It’s really not yet time for the Rangers to look to the coming offseason; after a surprisingly solid start to the season, they’re still in position to compete for a wild card spot. But the coming free agent market was a topic of conversation in a recent interview with Rangers GM Jon Daniels on 105.3 The Fan’s Ben and Skin show (audio and transcript via the Dallas Morning News).
Even as he preps for a potentially interesting summer trade market, Daniels says that he anticipates entering next winter with “a lot more [payroll] flexibility the next two years than we’ve had the last couple, the last, probably three or four.” That said, the long-time top baseball ops exec said that the club’s spending is “going to be player-specific” in that the club will be “ready to make [an] investment” in “the right guy” but won’t “spend just to say we spent.”
The Rangers have made moves of that sort already in recent years, giving out three-year deals to Mike Minor and Lance Lynn. But Daniels obviously sees some stepped-up possibilities for the near future as the organization has continued to steadily draw down its payroll commitments.
Reading between the lines and adding a dollop of speculation, it seems that the Texas club could be more aggressive in exploring higher-grade free agents. Perhaps the near-term spending availability will also expand the team’s trade possibilities this summer. There’s some room to spend with only $85MM or so on the books for 2020 (including the remaining money owed to Prince Fielder after the portions picked up by the Tigers and the contract insurer). And as Daniels acknowledges, “the new ballpark will play into it.” The club will surely want to maximize that revenue stream with a competitive product.
That said, it’s far too soon to address the potential needs and opportunities in detail. The needs on the fringes of the roster are all but impossible to know at this point, and indeed there are still some notable variables even in the nascent Texas roster core.
Daniels notes that future investment is premised upon the idea that the organization has “a good foundation” in place at present. “There’s some really good quality players that are going to be here for several years and we’ll have an opportunity to build on that,” Daniels says.
The Rangers GM obviously believes the club has the makings of a productive core unit, but the rotation still comes with rather gaping near- and long-term questions. And some key position players are still sorting through some issues.
Outfielder Nomar Mazara has yet to turn in a breakout, though he’s at least still producing at a roughly league-average at the plate. Second baseman Rougned Odor has been a mess at the plate; he’s still just 25 years of age, but his rollercoaster MLB track record is of increasing worry.
Daniels says there’s “still patience” with Odor, citing the recent comments of skipper Chris Woodward and noting that he’s still a hard-working and highly talented ballplayer. But Daniels also acknowledged that “there is a level of concern,” particularly given that “this is not the first time it has happened.” Indeed, Odor has had notable peaks and valleys throughout his career. He managed to post league-average offensive work last year, but that included a brutal start and finish. It also came on the heels of a rough 2017 showing.
Odor is off to a .166/.232/.331 slash to open the present campaign. He’s sustaining a walk-rate boost he showed last year, but suddenly has a whopping new swing-and-miss issue. Odor is striking out at a 33.7% clip on a 13.6% swinging-strike rate, both of which represent career-worst levels.
Whether and how Odor’s issues will be sorted remains to be seen, but Daniels notes it’d be preferable not “to make a habit of kind of getting into these deep holes and having to put a program together to get out of it.” The club must have “a sense of urgency” in getting Odor on track, Daniels says. Even if that occurs, one wonders whether the team can have confidence that the second bagger won’t fall into another funk.
I never understood the focus on trying to have a rebuild done in time for a new ballpark.
To the extent that you can actually control and time these things, I’d think ideally in year 1 you want to be interesting- a young team that wins 70+ games. Year 2 you want to be at least on the fringes of contention for a wild card into September, figure mid 80s wins. Year 3 is where you want to be loaded for a championship run.
That way, in year 1 you get the attendance boost just for the new ballpark, and as that fades in years 2 and 3 attendance should remain good with an exciting team.
Smart! I like it.
Please Daniels send Odor down to AAA for a reset! I feel for him but he’s painful to watch at bat and in the field. And no more long term albatross contracts please! Is the new field going to be more pitcher neutral?
Agreed
I’ve went to the new park,actually scaled the fence to take pictures, Domed stadium is gonna be awesome, gonna have the inside decor similar to Houston,lots of Red brick archways,but outside gonna match old stadium in a way but also looks huge like Dallas Cowboys new stadium across the parking lot.
Not sure if pitcher or hitter friendly till after at least 1st year played, but June through October baseball the roof will be closed because of the 100 degree days and 105-110 on playing field.
I sat in the dugout of this stadium quiet a few years back as a guest of then pitching coach Orel Hershiser and it gets hot down in the bowl.
how do the rangers draft so bad every year? Its like they’ve never been to a baseball game.
Last night they drafted Josh Jung. The player who needs to biggest swing overhaul in the first round. Also plays at a school where ball flys due to wind and 3500′ above sea level.
Then 2nd pick they take the viking who is not athletic, and someone who can grow a beard like that at 21 will be bald by 25.
They are learning which is great!! they took established college guys, the problem is they took the wrong ones. I guess they are on right track though so thats good. Better than years past where they take a kid who they could get in 10th round, but they take him in 1st. Usually a kid who is fast, and only played baseball for 6 months prior to draft yet they somehow think he will be good later.
Daniels is dumb. Wants to be eptstein so bad. He shouldve started this rebuild 4 years ago if they wanted to be ready by opening day of new ballpark. Him holding onto all of those players the last several years was insane.
They werent spending money to win, yet they werent selling to rebuild and lose. They were doing nothing, spinning the wheels and just idoling wasting years not competing yet not rebuilding. DUMB.
Yes completely agree! I’ve said this exact same thing the last couple years. You can’t be competitive with a half effort of rebuilding. They weren’t even retooling, they were just standing still and penny pinching with free agents. Instead of breaking down and doing a full rebuild it was just more of nothing, they there is no real plan in place.
Dumb, dumb comment all the way around…
Agreed
And agreed
they should sign both rendon and gerrit cole
Daniels has talked at least twice about Garret Cole and Rendon, But the Rendon on long term may change now because of Jung and or the other 3rd baseman, I think this was some of the best picks available, and I think these two will be awesome in Texas, I would love to see us go after Cole Hamels and Derek headcase Holland, if we look At Rangers webpage on prospects we have a centerfielder and other outfielders and a few pitchers coming up the next two years, but we could always use pitching now.
in no way would drafting Josh Jung be a reason to not pursue Anthony rendon in free agency. the two are not related
Rangers are heading in the right direction, if they had better pitching, this team would be fighting the Astros for the division. They drafted the right guys and they will be a quicker impact then anyone.
Totally agree,those two 3rd basemen won the highest awards you could possibly get in college, I think this was above average draft for us.
Attention: John Daniels and Chris Woodward
How long are you gonna continue to run Rougned Odor out as a second baseman.
Exactly how nasty are the standards, unkept facial hair,usually unbuttoned shirt.
Then to top it off Sunday Rougned was wearing shorts during the game. Have some respect for our team.
Has the Manager Woodie as he’s called already lost control of the team ?
Signed your biggest fan
Billy
Odor wasn’t wearing shorts, they were very high cut pants. And he wasn’t even the only one wearing them. Danny Santana and Ronald Guzman were wearing them too, and the announcers said they were doing it to imitate Hunter Pence. Did you even watch the game for more than a few minutes?
So you’re saying it’s cool with all the stuff happening, even the crotch grabbing in front of all the fans after a homer, and yes I watch the games and have since my 1st, David Clyde’s First game was my first. But some of the shenanigans need to stay in the clubhouse as we always did. And Hunter Pence has wore his that way for years, the socks or stirrups pulled up has always been his dress uniform. Odor is trying to get attention away from his poor play. Oh and by the way NO SOUP FOR YOU.
They did it out of respect for Pence since he was the player of the month. God forbid they have any fun because we know only the most serious of teams ever win. (I usually agree 100% with you but this comment you sound like a grumpy old man)
This is about the best we can do with Jon Daniels as a GM?
Yeah Jon Daniels was seen cruising rehab center’s and farmer’s markets, looking for cheap pitching. Scouted one melon picker with promise but he had no injuries.