Texas Rangers 2016 Thread

Rangers win tonight 6-4 to split the series with Cincy but Derek Holland heads to 15 day DL and worse news comes late today as Colby Lewis has shoulder issues that will put him on the DL for two months so we wont see him again until late August. A few weeks ago the question was who the fifth starter would be as the Rangers had six pitchers for five slots, now with Yu still on the mend its two starters in Hamels and Perez, with hopefully Griffin back this weekend and then Darvish shortly thereafter but Martinez and Ramos as your 4 and 5 hole starters for at least one rotation and maybe two. The injury bug has proven to be an opportunity for the Rangers all year rather than a hindrance but you have to wonder when that luck will run out. On good side Rangers sit 10 games up on Houston and if they can weather this storm and get their staff back and fully healthy by end of August with a lead in the division they still have incredible opportunity to do something special this year in September and October.

 

The DL situation for the starting pitchers is a concern, but it's not time to go into the panic mode. It would be nice to see JD made a trade for a reliable quality starter, but the timing isn't good at the moment. It's over a month before the trading deadline, and the teams with starters available will likely want to hold onto them until the last minute in order to drive the price up. To get a team to trade now, the Rangers would have to overpay. I for one do not want to see JD give up top prospects for a summer rental who can declare for free agency at the end of the season. If the Rangers have to trade top prospects, I certainly want to get a younger starter who is (a) proven at the Big League level, (b) healthy, (c) young, and (d) under control with a club-friendly contract for three years or so. That's asking a lot, and the Rangers won't be the only team trying to acquire such a pitcher, thus the clubs who have one of them will want a "trade-deadline auction" to drive the price up. That being the case, for the next month the Rangers will have to do the best they can with internal resources - Lohse, Chi-Chi, Nick Martinez, and so on. Hopefully AJ will be ready to go soon and can return to form quickly.

The upside for the Rangers is the 10-game lead in the division. That's a very nice pad for mid-June.

 

^^^ This.

 

After an absolute gut shot of a loss on Friday to Boston when Diekman and Bush combined to give up 4 in the ninth and Rangers blew an early 6 run lead it didn't look good but this team sure knows how to put a loss behind them as they take next two from the Red Sox 10-3 last night and 6-2 today. Shawn Tolleson pitches scoreless ninths in both games to reemerge as bullpen option and Dyson has had a very nice four day rest after being way over used early this season. Rangers head out on ten game road trip once again sitting ten games up on Houston. Looks like it will be Chi Chi who picks up the two to three starts until Yu comes back and Nick Martinez looks to be the five hole until Holland comes back. Griffin pitched well last night and hopefully he is healthy enough to be counted on until Colby comes back in August. Darvish and Kela threw bullpen sessions today and both have simulated games later this week and potentially a rehab start for Yu the following week and some rehab work for Kela. Both may be back before all star break but more likely after and with just 14 games to all star break, this season is flying by.

 

That 8-7 loss on the heels of losing Lewis and Holland (though he appeared to be a guaranteed loss every time out these days) along with Yu made me wonder if the team was about to enter a dead-zone. But these guys just play. Like Banister said, the team loves to be at the ballpark and yesterday doesn't matter. They want to win and they want to compete. I like this team. I've been a fan since I moved to Dallas in 1982 and have seen some horrific baseball in person. But these guys are scrappy; if we can get the starting pitching healthy and if Fielder can continue his slow crawl back to life I'd say this is a sure World Series contender. Maybe I'm being Captain Obvious right now but it is a long season.

What I'm hoping for is a playoff series against Toronto which will be a fireworks show of intensity. Then hopefully a World Series against the Giants because that would be a great achievement to beat a franchise that has been dominate in the past few years not to mention revenge. If not them then bring on the Cardinals! We owe them too!

 

This team rebounds like no other I've seen. And the comeback win in the 9th -- and the rain -- against the Yankees was amazing. I just wish I'd been awake for it ...

It sure is fun to watch these guys play baseball.

 

Woke up this morning to find that it takes less than a week for the baseball gods to even things out as Rangers score 4 of their own in the ninth on the Yankees (at 2:40 in the morning after 3 hour rain delay) to get win number 50 last night. Never ever quit defines this team in so many ways.

 

I am still absolutely shocked at the decision to put the tarp out in the top of the ninth - and Girardi's trip to convince the umpires to do so. Absurd! Seems like justice that the Rangers were able to score four in the top of the ninth to win after that fiasco. A sweep in NY would be very fitting.

 

^^^^
This

As long as the rain didn't get heavier (which no one at the ball park is suggesting) once the 9th started the inning should have been played.

 

A real clunker from the start against the Twins today - clunkers happen, shake it off and play again tomorrow. Cole is on the bump tomorrow.

As far as the rotation is concerned, it's obvious that Gonzalez isn't ready for the Show - back to AAA to work on command and a putaway pitch. The heart of the rotation - dependable starters - at the moment consists of Cole, Perez, and AJ. Hopefully Yu will be back and ready to go after the break. Personally, I'm about ready to throw in the towel on Holland - I don't think he's capable any more. That leads me to think that a late July trade is in the offing - someone like Sale or Gray. It will take a load of prospects to swing a trade like that. Maybe Gallo in the deal? He's blocked at 3B for at least two more years. And the first look at Profar at 1B wasn't bad at all - with Moreland approaching free agency, the only opening in the infield is 1B. Mazara is untouchable. I'm not sure which other prospects would be exciting enough to get the Sox to let go of Sale.

An interesting month coming up for our Rangers.

 

Agree with everything HHD said, but they need bullpen help as well as another SP.

 

Rangers drop the rubber game with the Twins, first series loss since Oakland back in May. Rangers are 1-4 in last five and stumbling a bit headed to all star break though they still sit 8 and 1/2 games up on Houston and Seattle. Getting Darvish and Kela back and a true fifth starter should right this ship, I agree that Daniels will be looking to add another starter as Holland really can't be trusted. Boston tomorrow for three then four game set with Twins before the break.

 

Who do you trade for pitching help:

Choo (and eat most of the contract)
Profar
Odor
Andrus (and eat most of the contract)

 

^IMO, any team that's willing to trade a very good starting pitcher with a club-friendly contract is likely to be after prospects, not highly-paid veterans (I'm thinking specifically of Chris Sale and Sonny Gray here, maybe some others). If that's the case, I would think they would not want any of the veterans like Choo or Andrus. I'm reluctant to trade Profar or Odor, but would consider Gallo plus another AA prospect. If I were JD, I absolutely would not trade top prospects for a summer renta-a-pitcher. And it would have to be a starting pitcher who is (a) young, (b) proven at the big-league level, (c) healthy, and (b) controllable for three years.

 

Outside of the Ranger organization Gallo would be valued as a AAA player as that is the highest level he has produced on. So Gallo and a AA player will not get the level of pitcher they need - either SP or RP. Holland, Profar or Odor, Gallo and a AA player might. Jackson has fallen back to AA so he could be the AA player as he should never see the Rangers' clubhouse again.

 

Viper, I see your point, but I'd be reluctant to give up one of the young major-leaguers. If Holland, Gallo, a AAA prospect, and a AA prospect would get it done, I'd probably pull the trigger on the deal - but only for someone like Sale, absolutely not for a summer rental.

 

If Profar can be kept happy, I totally agree HHD.

 

Poor Chi Chi Gonzalez. Just can't get it done versus major league hitters. 4 earned runs in 1 2/3 innings, but at least he got out of the 1st this time. Thrown to the wolves until real starters can show up.

 

So I got out to the Ballpark last night to see in person that Chi Chi has no business pitching in the major leagues, not that it would have mattered as the Rangers offense was non existent against a pitcher with a 6 plus ERA. Tolleson had another one of his implosions too. This team is just straining to get to the all star break and get a rest. 37 games in 38 days is clearly taking its toll and frankly I think they are just exhausted and need the break to recharge. The good news is they sit 6 1/2 games up, they get Darvish and Kela back right after the break and so help me I am looking forward to Holland being back too because now we know why he has managed to stick as a starter as the youngsters who would start just arent ready or arent capable.

No one is going to take Choo in a trade and it is going to take two or more of the young guns in Gallo/Profar/Brinson etc. to get a quality starter who isnt a half season rental. Daniels showed last year in the Hamels deal that he prefers non-rentals so we will see.

 

Well, it wasn't the prettiest win ever, but it was a much-needed gutty win. That's two poor consecutive starts for Cole - I think it's just a blip, but I'll feel better when he returns to form. Clutch hitting at the right time paid off for the Rangers tonight.

The All-Star break can't get here fast enough!

 

Hopefully all Cole needs is a missed start which the Break will provide.

 

Rangers get blown out today and lose their 5th in 7 to the lowly Twins to stumble into all star break on a 5-9 run that was probably due after a 40-17 stretch that was pretty incredible. At 54-36 and 5 1/2 games up they are in great shape if they can just get some starters back and get some rest. Darvish pitched five innings tonight in his rehab start and will likely be back after the break. Kela also pitched for second day in a row and should be back Friday. Holland is about three weeks away so its at least three more who the heck knows starts for Lohse probably but that one really is a who knows. Astros are coming on strong and with 72 games left in the season the next two and half months will be interesting.

 

Not a good start following the All-Star break. Rangers have scored one run in two games in Chicago. It's very hard to win a game in which you do not score. It's now two weeks until the trade deadline - let's see if JD can pull a rabbit (or two) out of the hat.

 

Cole Hamels with an 8 inning gem this afternoon to halt the losing streak at 4 as Rangers finally get a win. With all star break added in it had been 8 longs days since "hello win column" had been uttered. Daniels has to find at least one more starter and with Holland now on 60 day DL you have to think that a second starter may also be needed because Griffin and Darvish are both one tweak away from further DL stints themselves. Longing for the halcyon days when we discussed who couldnt be in the five man rotation because the Rangers had a surplus of starters. The Rangers head to Anaheim and lets hope they can feast on the woeful Angels for a couple of days and get some momentum going. Daniels made some great moves last year in July and they will have to repeat that this year to have a chance to hold on in the AL West against the hard charging Astros.

 

Agree on the two starters, but they also need another bat.

 

^There are only so many things JD can do i one fell swoop. If they can trade for a controllable, proven young starter and a helpful bullpen addition, that would fill the immediate need. If JD can swing those and a trade for Lucroy, so much the better. First things first - on to Anaheim, and win the series against the Angels.

 

Two outings in a row where Griffin has seemingly lost it between innings. Then Kela (maybe he wasn't ready after all).

 

We're to the point where JD is going to have to acquire a reliable starting pitcher - if that costs a top prospect, so be it. I'm guessing that the talks with the Rays are heating up quickly - I think we'll see that move pretty quickly. When Colby comes back, he will fill a role at the back end of the rotation. I'm not sure Holland will ever make it back.

The Rangers can't win the West without another reliable starter - a very promising season is starting to skip away.

 

How quickly I forgot about Colby. He is the innings eater. Holland will be gone either before the trading deadline or during the offseason.