STATE OF THE RANGERS

Click here for the Texas Rangers 2010 team page

UPDATE 1/12/10 - 11:58 AM PST
The team has added another home run threat to the middle of their lineup, signing former Angel Vladimir Guerrero to a one-year, $5M deal with a mutual option for 2011. The 35 year-old, who is limited to DH at this point in his career, played in only 100 games last season because of two separate stints on the DL and posted his first sub-.800 OPS of his 13-year career. The eight-time All-Star did hit .378 (14-for-37) in the playoffs, however, with a HR, 3 2B's, and 7 RBI's, proving he still has something left in the tank.

By signing Guerrero, the team is showing confidence that Josh Hamilton, who also had two stints on the DL in '09 and was eventually shut down for the season in early September with a pinched nerve in his back, will be healthy enough to play in the outfield full-time.


UPDATE 11/10/09 - 7:07 AM PST
LINEUP - The Rangers are set at 2B, SS, and 3B with Ian Kinsler, Elvis Andrus, and Michael Young. Chris Davis will be the first baseman but Justin Smoak will be waiting in the wings in AAA if Davis has trouble making contact with the baseball again (150 K in 391 AB's in '09). The three OF spots and DH are currently set with Nelson Cruz, Josh Hamilton, David Murphy, and Julio Borbon but that situation could get more complicated if the team brings back free agent Marlon Byrd or another outfielder via free agency or the trade market, as has been rumored. Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Taylor Teagarden will likely battle it out for the starting catcher job although both players struggled offensively in '09 and the team could choose to try and upgrade this offseason.

ROTATION - Four spots in the rotation are set with Kevin Millwood, Scott Feldman, Tommy Hunter, and Derek Holland. Here's where it gets interesting. Brandon McCarthy is slotted into the rotation but with Matt Harrison returning from shoulder surgery and word that either Neftali Feliz and/or C.J. Wilson could be moved into the rotation, McCarthy might be expendable. Guillermo Moscoso, who was called up to Texas five different times during the '09 season, managed to have a successful AAA season (8-5, 3.12 ERA in 112.1 IP) in between all the shuttling and could be an option in 2010.

BULLPEN - I can't imagine the Rangers moving both Feliz (1.74 ERA, 31 IP, 13 H, 39 K) and Wilson (2.81 ERA, 14 Sv, 73.2 IP, 84 K) into the rotation unless they acquired another late-inning option this offseason. If they stay in the 'pen, they would team with Frank Francisco (3.83 ERA, 25 Sv, 57 K in 49.1 IP) and Darren O'Day (1.84 ERA, 58.2 IP, 41 H, 56 K) to make it very tough for opponents to come back on this team in the late innings.