Alright, let's get this started. Welcome to the offseason.

What changes do we want to see made to the roster moving forward?

Page Juan!

Yea Baseball.

I bet page 2 won't arrive until November. Ray, CY, Bacsik, and Skip have an epic game of Risk going, and Skip has built a stronghold around Greenland.

New start. The garbage of last season is gone!!

I'll be back later to put some thoughts on paper on but 92.5 million committed to 3 guys seemingly headed downhill isnt a great start.

I want them to part ways with Joc, Diaz, even though he wasn't that bad, Higgy. Sure I'm missing others. Would like to see them re-sign Quantrall.

- New GM. CY has had his hands tied at times but he's made bad back to back mid season trades and seems like he has no plan
- Get rid of Kipp and layout a real plan for our minor league system
- Either go big this offseason and go for it or tear it down. Idk how we tear it down with Seager/Evo/DG contracts but we can't have another year like we have the last 3
- Skips deserves another year but I would like a real tangible plan from front office and coach. It seems like we're always reactive

1


Next year... marching orders are more grit and get younger. Financial expectations for 2027 are expected to be disclosed this month. We know CBA is being negotiated and could change the strategy.

Salary Projections: $123.25M + Arbs + Serfs
CBT Projections: $141.17M

I always start with SP...
We have:
deGrom (39-$37M)
Eovaldi (37-$24M)
Gore (28-Arb3)
Leiter (27-Serf)
Rocker (27-Serf)
Latz (Arb1)
Bradford (Arb1)

RP
Garcia (Arb1), Winn (Serf), Silseth (Serf)
Gray (Serf?), Ahlstrom (Serf?)

C: Jansen ($8M) + O'Hoppe (Arb2)
1B: Burger (Arb2)
2B: Duran (Arb2)
3B: Jung (Arb2)
SS: Seager ($31.5M)
LF: Langford (Arb1)
CF: Carter (Arb1)
RF: Nimmo ($20.5M)

Sure... others... Foscue (Serf), Freeman (Serf), Osuna (Serf), et al.
Freeman?, Caultey?, Walcott?

Losses: Joc (mOption, IIRC), Higgy (Opt. $1M),
Junis (mOpt), Beeks, Alexander, Monty, Quantrill

Can we make the playoffs?

Jimtim1216 said:

---

vette said:

---

Can we finally ditch Dave Raymond?

---

Please

---

Noticed he isn't a part of the Risk game in South Platte's post. Hoping they're sending him a message

What is there to tear down?

Other than deGrom, Evo, Seager, and Nimmo... all are Serfs or Arbs. Team controlled costs.

With all the low-cost players, we should have plenty to spend.

deGrom... aside from 1st Inning HRs, was quite good. He had an i jury he was dealing with the 2H. Hernia? I suspect we'll hear about a surgery.

Evo was solid for the most part. Both SPs fell apart the 2H and that was nostlynpushing through injury. Seager injured. Those are probably "need to get younger" candidates. I think we can move them,assuming we eat sone $$$... whichnis doable based on our payroll status and controllable players.

Nimmo is question mark for me. Reasonable cost. Good clubhouse guy. Performs mostly well.

I'd like to see Quantrill return, but he'll likely get a 3yr deal and I'm not sure I want 3yrs.

Let's go all in this year!

a bucket of cold water to throw on the conversation, per Evan Grant:

Quote:

---

If you think things were tight last winter when the Rangers trimmed more than $30 million from the payroll and the TV streaming market continues to be a revenue mess and an owner-imposed lockout looms on Dec. 1, what do you think chances are for growing the payroll?

Yeah, us too.

---

In all honesty, payroll isn't the issue. I think everyone here would be fine with an average to below average payroll if the front office was elite at evaluating and developing talent. Plenty of teams spend way less than us and win a lot more. If you don't wanna spend big then you need to make internal moves when it comes to scouting and coaching.

100%. The problem with the 27 roster as it currently stands is that we have 5 players under contract for '27 that take up $120 million. That's huge chunk of the payroll. 10 arb players are going to add another $30-40 million. That's 15 players and somewhere north of $150 million already on the books (these numbers are per Evan Grant, I'm assuming they're accurate). Fill out the roster with only pre-arb players and they're still at $160-170 million, and unless Davis wants to increase the payroll (lol) that leaves about $15 million to spend.

The real issue is that we need to get rid of at least a couple of the deGrom/Eovaldi/Seager/Nimmo contracts. We're entirely too top heavy.

edit to add, in addition to the problem of having an owner who doesn't want to spend money at this point

Love to see Chris Sale run out there and put it on the line for Atlanta on 1-days rest.

Meanwhile, DeGrom is scared to pitch for Atlanta. Hits the showers at 81 pitches. Can you imagine his reaction if Skip asked him to pitch on 1-days rest?

I'm not expecting big spending, so no cold water here.

They tried to trade deGrom and Seager while still in the playoff hunt.

"Some" of those teams get extra lottery entries via Competitive Balance draft picks.

Others have sacked with over 100 Loses and gotten great picks... and others traded off talent to stack their farms.

We need to hit on Leiter, Rocker, and Langford. Time is running out, so, we really need those Top5 picks to deliver if we want to go the cheap route.

FWIW, deGrom went out to pitch while being hurt for the past month.

We need to figure out what Tampa and Cleveland are doing. Especially Tampa. They seem to field a very competitive team most years.

And on young talent you just mentioned. Next year is time to produce. We give these guys a pass for being young but at his point they have played multiple MLB seasons and went to college to play ball. Next year is time to take a big step up.

Water Boy said:

---

We need to figure out what Tampa and Cleveland are doing. Especially Tampa. They seem to field a very competitive team most years.

---

I thought their approach was widely known. Nothing magical.

Quote:

---

MLB gives additional draft picks to teams that fall among the bottom 10 in revenue or market size. These are the Competitive Balance Round A and Round B picks.
The Rays qualified for one in 2026. They had:

• No. 2 overall $10.507 million assigned bonus value
• No. 33, Competitive Balance Round A $2.970 million
• They originally also had No. 72, Competitive Balance Round B, worth $1.174 million, but traded that pick.

So in 2026, the Rays essentially had an additional opportunity to acquire a premium amateur player because of their economic/market status.
And there's an extra benefit: Competitive Balance picks come with larger international bonus pools than the normal minimum.

---

In 2026, They got the #33 and #72 CBRound additions, which as you can see can be traded. They got an additional $4.1M to spend on those picks or others. AND they got a larger International bonus pool to sign Intl'l players.

They are also a team built for the regular season. They missed the playoffs in '24 and '25. In '22 and '23, they got swept in the WC both years.

ETA... another thing they used to do was cycle minor league RPs. They would rotate a group of minor league pitchers and shuttle them to Tampa. Chem them up and send them down to rest. MLB has implemented a rule that limits the number of times a player can be demoted, to prevent this from happening.

One reason they used an "Opener" was to shield SPs from facing the best hitters 3 times. Enter a RP as an Opener to face them specifically. Maybe 2 are LHBs, so you Open with a LHP in place of your RH SP. This works when you have Ps you don't care about and who are fighting to be MLB regulars. For a legit playoff SP, they'd never go for that with any regularity.

Tampa also plays every game to win regardless of what long-term impact there is. That is why they are a good Regular Season team and fail miserably in the playoffs.

A legit fan base would never accept the Tampa strategy.

Was not aware of them getting extra picks.

Maybe tear down is too strong of word. EG's piece this morning alluded to we're going to spend even less this off season.

I can't be that mad at ownership, they've consistently spent the last few years but it sounds like we're about to tighten our purse strings even more and CY doesn't seem to have the skills for that. His ROI isn't great for the budget he's been given so giving him less money seems like a bad recipe.

IMO spending a ton of money is not what is needed.

page 1

I just want them to be entertaining again

The tl dr is:
deGrom - Eovaldi - Gore - Latz - Rocker is your OD rotation with Bradford and Leiter next up.
Grab a couple retreads.

Starting pitching:
Gore__ (28-Arb3): 34GS, 4.58 ERA, 1.335 WHIP, 173.0 IP, 174 SO (9.1), 71 BB (3.7)
deGrom (39-$37M): 31GS, 4.20 ERA, 1.137 WHIP, 162.2 IP, 201 SO (11.1), 46BB (2.5)
Rocker (27-Serf): 27GS, 4.38 ERA, 1.405 WHIP, 148.0 IP, 138 SO (8.4), 61 BB (3.7)
Eovaldi(37-$24M): 23GS, 4.20 ERA, 1.215 WHIP, 145.2 IP, 144 SO (8.9), 35 (2.2)
Leiter (27-Serf): 15GS, 5.29 ERA, 1.438 WHIP, 80.0 IP, 83 SO (9.3), 35 BB (3.9)
Latz__ (31-Arb1): 58 G, 2.13 ERA, 0.806 WHIP, 72.0 IP, 83 SO (10.4), 23 BB (2.9)
Bradford(29-Ar1): 8 GS, 4.30 ERA, 1.477 WHIP, 44.0 IP, 22 SO (4.5), 10 BB (2.0)

23 SPs in the AL Qualified (162+ IP). deGrom was 19th and Gore was 22nd.

Let's start with the $37M elephant. His numbers were pretty good all season, until the end. I know he was battling back and groin issues. He also got a bit tired, I suspect. But consider:
1H: 18GS, 3.49 ERA
2H: 13GS, 5.37 ERA
H: 16GS, 2.71 ERA
A: 15GS, 6.04 ERA

He still an elite pitcher. We need to get more from him next year, for sure. But aside from the price tag, definitely worth having in the rotation. If we got 2025 deGrom, we're in the playoffs. I'd hope something between the past 2 years for 2027.

Gore: H: 16, 3.43; A: 18, 5.73 // 1H: 20GS, 4.63; 2H: 14GS, 4.50
Innings eater, cheap. Not what we thought we'd get when we traded for him, but he is what we got. A #3? A #4?

Solid option to roll out there. If we had 2025 Gore, we'd likely be in the playoffs.


Rocker made huge strides, IMO. He didn't pitch elite, but he greatly improved over his past and his 148 IP should play well for 2027. I'm hoping for a #2/3 performance in 2027. His H/A and 1H/2H splits were close enough to not warrant inserting. The key for him next year will be PFP. He needs to field better. He needs to instinctively cover 1B.

Eovaldi is Eovaldi. He is definitely on the team and in the rotation, I'd suspect.

That's your top 4.

I go Latz for #5. I think he has proven himself and earned the role. He has done what you've asked.

That gives you Bradford and Leiter. Both will be necessary for injury replacement.

Tradition says, you want 7-9 SP options to start the season.

T5: deGrom, Eovaldi, Gore, Latz, Rocker
Next: Bradford, Leiter
Minors (on 40): Santos (24-RHP #16 prospect), David Davalillo (25-RHP #15 prospect), Peoples (25-RHP), Leandro Lopez (24-RHP #27 prospect)

I think Peoples got the most IP at the MLB level. He was a RP we traded for, but there was talk they could move him to SP for 2027, so I'm including him. I could see each of them getting some time in 2027. Mixed results in 2026 for them and nothing glaringly promising, outside of Peoples. I'd like to see Peoples get an Opening role for Latz. Open with RH SP and give an IP or 2 and then bring in Latz for 5-6 IP. My concern for Latz will be IPs. Coming in at the bottom of the lineup would help. If he starts and you feel he can only give you 4.0 IP, then he won't have a chance for the decision. Having an Opener would offer him more W/L.

Deeper in the minors, we're looking at Caden Scarborough (21-RHP #2 prospect) and Dalton Pence (24-LHP #10 prospect). I believe neither is on the 40. Likely a late season call-up once we've got some guys on the 60.

I wouldn't mind seeing Cal Quantrill getting signed. He earned a nice contract, but like some, he may still get passed over. He likely gets the 3yr. I'd sign for 1yr/$10M, but not a 3yr@ $10M per.

Gore would be one SP we could move, but he reliability makes him too valuable. deGrom and Eovaldi are injury concerns, and Latz and Rocker have durability concerns. Leiter and Bradford likely are limited in IPs.

Probably don't need to spend much money, so CY will go out and sign a big $$$ SP, which is not a need. I'm not opposed to reducing costs in this group.

Juan

Crazy that Dustin Harris has become San Diego's 2026 version of 2023 Evan Carter.

It's not Tampa's extra picks, although that can't hurt. They are literal light years ahead of most of MLB, especially us, in terms of evaluating and developing talent. In the last 20 years, I'd bet Tampa's farm has churned out twice the talent than Texas has in franchise history. Define that however you will, in terms of all-star appearances, large contracts elsewhere, etc.

Zac Elfin, 3 years ~ $40M, is their largest free agent signing in franchise history. That's a Wednesday in the offseason for Texas.