This is great news.

I've only been to one All-Star game and HR derby, and that was actually in St. Louis back in 2009 I believe. Hamilton played in the game and Nelson Cruz made the finals of the HR Derby that year.

Tickets will be expensive, but it's a unique event and if you get the chance, GO. Take your kid if you can. If they do it like they did in St. Louis, there will be a All-Star village type setup outside the stadium with all sorts of interactive stuff and the kids have a big time. My oldest was only 8 or 9 at the time, but he still remembers all the stuff from back then (didn't hurt that he managed to get a Hamilton autograph as well).

There will be plenty of fans from all over, almost all of them hard-core type fans that love the game Despite the them the root for, they are looking to talk baseball with someone while having a beverage or so Some will have pins from all of the all-star games they have been to over the years, and they will have a bunch of them.

But yeah, the tickets will be pricey. I was fortunate enough to get a hookup back when I went. Still spent a lot of money... but worth it.

Proposition Joe said:

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jtstanley4621 said:

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Mr. Gigem is a good poster and member of this thread, but gotta be honest dude this being the ultimate "big news" is IMO quite lame. When you first posted I thought it was going to be a FA signing.

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Eh, if you were expecting big news about a big free agent signing on TexAgs 2 days before it happens with zero beat writers even hinting at it a deal possibly being in place much less a specific press release date... That's kind of on you.

All Star Game is a big deal for the organization.

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Are you telling me Texags DOESNT know things??

Mr Gigem said:

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Allow me to update my OP then.

Rangers to 2024 All-Star game and home run derby. Such a bummer.

Astros fans would be hyped if it was at Minute Maid

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I think this is great news

I lived in Cincinnati when they hosted the ASG a few years ago. It was a tremendous boon for the area, a really fun week downtown, and the Home Run Derby was maybe the most unexpected fun I've ever had at a sporting event.

The ballpark not being in downtown Dallas makes this announcement not QUITE as exciting, but it's still a really great event.

Tobias Funke said:

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I lived in Cincinnati when they hosted the ASG a few years ago. It was a tremendous boon for the area, a really fun week downtown, and the Home Run Derby was maybe the most unexpected fun I've ever had at a sporting event.

The ballpark not being in downtown Dallas makes this announcement not QUITE as exciting, but it's still a really great event.

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If the ASG was in downtown Dallas, it would be a disaster. A nightmare of epic proportions.

I disagree.

Why do you say that? Were you also opposed to them building Globe Life in Dallas?

Tobias Funke said:

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I disagree.

Why do you say that? Were you also opposed to them building Globe Life in Dallas?

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If you were in Dallas during those days, you'd realize it was more about the journey than the destination.

Dallas could have kept FC Dallas downtown, brought Cowboys Stadium downtown... and that likely brings in the Rangers.

Instead, Frisco took advantage of their incompetence and brought FC Dallas, Frisco RoughRiders, the Dallas Stars HQ, and the Cowboys HQ.

Dallas is a disaster and they are just now starting to clean up Fair Park.

The Rangers have always been Tarrant County's team. We only go the Cowboys recently.

Dallas could screw up a wet dream.

Awesome. Will be looking forward to the festivities!

I live 6 hours from Arlington and I'm going to do my best to get there for this. This is huge for the organization and hopefully by 2024, we have a team that folks are excited about.

Same here. I don't live as far away (about 3 hours) but I plan to be there. I told my 12 year old yesterday to start saving her pocket change so we can afford tickets.

This doesn't excite me at all. However, when I was a kid, I would have LOVED the chance to go the ASG in our home ballpark. I wish my oldest (4) would be old enough then to really care about it, but he won't be.

About to commit the cardinal sin here and make back-to-back posts, but totally separate topics, so...

RE: the all-star game, and why it doesn't excite me. It used to. Being an old, I remember when the all-star game was the only opportunity you might have to see a lot of the star players. There was the game of the week, I think on NBC, and it seems like ABC would show a game during the week, but that was it. When I was young, the only time I ever saw players like Rod Carew, Billy Williams, Nolan, Kent Tekulve, etc. play was in an all-star game...that was a big deal to me as a kid.

Now the games are everywhere, and I can watch any player I want at any time. For me, it took the luster completely off what is otherwise a completely irrelevant game.

I totally get that this is a "me" thing, I think if people love it (which they obviously do) they should enjoy it to the max. Just trying to give my take on why it just doesn't matter to me anymore, because comparatively it used to so much.

On a baseball note, the Rangers have 5 arb eligible players they'll have to deal with in the next week. I think one or even two of those players might be gone shortly, to free up roster spots.

The 5 are Brett Martin, Taylor Hearn, Jonathon Hernandez, Mitch Garver, and Nathaniel Lowe. I think Martin and/or Hearn could be gone, but it wouldn't surprise me terribly if Garver goes as well, with the team having Heim and Huff.

Will be interesting to see what happens.

It not shock me to see all 5 of them stay

I agree, wouldn't surprise me either way. Just a possibility I thought I'd throw out there.

I'm the same way about watching it on TV but think it would be cool to go to (especially if you have kids who like baseball)

We are full @40. This is the problem with a diluted talent roster. You've got too many players with question marks and high hopes.

If we don't get below 40 we won't be eligible to pick a Rule V player when the draft happens.

We have a ton of trash we need to cull.

Garver (32): A3 <- I don't see him being on the team leaving ST

Both of these guys will be on the team leaving ST
Lowe (27): A1 but has 4yrs of Arb
Hernandez (26): A1

Both have A4s. I'd say they are 50/50 leaving ST on the 25 +/-.
Martin (28): A2
Hearn (28): A2

If all 5 are on the team leaving ST, 2023 is another rebuilding year.

Couldn't they get a deal now to avoid arb and still be traded?

I've given commentary to the SP.

Now, let's look at RP, now that the 40 is set for Rule V.

To recap. We have 22 P on the 40. 8 I consider SPs
SP (L): Perez, Hearn, Ragans
SP (R): Gray, Odorizzi, Dunning, Otto, Howard


3 SPs not likely on 25+/-
Winn (22), Owen White (22), Vanasco (23)

That leaves 11 in the RP Camp
RP (L): King (27), Burke (25), Martin (27)
RP (R): Sborz (28), Leclerc (28), Alexy (24), Hernandez (25), Snyder (25), Barlow (26), Yerry Rodriguez (24)

The 3 bolded are the only ones in 2022 that had below a 3.00 ERA.

If you are a Top SP... you want RP that don't allow inherited runners to score. You also want a BP that will close out games.

We need at least 3 RPs including a Closer. Add a Top SP and an OF, and we need to cull at least 5 players.

A rotation of: <Insert new SP>, Perez, Gray, Odorizzi, <Pick one from above>

Mr Gigem said:

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Couldn't they get a deal now to avoid arb and still be traded?

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Yes.

That is why I phrased it the way I did. They likely get a deal beit through the Arb process or before.

But, IMO, it is not likely they leave Spring Training (ST) with the team. They likely get traded.

Let's go get Cody Bellinger

Just looked at his numbers. Didn't realize he'd fallen off so badly. Wonder what's up with him?

Hells lets blow the Angels doors off for Shohei,/ Winn, Foscue Ragans and Acuna and Dunning. Then go get Rodon
Shohei, Rodan, Gray, Perez, Aj alexy or whoever

Mr Gigem said:

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Let's go get Cody Bellinger

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He could be a rebound player... but he could also be done.

Here is some history:
https://www.prospectslive.com/prospects-live/2022/10/20/the-downfall-and-possible-resurrection-of-cody-bellinger

Sounds like we should be betting on Tampa for players like this from now on.

J.P. 03 said:

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Sounds like we should be betting on Tampa for players like this from now on.

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Tampa will sign him for 3yr/$15M and he'll return to being an MVP and then in yr3 NYY will trade for him and give Tampa two Cy Young SPs and a WS MVP.

Mr Gigem said:

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Let's go get Cody Bellinger

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The second I saw he was non-tendered I was all on board. He's shown the ability to be great. Maybe a change of scenery is all he needs.

Bringing back Mike Maddux as pitching coach.

Danny Vermin said:

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Bringing back Mike Maddux as pitching coach.

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Confirmed? Outstanding hire if true, he was my 1st, 2nd, and 3rd choice.

rbtexan said:

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Danny Vermin said:

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Bringing back Mike Maddux as pitching coach.

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Confirmed? Outstanding hire if true, he was my 1st, 2nd, and 3rd choice.

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It's confirmed, along with Dayton Moore coming in as an advisor.

That's a great couple of hires. Moore did a really good job with the Royals.