Texas Rangers Offseason 2023-2024

[shadow_operative2.0 16,025]

I bought a $10 shirt from a gas station tent, it was also Fanatics. 

[Vic Mackey 47,151]

I bought some rangers and longhorns gear on fanatics this winter and it was all garbage and the return policy was laughably bad. Fuck that company. 

I also bought from them after we won it all. Will never do that again as the quality was trash. But I didn't have an issue returning what I needed to and they refunded me very quickly.

[Trey3216 15,356]

13 hours ago, Firemans4Horn said:

I bought some rangers and longhorns gear on fanatics this winter and it was all garbage and the return policy was laughably bad. Fuck that company. 

They do suck.  

 

The only things I'll buy from them are 47Brand, Nike, Columbia, Peter Millar, and other brands where I know the quality is going to be there.  Their branded shit is just that, absolute shit.  

[ztejas 43,537]

On 2/19/2024 at 10:09 AM, Don Johnson said:

Reminds me of the Mavs after the 2011 title and going cheap on Tyson Chandler rather than going for the repeat.

 

We have a better chance of repeating than Dallas did in 2012. OKC whipped their ass in the first round. 

And it's just easier in baseball in general. 

[Vic Mackey 47,151]

1 hour ago, ztejas said:

We have a better chance of repeating than Dallas did in 2012. OKC whipped their ass in the first round. 

And it's just easier in baseball in general. 

Also, Cuban was dead set on thinking he could get both Deron Williams and Dwight Howard here that offseason. Letting Chandler walk for more cap space went into that decision I think. The lockout then happened that year and affected things. 

[Jameslaw121 4,448]

Still weighing the options on streaming. Does anyone know if Fubo has the mlb network? It says they do. But when I actually look at the line up list it isn't on there

[shadow_operative2.0 16,025]

@Beau Vine, been paged again. 

[Beau Vine 54,428]

2 hours ago, Jameslaw121 said:

Still weighing the options on streaming. Does anyone know if Fubo has the mlb network? It says they do. But when I actually look at the line up list it isn't on there

They do.

[Ignatius 4,027]

First spring game today; obviously they don’t mean shit but in the storyline most interesting to me, Jack Leiter had a clean 3-batter inning. If he or White or Kent or whoever could pitch well enough to push their way into the first 5 that really improves our pre-July outlook….

[Rex Kramer 1,365]

Leiter has been re-tooled. I expect him to make a real push for the roster. Would love to have Monty but it’s not going to happen at what he’s asking and in a few years we will be happy we didn’t commit. Developments this year will be watching Jung, Carter and Langford take big steps forward, and hoping our old Cy Youngers return to form. I’d expect Seager, Semien, Garcia, Heim and Lowe to repeat efforts. 

I listened to that contrarian pederast Sean Bass today talk about how the Astros were “still” the class of the West. Fucking idiot. 

[SameSame 1,705]

Small punch in the gut yesterday when I heard CY on with the Musers, he said he would never completely shut the door to anything, but signing Montgomery ain't happening.

[gofuckyourself 8,383]

He's likely going to Boston. But who knows, maybe Young works some magic and gets Davis to check under his mattress or donate some plasma. If there's any in there.

Otherwise it's Nate, Gray, Dunning, Heaney and Bradford, I assume?

Until July/August when Scherzer and deGrom return and never ever get injured again and reel off 12 straight wins each.

[Post Oak 20,270]

Passan on Langford.

Spoiler

LikeOpen Extended Reactions

26

SURPRISE, Arizona -- During the first week of spring training, Texas Rangers pitching coach Mike Maddux returned to the team's clubhouse after watching a live batting practice session and declared: "I just saw the best player on the field." The room of coaches and assorted personnel perked up. The Rangers came into camp off a World Series title but with questionable starting pitching depth, and they were hopeful Maddux, a coach for 20 seasons, had unearthed his latest gem on the mound.

"Wyatt Langford," Maddux said.

Langford is not a pitcher. He is a 6-foot-1, 225-pound power-hitting outfielder, and for a pitching coach -- particularly one of Maddux's stature -- to gravitate so quickly to Langford provided the latest evidence that the defending champions' offense could be even better this year.

Maddux's answer surprised no one internally. After sliding to Texas at the No. 4 pick in a loaded 2023 draft, Langford, now 22, spent two months destroying four minor league levels, hitting .360/.480/.677 with 10 home runs in 200 plate appearances. He arrived this spring "in real competition to make the club," according to Texas general manager Chris Young, and only the Rangers' outfield excellence stands between Langford and an every-day big league role.

"I know if I do what I can do," Langford said, "they'll give me the opportunity to showcase that."

EDITOR'S PICKS

• 

  Passan: When MLB could expand to 32 teams -- and which cities are the favorites to get one

  7dJeff Passan
• 

  One player to watch in spring training for all 30 MLB teams

  12dDavid Schoenfield
• 

  An 18-year-old in the majors? Ichiro-like rookie numbers? Bold 2024 predictions for MLB's top prospects

  13dMLB Insiders

Langford's right-handed swing has impressed the Rangers so thoroughly that he was under substantial consideration to make his major league debut during the playoffs last year. Toward the end of the regular season, with right fielder Adolis Garcia injured, the Rangers discussed promoting Langford to fill out an already-dangerous lineup. They weren't afraid of his age or inexperience. As ably as rookie Evan Carter was already garnering headlines with his impressive play, adding Langford to Carter and center fielder Leody Taveras would've provided a needed offensive boost.

Garcia returned, of course, going on a legendary hot streak that netted him American League Championship Series MVP honors. But Langford remained around the team during the postseason, joining the Rangers' so-called "stay-ready squad" in case of injuries. Quickly, he distinguished himself.

The group would gather at Globe Life Field in the morning and take live at-bats. Among those on the mound were Jack Leiter, Owen White and Cole Winn, the best pitching prospects in the Rangers' organization. Danny Duffy, a World Series champion for the 2015 Kansas City Royals with Young as his teammate, was there and already had a deep respect for Langford after playing with him in Double-A during Duffy's attempt at a return to the big leagues.

"I got him out once, and it was the first pitch I ever threw him," Duffy said. "It was a changeup. I didn't want to challenge him right there. Ball was flying. I hadn't given up a homer all year, and he wasn't about to be my first, but he just missed one. Hit it like 400 feet in the air to the middle of center field. If he would've clipped it, it would've gone to the Embassy Suites."

 2024 MLB prospect rankings

How bright is your team's future? Kiley McDaniel ranks the top prospects and farm systems for 2024.

Top 100 prospects » | Bold predictions »
Ranking all 30 farm systems for 2024 »
Team-by-team rankings: AL » | NL »

Future Hall of Famer Max Scherzer, then trying to return from an injury, didn't know who Langford was before he faced him during a live batting practice in October. Scherzer learned quickly when Langford hammered a double off the wall. As the month went on and the Rangers cruised to the AL pennant, Langford continued to flabbergast onlookers, consistently barreling balls at 110 mph-plus, territory typically reserved for elite major league hitters. While the stay-ready crew was sent home after Game 1 of the World Series, Garcia's oblique injury suffered in Game 3 reignited the chatter among Rangers personnel to summon Langford.

"He was right there in the conversation," Texas bench coach Donnie Ecker said. "And if he did play, he was going right in the 3-hole."

"I don't know if he would've hit third, to be honest," Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said, "but watching him in the live BPs was impressive. The numbers, what he was doing, was incredible. You can't ignore that. And then you get to know the man and he's got no fear. And you saw what Carter did. And so, we had that to go on too that, hey, these guys are different, these young kids. And so, we didn't think he'd be afraid. That's why it was legit, why he was with us.

"Looking back, I mean, it actually would've been pretty cool to see."

Ultimately, Texas chose to give veteran Travis Jankowski the left-field slot and elevate utility man Ezequiel Duran to the active roster. Both had been there all year. They were capable, game-tested. With a 2-1 lead in the Series and home-field advantage, the Rangers didn't feel the need to push the envelope. The prospect of Langford in the lineup, though, remained in their thoughts. During the celebration after the Rangers' championship-clinching Game 5, one coach, already looking forward to 2024, said: "And we're going to have Langford next year too."

"It wasn't just the performance or the results in the minor leagues," Young said. "It was the process metrics, which we value, that suggested he could come up and have success. His exit velos were extremely high. His chase rate was extremely low. He was walking. He was showing elite discipline. It's everything we saw when we drafted him -- and he'd also performed on the biggest stage in college baseball.

"When you take that into account, the moment wasn't going to be too big for him."

Sign up for free fantasy baseball

The 2024 fantasy baseball season is here! Get the group together, or start a brand new tradition.
Join or start a league for free >>

Langford had laid waste to college baseball over the previous two years, going from a backup catcher who got four at-bats as a freshman at Florida to arguably the most productive hitter in the country. As a sophomore, Langford hit an SEC-leading 26 home runs with a 1.166 OPS. His follow-up was even better: While his home run total dropped to 21, Langford hit 19 more doubles as a junior and walked 20 more times while maintaining his strikeout rate. His season ended just one win short of a College World Series title.

As much as he would've enjoyed being the first position player to participate in the College World Series and the World Series in the same season, Langford saw 2023 as a grand success -- one he spent the offseason trying to replicate as he trained with hopes of convincing the Rangers he would be ready this spring. Because Langford understands that dominating in college and the minors guarantees nothing at the major league level, he has used the early goings of spring training to pick the brains of veterans Marcus Semien, Nathaniel Lowe and Josh Jung -- Langford's spring roommate -- to better understand the fundamentals of playing his first 162-game season.

"The biggest goal is just to learn as much as I can, make sure to just be myself and go out there and play and have fun," Langford said. "If it happens, then awesome. If not, then I'll go to wherever they send me to and do the best I can.

"I know if I do what I can do, they'll give me the opportunity to showcase that."

When he gets that chance might depend on the Rangers' needs. With Jung and shortstop Corey Seager sidelined, they could use their 26th roster spot for a utility man to open the season. What's clear is that the Rangers won't keep Langford down just to keep him down -- not with MLB's rules that award a full year of service time to top rookies and incentivize teams to promote them by giving draft picks.

Especially if Rangers coaches continue to see him as the best player on the field.

"He will tell us when he's ready," Young said, "and if that's now, it's now.

 

[ztejas 43,537]

On 2/23/2024 at 6:38 PM, Rex Kramer said:

Leiter has been re-tooled. I expect him to make a real push for the roster. Would love to have Monty but it’s not going to happen at what he’s asking and in a few years we will be happy we didn’t commit. Developments this year will be watching Jung, Carter and Langford take big steps forward, and hoping our old Cy Youngers return to form. I’d expect Seager, Semien, Garcia, Heim and Lowe to repeat efforts. 

What's nice about winning last year is that we don't have to worry about any timelines. We can be patient and keep letting the young guys develop and get more experience. Assuming they stay healthy, guys like Marcus, Seager and Adolis should have quite a few more productive seasons left in them. 

And who knows - maybe we get 100 innings out of DeGrom this season. 

[BehoId, The Underminer! 11,669]

if langford is what they say, a middle of the lineup of seager, adolis, and langford with simien and jung on either side would be pretty bad ass.

and carter!

[Pato del Muerto 52,597]

Just a ton of hype for him basically since he showed up, from all over the media and the club.  Will he tough to live up to if he doesn’t ops .900 from day 1. 

[gofuckyourself 8,383]

No one made a World Series (spring training) rematch thread?

Rangers picking up where they left off against Arizona so far. 

Related to Langford, looks like he got his first spring training hit.

[AbeFroman 2,204]

62 for LA is having a hell of a time just catching fly balls, he's falling all over the place.  Enjoy the spring young man.

[markstanco 12,610]

Context:  https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=805874318251081&set=a.607640831407765

[BehoId, The Underminer! 11,669]

that was a tense game.  the 5-0 final doesn't do it justice.  AZ had dudes 90 feet from home the whole game it seemed like and we were getting no hit.

[gsoda3 3,282]

2 hours ago, markstanco said:

Context:  https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=805874318251081&set=a.607640831407765

did someone free hand that or can you tattoo in specific fonts from a machine now? impressive.  even if the picture resembles a label on a gallon of milk.

[markstanco 12,610]

I thought it was outstanding work as well.  Apparently the artist (per comments) charged $300 and got paid $500.  I would have thought north of $1000 for sure. 

[gofuckyourself 8,383]

Langford started the spring 0 for whatever.

Been raking the last few games including back to back games with an HR. Spring avg up to .313 currently.

[Trey3216 15,356]

53 minutes ago, gofuckyourself said:

Langford started the spring 0 for whatever.

Been raking the last few games including back to back games with an HR. Spring avg up to .313 currently.

2 HR today 

[Ignatius 4,027]

Leiter had a scoreless inning with one K and one walk; really want to see him get it worked out….

[AbeFroman 2,204]

And Mark Payton had all the White Sox ribhees today 

[Jameslaw121 4,448]

Was watching Fever Pitch with my wife (don't ask). And noticed that the Red Sox "Opening Day" game footage was against the Rangers with Chris Young on the mound. 

[Fudbelty 2,789]

I have never owned a MLB Jersey but these gold lined Rangers ones with the WS patch absolutely makes me want one.

[Vic Mackey 47,151]

I have never owned a MLB Jersey but these gold lined Rangers ones with the WS patch absolutely makes me want one.

.

[gsoda3 3,282]

They're nice but I'd never wear it. I like the hats.

[futureman 22,544]

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C2z_--IOpdR/?igsh=MzRqMnF0eHNwMnNj 

just saw this.  I’m sure y'all are aware of the hat but I’d never seen it and I don’t frequent this thread.  but for the record I’d never wear a goddamn thing with an astros logo, upside down or backwards.  houston is a depressing place and these are sad, disgusting people.  

Edited March 8 by futureman

[Scary Stranger 1,715]

Houston = aggy.  Same little brother syndrome, same shit-ass fans, same cult like obsessions. 

[Fudbelty 2,789]

Who gives a fuck about Houston and what they do.

[angelfacedmongoloid 80]

Those hats are not the equivalent of what an upside down horns hat would be. New Era released a line of hats with upside down logos for every team. The guy in that video has a regular Rangers shirt on so even though he says he's in Houston I don't think its any kind of obsession. Most probably don't get it because normally the upside down logo thing is a sign of disrespect, but it's really not. Probably worn more by dudes who aren't fans of any particular team.

https://capswagusa.com/collections/upside-down-logo-hats-mlb-upside-down-logo-hats-new-era

[Trey3216 15,356]

Bochy just said Nate Lowe is gonna miss some time with a strained oblique.  

[TxTower 652]

Leiter had a scoreless inning with one K and one walk; really want to see him get it worked out….

He took the loss today.

3.0IP 2H 2BB 2 ER 1K

[AbeFroman 2,204]

Today's game is on Ch 21

 

 

[mdmost 43,050]

How it should be. I can't remember if it was 21 or 27 that used to show games in the 80s and 90s before FSN/FSSW got the rights. 

[fellside 1,114]

1 hour ago, mdmost said:

How it should be. I can't remember if it was 21 or 27 that used to show games in the 80s and 90s before FSN/FSSW got the rights. 

27 would show games in the early 2000s.

[Post Oak 20,270]

Ken Rosenthal says that we are in negotiations with CHW for Cease

[Jameslaw121 4,448]

4 hours ago, Post Oak said:

Ken Rosenthal says that we are in negotiations with CHW for Cease

Might be why they (and alot of other teams) have held off signing Montgomery or Snell. Wonder what the ask is. I'm guessing to would be Leiter or Rocker, Foscue and some one like Walcott or Porter

[shadow_operative2.0 16,025]

Zeke, Leiter, & Porter. Negotiations isn’t really the right word. 

[AbeFroman 2,204]

10 minutes ago, shadow_operative2.0 said:

Zeke, Leiter, & Porter. Negotiations isn’t really the right word. 

If they're taking that, then yes by all means.

[gsoda3 3,282]

What do you guys think about his year last year?

[shadow_operative2.0 16,025]

I think he’s not Aledo & is only $8M. Never been on the Zeke train, actually like Leiter, Porter is young.

But I bet he goes to NYY or SD anyway. 

[Radical Larry 28,662]

SD it is.

[shadow_operative2.0 16,025]

This is the final package. 

Quote

The White Sox are receiving right-hander Drew Thorpe, who is the No. 4-ranked prospect in the Padres' system and No. 64 among ESPN's top 100 MLB prospects, right-hander Jairo Iriarte (the No. 7 prospect among San Diego's minor leaguers), outfielder Samuel Zavala and right-hander Steven Wilson, according to ESPN's Kiley McDaniel. 

[gsoda3 3,282]

I'm low key relieved we didn't get him for that package. I like his dependability but I think I rate Zeke, leiter, and porter higher than most.

[shadow_operative2.0 16,025]

Likely hitting 3-hole on the 28th. 

 

[Constant 6,755]

37 minutes ago, shadow_operative2.0 said:

Likely hitting 3-hole on the 28th. 

 

Gonna have to get this kid a legit number. Can’t imagine he wants to wear 82. 

Edited March 15 by Constant