World Series Champions, Texas Rangers 2023-2024 Offseason Thread

[saddles]

And the only thing important about all those players is what the team thinks of them and decides to do with them...

Well, that is the only thing that will cause decisions to be made.

The opinions of fans is important enough to allow a forum like this to exist. I think by participating on this forum we give importance to what is discussed on here. We wouldn't spend time here, otherwise.

 

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[saddles]

I agree with that. There are some exceptions, like Matt Moore switching roles and being nuch better in the new role. There are also guys who develop a new or better pitch or who discover a new workout regimen. Ragans comes to mind. Young guys often improve over their first 3 or 4 seasons, like Dane Dunning. Those are the exceptions, though.

Without something major changing, or a natural maturing in younger guys, guys often revert back to form following an outlier year. I tried to keep that in mind a couple of months ago, when I made my list of relievers I hoped the Rangers would consider for 2024.

Here is a good example of what I referred to as "guys who develop a new or better pitch or who discover a new workout regimen." He didn't just get lucky, he worked at bettering himself.

Emilio Pagán's increased velocity has forced the Twins, fans to reconsider his value

As good as his curveball was, Emilio Pagán knew the only solution was increased velocity.

theathletic.com

Pagán positioned himself for his 2023 improvement beginning last season through plenty of trial and error. There was the development of a curveball, which briefly worked (more on that later). But the bigger adjustment was adding speed sticks, which are weighted golf clubs (minus the club face) with sensors that provide velocity data.

The speed tool was a suggestion by the Twins strength and conditioning staff to accompany medicine ball training and other physical preparation. When he heard that the exercise helped Trevor May increase his average fastball velocity by 1 1/2 miles per hour from 2018 to 2019, Pagán tried it and discovered he liked it.

While Pagán continues to use the med ball, he likes how the speed stick provides instant results and gives him a sense of whether he’s creating velocity. Pagán felt great physically as he incorporated the training into his offseason program.

But once he arrived in Florida, Pagán didn’t feel as loose, which he thinks may have been the result of a quick ramp-up for the World Baseball Classic. Still, the speed sticks gave him a sense he’d throw harder this season.

“These come with a radar gun,” Pagán said. “It’s immediate. … Obviously, the more advanced in the movements, the faster you’re moving. I’ve always felt like I’m pretty strong and I’ve been able to hold my posture down the mound for certain spots. But I have never really trained to actually rotate.”

While his early velocity was similar to last year, Pagán eventually felt less shoulder tightness and began to see an increase in May and June. Whereas his fastball averaged 94.9 mph from Opening Day to May 14, it’s averaged 96.1 mph since. His cut-fastball average has also increased to 88.1 mph, up from 87 mph earlier this year.

Though the fastball gets the most attention because it touches 98 mph (like it did last weekend in Philadelphia), Pagán thinks the increase in cutter velocity is bigger.

Last season, Pagán’s cutter averaged 85.8 mph and hitters tuned it up, slugging .698 against it. This year, opponents are only slugging .190 against the cutter, which has led Pagán to increase its usage from 19 percent to 32 percent.

Because hitters have to make a faster decision on the cutter, they’re chasing it more often and squaring it up less. Case in point: Pagán has thrown more meatballs this season than last, a slight increase to 7.8 percent from 7 percent last year, but he’s yielding fewer homers. Whereas last season Pagán allowed 1.7 homers per nine innings (12 overall), this year he’s reduced that to 0.7 per nine, giving up just four homers.

“Every little bit of velo on the fastball buys you some wiggle room,” Pagán said. “You don’t have to be as perfect. … The cutter is back to what it was when I was in Tampa. Yeah. Hitters have to make a swing decision much earlier. I can expand the zone and get a chase whereas last year I’d throw the pitch that I wanted in a chase location, but the cutter was 83-84, maxed out at 85-86. The hitters are seeing that. They don’t see many breaking balls at 88-90. I had to get out of that middle area velo-wise with the breaking ball.”

 

[saddles]

I think at this point my ideal offseason would be to sign the following:

1) Hader
2) N. Martinez
3) Another good reliever for the 7th and 8th innings
4) A bench OF, or a catcher who can play in the field somewhere as well
5) Brandon Woodruff

I would plan to use Heaney in the bullpen unless a team wants to trade something we need for him. If we trade him we would need to sign another swingman who wouldn't embarrass us in either role.

I would trade Taveras and another prospect or two for a good AAA pitching prospect to serve as depth for our staff.

I would plan on Justin Foscue to be the DH. Huff would be our backup C and backup 1B.

 

[saddles]

I think we are a week away from losing both Dane Acker and Blaine Crim in free agency. That would be a shame because both of them could have easily been protected.

 

[saddles]

 

[Kelleyman]

Sources: Ohtani sweepstakes are moving along and the Texas Rangers and at least one team in the AL East has dropped out. Teams who feel they aren’t real players are beginning to take themselves out of talks.

Via Michael Marino

 

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The relief pitching market is heatiing up. It is time for the Rangers to strike.

 

[saddles]

Sources: Ohtani sweepstakes are moving along and the Texas Rangers and at least one team in the AL East has dropped out. Teams who feel they aren’t real players are beginning to take themselves out of talks.

Via Michael Marino

What do you know about Michael Marino?

 

[Kelleyman]

What do you know about Michael Marino?

50 50. Rangers play close to the vest generally

he looks like a writer for MLB

 

[Kelleyman]

In a span of about 24 hours, the Texas Rangers have committed half a billion dollars to sign Corey Seager and Marcus Semien. Just like that, they’ve got the best middle infield in baseball as they start their rebuild.

Earlier Jeff P post.

Looks like we rebuilt

 

[saddles]

50 50. Rangers play close to the vest generally

he looks like a writer for MLB

I found this about him.

"Michael Marino is a contributor for Inside the Mets, Fantrax and Stacking the Board dot com."

 

[saddles]

Who knows

 

[Kelleyman]

Who knows

His quote for the Japanese elite pitcher signing does not look credible

 

[saddles]

Just throwing these names out here to remember who I like in the draft seven and a half months before the 2024 draft. All of these kids are college kids. Silva is from TCU.

CF Mike Sirota
SS Anthony Silva
RHP Drew Beam
RHP Trey Yesavage

 

[saddles]

Happy Evan Day, everyone!