Trade action heating up while the Rangers try to figure things out. San Diego is obviously gearing up for a two year run. Pitchers and catchers report 10 February.
What can the Texas Rangers expect from Leody Taveras? For some reason, Taveras screams Juan Gonzales in my mind.
Looks like Houston is losing Springer, that team is still probably strong favorites in west and for AL with Yankees but they are no longer the dominant machine of two or three years ago.
Looks like a Houston/Oakland fight for the division. LAA should be in that group, but until they play somewhere near their talent level they will be third. Rangers and Seattle will fight to stay out of the cellar and away from the worse record in MLB.
Top 100 MLB Prospects: Top 100 Baseball Prospects Two on the list for Texas #63 and #78. The not so good news is there are multiple teams with multiple numbers above Jung. If Texas is going to build by going young we might all be dead before they contend again.
Damn, Detroit has 5 in the top 25. It seems like over the last 20 years, the Rangers have mostly tried to draft what they thought were low-ceiling but high-probability picks who would move through the system faster. For example, they've long been averse to drafting high school pitchers early in the draft. More certain mediocrity was valued over more speculative greatness. That's going to lead to not having many top prospects.
Per this morning's Dallas News looks like we were just dreaming about Spring Training beginning on time:
^TBD. If I'm reading the tea leaves correctly, MLB wants it and the players are reluctant. I'm not sure why they would object - the DH is a great way to extend a career a year or two for a good hitter who has slowed enough to be a liability on defense.
No. In fact, the Player's Association has already thrown it out once during these negotiations. They put it back in with the proviso of full 162 game pay for the 154 game proposal.
The report from MLB is since the Players Union nixed the last MLB proposal that the season will go on as scheduled, and most importantly, that MLB will be the sole arbitrator in game cancellations/changes due to COVID. (Remember, no game means no pay for that game for the plaayers.)
From FOX 4 Dallas - Rangers trade Elvis Andrus to the A's for Khris Davis Rangers trade Elvis Andrus to the A's for Khris Davis fox4news.com/sports/report-rangers-trade-elvis-andrus-to-the-as-for-khris-davis If nothing else the Rangers will not have to face Davis this season.
^WOW! That certainly adds some pop to the Rangers' batting order, with Davis and Gallo. And it fills a short-term hole at SS for the A's. As a 5-and-10 player, Elvis could have vetoed the trade - so I guess he wanted the chance to be an everyday player.
Elvis, Aramis to Oakland for Khris Davis, two others Not sure if this is just a wash or maybe even slight net loss for Rangers.
I would go another direction and say slight gain for the Rangers. (1) opens up the infield to move Isiah Kiner-Falefa to SS and bring Jung up; (2) as indicated above the Rangers will not have to face Davis; (3) Davis is gone after 2021 so a long term solution to left field can be brought-up/signed.
Interesting - Report: MLB, MLBPA Agree to 7-Inning Doubleheaders, Extra-Inning Rule for 2021 (yahoo.com). Looks like they will have 7-inning doubleheaders, as well as the extra-inning rule (runner on second to start the inning, 10th inning and on) - but no DH in the National League.
Some news and some clarity. Looks like the full schedule in 2021, but 2022 looks iffy due to Player Union contract negotiations. League Notes: Baseball Design, Spring Training
LSB has more thoughts on trade and whether Davis actually ever appears as Ranger. A few thoughts on the Elvis/Davis trade
The Rangers will be using 2021 as an extended tryout for both the players and Chris Young. Jung might start out at Frisco, but he will finish at Arlington since the Rangers have to know if he is truly the long term answer at 3B. In addition they have to find 4 starting pitchers and at least 3 relivers before the end of this season. With all of that going on they will probably keep Davis long enough to see if they can increase his value before the trading deadline.
I don't think the Davis/Elvis move is bad. Elvis brought a lot to this team for a long time, but we're in full rebuilding mode, and that's not a place for 32-year-old, especially with younger players like Kiner-Falefa taking a more prominent role and hopefully Jung showing up soon. Let Elvis play everyday somewhere and try to get back on track. As for Davis? Who knows? I'd love to see him revive his career here, but even if he doesn't, I'm basically OK with the deal. Maybe one of the prospects will do something.
