What's your rotation coming out of the break:

Eovaldi
Scherzer <- This spot (of 5) matches G1 v Hou
Lorenzen
Heaney
Gray / Urena

Or, do you go with Lorenzen in G1 knowing that puts Eovaldi and Scherzer for G1 & G2 against Houston?

You'd like to think maybe Mahle might be back in time for the second time through and gets the Gray/Urena spot.

If Gray is close to getting moved... he gets CWS and Tor.

Urena needs to be a starter. He was in an absolute groove in that role before they moved him and Gray hasn't been good enough. I actually think Gray is a decent bullpen piece as well. It's probably best for the team if Urena is a starter and Gray is in the BP.

Would we dare have Urena start the second half to have Eovaldi, Scherzer, and Lorenzen for Houston?

If we're shoving Gray to the pen, then you might as well just trade him. That's 13 million dollars you're just relegating to long relief duty.

It isn't like Gray is worthless, it is just that he is buried on our depth chart.

Gray: 16G, 4.01 ERA, 85.1 IP, 73 SO, 1.32 WHIP, 18G

If he had 96.0 IP (Qualified) he'd be T26th in the AL. For Houston, he'd be 3rd and likely a Playoff rotation guy ahead of Brown, I would think.

LAD are struggling again to put together a rotation.

Gray may not make a 3Man playoff rotation, but he'd fit in many teams regular season rotation. If the Rangers are not concerned with actual salary, we could pay some of his salary. It could make for a reduced cost '25 guy.

With Urena, we likely add Heaney to the BP, as well, if/once Dunning and/or Bradford return.

Proposition Joe said:

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South Platte said:

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Proposition Joe said:

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South Platte said:

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66 games left. We might need to go 46-20. Maybe a couple less. That probably requires a 15+ game win streak.

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No.

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Either Seattle or Houston will go on a tear. Once the deadline passes, some teams give up, giving the good teams some easy wins. Winning percentages for the division leaders/wild card hopefuls surge. It's pretty rare for division winners to win less than 90 games.

If we don't like my 15 game winning streak, then fine. We are going to need consistent runs of winning 5 of 6, 8 of 10 to get this done. We have to pass 5 teams to reach the wild card, several of which have strong run differentials.

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Astros were 4.5 back 10 days after the All Star Break last year (71 games to go).

They were 1 game up on September 5th.

During that time they had 1 win streak over 3 games.

You think we need to tear off a 15-game win streak to make up 5?

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Every year and team is different. They caught up during our 4-16 slide. I think you guys are underestimating the winning that needs to occur. We have procrastinated all semester and all of a sudden its May 1 and our 20 page research paper is due in a week.

I also think CY has to make his decision several days before trade deadline. He may have already made that decision.

Gray is solid depth and he was money in relief in the postseason last year. That's actually not a bad salary these days and I'm always hesitant to part with pitching that has actually contributed to

My 1st semester of English writing...Mid-term paper was turned in a couple weeks early, cited and researched. Poured my heart into it, unlike my stat posts on here. Got a C+ and was PISSED.

Said screw-it for the Final paper. Went out drinking until midnight, the night before. Typed it out as I made it up on my ****ty mid-80s typewriter and cited without any real sources and turned it in by 8am and then came home to sleep/passout. Got an A-.

You can blame my English prof for my ****ty posts. It it weren't for the last minute... nothing would get done.

I agree, I think Gray is a nice piece to have in the pen. We've seen him be way more effective in that role over the past 9-10 months.

Problem is... we only get 13. Having said that, I do have some concerns about our SPs tiring in September.

11
SP: Eovaldi, Scherzer, Lorenzen
Long: Urena, Heaney (L), Gray
R: LeClerc, Sborz
L: Latz,
Late: D-Rob, Yates.

Add 2

IL: Bradford, Dunning, Mahle, deGrom

Mahle and/or deGrom could be inserted, but a decision on Gray would likely have to be made before you know if they'll be back.

I think if we get off to a good start, we could pickup at least 1... maybe 2 RPs. I know it is likely pre-mature to think about adding, but who is at the top of your list?

Would you trade healthy Bradford for Mason Miller?! Not sure Bradford will be healthy.

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/07/top-50-trade-candidates-mlb-trade-deadline-2024.html

Rentals:
3. Carlos Estevez, RHP, Angels
4. Tanner Scott, LHP, Marlins

Controlled:
17. Pete Fairbanks, RHP, Rays <- Former Ranger
46. Mason Miller, RHP, Athletics

I just don't think we're going to make the playoffs. So that's probably where it's coming from. I will be happy to be wrong, but I think we have a mountain to climb and holes in the lineup.

I'd rather get something for some of these guys who won't be in the long term future plans of this organization than let them walk Scott free.

For those looking at Houston...they could very well lose each of these series and go 4-8.

My projected rotation:

@ Seattle (52-46)
Blanco: 2.56, 18GS
Valdez: 3.66, 16GS
Brown: 4.39, 18GS

@ Oakland (37-61)
Arrighetti: 5.63, 17GS
Either: Dubin (age:28-5.23, 31.0 IP) or Bloss (age:23-4.70, 7.2 IP)
Blanco: 2.56, 18GS

v LAD (56-41)
Valdez: 3.66, 16GS
Brown: 4.39, 18GS
Arrighetti: 5.63, 17GS

v PIT (48-48)
Either: Dubin (age:28-5.23, 31.0 IP) or Bloss (age:23-4.70, 7.2 IP)
Blanco: 2.56, 18GS
Valdez: 3.66, 16GS


They have 1 Top100 Prospect #68 Jacob Melton (23-AA-OF) projects '25. They have a 3B that could replace 3B in '25, so he isn't going anywhere.

Their BP is ok... but not the type they can absorb multiple BP games and not one that would allow you to shorten SP outings.

I HOPE they are buyers. But my money is, they'll start to abandon ship with a poor outing in Seattle.

They are not losing to Oakland. They usually do well against very bad teams. They may get the sweep.

Fair. They are:
6-1 v Oak
2-5 v Seattle

But, they have to win with Arrighetti and Dubin?! And IN Oakland.

With their luck they probably miss Skenes in that Pit series…

DallasAg 94 said:

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What's your rotation coming out of the break:

Eovaldi
Scherzer <- This spot (of 5) matches G1 v Hou
Lorenzen
Heaney
Gray / Urena

Or, do you go with Lorenzen in G1 knowing that puts Eovaldi and Scherzer for G1 & G2 against Houston?

You'd like to think maybe Mahle might be back in time for the second time through and gets the Gray/Urena spot.

If Gray is close to getting moved... he gets CWS and Tor.

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FWIW, CBSSports app is showing Gray, Eovaldi, and Scherzer as the three SPs to face the Orioles.

That's interesting.

Gray got bumped by Scherzer before the break, so it would be good to get him in.

I like the idea of inserting someone to line up the Astros series.

I wonder what the plan is for Mahle?!

I like it.

Too early for trade rumors?

Grapesoda2525 said:

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Too early for trade rumors?

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for other teams, no. For the Rangers, yes.

Maybe posted already, but in other news, Kumar Rocker has made his first 2 starts since TJ surgery (2 innings each). Gave up 2 hits and a run in each, but velocity(high 90s, 4 Ks) and control (no BBs) look good so far

Is he still in the Arizona Complex/Fall League? Or did they shift him to High A Hickory?

The former. Not sure if they are moving him yet

Totally fine with that. I'd like for him to stay at that level or A ball for the remainder of this year, then in the offseason reevaluate.

For sure. I could see him moving to A ball, but don't see anything above that for this year. No way.

I hope he can get to pitching four innings per outing by the end of the season. Four feels like a solid number that is obtainable for a guy who's had TJ and also not pitched much at all for the past three years.

Yeah, what is left of 2024 is all about slowly regaining his stamina and his stuff again. Make solid progress on that, it's a win. Then 2025 starts the real journey to getting ready to eventually be an MLB pitcher

I agree... he doesn't offer anything for 2024 and in all honesty, whether he is part of '25 is likely inconsequential.

2026 is where I'd like to see him part of the club in either a SP or CL role.

Given the rush job seemed to hurt Leiter, I still think starting at A next year makes the most sense, then you hope he looks good enough for an early season promotion to AA. At that point, you just see how it goes. Making the big club sometime in 2026 would be ideal

The guy has not done much pitching at all for 3 years now, so his age/path are not going to be the norm. Have to be prepared to be patient

Did it hurt Leiter or expose him? I don't necessarily have an opinion, but wonder.