April showers being may flowers???

This team just has a World Series hang over. No other way to put it. We just need time. Hopefully the other AL west teams continue to give it to us some time to get right.

I think it's safe to say that starting to the year with two rookies in the lineup is proving to be a misstep by the front office and coaching staff. They aren't the only issue, but they are a portion of it. If Carter and Langford have great second halves to the season, then I suppose this stretch was worth it, but their current level of play, mixed with Jung being injured and Seagers power being nonexistent is the recipe for sub .500 and under baseball.

PatriotAg02 said:

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April showers being may flowers???

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You know what may flowers bring?

You've gotta remember we aren't winning the WS in April.

We're playing the long-game here. We need get them going, for sure... and as long as we're keeping pace, they'll be fine.

DallasAg 94 said:

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You've gotta remember we aren't winning the WS in April.

We're playing the long-game here. We need get them going, for sure... and as long as we're keeping pace, they'll be fine.

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Oakland and Houston lost today. I'd say as long as we beat Seattle 1 out of the next 2, we can get thru this series with standings looking pretty much the same.

Yes, but, I didn't think we'd be quite as bad as we have been in some areas. We DO NOT hit the ball hard (bottom three in the league) and we have a few pitchers who are pitching quite a bit worse than I expected (Heaney & Dunning). Dunning is bottom 5% OR WORSE in Barrel%, Hard Hit %, Exit Velocity, xSLG, xWOBA and xWOBACON (which again is just a stat to essentially quantify what happens to the baseball when it's put in play).

We all know Heaney can't hit the broad side of a barn at times, but Dunning is getting absolutely shelled when guys get ahold of him.

Again, I know we have reinforcements coming and my guess is that Dunning and Heaney are the first ones to the pen, and Jung will be back and there will be moves made, but it's definitely worse than I thought it would be trend wise.

With the injuries they've had, to be .500 and essentially still in 1st place is fine. Very confident that they will get it going.

Just to add: I do think we will get it going eventually, I just don't know what getting it going will look like on the mound or at the plate with how we have looked throughout April.

Well considering that 60% of our projected starting rotation in August is on the IL, I would say the pitching will look a lot different.

And we have not seen Hernandez, Church or Kelly in the bullpen yet.

With all of that said, whenever I get a little frustrated with the start of the season, I sit back and tell myself "We could be Houston".

I would be scared ****less if I were a Houston fan. Their offense outside of Altuve and Yordan doesn't exist, and their pitching has fallen off a cliff. They will get pitchers back from injury, but idk how I would feel about that.

Tksymm7 said:

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Yes, but, I didn't think we'd be quite as bad as we have been in some areas. We DO NOT hit the ball hard (bottom three in the league) and we have a few pitchers who are pitching quite a bit worse than I expected (Heaney & Dunning). Dunning is bottom 5% OR WORSE in Barrel%, Hard Hit %, Exit Velocity, xSLG, xWOBA and xWOBACON (which again is just a stat to essentially quantify what happens to the baseball when it's put in play).

We all know Heaney can't hit the broad side of a barn at times, but Dunning is getting absolutely shelled when guys get ahold of him.

Again, I know we have reinforcements coming and my guess is that Dunning and Heaney are the first ones to the pen, and Jung will be back and there will be moves made, but it's definitely worse than I thought it would be trend wise.

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The reason Dunning doesn't concern me is a conversation Mike Bacsik had before the season started.

Dane was working on this new fork ball, Eovaldi was helping him with. It was similar to the pitch Eovaldi throws and is considered one of the nastiest pitches in MLB. I've posted about this. His changeup had creeped up in Velo last year and was likely why his stats declined over the season. So, he wanted/needed an off-speed pitch.

Bacsik was going through the expectations and problems of introducing a new pitch like this. On throwing days, you may throw 60 pitches. That's it. Now, if you want to develop a new pitch... how many of those 60 are you going to waste working on this new pitch? Because every pitch you throw on this new pitch means 1 less pitch you throw with one of your established pitches. That results in things like slower return of your effective pitches. You may end up never getting where you want and have wasted all that time. I'm willing to be patient with Dunning. If he can add this new pitch and be effective, I think he'll be a better SP long-term, it may just be a short-term work-in-progress Spring. The Rangers can afford to be patient with him. He has shown success, he just needs to not groove a FS FB to one of the emerging superstars. Dunning only thew 2 FS FB and Julio took one out.

Now, this could be an interesting strategy. Give Dunning the GS and after 3 IP, pull him and then let him simulate the rest of the game from the BP to work on getting his pitches where they need to be.

Urena has been a huge addition and looks like he could make himself some money at the end of the season.

Heaney... I agree. I've mentioned this... he just needs to eat innings and keep us in the game. I really want him getting 5.0 IP to increase his trade value and give him a chance at signing a SP contract in the off-season, but he isn't doing himself any favors with the BBs. But, maybe that's how the Rangers have structured the Pitching. We have several multi-inning guys that are likely going to end up in the BP.

On a sidenote, Sborz went 0.2, 2K, 1 H, 1 ER in Frisco.

They said, yesterday that Scherzer was driving down last night to Round-Rock for tonights GS.

I would agree with you.

If I may throw out my expectations...

I think Semien, Adolis, Heim, and Smith are all about where I'd expect.... For Adolis, I don't see him hitting .300_

About right:
Semien: .267, 4 HR <- I think that is likely what his normal pace is
Adolis: .315, 6 HR <- MVP if he keeps that, but I don't expect it.
Heim: .257, 3 HR <- About right
Smith: .292, 0 HR <- I just don't think he'll show much power

Under-performing
Seager: .262, 1 HR <- I think he is still recovering and could be for another couple weeks. He'll have to be a difference maker come mid-May.

Can you live with this?
Taveras: .211, 0HR
Duran: .225, 0 HR
We need more, but at the end of the day, these roles are often forgiveable holes.

Rookies:
Carter: .200, 3 HR, .307 OBP <- He has to finish the season with a .400 OBP. At the #3, if he gets Adolis to 160+ RBIs, what a storied season that will be.
Langford: .235, 0 HR, .313 OBP <- Look around at the other Rookies in the AL and only Cowser seems to be lighting it up. .235 isn't terrible. Would it surprise you that 8 teams in the AL have a Team BA at .235 and below?!

The rookies are the key. If they get rolling by the ASG, I think the 2nd Half will be exciting for the team.

Too Soon:
Lowe: .364, 0HR <- If he fell in love with an elevated BA at the price of HRs... I'm not upset as long as he is driving in runs. But, if no one is on base and the guy behind him is hitting .200... his ABs are wasted, IMO.

That's really my expectations. Seager in mid-May and the rookies by the ASG and focus on the 2nd Half.

Stat of the Day

Mike Trout
9 home runs (tied for 1st)
12 RBIs (tied for 67th)

I also think part of the issue with Dunning is those junk ball pitchers run hot and cold, unfortunately, he just needs more time. Now, honestly the biggest issue with this team is the offense.

Let's do it this way, by OPS+.

Meeting/Exceeding:

Heim 102 (104 last year) If he's a league average hitter as a C that's great
Semien 123 (123 last year)
Garcia 174 (124 last year) As you said, won't keep it up, but he's the man
Smith 124 (Jung was 110 last year and off to a great start, Smith has filled in aptly)

Carter 100 (He was was 183 last year. He has another gear up, but has been fine)

Have to get Better:
Seager 94 (171 last year) Doesn't have to be MVP level, but has to be well over this. I'm worried his injury is going to linger all year
Langford 75 I think more is coming
Taveras 65 (98 last year)
Duran 66 (107 last year) He's been bad


Walsh was an 82 (Lowe 112 last year)

After reading the article from Passan about Seager, I'm more convinced Trout doesn't perform well under pressure or when the spotlight is on him.

I think part of Seager coming to Texas was to get out of Los Angeles and the visibility it brings.

Trout seems to do well when there is no pressure.

OPS+ is probably the best stat in baseball. It does a great job of capturing a lot of different aspects of hitting. The thing with Carter that we have beaten to death on this board is that you need someone who is going to get you hits and extra bases out of the three spot. Carter's OPS+ is league average, but his 100 OPS+ is heavily influenced by his ability to get on base via the free pass. I would rather have a three hole hitter who has the same OPS+, but was influenced by SLG, because more times than not that would equate to runs being scored.

Taveras and Duran (although he doesn't play everyday) are hazardously low, and I believe Duran in particular has made himself very expendable.

Totally agree in the 3 hole. We know he's got some slug in his bag, so hopefully he gets there.

Heading to first 2024 game at the GLF; any food items to hit other than dollar dogs tonight?? That chile relleno dog looks legit.

I second anything from Hurtados. Had the Brisket Birria tacos and that was the best ballpark food I've had in my entire life.

Noted. Gracias.

The Rangers claimed Kolton Ingram off of waivers from the New York Mets. 27 year old lefty who's taking the final spot on the 40.

Agreed on the nachos from Hurtados but be warned... that and a bottle of water will set you back $35

Hurtado's nachos are well worth the insane price

Agreed on the nachos and anything else from Hurtados. That being said if you don't want to wait in a long line, the brisket egg rolls were pretty tasty and can be found at a couple different sections.

We have some movement in the line up. Carter and Lowe swap

Semien 2B
Seager SS
Lowe 1B
Garcia RF
Carter LF
Smith 3B
Langford DH
Heim C
Taveras CF

Like this lineup

This is how you open your roof (volume up). #Rangers

Via: @shannondrayer

pic.twitter.com/x6kyHk3U2F

— MLB Cathedrals (@MLBcathedrals) April 23, 2024