Something is very wrong with our pitching development. Ragans had the potential but as you stated didn't do much with his opportunities. He goes to KC and instantly turns into an elite pitcher. I'm hoping Bradford can finally be the homegrown decent pitcher we've been waiting for. He looked great before his injury.

What's the status on Bradford?

Last week it was said that Bradford will NOT be stretched out for the rotation and will join the BP when he returns.

DallasAg 94 said:

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Last week it was said that Bradford will NOT be stretched out for the rotation and will join the BP when he returns.

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This is dumb. He was our best pitcher (and one of the best in the league) for the first month of the season.

rbtexan said:

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Probably a long-term health related decision

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For a rib injury?

And we didn't have a roster spot to keep him while he developed.

I know there is opposition to the idea of Rule V, but the reason Rule V isn't used to steal players is because a guy like Ragans just wasn't going to make it to the 2024 Rangers. He wasn't going to get the leash in the MLB rotation to get over the hump.

We were able to wait out Langford.

We suck developing SPs. CYoung has publicly committed to fixing it. It is really hard to do.

He hasn't pitched in a few months. Maybe the timeline for his return is such that he won't have time to get stretched out. They likely feel better about Mahle (who is actually pitching at this point) than Bradford (who isn't)

Just to be clear... I believe that statement was related to 2024... not forever.

I fully expect him back in the rotation for 2025. The idea is to fine a spot on the MLB roster to get him IP.

Our 3 Playoff rotation right now:
Eovaldi
Lorenzen
Scherzer

Bubble:
Heaney <- Showed a BP guy
Gray <- Was great out of the BP in 2023 and seemed to really embrace the role.
Mahle <- I don't think he is a BP candidate.

Role players:
Urena <- I think Bochy has tons of confidence in him.
Dunning <- Sorry... lost out.

Closing:
Leclerc
Yates
Robertson

That leads 2 spots left to declare.

2025:
Eovaldi
Mahle
Dunning
Gray
Bradford

Mahle has only had 1 relief appearance. Along with his TJ, I'm guessing they would prefer a regularly scheduled routine and close monitoring his recoveries.

I also think when you look at Eovaldi, Scherzer, and possibly a chance with deGrom... we make the playoffs and Bradford will be a BP guy, anyway. Better now to see what he can do.

With what Urena has shown combined with Heaney out of the BP in '23 Playoffs... that is pretty exciting.

Agreed... I was going to say pair him with Scherzer and drafted the following stats, but was afraid I'd get a little wordy:

Scherzer's Game Log 2024
G1: Scherzer 5.0IP, Urena 4.0 IP
G2: Scherzer 5.1IP, Latz 0.2, Leclerc 2.0
G3: Scherzer 6.1IP, Urena 2.2 IP

I think a Mahle + Urena is more likely.

Scherzer was on pitch counts. Listening to him, I could see him getting to 6-7 IP for a month or two, and then dialed back to lessen his load before ramping back up to finish the season into the playoffs.

He was on the radio pre-game and I couldn't tell if his thumb was still an issue.

FWIW:

Division:
Seattle: - -- @ SDP (2); @ LAAA (4)
Houston: 2 GB v Miami (3); v Texas (3)
Texas : 6 GB @ LAAA (3); @ Houston (3)

WC3
Boston: - -- v Oak (3); v KC (3)
KC : 1.5 GB @ StL (2); @ Boston (3)
Hou: 3.5 GB
Tam: 5.5 GB
Texas : 7.5 GB

Much of that will depend on matchups, but should be a fun finish to the ASG.

NOTHING will be decided anytime soon.

I don't blame deGrom. The human body wasn't designed to handle the talent he has.

From Jared Sandler :



WYATT LANGFORD FILE

Langford was activated off of the IL on May 28. Here are his AL rookie ranks since then…

BA: 1st (.313)
OBP: 1st (.376)
SLG: 1st (.492)
OPS: 1st (.868)

HR: T-4th (3)
RBI: 1st (26)
H: 1st (40)
2B: 1st (8)
3B: 1st (3)

SB: 2nd (6)

July 3 AL Rookie of Year odds. And Luis Gil has now had like 3 bad starts in a row before a good one last night

https://www.foxsports.com/stories/mlb/2024-mlb-odds-al-nl-rookie-of-the-year

Luis Gil, New York Yankees: +180 (bet $10 to win $28 total)
Wyatt Langford, Texas Rangers: +260 (bet $10 to win $36 total)
Wilyer Abreu, Boston Red Sox: +450 (bet $10 to win $55 total)
Colton Cowser, Baltimore Orioles: +500 (bet $10 to win $60 total)
Mason Miller, Oakland Athletics: +550 (bet $10 to win $65 total
Ceddanne Rafaela, Boston Red Sox: +1300 (bet $10 to win $140 total)

fc2112 said:

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July 3 AL Rookie of Year odds. And Luis Gil has now had like 3 bad starts in a row before a good one last night

https://www.foxsports.com/stories/mlb/2024-mlb-odds-al-nl-rookie-of-the-year

Luis Gil, New York Yankees: +180 (bet $10 to win $28 total)
Wyatt Langford, Texas Rangers: +260 (bet $10 to win $36 total)
Wilyer Abreu, Boston Red Sox: +450 (bet $10 to win $55 total)
Colton Cowser, Baltimore Orioles: +500 (bet $10 to win $60 total)
Mason Miller, Oakland Athletics: +550 (bet $10 to win $65 total
Ceddanne Rafaela, Boston Red Sox: +1300 (bet $10 to win $140 total)

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Hopefully Gil has some more bad starts, but Wyatt also has to deal with the east coast bias machine.

fc2112 said:

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July 3 AL Rookie of Year odds. And Luis Gil has now had like 3 bad starts in a row before a good one last night

https://www.foxsports.com/stories/mlb/2024-mlb-odds-al-nl-rookie-of-the-year

Luis Gil, New York Yankees: +180 (bet $10 to win $28 total)
Wyatt Langford, Texas Rangers: +260 (bet $10 to win $36 total)
Wilyer Abreu, Boston Red Sox: +450 (bet $10 to win $55 total)
Colton Cowser, Baltimore Orioles: +500 (bet $10 to win $60 total)
Mason Miller, Oakland Athletics: +550 (bet $10 to win $65 total
Ceddanne Rafaela, Boston Red Sox: +1300 (bet $10 to win $140 total)

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Mountcastle, Henderson, Rutschman, now Cowser. God bless that Baltimore GM.

South Platte said:

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fc2112 said:

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July 3 AL Rookie of Year odds. And Luis Gil has now had like 3 bad starts in a row before a good one last night

https://www.foxsports.com/stories/mlb/2024-mlb-odds-al-nl-rookie-of-the-year

Luis Gil, New York Yankees: +180 (bet $10 to win $28 total)
Wyatt Langford, Texas Rangers: +260 (bet $10 to win $36 total)
Wilyer Abreu, Boston Red Sox: +450 (bet $10 to win $55 total)
Colton Cowser, Baltimore Orioles: +500 (bet $10 to win $60 total)
Mason Miller, Oakland Athletics: +550 (bet $10 to win $65 total
Ceddanne Rafaela, Boston Red Sox: +1300 (bet $10 to win $140 total)

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Mountcastle, Henderson, Rutschman, now Cowser. God bless that Baltimore GM.

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Smoltz loves them too.

That's interesting...

Gil (NYY): SP: 18GS, 96.1, 3.36 ERA
Langford (Tex): 66G, .270, 4 HR, 7 SB, .337 OBP, .735 OPS
Abreu (Bos): 65G, .256, 6 HR, 7 SB, .320 OBP, .764 OPS
Cowser (Bal): 84G, .221, 12 HR, 5 SB, .309 OBP, .739 OPS
Miller (Oak): RP
Rafaela (Bos): 87G, .244, 11 HR, 11 SB, .272 OBP, .689 OPS

I know Langford has really made a move, but Cowser and Rafaela are ALE guys and been getting attention all season. I think both started out pretty hot, as well. Certainly compared to Langford.

Langford has put on a Defensive show the past couple weeks, for sure. Glad he has figured it out.

NOW... regarding Gil... If you look at his career... it will leave you "scratching your head." Not really... guy from the DR comes out of nowhere to be a success story.

His 96.1 IP this season for the NYY is within 2.1 IP of the most IP he has ever had in 1 year. I'd have to guess he more than hit a wall. Am I missing something?!

'24 (NYY): 96.1, 3.36 ERA (Age 26)
'23 (A): 4.0 IP, 11.25 ERA
'22 (AAA): 21.2, 7.89 ERA+4 IP for NYY = 25.2 IP
'21 (AA): 79.1 IP, 3.97 ERA (AA/AAA)+19.1 IP for NYY = 98.2 IP

He pitched 30 Innings combined in '22+'23 and was at about an 8ERA and comes into MLB as one of the best AL SPs?! I think he and Blanco (Hou) may have had the same off-season routine.

I can buy into the East coast bias but Langford definitely had a lot of hype and attention going into the year. His start has hurt his rookie of the year chances but still a lot of time left. If he continues on this pace and can end the year with at least 15 HRs he has a decent chance to win it.

East Coast bias is absolutely a real thing when it comes to voting and awards, however, Langford being drafted so high last year and being such a uniquely gifted kid on a reigning WS team gives him some extra juice in that race, imo. He's also coming into his own, which is an advantage he has over Luis Gil in particular. Rookie pitchers (sans Paul Skenes) typically hit a significant wall and/or get figured out to some extent when they are young. We've already seen Gil come back down to Earth. Langford needs to continue doing his thing and hit a few more homers. Get the flashy numbers up.

The main thing Langford needs now is to get as many hits as possible to boost the average / ops, but he also needs more home runs. Would really help if he hit a few balls out of Fenway / Yankees stadium too. Right in those smug arseholes faces.

Big shout out to Johnathan Ornelas too. This homestand he got his first extra base hit, multi hit game, and rbi. His defense was also really good.

Anything ANYONE is better than Davis wendzel. I don't want to see wendzel until he goes thru 1 more year of seasoning and a spring training.

Wendzel is a lost cause IMO. Dude is 27 now, will be 28 next May. 5th pro season already. If he hasn't figured out by now, I don't think one more year will matter much.