Astros outfielder George Springer is in the lineup today against Seattle, marking a quick return from a concussion suffered earlier this week after he collided with the center field wall. Some other news from around the AL:
- The Rangers have uncertainty at the hot corner for 2020, and they’ll at least kick the tires on the top free agent at the position, reports Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. There’s an argument that Anthony Rendon is the top free agent on this offseason’s market, period, with a six-year deal a strong possibility. It’s notable to hear the Rangers could consider shelling out that kind of cash, although Wilson notes they’ll evaluate their internal candidates at third base over the season’s final month. Those include Danny Santana, Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Nick Solak, per Wilson, but not Joey Gallo, who is no longer seen as an option at the position.
- The Rangers have had difficulty developing pitching in recent seasons, causing the organization to modernize its pitching development, explains Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News in a piece that would be of interest to Ranger fans. Texas has upped its usage of wearable technology and curtailed its recent draftees’ workload in an effort to keep their top arms healthy. As Grant notes, the program isn’t off to a rousing start, as Hans Crouse, Owen White and Cole Ragans, among others, have dealt with injury-plagued 2019 seasons. Nevertheless, it’ll be interesting to monitor the progression of the Rangers’ arms as the program takes a more defined shape.
- Things don’t appear to be trending well for Kole Calhoun to return to Los Angeles in 2020, observes Buster Olney of ESPN (subscription link). As expected, Olney notes that the Angels hope to clear room alongside Mike Trout and Justin Upton for top outfield prospect Jo Adell, Baseball America’s #2 prospect. The Angels hold a $14MM option (or a $1M buyout) on Calhoun’s services, a borderline price point for a corner outfielder with a .233/.325/.466 slash (107 wRC+). Despite the not-insignificant price tag, Olney believes the Angels will at least consider picking up the option and dangling Calhoun in trade, figuring some outfield-needy team would be willing to take on the veteran for a marginal prospect return.
- The Rays are making some changes within their baseball operations hierarchy, per a club press release. Mitch Lukevics, the organization’s long-time farm director, is transitioning to a senior advisory role in the front office after 14 years running the club’s minor-league operations. Lukevics “will remain closely involved” with the minor league system, the Rays added. Tampa Bay has also promoted Jeff McLerran to director of minor league operations, promoted Patrick Walter to director of international operations and promoted Steve Miller to director of international scouting. McLerran and Walter had previously been assistant directors in those respective fields, while Miller has spent the past six seasons as an international crosschecker for the Rays.
That would be one dumb move by the rangers to spend so much on one position when they need help in many areas especially pitching. Rendon will get above $150 million deal from a club.
I totally agree.
Rangers payroll for 2020 is projected to be around $102M – that is with Fielder and Choo still on the books. In 2017 Texas had a payroll of roughly $175M. I think they have plenty of room to sign a flagship player like Rendon.
Meh, the rangers have found some young guys who can pitch over the last few months. I expect them to sign a veteran for the back of the rotation, but this is a .500 ball club, they will try to win next year with eyes really on 2021 I think.
Why can’t they do both? I expect their payroll to go up significantly. They’re opening a new ballpark and need to sell tickets. I expect them to try to move Choo and sign a pitcher and quality every day player.
Who’s gonna want Choo?
Because using all your money on 1 player doesn’t work. Ask the Padres about that. They have only 2 starters coming back and no closer. Almost the entire starting lineup is rookies except SS and Choo. They have to many holes to waste $30 million a year on one player. Choo makes $21 million next year as a platoon OF. Nobody will trade for him unless Texas eats $15 million of it.
Why would they want to trade him? Choo is a really useful bat, and he doesn’t platoon, he DHs. Let him ride it out.
Springer returns in quick time, and now Gurriel is returning from a hamstring injury in like 4 days…is it any question the Astros are PEDing this season? So many “quick returns”…
I don’t know if you’re being serious or not but you realize Springer was out with a concussion, right? Not sure that would go with a PED narrative.
^^^ Idiot alert!
I’m not a medical professional, but I don’t think any performance enhancing drug will make a concussion go away.
no. i take both steroids and get hgh shots. they have no effect on concussions.
So they make PED’s for the brain now?
Kole Calhoun – Pick up the option and trade. He has decent enough offense and is a good fielder with a great arm.
not sure any team would pick him up for that amount.
Yeah, seems to be an unnecessary risk from the Halos. Unless deadline talks suggested teams valued him there I think they will exercise the buyout and spend on pitching.
$14 million is nothing these days.
Why Mike Trout and Justin Upton? It should be trout Goodwin and Adell. Upton should be a backup.
when upton is not injured he is very good.
Exactly. Goodwin has been great this year and Upton’s injury has ruined his season but that said, Upton is just a better player than Goody.
Upton has been back off the IL for a while. I just don’t see a good ball player there. He’s lazy and will not get his uniform dirty on defense. Trout and Calhoun, on the other hand, are dirty by the third inning every night. Plus Upton is maintaining a .211 BA. Goodwin in left, Trout in center, and Adell in right as our starters with Upton on the bench if I’m doing the line up in 2020.
That being said, I hate to see Calhoun go because of his gold glove defense and cannon arm, but $14m could get a decent pitcher.
Playing for the Angels, Trout is gonna be a super star fans hardly see on TV. Angels would be better served trading him for a cache of almost ready prospects. If not, they are doomed to being what they’ve been for the past fifteen years. Not bad enough to be called lousy, but not good enough to be called a serious WS contender. Might be the most mismanaged team in all of MLB.
15 years ago the Angels were perennial contenders (‘02-‘09). More like the last 4 years. They’ve had teams good enough to contend for a World Series after their run ended. It was harder for them in this decade because their division just got a lot stronger and we’re seeing the effects of neglecting their farm system earlier in the decade. They’ve been competitive more consistently than most teams up until the last 4 years.
There is no end to boneheaded takes like this one. Trout signed his extension because he wants to stay, and to that end, he received a full no-trade clause. That means the Angels can’t trade him without his full cooperation and consent, and he wouldn’t have signed his extension if he didn’t intend to play his entire career with the Angels.
Seriously, retire the “trade Trout for prospects” suggestions. They couldn’t possibly be more irrelevant.
Not only that, Geo, he has a full no trade clause. If he didn’t want to be an Angel, he would have gone FA and gotten the same huge contract anywhere.
LOL Trout is not going to your team so get over it. Upton is having his first injury plagued season of his career and normally has an OPS in the .800’s and a 3-5 WAR. Far from a backup.
Upton needs a chance to prove his worth after a lost season. Never has gotten things together after missing so much time. Good chance Adell won’t be ready until midseason. I’d let Calhoun go, use Goodwin, Trout and Upton in the outfield, Hermosillo as backup until Adell is ready to step up. Been a fan of Calhoun for a long time, but that money needs to be spent on pitching.
Upton was given a chance to prove his worth the moment he was reinstated off the IL. But forget this season. He has a career .266 BA, .347 OBP, and .974 fielding. All mediocre numbers. I’ve never understood the hype.
Probably will not happen, but I think Calhoun would look nice in the White Sox outfield next season, as long as it does not cost them a top prospect in a trade.
It will not. I’m sure your Sox could easily sign him.
You win a WS but struggle the following year. And, bam, you get fired? In less than 12 months Dombrowski goes from genius GM to persona non gratis. Beantown, that’s tough crowd to please.
You’d think a team that went almost 100 years between WS titles and now has three since the turn of the century, would be sky high. It’s the old what-have-you-done-for-me-lately bugaboo rearing its evil head.
Breaking up this Red Sox team would be foolish. But that’s probably what the new chief honcho will do.
Add a pitcher here, a reliever there and, voila, you become the favorites in the AL East heading into 2020. A complete teardown is not necessary.