DallasAg 94 said:

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BTW, Sborz began his rehab and pitched Wed in Round Rock. 1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 SO, 0ER.

He'll be a nice addition, if he can fill the role he had.

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I'm out on Sborz. He just is what he is. That isn't a reliable major league reliever.

gigem1223 said:

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What am I missing with Hicks? He puts guys on base and has blown several leads. I feel like we already have that with about 3 or 4 other guys?

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I haven't looked us the numbers for Hicks yet (too busy, maybe later), but I look at it as who do we trust more, Hicks or LeClerc or Joe Barlow (or Speas)? If it upgrades the bullpen overall, then it's something to consider. Sborz coming back to his pre-All Star game form would help as well.

LeClerc has shown some flashes of coming back to pre-Tommy John form, but not consistently.

gigem1223 said:

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What am I missing with Hicks? He puts guys on base and has blown several leads. I feel like we already have that with about 3 or 4 other guys?

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His start of the season was bad. I think he has improved as the season has gone on

Mr Gigem said:

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Apparently the starting price for Snell is Evan Carter. If that's the case then I'm out on that

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They're either high or not serious about trading him.

gigem1223 said:

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What am I missing with Hicks? He puts guys on base and has blown several leads. I feel like we already have that with about 3 or 4 other guys?

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Haven't read into his stats too much yet. But 105.3 was talking about him and he was very very bad at the beginning of the season but has been very very good lately. And reliever ERAs are slow to come down. I see him a a righty Chapman with less skins on the wall.

https://www.lonestarball.com/2023/7/28/23811220/new-breaking-t-t-shirt-dont-mess-with-marcus

There's a new semien shirt of him shushing the Astros.

DallasAg 94 said:

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I know this is cherry-picking stats to suit the writer's story, but couldn't resist...

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2023/07/rangers-trade-rumors-jordan-hicks-cardinals.html

Quote:

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He's shaken off a rocky start to the season and been one of the most dominant bullpen arms in the sport dating back to early May.

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Quote:

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In his past 28 2/3 frames, the flamethrowing righty has pitched to a 1.88 ERA with a 31.4% strikeout rate, an 8.5% walk rate and a mammoth 66.7% ground-ball rate all while averaging a blistering 100.6 mph on his sinker. He's doing so while playing on a modest $1.8375MM salary agreed upon over the winter to avoid arbitration in his final season of eligibility.

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Here was what I had posted on Hicks.

Should provide perspective on what some of you are referencing.

Per @brianmctaggart, the Rangers are likely to be a frontrunner for Justin Verlander as the deadline approaches. The Astros are another club said to be interested 👀 pic.twitter.com/yGx2TTPdjN

— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) July 28, 2023

Mr Gigem said:

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Apparently the starting price for Snell is Evan Carter. If that's the case then I'm out on that

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That must have been what they mentioned on the radio, that I referenced. I thought that might be what they said, but didn't hear it completely.

Agreed. I'm out. Probably why we are hearing about our St. Louis interest. Let them know once we move on, they may end up keeping Snell or getting a far worse offer.

Carter is the #6 prospect.

Highly unlikely they'll get a Top10 prospect.

1. Holliday (Balt)
2. Chourio (Milw)

5. Lawlar (Az)
6. Carter (Tx)
10. Harrison (SFG)

gigem1223 said:

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Mr Gigem said:

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Apparently the starting price for Snell is Evan Carter. If that's the case then I'm out on that

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They're either high or not serious about trading him.

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If they don't trade him and get below the Luxury Tax threshold (which trading Snell would do), then I believe their 1st pick in 2024 drops 10 slots and any QO pick they get (Snell and Hader) move from between CB2-3d to after the 4th Rd.

May seem like small potatoes, but I would think that would be motivating enough. But, then... we're talking about Preller who just seems to make dumb moves.

Agreed.

Dodgers are desperate and right now need to plug a bunch of holes. It wouldn't surprise me if they get another SP.

Lance Lynn has been traded to the #Dodgers. It's done

— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) July 28, 2023

Tksymm7 said:

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gigem1223 said:

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Mr Gigem said:

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Apparently the starting price for Snell is Evan Carter. If that's the case then I'm out on that

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They're either high or not serious about trading him.

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They aren't serious about trading Hader or Snell. It's been reported by multiple outlets that they would prefer not to move either of them. Snell is a stud who would make a pretty nasty 1/2 with Eovaldi, but I'm absolutely not trading Evan Carter. The only way Carter is traded for me is if we were to get a superstar level player under control for multiple years in return.

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Why would a team trade a superstar player under multiple years of control for a prospect that if the stars all align will... be a superstar player under multiple years of control?

You'd have to find a team that has a stud player, has no chance of competing the next 2-3 years, and is looking to shed a ton of payroll. That rarely happens.

Yankees activated Judge.

Mr Gigem said:

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Snell to Rangers picking up steam?

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Maybe floating the StL deal had an impact.

Certainly with the Dodgers looking to settle with Lynn+, teams are starting to align. Maybe a little panic for SDP.

Pretty much my point. A unicorn deal is what it would take.

Almost sounds like the Padres.. just missing the control time for Snell..

Once again, this is where CY earns his money. Make them one very good offer (not Carter), but make it contingent on them accepting it by midnight tonight. ,

With LA off the table, maybe they get motivated.

Will be interesting to see what LA gave up for Lynn. Bet it wasn't much.

Looks like NL is starting to make some moves.

For AL, if Boston and NYY are not active, the rest of the teams can remain relatively even.

I was going to put together a post about "what-ifs." If nobody in the AL makes a move, the Rangers should be well positioned in the Playoffs. Playoff team, maybe not a Championship team.

So, what-if an AL team makes a move?! What would the Rangers need to respond with? For example, if Tampa gets a SP like Lorenzen... does that make you feel Rangers need to upgrade somewhere?!

I'd say any modest move by other AL teams would require a Rangers modest move. Tit-for-tat. If we upgrade with one or two RPs, I think other teams will need to make a big move to respond.

Baltimore's GM has long been a hold'em guy. Not dipping much into acquiring players.
Tampa rarely goes Big. They most often find retreads and turn them into Superstars.
Texas has been on the sidelines for so long, but have projected to be big swingers.
Houston has been very active. If not for a week farm, they would be active.
Toronto... they already have pretty good pitching.
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Boston
NYY
LAAA - Got a SP and is keeping Ohtani
Twins - Never big swingers until FA recently.
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That's your active AL teams.

If the big moves are done by NL teams, IMO, there is less incentive for AL teams to move big.

Mr Gigem said:

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Snell to Rangers picking up steam?

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Only way I'm including Carter is if Hader and Soto are part of the package.

Dodgers gave their #9 prospect (Nick Nastrini) and a relief pitcher (Jordan Leasure) for Lynn/ Kelly

The Chicago #WhiteSox are getting back #Dodgers outfielder Trayce Thompson, their original draft pick in 2009, in the deal.
Also in the deal are pitching prospects Nick Nastrini and Jordan Leasure, as @JeffPassan reported.

— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) July 28, 2023

Doesn't look like much, if you ask me:

Trayce Thompson (32-OF) - On 40Man and 60IL. Throw-in?
Nick Nastrini (24-AA-RHP) - 17GS, 4.03 ERA, 73.2 IP, 85 SO <- #9 prospect
Jordan Leasure (24-AA-RP) - 29G, 3.09 ERA, 35.0 IP, 56 SO

gigem1223 said:

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Dodgers gave their #9 prospect (Nick Nastrini) and a relief pitcher (Jordan Leasure) for Lynn/ Kelly

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Nastrini is an average AA pitcher - ERA > 4.00. Age 23. Leasure a AA reliver; age 25.

This is - a bucket of warm spit. Natrini's top upside a 4-5 starter. Leasure is nothing. This is the equivalent of us sending Tekoah Roby and Jake Latz.

I'm fine with it. Didn't want Joe Kelly anyway

The Houston Astros and Chicago White Sox are in agreement on a deal that will send right-handed reliever Kendall Graveman to the Astros, sources tell ESPN.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) July 28, 2023

Graveman is…meh

Ya. They gave up Korey Lee. #5 on their prospect ranks