Looks like we recalled Scheppers in return for Hoying, and put AJ Griffin on the 60-day DL.

Honestly somehow kind of forgot Griffin was still hurt.

I'd be surprised if there aren't seat licenses for some of the premium seating areas. Customers obviously are going to be against it -- that's like asking them if they'd be in favor of a price increase

But even without them, the point still stands -- it's a helluva lot easier to sell seats for a contender than it is for a rebuild.

Go look at your previously posted SP free agent list and tell me which one of those guys we are confidently sliding in as our #2 behind our #1 Cole Hamels whose peripherals have been skewing downward for the last few years.

If Martin Perez is your #2, you are in a rebuild and Hamels gets dealt and Beltre does as well if he wants to play for a contender.

I'll poop slap if there are seat licenses

Quote:

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Hamels, Perez, AJG, Martinez

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Can you, with a straight face, say you are optimistic about this list? Hamels is on the decline of his career. You mentioned earlier that Perez "could" improve to be a #2.....what have we seen from him the past few years that even hints at him being a #2? Yes, he's had stretches....but even the most glorious hacks have had stretches.

Sorry to dump on Perez, but I just don't see that guy being anything more that what we see now.

Darvish will be expensive, but any reasonably decent 2-3 will be expensive. Between an aging Hamels and a gap in the farm, I think signing him is a must.

free_mhayden said:

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Go look at your previously posted SP free agent list and tell me which one of those guys we are confidently sliding in as our #2 behind our #1 Cole Hamels whose peripherals have been skewing downward for the last few years.

If Martin Perez is your #2, you are in a rebuild and Hamels gets dealt and Beltre does as well if he wants to play for a contender.

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I'm sure Beltre wants a starting position and guarantee to play 3B if at all physically able to get out there. I fully expect the Rangers to "sell\market" him.

Hamels has been skewing down. I don't disagree.
Plane and simple Perez needs to be at least a legit #3.

Cashner or Ross could be a #2. If you get both, you increase your odds. Could you get both for $30M/yr (total)? Say 3yr/$45M each?! If they are going for $20M per then I really don't know what to say about any of those pitchers on the list.

Having Hamels as a #2 and then Perez, Cashner & Ross as #3s, you are not in a rebuild.

Remember... we've sucked with much worse pitching. We've done fine with worse pitching.

DannyDuberstein said:

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Darvish will be expensive, but any reasonably decent 2-3 will be expensive. Between an aging Hamels and a gap in the farm, I think signing him is a must.

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define expensive in both scenarios.

If you are forecasting Cashner and Ross as potential #2s then you aren't being realistic.

MSFC Aggie said:

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Quote:

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Hamels, Perez, AJG, Martinez

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Can you, with a straight face, say you are optimistic about this list? Hamels is on the decline of his career. You mentioned earlier that Perez "could" improve to be a #2.....what have we seen from him the past few years that even hints at him being a #2? Yes, he's had stretches....but even the most glorious hacks have had stretches.

Sorry to dump on Perez, but I just don't see that guy being anything more that what we see now.

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He is still only 26.

In 2013 (age 22), Perez went 20 GS, 3.62, 1.335, 124.1 IP, 84 SO, 37 BB. IMO, that's a legit #2. Then he blew out his arm. That ERA would have put him at 19th in the AL, if he had 38 more IP. And he was 22.

In 2016, his 1st full recovery year, he went 33 GS, 4.39 ERA (26th in AL), 198.2 IP, 1.414 ERA.
In 2017, he has gone: 14 GS, 4.72 (28th in AL), 76.1 IP, 1.638 WHIP.

Let's say he remains in the mid 20s in AL ERA.
15 Teams X 3 = 45 SPs.

Perez has the mechanics. He has repertoire. Many have compared his pitches to Johan Santana. His issue is clearly mental. But then, what keeps pitchers from being a #1 or #2 is mental.

And no... I'm not optimistic with that list. Nothing I've said should indicate that. My point was... we have the framework in place to slot in 2 guys and not feel like we have to rely solely on Nick Martinez and Chi Chi.

Guy that you'd be counting on to be a #3:

4.72 ERA this year, 4.35 career ERA


Guy that you don't want to feel like you have to rely on:

4.67 ERA this year, 4.47 career ERA

I think it's certainly possible that Perez COULD improve, but at this point I just don't see any real reason to think that he will. I would describe Perez as a 3-4 pitcher, ideally a number 4.

another Derek Holland - frustrating as hell. Perez just can't put it together.

He might be like Holland and do well with a change of scenery. Need these dudes to pull it together when they are a Ranger.

Maybe WE can be a change of scenery for someone that turns out to be really good?

that would be damn nice

If he can continue pitching like he has been then why the hell not?

Maybe it's the heat. Cliff lee left because of it. He's probably not the only pitcher to do so.

Whoever built globe life park is an idiot. It should have been a dome or retractable roof for sure.

Most people don't want a domed stadium for baseball, and a retractable roof was far too expensive at the time.

He's out

Mazara

Finally lays off that damned pitch and the ump rings him up anyway.

Wow....that ball was almost chin high

That's the highest called strike I've seen in some time.

Robots.

Smoak has killed us the past few years

Since when did Smoak learn to hit. 30 years old, and he's outpacing his career average by 70 points and he's basically already hit a career high HR's.

I want to know how rare a 3-4-1 putout is.

DannyDuberstein said:

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Since when did Smoak learn to hit. 30 years old, and he's outpacing his career average by 70 points and he's basically already hit a career high HR's.

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Makes you want to drug test his arse...

There's a few of those this year. Chirinos has been interesting so far.

We've gotta be one of the worst in the league at scoring or even advancing a lead off base runner. It feels like they're stranded on first way too often.

Choo really is an on base machine when healthy.