Rangers Roster, If The Season Started Today
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DALLAS (1053. THE FAN) - Here's a look at how I think the roster should look if the season started today...
Starting Pitchers (5): Yovani Gallardo, Derek Holland, Colby Lewis, Ross Detwiler, Anthony Ranaudo.
The first four are pretty set, especially with the injury to Yu Darvish. All that remains is for the team to determine its fifth starter. My guess is that Anthony Ranaudo earns the job out of camp. The organization likes him wants to see him "win" the job and the groin discomfort suffered by Ross Ohlendorf might help him get the nod.
Alex "Chi Chi" Gonzalez is a legitimate candidate, but with the stupid CBA rules structured as they are, the Rangers have zero benefit opening the season with him on their roster.
Nick Martinez might have a little something (and by that, I mean he could become a solid number four or five down the road) but he might be best served honing his stuff in the minors to start the year. With that said, he's the more likely of the Nicks to make the Opening Day roster if Ranaudo doesn't "win" the job.
Nick Tepesch is just kind of a 'what you see is what you get' guy. Sometimes those guys get overlooked for being too solid, and maybe that's Tepesch, but he doesn't have the upside that the others have because of his struggles to get guys to swing and miss.
Anthony Bass just doesn't do it for me as anything more than a spot starter.
Changes from pre-Spring Training outlook: Well, the Yu Darvish injury was a big deal type-of-thing. My biggest surprise is the candidacy of Ross Ohlendorf, but he definitely has impressed people this Spring.
Relief Pitchers (7): Neftali Feliz, Shawn Tolleson, Tanner Scheppers, Ross Ohlendorf, Joe Beimel, Alex Claudio, Jamey Wright.
We know Neftali Feliz will start the year as the closer and Tanner Scheppers will be the team's primary setup guy. Shawn Tolleson will be right behind him. Jamey Wright will get the ground balls and provide some middle relief. The rest is interesting.
Ross Ohlendorf is intriguing and might start the year as the team's long reliever, also putting him great position to get some spot starts and maybe even work his way into the rotation.
I also have two lefties in the bullpen. Alex Claudio's been more impressive, but he very well may be a one-batter lefty specialist. If he is only that, the team will need a second lefty in the pen and that's where Beimel comes into the mix. He's not someone you'd really trust a ton versus righties either (.286 OBA vs. RHB in 2014), which further supports the need for a second specialist. Even though Beimel's been awful in the Spring, I'm giving him the veteran's benefit of the doubt.
Spencer Patton, Phil Klein, Jon Edwards, Roman Mendez, and perhaps a few others will be patiently waiting in the wings.
Keone Kela won't be waiting too long, but he should wait to start the year. For the same reason identified above concerning Chi Chi, there's no benefit to have him start the year with the big club. If waiting two weeks allows you to have him for another year, you do it. He'll be getting plenty of big outs down the road in 2015.
Changes from pre-Spring Training outlook: We knew there'd be at least one lefty in the mix who wasn't prior to camp and Beimel is that guy. I didn't necessarily anticipate a second lefty, but it makes too much sense with the core they have. Jamey Wright might pitch until he's 80.
Catchers (2): Robinson Chirinos, Carlos Corporan.
Chirinos will handle a bulk of the catching while Corporan will serve as the backup. The leadership and growth of Chirinos is looked upon very favorably in the organization. He's be wise to pick Corporan's brain, though, as the former Astros catcher was one of the better "receivers" in the game last year,w hile Chirinos struggled in that are.
Changes from pre-Spring Training outlook: None.
Infielders (6): Prince Fielder, Mitch Moreland, Rougned Odor, Elvis Andrus, Adrian Beltre, Adam Rosales
The only questions are 'How many games will Mitch Moreland get at first?'...
Moreland is a better defensive first baseman than Fielder, but Prince much prefers to play the field. First base is probably the only position where such a concession would be made. I wonder if Moreland will start more games with groundball pitcher Ross Detwiler on the mound?
...and 'Will Adam Rosales be this team's utility guy?'
He hasn't had a great Spring but there's familiarity and that counts for a lot here. They don't need a world beater in this role, and Rosales can play all four infield positions. His main competitior is probably Ed Lucas, who has looked shaky at times with the glove.
Changes from pre-Spring Training outlook: None.
Outfielders (5): Shin-Soo Choo, Leonys Martin, Ryan Rua, Ryan Ludwick, Delino DeShields Jr.
There's no discussion with Choo and Martin, but the rest is interesting.
Ryan Rua entered camp as the favorite, but hasn't seized it by any means. Does he need to win March to win the job? The Rangers learned last year with Michael Choice that winning March guarantees nothing, so, with that said, no.
Ryan Ludwick isn't tabbed as a starter in this group, but a quality backup who can also platoon as a DH against lefties, but more importantly, someone who can provide a strong veteran presence.
Jake Smolinski has been very impressive at the plate and is the best defensive option of the bunch, which also includes competitors Carlos Peguero and Kyle Blanks
While Carlos Peguero has also looked impressive at the dish, he has a history of being unable to hit curveballs when April and beyond rolls around, so I don't take him as seriously as Smolinski.
I think Blanks is competing just as much for a platoon DH spot as an outfield spot and his lack of defensive ability hurts him here.
Changes from pre-Spring Training outlook: I'm not as confident that Rua gets the nod with how well some of his competition has played, but my gut tells me it is still his gig as of now.