Wednesday newsletter time: Are Rangers on vacation, too? Don’t let the quiet fool you
(AP photo/Shizuo Kambayashi)
MEAD, Colo. — The past three days marked, I think, the longest streak of days without fresh content from Rangers Today. I don’t know that for sure, but the only other time would have been early June and that would have been in-season and wouldn’t have happened.
It’s the offseason now, so some time in Colorado isn’t going to hurt anyone.
Besides, we all needed the break.
So have the Rangers, apparently, after a week in which Martin Perez took the qualifying offer, six prospects were added to the 40-man, and the team landed the 2024 All-Star Game.
That doesn’t mean work toward signing players and a pitching coach hasn’t been done. In fact, two sources expect a pitching coach to be named relatively soon. That’s relative, of course.
The top candidate, as far as Rangers Today is concerned, is former Rangers pitching coach Mike Maddux. Former Bruce Bochy pitching coaches Darren Balsley and Curt Young are also believed to be candidates.
Free agents might be interested in knowing who the Rangers’ new pitching coach will be, but they’re probably more interested by the amount of zeroes on the end of their contracts. A coach with Maddux’s track record couldn’t hurt, though.
Maybe Japanese right-hander Kodai Senga asked. The Rangers reportedly visited with Senga, a hard-throwing free agent who would step directly into the Rangers’ rotation. He would join Perez and righties Jon Gray and Jake Odorizzi.
Senga reportedly wants to pitch for a team that can contend in 2023. That might work against the Rangers, despite their stated intention to contend ASAP.
All the big names remain unsigned. Things could stay that way until the winter meetings, which begin Dec. 4. That’s pretty soon, like 11 days away.
That’s not relative.
Carter honored
Evan Carter, who could take over as the Rangers’ top prospect once Josh Jung has officially surpassed his rookie limits, was honored Tuesday for his defensive prowess.
The outfielder was selected as a minor-league Gold Glove winner, the first Rangers prospect to receive that honor since catcher Jose Trevino in 2017. He made good on the real deal this year with the Yankees.
The award is another indication that Carter is every bit as good as the Rangers believed he was when they selected him in the second round of the 2020 draft. The term “five-tool prospect” was thrown around that night, and the Rangers meant it.
Carter was picked as the Rangers Minor League Player of the Year after playing much of the 2022 season as a teenager. He finished up at Double A Frisco at age 20, helping the RoughRiders win the Texas League championship.
A two-time guest on the Rangers Today Baseball Podcast, Carter posted an .886 OPS this year.
Rangers Today reminders
Vacation ends Friday, so we’ll get back on our normal schedule Sunday with the Sunday Read.
There will be plenty of news while we’re at the winter meetings.
The Rangers Today Baseball Podcast will resume next week.
The holiday shopping season kicks off Friday.
In short, buy yourself a paid subscription to Rangers Today ($5.99/month, $35/six months, $60/year) or give it as a gift. And go ahead and subscribe to the podcast YouTube channel (for free).
Doggy video!
The coffee kicked in with one of these two. Enjoy.
Don’t mind me…do whatcha gotta do. 😏🥴🤣🐶 pic.twitter.com/kX7mVIsrCV
— Fred Schultz (@FredSchultz35) November 21, 2022
Jeff Wilson, jeff@rangerstoday.com
