Rangers off season in review

Major League Signings:
Arthur Rhodes, RP (1-year, $3.9 million + option year)
Brandon Webb, SP (1-year, $3 million + incentives)
Yorvit Torrealba, C (2-year, $6.25 million)
Adrian Beltre, 3B (5-year, $80 million + option year)

Minor League Signings:
Seth McClung, RP
Dave Bush, SP
Brian Barden, 2B
Endy Chavez, OF
Yhency Brazoban, RP
Zach Jackson, SP
Omar Quintanilla, UTL
Barret Loux, SP ($312K)
Kevin Cash, C

International Signings
Yoshinori Tateyama, RP (1-year + 2 option years)
Hirotoshi Onaka, OF (minor league contract)
Rougned Odor, SS ($450K, Venezuela)
Alberto Triunfel, SS ($300K, Dominican Republic)


Trades and Claims:
Mike Napoli, C/1B (acquired from Toronto)
Ryan Kelly, RHP (acquired from Oakland, assigned to Hickory)
Mason Tobin, RHP (acquired from Chicago Cubs)


Notable Losses:
Cliff Lee, SP (signed w/ Philadelphia)
Vladimir Guerrero, DH (signed w/ Baltimore)
Frank Francisco , RP (traded to Toronto)
Bengie Molina, C (free agency)
Jeff Francoeur, OF (signed w/ Kansas City)
Max Ramirez, C (designated for assignment)
Clay Rapada, RP (designated for assignment, signed by Baltimore)
Brandon McCarthy (signed w/ Oakland)
Guillermo Moscoso (traded to Oakland)
Dustin Nippert (free agency)
Warner Madrigal (signed w/ New York Yankees)
Cristian Guzman (free agency)
Rich Harden (signed w/ Oakland)
Jorge Cantu (signed w/San Diego)
Nathan Haynes (outright release)
Doug Mathis, SP (signed w/ Cleveland)
Willie Eyre, RP (signed w/ Oakland)

Summary: After making their first ever World Series appearance, Texas now goes from being the hunter to the hunted. However, despite the losses of All-Stars Cliff Lee and Vladimir Guerrero, and reliever Frank Francisco, the Rangers will begin 2011 an improved roster over what they had Opening Day 2010.

'Depth' seems to be the key word for this off season as Texas has made several moves to give themselves greater flexibility with both their lineup and their pitching staff. The acquisition of multi-dimensional player Mike Napoli (C/1B/DH) and the free agent signing of All-Star 3B Adrian Beltre allows Texas to make All-Star (and current unhappy camper) Michael Young their primary DH and 'Super-Sub' player. Assuming Young isn't traded (which has gone from being imminent to unlikely) Texas is hoping to give him time at every position around the infield. Underrated player Andres Blanco adds to the depth as he not only plays 2B & SS, but spent some time at both Catcher and OF during Winter League play.

Also of note is the loss of hitting instructor Clint Hurdle, who helped steer the offense to a league leading .276 batting average. Hurdle left after just one season to fill the vacant managerial job in Pittsburgh. He was replaced by former big leaguer Thad Bosley. Despite the change, Texas is going to hit the ball, that's a given. There's far too much talent on the roster to expect otherwise. What is in question is what the change in philosophy, if any, will mean for the offense overall.

Cliff Lee going back to Philadelphia definitely hurt the Rangers rotation but it was far from a surprise. Texas wasted no time in at least trying to rebuild their rotation, signing former NL Cy Young winner Brandon Webb. Webb is an unknown quantity, coming off two years of arm troubles but Texas is hopeful a 1-year deal coupled with a healthy arm will produce a good year from the former ace. The Rangers also signed righty Dave Bush to a minor league deal with the belief that he can provide some back of the rotation depth should young guys like Derek Holland and Michael Kirkman come up short.

Texas is also counting on yet another 40-year old reliever to stabilize their bullpen. Last season, old man Darren Oliver had a nice season, posting a 2.48 ERA in 64 appearances. However, Oliver wore down as the season went on and was largely ineffective throughout most of the playoffs. The signing of fellow 40+ left-hander Arthur Rhodes is expected to take some of the pressure off Oliver and keep him fresh for the entire season. Rhodes, who made the All-Star team last season for the Reds, is a 19-year veteran and has extensive playoff experience. Texas also added sidewinding Japanese pitcher Yoshinori Tateyama and traded for a live arm in Mason Tobin. Both pitchers are expected to at least make a push for a spot in the bullpen.

Lastly, Texas made a couple of moves with an eye towards the future, signing former 1st round draft pick Barrett Loux along with a pair of athletic shortstops, Rougned Odor and Alberto Triunfel. Pitching, defense and speed continue to be the focus not only at the Major League level, but in the Minor League and Developmental levels as well.

Most people will point to the loss of Cliff Lee as something that pushes Texas out of the upper echelon in the AL, but this sort of thinking is short-sighted and exactly the sort of thing the Rangers can use to make yet another run to the World Series. Losing Lee hurts. He was unquestionably 'the man' in the playoffs, and without him Texas never would have made it to the World Series. However, Texas was far was inept prior to Lee's arrival. Fact is, Texas had a better regular season record without Lee (50-36), than with him (40-36). Moving forward, there's no reason to believe 2010 breakout stars C.J. Wilson and Colby Lewis can't continue to make strides and carry the rotation, at least until Jon Daniels and Co. are able to make a deal for another arm. If they pitch as expected, and if players like Tommy Hunter can continue to grow, the Rangers should once again find themselves in the hunt for another AL West title with an eye towards another run at the World Series.

Possible Options For Texas Post-Lee

Cliff Lee was clearly the jewel of free agency pitching but he was hardly the only quality starter available. With Lee now signed, sealed & delivered in Philly, Texas is no doubt reviewing some back-up plans both via trade and free agency. While everyone has heard the Zack Greinke and Matt Garza rumors, you're probably gonna have to give up the farm to get either of them. However, several mid-range starters remain available on the free agent market, most acquirable without having to give up any draft considerations.

Brandon Webb (31)

Before arm injuries robbed him of his last 2 seasons, Brandon Webb was arguably the best pitcher in the National League. From '05-'08, Webb was a ridiculous 70-37 with a 3.23 ERA, winning the NL Cy Young Award in 2006 and finishing second in the voting in '07 and '08.

Scouting Report
Webb has an elite sinkerball and a very good fastball. Before his injuries, he was a innings eaters who exhibited good control and the ability to induce ground balls in bunches. Having missed the last 2 seasons, injuries are a massive concern and his up-side is silly huge.

Jeff Francis (29)

A former 1st round pick, Francis has spent his entire career in Colorado. A durable pitcher for the first 3 full seasons of his career, the injury bug bit the lefty in 2008, when he made just 24 starts. Francis then missed all of 2009 and part of 2010 with a shoulder injury before returning to make 19 starts.

Scouting Report
Francis is a contact pitcher with good control. He's a 3-pitch pitcher with a fastball that sits around 86-88 mph, an above average change-up (78 mph), and a curveball (72 mph) that he'll throw in any count. His change-up is widely regarded as his best pitch.

Freddy Garcia (35)

Over the course of Garcia's first 7 seasons, the former 2-time all star won 116 games while averaging 205 innings pitched per season. From '07 to '09, injuries hampered Garcia, allowing him to make just 23 starts during that 3-year stretch. However, the righty returned to form in 2010, going 12-6 while making 28 starts for the Chicago White Sox.

Scouting Report
Like Francis, Garcia pitches to contact and does not walk many hitters. At the same time, he doesn't strike out very many hitters either, meaning he needs a good defense behind him. He has a smooth delivery and keeps hitter off balance with a quality change-up. Garcia also has extensive playoff experience and is a career 6-2 in the postseason.

Doug Davis (35)

Despite an injury-plagued 2010, Davis has been a fairly durable player over the last several years, averaging 33 starts and 196 innings pitched from 2004 to 2009. Davis is also a former Ranger, having played with them from '99-'03.

Scouting Report
The 35-year old lefty is tough as nails and does not get rattled, regardless of the situation. He can have issues with his control from time to time but has a very good curveball and a sneaky quick fastball. When his control is off, his reluctance to challenge hitters with his fastball really hurts him, often resulting in too many walks.

None of these guys (save for Webb if healthy) would likely crack the top 3 of the Rangers rotation but all are quality 4th starters with proven track records. Considering Texas currently has no more than three pitchers on the roster with guaranteed rotation spots, signing any of these veterans would provide a big upgrade over who they currently have under contract.

Cliff Lee Returning To Philadelphia

Various sources have said Cliff Lee is returning to Philadelphia. Lee was traded to the Phillies during the 2009 season and led them to the World Series before falling to the Yankees. Lee was then traded to Seattle as part of the deal which brought Roy Halladay to the Phillies this past season. It was widely known at the time of the trade that Lee did not want to leave Philadelphia.


While this hurts the Yankees, it may well be a death blow for the Rangers. As presently constituted, Texas would enter the season with C.J. Wilson as its number one starter, followed by Colby Lewis. Both pitched very well for the Rangers last season but neither have much of a proven track record.

After Wilson and Lewis, the waters get even murkier. Tommy Hunter would presumably take over the 3rd spot in the rotation, with Derek Holland, Scott Feldman, Matt Harrison and possibly Michael Kirkman fighting it out for the final two spots. Needless to say, this is NOT what the Rangers had in mind.

I have a feeling Kansas City's price for ace Zack Greinke just went up.

Questions Remain Unanswered With Regards To Roster Depth

Yesterday, Texas sent several high-ranking officials to meet with Cliff Lee at his home in Arkansas. They apparently threw out several possible contract options, even going so far as to include several "perks" for Lee's family. What that means is pure speculation but if it's anywhere close to what the Dodgers offered Kevin Brown back in '99, "perks" could mean, among other things, the use of a private jet several times a year for Lee's family. Many believe Texas is really pushing the pace with Lee, trying to get a commitment from him one way or another, as they still have several other areas to address.

Should Lee sign with someone other than Texas, the Rangers would certainly turn their attention back to Kansas City's Zack Greinke and/or Tampa's Matt Garza. Greinke will undoubtedly take two top tier prospects plus a couple of second tier players, Garza could well command almost as much as whomever he ends up with will control his rights for 3 more seasons. Were Texas unable to acquire either pitcher, they might look to rely on C.J. Wilson and Colby Lewis to carry the rotation early on while hoping for continued improvement from Tommy Hunter and a return to form for Scott Feldman. This is truly frightening.

Jon Daniels and company have made contact with DH Vlad Guerrero, who continues to push for a 2-year contract. Oakland is rumored to have interest in the slugger after failing to land Lance Berkman however, their failure to sign Berkman was due to their lack of interests in signing him to a multi-year deal. As it stands, Vlad may be looking at another 1-year contract with an option year, similar to what he signed last season with Texas. His inability to play even sparingly in the field (the World Series proved as much) drops his asking price dramatically.

If Texas is unable to sign a Vlad (or someone of comparable talent like Magglio Ordonez or Jim Thome) I would have to think they'd at least consider moving Michael Young to DH and making a run at someone like Adrian Beltre. Another possibility would be to platoon Josh Hamilton and Nelson Cruz at DH and hope Julio Borbon is ready to finally take over in CF.

Texas also must address their bullpen. While Ogando, O'Day, Francisco, Oliver & Feliz (unless he's moved into the rotation should Texas fail to sign Lee or trade for another stud pitcher) the other two bullpen spots are open to competition. Currently Texas would look to Michael Kirkman, Mark Lowe, Derek Holland, Matt Harrison, Omar Beltre, Clay Rapada & newly acquired Yoshinori Tateyama to battle it out for those spots.

Make no mistake about it, Cliff Lee is the Big Bad Wolf of free agency this season and Texas is rightly doing everything they can to hang on to him. However, the Lee sweepstakes needs to come to an end so the Rangers can move on and throw their full attention towards other areas of importance.