Kumar Rocker rolls his way into Texas Rangers rotation alongside Jack Leiter! | DLLS Rangers

the big news that broke yesterday uh Jeff and and you had a chance to talk to the general manager Chris Young about this and they've decided to call up Kumar rocker something we really didn't see coming then we thought maybe we did see coming and now it's happening yeah you know it it there it seems like there's two camps on this if you look at public reactions like oh why are they doing this don't start his clock he doesn't need to be here doesn't matter and then there's the excited group and then well I guess a third group is the baseball group and and the baseball Ops guys are want to see Kumar rocker they want to get him comfortable I really think that he's in the rotation for 2025 I think they've already decided you know just it you know at at minimum they're going to have one spot to fill um but I I just think that they're getting them ready giving him a taste letting him see the Mariners letting him see the angels two division opponents who in theory he could see I don't know eight times combined next season depending on how the rotation were to fall um get him used to the travel yeah just all sorts of things to get used to and uh but he's also earned it I mean it's not like he's a this is going to be a number five starter he's going to get shelled for eight runs in two innings Kumar rocker looks like he's going to go out there and and Pitch five really really good Innings and keep the Rangers in the game so um this is all done with an eye toward 2025 Chris Young said so uh when I talked to him yesterday he was getting off the plane in Arizona so so he'll be there to to greet Kumar and um yeah take the next step toward toward the future I guess we did ask the fans we sent a poll out on Twitter uh is Kumar rocker ready for the show and 81% said yes 18% said still needs time well and to to those people and to the ones that Jeff referenced about you know this is wrong they shouldn't do it they're starting his clock he's not ready here's the thing and and and if it does seem like the Rangers have been a little bit indecisive on this right it's a moving Target and the and the development of a pitcher is not really any player but especially a pitcher it's not linear it's not scientific and and despite what the analytic people would have you believe it's not mathematical and if there's anybody looking at those intangibles that are a part of the art of developing a pitcher in Major League Baseball in any front office across the league give me Chris Young cuz he's been there he's done that in 2004 he was where Kumar rocker is right now which is to say he was called up in September and then once 2005 started he stayed for the rest of his career yeah and Jee I kind of have a question because you know we were at the park this weekend and we heard Bruce bochi pretty adamantly say I like where Kumar is at right now I like I think this is a good time good DEC de ision for his development that was 48 hours ago maybe a little bit more so what do you think changed well I think he had a conversation with Chris Young but uh you know he BR Bruce Boi for as much input as he has on the daily lineup doesn't really make out the roster ultimately and uh I'm sure that Chris Young would welcome his feedback as a guy who um in San Francisco had three great homegrown starting pitchers that that that helped the Giants win three World Series um but you know I I just I just think that the one of the main factors here is the TV deal and the Rangers really don't know what they're going to have to work with this offseason as far in terms of a payroll so you need to develop your own starting pitching it looks like you have one and he you know you need that affordable option instead of going out into into free agency and getting a guy who probably won't do any better than rocker so get him up give him a taste and and just pencil him into the into the rotation you know just pencil them in and and uh get him ready and I think maybe I don't know what the conversation was like but uh from from Saturday to Sunday the tone of it had changed and then um obviously they they called him up yesterday so um maybe maybe Bruce and and Chris hadn't quite quite connected on that one yet but um it it really doesn't do the Rangers any harm to have him up here he's been rocker has been healthy he's been dominant um he's a cool character yeah likes to get out there and compete so I don't think he's going to be overwhelmed by the moment you know or anything like that so uh get him out there and and and again this is getting getting him jump started for for next season yeah and to assuage those people who might be concerned about the numbers all you need to do is consider Paul sk's numbers right this guy is going to be the rookie of the year in the National League Most Likely and there are his numbers and it's the exact number of starts seven starts at the minor league level for SK and yeah those are really really good numbers a sub one erra 45 strikeouts eight walks in 27 and 2/3 of an inning now let's take a look at the numbers of Kumar rocker and you will see they're better across the board the ER slightly lower three walks 40 seven strikeouts and just a couple of more Innings 29 and a third so and look so and Paul SK had no difficulty once he got up here there's a certain Talent level I believe that that just dictates you know you're talented enough to do this and and people weren't um you know boing at bringing schemes up they were celebrating it now granted that was Pittsburgh but they were celebrating that and I I see no reason to Bo this Kumar rocker's numbers indicate um that he's ready and and Chris Young feels like he's ready and and that's probably even more important no doubt and I think also there goes something with seeing a teammate and a close friend succeed at the major league level with your exact same organization to see Jack lighter do what he's done you know rocker and V rocker and lighter in Vandy rocker had a 28 ER lighter had 26 uh or 23 excuse me um and you know just to go through the process of Kumar rocker you feel for him for this moment I mean everyone knows about 2019 when he had the 19 strikeout no hitter with Vanderbilt in the NCA Super Regional um you know he's been drafted three times three times uh two injuries in that process so he's had his ups and downs his battles um I think for him to just to see a teammate like I said and a friend you know go to this next level and compete I mean to have one of your boys be there with you in the clubhouse you know Chuck it up on the bus on the way to the field stuff like that like you I imagine that Kumar rocker stuff is going to easily translate to the big league level but I think that it really helps to have a friend in that same situation sure uh they compete against each other there's there's just no question they were pitching on the same day for a while they're here just a couple weeks ago in it and and they each knew what the other was doing and um so there's definitely that there's a you know and look in in 2021 Kumar rocker entered the draft I don't know season if you will the top prospect he was deing with some injuries Jack ended up getting drafted high and then Kumar kind of got I don't know he probably thinks he got screwed over by the Mets but um that's ancient history now but it's been a it's been a tough go for him and for him to get here it's kind of a reward to of all the things that he's he's uh had to overcome with not getting drafted then getting drafted then getting hurt so um good for him a couple of uh viewers Kyle Kyle asked if this was uh in any way related to the Rangers moving ever so closely to the postseason contention uh maybe you know I I thought my my my thinking on rocker promotion was if the Rangers got to a certain point that they would that they would pull the trigger and bring him up because he'd be one of their their 14 best pitchers well I don't know if seven and a half in the west and six in the Wild Card counts but um it's definitely not the obstacle it once was there are fewer games and then U Dennis he's all for the move I agree with everything that you wrote Dennis I mean he's he's um he's he's just built for this I think I really think Kumar rocker is built for these big opportunities and uh you know Major League debut you only get one of them you know and it's going to be it's going to be crowded in Seattle they've drawn well the Mariners have even though they've kind of um crap the bed so to speak but um it it's going to be a different atmosphere for him three three levels bunch of fans Major League hitters so uh I'm curious to see how he handles all that stuff the pitching is going to be fine