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  1. #1
    We'll Be Back Spursfan092120's Avatar
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    Excited about Darvish...guys are healthy...Let's get back, baby...




  2. #2
    Believe. Jose Canseco's Avatar
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    I'm interested to see what the everyday line-up will be. Their offense is so good, it's not like they have to do much to change it. But when you have Cruz and Napoli hitting 6th and 7th, you have to at least consider moving them up a spot each based on what they did last year. Still very right handed dominant. Anyway to mix in another lefty bat somewhere in the top 6-7 besides Hamilton? Where does Michael Young hit? I think I'd rather see him hitting 2nd than clean-up and then just move Andrus towards the bottom of the order. Just a couple things to consider.

  3. #3
    we rang stretch's Avatar
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    IMO...

    1. Andrus
    2. Young
    3. Hamilton
    4. Beltre
    5. Napoli
    6. Cruz
    7. Kinsler
    8. Moreland
    9. Murphy/Gentry/Torrealba

    Only way I don't mind Kinsler leading off again is if he quits swinging for the stands every time at the plate. Dude has ability to get on base at a high rate as he can be a very good contact hitter, has very good speed, and is very good as drawing walks... but ruins it when he pops out every other AB because he's trying too hard to blast homers. If he is going to continue swinging for the stands, he needs to be put back in the order, so he can look to bat people in. The Rangers definitely missed out on quite a few runs this past season that they could have had if Kinsler just focused on getting on base. That could be the difference between 3-4 wins and losses, which may prove to be very significant this year as the Angels are not going to be easy at all.

    Goodness, sometimes I forget how good their lineup actually is though... 1-7 are all studs, and Moreland is capable of playing at a high level too (supposedly he played with a fractured bone in his hand which explains his unusually bad streak late in the season last year, after starting so well). Even Murphy and Torrealba are no slouches either, and would definitely be higher in the order on a lot of other teams in the league.

    If Feliz and/or Darvish have a good year, there is no reason this team isn't back in the World Series. I expect Holland to improve, Harrison should be solid again, and Colby can't possibly be worse than he was last year. Also now with a healthy Feldman and Ogando back in the bullpen (and no Oliver), the bullpen should be very strong as they have two previous starters who can relieve for extended innings, and Adams is a good shutdown guy for the 8th. The starters will only really NEED to pitch 5-6 innings a game with the depth in the bullpen. Hopefully Nathan can have a nice year, as he is the only real question in the bullpen IMO.

  4. #4
    Dragon style JamStone's Avatar
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    With Kinsler, it cuts both ways. If he didn't swing for the fences so much, then he'd probably be just a 15-20 HR guy and that decrease in run production may cost the Rangers 3-4 wins. Just the other way of looking at it. The fact he still takes his walks and had a pretty good OBP tells me he doesn't have to move out of the leadoff spot.

    The Rangers should be fine this year, but it's not like there aren't other very good AL teams. The reasons why they aren't guaranteed to be back in the World Series include the Angels, the Yankees, the Tigers, the Red Sox, and the Rays. I wouldn't be surprised if they made it back, but other good teams will have something to say about it.

  5. #5
    non-essential Chris's Avatar
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    IMO...

    1. Andrus
    2. Young
    3. Hamilton
    4. Beltre
    5. Napoli
    6. Cruz
    7. Kinsler
    8. Moreland
    9. Murphy/Gentry/Torrealba
    This, but I'm swapping Cruz and Nap. Wouldn't be surprised to see Kinsler and Moreland get moved around a LOT. Also Young will be all over the place considering he's a bona fide utility infielder.

  6. #6
    Bernoullin' niggas! BUMP's Avatar
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    Swap Cruz and Beltre, stretch, otherwise I agree with every ing word you posted brother!

  7. #7
    we rang stretch's Avatar
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    With Kinsler, it cuts both ways. If he didn't swing for the fences so much, then he'd probably be just a 15-20 HR guy and that decrease in run production may cost the Rangers 3-4 wins. Just the other way of looking at it. The fact he still takes his walks and had a pretty good OBP tells me he doesn't have to move out of the leadoff spot.
    Well, personally, I would rather him leave the leadoff spot completely, and continue swinging that way. He opened a lot of games with solo shots, which is cool, but even cooler when he belts in homers with guys on base. If he keeps swinging hard, but later in the lineup after some people who get on base frequently, he could have the same number of HRs but an extra 10-20 RBIs.

  8. #8
    we rang stretch's Avatar
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    and I think Cruz, Beltre, and Napoli are all interchangable for the 4-6 spots. I wouldn't have a problem with any order of those 3 guys. But I think Beltre's speed being followed with Cruz and Napoli could potentially result in a couple more RBIs for those guys, as opposed to the other way around.

  9. #9
    Dragon style JamStone's Avatar
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    Well, personally, I would rather him leave the leadoff spot completely, and continue swinging that way. He opened a lot of games with solo shots, which is cool, but even cooler when he belts in homers with guys on base. If he keeps swinging hard, but later in the lineup after some people who get on base frequently, he could have the same number of HRs but an extra 10-20 RBIs.
    Perhaps, but I think you may also be looking at things too narrowly. The situation you're specifically talking about only happens to lead off the game and when Kinsler leads off another inning, which during the course of the game can still happen to any hitter in the order, leadoff or not. But the Rangers have such length to their line-up, Kinsler still gets a load of RBI opportunities. The Rangers 7-8-9 hitters rank 2nd, 3rd, and 7th in the AL in OBP at those spots in the order. In fact, the only other teams that had about as good of depth and quality collectively at the bottom of the order last season were Kansas City and Boston.

    I tried to find a good comparison to another player hitting down in the line-up in a great offense with a similar number of plate appearances. And this might be a good one, Robinson Cano. Cano hit mostly 4-5 in a very potent Yankees line-up and had a roughly similar amount of ABs/PAs as Kinsler, who hit mostly leadoff (some 3rd).

    Kinsler: 620 ABs, 723 PAs
    Cano: 623 ABs, 681 PAs

    Similar number of at-bats and plate appearances. Now look at their PAs with opportunities to produce runs.

    Kinsler: 284 PAs with runners on, 169 PAs with RISP
    Cano: 310 PAs with runners on, 177 PA with RISP

    Considering Kinsler led off for most of the season so that takes away around 150 PAs where he automatically won't have runners on or RISP, those numbers are pretty close. Even as a leadoff hitter, Kinsler got a load of RBI opportunities. He had more than Ellsbury. A lot of that has to do with the length/depth of the Rangers line-up and the ability of the bottom of the order to get on base and turn the line-up over. Moving him down may get him some more opportunities, but significantly more? I'm not convinced. Even at leadoff, he's getting a similar amount of RBI opportunities as a lot of middle of the order guys on other teams.

  10. #10
    adolis is altuve’s father monosylab1k's Avatar
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    I think an ill wind is blowing this season.

    After two straight heartbreakers in the World Series, a storm of distractions, and expectations higher than ever, I think the Rangers slip a little bit.

    I don't think we'll get anywhere near the same production from Napoli or Beltre. Hamilton will miss his standard 30-60 games. Same with Kinsler. I can see Michael Young's production taking a dive.

    Even still, the team will live or die by it's pitching. Colby will be steady, but with all the other youngsters, who knows how things will go for them. I fully expect Darvish, Holland, and Feliz to be a dynamite trio of starters for the future, but maybe not this season.

    The Rangers future is still brighter than any other team in the majors, but I just don't see them mounting a third World Series try this year. I predict a 89-73 record, losing the division to the Angels, and losing out to Boston for the WC spot. This core group will get back to the World Series at least one more time imho, but not this season.

    btw I've got the Phillies beating the Tigers in the World Series this year, not that anybody gives a .

  11. #11
    Banned
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    still they have no talent at 1st base which will make em pay. s conceded too many Hs last year which could've been prevented if the 1st baser played better. it looks to me the rangers are like a ferrari w/o tires which ain't going nowhere, one weakness that is gonna en ber them forever tbh.

  12. #12
    We'll Be Back Spursfan092120's Avatar
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    If we don't get something better at first, we're going to have issues. Unless the FO knows something about Moreland that we don't know, I see a lot of errors on that side of the infield. Really wish we could have pulled something off for Prince.

  13. #13
    We'll Be Back Spursfan092120's Avatar
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    I predict a 89-73 record, losing the division to the Angels, and losing out to Boston for the WC spot.
    There's two wild card opportunities this year. I fully expect the Rangers to get to the Playoffs, and I honestly think we'll have a shot to get back to the Classic. I think we're still better than the Angels overall...I don't think them adding CJ and Pujols puts them over us. I could be wrong, but that's my opinion.

  14. #14
    Bernoullin' niggas! BUMP's Avatar
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    I was actually gonna agree with mono, that the Rangers were probably gonna be the last team out, but with the new rule I think they'll be the last ones in.

    It's hard to look at this division and not see the Angels winning it without being a homer. They are just ridiculously stacked and IMO will get the best overall record in baseball.

    My predictions for the American League

    AL West

    1. Angels
    2. Rangers (wild card)

    AL Central

    1. Tigers (by a ton of games)
    2. who cares

    AL East

    1. Yankees (still have one more year in them
    2. Red Sox (wild card)
    3. Blue Jays (barely missing out)

  15. #15
    ex Hornets78 Pelicans78's Avatar
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    I expect the Royals to kick some tail today.

    Their offense is potent, defense is impenetrable, and a dominant bullpen.

  16. #16
    ex Hornets78 Pelicans78's Avatar
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    Royals beating down the Rangers as expected. Up 6-1 in the 5th.

  17. #17
    Orange Whip? Orange Whip? Viva Las Espuelas's Avatar
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    Going to see Yu Monday night.
    Phillies ll

  18. #18
    We'll Be Back Spursfan092120's Avatar
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    Nice...should be a of a game.

  19. #19
    you fail at trollin' me TheMACHINE's Avatar
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    Hows Yu been looking lately?

  20. #20
    non-essential Chris's Avatar
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    New season starts today! Here's the lineup against the White Sox.


  21. #21
    Lol Crews jjktkk's Avatar
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    Hows Yu been looking lately?
    Very solid.

  22. #22
    Knowledge Is Hassle Fpoonsie's Avatar
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    Undefeated.

  23. #23
    We'll Be Back Spursfan092120's Avatar
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    Good win. We'll take it. One down, 161 to go...lol

  24. #24
    Race for seis crc21209's Avatar
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    Nathan looked pretty good today...

  25. #25
    mmm mmm good Texas Chili Dog's Avatar
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    Mid 70s my ass. It felt like it was a lot higher than that. I'm sun burned like crazy. I went there expecting it to be nice, but no it wasn't. Whatever... O WIN COLUMN. I'll be right back out there for the game tomorrow too.


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