Major Additions: Mike Napoli, Carlos Gomez, Andrew Cashner, Tyson Ross, James Loney
Major Losses: Ian Desmond, Carlos Beltran, Derek Holland, Mitch Moreland, Shawn Tolleson
Strengths: Offense, Upside
Weaknesses: Rotation depth
Potential Breakout Stars: Joey Gallo, Jurickson Profar, Jose Leclerc, Yohander Mendez
The Texas Rangers could just as realistically win the AL West as they could finish under .500. There's so much upside here that they could end up being even better despite losing Ian Desmond, Carlos Beltran, Derek Holland, and Mitch Moreland, but there are question marks attached to most of the players on this roster. Like their AL West and cross-state counterparts, the Astros, this team's strength lies in its offense. It's not quite on the same level of Houston, but they can expect plenty of production. Jonathan Lucroy, Rougned Odor, Elvis Andrus, newcomer Mike Napoli, and one of my all time favorite players, Adrian Beltre, form a very solid offensive core. From there, though, the questions, and potential upside, arise (no pun intended). Nomar Mazara was great as a rookie last year (.266/.320/.419, 94 wRC+), and Carlos Gomez ripped the cover off the ball in 33 games after his trade from Houston (.284/.362/.543, 139 wRC+). Both can absolutely continue that success, but that doesn't mean it's a given. Jurickson Profar is a player to watch; he's been in the majors since 2012 and a top prospect for even longer, so it's easy to forget that just turned 24 in February. With that kind of youth (plus the big performance from the World Baseball Classic), he's an easy pick for a breakout. Shin-Soo Choo battled injuries in 2016, but the 34 year old has a great track record and shouldn't be counted just yet. Then, of course, there's the big power bat of Joey Gallo, the 23 year old who has mashed 152 minor league home runs and seven major league home runs in five pro seasons, striking out 794 times along the way. If you're looking for the next Ichiro Suzuki, look elsewhere. Gallo can hit the ball to the moon, but he misses just as big as he hits it. His 76 MLB strikeouts account for a whopping 49.7% of his 153 plate appearances, and when you throw in his seven home runs and 20 walks, that's 67.3% of his plate appearances in which the fielders can just sit down and take a break. He could be the next Ryan Howard, swatting 40+ home runs per season, or he could be today's Ryan Howard, struggling to hit .220. On the mound, the team is even more boom or bust. Cole Hamels is a fine ace, but it's all uncertainty from there. When healthy, we all know that Yu Darvish is among the best pitchers in baseball, but he missed all of 2015 and made just 17 starts in 2016. I wouldn't be too worried about him, but we all know nothing's a guarantee with Tommy John surgery. Injuries have caused both Martin Perez and A.J. Griffin to be inconsistent over the past few seasons, but both are very talented. Meanwhile, Andrew Cashner is just a few years removed from excellent seasons in 2013 and 2014, but his 2016 was pretty forgettable. Almost as forgettable as Tyson Ross' season, as he made just one start due to shoulder issues. In the bullpen, Sam Dyson has been far more than the Rangers thought he would be when they traded for him in 2015, putting up a 2.03 ERA and a 1.12 WHIP in Ranger blue and red. 2004 first overall pick Matt Bush finally reached the majors in 2016, and the results (2.48 ERA, 0.94 WHIP) were everything the Rangers hoped for. Jeremy Jeffress (2.33 ERA, 1.26 WHIP) is another great arm in the back of the bullpen. However, nobody else is a sure thing. Tony Barnette was great (2.09 ERA, 1.16 WHIP), but he was also a rare 32 year old rookie. Keone Kela, Tanner Scheppers, Dario Alvarez, and Alex Claudio have had some success, but none have proven they can maintain it. Two arms to watch are 23 year old Jose Leclerc, who put up a 1.80 ERA as a rookie last year but also walked 13 batters in 15 innings, and 22 year old Yohander Mendez, one of baseball's better pitching prospects who reached the majors last season but who has yet to throw 120 innings in any single pro season since he was signed in 2012. Overall, it's boom or bust. There is a ton of talent, with Lucroy, Beltre, and Hamels to hold it together, but there are plenty of things that could go wrong.
No comments:
Post a Comment