MLB Chatter Thread

E_D_Guapo

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Next year, Moreland and Elvis are both gone. Gallo is called up to play first and Profar is moved to short. Best infield in the majors at that point? I would have to say yes.
I'll throw a Cubs hat in the ring as well. Anthony Rizzo at 1B, Ben Zobrist at 2B, and Kris Bryant at 3B are all established, All-Star caliber players. There aren't a ton of second year players you can say that about but Bryant's results speak for themselves. Then consider that at SS Addison Russell's prospect status was pretty much on par with Profar's. He was a consensus top 5 when he came up and has actually been contributing at the Big League level for a year now. His average isn't great yet but he is excellent in the field and hit for some power/drives in runs. And he just turned 22 in January. Javier Baez is the utility IF that has played every IF position except C so far this year. He has some holes (low BA/OBP so far) but he can hit for serious power and has shown to be a very good defender at 3B, SS, and 2B (he has only played a little 1B but no doubt he could excel at it with his athleticism and defensive prowess at other positions). He just turned 23 in December so he may very well improve also and projects to be their future every day 3B or 2B as long as he continues to improve (just so happens to have 4 hits and 3 RBI in the game that is going on right now).

For good measure you can throw in Willson Contreras, the consensus top catching prospect in baseball—he will likely be their starting catcher to begin next season—and you have a very formidable IF situation for many years to come. Zobrist is the only guy > 27 years old and everyone else besides Rizzo is < 25. Most of those guys have multiple years of rookie contract control left and Rizzo still has several years left on a team-friendly contract. Only Zobrist is a short-timer with two more seasons left on his deal.

That isn't to diminish the Rangers, just sticking up for my team because there is a strong case. The Rangers absolutely have one of the best situations in MLB right now with the glut of talented young position players that they have either playing now or on the way. They should be a force in the AL for a long time to come.
 
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Cotton

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Best in the majors? How is that? Gallo hasn't even shown he can stick in the majors yet.

I wouldn't even rate their infield as better than the Twins with Sano/Plouffe (plouffe will be gone next year), Nunez, Dozier and Mauer. And I wouldn't say they are one of the best in the majors, either. Odor and Dozier are a push. Odor better avg, Dozier better power and defense. Sano and Beltre have similar offense right now. Sano is pretty good defensively for a big man, and I admittedly don't know much about Beltre's defense. I do know that he's about 167 years old, though. Sano is 23. They are clearly headed in different directions. Short stop I'll give to the Rangers if that's where Profar ends up. Question is, will he keep it up? And Nunez is batting .350 with 10 homers so far this year, and great defense. I'll still give this to Profar, as Nunez is having a career year and while a good player, history has shown isn't THIS good. Gallo and Mauer at first? Mauer all day, every day. He still bats .300 in his sleep and is always at the top in doubles and walks, while providing gold glove caliber defense. Until Gallo shows he can stay up and bat more than .225 consistently, this is no contest.

I'd be interested in why you think the Rangers would have the majors best infield.
Dude, it was mostly tongue in cheek. Calm yourself. But, I do think they are going to be very good. Of course, that hinges on Profar and Odor remaining consistent offensively. Gallo is coming around, and Beltre is always consistent both offensively and defensively. So, let me rephrase more seriously... I think we will have one of the best infields in baseball.
 

Cotton

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Oh, and in the interest of sticking up for him, Odor has more HRs than Dozier.
 

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I'll throw a Cubs hat in the ring as well. Anthony Rizzo at 1B, Ben Zobrist at 2B, and Kris Bryant at 3B are all established, All-Star caliber players. There aren't a ton of second year players you can say that about but Bryant's results speak for themselves. Then consider that at SS Addison Russell's prospect status was pretty much on par with Profar's. He was a consensus top 5 when he came up and has actually been contributing at the Big League level for a year now. His average isn't great yet but he is excellent in the field and hit for some power/drives in runs. And he just turned 22 in January. Javier Baez is the utility IF that has played every IF position except C so far this year. He has some holes (low BA/OBP so far) but he can hit for serious power and has shown to be a very good defender at 3B, SS, and 2B (he has only played a little 1B but no doubt he could excel at it with his athleticism and defensive prowess at other positions). He just turned 23 in December so he may very well improve also and projects to be their future every day 3B or 2B as long as he continues to improve (just so happens to have 4 hits and 3 RBI in the game that is going on right now).

For good measure you can throw in Willson Contreras, the consensus top catching prospect in baseball—he will likely be their starting catcher to begin next season—and you have a very formidable IF situation for many years to come. Zobrist is the only guy > 27 years old and everyone else besides Rizzo is < 25. Most of those guys have multiple years of rookie contract control left and Rizzo still has several years left on a team-friendly contract. Only Zobrist is a short-timer with two more seasons left on his deal.

That isn't to diminish the Rangers, just sticking up for my team because there is a strong case. The Rangers absolutely have one of the best situations in MLB right now with the glut of talented young position players that they have either playing now or on the way. They should be a force in the AL for a long time to come.
Yeah, you guys have a stud infield right now. Not even to include who might be coming later.
 

NoDak

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I'll throw a Cubs hat in the ring as well. Anthony Rizzo at 1B, Ben Zobrist at 2B, and Kris Bryant at 3B are all established, All-Star caliber players. There aren't a ton of second year players you can say that about but Bryant's results speak for themselves. Then consider that at SS Addison Russell's prospect status was pretty much on par with Profar's. He was a consensus top 5 when he came up and has actually been contributing at the Big League level for a year now. His average isn't great yet but he is excellent in the field and hit for some power/drives in runs. And he just turned 22 in January. Javier Baez is the utility IF that has played every IF position except C so far this year. He has some holes (low BA/OBP so far) but he can hit for serious power and has shown to be a very good defender at 3B, SS, and 2B (he has only played a little 1B but no doubt he could excel at it with his athleticism and defensive prowess at other positions). He just turned 23 in December so he may very well improve also and projects to be their future every day 3B or 2B as long as he continues to improve (just so happens to have 4 hits and 3 RBI in the game that is going on right now).

For good measure you can throw in Willson Contreras, the consensus top catching prospect in baseball—he will likely be their starting catcher to begin next season—and you have a very formidable IF situation for many years to come. Zobrist is the only guy > 27 years old and everyone else besides Rizzo is < 25. Most of those guys have multiple years of rookie contract control left and Rizzo still has several years left on a team-friendly contract. Only Zobrist is a short-timer with two more seasons left on his deal.

That isn't to diminish the Rangers, just sticking up for my team because there is a strong case. The Rangers absolutely have one of the best situations in MLB right now with the glut of talented young position players that they have either playing now or on the way. They should be a force in the AL for a long time to come.
Yeah, as much as I love Sano I'd trade our infield for yours.
 

Texas Ace

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Hopefully the Sox get another win with Price on the mound tonight and get a share of the 3rd best record in baseball.

And Rangers are 9 of their last 10? Wow.....should be 10 of their last 11 since they do get the Astros tonight.
 

Cotton

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Hopefully the Sox get another win with Price on the mound tonight and get a share of the 3rd best record in baseball.

And Rangers are 9 of their last 10? Wow.....should be 10 of their last 11 since they do get the Astros tonight.
We get the Astros tonight and then a 4th game tomorrow afternoon.
 

Rev

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I guess they put us in the ground...
 

Cotton

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I asked Evan Grant about them, and here was his reply...

 

Cotton

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Desmond had a pretty sweet throw out from center last night...

 

E_D_Guapo

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Desmond had a pretty sweet throw out from center last night...

I thought that Desmond signing was really smart. Some baseball people kind of panned it as an unnecessary progress stopper but it was a no risk move, IMO. Desmond had a bad 2015 but is still in the prime of his career and has been a good player for several years. Looks like it is really paying off but even if he continued to struggle it was only a one year deal, right?
 

E_D_Guapo

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Related to that clip of Desmond throwing the guy out at the plate, the Cubs brought up former top 10 pick Albert Almora, who played his first game yesterday. He is projected to be a decent hitter but an outstanding defender who will have a solid WAR based on his defensive runs saved alone. He will be their CF of the future but was playing LF yesterday. The first time the ball was hit to him in his MLB career he gunned a guy down at home plate in similar fashion to what Desmond did. He is not even a prospect that most people know about because he isn't going to be the offensive monster that guys like Kris Bryant and Kyle Schwarber are and his development has taken a little longer, but he is going to be a big asset if he can hit at all. Him in CF and Heyward in RF is going to make for one of the better defensive OF in the game. #embarrassmentofriches
 

Cotton

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I thought that Desmond signing was really smart. Some baseball people kind of panned it as an unnecessary progress stopper but it was a no risk move, IMO. Desmond had a bad 2015 but is still in the prime of his career and has been a good player for several years. Looks like it is really paying off but even if he continued to struggle it was only a one year deal, right?
Yes, one year deal. I'm hoping we can re-sign him to something longer.
 

E_D_Guapo

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Yes, one year deal. I'm hoping we can re-sign him to something longer.
As smart as the one year deal was, I think re-signing him to a big deal would be a bad idea. He messed up and turned down over $100M from the Nats prior to 2015 and then had a bad season and had to settle for a one year deal from the Rangers. He is rebuilding his value but is going to have to try to grab as much money as he can with his next deal. Not sure it would make sense for Texas since they need somewhere for Profar to play, Mazara looks like a stud, and Lewis Brinson is looming.

If they could get him for the kind of money you would pay a utility guy then absolutely, but he is going to command a decent longish term deal for starter money if he continues to play well. I guess if they decide to trade some prospects (Brinson, for instance) this year at the deadline to beef up for a World Series run I could see it, but I don't see it happening.
 
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Cotton

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As smart as the one year deal was, I think re-signing him to a big deal would be a bad idea. He messed up and turned down over $100M from the Nats prior to 2015 and then had a bad season and had to settle for a one year deal from the Rangers. He is rebuilding his value but is going to have to try to grab as much money as he can with his next deal. Not sure it would make sense for Texas since they need somewhere for Profar to play, Mazara looks like a stud, and Lewis Brinson is looming.

If they could get him for the kind of money you would pay a utility guy then absolutely, but he is going to command a decent longish term deal for starter money if he continues to play well. I guess if they decide to trade some prospects (Brinson, for instance) this year at the deadline to beef up for a World Series run I could see it, but I don't see it happening.
I doubt they move Profar to the OF. Mazara can stay in right. But, Brinson you're right about. If he is ready to come up sooner rather than later, I had rather not hitch my wagon to Desmond. I guess what they do with Desmond will depend on how far along they believe Brinson is.
 
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