You're right. I misread your original post.

Not retaining Barnette was a bigger surprise to me than Cashner.

In my mind points to one of two scenarios (possibly both) -- that we are putting those funds towards one or two big name SP acquisitions, or we truly are keeping the powder dry and rebuilding... And maybe the latter if the former doesn't work out.

IMO doesn't make sense to go after just one plus-starter... Jake Arrieta doesn't make this a division-contending rotation. But if you can land two... and Texas certainly has the money to... then while you don't have that top of the rotation guy you can lean on, you've potentially got a rotation of #2's and #3's which is sufficient if the offense doesn't suck.

I'll believe that we're rebuilding when I finally see it.

So much for the confidential application process

Hire him!

Wow Roy Halladay died in a plane crash

AccidentProne said:

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Wow Roy Halladay died in a plane crash

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Confirmed it was him? That sucks.

Yes they just confirmed it

http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/21340574/texas-rangers-pay-most-pitcher-outfielder-shohei-otani

Kind of as expected. Not a big difference between the clubs at the top and no one will money whip this thing if he is posted this season.

Wow on this price tag

Yeah Boras is trying to project based on his career year in 2017. And he is subpar defensively. No thanks to $200 mil for jd .

I think it was brought up elsewhere, but the 2018 schedule is a bit strange:

- Rangers will play the 'stros 10 times in the first 42 games
- Rangers will only play the 'stros 3 times after the all-star break, none in Aug/Sept
- Rangers have a 10 game road trip leading into the all-star break
- Rangers will play 22 of their last 36 games on the west coast
- Rangers will play 16 of their last 22 games on the road

Weird. I'm a big fan of getting everyone in a division playing each other towards the end of the season. Let division races get decided head to head on the field. Maybe the lack of interesting races this year has MLB schedulers saying "eh, whatever", heh.

But I really think the algorithm needs to get pretty even home/road schedules at the end of the year. Don't make teams spend so much time on the road.

I want JD to get on the phone with my season ticket holders and explain why we aren't spending money and committing to playing for a wild card spot in 2018.

This decision will be JD's downfall if it doesn't pan out

Francisco Lindor wins Silver Slugger. Apparently there are people who think Correa got snubbed??? How about Andrus? Seems like a bigger snub to me. Lindor's 33 HR's carried the day.

You get new information this morning?

Looks like Otani is going to post. Also Darvish had an interesting tweet/instagram this morning

94chem said:

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Francisco Lindor wins Silver Slugger. Apparently there are people who think Correa got snubbed??? How about Andrus? Seems like a bigger snub to me. Lindor's 33 HR's carried the day.

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Elvis definitely got snubbed. Lindor hit 13 more homers, yet had only 89 rbi. Elvis had 88 rbi, and hit 25 points higher. They both had 44 doubles, and Lindor had a few more triples. But yes, looks like it came down to Slugging/OPS. Shame.

I heard Correa described as a 5 tool player, but he only had 2 SB. Nothing wrong with being a 4 tool player...

5 tool players are guys like Griffey, Hamilton, Trout. Plenty of the GOATs weren't 5 tool players - Rickey, Bonds, Pujols, Cabrera.

Anyway, I guess 25 SB for Andrus doesn't count either.

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Looks like Otani is going to post.

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Sure, you can hold out for a bigger payday, but it's like playing in the NIT when you have an invitation to the Dance.

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Lindor hit 13 more homers, yet had only 89 rbi. Elvis had 88 rbi

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Lindor spent over a third of the year hitting leadoff and the rest of the year hitting second.

Elvis had like 1 at bat leading off and had 320 plus chances hitting 3rd or lower in the lineup.

Hmm there is a senior sales executive role with the Cowboys available...

Start practicing your non-answers regarding kneeling!

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Anyway, I guess 25 SB for Andrus doesn't count either.

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If you're looking to push aside Lindor's 13 more home runs, than Andrus' 10 more stolen bases certainly doesn't move the dial.

94chem said:

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I heard Correa described as a 5 tool player, but he only had 2 SB. Nothing wrong with being a 4 tool player...

5 tool players are guys like Griffey, Hamilton, Trout. Plenty of the GOATs weren't 5 tool players - Rickey, Bonds, Pujols, Cabrera.

Anyway, I guess 25 SB for Andrus doesn't count either.

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Bonds was definitely a 5-tool player, probably the best 5-tool player ever.

I'd argue Altuve being a 5-tool player before Correa.

Yeah. Bonds bulking up and taking steroids robbed baseball of one of the more dynamic athletes it has ever seen...on top of all the other trouble he helped cause.

Bonds was definitely 5 tool. Too bad he as a jerk off the field and juiced.

Also, I'm probably in the minority in this but I consider Trout a 4 tool player because of his arm. It's really the only weak point of his game.

I remember Trout gunning down a Ranger this year, but yeah, he doesn't rack up the assists.

As for Bonds, he could throw before he was slow and fat. He never had the arm of Griffey, though. My selective memory, but I'll always remember him not being able to throw out Sid Bream, even though he made an accurate throw, and the ball was slightly to his left. How can you not be more shallow there??? /1992 flashback...

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I'd argue Altuve being a 5-tool player before Correa.

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Tend to agree, but almost impossible for a 2nd baseman to fit that designation. If he had a cannon, he'd be a SS...somebody like Shawon Dunstan.

Canseco was another one. Eric Davis would have been - not sure about the arm.

As for 30/30 guys who can hit .300, field their position, and throw seeds, there just aren't many, are there?

I would have liked to see how some of the great hitters of yesteryear would have changed their game in today's climate. Would Gwynn or Brett stay true like Ichiro, or would they say "screw it" and start batting .290 with 40 HR?

AccidentProne said:

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I want JD to get on the phone with my season ticket holders and explain why we aren't spending money and committing to playing for a wild card spot in 2018.

This decision will be JD's downfall if it doesn't pan out

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I will always wait to see what we have on the team come Spring Training.

The only way the Rangers make the playoffs is for Perez (26), Gallo (23), Odor (23) and Mazara (22) to play to their ability/potential. Perez needs to be sub 4.20 ERA, Gallo and Odor need to hit at least .250 and maintain the power, while reducing the Ks. Mazara needs to go .280/35HRs

If those things don't happen, we probably aren't making the playoffs even if we did spend money.

Mike Trout's arm is no slouch. MLB top-10 or better in assists from center field in 2016 and 2015.

Its definitely something he's improved on since he entered the league. He's not Puig but it's a helluva "weakness" to have.

Barry Bonds...hard to knock his arm when he led left fielders in assists 6 times and was 2nd or 3rd in left or center field another 5 times.

Is there a team out there that is spending money already?

I'm not sure making the qualifying offer to Andrew Cashner and Tony Barnette was going to open the season ticket floodgates.

free_mhayden said:

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Is there a team out there that is spending money already?

I'm not sure making the qualifying offer to Andrew Cashner and Tony Barnette was going to open the season ticket floodgates.

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The Halos.

30 year old Upton got them to convince him to not Opt-Out of the remaining 4/$88.5M deal. He got a 1 yr extension for $17.5 added to the back end. He will be like 35.