| . 4th October, 2006 - 6:00 pm
 The Rangers finished the 2006 season two games belowa .500, despite serious playoff aspirations back in March. Rookie GM Jon Daniels made a flurry of moves last offseason, completely re-vamping the starting rotation (4 of the 5 starters were in their first year in a Rangers’ uniform), traded Alfonso Soriano, and then traded to get Carlos Lee just before the trading deadline.
However, it is this upcoming offseason that will determine the direction the Rangers are going. They have 8 upcoming free agents and need to extend a few players.
The Rangers’ free agents as poker hands:
Mark Derosa: When rookie Ian Kinsler went down with a broken finger in the first month of the season, Derosa responded by hitting .326 with 13 doubles in May. He’s barely been out of the lineup since. He’s played every position but center field, catcher, and pitcher just to keep hitting. The Rangers need to keep Derosa, as his bat has finally come to life and is invaluable as a utility man. Hand: Jack 10 suited. Extremely flexible, extremely valuable. Hold onto it.
Jerry Hariston Jr.: Hairston came over in the Nevin trade as both teams were purging players that had ran out their experiment time. Hariston batted .198 on the season in only 80 or so at-bats. Hand: 3 5, Toss it away
Rod Barajas: As a full-time starter last year, Barajas belted 21 homers, nearly doubling his career total. This year he’s been adequate (.259/.300/.357) but Gerald Laird has emerged as the starting catcher for 2007. If Rod wants to come back to Texas as a backup, it’s completely up to him. He could probably start elsewhere, but the Rangers have too much invested in Laird. Hand: Pocket 4’s. Good but not great. Hold em if you can cheaply.
Gary Matthews Jr: Matthews has been the center fielder the Rangers have been missing since the days of Tom Goodwin. He’s hit leadoff (.376 OBP), driven in runs (79 RBI’s, .501 SLG) and made catch after catch that have appeared on Web Gems. In case you haven’t seen it, http://youtube.com/watch?v=Kzp6ny0rtAA. Check it out. However, many other teams, including rivals Seattle and Houston have shown interest in Matthews, and that might drive up his price. Hand: Pocket 10’s. Fantastic starting hand, but you have to know when you’re beat. Don’t pay too much or you’ll get burned. Hold if you can afford it.
Carlos Lee: Since coming over from Milwaukee at the trading deadline, Lee has hit .329 with 9 homers, 34 RBI’s, and 6 steals with no caught stealing. After turning down a monster deal from Milwaukee, it will be hard for Texas to re-sign him to a deal that is club-friendly. Hand: Ace King. Anyone with a pair beats you. Move on and get your blinds back (ie, top draft picks)
Adam Eaton: Mr. “I stabbed myself in the stomach unwrapping a DVD” has been adequate since returning from an obscure finger injury. He’s only pitched more than 140 innings twice in his 7 year career, and might come cheaply. The Rangers gave up Chris Young and Adrian Gonzales to get him, so they better hold on to him. Hand: 78 suited. Great potential, hold onto it and wait and see what the flop is.
Vincente Padilla: Padilla has been the bargain of the Ranger’s rotation this year, as he was acquired for Ricardo Rodriguez, who hasn’t thrown a pitch this year in the big leagues. Padilla has won 15 games this season, and has been an intimidating force on the mound (leading the AL in hit batters, including Vlad Guerrero like a dozen times). Padilla has said he’d sign with whoever offered him the most money, and the Rangers can’t afford it. Hand: Pocket 7’s. Quality hand, but against a better hand, it will cost too much.
Kip Wells: When the Rangers acquired him at the deadline, Wells was supposed to balance the back end of the rotation. His career numbers have been tarnished by his stay in Pittsburgh, but he should be given the chance to prove he’s recovered from surgery to remove a blood clot. Hand: Jack 8. Play it cheap, give it a chance.
Michael can be reached at michaelgould08@hotmail.com |
