Advertisement

sportsRangers

Joey Gallo’s components of superstardom give the Rangers at least one position with a potential MVP candidate

But one of the real questions is will Texas keep him long term?

As the Rangers head into the heart of the winter, general manager Jon Daniels is focused on a full-scale rebuilding program that is going to put more emphasis on development of internal solutions.

The Rangers are a team with more issues than answers at present, and with payroll expected to be in the $100 million range after a season with no fans, they are not likely to be major players for high-profile free agents or for serious trade pieces.

Today, we’ll look at the roster position by position and take a look at what happened, what needs to happen and what might be realistic for 2021:

Right field

Rangers

Be the smartest Rangers fan. Get the latest news.

Or with:

Who’s there: Joey Gallo (Arbitration); Scott Heineman (Pre-arbitration); Eli White (Pre-arbitration)

What happened: Globe Life Field got in Joey Gallo’s head. From the first time he took a round of batting practice in the still-unfinished park in January, Gallo noted how big the park played. And he seemed to focus on that element rather than the fact that during the same round, he also hit a ball off the facing of the second deck. It seemed to color Gallo’s approach all season.

Advertisement

What worked: After moving Gallo from third to first to left and then center, the Rangers finally found a home for him in right field by trading Nomar Mazara. The only issue with this: Why didn’t they move him earlier? Gallo’s athleticism and above-average arm made him an elite right fielder out of the gate. Gallo showed not only aptitude for the position, but a passion for playing it well. And while we noted the dimensions of the new park got in Gallo’s head offensively, he had no issues with the roof, the lighting or the turf in the stadium on defense. He ended up leading the AL in runs saved and won a Gold Glove for his efforts.

What didn’t: About Gallo’s plate approach, what he seemed to do was create more lift, to hit the ball farther than he’s capable. It led to a significant drop in his line-drive percentage (from 25.6% in 2019 to 18.3% in 2020) and an increase in fly balls (47.2% to 55%). And the overall effect was a big drop in the percentage of hard-hit balls (51.9% in 2019 to 41.2% in 2020).

Options: The only reason the Rangers would pursue options would be if they opted to trade Gallo. But why would you try to trade a power hitter coming off his worst offensive season? His value would be at its lowest; not ideal. So, attractive as George Springer may be on the free agent market, forget about that. And unless somebody is willing to bet big on Gallo’s upside, the Rangers wouldn’t be in the market for the likes of Joc Pederson or Josh Reddick, either.

Advertisement

Prospects: The bulk of the outfield prospects in the system are at the lowest levels of the organization. Bayron Lora, 18, was the Rangers big international signee in 2019. He has not yet, however, played a professional game. The most advanced might be Steele Walker, 24, who was acquired from the Chicago White Sox for Nomar Mazara. The Prosper High School graduate was expected to play at Double-A Frisco in 2020 before the minor league season was canceled.

2021 goals: One full, complete year for Gallo. In 2017-18, he proved he could hit for power. In 2019, he teased that he could be a complete offensive player, but was hampered by injuries. In 2020, he proved he’s an elite defender. He’s shown all the individual components of superstardom. If he can put them all together, he’s an MVP candidate, or — entering his second year of arbitration — the kind of player the Rangers could trade in a franchise-remaking deal.

Around the league: A look at how the Rangers stacked up against the AL West and the rest of Major League Baseball in Wins Above Average this season...

MLB Wins Above Average for the 2020 season.
MLB Wins Above Average for the 2020 season.(SportsDay Staff)

+++

Other position breakdowns

Catcher | First base | Second base | Third base | Shortstop

Left field | Center field | Right field | Designated hitter

Advertisement

Starting pitching | Relief pitching

Find more Rangers coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.