Boom!!!

Corbin Martin was just selected by the Astros

Back to our discussion re: drafting HS in the first round vs. college players. The White Sox appear to have the opposite approach of the Rangers.

Sox last 19 first round picks include:
4-year colleges/universities - 16
High school - 2
(1 from juco)


Rangers last 19 first round picks include:
4-year colleges/universities - 5
High school - 13
(1 from Independent ball)

Same. Which is why I like the Bubba pick.

Seems like one of those first round picks would have been a college ready pitcher with the lack of stud arms we have but I guess the front office knows more.

I've just been checking the score of the game and noticed that the last two innings have taken almost an hour. Was there some sort of delay?

The Astros needed some extra time to quit crying after the whipping they received

Yikes, if you want to be depressed go look back at the Rangers first round picks since Teixeira.

AllThings12thMan said:

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This is probably a DallasAg question, but do the Rangers take more high-schoolers in the first round than most teams? And if they do, do we have a lower success rate with them than other teams?

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Ahhh... you thought of me... **blushing**

Having said that... the general expectation is a balance between risk\reward floor\ceiling.

The Rangers have generally gone with HS players, however recently gone the College route. All-in-all, they have gambled with the high risk high reward route of taking a player that teams have passed on due to injury or a recent struggle. Like they did in 2015 with the UCSB SP Dillon Tate and SP Matuella.

I think Moneyball Beane has basically had the following philosophy. They can't afford to miss on the draft, so they go the safe route drafting more college players. The expectation is they are closer to being MLB ready, they have a lower ceiling but a higher hit rate. They have been on record saying they really can't afford (not just financially) to take too many misses. They also can't afford to draft a player they can't sign.

I took Preller comment about Bubba as a high risk high reward draft.

Up until recent changes Internationally, they Rangers took the best available. They had like 10 Middle IFs. They were signing so many Latin players, that they could go with a risky draft. That all changed after 2011, IIRC. And that was the last big year.

I would have to verify, but I think the Rays used a philosophy I'd call Talent-Consolidation.

Say, you are ready to unload at the deadline. You look at your talent and you see a window of concentrated talent coming in 3-4 years. You dump your talent in trades for players that are 3-4 years away. You draft College players knowing the will be quicker to be ready in the same window.

In 3-4 years you are really really good for about 3-4 years. During that time you draft HS kids with higher ceilings to coincide with your next tear-down and rebuild.

Alabaster Jones said:

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Seems like one of those first round picks would have been a college ready pitcher with the lack of stud arms we have but I guess the front office knows more.

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I think any college arm you are looking at is likely 3 years away and the ceiling probably isn't as high. You know more about what the pitcher has.

The Rangers have a series of SPs that IMO, will likely make the majors before most of these SPs. Especially at 26 & 29. I could be wrong.

Maybe the Rangers are signalling they are resigning Darvish and expect to get Ohtani.

At AA:
YoMen (22-LHP): 12 GS, 3,36 ERA, 1.07 WHIP. I'd expect a late season call-up. Could fight for rotation in 2018.
Ariel Jurado (21-RHP): 13 GS, 3.98 ERA, 1.30 WHIP
Connor Sadzeck (25-RHP): 13 GS, 5.23, 1.41 WHIP

Brett Martin (22-A+LHP) drafted 4th in 2014

AJGriffin: 2018 (1 more year)
Hamels: 2019 (2 more years)
Perez: 2020 (3 more years)

Cashner and Ross are both FAs after the season. One or both might be an option if Darvish leaves.

You resign Darvish for 4-6 years and I don't think you are in a great hurry to add anyone.

Great article on the Rangers 2nd round pick Hans Crouse, who supposedly has hit 100 mph as a HS senior and whose mom was a meth addict.

http://www.ocregister.com/2017/06/08/will-a-dana-hills-pitcher-become-a-first-round-draft-pick-a-millionaire-and-keep-his-cool/

Just heard on the radio that when the Rangers score 3 runs or more with Yu on the mound they are 44-4.

ESPN is listing Tyson Ross as the starter Friday against Seattle.

I think it's safe to say that the front office does not consider the state of the ML team or plans for any individual players when considering the draft. The approach is simply to draft the best players available, with minimal consideration of position of needs or current org depth. You can always trade players, and you never know who will make it or not.

Squirrel Master said:

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I think it's safe to say that the front office does not consider the state of the ML team or plans for any individual players when considering the draft. The approach is simply to draft the best players available, with minimal consideration of position of needs or current org depth. You can always trade players, and you never know who will make it or not.

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I think JD has mentioned it is not practical to draft based on ML need. And you never have enough Pitching. I think JD has said he likes about 8 legit SP options in ST. Which was my comment about having 10 Middle IFers.

The best player available often comes with risk. Which means the best player available varies. Hitter/Pitcher/Injuries/Upside.

Before JD and the current regime, the Rangers would almost exclusively draft fielders, knowing you have a higher success rate. Then, you could trade hitters for pitching. The Dodgers always had great pitching and it was because they'd draft mostly pitchers early.

Yeah, I agree with all that. I think I just misunderstood the point of your post about 6 or 7 up that discusses 'signaling' regarding Darvish and Otani and the breakdown of some of the minor league pitching the org has.

Squirrel Master said:

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Yeah, I agree with all that. I think I just misunderstood the point of your post about 6 or 7 up that discusses 'signaling' regarding Darvish and Otani and the breakdown of some of the minor league pitching the org has.

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One comment was tongue-in-cheek, while the other was for context.

Context was that we DO have a SP or two in AA Frisco, which should be able to compete for the 5th rotation spot in 2018.

The tongue-in-check was that by not focusing on ready-made SP, the Rangers were signaling to MLB and fans that they were going to back up the truck with something like 6yr/$30M per for Darvish and them also getting Ohtani, so signing a ready-made SP was not necessary.

The Rangers wouldn't have so much bravado to say "we don't need SP because we will get Darvish/Ohtani," but it is nice to pretend. That was why it was tongue-in-check.

I went back to 2012, to verify my 10 Middle IF comment:

All this with
Kinsler (35 now) signing 5 yr/$75M deal in April 2012.
Andrus (28 now) signing an 8 yr/$120M deal in April 2013.

2012:
Hickory (A):
1. Odor (23 now) - Plays for Rangers
2. Luis Sardinas (24 now) - Plays for SD
3. Edwin Garcia (26 now) - Reached AAA, now Independent

Myrtle Beach (A+):
4. Odubel Herrera (25) - Plays CF for Philly
5. Hanser Alberto (24 now) - Plays for Rangers

Frisco (AA)
6. Leury Garcia (26 now) - Plays for CWS
7. Jurickson Profar (24 now) - Plays for Rangers

And I feel like I've missed 2 or 3 guys. Maybe that is because I threw out 10. I didn't see anyone at Round Rock and didn't check Spokane or AZL.

5 years ago, In 2012, the Rangers had 6 middle infielders on 3 of their minor league teams who are now aged between 23 and 26, who are all playing in MLB.

No surprise for SD, Philly & CWS, as they were beneficiaries of our minor league system. I feel like the Cubs should have a player.

Resigning Darvish and getting Otani would completely flip the outlook of this team. Then pairing them with Cashner/ Ross as your #3, whomever they want to resign to go with Mendez/ Perez in the back end. Hoping this is the plan.

Darvish
Otani
Mazara
Odor
Andrus
Gallo
Deshields

Pretty good, young nucleus to build around.

Of course he does. I was more or less talking about the future.

Hamels is here through 2019 if we want him... He's as much of the future as Perez.

So on day 2 so far the Rangers have selected:

Matthew Whatley - C Oral Roberts
Ryan Dease - RHP TNXL Academy
Jake Latz - LHP Kent State

free_mhayden said:

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Hamels is here through 2019 if we want him... He's as much of the future as Perez.

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I'd take a 35 year old Hamels over Perez at this point

Need to start seeing more pitches and get that PC up. Peacock may have a short leash, being on 3 days rest.

8 Ks through 3 innings. I hate this roster.

Nick Martinez ditched the long pants.