TEAM PREVIEW - 2010 Texas Rangers

Texas Rangers
Mgr. Ron Washington #38
2009 record: 87-75
Second place, AL West

We’re still not sure how the Texas Rangers managed to play to the level they did last year. The Rangers improved by eight games and finished above .500 for just the third time in the past 10 years despite plummeting from a league leading .283 team batting average in 2008 to a third worst .259 last year. However, the Rangers 4.38 team ERA was down a run from its previous season’s 5.37 and was the most improved in the majors.

The Rangers sat in first place, four games up at the end of May and were only three back by the end of July before eventually fading to 10 back at the end of the season.

Righty Scott Feldman emerged as the ace of the staff going 17-8 with a 4.08 ERA in 31 starts spanning 189 innings. Kevin Millwood was 13-10 with a 3.67 ERA in a team leading 198 innings but has since departed as free agent. Twenty-two-year- old rookie Derek Holland struggled through 21 starts (8-13, 6.12) while sophomore Tommy Hunter, also 22, fared much better (9-6, 4.10, in 19 starts). Vicente Padilla (8-6, 4.92) and Brandon McCarthy (7-4, 4.62) rounded out the regular rotation.

Newly acquired free agent Rich Harden (one year at $7.5 million) looked good in 26 starts with the Chicago Cubs going 9-9, 4.09 with 171 strikeouts in 141 innings.

Closer Frank Francisco was effective in converting 25 of 29 save opportunities with a 3.83 ERA in 49 innings as was C.J. Wilson who also saved 14 games with a 2.81 ERA in 73 innings. Youngster Neftali Feliz, 21, was 1-0 with a nifty 1.74 ERA and 39 strikeouts in 31 innings during his brief 20-game stint.

Veteran middle reliever Darren Oliver (5-1, 2.71 with 65 strikeouts in 73 innings) was also snatched away as a free agent from division rival Los Angeles signing a one-year deal for $3.5 million. The Rangers had six players hit more than 20 home runs including a team-leading 33 from right fielder Nelson Cruz and 31 by second-sacker Ian Kinsler. The teams 224 long balls were second only to the Yankees and their new home-run happy ballpark. Third baseman Michael Young moved over to make room for rookie shortstop Elvis Andrus, and despite missing more than 20 games with a hamstring injury, was still the team’s most consistent hitter knocking 22 home runs with 68 RBI at a .322 clip. Center fielder Marlon Byrd (20 HR, 89 RBI, .283) has since departed as a free agent signing a three-year $15 million deal with the Chicago Cubs. Hank Blaylock (25 HR, 66 RBI) was also a free agent at the time of this writing.

“Pudge” Rodriquez abbreviated return to Texas was basically a flop (2 HR, 13 RBI, .245 in 28 games) and ended with him departing as a free agent signing a charitable $6 million two year deal with the Washington Nationals. Jarrod Saltamacchia (9 HR, 34 RBI, .233) and Taylor Teagarden (6, 24, .217) formed the remainder of the Rangers backstop platoon.

Josh Hamilton followed his breakout 2008 season (32, 130 .304) by spending most of 2009 (10, 54, .268) on the DL but should benefit from the Rangers off-season acquisition of Vladimir Guerrero signed to a one-year $6 million deal after he too suffered through an injury riddled campaign. Guerrero appears to be a rapidly aging 35 but should be inspired to parlay the opportunity into perhaps one final contract.    The same might be said of shortstop Kahlil Greene, 30 whom the Rangers picked up of f the scrap heap for $750,000 after Greene struggled through the most injury plagued season of his seven-year career.

While the Rangers appeared to have improved last year it’s going to take a lot more to keep up with the Angels and even the Mariners this season.

Arrivals: OF Vladimir Guerrero, RHP Rich Harden, LHP Darren Oliver, SS Kahlil Greene
Departures: OF Marlon Byrd, RHP Kevin Milwood, C Ivan Rodriguez