fc2112 said:

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Shin-Soo Choo played his last game today

Shin-Soo Choo retired from professional baseball today after playing his final game in the KBO.pic.twitter.com/Fs8a27bf6O

— Michael Bier (@MichaelJBier) September 30, 2024

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Definitely one of my favorite "non-GOAT" Rangers. Top 2 or three for sure

MrCoachEricTaylor said:

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fc2112 said:

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Shin-Soo Choo played his last game today

Shin-Soo Choo retired from professional baseball today after playing his final game in the KBO.pic.twitter.com/Fs8a27bf6O

— Michael Bier (@MichaelJBier) September 30, 2024

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Definitely one of my favorite "non-GOAT" Rangers. Top 2 or three for sure

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Nice guy and a very good player. Felt like we definitely overpaid to get him tho.

100% haha

He is right though. We overpaid for the production we were getting from him. I am not a fan of the contract when we were paying him 18+ million to have a WAR of 1.6 or lower in 4 of his past 5 seasons. It's just not smart to sign 31 year olds to long term contracts like that

Flounder Dorfman said:

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Overpaid to get Shin Soo Choo? Anyone pay attention to other contracts that get signed in MLB?

If that's what we're doing then maybe I need to just sit this out for a while: I had Grapesoda blocked because of his ridiculous posts where every series was a must win series but made the mistake of reading this one.

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The perception of many Rangers fans has been that Choo was overpaid. IMO, that perception is because he only hit .260 as our leadoff hitter and hit .292 for Cleveland prior to that.

The reality was that JD brought him in for his OBP... not his BA. He had a .363 OBP for Texas although he was at .383 for Cleveland. He also became more of a DH than an OF.

DallasAg 94 said:

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Flounder Dorfman said:

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Overpaid to get Shin Soo Choo? Anyone pay attention to other contracts that get signed in MLB?

If that's what we're doing then maybe I need to just sit this out for a while: I had Grapesoda blocked because of his ridiculous posts where every series was a must win series but made the mistake of reading this one.

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The perception of many Rangers fans has been that Choo was overpaid. IMO, that perception is because he only hit .260 as our leadoff hitter and hit .292 for Cleveland prior to that.

The reality was that JD brought him in for his OBP... not his BA. He had a .363 OBP for Texas although he was at .383 for Cleveland. He also became more of a DH than an OF.

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I like Choo as well, but contract was a miss. He was 4.2 WAR player in 2013 and got MVP votes. He had 8.6 total in 7 season with Texas. 2015 was pretty good, but pretty nothing like we hoped for otherwise. The other 2 things he has going against him are that the 2014 team was the first bad team we'd had in 5 years and people really undervalue 2015 and 2016 because of the playoff flameouts.

I just hate baseball contracts in general haha

Yeah, his OBP was definitely his greatest asset with us, that's what I respected the most with him. That and his ability to stay healthy and get into games! If I remember correctly..

Padres all the way.

Growing up a Tony Gwynn fan, the Padres have always been my favorite NL team.

I don't really care who wins, but I do like to watch compelling playoff baseball games and the overall energy they bring. If I had to pick, it would be one of the new blood teams that hasn't won a WS in a while (or few historically). So no Dodgers or Yankees. And of course no Astros just because. So I'd prefer a team outside of those three, but really don't care if one of those win it if we get good baseball (no sweeps) and the games are good.

DBacks owner doesn't mince words regarding Montgomery.

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/41552657/d-backs-owner-blames-self-horrible-jordan-montgomery-add

So, he easily could have gotten 3-4 years for $75-100mill. Will be interesting to see how much Boras ultimately cost him

I'd like to see the Padres, but afraid we'll see the Dodgers. Ohtani is playing out of his mind.

Love to see the Royals or Cleveland make it.

I think CY knows exactly what happened. Boras was hell bent on getting a six year deal for Montgomery and all thirty teams said no thanks to that. Then Boras got fired and Montgomery got the short term deal with Arizona. I don't remember if it happened in that order or not though.

If I'm the Rangers, I would offer Montgomery a two year deal for a much lower amount than he made this year. I'm not really sure what that number would be, but it would be reflective of his performance this season

Flounder Dorfman said:

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I think CY knows exactly what happened. Boras was hell bent on getting a six year deal for Montgomery and all thirty teams said no thanks to that. Then Boras got fired and Montgomery got the short term deal with Arizona. I don't remember if it happened in that order or not though.

If I'm the Rangers, I would offer Montgomery a two year deal for a much lower amount than he made this year. I'm not really sure what that number would be, but it would be reflective of his performance this season

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We know the media story behind Monty and Boras and the lifetime contract he wanted.

Maybe Monty comes clean with CY without his stupid agent sitting there orchestrating all the BS. Monty needs to explain this season before we offer anything. If he doesn't own this he'll spend the rest of his career as a 7th inning guy for Colorado.

I don't think Montgomery is nearly as bad as he was this season. Likewise, I don't think he's as good as he was with the Rangers last season - somewhere in between the two.

I agree. And that's where my contract offer would be.

For two years. No more than that.

Just a reminder that really rich people can say and do really stupid *****

Absolutely zero upside to making those comments about Montgomery.

Yep. One more win and I can put my feet up and enjoy some playoff baseball.

Yeah, I go to him with a 1-2 year offer reflective of a decent, mid-rotation guy. His problem is that he'll turn 32 this offseason, so even a "prove it" deal intended to set up the next contract is only going to get him so much because he's gonna be a 33-34 year old pitcher at that point. Overplaying his hand with Boras was such a huge mistake

I just don't think Monty is a possibility in 2025. I think he really wanted to land in Boston and I expect that to be where he is in 2025.


We don't have a roster spot nor the payroll/CBT. We'll have the whole offseason to discuss, once Mr. Gigem decides it is the offseason.

Scherzer (40.066) has indicated publicly that he'd be interested to talks. He has said he is chasing Rings and nothing more. Although he is like 167 SO from passing Sutton for 7th All-Time. If we get him for cheap expecting 125 +/- IP.

Urena (33.019) has proven to me he deserves consideration. I'd give him a 2-3 year deal with the expectation he can earn a rotation spot out of ST but that he is valued... and valued as a Util P that can go multiple innings. Pencil in 100-110 IP

Heaney and Lorenzen (32.271) are more interesting than Monty.


We'll know quickly on Eovaldi... he'll have to decide his Option and CY probably already knows. He is 1st, then Urena, Heaney, and then Lorenzen (sentimental fav)... in that order. Scherzer would be a novelty add-on if he is a willing participant.

I don't think there's any way Eovaldi doesn't go the FA route, even if he re-signs with the Rangers. It would be pretty dumb not to at least see what's out there.

A reminder where we are:

deGrom ($40M/$37MCBT), Mahle ($16.5M/$11M CBT), Gray ($13M/$14CBT), Dunning (Arb2), Bradford (Serf)
Option Eovaldi ($20M)
40: Winn, White, Leiter, Rocker

Losses: Scherzer, Heaney, Urena
Others: Lorenzen

I don't consider any of them to be a lock for 150+ IP in 2025.

He'll be 35 in Feb '25.

Hopefully his agent (ACES) gets a feel for his market in the league and makes a pitch to the Rangers. I'd wager 2 or 3 years and $17-20M AAV. If he hits FA, the Rangers likely let him go.

I'd like him back, but I'm not upset if he leaves. That $20M could be used in other places.

FWIW, here is what MLBTR sicusses about SPs:

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/09/previewing-the-2024-25-free-agent-class-starting-pitcher.html