2023 Pre-Season Profile: Texas Rangers

 #16

The Texas Rangers have spent the last couple offseasons trying to buy their way into contention.  Will 2023 reward them with a playoff berth?

2022 Predictions

#20 - 4th in AL West

MIH - Adolis Garcia

MIP - Jon Gray

PTW - Josh Jung

2022 Results

#24 - 68-94, 4th in AL West

Highest WAR (Position) - Marcus Semien

Highest WAR (Pitcher) - Martin Perez

The 2022 Texas Rangers were all about seeing how much improvement they could get out of the money they spent on Marcus Semien and Corey Seager.  The answer was ... not a lot with them alone.  They only won 8 more games in 2022 from 2021 as their pitching struggled to keep up.  Outside of Martin Perez and a couple arms out of the bullpen, the pitching staff was well below average in 2022.  The lack of improvement led to manager Chris Woodward being fired mid-season.

Additions / Subtractions

The Rangers continued this offseason on their spending spree, which started by replacing their manager with future Hall of Famer Bruce Bochy.  Then, the Rangers rebuilt their rotation the same way they did their lineup: free agency and lots of money.  So in comes free agent starters Jacob deGrom, Andrew Heaney, Nathan Eovaldi, and Jake Odorizzi (only he was via trade), as well as reliever Ian Kennedy.  So consider the rotation re-tooled.

Most Important Hitter

Corey Seager

Entering his second season as a Ranger, Corey Seager should have something to prove.  Although 2022 was a really good season for him, it could have been even better.  Seager is being paid like a superstar, yet his production was eclipsed by his high-priced double play mate Marcus Semien.  He hit a career high 33 homers, but he only had a 119 OPS+ when he has been in the 130-150 range.  He did play the full season, which is huge for a guy who has struggled to stay on the field.  Now he has to put it all together, which may be easier for him in 2023.  Seager is one mentioned often as a player that will benefit the most from the new rule that bans the shift.  Teams implemented the shift on Seager more than almost any other player in baseball in 2022.  This led to a .245 batting average when he has a career average of .287.  With this simple change, that batting average could bump significantly.  Now, can he stay on the field for a second consecutive full season, a feat he has only accomplished once in his career?

Most Important Pitcher

Jacob deGrom

Speaking of health ... The Rangers took a huge gamble this offseason giving Jacob deGrom one of the richest contracts a starting pitcher has ever received.  His 5 year, $185 million deal will make him the 5th highest paid starter in baseball this season, a number that actually goes up as the contract ages.  So why is the a problem?  Over the last 3 seasons, deGrom has only thrown 224 innings.  He has almost had single seasons reach that number.  To be fair, one of those seasons was the COVID-shortened 2020 season, but the point remains the same.  After being a work horse for the first 6 seasons of his career, deGrom simply hasn't been on the field.  The struggle has also been those seasons have been some of his most dominant.  He was going to set records in 2021 before he got hurt.  If he's healthy, he's the best pitcher in baseball and can lead this re-vamped starting rotation to great heights.  If he's hurt, the Rangers have a black hole at the top of their rotation (as well as their check book).  Which will it be?

Prospect to Watch

Owen White

More focus on pitching for the Rangers...  The Rangers have a strong top end of their farm system, boasting 6 players in the Top 100 Prospects.  The one most intriguing this season is Owen White.  Thanks to injuries and the pandemic, White has had a bit of a rocky start to his pro career, but he has also shown he is probably the best pitcher the Rangers have in their system right now.  With all the new arms in the rotation (and a few returning), White may have trouble cracking the starting 5, but if the Rangers have a shot at a playoff spot down the stretch, White might be an electrifying option out of the bullpen.

2023 Predictions

3rd in AL West

There are multiple ways to build a winner.  You can build your team from the ground up, or you can buy an All Star roster.  The Rangers have gone the second route, and it just might work.  The reason to have faith in this team is Bruce Bochy.  All he has done in his coaching career is win, whether it was early on in San Diego or it was winning 3 World Series in 5 years in San Francisco.  He knows what it takes to build a winner, even when the talent isn't elite.  Now he has possibly the most talented roster he has ever had.  It might take a year or two to put it all together, but Texas is on the fast track to getting back to the playoffs.

Fearless Prediction

The Rangers best starter in 2023 will be Nathan Eovaldi.

What is crazy about what the Rangers have done in their spending spree is they were able to buy depth.  Jacob deGrom is a huge gamble, but they also backed it up with several other guys in case he is injured again or needs extra rest.  That's why I think, when all is said and done in 2023, Nathan Eovaldi will be the one looked at as their best pitcher.  He has had some injury issues in the past as well, but he has been consistent over the last few seasons and has always shown the ability to carry a staff if he needs to.  This was one of the sneaky best signings of the offseason.  The Rangers will be glad they got him.

2015 Pre-Season Profile: Los Angeles Angels

The Boys of Summer are almost back in town!  Let's take a look at each team's chances coming into this new season ... starting with the Los Angeles Angels.

Last Season

98-64 - 1st in AL West, Lost to Royals in ALDS

The Angels bucked a trend of under-performance in 2014 and did what many people thought they were going to do in previous seasons.  Entering the playoffs with the best record in baseball, they ran into the streaking Royals which ended their post-season run almost before it started.  Mike Trout finally (at age 24) took home his first MVP as he continued to be widely regarded as the best player in baseball.

2015 Additions / Subtractions

For the second year in a row (which might be a good sign), the Angels stayed fairly inactive when it came to offseason moves.  The team that once was known for signing the biggest name every offseason (Albert Pujols, Josh Hamilton), this year the biggest move that was made was trading away All-Star 2B Howie Kendrick for prospects.  The battle for Kendrick's replacement this year continues as they wait for some prospects to be ready.  The addition of Matt Joyce is an upgrade at DH, but it is nothing to be impressed by.  You could say the biggest acquisition this team had came at the end of last season when they traded for closer Huston Street at the trade deadline.

MIH (Most Important Hitter)

Albert Pujols

Looking ahead at this season, Albert Pujols is definitely the most important hitter to the Angels' success.  Trout is going to continue to be out of this world, and other players like Erick Aybar and David Freese will continue to be solid complementary pieces, but Pujols will be the deciding factor.  For the first time since he arrived in LA, Albert performed up to his billing in 2014, and the Angels were successful.  Was last year the start of his comeback, or the last flash of a brilliant career.  With Josh Hamilton being an unknown entering the season, Pujols has to be great for the Angels to be great.

MIP (Most Important Pitcher)

Garrett Richards

Last season, Richards became one of the biggest surprises for the Angels.  In a rotation with a lot of question marks, he became a dominant pitcher.  He was a potential Cy Young candidate before he tore up his knee late in the season.  He will not be ready for the start of the year, but when he returns (which could be as early as mid-April) the Angels are now counting on him being great, which may not happen right away, if at all, this season.  Hopefully, the Angels stay patient with him.  Leg injuries, when rushed, can quickly lead to arm injuries.

Player to Watch

Andrew Heaney - LHP

You may not know his name yet, but you probably will by the end of the season.  This is the reason the Angels traded away Howie Kendrick.  Heaney is currently ranked #26 on MLB.com's Top 100 Prospects and immediately became the best prospect in the Angels' farm system when he was acquired from the Dodgers.  With the injury to Richards, he might have the opportunity to start this season in the Angels' rotation.  If not, he will definitely play a role down the stretch either in the bullpen (see Brandon Finnegan last year or David Price in 2008) or as a key starter.

Prediction

1st in AL West, Lose in ALDS

They sacrificed some depth in the lineup to improve their pitching staff, even if it might not be this year.  I do not think they have the firepower to repeat their record from last year, however they are still the class of this division until someone (like the Mariners) knock them down.  Their lack of rotation depth will keep them, once again, from going far in the postseason.