I'm going to ask a potential dumb guy question..... but why are there so many minor league levels? What's the point?

First of all the draft is huge, there are 40 rounds plus compensation picks so each team gets a huge influx of new talent each year. Second it takes a looooong time to develop that talent to be major league ready. Especially for the guys coming out of high school, they need a ton of reps and they need to get acclimated to playing nearly every day for half of the year. It takes years before most prospects are ready to step foot on a big league diamond. It's not like football or basketball where a guy gets drafted in the first round and they're slotted into a starting spot immediately.

Besides that, it pays to have a stratified system that breaks prospects down by their progress toward the show because you can get them meaningful ABs or IPs against competition that should be around their level. You don't want guys getting bored hitting .450 against inferior competition and you don't wan't them in way over their head and batting .100 against guys that are literally out of their league..

I get everything you are saying. But there are that many rounds because of the amount of leagues. Less leagues would mean less rounds.

I guess baseball is just so much different than the other sports..... truly can't tell the future of a guy when he's younger. Unlike basketball and football.

It clearly doesn't always pan out in those sports either. (See JFF).

Anyway, it's just something I've wondered about. Just a hell of a lot of young guys chasing a dream that will never happen. But hey, why not chase it while you are young.

168 Pitchers were taken in the 10 Rds. So, about half?! Rangers at 70%.

31 SSs taken, so each team could get a SS, except 1, with the Rangers hoarding 3.

12 2B'ers taken.
11 3B'ers taken.
6 1B'ers, with SL taking 2.

26 Catchers.

I think the Rangers have always gone strong at middle-IF, specifically SS. Those can be moved to 3rd if they get slow... 2nd if their arm isn't strong enough. CF if they lose defense. Or... even Catcher, with IKF, et al.

txjortsagent said:

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Is there any way to cut Moore when he's still on the mound?

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Ha, was going to post the same thing

didn't we COVET him for several years at the trade deadline?

My OPS would be over .900 if he pitched every game

I've tried to stay away from this thread when I'm mad. My wife loves her Rangers. This April, when I was criticizing everyone from Jon Daniels to her buddies Odor and Gallo, she called me out regarding my baseball experience.

You're looking at the Winston-Salem Little League Bucs/Mets T-ball RIGHT FIELDER, 1971 & 1972.

But I would still Fire Moore

Moore's 6.0IP/3ER is at least a QS.

Lowered his ERA, too.

Rangers released Lincecum.

Cameron Rupp requested his release, was granted and then signed with Minnesota.

5 homers for the Rangers tonight...it really is the early 2000s all over again.

Odor with 2 hits and a walk tonight

Goodness

PatAg said:

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This team kinda feels like the Rangers from early 2000s, where they are at least fun to watch with multiple guys I like watching play.

apparently others have had a similar thought

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Honestly it's been fun since Elvis, Odor, and Beltre went out. Seeing the new guys compete and fight for their future is fun to watch. Watching our starters **** the bed for the month of April was not.

Huell Babineaux said:

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Goodness

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Oh wow...

Huell Babineaux said:

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Goodness

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Ugh. One watch of that and I got teary. God bless that couple and little girl.

I was at the game last night. Really thought it was going to be a blowout.

SO glad to see Odor bunting his way on. That's a great way (along with drawing walks) to climb out of a slump.

Best part of last night - LOTS of magnificent fielding plays. Odor, Kiner-Falefa, freaking DeShields crashing the wall, Mazara stealing a base hit. THIEVERY last night!

Huell Babineaux said:

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Goodness

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Only issue is that if you're going to put that on the air, tell us WHY she only has a few weeks to live. That's kind of a key element to the story.

I drove bus said:

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I'm going to ask a potential dumb guy question..... but why are there so many minor league levels? What's the point?

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To have lots of broke, unemployed 25 year olds who could have gone to welding school and had $250K socked away.

94chem said:

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I drove bus said:

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I'm going to ask a potential dumb guy question..... but why are there so many minor league levels? What's the point?

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To have lots of broke, unemployed 25 year olds who could have gone to welding school and had $250K socked away.

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I'm sure that is tongue-in-cheek, but consider the number of Latin players who would still be on an island broke. Then, consider how many players come out of college, presumably with at least a couple years of college.

Players in the Top 10 rounds are signing for like $130K+.

An 18 year old who goes to welding school... in 7 years, would have to save over $35K/yr to get to $250K. Is welding really paying that much?

Profar should bat cleanup every game

Guzman continues the thrashing.

When Andrus is healed, Odor is the one who needs to go down.

Khris Davis... the Ranger killer.

Watching Colon's starts this year takes me back to watching Charlie Hough in the 80s. And it's not the age. That slow fastball that moves all over the place isn't exactly a knuckleball, but watching him work is like watching a knuckleballer. The movement can make hitters look silly, but you're also waiting for one to connect and end up in the cheap seats.

Another dumb question for someone who knows more than me.

When they're shifting Gallo so hard, why in the world can't he drop the bat head out there and send it toward third? Only the pitcher would have a chance at it, and if the ball passed the bag at third, he could end up on second.

I'm sure it's been discussed, but it drives me insane.

There's some sabermetric thing that says it's more efficient to hit HRs......I think

txjortsagent said:

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Another dumb question for someone who knows more than me.

When they're shifting Gallo so hard, why in the world can't he drop the bat head out there and send it toward third? Only the pitcher would have a chance at it, and if the ball passed the bag at third, he could end up on second.

I'm sure it's been discussed, but it drives me insane.

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They've tried. He can't do it

Damn, Lucroy has dropped off since he came here in that awful trade.

Leclerq just made him look silly.

Rougned O-four went 0 for 4 again

txjortsagent said:

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Rougned O-four went 0 for 4 again

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Odd timing for this post considering he's been pretty hot of late. The few at bats I saw looked good and not like an overmatched 8th grader.