offered only Moore or Otorizzi, we'll talk prospect other than Profar. If that won't get it done, then I'd look elsewhere for a back-of-the-rotation innings-eater to hold the fort (at a much cheaper price) until Colby and/or Holland returns.

I understand the desire to win now, but unless the Rangers can get Sale or Archer, I wouldn't part with Profar - maybe not even with Gallo. Getting a lesser talent should require less farm talent in return - do not overpay.
 
Beltre with a walk off two run shot last night to beat the A's 7-6 and push the win streak to 3. Perez was his usual schizo self pitching well in spots but getting tagged for five runs. The Rangers also are getting into a bad habit of kicking around the ball as they had two errors last night. They overcame it with the ninth inning rally but it is a disturbing trend.

With the Astros also losing for the first time in a long time on the same day the Rangers win, the Rangers gain a game in the standings and push their lead to 3 1/2. 100 games in and the Rangers have 58 wins. It is probably going to take at least 90 wins to win the west so a winning finish to July and a strong August/September run is going to be needed.:texasflag:
 
Not to belabor the point on errors but this little nugget was in the DMN this morning:

"In the last 19 games, the Rangers have given up 17 unearned runs. The Rangers are 6-13 in that span. They allowed 21 unearned runs in the previous 81 games. The Rangers were 52-29 in that span."
 
Winning streak ends at three as Nick Martinez only pitches 4 plus and give up five runs in a 6-3 loss. On good note Gallo hit a bomb and the Astros lost so lead stays at 3 1/2. Darvish goes tonight in rubber match as Rangers try to win second series in a row.
 
Problem with Gallo was the fielding issues that led to two A's runs and the 2 K's. So nothing has really changed with him. Rangers would probably move him if not for the ghost of Chris Davis.
 
Rangers waste a Darvish start as he goes six strong and leaves with a 3-2 lead that should have been more but Rangers just couldnt seem to push anything further across in spite of 11 hits. Then in the 8th Matt Bush has a complete meltdown and 2 homeruns later the Rangers trail 6-3 and end up losing 6-4. The Rangers drop the series and are now 1-7 in their last 8 series. The Astros win so the lead falls to 2 1/2 games. July has been a nightmare month and cannot end soon enough.
 
FWHORN said:
July has been a nightmare month and cannot end soon enough.
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Exactly, FWHORN. Surely August has to be better. I'm not really worried about Bush - he has been solid all year, and yesterday was just one of those things.

BTW, latest radio rumor (this afternoon) said the Sale deal would likely include Mazara, Tate, Ortiz, and either Profar or Gallo. I'm thinking JD will wait until the last possible minute next Monday to see if he can take Mazara off the table and still get it done. We'll see soon enough.
 
Cole Hamels has been the losing streak stopper all season and he is again tonight pitching 8 strong and over 120 pitches. Mitch Moreland with two solo shots including the game winner in the bottom of the 8th and this time the Rangers hold the 3-2 lead and get the win. With Houston off the lead climbs to 3 full though just two in the loss column. 59 wins on the year with 59 games left, some nice symmetry there.

I would not make the Sale trade for that price HHD, mortgaging too much of the future and if Holland and Lewis can come back in August then the rotation is solid again for the stretch run while you havent given up way too much. Dont get me wrong I would love to get Sale but not for that price. With the two Atlanta pitchers coming in the Rangers have a 5th starter to hold the fort until Derek and Colby come back and they dont need to go crazy.
 
FWI wish that I was as confident as you are for Holland. We have seen nothing on the field to suggest that he can stay well and eat innings.

Colby can eat innings , but he will not be back and ready to pitch until sometime in September.
 
FWHORN, I agree with you partway - the price for Sale is high, and it's too high if it includes both Profar and Mazara. If, OTOH, JD can wait until Monday just before the deadline and get it down (to Profar and the two minor leaguers), I think he'd make it, both for this year and for the future. The chances of keeping Yu past next year are pretty remote, and with both Hamels and Sale in the rotation, you have two aces to throw out on the mound. And with all three of them, you have an excellent chance to win in the playoffs (if you can get to the playoffs). The chance to win it all is too good to pass up.
 
LousianaHorn said:
now I see the Rangers are fixing to hold up the people of Arlington for a new stadium
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If the reports are correct, it as actually the City who threw out the first suggestion. Evidently Arlington was scared that Dallas was going to entice the Rangers to move to downtown (or there abouts) Dallas. Dallas has not been able to get its fecal matter to do something like that in a long time. Arlington pay to have the club behind home removed and use the 0.23% tax for something like a transit system for all their residents.
 
Use it to offset the property tax burden then. The point is there is no threat from Dallas and the stadium does need to be replaced by a $1B palace.
 
Rangers win their third straight tonight 2-1 against KC as Mitch Moreland continues his reawakening with a walk off no doubt shot into the upper deck of the RF home run porch and Texas doesnt waste Martin Perez's best outing of year. Matt Bush also had nice comeback from his little implosion with two scoreless innings to get the win. For third straight day Rangers gain on Houston and lead is now five games.

Since his most recent call up, Gallo has a home run and about eleventy billion strikeouts and frankly he has looked lost at the plate most of the time. If he is being showcased as trade bait I have to wonder if there is anyone left who could possibly be salivating at bringing him on and if the Rangers trade him for a starter I wouldnt be that disappointed, he is not Chris Davis II.

As for stadium debate above, I really like the Ballpark (or Globe Life I guess now) and like many wondered what the heck the rush was by Arlington, Dallas talks a good game but no way were the Rangers moving and no way was Dallas coming up with a downtown stadium. Arlington panicked and way over offered. It will be interesting to see if the taxpayers of Arlington sign off on it or not. That doesnt mean I am not excited about the prospect of a new stadium and I will say that those Sunday afternoon games from May through September are a beating and a roof will change that in a hurry. I was at the game in 2014 (against KC ironically) when there were about 800 fans in the stands for a Sunday game in August in 100 plus degree heat.

Harrell goes tomorrow and how he does will go a long way toward seeing if Rangers plan to do anything big Monday or try to hold out for Holland and Lewis to get back.:texasflag:
 
Rangers win 5-3 to get the sweep this afternoon and for the fourth straight day gain in the standings as the Astros get swept in Detroit, pushing the lead to six games as July comes to an end on a good note. Moreland is on fire hitting another dinger today and definitely keeping Gallo from getting much playing time at first. The new pitcher Harrell was all over the place but worked his way through six innings to get the win, the first by the number five pitcher since June. Rangers now head out on an 8 game road trip that includes three in Houston next weekend. If they can stay hot the first part of August could be huge as they seem to have gotten over their swoon winning 7 of last 10.:texasflag:
 
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Good W today. Harrell struggled with command, but slugged his way through six for a quality start. Bullpen was stellar. Nice sweep - and also nice to see Astros get swept in Detroit. This coming road trip offers a good chance to firm up the hold on the AL West. And I'm not sure we'll see a major move tomorrow ahead of the trade deadline - doesn't sound as though Chisox are relaxing their demands for Sale.
 
Rangers have traded Dillon Tate and some spares to Yankees to rent Beltran for a couple of months (which I am actually ok with as that appears more and more to have been a wasted number 4 overall pick last year). Also looks like Brinson is headed to Milwaukee for Lucroy (which I am also ok with). So it looks like Daniels is all in on the bats and hoping that Harrell is ok enough to get to Holland and Lewis and that Darvish and Griffin dont break down again before the season ends.

Update: Looks like Yankees are paying Beltran's salary for rest of year so basically it was two and hopefully three free months of Beltran for Tate et al. The Ranger lineup with Beltran and Lucroy is pretty stout and they kept Gallo, Profar and Mazara. Going to be an interesting next two months.:texasflag:
 
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FWHORN, I agree with your observations. Beltran is a pure rental, but if the Yanks are picking up the bill, I guess it's OK. I assume he could sign with the Rangers as a Free Agent if JD wants him for next year (if Fielder can't come back). I really like getting Lucroy, especially if they can renegotiate him for a long-term deal - great defensive catcher and an excellent hitter. Hard to give up Brinson, but the outfield is already pretty crowded, so I guess he was the odd man out. Does that indicate an intent to sign Desmond long-term? That would be a very nice signing. The old baseball adage says a team needs to strong up the middle, and with Lucroy behind the plate, Elvis and Odor at the keystone, and Desmond in Center, that is definitely strong up the middle. Sure do hope that Griffin and Harrell can hold down the fort until Lewis and Holland return!
 
From what I read yesterday the price for Sale was Profar, Gallo and several others. Obviously the hope is a strengthened back end will make up for SP failures. If Beltran hits as well for the Rangers as he did against the Rangers the price was a steal.
 
In spite of quality starts by both Darvish and Hamels, Rangers drop first 2 games in Baltimore before bouncing back to take the third game and avoid the sweep. The good news is that Texas actually moves to 6 1/2 up as Houston drops 3 of 4 to Toronto and is 1-6 in their last 7. Rangers play the next three with the Astros and look to continue their dominance of Houston (9-1 thus far this season). Texas runs the bottom two pitchers in its order out today and tomorrow before getting to Darvish Sunday so lets hope this new power lineup comes to play. :texasflag:
 
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Darvish was unlucky (the new catcher probably threw him off) ; the Hamels loss was criminal. Hopefully, Thursday's night offense was what we can expect more often than not. Not sure Houston has the power arms to sweep so at worse the Rangers should be 5 1/2 games up Monday morning.
 
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