Pitching was the Rangers number one priority this off-season and not without good reason.  With an average of 5.30 runs per game allowed, they had the American Leagues third worst ERA at 4.96.  To that end the Rangers signed the reigning AL ERA champ, Kevin Millwood and acquired Adam Eaton and Akinori Otsuka from the San Diego Padres. 

 

On the offensive side of the ball, the Rangers remain one of the leagues best.  In ’05 they had the leagues third most potent lineup, scoring 5.34 runs per game while slugging a league best 260 home runs.

 

But pitching is what will determine the fate of the Rangers this year.  And with that, we take a closer look now at the makeup of this year’s roster:

 

 

Catcher

 

Rod Barajas remains entrenched as the teams starting catcher for the third season.  Barajas hit 21 homers last season for the Rangers in 410 at bats, including 14 after the All-Star break.  He is a good defender though not Gold Glove caliber, but he has a good throwing arm, tossing out 34% of would-be base stealers the last two years.  He has a solid reputation for working with pitchers which shall be put to the test as he will be working with three new ones this year.

 

Barajas’ backup will be Gerald Laird.  Not as good a hitter perhaps as Barajas, Laird’s situation can be likened to that of former Giant Yorvit Torrealba.  Many in the organization feel Laird is a number one catcher and indeed he has a very strong arm.  But with Barajas as starter, Laird must wait his turn. 

 

In 2004 Laird played a career high 49 games and threw out 14 of 31 runners trying to steal, however he also committed 6 errors and had 6 passed balls.  He has not been a terribly good Major League hitter, though.  His career average is just .234 through 231 at bats over 81 games.  He has just 3 home runs and a .325 slugging percentage to go with a .297 OBP. 

 

What competition Laird will have in camp is likely to come from former White Sox Jaime Burke, a .328 lifetime hitter through 134 at bats over 73 games.  His most extensive playing time came in 2004 for the Sox when he played in 57 games, starting 32 behind the dish.  He also was solid defensively and threw out 8 of 19 base runners.  While he has no lifetime HR’s, he has a higher slugging percentage (.396) and a .377 career OBP.  His major drawback is his age; Burke is 34 to Laird’s 25.

 

Keith McDonald is the only other catcher in camp with any big league experience, having played 8 games for St. Louis in 2000 and 2001.  An interesting note on McDonald is his lifetime slugging percentage of 1.333.  In 2000, McDonald came to the plate 7 times and hit safely in 3 of those.  He was hitless in 2 at bats in 2001.  All three of McDonalds Major League hits have gone for home runs.  McDonald hit .240 with 2 HR’s in 66 games last season for Oklahoma.

 

First Base

 

First Base for the Rangers will be once again very capably handled by Mark Teixeira who won his first Gold Glove award in 2005, just his third Major League season.  The switch hitting Teixeira has improved steadily in each of his three seasons at the big league level.  In fact, he has improved almost every major hitting category in each season. 

 

2003 – 137 Hits, 66 Runs, 29 2B, 26 HRs, 84 RBI, 44 BB, .259/.331/.480

2004 – 153 Hits, 101 Runs, 34 2B, 38 HRs, 112 RBI, 68 BB, .281/.370/.560

2005 – 194 Hits, 112 Runs, 41 2B, 43 HRs, 144 RBI, 72 BB, .301/.379/.575

 

He is also durable, having played in all 162 games last season, starting 154 at first, the rest as a DH.  It was his first season where he played exclusively at first on the field.  A former third baseman, Teixeira has handled the switch like a true pro and was rewarded for his hard work last year with his first Gold Glove award.  It is likely not to be his last.

 

What need there will be for a backup at first will likely be handled by Phil Nevin, who is expected to compete for playing time at the designated hitter spot and could also possibly see occasional duty at third for Texas. 

 

Nevin was acquired last season from San Diego in return for Chan Ho Park.  He hit just .237 with 12 homers and 55 runs batted in for the season including just .182 with 3 HR’s and 8 RBI for Texas.  It was in fact, lack of production rather than injury that forced Nevin at first to the bench in San Diego, then finally to Texas. 

 

Nevin debuted in 1995 as a catcher with the Astros as a can’t-miss prospect, and just a few years later, it began to appear as though he had in fact missed.  But in 1999 he broke out with 24 home runs in fewer than 400 at bats.  The next season he hit 31 and the following year, 41.  Injuries slowed him in ’02 and ’03 but he rebounded to hit 26 in the ’04 season despite playing his home games at hitter un-friendly Petco Park. 

 

Even the move from Petco Park to the much more hitter friendly American League did little to buffer his declining numbers in ’05 though he did put up his best numbers playing at Ameriquest Park in Arlington (.293/.370/.537, 2 HR’s and 5 RBI at home as opposed to .103/.161/.172, 1 HR and 3 RBI on the road for Texas).  He soon however, found himself on the bench in Texas too.

 

Though he will have competition, he will likely begin the season as the primary designated hitter, due in part to the $10 million owed to him in this, the final year of his contract.  He hired a personal trainer this winter and spent much of it lifting weights, determined to return his production to his previous level.  He’ll need to do that or he’ll find himself on the bench once again or, quite possibly, out of a job altogether.

 

Second Base

 

Last season the Rangers had one of the most productive infields in baseball offensively, due in part to second baseman Alfonso Soriano, who hit 36 HR’s and drove in 104 while also stealing 30 bases.  Soriano, however, was traded this off-season to the Washington Nationals (in return for outfielder Brad Wilkerson, pitcher Armando Galaraga and outfielder Termel Sledge who has since been traded to San Diego), leaving second base as one of the few question marks entering training camp. 

 

Michael Young, the Rangers second basemen before moving to short stop when the team acquired Soriano, is not the answer.  He will remain the teams starting shortstop while rookie Ian Kinsler and veteran Mark DeRosa battle it out for the starting job at second. 

 

While there were unofficial grumblings out of the Ranger camp that Kinsler may not be ready, the job is nonetheless his to lose.  Drafted as a shortstop, Kinsler, the Rangers minor league player of the year in 2004, was moved to second before last season with an eye towards him eventually replacing Soriano, who led all Major League second sackers with 21 errors last year. 

 

Kinsler himself committed 21 errors at triple-A Oklahoma as he adjusted to the change in position and to win the job he’ll need to show himself proficient with the glove.  At the plate he hit .345 with 20 HR’s and 98 RBI with 103 runs scored in 2004 and came back with .274/23/94/102 in 2005.  He also slugged .464 and stole 19 bases. 

 

There is no doubt he can hit, but again, it’ll be defense that determines the starter.  If he should falter, DeRosa will be waiting for his chance.  DeRosa is a veteran of parts of 8 Major League seasons, the first seven with Atlanta.  He is a career .263 hitter and last season he slugged a career best 8 home runs in only 148 at bats. 

 

He struggled initially with the Rangers, hitting just .062 (1 for 16) through May and .143 (6 for 41) through June.  He hit .280 (30 for 107) the rest of the way though and was particularly effective against left handed pitchers, hitting .322 and slugging .627 in 59 at bats against southpaws. 

 

While he is more or less a solid defender at 2B, working against him may be his versatility.  DeRosa can play all four infield positions as well as in the outfield and the team would like to see Kinsler win the job so that DeRosa can remain a valuable utility player on the Rangers bench. 

 

One other option in the Rangers camp this spring will be D’Angelo Jimenez, who was signed to a minor league deal and is ticketed to be the starting 2B at Oklahoma.  However, if both Kinsler and DeRosa drop the ball and Jimenez plays well, he could find himself in position to win a job at the big league level. 

 

One thing working in Jimenez’ favor is the fact that he hits lefties well (.355 last season with Cincinnati), something many on this team do not.  Jimenez’ best season at the big league level came in 2004 with the Reds when he played full time, logging 152 games played with 563 at bats.  He hit .270 (.364/.394) with 12 home runs, 28 doubles and 67 RBI.  He is a career .267 hitter with a .350 lifetime OBP. 

 

Shortstop

 

Micheal Young remains the team’s starter and is one of the best all-around shortstops in the league.  Young, too, has improved steadily in each of the previous three seasons, and in 2004 he topped 200 hits for the third consecutive year while winning his first AL batting title with a mark of .331.  He also slugged 24 home runs and 40 doubles (both career highs) and drove in 91.  His OBP and SLG have risen in each of the last four years (2002 .308/.382, 2003 .339/.446, 2004 .353/.483, 2005 .385/.513) as he has become one of the top hitting shortstops in the game.

 

Where Young’s game needs improvement is in his defense.  While not terrible, Young is not among the best defensive shortstops but to expect that of him at this point may not be fair.  Young was originally a second baseman who made the switch when the team acquired Soriano prior to the ’04 season.  He has committed 37 errors at short the last two seasons (19 and 18 respectively) for a .973 fielding %.  His range factor has been at or near the league average in both seasons as a starter at short.

 

He is certainly no liability, but could stand to improve and that appears to be one of his personal stated goals this year.  He is one of the best athletes in the game, and it seems likely that he will do just that.

 

Third Base

 

Hank Blalock was nearly traded in the off-season to Florida in a deal that would have brought the Rangers Josh Beckett (along with Mike Lowell).  That deal fell through, and Blalock remains the teams 3B for the ’06 season, his fourth full season at the big league level. 

 

The team’s willingness to trade Blalock stems from his declining numbers, opposite those trends set by Teixeira and Young.  Blalock’s average has dipped from .300 in 2003 to .276 and then .263 in the succeeding seasons while his OBP was .350 in ’03 and dipped to .318 last year.  His slugging percentage also took a dive the last three years (.522/.500/.431) as his home runs numbers fell last year to just 25 in 647 at bats (he averaged a HR every 19.55 AB’s in ’03, 1 every 19.5 in ’04 and one every 25.88 in ’05) and he had 14 fewer extra base hits this past season than in ‘04

 

Another factor that makes Texas more willing to part with him, is that he seems to hit better at hitter friendly Ameriquest Park; the team would do better with a more consistent player.  Blalock hit .297/.361/.534 with 20 HR’s and 67 RBI in 313 at bats at home in’05, while putting up lesser numbers on the road (.231/.276/.335, 5 and 29 in 334 AB’s). 

 

And like most of the team, Blalock struggles against left handers, hitting just .196 with 8 HR’s in 194 ABs versus lefties while hitting .291 with 17 homers against righties (453 AB).  However, in most other cases, the Rangers employ a platoon system that is not realistic in Blalock’s case.

 

Where Blalock has improved is on the defensive side of the ball.  He reduced his error total from 15 in ’03 and 17 in ’04 down to just 11 last season, while seeing his fielding percentage rise from .959 and .957 in ’03 and ’04 to .973 last season.  Eric Chavez won the Gold Glove award last season but Blalock was exceptional defensively and a case could easily have been made for him as well. 

 

Marshall McDougall could see time along with Nevin and DeRosa, as a backup to Blalock.  McDougall, best known for hitting 4 home runs in a single college game, put up impressive numbers at Oklahoma last year (.341/.416/.578 with 11 HR’s and 64 RBI in just 223 AB) but will likely miss at least the first two weeks of the season following off-season wrist surgery.

 

Outfield

 

Kevin Mench, David Dellucci, Brad Wilkerson, Gary Matthews Jr. and Laynce Nix will all vie for playing time in a crowded Ranger outfield where one of the bigger questions is who will play where? 

 

Nix, Matthews and Wilkerson can all play center but both Matthews and Wilkerson saw time at all three OF positions in ’04 and Wilkerson can also fill in at first base.  Nix is likely to see time primarily in CF, although he did see time in right in ’03.  Kevin Mench played mostly in left field but spent more time in right (41 games) than any of the other four last year.  Dellucci played 3 games each in center and right but the bulk of his OF time was spent in left, however he also spent 64 games as the teams’ DH and likely will see more playing time there again this season. 

 

Mench seems the most likely to end up in right though Wilkerson and Matthews are likely to see time there as well.  Center will most likely see Matthews, Wilkerson and Nix, while left field could be handled by Dellucci, Matthews, and Wilkerson, though Mench could see time there as well.  The Rangers do have plenty of OF options.

 

Last season, Mench became the only Ranger outfielder in the last 6 years to record over 500 at bats by registering 557 and hitting 25 HRs (down 1 from ’04) while driving in 73 (up from 71 in ’04).  He is a solid, though not spectacular, hitter with a career .334 OBP and .484 SLG.  He was one of the few to hit lefties better than right handers last season, post a .296 average with 8 homers in 125 at bats (.600 SLG), while hitting just .255 with 17 HRs (.431 SLG) against righties.

 

Where Mench struggled the most was in the clutch, hitting just .184 w/RISP in 130 at bats, including just .143 in 70 AB’s after the All-Star break.

 

Dellucci put up career best numbers in most every category last season for the Rangers.  He hit 29 homers and scored 97 runs while posting a .367 OBP (despite a .251 average) and a .513 SLG.  He also drove in 65, all career bests for Dellucci (who decided against playing for Italy in the WBC). 

 

He did also hit well on the road (relatively speaking), posting better overall road numbers (.262/.382/.545, 15 HRs 36 RBI, 202 AB’s on the road - .240/.354/.485, 14 HR’s and 29 RBI, 233 AB’s at home) than at home, something that the Rangers could benefit from.

 

He did not play much against lefties, logging only 33 at bats with only 1 of his homers coming against southpaws.  You can expect Buck Showalter to use him often in platoon situations facing right handed pitchers.

 

Matthews, the son of former Phillie Gary Matthews, began last season as the starting CF, but did not hit well enough to hold onto that job.  He saw time all around the OF, and will likely see time backing up all three again this year.  While his .255 BA and .320 OBP last season were not impressive, he did nonetheless hit 17 homers and drove in 55, both career highs. 

 

Matthews also belied the notion that Ranger hitters only do well at Ameriquest, hitting .290/.350/.492 with 9 HR’s and 23 RBI on the road (in 238 ABs) while posting marks of just .219/.290/.380 with 8 HR’s and 32 RBI in 237 AB’s at home. 

 

Nix’ time with the Rangers could be running short if he does not start producing more.  A natural CF, the Rangers best hope would be for him to put it all together and give them a solid everyday CF, but he’ll need to post better offensive numbers before the team gives him the position full time.  In parts of three Major League seasons, Nix is a career .247 hitter with just a .285 lifetime OBP.  He hit 14 home runs in ’04, but in a stacked lineup like Texas’, he’ll need to do more than that. 

 

Nix’ splits show him to be a hitter that benefits from the park, hitting .291 at home in ’05 as opposed to .193 on the road (119 home ABs, 110 road ABs).  He has also battled injuries, missing 2 ˝ months with an injured left shoulder and has had since had surgery to both shoulders.  He is expected to be ready to compete when the games begin.

 

Brad Wilkerson was added to the team to help give the outfield stability (since 1999, the Rangers have employed 38 different LFs, 28 different CFs and 41 different RFs).  Wilkerson had recorded at least 500 at bats in each of the last four seasons. 

 

Among the attractions to Wilkerson is his career .365 on base percentage.  While not possessing much speed, he does give the Rangers an experienced leadoff hitter who has some pop (32 HR’ in 2004).  However, he slumped a bit last season, hitting just .248 with a .351 OBP, both career lows, and hit just 11 HRs. 

 

Part of that can be attributed to hitting in pitcher friendly RFK stadium as he did put up better road numbers than home (.257/.337/.414, 5 HR’s 32 RBI, 307 AB’s on the road versus .236/.367/.395, 6 HR’s and 25 RBI in 258 AB’s at home), but only slightly.  The Rangers will hope to be getting the ’04 version of Wilkerson and not the more recent ’05 version.

 

One other OF option the Rangers have is rookie prospect Jason Botts.  Botts can also play 1B but may find his path to the Majors clearest at the DH position.  Botts hit .286/.375/.522 with 25 HR’s and 102 RBI at Oklahoma in ’04.  Unless he clearly impresses Showalter, and baring a trade, Botts is likely to open the season in the minors once again. 

 

Designated Hitter

 

Phil Nevin enters camp as the front runner for the DH position.  He’ll have competition, though, from Eurbiel Durazo, among others.   Durazo was signed by the Rangers to a minor league contract as camp opened.  He is recovering from Tommy John surgery but should be ready when the season starts.  The club must add him to its 40 man roster by March 29 or allow him to become a free agent. 

 

Durazo played in just 41 games last season, hitting just .237 with only 4 HR’s.  He hit .321 with 22 HR’s in 2004 for the A’s and hit 21 homers in ’03.  He has an excellent batting eye, recording a .381 career OBP over parts of 7 seasons in the Majors.  He drew a career high 100 walks in ’03. 

 

If healthy, Durazo presents the Rangers with a potent bat.  Health however, has been the key for the oft injured slugger.  He can play 1B in a pinch but his poor defense at the position makes him more suited to the DH spot, where Billy Beane thought he might also remain healthy. 

 

Dellucci and Botts are also potential candidates for the spot, as are Mench and Wilkerson.  It is likely that Nevin however will get the lion’s share of at bats unless Durazo forces the Rangers’ hand.  It is possible that the team would carry both, but the more likely scenario is that if Durazo shows himself to be healthy and ready, the Rangers would try to trade one or the other.  Either way though, Dellucci likely will see some at bats at DH against right handers this season. 

 

Starting Pitching

 

The Rangers set out this off-season to upgrade their starting pitching, the weakest link for the team last season.  To that end, they added free agent Kevin Millwood and acquired Adam Eaton and Vincente Padilla via trade. 

 

Millwood was of course, the big fish that had eluded the Rangers for a while.  Giving in and giving Millwood the 5 year deal they said they wouldn’t do following the Chan Ho Park debacle, the Rangers are hoping for more of the same that Millwood delivered last season for the Indians, when he led the AL in ERA with a 2.86 mark.  His record was only 9-11 but he clearly pitched better than that would suggest (he had the seventh lowest run support in the Majors last season).

 

He wasn’t quite as good the previous two seasons with Philadelphia, yet three times in five seasons he won 17 or more games for Atlanta.  He has always been tough to hit (particularly so his final season in Atlanta when hitters hit just .230 off him, his WHIP was just 1.16, and he allowed only 7.71 h/9), but has at times struggled with consistency and control (2.74 BB/9 career and 3.26 in ‘04), not always seeming to embrace the mantle of number one starter.

 

Last season, he averaged 1.28 ground ball outs to fly ball outs, a career best, but that hasn’t always been the case, allowing more fly ball outs than ground ball outs in 4 of the last seven seasons.  A key to his success (aside of course from staying healthy) will be keeping the ball on the ground.

 

Adam Eaton was acquired along with reliever Akinori Otsuka and a minor leaguer in exchange for Termel Sledge, Adrian Gonzalez and Chris Young. 

 

In that deal, the Rangers picked up depth in the pen with Otsuka and acquired a talented young pitcher in Eaton.  It came at a steep cost, though, in Young, a very talented young (two years younger than Eaton) pitcher with a bright future.  While Young struggled at times with his own consistency, he won 12 games for Texas in ’04 and posted numbers similar to or better than Eaton’s.  This is a deal that could come back to haunt Texas in future years.

 

Eaton has pitched now for 6 seasons in the Majors and has yet to tap is full potential.  At 29, the future is now for Eaton, who has a tendency towards too many walks (career 3.19 BB/9) and too many base runners (WHIP 1.34 career/1.43 in ’05).  He is a fly ball pitcher who could potentially wilt in the hot Texas sun (28 HRs allowed in 33 starts in ’04, 14 in 22 2005 starts).

 

If Texas is to have success this season, they will need Eaton to perform up to his potential.

 

Vincente Padilla is a guy who comes with quite a few question marks, not the least of which is his health.  Following back to back breakout seasons in 2002 and 2003 when he won 14 games both seasons with low to mid 3 ERAs, he began to break down in ’04 and made only 20 starts due to injury.  He again missed time due to injury in ’05, making 27 starts, but also struggled badly with his control (4.53 BB/9). 

 

He was much better following the All-Star break when he seemed to have regained his health (3.64 ERA in 14 starts post-AS, 6.27 ERA pre-AS) but he was also very bad against left handed hitters for the season (3.20 ERA vs RHPs – 6.34 vs LHPs).  His numbers at home and on the road were fairly similar except for one noticeable difference: he allowed 5 home runs on the road (13 starts, 71.1 innings) and 17 at home (14 starts, 75.2 innings) at hitter-friendly Citizens Bank Park.

 

While that may give reason for concern when pitching at Ameriquest, Padilla has a good track record as a ground ball pitcher (1.52 career GO/FO) and that should work in his favor. 

 

Padilla’s two biggest concerns are, number one, staying healthy, and number two, reducing his number of walks.

 

Kameron Loe begins camp as the likely number 4 starter. Loe made 8 starts in ’05 for the Rangers, compiling a 4-2 record with a 2.70 ERA (46.2 innings).  Overall, Loe was 9-6 with a 3.42 ERA in 48 games over 92 innings.  He won’t strike out a lot of hitters (4.38 K/9 career) and he walks a bit too many (3.38 BB/9 career) but he is a ground ball monster, recording a career GO/FO ratio of 2.34.  He was very effective against right handers last season (.222 BA against and a 2.36 ERA).  He was also more effective on the road, compiling a 2.16 road ERA while posting a 4.47 mark at home.

 

At 24, Loe appears to have a bright future.  He’ll need to reduce his number of walks and pitch better at home (new GM Jon Daniels issued an edict to his team that Ameriquest Park is not to used as an excuse and anyone not wanting to pitch there will be found new homes), but he certainly appears to be a keeper.

 

Until Brian Anderson returns at midseason, Juan Dominguez leads the charge for the fifth starters spot among a group of potentials that also includes Josh Rupe, C.J. Wilson and R.A. Dickey. 

 

Dominguez is the front runner, having made 10 starts for the club in ’05.  While Dominguez has obvious talent, he’ll need to reduce his walks (3.45 BB/9 career) and hits allowed (9.77 H/9 career, 9.98 in ’05) if he’s to be successful.  Hitters have hit him at a .277 pace for his career and his career WHIP is 1.47. 

 

He too was much more successful on the road last year (2.95 road ERA, 5.87 home ERA) though his home runs allowed (11 in only 70.1 innings) were evenly distributed (6 home, 5 road). 

 

Rupe is a guy that Rangers management is very high on and all things being equal, perhaps the guy they would prefer to see win the job.  He had a 2.79 ERA last year in just 9.2 innings at the Major League level while posting a 6.28 ERA over 17 starts (93.2 inn) at Oklahoma.  Like many young pitchers, his main concern is with control (38 walks in 93.2 minor league innings, 4 in 9.2 Major League innings), but early on in camp, Rupe was working on fielding drills in the same group with Millwood, Eaton, Padilla and Loe. 

 

New pitching coach Mark Connors said of Rupe, “This kid can do anything in the Majors.  Like Juan Dominguez, it’s a matter of consistency.”  He will get a long look but in the end, performance will dictate where Rupe ends up. 

 

Veteran R.A. Dickey is in the mix as well, though he appears to be a longshot.  He’s been working on a knuckleball in an attempt to re-invent himself.  Born without a ligament in his elbow and already possessing one of the slowest pitches in the big leagues, Dickey has struggled through his big league career with (what else) control (3.26 BB/9 career) and hits allowed (10.72 H/9 career) leading to an awful lot of base runners (1.55 career WHIP).  The trick pitch may be just what he needs to thrive at the big league level.  He is more likely however, to find himself in more of a swing role with Texas. 

 

Left hander C.J. Wilson will also get a look due mostly to the fact that he’s the only left hander in the mix.  He is young and talented but again, has trouble with his control and was hit pretty well last season (1-7, 6.94 ERA overall – 3.38 BB/9, 11.81 H/9, 1.69 WHIP and .330 BA against versus just 5.63 K/9 and 8.01 ERA vs RHB). 

 

However, Wilson was much better out of the bullpen, posting a 2.73 ERA in relief versus a 12.05 mark as a starter. 

 

Bullpen

 

Francisco Cordero will once again hold down the back end of the bullpen.  He is among Baseball’s best at getting the final three outs and Texas will count on him to do the same this year.  Health could be an issue as he is as yet undecided about pitching for the Dominican Republic due to a “twinge” in his shoulder.  The Rangers can ill afford to lose him for any significant amount of time. 

 

Cordero emerged as the team’s closer at the end of the ’03 season and in ’04, logged 49 saves in 54 chances.  He is very difficult to hit (.242 career BA against, 7.69 H/9 the past three years) and strikes out a lot (9.94 K/9 the past three seasons).  His fault, like many on the staff, is with his control.  He has averaged nearly 4.50 walks per 9 innings for his career.  Ideally, you’d like your closer to have better control than that.  You never want to put yourself into a jam.

 

Nevertheless, he is one of the top closers in the game.  The Rangers will need more of the same from him this year.  After Cordero, the bullpen has many spots up for grabs.  Only two spots are certain following him and there are a slew of guys competing for spots.  Those two certain to break camp are former Padre Akinori Otsuka and Joaquin Benoit. 

 

When the club resigned Joaquin Benoit in January, they also announced that Benoit’s days as a starter were over.  More than that, they will be counting on him to help get through the late innings.  New pitching coach Mark Connor said “We’re counting on him to take a role of responsibility late in the game.”

 

He may be ready to take that responsibility.  As a reliever last season, Benoit was downright nasty.  In 41.2 innings over 23 appearances, Benoit had an impressive 1.30 ERA and allowed only 20 hits and issued just 17 walks while striking out 42.  As a starter he posted numbers that were not so attractive: 5.96 ERA in 9 starts spanning 45.1 innings, 49 hits allowed, 21 walks and 36 strikeouts.  Out of the pen, hitters hit just .139 against him.  He allowed just 4.32 H/9 while striking out 9.07 per 9.  He also averaged just 3.67 walks per 9 innings, a WHIP of 0.89, all numbers far better than his career averages. 

 

He definitely appears ready, though he will need to reduce his walks if he’s to keep those types of numbers.

 

Otsuka, a veteran of the Nippon Professional Baseball league, was nothing short of nasty for San Diego in 2004, his first season in the US, posting a 7-2 record with a 1.73 ERA in 77.1 innings in which he allowed only 56 hits and struck out 87. 

 

Due in part to a lower strikeout rate (10.13 K/9 down to 8.62) and a higher walk rate (3.03 BB/9 up to 4.88), those numbers tailed off a bit in ’05 (2-8, 3.59 ERA, 55 hits and 60 K’s in 62.2 innings) but he is a solid pitcher whose deceptive delivery should be effective against a new set of hitters who’ve not seem him before. 

 

The fact that he’s entering just his third Major League season belies the fact that he’s a veteran who’s been around.  He should help to be a stabilizing force in the Rangers pen.

 

After those three, however, the competition is wide, wide open.  Among those competing in camp for the final 4 spots in the Rangers pen are: Left handers Brian Shouse, Ron Mahay, Erasmo Ramirez, Kevin Walker, Jesse Carlson and Rule V draftee Fabio Castro.  Right handers include long time veteran Antonio Alfonseca, John Wasdin, Jon Leicester, Jose Silva, Jayson Durocher, Scott Feldman, Edison Volquez and Nick Regilio. 

 

Shouse is the most experienced lefty of the bunch and has been a Ranger for the last three years.  He figures to be the front runner to be the number one lefty, but his ERA jumped in ’05 to 5.23 from 2.23 the year before so he will need to earn it. 

 

Mahay, Ramirez and Walker all have Major League experience and the Rangers like what they’ve seen from Carlson who is 14-5 with a 2.81 ERA in four minor league seasons.  Castro is a Rule V draftee and must make the 25 man roster or be returned to the White Sox (he was drafted by Kansas City who then traded him to the Rangers for Esteban German). 

 

Of the right handers, Alfonseca has had the most success at the major league level.  He was signed to a minor league contract and will have to earn a spot on the 40 man roster. Wasdin had some success in the Rangers pen last season and as a member of the 40 man squad, has to be considered a front runner.  Durocher, Silva and Leicester all have had some success at the Major League level.  Regilio missed a lot of time with surgery but is ready to compete.

 

Frank Francisco recently threw his first bullpen session since Tommy John surgery last year, and is expected back possibly by mid-season.

 

In addition, those competing for a spot in the rotation that don’t make it may also be in the eventual mix for the bullpen. 

 

One thing is certain though as the Rangers look to improve their pitching staff, there is no shortage of arms.

 

Roster

Catcher - Rod Barajas (starter), Gerald Laird or Jaime Burke

First Base – Mark Teixeira

Second Base – Ian Kinsler, Mark DeRosa or D’Angelo Jimenez

Shortstop – Michael Young

Third Base – Hank Blalock

Backup Infielders – Phil Nevin and DeRosa or Jimenez

Outfield – Kevin Mench, Brad Wilkerson, David Dellucci, Gary Matthews and/or Laynce Nix

Designated Hitter – Nevin, Dellucci and/or Eurbiel Durazo

 

Starting Pitching – Kevin Millwood, Adam Eaton, Vincente Padilla, Kameron Loe and one of the following: Juan Dominguez, Josh Rupe, R.A. Dickey, C.J. Wilson

 

Relief Pitching – Francisco Cordero, Joaquin Benoit, Akinori Otsuka and 4 from the following:

 

Left handers – Brian Shouse, Ron Mahay, Erasmo Ramirez, Kevin Walker, Jesse Carlson, C.J. Wilson and Fabio Castro.  Right handers – Antonio Alfonseca, John Wasdin, Jon Leicester, Jose Silva, Jayson Durocher, Scott Feldman, Edison Volquez, Josh Rupe, Juan Dominguez, R.A. Dickey and Nick Regilio

 

Potential Lineup

1. Wilkerson CF

2. Young SS

3. Blalock 3B

4. Teixeira 1B

5. Mench RF

6. Delucci LF

7. Nevin/Durazo DH

8. Barajas C

9. Kinsler 2B

 

Doubtlessly this is a team that will substitute and platoon often.  Showalter has plenty of options.  If there is any area of concern regarding the position players, one would be depth in the middle infield and another would be that the team really could use a true centerfielder.  But top to bottom, this is a lineup built to thrive.  It’s a potent bunch with some pretty good spare parts.  They will compete if the pitching comes together.  And that is the big question. 

 

Millwood was a good addition, though I have concerns about his ability to be the Ace starter Texas needs him to be.  He is a very good pitcher, I’m just not so certain he’s “the” Ace guy.  Padilla will be a good add if he can stay healthy and turn around his control.  Eaton I’m not so hot on.  He’s talented yes, but with a tendency to underachieve.  If there is a guy who can get the most out of him though, Buck Showalter could be that guy. 

 

There are quite a number of questions in regards to the Rangers pitching staff, but they do have a pretty decent collection of arms with which Texas can look for the answer. Do they have what it takes to overtake the A’s and Angels and fend off the Mariners?  Only time will tell us for sure.