DallasAg 94 said:

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How the hell did we win a WS?!

We have 16 position players on the 40. You get 13 on the 26.

Projected 2024 Lineup
1. 2B - Semien (32-R): 162G, .276, 29 HR, 14 SB, .348 OBP, .826 OPS, 110 SO
2. SS - Duran (24-R): 122G, .276, 14 HR, 8 SB, .324 OBP, .768 OPS, 120 SO
3. LF - Carter (20-L): 23G, .306, 5 HR, 3 SB, .413 OBP, 1.058 OPS, 24 SO
4. RF - Adolis (30-R): 148G, .245, 39 HR, 9 SB, .328 OBP, .836 OPS, 175 SO
5. 3B - Jung (25-R): 122G, .266, 23 HR, 1 SB, .315 OBP, .781 OPS, 151 SO
6. 1B - Lowe (27-L): 161G, .262, 17 HR, 1 SB, .360 OBP, .775 OPS, 165 SO
7. CF - Taveras (24-S): 143G, .266, 14 HR, 14 SB, .312 OBP, .733 OPS, 117 SO
8. DH -
9. C - Heim (28-S): 131G, .258, 18 HR, 2 SB, .317 OBP, .755 OPS, 96 SO

4th OF - Jankowski (32-L): 107G, .263, 1 HR, 19 SB, .357 OBP, .689 OPS, 42 SO
BU Catcher - Knizner (28-R)

Seager


Pick 2. 3 of Seager is on the IL:
Smith (25-L) : 163G, 408 AB, .191
Huff (25-R) : 75G, 195 AB, .262
Ornelas (23-R) : 8G, 7 AB, .143

Foscue (24-R) : 0G
Harris (23-L) : 0G

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What about Langford?

Not on the 40 yet.

Who else did we lose? Garvey, Grossman, Hedges?

CowtownAg06 said:

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Not on the 40 yet.

Who else did we lose? Garvey, Grossman, Hedges?

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Garver... not Steve Garvey.

Bubba Thompson and Miller... Don't forget Brad Miller.

Must have been auto correct. Lol Brad Miller. I was actually pumped when he signed.

How much would a guy like belt cost? And would he be worth the money considering we have a couple of guys already on the team that could be backups for injured guys?

Ok... that was the bad news.

Here is the good news:

Projected 2024 Lineup
1. 2B - Semien (32-R): .276, v .271 Pre-ASB = .283 Post-ASB
2. SS - Duran (24-R): .276, v .308 Pre-ASB = .226 Post-ASB
3. LF - Carter (20-L): .306, NA
4. RF - Adolis (30-R): .245, v .261 Pre-ASB = .217 Post-ASB
5. 3B - Jung (25-R): .266, v .280 Pre-ASB = .229 Post-ASB
6. 1B - Lowe (27-L): .262, v .270 Pre-ASB = .251 Post-ASB
7. CF - Taveras (24-S): .266, v .295 Pre-ASB = .233 Post-ASB
8. DH -
9. C - Heim (28-S): .258, v .282 Pre-ASB = .217 Post-ASB

Seager (29): Pre-ASB .353 = .301 Post-ASB

Jankowski (31): .321 Pre-ASB = .198 Post-ASB

We all know about the huge slump after the ASB. We had injuries among other things.

Four guys in our lineup are not even in their prime yet. Was their major fall-off due to a full season grind?
Carter - 0 GP prior to 2023
Jung - 26 GP prior to 2023
Duran - 58 GP prior to 2023
Taveras - 181 GP in 3 seasons prior 2023

Having Duran and Taveras as a .300 hitter is unrealistic, I know, but could provide overall improvement in the 2nd half.

Here is a pretty good interview with Evan Grant on The Ticket.

https://omny.fm/shows/the-ticket-top-10/the-sweet-spot-evan-grant-on-why-jordan-montgomery

4:00 Talks about DSG/Ballys
5:00 Talks about JordanMontgomery
9:00 Talks prospects like Leiter, White, et al.

Seems to think (like me ) that Boras may be holding out for 5yr/$25M per with maybe a 6th year. He seems to think signing him would be a long-term CBT impact... I disagree. But, if the Rangers go deep into the post-season in 2024, we're looking at pay raises for guys like Adolis, Lowe, etc.

He seems to think the hype of deGrom returning is warranted for 2H, but also tempered.

Mentioned Adolis at the Rangers Awards Night...



Dude is a baller. Gunna get PAID!

I miss hearing his segments but, i hardly listen to any sports talk in dfw anymore. Thanks for posting!

Wandy Peralta signs a 4 year deal for 16.5. Looking at his stats that seems like a great deal. Would have been a good pickup for our BP for very cheap.

It has opt outs after every year.

Seems like a good deal still. If he's great then at least you got great BP production for only 4 million. If he doesn't perform and opts back in you get a guy who could have a bounce back year since those guys fluctuate so much. Seemed like low risk high reward type deal for much needed help.

At the end of the day I'm not worried about it if CY isn't worried about it. Doesn't take an expert to see how horrendous our BP was last year. If CY believes in the BP as currently constructed then let's ride!

DallasAg 94 said:

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Here is a pretty good interview with Evan Grant on The Ticket.

https://omny.fm/shows/the-ticket-top-10/the-sweet-spot-evan-grant-on-why-jordan-montgomery

4:00 Talks about DSG/Ballys
5:00 Talks about JordanMontgomery
9:00 Talks prospects like Leiter, White, et al.

Seems to think (like me ) that Boras may be holding out for 5yr/$25M per with maybe a 6th year. He seems to think signing him would be a long-term CBT impact... I disagree. But, if the Rangers go deep into the post-season in 2024, we're looking at pay raises for guys like Adolis, Lowe, etc.

He seems to think the hype of deGrom returning is warranted for 2H, but also tempered.

Mentioned Adolis at the Rangers Awards Night...



Dude is a baller. Gunna get PAID!

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Adolis Garcia is a bad man and he knows it. pic.twitter.com/aL2UoX9g50

— Abby Jones (@_abigaiiiil) January 27, 2024

Another week, another prospect top 100. This one from ESPN has three Rangers:

4. OF Wyatt Langford
6. OF Evan Carter
44. SS Sebastian Walcott

Of note: this is the second major ranking to have Langford > Carter (BP had Langford No. 2) and the first with Walcott in the T-50.

— Shawn McFarland (@McFarland_Shawn) January 31, 2024

From the Athletic article on the Bally's/Amazon deal:

It's been unclear if Diamond would carry three MLB teams in 2024 that it carried in the past: the Cleveland Guardians, Minnesota Twins and Texas Rangers. What's going to happen with those three teams if this plan goes forward?

All three teams are expected to remain with Diamond for 2024 on one-year deals, according to the person briefed on the league's thinking. The deals are highly unlikely to include any streaming rights for those teams, which Diamond didn't carry before either. Perhaps as early as this week, those deals will move closer to official Diamond said in court it wants to know whether the teams will accept the terms that have been offered by Feb. 1.

As a technical matter, the Guardians and Rangers were in the same boat: both teams were under contract with Diamond for 2024, but Diamond was threatening to drop them unless they re-negotiated their rights fees. The Twins' deal with Diamond expired after 2023, so they've been working on a new deal.
With those three teams expected to be in the fold, Diamond would be carrying 12 MLB clubs in 2024. That trio joins the Los Angeles Angels, Milwaukee Brewers, Atlanta Braves, St. Louis Cardinals, Miami Marlins, Tampa Bay Rays, Cincinnati Reds, Kansas City Royals and Detroit Tigers.

It's unclear just how much the Guardians and Rangers will have their 2024 rights fees reduced, but the person briefed on the league's thinking said it would be 15 percent or less.

Quote:

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it wants to know whether the teams will accept the terms that have been offered by Feb. 1

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Lets hope so. This impacts not only the Rangers budget, but how we are all going to watch Ranger games this season.

Sounds like not much will change for next year except the Rangers taking a haircut on the payment.

Although if the court clarifies that Diamond doesn't own the streaming rights to the Rangers I suppose that could allow MLB to add a streaming option for in-market on a one-year deal.

The article was pretty clear that bundled RSN deals are still much more lucrative than streaming. Deal with Amazon will likely be an add-on to Prime to see your local team where Diamond owns the streaming rights. Also that Diamond is being very aggressive with their projections from the Amazon deal so we could be right back here down the road.

I want the Rangers payroll to be as high as possible, but I really wanted to avoid FUBO.

Yeah FUBO and DirectTV likely to see a big drop in DFW after this year.

CowtownAg06 said:

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I want the Rangers payroll to be as high as possible, but I really wanted to avoid FUBO.

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Yeah, I was hoping to ditch them completely. I've got access to a YouTubeTV account so if I have another option for the Rangers I won't have to use Fubo.

Is FUBO dropping Bally?? I'm probably switching from suddenlink to them in the near future

Not that I'm aware of. It's not awful, just clunkier that YouTube.

They played (on 105.3 The Fan) some clips of Nathaniel Lowe talking about Carter. He was talking about how Carter doesn't know how good he can be... he just does his routine and so understates himself. Said he (Lowe) at 21 could never have done what Carter has done.

Found this, as well:

https://www.si.com/mlb/rangers/news/texas-rangers-nathaniel-lowe-prefers-watching-teammates-postseason-highlights-skips-own

The disrespect from mlb network continues. No Josh Jung on their top 10 3B list. I hope Boch hangs these in the locker room all season.

There are a lot of quality 3Bers. I think Jung will begin to get more recognition. He needs to put some more mileage in his game. A full un-injured season while reducing his SO and increasing his OBP will get him there.

I think many of our young guys are going to have a chip on their shoulder. Jung hit .308 in the Post-Season and .350 in the WS.

I hope that carries over. The moment wasn't too big for him and I hope it drives 2024.

I think the Jung injury concern may be a little over pushed. It's not like he was pulling muscles or things like that, literally broke his hand on a rocket line driver that hit in the wrong spot. I think we'll actually see him hold up quite well and can milk 150+ games out of him

In 2021, missed half the season with a stress fracture in his foot. In 2022 missed all but 30 games with a torn labrum in his shoulder from working out. I hope he's good for 150+, but this isn't a one season injury history. It's 3 running. On the bright side, yes, 2023 was more fluke-ish and he was otherwise mostly healthy. Hoping for the best and that is all mostly in the past.

He may just be one of those unlucky guys, like a Trout. Hopefully he can stay healthy though

I am here as well. I like Jung and REALLY like the way he stepped up in the playoffs and in the WS. The moment wasn't too big for him and he delivered in his first season as a pro. With that being said, injuries are a huge concern. There's no way they can't be. This season for Josh needs to be about staying healthy and being there for at least 140 games. I wonder if him dropping some weight would help in achieve that. He's not fat or anything like that, but he's definitely a large kid (baseball reference lists him as 214, but I think he was pushing 230 last year. Josh also has to decrease SO's and pure swings and misses. Doesn't have to be Luis Arraez, but they need to come down.

Book on Jung in the 2nd half was feed him sliders. He really struggled but my hope is that his improvement in the playoffs showed growth.

I've also been highly impressed with his defense. He is a big dude, but moves very well.

The thing about the playoffs that I could see possibly being a difference and might be a difference with Carter...

During the season, a team has 5+/- SP and they can all be different with varying selections and quality. A SP might try a new mechanic change... you see more rookies.

Once the Playoffs come, you're looking at a pretty select group of SPs and they're likely trying to beat you with their best stuff.

The variance, IMO, is much more narrow. The other side of that is, you're likely facing CY quality pitchers and not #5 retread wanna-bes.

CowtownAg06 said:

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Book on Jung in the 2nd half was feed him sliders. He really struggled but my hope is that his improvement in the playoffs showed growth.

I've also been highly impressed with his defense. He is a big dude, but moves very well.

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He's got a long swing. Vlad Sr. and Piazza both had long swings and figured it out.

CowtownAg06 said:

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Book on Jung in the 2nd half was feed him sliders. He really struggled but my hope is that his improvement in the playoffs showed growth.

I've also been highly impressed with his defense. He is a big dude, but moves very well.

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Seem like the low and away breaking stuff ****ed up Duran, Taveras, and Jung after the first few months of the season. Kids need to learn to lay off breaking balls.

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/01/diamond-sports-group-expected-to-retain-guardians-rangers-twins-broadcasts-for-2024.html

Rangers likely on Bally for 1 more year. Probably a good thing for the team to get 85% of what was promised and buys them a year to look for a more stable long term deal.