THE RANGERS NEW DH?

I’ve stolen 20 bases four times.

I’ve hit 20 homers four times.

I’ve gone 20/20 three times.

I’ve hit .280 for my career with a .381 OBP and .452 SLG leading to a .833 OPS.

I’ve finished two seasons inside the top-15 in MVP voting.

Sounds like I might be the new designated hitter for the Rangers.

I’m Shin-Soo Choo.

Here’s what is going on with the Rangers.

Ian Desmond, Carlos Gomez, Carlos Beltran and Mitch Moreland could all be out of jobs next season as all four are free agents. There is also the case of Joey Gallo, which will be discussed below. That’s a lot of bodies to deal with. Who will play first? The outfield? Designated hitter? Bottom line for the Rangers is that there is going to be a lot of movement this offseason with the club.

Choo appeared in only 48 games in 2016 due to four separate trips to the disabled list. A 34 year old, he’s been slowing of late having failed to appear in 125 games in two of three seasons. Still, over the last five years here are his games played totals: 155, 154, 123, 149 and 48. It’s too early to believe his career is over cause his body just doesn’t work. Concerned? Certainly fair there, but you simply cannot be convinced he’s through as a viable offensive player.

As for his performance…

Choo still got on base at a .357 clip last season, even as his power slipped a bit. Let’s not forget, though, that as recently as 2015 that Choo hit 22 homers with 92 RBI and 94 runs scored. Choo doesn’t run anymore, he has only 13 steals the past three years, and his batting average has been under .250 in 2-of-3 seasons. Choo still gets on base though and has a virtually unchanged BB/K ratio year after year. If he plays 125+ games he will be a fantasy asset in 2017, one that won’t cost you much to acquire.

WHAT TO DO WITH THIS SLUGGER?

Joey Gallo is playing in the Venezuelan Winter League though he’s dealing with a strained left hamstring. It’s just another instance of setbacks with the ‘we think he can mash can’t miss slugger.’ Let’s take a look at Gallo for a moment.

Gallo came into the 2016 season as a top-10 prospect according to Baseball America, Baseball Prospectus and MLB.com, a year after he was roundly regarded as a top-10 prospect. His power is an 80 on the grading scale (which is tops), off the charts stuff that is as good as any bat in baseball. Period. Let’s look at the past few seasons.

2013: 40 homers, 88 RBI in 411 at-bats
2014: 42 homers, 106 RBI in 439 at-bats
2015: 23 homers, 63 RBI in 321 at-bats
2016: 25 homers, 66 RBI in 359 at-bats

Mash he has always done.

Look at his work in the big leagues.

In 153 plate appearances with the Rangers, over two seasons, Gallo has a .173/.281/.368 line. Hideous doesn’t go far enough to explain that effort. Moreover, the guy has 76 strikeouts in the big leagues in 133 at-bats. That means he’s struck out on 57 percent of his big league at-bats. How is that even possible?

Yet again, just like it was in 2016, his outlook for 2017 could be anything from abject failure to Chris Carter.

A FORMER SLUGGER WANTS TO RETURN

Wilin Rosario went to Japan in 2016 and he crushed the pelota with serious ferocity. In 127 games in the Korean Baseball Organization he hit .321 with 33 homers and 120 RBI which is obviously top-shelf work. Rosario posted a .961 OPS for the Hanwha Eagles and is now set for a new challenge. Jon Heyman is reporting that after that effort that the former catcher, likely first base only now, wants to return to North America. Just 27 years old, the righty slugger has two 20-homer seasons in his career (28 in 2012 and 21 in 2013) during which time he produced 70+ RBI each season. Versus righties he’s kinda just a guy with a .254/.285/.419 slash line, but against lefties he mashes hardcore with a .319/.356/.604 slash line. Compare that to the slash line of Mookie Betts in 2016 which was .318/.363/.534. Exactly. In 442 at-bats against lefties Rosario has hit .319 with a .960 OPS. He also has gone deep 32 times with 84 RBI. Dare I say it, but folks, that’s elite levels of production. He should easily be able to find a job as a lefty platoon bat though since he will only qualify as a first baseman his value will be limited to league specific setups.

FREE AGENCY

Kyle Blanks has 24 homers and 100 RBI in a season and followed it up with 20 homers and 107 RBI as one of the better power prospects in baseball. That was 2007 and 2008 folks. He’s useless at this point and always hurt with a total of 137 plate appearances at the big league level the last three seasons. He re-signed with the Giants.

Grant Green has elected free agency from the Giants. I have to be honest, I’ve always liked his game. Though he’s hit .251/.286/.339 in the big leagues, some really weak stuff over the past four seasons, his work in the minors has been pretty solid. Over 716 minor league games Green has a .310/.352/.468 slash line including a .313/.251/.470 line over 453 games at Triple-A. He’s looking more and more like the quintessential Quad-A player – too good for the minors, but not good enough to get it done in the big leagues.

John Lamb was designated for assignment by the Reds late last week. The lefty hurler had surgery for a lumbar disk herniation last week and could miss the start of the 2017 season as he recovers. That was his second back surgery in 10 months so there are legitimate concerns about the body with the 26 years old. Acquired as part of the Reds deal with the Royals for Johnny Cueto, he has made 24 big league starts with a 2-12 record, 6.17 ERA and 1.60 WHIP. Lamb has decent arm talent, but he’s miles from fantasy significance in any format.

 

Ray Flowers can be heard Monday/Tuesday and Thursday/Friday, 8 PM EDT, Wednesday 7 PM EDT on SiriusXM Fantasy Sports Radio (Sirius 210, XM 87). You can also hear Ray Sunday nights at 9 PM EDT PM on the channel talking fantasy sports. Follow Ray’s work at Fantasy Alarm and on Twitter (@baseballguys).