Ramirez & Rapada Designated for Assignment

Today, Arthur Rhodes and Brandon Webb signed their one-year contracts with the Rangers, finalizing their respective deals.

To make room for Rhodes and Webb on the 40-man roster, Texas designated catcher Max Ramirez and relief pitcher Clay Rapada for assignment. The Rangers now have have 10 days to trade, release, or outright Ramirez and Rapada to the minors.

Max Ramirez is a .217 hitter over parts of two seasons in Texas but hit .286 for AAA-Oklahoma City in 2010. Once highly thought of within the Rangers Organization, Ramirez's lack on consistency at the plate and less-than-marginal arm behind the plate have dropped him below other internal catching prospects like Jose Felix and Taylor Teagarden.

Rapada, a September call-up, recorded 3 Holds over the last month of the season and showed enough to be included on the Rangers Post Season roster. However, the side-winding lefty was also unlikely to make the Rangers Opening Day roster, as Texas is lefty-heavy in their bullpen with Darren Oliver, Arthur Rhodes and possibly Derek Holland having spots essentially locked up.

Of the two, my hope is that Texas can find a way to retain Rapada. Ramirez has been given every opportunity to make a statement but has done little to impress. Rapada, on the other hand, showed flashes late in the season and has pitched very well the past two seasons in AAA.

Rangers Add An Arm; Feliz To Rotation?

Yesterday afternoon, the Texas Rangers acquired Clay Rapada, a left-handed reliever from Detroit, for cash considerations or a player to be named later.

Rapada is a sidearm pitcher who Texas is hoping will compete for a spot in the bullpen at spring training.

The move appears to be the Rangers' attempt to bolster the relief corps to the point that they could consider moving stud fireballer Neftali Feliz into the starting rotation.



Rapada, 28, appeared in just three games for the Tigers last season and is 3-0 with a 4.94 ERA in 27 1/3 major league innings. He has 21 strikeouts and 18 walks. Last season for Triple-A Toledo, he had a 2.20 ERA against left-handed batters with 23 strikeouts and six walks in 16 1/3 innings. That makes him a candidate for the situational lefty spot in the bullpen, a spot held down by Eddie Guardado. Guardado is expected to retire.

"Rapada's had quality success against left-handed hitters, mostly in the minor leagues," said Rangers GM Jon Daniels, who said Rapada switched from a more conventional pitching motion to a sidearm delivery when he was with the Cubs a few years ago. "Like a lot of guys, he scuffled early on in his career in the big leagues. He'll come in and compete for a spot."

To make roon for Rapada on the 40-man roster, Willie Eyre was outrighted to Triple-A Oklahoma City.

Rapada is also an affordable option for the cash-poor Rangers, as he's not arbitration-eligible and would make less than $500,000 if he's on the Opening Day roster.