Some good news on a few minor league pitching prospects:

https://www.lonestarball.com/2018/7/26/17617322/hans-crouse-dominated-last-night

KT 90 said:

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Some good news on a few minor league pitching prospects:

https://www.lonestarball.com/2018/7/26/17617322/hans-crouse-dominated-last-night

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Crouse is going to be an interesting one to watch. He does a weird little shimmy in his windup.

KT 90 said:

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MLB network just said deal for JA Happ in place for him to go to the Yankees. One less potential landing spot for Hamels....

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The Rangers are going to be left holding the bag with no upcoming prospects and very little to look forward to for the next few years. Trade opportunities are drying up.

Fuzzy Dunlop said:

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KT 90 said:

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MLB network just said deal for JA Happ in place for him to go to the Yankees. One less potential landing spot for Hamels....

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The Rangers are going to be left holding the bag with no upcoming prospects and very little to look forward to for the next few years. Trade opportunities are drying up.

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It would help if Hamel's wasn't getting pounded his last 4 or 5 starts. We were already going to have to eat some of his contract to trade him, now it'll be even more. Or we'll just be stuck with him and payout the whole thing ourselves. Plus the $6 million buyout for next year.

Somebody ought to bite on Diekman, he is an expiring contract. Not sure about finding a taker for Choo with his big contract.

jtstanley4621 said:

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KT 90 said:

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Some good news on a few minor league pitching prospects:

https://www.lonestarball.com/2018/7/26/17617322/hans-crouse-dominated-last-night

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Crouse is going to be an interesting one to watch. He does a weird little shimmy in his windup.

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I had read about that, but hadn't seen video. .Googled and found this, only watched the first few minutes, but an interesting quick pitch of sorts at about 1:55 into the video

And since we are mostly looking to the future nowadays.... here is some analysis of the Rangers top 30 prospects from today's Scott Lucas email:

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MLB.com produced its updated top-30 prospects lists. Texas's top ten (overall top-100 in parentheses):
1. OF Leody Taveras (43)
2. OF Willie Calhoun (49)
3. OF Julio P. Martinez (62)
4. RHP Cole Winn (99)
5. RHP Hans Crouse
6. RHP Jonathan Hernandez
7. LHP Joe Palumbo
8. LHP Cole Ragans
9. OF Bubba Thompson
10. SS Anderson Tejeda

Baseball America published its updated lists earlier this week. As I mentioned yesterday, it's paywalled so I'm not going to reprint it, but I will say there's not huge disagreement between them.

Biggest climbers, in my opinion (not necessarily the most spots moved, but also where they began and ended. For example, climbing from #11 to #1 would be a much bigger deal than climbing from #30 to #15):
Hernandez -- up 7 spots to #6 (struggling in Frisco but has taken a big step forward)
Palumbo -- up 5 to #7 (healthy, post-surgery stuff seemingly no worse for wear)
RHP Tyler Phillips -- up 17 to #13 (breakout season)
LHP C.D. Pelham -- up 4 to #15 (same as Hernandez)
C Sam Huff -- up 3 to #21 (best season among the catchers crowding low and high-A)

Biggest fallers:
RHP Kyle Cody -- down 15 to #23 (hurt)
LHP Yohander Mendez -- down 10 to #16 (bad year)
OF Pedro Gonzalez -- down 8 to #17 (not bad, per se, but hasn't built on 2017's gains)
LHP Brett Martin -- from #14 to outside the top 30 (bad year)
IF/OF Yanio Perez -- from #15 to outside the top 30 (mostly hurt)

Top-30 newcomers:
Martinez (signed after MLB published its preseason list)
Winn (1st round draft pick)
RHP Owen White (#12, 2nd round)
RHP Jason Bahr (#14, just acquired in trade)
IF Jonathan Ornelas (#19, 3rd round)
RHP Mason Englert (#20, 4th round)
OF Scott Heineman (#22)
LHP Jeff Springs (#28)
RHP Yerry Rodriguez (#29, rookie-ball flamethrower)
RHP Edgar Arredondo (#30)



Here's the entire top 30.

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Yankees taking Happ. One less Hamels suitor.

That last 5 or so starts were just ****ing brutal for his value. He wasn't great before, but his struggles were at home and his road splits were really good. In 8 road starts, only one time did he give up more than 2 ER. So at that point, maybe a team could be convinced that there's still some strong upside there. But this last stretch of starts has obliterated so much.

MSFC Aggie said:

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So there are 30 MLB teams, and the top prospect we have is #43? Ugh.

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I could be wrong but I don't believe we had any prospects in the top 100 many times last year. That changed with the Darvish trade and has been trending upwards this year. So in that respect, our prospects are improving which lends some hope for the future.

I also think we have some good, young talent at the Major league level. IKF has impressed this year as well as Guzman. A lot of people don't like DeShields much but for what he is defensively I like his future. Not sold on Tocci and certainly not sold on Rua but Rua may be coming around. Calhoun looks improved in his latest big league stint. I was hopeful that the Rangers could be a .475 to .500 club earlier this year and have been down on them recently but, I think with some time we have a core group of young players that can be productive with some veteran leadership. That may be two years away but I think there is some light at the end of the tunnel. But it's a long tunnel. If only we could play the bottom of the AL Central for 162 games.

Rangers got to find some guys who can make consistent contact.

14th ranked BA in the AL and their two guys hitting better than .272 are 39 and 35 year sold.

14th ranked SO% in the AL. And one of their better guys is 39 year old.

Fuzzy Dunlop said:

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MSFC Aggie said:

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So there are 30 MLB teams, and the top prospect we have is #43? Ugh.

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I could be wrong but I don't believe we had any prospects in the top 100 many times last year. That changed with the Darvish trade and has been trending upwards this year. So in that respect, our prospects are improving which lends some hope for the future.

I also think we have some good, young talent at the Major league level. IKF has impressed this year as well as Guzman. A lot of people don't like DeShields much but for what he is defensively I like his future. Not sold on Tocci and certainly not sold on Rua but Rua may be coming around. Calhoun looks improved in his latest big league stint. I was hopeful that the Rangers could be a .475 to .500 club earlier this year and have been down on them recently but, I think with some time we have a core group of young players that can be productive with some veteran leadership. That may be two years away but I think there is some light at the end of the tunnel. But it's a long tunnel. If only we could play the bottom of the AL Central for 162 games.

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Got any more of that koolaid?

Sounds like Hamels and Cubs is heating up

MSFC Aggie said:

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Sounds like Hamels and Cubs is heating up

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At this point I just want to net whatever prospects we can. I feel it will be an underwhelming haul, but Hamels isn't exactly adding value to the team at the moment. He's honestly maybe our worst starter.

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He's honestly maybe our worst starter.

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EDIT: Meant to add "that can't be good for business"

I should have said "as of right now." I just expect him to struggle when he goes out there.

MSFC Aggie said:

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Sounds like Hamels and Cubs is heating up

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Looking into the Hamels trade value (or lack thereof), I didn't realize the vast disparity in his home/road splits. And because we are the Rangers, watch Hamels be this year's Verlander trade (recall many thought Verlander was past his prime and had an ERA over 4 when the Astros got him).

Fuzzy Dunlop said:

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KT 90 said:

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MLB network just said deal for JA Happ in place for him to go to the Yankees. One less potential landing spot for Hamels....

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The Rangers are going to be left holding the bag with no upcoming prospects and very little to look forward to for the next few years. Trade opportunities are drying up.

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Even if no trades go through, the Rangers have plenty of future prospects to be excited about. In the minors, probably 5 to 10 guys I follow with varying anticipation.

We also have a bunch of young guys on the Active roster, that are younger than many prospects for other teams.

bigcat22 said:

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MSFC Aggie said:

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Sounds like Hamels and Cubs is heating up

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Insert pic of kid praying w dog. Get anything we can for Hamels. Looks like he doesn't want to be here anyway, might as well move him for whatever we can get and maybe save a few bucks.

Another possible suitor for Hammels. This is the excited I've been all season!

bigcat22 said:

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Another possible suitor for Hammels. This is the excited I've been all season!

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Washington should be interested as well? Strasberg went on the DL today

Washington announced today that they will probably be sellers. They have 3 relievers on the market.

Phillies could be 3rd bidder tho

Grant reporting the deal to send Hamels to the Cubs is done. Hopefully there's a decent return.

Hamels to the cubs.

Rangers and Cubs involved in a trade. Heard this a time or two

Kela is next.

The Purge 2018 is on!!

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2018/07/rangers-trade-cole-hamels-cubs.html

Cubs taking $4million and getting lower level prospects sounds like

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So there are 30 MLB teams, and the top prospect we have is #43?

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So what happened to we were one of the best farm systems in baseball during the early 2010s to now?

I know....post season runs. But still depressing.

So just to be clear on $$$, Hamels is owed a minimum of $14 mill - $8 for the rest of this season + $6 mill buyout. So according to this, Rangers will pay $10 and Cubs will pay $4 of that $14. Then if the Cubs want him next year, they'd have to pay the additional $14. Hope the Rangers get some decent prospects for picking up the $10.