Former Rangers and Indians are a funny thing ... until they're not (Mike Olt)

[KirbyDome89]

 

I was just pointing out the fact that this front office tends to bring in a lot of guys, or show interest in a lot of guys, that were part of their old organizations. 

 

Nothing more, nothing less.

I think that's fair. These signings are almost always meaningless, but it'd be a crazy coincidence if the best filler almost always had ties to Cleveland or TX. 

 

Every organization has their guys, so it's hard to get too worked up, but I was hoping this FO might buck that trend a bit. 

[jud6312]

And just to show that I'm not crazy in my thinking, here's the recent signings.

 

I include the Cruz signing not because I don't think it was a good move, just because of his Rangers' history.

 

MLB - Nelson Cruz, obviously a former Ranger during the Levine years

 

Minors:

 

- Dario Alvarez, Texas during Levine years

- Tomas Telis, Texas during Levine years

- Olt, Texas during Levine years

- Anthony Vizcaya, Cleveland during Falvey years

- Preston Guilmet, Cleveland during Falvey years

 

Then there was Gimenez, Rucinski, the interest in Napoli.

 

It's just too many to not make jokes.

 

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

 

Olt, Age 29 season: 787 OPS in 71 games, Eastern League

 

Derrik Gibson, Age 29 season: 867 OPS in 34 games, PCL (hitter friendly, sss)

 

Mejias-Brean, Age 27 season: 736 OPS in 96 games, PCL (hitter friendly, sss)

 

Marte, Age 27 season: 644 OPS in 90 games, MLB

 

Asche, Age 28 season: 750 OPS in 89 games, PCL (hitter friendly, sss: career 668 OPS in MLB, 5 seasons)

 

None of who you suggested is really that much younger, or better for that matter. 

 

 

So then Falvine actually did what you wanted. Instead of signing plouffe to a minors deal they signed the "younger" player. I will also point out that Olt hasn't been a part of the Rangers org since 2013. Not like they're signing him straight off the field from Round Rock... which coincidentally is where Plouffe finished out his season.

 

Again, this is a completely organizational filler signing of a guy who just so happened to play for Texas at one point in his career. There's not a massive Indians-Rangers roster move conspiracy here.

 

There may not be a vast conspiracy here, but as jud6312 just posted, there certainly does appear to be at least a half-vast conspiracy. (helps if you say that last part out loud)

[Splash45]

And just to show that I'm not crazy in my thinking, here's the recent signings.

 

I include the Cruz signing not because I don't think it was a good move, just because of his Rangers' history.

 

MLB - Nelson Cruz, obviously a former Ranger during the Levine years

 

Minors:

 

- Dario Alvarez, Texas during Levine years

- Tomas Telis, Texas during Levine years

- Olt, Texas during Levine years

- Anthony Vizcaya, Cleveland during Falvey years

- Preston Guilmet, Cleveland during Falvey years

 

Then there was Gimenez, Rucinski, the interest in Napoli.

 

It's just too many to not make jokes.

Teams sign a lot of minor league players and a lot of those guys have been on several different teams. So it’s not crazy that you can name a few that were either on either the Indians or rangers. And it also makes some sense to sign guys you know and trust when they probably won’t see the big leagues anyway.

[TFRazor]

 

There may not be a vast conspiracy here, but as jud6312 just posted, there certainly does appear to be at least a half-vast conspiracy. (helps if you say that last part out loud)

Not really. Employers are more likely to hire people who've worked under them before. That allows the person signing the checks to have a good idea how a possible addition would fit within their organization. Until we starting getting stories about how the first thing falvine does in every meeting is say "Alright, who's the former Ranger/Indian we can sign today?", this entire argument that they're ignoring other possible players just because they didn't play for Tex/Cle is, in a word, ridiculous. 

[TFRazor]

 

And just to show that I'm not crazy in my thinking, here's the recent signings.

 

I include the Cruz signing not because I don't think it was a good move, just because of his Rangers' history.

 

MLB - Nelson Cruz, obviously a former Ranger during the Levine years

 

Minors:

 

- Dario Alvarez, Texas during Levine years

- Tomas Telis, Texas during Levine years

- Olt, Texas during Levine years

- Anthony Vizcaya, Cleveland during Falvey years

- Preston Guilmet, Cleveland during Falvey years

 

Then there was Gimenez, Rucinski, the interest in Napoli.

 

It's just too many to not make jokes.

 

That's 9 guys. One of which, Napoli, never played with us. So that means they've brought in 8 guys that have connections with 2 other organizations. Forgive me if I'm coming across as dismissive as I'm not trying to be, it just seems to me that you're really intent on following this trail that doesn't seem to lead anywhere.

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

The trail we all want to follow together is the Postseason trail. So until that happens...

[jud6312]

I'm sorry, but 8 players - forgot about Marty Perez - in just one offseason from the previous organizations of the current brain trust is a lot.

 

There may have been more last offseason on the minor league side, but I didn't go through those transactions and only listed the guys that I remembered playing on the MLB side.

 

It's fine if you think it's not a lot, but given how many minor league FAs they've signed this year, it's a pretty large percentage, whether it's filler or not.

 

For me, and this could be only me, it adds to a narrative that they're only looking internally (and recent familiarity) to improve the organization, and not taking as broad of an approach as I would've preferred.

 

Maybe it's the learning curve and things will get better down the line, but so far it's been opposite of what I've hoped for. 

[jud6312]

Having said that, I've kept my expectations in check - I'm not expecting them to sign the top-of-the-line FAs or trade for all of the available young, controllable talent, because I know that's highly unlikely.

 

But I was hoping for more than wild cards and aging vets at the major league level, and never-weres from two organizations in the minors.

 

I'm tired of mediocrity being accepted and celebrated (by some) with MN sports teams.

[Mr. Brooks]

I'm sorry, but 8 players - forgot about Marty Perez - in just one offseason from the previous organizations of the current brain trust is a lot.

 

There may have been more last offseason on the minor league side, but I didn't go through those transactions and only listed the guys that I remembered playing on the MLB side.

 

It's fine if you think it's not a lot, but given how many minor league FAs they've signed this year, it's a pretty large percentage, whether it's filler or not.

 

For me, and this could be only me, it adds to a narrative that they're only looking internally (and recent familiarity) to improve the organization, and not taking as broad of an approach as I would've preferred.

 

Maybe it's the learning curve and things will get better down the line, but so far it's been opposite of what I've hoped for.

Filler, literally by definition, does not improve the organization no matter where it comes from.

No team can have 200 players in the organization that can all have even the faintest hope of a cup of mlb coffee. Everyone needs bodies to fill out 7 or more rosters.

It makes sense to me, to sign filler that you are familiar with.

[Doctor Wu]

Man, I had forgotten all about Mike Olt. He was a hot-shot prospect for the Rangers all those years ago, got traded to the Cubs, and never amounted to anything. Worth a shot on a minor league deal, but like most others who have commented, I wouldn't expect miracles at this point.

[Seth Stohs]

Yup, nice depth if they deem Brian Schales not quite ready for AAA. 

[old nurse]

 

And just to show that I'm not crazy in my thinking, here's the recent signings.

 

I include the Cruz signing not because I don't think it was a good move, just because of his Rangers' history.

 

MLB - Nelson Cruz, obviously a former Ranger during the Levine years

 

Minors:

 

- Dario Alvarez, Texas during Levine years

- Tomas Telis, Texas during Levine years

- Olt, Texas during Levine years

- Anthony Vizcaya, Cleveland during Falvey years

- Preston Guilmet, Cleveland during Falvey years

 

Then there was Gimenez, Rucinski, the interest in Napoli.

 

It's just too many to not make jokes.

A glance at the Rochester roster showed over 50 players added by the Twins from other organizations the last 2 years . This team is  really Texas-Cleveland castoff haven.

[Mike Sixel]

A glance at the Rochester roster showed over 50 players added by the Twins from other organizations the last 2 years . This team is really Texas-Cleveland castoff haven.

Fifty? Wow!

 

I have no idea, but that seems like a lot. I'd have guessed maybe thirty.