I don't mind strike outs as long as they come with pop. Other than struggling against fastballs and injuries, the drastic drop in pop from 2023 to 2024 was the biggest reason for our offensive woes last season. Adding Burger and Pederson definitely helps that.

If we can get a healthy Carter…..and Heim and Garcia to return to form this line up has serious potential.

Tksymm7 said:

---

I'm not trying to sound like or be a dick, but everyone in the MLB strikes out a ton these days. It's just part of the game now, so I don't pay attention to it a ton.

---

I guess I'm too old school. I wanted Joey Gallo gone but this board showed him way too much love.

We've done well the past couple of years to not be near the top of the K list in MLB.

Joey Gallo is a career .190 hitter. Burger and Pederson are .240 and .250. You're comparing apples and oranges here.

I love us keeping Evo. He's the kind of person that you need on your team every year.

Is there a reason we haven't retained Yates too? I guess we are letting Leclerc walk and Garcia and Sborz will be set up men.

I suspect it's because they're kicking the tires on Tanner Scott. It's very possible Yates could come back though.

Tanner Scott sounds expensive. Kyle Finnegan is still a free agent and would be affordable.

South Platte said:

---

I love us keeping Evo. He's the kind of person that you need on your team every year.

Is there a reason we haven't retained Yates too? I guess we are letting Leclerc walk and Garcia and Sborz will be set up men.

---

With Yates, I am sure it is a matter of how much are you willing to pay a closer? He had a big year last year and I am sure is looking for a sizable contract, and for multiple years. He is going to test to market to see what he can get. And if we are going to stay under the CBT, we may only be able to go to a certain amount before tapping out.

Sborz isn't pitching the first several months of the season, and then following his rehab from surgery he may be limited in the number of innings he can go. We probably need to find a closer and another 7th/8th inning type guy.

KT 90 said:

---

South Platte said:

---

I love us keeping Evo. He's the kind of person that you need on your team every year.

Is there a reason we haven't retained Yates too? I guess we are letting Leclerc walk and Garcia and Sborz will be set up men.

---

With Yates, I am sure it is a matter of how much are you willing to pay a closer? He had a big year last year and I am sure is looking for a sizable contract, and for multiple years. He is going to test to market to see what he can get. And if we are going to stay under the CBT, we may only be able to go to a certain amount before tapping out.

Sborz isn't pitching the first several months of the season, and then following his rehab from surgery he may be limited in the number of innings he can go. We probably need to find a closer and another 7th/8th inning type guy.

---

Here is a blurb from the end of the Evan Grant article on the Pederson signing:

"The deal's average annual value is expected to bring the Rangers' Competitive Balance Payroll to about $223 million, accounting for arbitration eligible and pre-arb players. That's within $18 million of the $241 million CBT threshold. If the Rangers were to surpass that, they would be subject to a 50% tax for the overage. The club has operated with the idea it wanted to stay below the threshold to "reset" the penalties back to 20% for any overages in 2026.

The Rangers are still not done. While they've added Burger and potentially Pederson to the lineup, Nathan Eovaldi to the rotation and three relievers, they are still lacking experienced end of the bullpen arms. Re-signing Kirby Yates appears to be the top desire at closer with Arlington's Chris Martin, a former Ranger, potentially the best fit in the role of setup man held last year by David Robertson. It's unclear if the Rangers will have to move other salaries in order to add two more experienced relievers."

How Aggie football is currently trending and now the Rangers, it looks like I'm left with *checks notes* Aggie basketball, and Aggie baseball.

FML

DallasAg 94 said:

---

Looking at the lineup...
1. Semien (2B-R)
2. Seager (SS-L)
3. Langford (LF-R)
4. Adolis (RF-R)
5. Jung (3B-R)
6. Open (1B)
7. Burger (DH-R) / Pederson (DH-L)
8. Heim (C-S) == Higashioka (R)
9. Taveras (CF-S)

LHB: Carter, Smith
RHB: Duran

---

I'm not sure I'm liking this.

BTW... Pederson has a better OBP and lower SO than Lowe.

Pederson has played 19 career GS at 1B v 777 in OF and I believe exclusively a DH, in 2024.

Burger and Pederson are mostly DH guys. Jung and Seager are injury risks. Carter and Langford are still unproven. Taveras and Adolis are bipolar... one day they look like All-Stars and others you wonder what the hell the FO is doing.

We have the potential to be a 100-105 G team... but also a 70-75W team.

Martin and Yates would be nice. That would likely ensure Gray is gone. We only get 13 spots for Ps.

SP (4): deGrom, Eovaldi, Mahle, Bradford(L)

5th and/or Long-Reliever (2): Gray, Dunning

Set Relief 5)
LHRP: Latz, Milner, Garcia
RHRP: Webb, Curvelo,
<Bold added this off-season>

That's 11.

Sborz will likely start on IL

Last (2 of 4):
RHP: Daniel Robert, Garabito, GAnderson, Festa, Kumar, Leiter

Adding Yates and Martin would bring us back to the traditional shortening the game. Having a 7th, 8th, and 9th Inning guys. Take 3 SPs to go 5-6 and then shut it down with RP.

A playoff rotation of deGrom and Eovaldi with a deep traditional BP would be fun.

You could say that about pretty much any team not named the Dodgers or Phillies. I have absolutely no bead on anyone right now.

DallasAg 94 said:

---

DallasAg 94 said:

---

Looking at the lineup...
1. Semien (2B-R)
2. Seager (SS-L)
3. Langford (LF-R)
4. Adolis (RF-R)
5. Jung (3B-R)
6. Open (1B)
7. Burger (DH-R) / Pederson (DH-L)
8. Heim (C-S) == Higashioka (R)
9. Taveras (CF-S)

LHB: Carter, Smith
RHB: Duran

---

I'm not sure I'm liking this.

BTW... Pederson has a better OBP and lower SO than Lowe.

Pederson has played 19 career GS at 1B v 777 in OF and I believe exclusively a DH, in 2024.

Burger and Pederson are mostly DH guys. Jung and Seager are injury risks. Carter and Langford are still unproven. Taveras and Adolis are bipolar... one day they look like All-Stars and others you wonder what the hell the FO is doing.

We have the potential to be a 100-105 G team... but also a 70-75W team.

---

Where is Carter in this?

Unknown.

He had back surgery for a nerve issue. He is supposed to return for 2025. AFAIK, he'll be in ST Camp ready... 4th OF for now.
Langford-Taveras-Adolis penciled.

CY could move Taverad and/or Adolis. We could be
Carter-Langford-Adolis
or
Carter-Langford-Pederson
or any if

Carter/Pederson/Langford-Taveras/Carter/Pederson-Adolis/Pederson

Add Smith in there... maybe Burger?!

We could go old school NL, with Bochy and ride the hot hand and gut instinct.

If Bunting is emphasized in ST... woah Nellie.

DallasAg 94 said:

---

Unknown.

He had back surgery for a nerve issue. He is supposed to return for 2025. AFAIK, he'll be in ST Camp ready... 4th OF for now.
Langford-Taveras-Adolis penciled.

CY could move Taverad and/or Adolis. We could be
Carter-Langford-Adolis
or
Carter-Langford-Pederson
or any if

Carter/Pederson/Langford-Taveras/Carter/Pederson-Adolis/Pederson

Add Smith in there... maybe Burger?!

We could go old school NL, with Bochy and ride the hot hand and gut instinct.

If Bunting is emphasized in ST... woah Nellie.

---

For thread clarification...

This is your lineup, not anything the Rangers have indicated or stated. Fun, because everything is assumption at this point, but it warrants being clear about.

Could vs Will

We could...

Thought that was given.

Disclaimer: All views expressed are my opinion and do not reflect any credible Rangers source unless explicitly expressed.

Quote:

---

Quote:

---

Looking at the lineup...
1. Semien (2B-R)
2. Seager (SS-L)
3. Langford (LF-R)
4. Adolis (RF-R)
5. Jung (3B-R)
6. Open (1B)
7. Burger (DH-R) / Pederson (DH-L)
8. Heim (C-S) == Higashioka (R)
9. Taveras (CF-S)

LHB: Carter, Smith
RHB: Duran

---

DallasAg 94 said:
I'm not sure I'm liking this.

---

Quote:

---

Langford-Taveras-Adolis penciled.

---

Or...you could have made some assumptions that came across as statements of fact.
(hope you know I'm just busting your huevos)

The Rangers have signed RHP Shawn Armstrong and DFA’d C Sam Huff

— Jared Sandler (@JaredSandler) December 23, 2024

Not shocking here.

I know.

I'm very clear on here that nobody should take me too serious... 'cause I sure as he'll don't.

LoL.

Not at all.
Huff was drafted in 2016, he's had plenty of time to prove something and hasn't. The Rangers (and most teams) want their catchers to be defense first, bat 2nd. Huff was always the reverse, and his glove (or maybe game calling) just never got where it needed to be.

Seeya, wouldn't wanna be ya. There's probably quite a few more guys in the high minors that need to update their resume.

shack009 said:

---

Aggie Dad 26 said:

---

How Aggie football is currently trending and now the Rangers, it looks like I'm left with *checks notes* Aggie basketball, and Aggie baseball.

FML

---

Are the Rangers trending down? I think I missed that.

---

Me too. I'm pretty pumped about the moves so far.

I wonder if CY is going to load up on RPs at the expense of position players.

Another view:


Our 16 position players on the 40:
C: Heim, Higashioka
IF: Jung-Seager-Semien-<open>; Duran, Smith
OF: Langford-Taveras-Adolis; Carter
DH: Pederson (L), Burger (R)

Others: Foscue (25), Ornelas (24), Harris (24)

Anyone good with that?!

Huff probably needed to go... FWIW, here are our remaining T3 Cs based on '24 IPs:
Cooper Johnson (26-AA): 75G
Julian Brock (23-A): 74G <-8th Rd of '23 out of ULaLa
Ian Moller (21-A+): 82G <-4th Rd of '21

<these are my projections>

I like most of the moves, I'm just concerned about some of the holes being created.

I like Pederson, but he appears to be a Platoon LHB that likely only plays DH and is a defensive liability.

We've gone from a GG 1B to the D at 1B being a liability. A poor defensive 1B means the rest of the IF may look worse. A worse fielding IF means more unearned runs, which leads to more P by your Ps and potentially higher ERAs.

Is it the end? No... but I now have concern about injury-replacement and poor D.

DallasAg 94 said:

---

Unknown.

He had back surgery for a nerve issue. He is supposed to return for 2025. AFAIK, he'll be in ST Camp ready... 4th OF for now.
Langford-Taveras-Adolis penciled.

CY could move Taverad and/or Adolis. We could be
Carter-Langford-Adolis
or
Carter-Langford-Pederson
or any if

Carter/Pederson/Langford-Taveras/Carter/Pederson-Adolis/Pederson

Add Smith in there... maybe Burger?!

We could go old school NL, with Bochy and ride the hot hand and gut instinct.

If Bunting is emphasized in ST... woah Nellie.

---

FWIW, today Evan had an article predicting possible lineups vs RHP and LHP. He had Carter in and Taveras as the odd man out (4th OF). He even said if we need more $$$ for the bullpen, Taveras and/or Gray would be the candidates to be traded to make more salary room to stay under the CBT.


So I choose to believe (I am a bit of a homer) that Evan was dropping a hint that Carter has been progressing well and hopefully will be back in the lineup in 2025 on a regular basis

You forgot Malcom Moore (C), ranked as the 5th best prospect in the system. We also signed Tucker Barnhart.

I think Carter, if healthy, will be a very key part of the lineup.

MLB trade rumors had it at $11MM so I hope Evan is correct.

I don't understand this at all. We trade a solid bat with gold glove level defense on the cheap for a spare part reliever and replace him with a bunch of more expensive question marks.

hawk1689 said:

---

I don't understand this at all. We trade a solid bat with gold glove level defense on the cheap for a spare part reliever and replace him with a bunch of more expensive question marks.

---