On Tuesday night, MLB and the MLBPA finally came to an agreement that will have players reporting to training camp 2.0 on July 1st with the regular season slated to start on July 23rd and July 24th.
It’s sad that we will only get a 60 game season and I don’t think we have seen the last of the effects this virus will have on baseball going forward.
The 2020 season was supposed to be an important year for some major pieces in the Rangers lineup and now with only 60 games, I’m not sure how many of those questions will be answered around these three names.
Joey Gallo
In 2019, Joey Gallo was well on his way to what looked like a career season before his season was cut short after having surgery on his right wrist.
After playing 145 and 148 games in 2017 and 2018 and hitting 40 HRs in each season, he was only able to play 70 games in 2019. In those 70 games, he took strides to becoming a more complete hitter. His OBP, SLG and OPS all increased. He was on pace to hit for a higher average and walk more.
After showing improvements in 70 games, 2020 was going to be about sustaining it through an entire season and now he will have to wait until 2021 to answer those questions.
Willie Calhoun
If you ask me who is the Rangers player I’m most excited about, the answer would easily be Willie Calhoun.
In 83 games in 2019, Calhoun was able to hit 21HR while posting a .269/.323/.524 slash line with a .848 OPS.
Willie himself spoke in spring training about how excited he was to put together a full season. Of course, his first spring training was cut short after getting hit in the jaw in a spring game. Willie has fully recovered but he will also have to wait until 2021 to show he can do it over a full 162 game season.
Rougned Odor
From a player most fans can’t get enough of (Calhoun) to a player that fans have had enough of, Rougned Odor.
The Rangers were thought to be in a decision making mode in 2020 when it came to Odor. If he didn’t come out and light it up, there were some people around the organization saying that he could be replaced at some point in the first 6-8 weeks of the season.
In my opinion, there isn’t anything that Odor can prove in 60 games that will give the team any additional confidence in him going forward. He has shown in the past two years that he can put together a solid 60 game stretch in the 2nd half.
2018 season slash lines
1st half(67 games): .239/.319/.378, .697 OPS
2nd half(62 games): .266/.333/.467 .801 OPS
2019 season slash lines
1st half(74 games): .193/.258/.396 .654 OPS
2nd half(71 games): .218/.309/.793 .793 OPS
You must be logged in to post a comment Login
You must log in to post a comment.