Feels good to be back!
Unfortunately, the Royals weren't what gave me motivation. In fact, I'm cheering against them. My family had a very close relationship with the team for 18 years and the Royals elected to end it this July. I'm not going to forgive them for that so I've decided to throw my lot against them.
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25 Man Roster Breakdown
After setting up the backstory, I think it’s time that we look at the actual on the field product the Texas Rangers will be running out this season. The Texas Rangers have been on sort of a decline since they lost Josh Hamilton and fell apart in 2012. In 2013, they failed to make the playoffs completely and in the offseason, the Rangers tried to mix up their franchise and make some improvements. The Rangers roster this season is actually looking worse than it did at the end of last season. That’s due to the fact that some key players such as Matt Garza and Ian Kinsler have moved on and also due to the fact that I will be keeping players such as Prince Fielder, Jurickson Profar Martin Perez and Mitch Moreland off the roster for the entirety of the season. All in all, the Rangers this season don’t really looked poised to do anything. There are still some decent players left in the everyday lineup but its mostly characterized by AAAA players and depth options.
Catchers: Robinson Chirinos and Tomas Telis
Chirinos is the clear cut starter here due to his good defensively ability and also due to the fact that he can hold his own on the offensive side of the ball. Backing him up will be Telis. Telis could possibly spell Chirinos from the lineup if he can consistently show his double’s power that scouts show he possesses. Catcher is obviously a position of weakness for the Rangers and it will certainly be one of the things that will be addressed down the line.
Infield: J.P. Arencibia, Rougned Odor, Elvis Andrus, Adrian Beltre and Adam Rosales.
The everyday infield of Arencibia, Odor, Andrus and Beltre actually has some promise to it. Granted, the right side of the infield is fairly questionable due to Arencibia’s sporadic hitting ability and Odor’s lack of experience. On the left side however, Andrus and Beltre form a formidable duo which should continue to produce at a high level. Then you have defensive specialist Adam Rosales coming off the bench in order to play the corners and up the middle occasionally. Odor is the biggest question mark for me because he isn’t exactly a highly regarded prospect, he’s 20 years old and he’s going to be expected to take the majority of the reps at second. Things could get real bumpy if Odor doesn’t hold his own.
Outfield: Shin-Soo Choo, Leonys Martin, Alex Rios and David Robinson
The outfield this season is headlined by offseason acquisition Shin-Soo Choo. He’s got a little bit of everything to his game and his skill set should give a well needed boost to the outfield crop. Joining Choo will be Leonys Martin and Alex Rios. Martin is going to get another shot in center this year after hitting .260 last season. He brings a nice mix of speed and defense to the team that should play well at the top of the order. In right field, we’ve got Alex Rios who is a pretty consistent performer and someone that will need to play well in order for this club to have success. Lastly, coming off the bench will be David Robinson. Robinson isn’t a very good hitter but he has a nice speed and defense combo that should play well in the 4th outfielder roll. All in all, this outfield has the potential to be really nice as long as everyone stays healthy.
On the Fringe: Jason Donald, Josh Wilson, Ryan Rua, Jim Aducci, Jake Smolinski and Engel Beltre
These guys are going to be competing for several of our bench spots and probably moving up and down the ladder from the big league squad to AAA all year. Just glancing over the group, there isn’t a whole lot to like here. It’s mostly made up of guys who are journey men, prospects who have washed up and organizational depth types. For me, the early favorites are probably Rua and Smolinski just because they seem to be the most big league ready. I can also see Aducci or Beltre as part of that group too.
Starting Rotation: Yu Darvish, Nick Tepesch, Colby Lewis, Miles Mikolas and Phil Irwin.
The starting rotation looks good with Yu Darvish at the top of it. After that, it’s slim pickings from there. Nick Tepesch has some decent potential and could be a sort of wild card as the number 2 this season. Behind him however, we’ve got Colby Lewis, Miles Mikolas and Phil Irwin who are all trying to establish themselves as members of the Rangers rotation. Lewis is coming back from Tommy John while Mikolas and Irwin are just trying to break in at the big league level.
Bullpen: Neal Cotts, Phil Klien, Shawn Tolleson, Scott Baker, Aaron Poreda, Ben Rowen and Neftali Feliz.
Wow. This Rangers bullpen has to be one of the worst in the game. I can’t even tell you who half of these guys are. The only ones that ring a bell are Shawn Tolleson and Neftali Feliz and thats for all the wrong reasons. Feliz might be the best arm in the bullpen this year and he’ll work back from Tommy John as the closer. Other than that, things are going to be real dicey as we lack any real significant threat in the setup or middle relief corps.
Prospect Watch:
Position Players: Jorge Alfaro (C), Joey Gallo (3B), Luis Sardinas (SS), Ti’Quan Forbes (3B/SS)
Most of the prospects in the Rangers system are the toolsy athletic types. The top prospects however (Alfaro and Gallo) are the ones who posses overwhelming tools and in their case, that’s light tower power. Following them, you have types such as Luis Sardinas and Ti’Quan Forbes who have good tools all across the board and can be major league regulars if they are able to tap into those tools.
Pitchers: Alex Gonzalez, Luke Jackson and Jake Thompson
The Ranges pitching depth has traditionally been very strong however, recent busts, trades and promotions have diminished the Rangers’ stockpile. What’s left now is a group of intriguing arms that feature middle of the rotation upside. Gonzalez is probably the most advanced of the trio followed closely by the big-armed Luke Jackson and the equally impressive Jake Thompson. This group here represents the future of the Rangers’ staff.
OUTLOOK:
It’s gonna be interesting… Real interesting this season. If everyone can stay healthy, there’s a chance we could possibly push the 90 win plateau but more realistically, it looks like the Rangers might be taking a losing season in preparation to gear up for a run next season. The rotation is OK, the bullpen is awful and the lineup, while intriguing, lacks a significant punch outside of Adrian Beltre.