Rangers general manager Jon Daniels didn’t mince words in telling reporters that he has no plans to embark on a rebuild, as T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com and Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram write. “This is not a rebuild,” Daniels told reporters. “We expect to win. We are always going to have that mindset.” Texas will face an uphill challenge in filling out a rotation that, at present, has only Cole Hamels and Martin Perez locked into spots. Daniels acknowledged that the Rangers “are going to have to remake half the staff,” and as Sullivan notes, that applies to the bullpen as well, where Keone Kela, Matt Bush, Alex Claudio and Jake Diekman look like the only set-in-stone options. Per Wilson, Daniels suggested that team payroll will be more in the $155MM range at which it sat in 2016 than this past season’s $165MM territory. While the Rangers may not pursue a closer, they’ll look to bring in at least one veteran bullpen arm.
A bit more on the Rangers…
- Daniels was also candid about the fact that his team will be firmly in the mix for Japanese star Shohei Otani if he is posted for MLB clubs to bid on this winter. “We are not hiding anything,” the GM said. “If the Fighters ultimately post Ohtani, you are going to have 30 interested clubs, of which we’ll be right there with them.” Of course, as Daniels points out, competition for Otani would be immense. International spending restrictions would largely level the playing field to acquire his services, making it difficult to predict any type of favorite for the young ace/slugger.
- Sullivan also writes that the Rangers are once again internally mulling the possibility of moving right-hander Matt Bush into the rotation. Texas discussed the move last offseason as well but ultimately elected to leave Bush in a role with which he was familiar. Daniels tells reporters that Bush has expressed interest to the team in working out of the rotation, which bodes well for the potential transition. “If it’s the player who initiated and wants to put the work in, I think you’ve seen success,” Daniels explains (possibly in a nod to C.J. Wilson). “When it’s players who are in between, probably best to leave him in the role he is in.” Sullivan runs down six prior cases of the Rangers moving a reliever to the rotation, including Wilson, and examines their success rates.
Why ruin a good thing and move Bush to the rotation, when you have holes in the bullpen already.
I expect Texas to land Otani at this point, so there’s you’re #3 and they should have the money to land one free agent starter, so lets say Lynn who seems like a decent option.
Finally, When you trade Profar, try to get a starter who’s in a similar position
Bullpen wise, you have Bush, Diekman, Claudio and Kela, which is pretty solid. Don’t overspend on a closer type, bring in like a MR Tommy Hunter type guy for like $4m-6m a year and then see what you can find on the waiver wire. Nick Goody, Blake Parker, Kirby Yates and Rich Bleier, all picked up on the DFA wire last offseason.
Also keep an eye on the non-tender market: Bruce Rondon, Hector Rondon, Jeurys Familia, Hansel Robles, Jeremy Jeffress all possibilities
What is the reason you expect the Rangers to land Otani?
Here is why I said what I said:
1.) It has been said that Texas has been considered the favorite since June. I believe it was on here but it may not have been.
2.) They keep saying 4-5 teams involved
1.) NYY- spent a considerable amount of allotment
2.) BOS- spent a considerable amount of allotment
3.) CIN- NL and Penalty. Doubt he takes $300k to do one or the other
4.) Houston- Penalty, but #2 option
5.) Texas- Plebty of space, plenty of case, and both AB’s and IP’s.
3.) TEX has a history of grabbing people out of Japan. Not just Darvish, but Barnette too. The past experience probably helps.
Just my two cents.
Yankees have traded for more pool money,by the way that won’t be the factor. There is no front runner for his services,because no one knows. What has been said market size,competitiveness,ability to hit,are some important factors. Anything written about specific landing spots is just purely speculation. No team can negotiate at this point until he’s posted or it would be tampering.
Very well written man.
Otani is going to sign with a contender or a team with a great farm system that’s close to contending. Texas is neither of those
^ Ohtani’s agent.
Very well written man!
Ahh, the prophetic, magic 8 ball has entered the room…
I am dieing to know, so please tell me, this off-season, can the Braves somehow manage to unload both Nick Markakis’ and Matt Kemp’s contracts??
(Can I just ask the question, or do I need to shake you first??)
Ask Again Later
Odor, Gallo, Mazara, Robinson, Calhoun, DeShields.
All under the age of 23. The Rangers will be just fine.
So a 2B who was one of the worst players in MLB last season. A more athletic Adam Dunn who hit like .205. A decent offensive (with potential for improvement) but limited defensive OF. A guy who has proven nothing at the MLB level. I actually like Calhoun’s potential but he has also proven nothing. And a 4th OF. Sounds great.
Gallo isn’t under 23… To win you need pitching..pitching..pitching and the Rangers have nada.
Ok, take the age out since all are NOT under 23, and compare them to their division rival Astros. Altuve, Correa, Springer, Bregman. Rangers need to rebuild and hope when they get out, Houston ran out of money to pay all their players.
You realize we’ve been contending, right? We had a bad season due to the bullpen blowing leads early in the season, but we’ll be back
Why would the Mets non-tender Jeurys Familia, their current closer?
“If the Fighters ultimately post Ohtani, you are going to have 30 interested clubs,”
Oh no you won’t!
29 MLB teams will be interested in Otani. Can you guess which MLB won’t have any interest?
I’ll give you a hint, it’s the notorious MLB team in the movie “42”
let it go
Ooooh, oooh, ooohh…Pick me, pick me!!
What is the Orioles??
Okay, hmm….I’ll take it again, dumbest baseball decisions for 500 Alex…
I forgot that Ben Chapman still manages the Phillies.
Same owner. Different name, but the same owner.
You’re forgetting the Orioles who refuse to spend their International Money?!
Angelos is a horrible owner. The Orioles farm is incompetent and the Phillies organization is now loaded with former Orioles Farm folk who were Orioles when that organization was incompetent at the farm level.
They need to find a way to dump their contracts (looking @ you Choo), get something for Profar and see what kind of return they can get for Andrus. They need to either go for it if they have the pieces, or sell off what they can and rebuild. Otherwise they will be middle of the pack in today’s baseball.
They aren’t getting anything for a AAAA bust.
What about Aaron Blair for Jurickson Profar??
Who is going to play SS if they trade Elvis and Profar?
Pete Kozma ! Someone said Pete’s been bulking up on chocolate milkshakes and Clif bars, and now has almost warning-track power. Might be better at the plate than Odor, and certainly better in the field.
The Mets could send you a broken SP or a couple of bullpen arms for Profar.
I wonder if a Profar for Matt Harvey trade would be a risk each team would be willing to take. My guess is that the Mets would not do it, but Profar is only 24 and still has time to break out.
Clean starts?
Didn’t the Rangers ruin a couple of guys by moving them from the pen to the rotation? Forgot their names, but they were stud relievers, then got injured in the rotation and were never the same.
Tanner shcheppers?
Neftali feliz is one they ruined for sure
Alexi Ogando