|
|
Post by bigdave1310 on Jan 19, 2012 0:31:24 GMT -6
Early grade on the Rangers off season B-
They've managed to subtract Wilson and add Darvish. Wilson is without a doubt the biggest DBAG in the history of the Rangers, but 16 wins is nothing to let go lightly. I think Darvish wins 13 games. So we are going backward a bit.
The batting lineup stayed the same. But Napoli will now be getting about 30% more time behind the plate which will equal to around 10 RBIs. Hoping for natural maturation of Elvis, Moreland, and Gentry to account for another 15-20 total runs. I keep pointing out injuries but given the current track record of Hamilton, Cruz, Kinsler, and the rest of the Rangers we are looking at 160+ missed games by fielders. This will probably cut wins by 5-6 total over and above last season.
Was 2011 a great season for our rotation or just them being what they should be? I hope we can expect all our starters to have 13+ wins a piece but never know. I'm going to say our starting staff will be Lewis 14-9, Holland 12-13, Darvish 13-7, Harrison 15-9, Feliz, 14-6. That would give us 68 wins and 44 losses pretty solid totals.
Bullpen is better with Ogando, Nathan, Adams, Lowe, Feldman, Uehara, I'm think Perez because lacking any lefties. We should have way fewer blown saves but I do worry about Nathan and his repaired shoulder. Think he'll have 30 saves and Ogando will have 10+ as a replacement at some point durn the season.
I'm predicting a 91-71 record we will be a wildcard team but better at the end of the season.
I'll update once spring training gets going and see if we add up subtract talent.
|
|
|
|
Post by bigdave1310 on Jan 19, 2012 1:32:54 GMT -6
Now if we catch lighting in a bottle with someone like Feliz, Cruz, or maybe Leonys Martin then we could be looking at a statistical anomaly that would add several more wins to a pretty good total. I don't think Young, Beltre, Hamilton, or Napoli can increase their outputs from 2011 by much. Napoli I've already said will have 10 more RBI but more inning catching will decrease power.
We're a playoff team at this point along with the Angels, Tigers, Yankees, and possibly the Rays. It'll be a battle till the end if the extra wildcard isn't added.
|
|
|
|
Post by bigdave1310 on Jan 19, 2012 8:19:48 GMT -6
I really want Gerardo Concepción. Was Rookie of the Year in the 2010-2011 season in Cuba playing for the Industriales de La Habana, had a record of 10-3 with an ERA of 3.36 in 21 games (16 starts). He's Aroldis Chapman like again a high ceiling guy would fall in line with the Martin Perez and Feliz type pitcher.
|
|
|
|
Post by bigdave1310 on Jan 19, 2012 9:24:31 GMT -6
Didn't know Jon Hart was still associated with the Rangers he's still a senior advisor.
|
|
|
|
Post by Sideshow Bob on Jan 19, 2012 10:53:02 GMT -6
Even if they don't end up signing Fielder, Nolan said they're still probably not yet through making moves, so probably best to hold off on the offseason grading until Spring Training starts.
|
|
|
|
Post by bigdave1310 on Jan 19, 2012 10:56:57 GMT -6
Other then center field or 1st base there is no move to really make. I wished for Fielder but doubt that'll happen with Darvish landing in Arlington. I looked over the arbitration requests there's lots of money to be spent still at home.
|
|
|
|
Post by Sideshow Bob on Jan 19, 2012 16:55:21 GMT -6
ESPN.com says Rangers have 3rd-best starting rotation in MLB with Darvish... espn.go.com/blog/dallas/texas-rangers/post/_/id/4877411/espn-com-puts-texas-rotation-3rd-in-mlbDavid Schoenfield from ESPN.com's Sweet Spot ranks his top-5 rotations in Major League Baseball now that Yu Darvish has signed with Texas. He puts the Rangers third. Here's what he says about Texas:
3. Texas Rangers: Yu Darvish, Derek Holland, Matt Harrison, Colby Lewis, Neftali Feliz. Let's be clear here: Lewis may have been tabbed as the Opening Day starter, but Darvish is expected to be the ace of this team. The Rangers didn't shell out more than $100 million for a No. 3 starter. The Texas rotation was vastly underrated last season, as it posted a 3.65 ERA (third in the AL), despite pitching in the best hitting park in the AL. The concerns are that Feliz is moving from the bullpen and remains a bit of wild card, both in production and durability; remember, Alexi Ogando made the same move in 2011 and was fatigued by the end of the season. Harrison also threw over 200 innings between the regular season and playoffs, so we'll have to see how he rebounds from the heaviest workload of his career. But having depth with Ogando and Feldman helps alleviate some of those concerns.
The top-5:
1. Philadelphia Phillies
2. Los Angeles Angels
3. Texas Rangers
4. New York Yankees
5. Arizona Diamondbacks |
|
|
|
Post by bigdave1310 on Jan 19, 2012 18:53:58 GMT -6
MLB network across the board doesn't see it that way. Come on dude a list without Detroit on it they're one of the best. I'm not discounting the Rangers but we are on paper a good rotation with two new pieces Darvish and Feliz. Same rotation a year into breakouts by Holland and Harrison.
|
|
|
|
Post by bigdave1310 on Jan 19, 2012 19:41:37 GMT -6
Did start thinking about Darvish and one huge advantage a pitcher has the first time through a lineup. He'll have that advantage with every major league hitter at first. He should put up similar numbers to Ogando post tired arm last season. Same would go for Feliz as a starter not just coming in firing 97 MPH fastballs.
|
|
|
|
Post by bigdave1310 on Jan 20, 2012 7:53:21 GMT -6
Darvish will earn $5.5MM in 2012, $9.5MM in 2013, $10MM annually from 2014-2016, and $11MM in 2017.
|
|
|
|
Post by Sideshow Bob on Jan 20, 2012 8:47:30 GMT -6
It will be VERY interesting to see whether Darvish or Feliz has a greater immediate impact on the starting rotation this year. Love being able to add two such talented arms to the staff.
Also, with so many guys available to the rotation, some (Ogando, Feldman) will likely be squeezed back to the bullpen, so it will also be interesting to see if those "extra" starters will only be brought back into the rotation if an injury occurs to one of the main five, or whether struggles/ineffectiveness of one (or more) of the main five could lead to a mid-season switch. AND, who among the main five will have the "shortest leash," so to speak (Harrison, maybe?).
It's a tremendous luxury to have a guy like Ogando, who can excel in both the rotation and the bullpen, but at some point, they will probably have to commit him to one over the other on a long-term/permanent basis.
|
|
|
|
Post by bigdave1310 on Jan 20, 2012 9:05:50 GMT -6
Really don't like switching Ogando's role back to the bullpen this will hurt his progress. Same will go for any of our other young starters Feliz, Holland, Harrison, Darvish, and Ogando are all very young and it's critical to add stability and certainty so you don't ruin them.
Here's a list for you; Ruben Mateo, César King, Danks, Diamond, Volquez, Tatis, Gil. The list keeps going of guys we didn't mature correctly to give them a chance for success.
I fear names like Hurley will be on that list next seeing we lost him this offseason.
|
|
|
|
Post by Sideshow Bob on Jan 20, 2012 11:10:08 GMT -6
I definitely prefer Ogando stay in the rotation, too.
|
|
|
|
Post by bigdave1310 on Jan 22, 2012 9:18:12 GMT -6
Thad Levine talking about Rangers future plans. rotoauthority.blogs.com/files/thad-on-other-free-agents-fielder-w.-question_1861111.mp3Rangers assistant GM Thad Levine acknowledged that there are "active discussions internally" about improving the team when speaking with Todd Hollandsworth and Jim Memolo on MLB Network Radio (mp3 link), but it's unlikely the Rangers will make another significant move. "It won't be from a lack of creativity," he said. |
|
|
|
Post by bigdave1310 on Jan 22, 2012 9:22:27 GMT -6
Rangers Co-Owner Prefers Hamilton To Fielder By Mike Axisa [January 21, 2012 at 10:27am CST] With the Yu Darvish contract all wrapped up, the Rangers have found themselves in the middle of the Prince Fielder rumormill whether they like it or not. Team co-owner Bob Simpson told Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News that the slugging first baseman is likely not an option for them at his asking price, and that he'd prefer to re-sign his own star player. "I think he's, given our set of cards, too pricey," said Simpson. "And if that were to change, I guess they would look at that harder. But right now I think he's priced himself out of what we could do." "We've got guys, frankly, like Josh Hamilton I would love to see re-signed. And frankly, my personal preference at this moment would be to re-sign him instead of helping Fielder. We (the ownership group) could all debate that." Simpson said yesterday that the team is operating at a deficit and will continue to do so until their new television deal starts in 2015. Extension talks with Hamilton were put on hold until Darvish and the club's arbitration-eligible players were signed, though assistant GM Thad Levine told Todd Hollandsworth and Jim Memolo on MLB Network Radio that the two sides were "in active discussions" yesterday (mp3 here). rotoauthority.blogs.com/files/thad-levine-on-hamilton_1861109.mp3 |
|
