Texas Rangers: Predictions For the 2015 Season

Mar 31, 2014; Arlington, TX, USA; A general view of Globe Life Park in Arlington as the national anthem is performed prior to the game with the Texas Rangers playing on opening day baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

Baseball season is finally here! Today is Opening Day for the Texas Rangers against the Oakland Athletics in Oakland. Now the real thing begins and the numbers actually matter. We can officially put the nightmare season of 2014 behind us. We get to see what the 2015 Texas Rangers have to offer. With most players being back healthy, it is safe to say that the Rangers should be better than they were last year.

Most of the media have the Rangers being in last place at the end of the season. No team wins just by being on paper alone. If they no games would be played but they do actually have to play the games. There will be a surprise team or two to do some special things this year.

Call it the optimist in me, but I think the Rangers are the team this year that will surprise everyone. I think new manager Jeff Banister will get this team playing all 27 outs right away. Before I get too carried away, let’s take a look at the staff predictions for the 2015 Texas Rangers. Be sure to take the poll and vote at the end to let it us know who you think will win the division.

Next: Texas Rangers 2015 Record

Mar 24, 2015; Surprise, AZ, USA; Texas Rangers designated hitter Adrian Beltre bats against the Los Angeles Angels in a spring training game at Surprise Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Offensive MVP:

Heath: Prince Fielder.  He is healthy and had a decent spring. I see him hitting at least 25 home runs and drivingeneral in runs.  The Rangers definitely need all the production they can get from Fielder for them to get that wild card spot.

Ryan: Prince Fielder, I think he comes back strong and is the most consistent performer in the lineup this year.

Lisa: This is an obvious one, Adrian Beltre. Beltre is the glue of the club. Even though he’s getting older, he is still one of the reasons the Rangers kept going last season.

Leslie: Adrian Beltre

David Hill: MVP (offense): Shin-Soo Choo. When healthy, he has a blend of speed and power that is truly special. I feel that he will be healthy this year, and back to his normal 20/20 self while hitting over .300.

Jason: Beltre and Fielder are the obvious picks. I have a gut feeling about Rougned Odor. He’s going to be a pesky out, and should set up the rest of the lineup for success, no matter where he’s at in the order.

Colin: Adrian Beltre. Belts stayed healthy for the first time in years and had no supporting cast at all. If he can maintain his body for one or two more years he’s a lock for the Hall. If the Rangers could make one more run with him at third, he’s first ballot guy. If Beltre and Fielder can do that Bash Brothers thing, this could be an interesting season of offense in Arlington, no Jet Stream be damned. But we sure haven’t seen any signs of it this summer.

Ace: Adrian Beltre, he is going to be underrated as long as he plays. Since becoming a Texas Ranger in 2011, all he’s done is be a leader and a hit machine.

.315 AVG, .530 SLG, .893 OPS and most notably are the 715 hits, an average of just under 179 hits a year. Incredible, and numbers can’t even measure the previously mentioned leadership and character the four-time All-Star (three with Texas) brings.

Next: Texas Rangers 2015 Pitching MVP

Feb 24, 2015; Surprise, AZ, USA; Texas Rangers starting pitcher Derek Holland (45) throws to first base during spring training camp at Surprise Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-USA TODAY Sports

Pitching MVP: 

Heath: Derek Holland. Without a doubt. He will step up and the ace of the staff. I think he continues what he started at the end of last year. He will not have an ERA under 2 but it will be in the 3’s and he will have at least 12 wins.

Ryan: Derek Holland, I think he wins 15+ games this year and strikes out over 200.

Lisa: This is more complicated for me. I’d like to say Derek Holland, but in reality I think it will be Yovani Gallardo. Gallardo is more experienced and he is used to carrying the weight of the pitching staff on his shoulders.

Leslie: That’s a tough one. I will say Colby Lewis.

David Hill:  Yovani Gallardo. While he may not be Yu Darvish, he is the type of pitcher that should have success in Arlington. A 15-10 record with an ERA around 3.30 would not be a surprise.Jason:

Jason: While Holland and Gallardo are arguably the best pitchers in the rotation, I’m just biding my time until Alex Gonzalez joins them in Texas. Yes, Chi Chi is my pick. He’ll get some time in Triple-A, but when he’s ready he’ll be hanging with the big boys!

Colin: Colby Lewis. Surprise! Yeah, Colby is older. And he’s thrown some serious muffin balls in Arizona that may have eventually come back to earth near the Grand Canyon, but coming back from injuries last year Lewis was consistently good for a solid 6 innings a start. The first out of the 7^th was hard for him to find, but I think this year Colby settles in and shows the form he had as the first Rangers pitcher to ever win a World Series game.

Ace: Derek Holland, SP

An ERA under 4 and over 200 innings seals the deal, no questions asked.

But hopefully for Derek Holland he also takes another step in his progression after a nightmare start to 2014. You know, the dog-stairs-hockey injury or whatever.

When he finally did throw his 37 innings, he was a shutdown guy poised to resume his career as the Rangers number two starter to Yu Darvish. That may not happen again and obviously isn’t happening in 2015. Holland is still just 28 and is one of the few bright spots in the Rangers stable of arms to look up to as a veteran who can produce.

Next: Texas Rangers 2015 Breakout Prospect/Player

Mar 23, 2015; Surprise, AZ, USA; Texas Rangers starting pitcher Alex Gonzalez (72) pitches against the Cincinnati Reds at Surprise Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

Breakout Prospect/Player:

Heath: Alex Gonzalez. We saw a little bit of Chi Chi in spring training with some thinking he may win the last starting spot. I do believe that we will see him in Arlington before we know it.

Ryan: Ryan Rua, I think he continues to build this year off a solid short stint with the team at the end of last year.

Lisa: Delino DeShields, only because Rougned Odor had his breakout moment last year.

Leslie: Breakout prospect: Joey Gallo.

David Hill: Lewis Brinson. After being exposed at High-A last year, he corrects his swing and cements himself as one of the top prospects in the game.

Jason: Let’s double down on Chi Chi here. If he’s the best pitcher, that means he’s having a breakout season, right?

Colin: Everyone will say Odor. I’m hopeful it’s the other side of the bag. I’ve been waiting on Elvis Andrus to showcase his talent on a consistent basis for a couple of years now. There are always flashes. But then there are brain farts. I know he’s never going to hit a dozen homers, but wouldn’t that be a wonderful thing if he stood up and had the career year? It’s 162 games Elvis, be there.

Ace: Lewis Brinson. Eliminated due to last season’s breakout-ism: Joey Gallo, Alex “Chi Chi” Gonzalez, Jorge Alfaro and Nomar Mazara.

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The Rangers strength in numbers comes from the lower levels where all those names reside (AA or lower). But there’s also another tier of names that aren’t often discussed on a National (or even local) level because to make the headlines as a prospect you need to be amazing

like

Gallo or brand new

like

Gonzalez. Usually, that doesn’t even work.

Brinson, 20, is an athletic, defensively profound, all-around prospect who represents the scary potential of being a young player in a Minor League system. His career could easily go both ways, and I don’t think I need to elaborate.

But I think Brinson will make a huge jump this year from the fringe National spotlight to the absolute National spotlight. His average dipped upon his promotion to High-A Myrtle Beach and like many prospects in and out of Texas’ system he strikes out far too much, but the 2012 first-round pick out of High School has tools across the board and should be in Arlington impressing us all in a couple years.

Next: Texas Rangers 2015 Bold Prediction

Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports

Bold Prediction:

Heath: The Rangers will trade for an ace starting pitcher by the trade deadline as they are in contention for a playoff spot.

Ryan: Shin Soo-Choo leads the American League in On Base Percentage. Go Rangers!

Lisa: Prince Fielder comes back better after his neck surgery (Bionic Prince) and hits at least 35 homers and plays all 162 games. NEVER. EVER. QUIT.

Leslie: Rangers trade Adrian Beltre in the summer.

David Hill: Joey Gallo is brought up when Adrian Beltre is traded, and gets off to a hot start, like Kevin Maas back in 1990. Like Maas, Gallo will cool off after a torrid first month and disappoint the rest of the season.

Jason: Nobody else gets significantly injured. Given the way last year went, and how this spring started, this is easily the boldest prediction of all time.

Colin: Ryan Rua, Rookie of the Year candidate. If he hits like he’s shown, if he makes the plays we’ve seen he’s able to, Rua may not be the Rangers version of Mike Trout, but he could step into the Majors and turn a lot of heads

Ace: Derek Holland is traded. Do I believe this? Well, safe to say that’s why it’s bold.

As you can see we all have different opinions. Some we agree on and some we don’t. Let us know your opinion. Who do you think will be the MVP on offense? Who will be the MVP on the pitching staff?

Next: Rangers Need Their Prince