The FOX Sports NEXT team checked in on a few different camps for today's edition of Spring Talk. National Baseball Expert Frankie Piliere breaks down what he saw from Rangers pitcher Yu Darvish. Piliere also brings us the latest from Dominican camp and an impressive prospect. We also spent time on the Rangers and Royals minor league fields scouting up and coming talent in both organizations.
Via Fox Sports Southwest
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March 20, 2012
The Texas Rangers took their first major step towards locking up their core players as they signed left-hander Derek Holland to a five-year deal.
The contract, which runs through the 2016 season, also includes club option in 2017 and 2018.
The Rangers began discussing a deal with Holland in December but the talks stalled.
Holland is coming off a breakout season in 2011. In his...
Via Speculative Sports
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March 18, 2012
According to a recent article from the Dallas Morning News, Texas Rangers pitcher Yu Darvish, who was signed by the Rangers in January after starting his career in Japan, may be throwing illegal pitches.
Said the article:
According to a report from the Japanese website Sanspo.com, there is some concern that Darvish is making illegal pitches by wiping sweat off his brow and then...
Via PRO Rumors
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March 21, 2012
Now that the Rangers have extended Derek Holland, Elvis Andrus and Nelson Cruz, the next step would be to evaluate the possibility of giving a contract extension to Josh Hamilton. We all know what Hamilton is capable of doing when he's healthy, and the Rangers should strongly consider extending considering all that they have invested in him.
At the end of the 2012 season, the...
Via AP on Fox
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March 20, 2012
Maybe all that attention on Yu Darvish this spring has helped shift some of the focus away from just how agonizingly close the Texas Rangers came to winning the World Series.
Even the exciting addition of Japan's top pitcher, it's unlikely anyone with the Rangers last season will ever be able to forget being twice within a strike of a series-clinching victory before losing...
Through two spring training starts, right-hander Yu Darvish has flashed excellent stuff with a couple of mixed results. TheSportsXChange reports that Darvish is still learning how to use his stuff against major league hitters.
SURPRISE, Ariz. -- All eyes have been on Yu Darvish since he first set foot on a mound this spring. Since his first start, he's had his share of ups and downs, but for the most part he's been as advertised. However, as talented as Darvish may be, there are some aspects of his game that may trip him up in his first big league season.
Via Fangraphs
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March 20, 2012
Texas fans, its breath-holding time – according to Richard Durrett of ESPN Dallas, Neftali Feliz left today’s game after three innings because of “right shoulder stiffness.” Feliz was scheduled to pitch the fourth, but was replaced by Neal Cotts instead.
Because the game was in Mesa, which is not one of the parks that has Pitch F/x installed in Arizona, we can’t compare...
Via Fox Sports Southwest
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March 19, 2012
The budding rivalry between the Texas Rangers and Los Angeles Angels took an odd twist Sunday.
Former Rangers ace C.J. Wilson took to Twitter and sent out an old phone number of current Texas catcher Mike Napoli. Later he apologized to Napoli on Twitter and said the he did the prank because Napoli said he couldn't wait to hit a homer off Wilson.
Smart move by Wilson? Wilson...
Via Pro Sports Daily
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March 20, 2012
The Texas Rangers are close to signing left-handed pitcher Derek Holland to a five-year contract extension, according to The Dallas Morning News.The deal would keep Holland in Texas through the 2016 season and is reportedly worth around $28 million.Holland went 16-5 with a 3.95 ERA last season for the Rangers, winning 12 of his final 13 decisions in his third year with the team.
Via Baseball Prospectus
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March 21, 2012
Mark Saxon is reporting that after tweeting out former batterymate Mike Napoli’s phone number over the weekend, CJ Wilson has decided to take a little break from Twitter. It’s probably a smart decision for him to take some time to cool down, to reconsider what he did, maybe to apologize to Napoli and pay a fine to Major League Baseball.
Twitter is a wonderful medium for networking...
Via AP on Fox
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March 20, 2012
Neftali Feliz pitched three scoreless innings, then left with shoulder stiffness Tuesday during the Texas Rangers' 6-2 victory over a Chicago Cubs' split squad.
The right-hander, being switched from the bullpen to the rotation, was making his third start. He allowed two hits, struck out two and walked one.
Feliz will be re-evaluated Wednesday.
Ryan Dempster gave up two...
Via PRO Rumors
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March 20, 2012
The Texas Rangers have agreed to a five-year deal with left handed pitcher Derek Holland according to Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. The deal is for $28 million and will include options for 2017 and 2018 adds Wilson.
Holland was 16-5 with a 3.95 ERA, 3.0 BB/9, 1.0 HR/9 and 7.4 SO/9 in 198 innings for the Rangers in 2011. His VORP (Value Over Replacement Player) was...
Via Pro Sports Daily
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March 20, 2012
Texas Rangers righthander Neftali Feliz exited Tuesday's spring-training game against a Chicago Cubs split squad with shoulder stiffness.
Feliz, who is switching from the team's closer to the starting rotation, pitched three shutout innings before departing.
Cubs closer Carlos Marmol left the game with a cramp in his pitching hand after recording two outs.
Via The Fantasy Fix
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March 21, 2012
Brett Talley (@TheRealTAL) of TheFantasyFix.com talks to Steve Adams (@Adams_Steve) of MLBTradeRumors.com about the Derek Holland deal and his fantasy value this year, a number of players who could be traded between now and July, and the fantasy value of a whole lot of other names. Plus Brett begins the show with another Talley Tirade. The subject this week: the stupidity that...
Via Brewers Bar
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March 19, 2012
(photo courtesy Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)In a matchup of the two newest Japanese imports it was the lesser known of the two who got the best of today's Spring Training matchup as Norichika Aoki led the Brewers over Yu Darvish and the Rangers. Aoki had three hits and three RBI's in Milwaukee's 5-3 victory today. The win moved the Brewers to 7-9 so far in Spring...
Original Story:
http://mlb.scout.com/2/1169397.html
