5 New Year Resolutions for the Texas Rangers
By Reid Hanson
It’s a brand new year so what better time than now to reassess priorities and set some resolutions for our Texas Rangers
At face value, it’s not a very exciting time to be a Texas Rangers fan. Here in an offseason sandwiched between (what we assume to be) two losing seasons, selling interest and optimism has never been tougher. Don’t believe me, just ask the Rangers ticket office how things are going.
But having the right focus can make all the difference in the world. The Texas Rangers may not be fielding a team that can compete in the postseason, but they are doing something entertaining in it’s own right – they’re building a contending roster from the bottom up.
Priorities are different for a team like the Texas Rangers which means their New Year resolutions must also follow suit.
Resolution No. 1
Pitching
The Texas Rangers began the offseason devoid of pitching at nearly every level. Their expected rotation was non-existent and their farm was empty in the higher ranks. Just finding five starters seemed like a pretty tall task, let alone restocking the top of the prospect pool.
But lo and behold, Jon Daniels started to figure it out. The Rangers are in a much better place today than they were a few months ago but they still have a long way to go. Pitching isn’t just an offseason focus for the Rangers – it’s a permanent focus.
Nothing is more important to this team’s return to relevance than pitching.
Resolution No. 2
Stock the Farm
Again, Jon Daniels has started this process brilliantly. He’s flipping players here in the present for players to help in the future. As the 2019 season gets moving, Texas must take every opportunity to flip current veterans for building blocks of the future.
Resolution No. 3
Tough Decisions
Joey Gallo and Nomar Mazara are two rising stars who hold value around the league. The only problem is by the time the Texas Rangers expect to compete again, they will no longer be under team control. That certainly doesn’t disqualify the pair, but it does place their future in doubt.
The Rangers must decide if they want to commit to one or both, and consider what they can get if they trade them away. Both players are talented enough to build around, but they’ve flat-lined in their development lately making this a very tough call to make.
Resolution No. 4
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Find out Answers
In much the same way, the Texas Rangers must search for answers from all their young players – not just Gallo and Mazara. Can Odor ever get back to where he was? Can Willie Calhoun develop? What’s the future for Ronald Guzman and Isiah Kiner-Falefa?
They need to develop as much as they can and figure out who’s part of the future and who’s not.
Resolution No. 5
Develop Winning Culture
With the focus on the future rather than the present, it’s easy to minimize the importance of winning. The Texas Rangers can not afford to get used to losing. Yes, they will be bad this season and because of that, losses will be rolling in. But they can’t get complacent because developing a winning culture starts now.
Rangers Fans Needed!
Next. Why trading Jurickson was a no-brainer. dark
How Texas does in clutch situations and how they hit with two strikes will say a lot about this team. They may not be in a ton of close games so the ones they get they must take full advantage of.
- Published on 01/02/2019 at 13:01 PM
- Last updated at 01/02/2019 at 08:52 AM