He stabs at the ball. That's fine when nobody's on but he makes s*** effort to do anything to stop it ever. I don't get it.

Alabaster Jones said:

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He's garbage and Banister keeps making him the number one catcher. That and Fielder have to be JDs worst two trades

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I don't know that those two are the same kind of trade. When we made the Lucroy trade everyone hailed it as a great get.

Yes, the Fielder trade was absolute garbage. I think most questioned it. Everyone thought the Lucroy get was great. I think most folks were ok with the Odor contract, although personally I wasn't because I don't like Odor. Most were ok with the Napoli signing. The bottom line is that those 3 have been hot garbage this year. Not sure you can blame JD for that.

Most thought the bullpen was the strength of this team going in. Oops.

Most thought the rotation would be the biggest weakness, but it has been the best part.

What a really odd season.

MSFC Aggie said:

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Yes, the Fielder trade was absolute garbage. I think most questioned it. Everyone thought the Lucroy get was great. I think most folks were ok with the Odor contract, although personally I wasn't because I don't like Odor. Most were ok with the Napoli signing. The bottom line is that those 3 have been hot garbage this year. Not sure you can blame JD for that.

Most thought the bullpen was the strength of this team going in. Oops.

Most thought the rotation would be the biggest weakness, but it has been the best part.

What a really odd season.

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I think many people thought the Fielder trade had 2 years of value, and then would suck.


Regarding, Lucroy... I've said several times, Lewis Brinson was a Rule V guy that would have needed to be protected, but wouldn't be ready for MLB until at least 2018. He had a down 2015 (IIRC), and he was expected to be not be up in 2017. Ryan Cordell, the PTBN, was rule V eligible, as well. Luis Ortiz is settling in at AA for Milw, but I think he is Rule V elible this winter and he isn't going to be ready. We needed a catcher and if we let him go, I don't think Chirinos is the answer full time. We have some options coming up, but don't think they are quite ready. I'll dig into that, at some point. Don't recall the specifics.

I like Odor. The contract is too soon to tell. He is not set to make that much for a couple years and I like him more than Kinsler.

Fielder costs us a roster spot on the 40, during the Winter. Any player on the DL counts, after the season. It is a rule JD has fought, and MLB has not addressed. We still owe him $18M for... 3... more... years... UGH. Detroit owes Kinsler $12M next year, and has a $5M buyout. Ahh... to be rid of the Fielder contract.

They get a 50% insurance recovery on Fielder's deal, no?

Not a huge fan of the Fielder trade, but did understand the rationale behind it. At the time, we were a very right handed line up, Profar was a huge prospect (with Odor behind him), and Kinsler was starting to fight his initial agreement of moving to the outfield once Profar was ready.

I thought having Fielder in the Ballpark with the "jet stream" was going to lead to a few 35-40 HR seasons. Unfortunately injuries didn't allow that to happen. As a wise man once said, sometimes that's the way baseball go.

Quote:

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From SportsDay's Evan Grant back in August on Fielder's remaining deal after his announced retirement: "He is due to receive the full remaining value of his contract, roughly $104 million through 2020, unless the sides work out a retirement settlement. The Rangers will be responsible for $44 million of it, Detroit $24 million and another $36 million will come via an insurance policy the Rangers inherited when they traded Ian Kinsler for Fielder after the 2013 season. The Rangers will receive 50 percent of their annual $18 million salary commitment to him via the claim."

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Prince Fielder's 2017 salary is worth more than 21 players on the Rangers' opening day roster combined


This was the most definitive info I could google up on a 1/2 cup of coffee, but the math doesn't seem to work. States that the Rangers owe $44 million over the next three years = $14.67 million/year, but also states that the Rangers are paying $18 million/year = $54 million/year.

The 50% insurance claim does appear to be valid for whatever salary is actually owed by the Rangers.

Evan quoted a statement from an article on 8/9/2016. The additional $8M was owed in 2016, after the announced retirement.

2017: $24M, $6M paid by Detroit; $18M by Rangers
2018: $24M, $6M paid by Detroit
2019: $24M, $6M paid by Detroit
2020: $24M, $6M paid by Detroit

The $18M/yr is what is owed to him, established at the trade.

So... $96M, $24M paid by Detroit. Rangers would owe $72M, or $36M/$36M split with Insurance. I think Detroit gets 50% paid by Insurance, as well.

The main reasons I didn't like the trade was, I didn't like the additional years of owing. I was ready for the Kinsler contract to be done, and feel like it kinda got extended, via trade. I was tired of Kinsler making poor base running decisions, and his often made pop up to shallow OF because he was swinging for a Homer, when a base hit would have won the game.

All things equal, Odor has been an equivalent replacement for Kinsler, so far. No better. No worse.

We did need a RHB and a 1B. We still need a 1B.

People who don't like the Andrus contract, either aren't frustrated with our 1B situation, or don't realize we'd have the same debacle at SS, if not for the contract to Andrus. Teams struggle to find a solid long-term player at SS.

I think Odor's contract will work out fine.

I like to start off with Scott Lucas' org chart, anytime I want to dig into the Rangers depth. He does a great job keep it updated.

MLB
Lucroy (31). Career .282 hitter doing .262 this season. 4 HRs (in 59 G) is a drop.
Chirinos (33). Career .231 hitter doing .240 this season. 12 HRs (in 33 G) is 1 shy of career high of 13. (93 G)
Under contract for 2018 & 2019.

AAA Round Rock Express
Brett Nicholas (28)
.316 BA, .355 OBP, .476 SLG, .830 OPS, 6 HR

AA Frisco Roughriders
Jose Trevino (24). Drafted in 6th Rd 2014
.251 BA, .292 OBP, .327 SLG, .619 OPS, 3 HR

Isiah Kiner-Falefa (22). Drafted in 4th Rd 2013
.282 BA, .352 OBP, .394 SLG, .745 OPS, 4 HR
Started playing C, last year.

David Lyon (DL)

A+ Down East Wood Ducks
Charles Moorman (23). Drafted 17th Rd 2012
.255 BA, .311 OBP, .343 SLG, .653 OPS, 2 HR

Remember when we had Pudge? 12 years and 1479 GP. That's 123 GP/yr. 8 of those years over .300 and a year with a .298 BA. 10 consecutive years as an All Star and Gold Glove. 6 straight years a Silver Slugger.

The "juiced ball era" sure was kind to the Rangers.

FWIW, Brett Nicholas isn't Arb eligible until 2020, FA in 2023.

Im just hoping that ABD (who absolutely should have won the game last night) doesn't end up outpitching Hamels. Hamels needs a big time rebound start from last week. Somehow Holland has a better ERA than Hamels does

The wife is out this weekend, so I have extra baseball time.

Last night on the broadcast, they mentioned with 1 HR, Beltre will be at 600 Doubles and 450 HRs. They said only a handful of guys had done it, so I sought out who they were:

First, Beltre is 17th in Doubles, so there are only 16 guys ahead of him.
11th Aaron (624)
12th Pujols (611)
13th Molitor (605)
14th Waner (605)
15th Ripken (603)
16th Bonds (601)
17th Beltre (599)

Some incredible names, there. I listed those that I felt he could catch in reasonable fashion.

The list at 600/450?
1. Stan Musial: 725, 475
2. Carl Yastrzemsik: 646, 452
3. David Ortiz: 632, 541
4. Hank Aaron: 624, 755
5. Pujols: 611, 602
6. Bonds: 601, 762
7. Beltre: 599, 450

Even more incredible list.

jtstanley4621 said:

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Im just hoping that ABD (who absolutely should have won the game last night) doesn't end up outpitching Hamels. Hamels needs a big time rebound start from last week. Somehow Holland has a better ERA than Hamels does

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Holland got off to a great start. In typical fashion, he is starting to lose focus and the "change of scenery" improvement, may be wearing off.

Well let's send Chicago Napoli, Lucroy and Profar and get Holland back.

So bush has officially been fired from the closing role.

Guess we'll try Kela.

Sounds like it will be a committee

Are we gonna let Holland shut us down today?

I like how it didn't take Bush all that long to get removed from the role but it took Dyson (who was much, much worse) FOREVER to get removed from the role

So I guess Hamels sucks now too

Can we quit calling Hamels an ace?

At this point I wouldn't be upset if we sold literally everyone but Elvis and Mazara for prospects

In terms of what we've gotten back, I don't know if the Hamels or the Lucroy trade were worth it at all. We would have a bunch of players on the come up from the minors and be loaded for the next few seasons

I still think Hamels was worth it. Winning divisions is still something, and neither of the last 2 happen without him. They also got Diekman in that deal. On the Phillies side, after 2 years, Eickoff is the only one who has done anything in the majors, and he's not been good this year.

But as far as everyone else, would have been nice to keep the powder dry in hindsight. But then again, what it really cost them still remains to be seen.

Mike Napoli: horrific

The Rangers will do everything they can to not score runs. Laughably terrible Gomez.

jtstanley4621 said:

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I like how it didn't take Bush all that long to get removed from the role but it took Dyson (who was much, much worse) FOREVER to get removed from the role

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You have to consider the player.

Dyson has 211 Games as a MLB RP in what is really his 4th season. Dyson had an addition 74 G pitching in the minors. He has 443.2 IP in pro baseball. Dyson pitched at USCe, where he had 153 IP in 2 of the 3 seasons I could find. Over 600 IP as a pitcher, since HS.

Bush had 58 G coming in (has 88 total now) and had never pitched in his Pro career. 90.2 IP, with 61.2 IP coming into 2017.

Yeah. Disturbing

Hamels has been much better today. Too bad the offense looks anemic against Holland. Maybe we can add him to the list of Ranger killers.

And as soon as I say that Delino ties it up

jtstanley4621 said:

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Anyone seeing that shirtless fat dude with the sunscreen on his nose on the third base side?

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I've been more distracted by the plastic surgery disaster next to him. Not a great row.

How many steroids is Elvis on?

Elvis Andrus absolutely deserves to be an all-star this year, but he wont get it. He's been our best player

jtstanley4621 said:

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In terms of what we've gotten back, I don't know if the Hamels or the Lucroy trade were worth it at all. We would have a bunch of players on the come up from the minors and be loaded for the next few seasons

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Here is some rear view mirror perspective.

Hamels and Diekman were traded on July 31, 2015 for;

Nick Williams (now 23) who was drafted in 2012 and was in AA. 2017 Debut - MLB totals: 1 for 3
Jorge Alfaro (now 23) who was signed in 2010 and was in AA. 2016 MLB debut: .125 BA in 6 G. Hitting .260 in AAA this year.
Alec Asher (25) who was drafted in 2012 and was in AAA. 2015 MLB debut: 32G, 18GS, 5.38 ERA in MLB
Jerad Eickhoff (26) who was drafted in 2010 and was in AAA. 2015 MLB debut: 55 GS, 3.79 ERA. ERA has gone up each year: 2015 (2.65); 2016 (3.65); 2017 (4.93).
Matt Harrison - Did nothing for Philly.
Jake Thompson (23) who was drafted in 2012 and was in AA. 2016 MLB debut: 10GS in 2016 (5.70 ERA) and looks like moved to BP. Has 3 G, 5.0 IP 9.00 ERA in 2017.

To be eligilbe for Rule V, a player would have to have been 18 prior to June 5 and have been with the club for 4 Rule V drafts. So, a player drafted in June 2011 and was 18... would be Rule V eligible for the Rule V drafter after the 2015 season (the season of the Hamels trade).

Therefore, Jorge Alfaro (AA) and Jerad Eickoff (AAA) were Rule V eligible the following offseason Jan 2016.
Nick Williams (AA), Alec Asher (AAA) and Jake Thompson (AA) had one more year of minors before having to be protected for the Rule V in Jan 2017.

The jury is still out, but that is a bunch of players we'd have likely lost. You get to protect 40. We have Fielder and would have Harrison on the DL60 who would count.

Those are 6 players who right now would be on our 40, with only Eickhoff in the Bigs. All would have had to be protected. Eickhoff, IMO, is the only one that has done anything. You could say him getting to the Bigs in 2015 in the NL, after spending all his time in the AL would work to his benefit, along with playing in the NL. You could argue as the NL teams have figured him out. Is he better than ABD, AJG or Nick Martinez?

I think many forget Rule V. Teams like Mil, TB, Philly... can stash players that a team like the Rangers can't. Especially as you start to see injuries mount. You start getting 4 or 5 guys on the DL10 and the 40 gets full quickly.