Texas Rangers 2018 Thread

Interesting how the Cubs chose to pursue Darvish over Arieta. Maybe Arieta is still asking for a $200 million deal. If so, Yu is a bargain but still you have to wonder how an supposed elite pitcher could melt down like he did in the series. I read somewhere that he has the least number of innings pitched (two or three total) in two post-season starts. A dubious honor indeed.
 
Reports say 6 years, $126M from the Cubs - and potentially up to $150M (assume that includes incentives). $21M/year doesn't sound unreasonable, but I question the wisdom of going six years for a pitcher already in his thirties - the back end of that contract could become a real albatross. Just ask the Angels about the ten-year deal they signed with Pujols.

So the next domino to watch is Arietta. If the Cubs weren't willing to pay him big bucks, who's going to step up?
 
ESPN reports that Arieta might have to accept a big one-year deal but Boras is his agent so playing poker is his game. But Arieta is 32 and the things you mentioned about Yu's age and contract (the Pujols contract is one; look at the Fielder and Choo contracts) are the same concerns.
 
Sounds like Yu blinked first. Unless his incentives are tied to number of K's, the $150M will not come into play. I was actually hoping he would go to the Astro's so they would have two pitchers who are overrated (Verlander being the other).
 
I wonder if JD has a deal for Cashner in his hip pocket. That should be very affordable - a year or two at a couple million - and Cashner doesn't appear to have other alternatives. He did a very respectable job last year and knows his role.
 
OK, here it is - pitchers and catchers report today, first workout tomorrow. And still no big signing for the Rangers. You're up, JD...your turn in the barrel.
 
HornHuskerDad said:
OK, here it is - pitchers and catchers report today, first workout tomorrow. And still no big signing for the Rangers. You're up, JD...your turn in the barrel.
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I think they're clearly tanking at this point or just waiting for Arieta to agree to a one-year deal. I've been reading all over ESPN that the jig is up for 30+ year old players getting 5 or 6 year deals. I'm wondering if they would be a wildcard team if they signed Arieta. That's what they have to decide; money or a chance at the wildcard spot. That would make for a decent but not a World Series rotation.
 
bystander said:
the jig is up for 30+ year old players getting 5 or 6 year deals.
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And that's not a bad thing. Very few players can perform to the same level at age 37 that they did at age 32. Look at Beltre - he gets injured more often and it takes longer to heal when he does get injured. And I'd think the Angels regret the 10-year deal they gave Pujols - they now have an old DH who can't run and can't play 1B anymore.
 
I haven't checked their roster but I'll take your word for it. It appears the Rangers owners have already decided they aren't going to win and attendance will be down no matter who they sign so they might as well pocket these salaries that they are not going to pay.
 
bystander said:
I haven't checked their roster but I'll take your word for it. It appears the Rangers owners have already decided they aren't going to win and attendance will be down no matter who they sign so they might as well pocket these salaries that they are not going to pay.
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and don't forget they already have the new ballpark financing so no reason to spend any money now.
 
I suppose all us Ranger zealots will now have to face the reality that 2018 is a write-off season. It should have been very easy to sign Cashner - and I think he would have stayed with Texas for a deal similar to the Baltimore deal.

Next question, to be answered at the trade deadline - what can JD get in trade for Hamels and Beltre? Not much reason to keep them if decent prospects can be obtained in trade - and 2019 won't be in play unless there is a major change in strategy.
 
HornHuskerDad said:
I suppose all us Ranger zealots will now have to face the reality that 2018 is a write-off season. It should have been very easy to sign Cashner - and I think he would have stayed with Texas for a deal similar to the Baltimore deal.

Next question, to be answered at the trade deadline - what can JD get in trade for Hamels and Beltre? Not much reason to keep them if decent prospects can be obtained in trade - and 2019 won't be in play unless there is a major change in strategy.
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It depends on how many games Beltre has missed due to leg issues. If he has missed significant time before the All Star break, no one is going to want him. If not, and a contender is a DH/3B away from being a solid contender, he will bring some solid value.

Hamels is more interesting. If last season was a fluke and he is having even a normal season for him, he will bring some big value. However if 2018 starts off where 2017 ended his value dictated by others and will be low due to his age.

New question. Profar will make the club if he isn't traded before the team breaks from Surprise. Since he cannot be sent down by the Rangers, what are the parameters needed for the Rangers just to release him to clear a spot for a youngster?
 
Rangers look to be team tank this year, very disappointing and its only February. My daughter is a huge MLS fan and it pains me to say it but the Rangers have given this fanbase no reason to want to buy in to this year so I guess FC Dallas gets the entertainment dollars this summer from the FWHORN household.:whiteflag:
 
^understand, FWHORN. I won't buy a mini-pack this year myself, and might not even go to a game. It's hard to get excited about a team that doesn't appear to be competitive.
 
From today's Dallas News:
upload_2018-3-2_9-49-1.png
 
FWHORN said:
Cole Hamels is not happy!

http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/22642707/texas-rangers-cole-hamels-believe-6-man-rotation

http://mlb.nbcsports.com/2018/03/03/cole-hamels-isnt-a-fan-of-the-rangers-six-man-rotation/
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I read the story in both the FWST and DMN and really don't know what to think about Hamels. My first impression was he needs to worry about getting people out (something he had trouble doing after the All Star game). His two arguments are that is a college pitching schedule and he has a better ERA in 4 days rest than 5 days rest. He does for his career, but not over the last few years.
 
I love the Rangers but they have always been bitten by insufficient pitching when it counts. It cost us the World Series and many playoff games....
 
ViperHorn said:
This plus they don't seem to care.
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Viper, I share your frustration, with a clarification - I put the blame on the front office, not the players. I fully expect the players to go all out every game to try to notch the W - I don't think they will mail it in. But there is only so much they can do with the ability and talent they can put on the field. It looks like the front office is ready to tread water on the field, hoping the minor-leaguers and potential free-agent signings will produce a competitor in 2000 when the new ballpark is open. And I'm guessing they won't be surprised when attendance tanks in 2018 and 2019.
 
Hamels needs to focus on his pitching, but I agree with his point. Having a six-man rotation makes very little sense. If you have an embarrassment of riches in starting pitchers, then that's one thing. If you have a rotation consisting of a fading Cole Hamels and a gaggle of spares, then it doesn't make much sense. Just go with Hamels, Perez (who's barely major league quality, despite being pretty talented), and the best three of the retreads (Moore, Minor, Colon, Chavez, and Lincecum). Put the rest in the bullpen, the minors, or the unemployment line.

And the Matt Bush idea was dumb. Our record of transitioning relief pitchers to the rotation has been spotty at best. Twenty-five years ago, we were able to do it with Kenny Rogers. Eight years ago, we did it with C.J. Wilson. Both were successful, but since then, we've tried it with Alexi Ogando, Neftali Feliz, and Tanner Scheppers, and we screwed up all three. Glad they're giving up on trying Bush in the rotation.
 
Watched the Rangers spring game last night on Fox SW and it seemed like even they know its all about two years from now with half the broadcast focused on Texaslive and the new stadium, the next two years are going to be salary dumping turds of a year.
 
The next two years might be salary-dumping turds, but if that's the case, then why not trade away pieces of value that aren't part of the long term plan? For example, we could probably acquire some talent for Hamels, Beltre, and Andrus. If he gets off to a good start, they might even get something for Choo, though they'd have to pay part of his salary.
 
Had lunch with good friend over weekend who is a huge Twins fan and he got to talking about how he thinks Twins were Darvish's second choice and lamenting that Cubs beat them out for his services, I told him they may be very happy to have come in second in that race sooner rather than later. The Cubs overpaid and Darvish is still Darvish, a meltdown waiting to happen.

Meanwhile, in assessing whether the Rangers have their fecal matter together, if the strategy is to tank then the Rangers certainly have taken steps to set that up, expect Hamels and Beltre to be gone well before trade deadline and everyone not named Gallo or Odor to be potential trade bait.
 
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