The Rangers have designated lefties Kyle Bird and Jeffrey Springs for assignment. Their roster spots were needed to make way for the now-official signings of catcher Robinson Chirinos and infielder Todd Frazier.
Bird, 26, was hit hard in his MLB debut last year, surrendering five home runs and 15 walks in a dozen outings as he struggled with fastball command. But he has posted strong results in the upper minors, including a run of 2.86 ERA ball (with 10.1 K/9 and 3.9 BB/9) in his 34 2/3 innings last year at Triple-A. And he has shown a high-level spin rate that could hold appeal to other organizations.
As for the 27-year-old Springs, he turned in solid results in 2018 but took a bit step back in his sophomore campaign. Over 32 1/3 frames, he surrendered 6.40 earned runs per nine with 8.9 K/9 and 6.4 BB/9. While he hasn’t really shown it at the MLB level, Springs has at times carried eye-popping strikeout numbers in the minors. And he did record a 12.5% swinging-strike rate in 2019.
Thanks. Was waiting with bated breath for news on both of these guys!
Clearly no evidence of sarcasm here
Sarcasm alert!
On the other hand, I wonder
what baseball would be like if the pitcher didn’t bat
AND there was no DH!
I can see the Pirates taking a chance at LHP Springs..
Picking at the bottom of Texas’ scrap heap of arms isn’t very likely. They are left handed, so maybe. But Texas has had some gas can arms on the backend of their 40 man the last few years.
Pls trade or release these guys. I swear Springs has been one of the most frustrating guys i’ve ever seen pitch, along with Shawn Kelley. I feel like every time Springs came in to pitch, he would load the bases (as evident by his 1.88 whip last year), and then he would give up all of the guys on base…. (as evident by his 6.40 era). But what was most frustrating was that he didn’t give up a lot of homeruns, so all of those runs came in SLOWLY… by singles, doubles, triples, walks, and hbps…
As for Bird, he is AAA depth. Didn’t see him a whole lot, but when I did he was bad.
Good luck to them both, and I hope the rangers can move on from each.
This is less interesting than John Morrison returning to action on Smackdown this Friday night.
I all seriousness I think one stays with the rangers in AAA, and the other latches on elsewhere. I’d think springs could be on the move but who knows.
Both look pretty intriguing considering their minor league success.
Have you or haven’t you heard…
That Springs is the word?
Ha!
The Reds desperately need another LH RP. Let’s get these two and see if Pitching Coach Derek Johnson can work his magic.
I’m still so frustrated about the Braves didn’t sign JD that I felt the need to come to this story and vent a little more….
Hey I’m mad the Rangers weren’t able to put in their second offer for Rendon. I just needed to vent a little more. Imagine an offseason with Kluber, Rendon, Chirinos, J. Rodriguez, Gibson, Lyles, and Frazier. jeez….
Y’all would have had a good offseason… although Frazier wouldn’t have happen if y’all got Rendon and I think Frazier is awful anyways lol that’s a downgrade in my humble opinion
Theo already has his claim in.
Wait……. Springs would be a MLB contract, nevermind to rich for the Cubs.