Rangers Mailbag: Projecting Joey Gallo

By Jared Sandler

105.3 THE FAN -- One of my favorite things about working in sports media is connecting with people and engaging in conversation. I'm always happy to answer your questions about the Rangers -- or, anything you'd like to ask.

Feel free to send them in on twitter @sandlerj (#AskJared) or by email, sandlerj1@gmail.com. I'll answer your questions as best as I can.

Each week, I'll select some questions and post them along with my answers online for others to see.

What type of season will Joey Gallo have?
-- Umar, New York City

I think he'll have an improved year in the minor leagues filled with plenty of excitement and anticipation. It's tough to put numbers on it, but I think he'll have the type of season that makes you think he could be a MLB 40-HR guy and probably will be a MLB 175+ K guy .

Are we convinced Moreland will have a better year than Gallo?
-- @InGodsCountryOK

Here's the way I look at this, because I know people aren't considering defense when they bring up Gallo:

If both players got 162 games worth of at-bats at the Major Leagues this season, Gallo would hit more home runs than Moreland, but Moreland would be the more productive hitter.

At this point in Gallo's career, he's still got work to do at the plate, and the team is better served having him develop in the minors for now than starting his clock prematurely.

For what it is worth, Moreland, though he'll likely DH most of the time, is a much better defensive option than Gallo is, too.

Does Ross Ohlendorf have a chance at making the team out of camp?
-- Phillip, Allen

Yes, he does. He's my dark-horse candidate to fill the back end of the starting rotation to start the year. His groin injury suffered on Sunday is something to monitor because if he has to miss his turn in the rotation, the starting rotation might become too tough at that point. However, he's got experience as a starter and a reliever and might serve as a great long reliever.

If he is indeed healthy and this groin injury passes without issue, I'll go ahead and say he makes the team in some capacity out of camp. That prediction, though, would not be the favorite in Vegas, so by no means is this a lock.

Do Ryan Rua's Spring struggles concern you?
--Taylor, Dallas

It's moving closer to the point of concern, but not yet. I still like his athleticism and he's come to camp much bigger, so some guys have to adjust to their body.

Sometimes at the plate I feel like he's trying to win a job with every swing, which for some guys is their normal approach anyway, but not him from what I saw last year. Spring Training numbers are crazy tough to project, though. Jeff Wilson (Fort Worth Star-Telegram) was saying that numbers in March and September are the two toughest to translate, and I agree.

His progression in the minors as a hitter shouldn't be discounted. It seems like he's gotten better at the plate each year, which usually bodes well for one's future prospects.

Everyone always focuses on his hitting for obvious reasons, but left field is not an easy spot at Globe Life Park and I'd like to see him grow defensively, too.

What are the Rangers' plans for Michael Choice this year? Is he still expected to be a contributor in the near future?
-- @TheTRTBrah

The first step is settling the competition for the opening(s) in left field. My gut tells me he won't make the roster out of camp because the Rangers want to see him develop in triple-A.

After that, he'll definitely get every opportunity. He is still young (he'll play as a 25-year old all year) with raw power, but he's got to do a better job of making adjustments at the plate and not getting beat by the same stuff over and over. And he's really got to hit because he doesn't give you much defensively or on the bases.

The Rangers still have hopes that he will grow and flourish as a Major Leaguer, but I no longer know if that success is expected.

If Neftali Feliz fails or gets injured, who is in line to close for Texas? Any worry there?
-- @88DemBoyz

There is optimism surrounding Feliz because of how he ended last year. His improved velocity was interpreted as a sign of growing strength and health. The Rangers believe he can return to All-Star form.

Keone Kela is viewed as the franchise's closer of the future. He's looked impressively dominant in Spring Training, but it is only Spring Training. I've said before that he will contribute in Arlington this year, even if not the closer, but there's a chance he's first in line to receive the gig if he gets off to a good start in the minors, which is where he'll almost certainly begin the year.

If it isn't Kela, Kyuji Fujikawa is an option, and I imagine Tanner Scheppers would garner consideration, too.