We are going to the game this Saturday and bringing my boys (5 & 7) who already bleed Ranger baseball. Has anyone had experience with attending batting practice before the game? Is this even available? All I could find online was that gates open an hour and half before game time, which I'd expect to be after BP has finished.

beagle2009 said:

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We are going to the game this Saturday and bringing my boys (5 & 7) who already bleed Ranger baseball. Has anyone had experience with attending batting practice before the game? Is this even available? All I could find online was that gates open an hour and half before game time, which I'd expect to be after BP has finished.

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Mr Gigem is your knowledge source.

Last he mentioned that the Rangers are generally done with BP before the gates are open. One poster mentioned going to a game in the past 2 weeks and was able to get "Nate" Lowe's autograph.

The other problem you have is that with the netting and the structure of the lower infield seats, you don't have near the access as you did in the old RBiA.

I went with the family to the Cardinals game a couple weeks back. We got there about an hour and 15 min before first pitch and the Cardinals were taking BP.

He definitely deserves 50 million a year at the minimum.

beagle2009 said:

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We are going to the game this Saturday and bringing my boys (5 & 7) who already bleed Ranger baseball. Has anyone had experience with attending batting practice before the game? Is this even available? All I could find online was that gates open an hour and half before game time, which I'd expect to be after BP has finished.

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Unfortunately access just isn't what it used to be.

We do meet and greets and Fridays for our season ticket holders, so I highly recommend going that route if you are interested in field access and autographs from players. I can walk you through some options if you are interested. Feel free to email me jchance@texasrangers.com

I think he'd have a longer career as a pitcher too, no doubt. That's just how the game works because pitchers don't have to be as athletic late into their careers. With that being said, I think he's a better hitter than pitcher, and he'd have a chance to be the greatest hitter of all time if he played everyday and didn't pitch (from the start of his MLB career). I think he's that good at the plate.

Which brings up another point. The MLB has got to find a way to get some of the Japanese players to the MLB faster. I know the Japanese guys are required to play in the JPL for 6 years, but I find ridiculous. I'd rather see guys from my country balling out at the highest level than playing for a AAA team in Japan. The Japanese pitcher Roki Sasaki who's 21 dotting 103, with 3 other pitches, should be in the MLB NOW, not 5 years from now when half of his athletic prime is gone.

Mr Gigem said:

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beagle2009 said:

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We are going to the game this Saturday and bringing my boys (5 & 7) who already bleed Ranger baseball. Has anyone had experience with attending batting practice before the game? Is this even available? All I could find online was that gates open an hour and half before game time, which I'd expect to be after BP has finished.

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Unfortunately access just isn't what it used to be.

We do meet and greets and Fridays for our season ticket holders, so I highly recommend going that route if you are interested in field access and autographs from players. I can walk you through some options if you are interested. Feel free to email me jchance@texasrangers.com

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This goes for half season ticket holders as well. I know the thought of buying 42 games may sound intimidating. But if you get a group of guys together, you can whittle it down to 10-15 you actually go to. And then you get post season tickets AND the All Star Stuff next year, along with the other perks Mr. GigEm can tell you all about.

And, with the way the team is playing now, marquee games are selling above face value. I have to go out of town next weekend and sold my $49 a seat Dodger game tickets for $159 a seat.

Scheduled Doubleheader at OAK on 5/8

Anybody going to the game Friday that needs a parking pass?

Looks like parking is sold out for the Saturday game. Does AT&T Stadium open their lots for Rangers games?

Parking is not sold out. Feel free to email me and I can help you. jchance@texasrangers.com

Word on the street is that the Dodgers are kicking the tires of Giolito from Chicago, and that the Astros will be primarily looking at pitching at the deadline.

There multiple teams that will need more than 1 SP.

Dodgers and Rays are likely both in need. Kershaw and McClahan landed on the IL before the break.

Time to make a statement

v Cle (3) - Leading ALCentral
v Tampa (3) - Leading AL East
v LAD (3) - Leading NL West
@Hou (3) - Closest threat to us in AL West
@SDP (3) - Likely sellers.
Aug 1: Trade deadline

Coming out with:
Gray
Heaney
Perez
TBD
TBD

Cleveland's offense isn't anything special

Rays have been slipping lately.

Dodgers have injury issues.

All of these teams can be had if the rangers can just play good ball for the first time in a month.

For our sake and his, I'm hoping Gray got some much needed rest and figured out wtf was going wrong for him since his blister. I also wish they'd split up Heaney and Perez, but if we trade for someone I'm sure that will happen naturally.

Venturing over here in peace... as a baseball fan, I'm genuinely curious.

How are you guys feeling as we get closer to the deadline? Who's on your wish list? How do you see it playing out?

SP
RPx2
Bat

Mr Gigem said:

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SP
RPx2
Bat

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Not dissimilar to Houston. This is going to be a fun next couple weeks

Didn't we have posters fawning of Kershaw just a few weeks ago?

And the issue with Ohtani isn't that you have to dangle something to make it worthwhile to LAA, it's that you are competing with every other team attempting to do the same thing.

We don't really need a bat. We simply don't have a place for it. You have 7 guys with an OPS over 800, and one of the two regulars under that is Marcus Semien who isn't getting replaced in the lineup. The other is Nate Lowe, who isn't replaceable unless your guy can power hit AND play 1B.

Because of that, any bat you'd be adding would just be a marginal upgrade over what you already have.

Club needs a legit TORP and another high-end bullpen arm. I'd say we could get by with just a decent starter, but the bullpen simply is not close to good enough to be able to lean on it.

If everyone stands pat, we can hold off the Astros... but we will have a playoff rotation that will be a coin-flip every night out and that's not a recipe for success. If Astros land a marquee player before the deadline and we don't, it's going to be a tough September.

Scherzer is my want. Sure he hasn't been good so far this year, but the Mets have been awful offensively. I'd feel much better about October with Eovaldi, Scherzer & Dunning/Gray.

Proposition Joe said:

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And the issue with Ohtani isn't that you have to dangle something to make it worthwhile to LAA, it's that you are competing with every other team attempting to do the same thing.

We don't really need a bat. We simply don't have a place for it. You have 7 guys with an OPS over 800, and one of the two regulars under that is Marcus Semien who isn't getting replaced in the lineup. The other is Nate Lowe, who isn't replaceable unless your guy can power hit AND play 1B.

Because of that, any bat you'd be adding would just be a marginal upgrade over what you already have.

Club needs a legit TORP and another high-end bullpen arm. I'd say we could get by with just a decent starter, but the bullpen simply is not close to good enough to be able to lean on it.

If everyone stands pat, we can hold off the Astros... but we will have a playoff rotation that will be a coin-flip every night out and that's not a recipe for success. If Astros land a marquee player before the deadline and we don't, it's going to be a tough September.

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Agree here that pitching is the need, don't really need a bat unless it comes as part of a package deal where we are sending a position player as part of a trade. But of course, pitching is what every other team in the hunt for a playoff spot is looking for as well. So as always it'll be interesting to see how it shakes out.

Key focus now is trying to determine which of our pitchers were just in a slump vs. which ones may be reverting to the mean. Sborz in particular, but also Perez and Heaney. Sborz getting back to where he was three or four weeks ago would make a huge difference. Same with LeClerc... can he keep stringing some good outings together, or he is going to start struggling again like he did earlier in the season? Our level of confidence in Sborz and LeClerc will make a big difference in how badly we need more bullpen help.

_lefraud_ said:

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Scherzer is my want. Sure he hasn't been good so far this year, but the Mets have been awful offensively. I'd feel much better about October with Eovaldi, Scherzer & Dunning/Gray.

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problem with Scherzer is that (I believe) he has a player option for 2024 that he is likely to exercise and it is for $43M or so. So you are making a two year commitment most likely for quite a bit of coin on an aging pitcher.

Mr Gigem said:

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We routinely trot Grossman, Garver, and Jank out there at DH. Would be nice to have a bat like Ohtani at DH

Semien 2B
Seager SS
Lowe 1B
Ohtani DH
Garcia RF
Jung 3B
Heim C
Duran LF
Taveras CF

Bench:
Jank OF
Garver C/DH
Grossman LF/DH

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We lead the league in runs scored, average and hits.

Sure adding an all-star bat would help us (or any team). It's not really a need though unless we're hoping to go the old route of out-slugging our bad pitching.

Ohtani's not happening though. Angels aren't going to let him go for less than the farm, and as currently constructed we're not a team that Ohtani would make us World Series favorites which is the only time I'd be comfortable trading the farm for a rental.

Then that means his likely landing spot is NYY or LAD. Those are the only teams I can see emptying the farm AND ponying up to resign him for 50/year

Mr Gigem said:

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Then that means his likely landing spot is NYY or LAD. Those are the only teams I can see emptying the farm AND ponying up to resign him for 50/year

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IF he's traded. I could see the Angels climbing back into the WC race and (foolishly) hanging onto him.

But yeah, FA-wise those are the two most likely landing spots. Texas will kick the tires in FA, but almost zero chance they are a realistic landing spot - he's going to a marquee media market.

Similar to what everyone else has said, although I think the Rangers need a true top end of the rotation/high end caliber starter, while Houston could probably get away with a solid veteran/middle rotation piece to eat innings and be a #3'ish type of guy in the playoffs. I also don't know how Houston would get a TORP without giving up guys currently on the roster.

They both need bullpen help too, but again, the Rangers could really use a true closer, and the Astros could use more long relief help, as they have the backend somewhat solidified.

I truly think the Rangers lineup is fine, they just need to now maximize it by finding the ideal lineup.