As presently constructed, the 2020 Rangers project to roster four left-handed corner outfield options in Nomar Mazara, Joey Gallo, Willie Calhoun, and Shin-Soo Choo. That Choo underwent a surgical debridement last week is bad news from the perspective of The Athletic’s Levi Weaver, who opines that the soon-to-be-38-year-old Choo would have made for the club’s most obvious trade chip, had he not undergone the knife (link). While Choo projects to be fully healthy for Opening Day, Weaver still describes the outfield/DH option as “damaged goods” which other teams might be disinclined to deal for.
While Weaver’s concern over an aging player undergoing a shoulder procedure is justified, it’s far from certain that Choo’s minor operation would be the straw that broke the camel’s back in a trade negotiation. With one season and $21MM left on his deal and limited defensive value (-16 DRS and -9.0 UZR in 2019), it stands to reason that other clubs would simply prefer the Rangers other, younger, cheaper outfield options–with Mazara standing out as a player that both the Padres and White Sox checked in on this summer.
More items of interest from around the American League…
- As a means of welcoming Chaim Bloom to his new city, Boston Globe beat writer Peter Abraham gifts the new Red Sox GM with a letter prescribing first orders of offseason business (link). Abraham describes the club’s difficulty in discovering and developing starting pitching as their “greatest concern”, pointing out that the Sox have not drafted or signed an amateur pitcher of great import since the days of Jon Lester, Clay Buchholz, and Justin Masterson (current Boston starter Eduardo Rodriguez was a signee of the Orioles). Abraham’s reasoning is hard to argue with, although it is worth mentioning that the club drafted starter Michael Kopech in 2014, later trading the young righty (along with Yoan Moncada) in the Chris Sale deal. Otherwise, the club’s decision to draft Jay Groome in 2016 (with arms like Forrest Whitley, Eric Lauer, and Dakota Hudson still on the board) does loom as one developmental misstep of Bloom’s predecessor, Dave Dombrowski. Earlier today, our own TC Zencka took a look at some routes available to the former Rays executive as he seeks to bolster the club’s pitching for 2020.
- Astros coach Joe Espada was passed over for the Cubs manager job in favor of David Ross, but it doesn’t sound as if the coach is harboring any resentment toward the club, judging by quotes presented in a piece from Ken Davidoff of the New York Post (link). “I go in there and I present myself, and I provide a vision, my goals, and I show them my style and my personality and why I think I’m the right guy for the job,” Espada said on Friday. “And I made a strong case for myself [with the Cubs], and that’s all you could ask for.” In assessing the recent movements on the managerial market, Davidoff opines that Espada represents something of a middle-ground between the experience (Joe Maddon, Joe Girardi) and fresh perspective (Jayce Tingler, David Ross) that clubs have been opting for in their recent hires. Espada reportedly remains a candidate in both the Giants and Pirates manager searches.
Choo is too dependable and not spectacular enough to trade. His bat has almost been worth that contract so may as well let him finish it up in Texas where he loves to live, especially since the Rangers could be sneaky good next year if they mash at their potential.
So the guy from the athletic went out of his way to write a scathing piece about Choo, calling him damaged goods?
Lol. Thanks. Groundbreaking journalism.
What did Choo do to this guy?!
The writer says choo is a trade candidate. Then says he isn’t. Then says there are better options. I think he wrote the article just to talk bad about Choo.
And what’s funny, Choo will probably have the best year amongst all of those guys too (depending on how you value batting average with Gallo)
A Choo- bless you
Sorry but drafting Groome was not a misstep unless you try to argue he was never a high ceiling pitcher despite the hype. At the time money prevented him from being taken earlier by others and he fell into DD’s lap. He was considered then by some the top arm available to Boston if not in the entire draft then. There were no arm worries that I can recall and just because a kid doesn’t make it doesn’t mean it was the wrong pick. Sometimes luck plays a role and other times people make their own luck.
It’s hardly been determined yetthat Groome won’t “make it,” either. He returned to the mound late in the season after recovering from TJS and looked strong…just turned 21. Let’s see what happens.
Not going against Groome either. He ended up signing for a tad under slot, really large body for a then 18yo as remember and saw him throw 2IP in Ft Myers that summer.. What a bender that kid had. just off the table. I asked one of the scouts there what he was throwing at since wasn’t at the main stadium, but at the minors complex that particular game (2016) and as remember wasn’t the advertised “up to 95” we all read in reports about him, but 92-93.
Right. You need the power of hindsight to have any idea that Groome was not the right pick there. He always had some makeup issues but his ceiling was undoubtedly much higher than Hudson or Lauer. Really no issue with them taking him over Whitley either. Some times it works out and sometimes it doesn’t.the Draft is a Gamble.
“Boston Red Sox” wow haven’t heard that in like a month
Redsox not in a minor rebuild. Pending on this years decisions will show its more deeper than thought. They let go DD before more years of going backward occurred like Detroit.
Well of course Espada is going to say all the right things…..
The Cubs made the wrong choice, but they got their yes man.
Choo won’t be 38 until next July, how is that soon?
Under a year is “soon” for some, like myself.
I thought Groome went 16 to the Sox while Whitley went much earlier to the stros that year. I remember groome because the Red Sox picked right in front of the Yankees who picked that overrated OF who was a year older than everyone in his class.
I was wrong it was Yankees I was mad at that year as Whitley went right after Rutherford
Groome was hardly a “misstep.” his potential was well worth the injury risk at 12th, and he still had time to make the Majors. at this point he’ll be up before Anderson Espinosa.
The ink on Chaim Bloom’s contract isn’t even dry yet and “Sports Writer Head of Baseball Ops Dreamer Wanna Be’s” are already telling him what to do. LOL
.