Texas Rangers 2002 Season Preview

by Oscar Lopez

Last year I reported that acquiring Alex Rodriguez wouldn't amount to a hill of frijoles unless the Rangers got some pitcing. Their 5.71 team ERA (in a year that saw the composite AL ERA drop to 4.47, meaning the Rangers yielded more than one run per game worse than the league average) and 73-89 won-loss record showed that to be true. Of course, an aging cast costing millions, including Galarraga, Caminiti and Velarde, didn't help matters either. For some reason, people I have talked to here in Texas as well as elsewhere somehow blame A-Rod himself for the terrible year. Not so. He did exactly what was expected of him. His glove is about as good as any shortstop in the game and he continued his Cooperstown march with a .318 average, 201 base hits, 52 homers, 135 runs driven in and 133 runs scored. No, it was not Rodriguez who caused the bad year.

What happens this year? They will be better, but not up to par with the Mariners and A's, maybe not even the Angels. The old infielders have long since packed their bags. Besides A-Rod, they still have the eternally underrated Rafael Palmeiro (.273, 47, 123) and one of the greatest catchers of all time, Ivan Rodriguez, who, while bothered by injuries, still managed to hit .308 with 25 long flies and 65 RBI. At age 30, he has completed 10 years behind the dish and is also entering his free agent year. The talk around here is that they will trade him before the season ends unless they are in the pennant chase. Rusty Greer is still around, but he too is aging and injured, a shame, for only a few years ago he was one of the most exciting outfielders around. Frank Catalanotto, who mostly serves as the DH, turned out to be quite a lead-off man, hitting .330, got on base 39% of the time, scored 77 runs in 133 games, and hit 31 doubles.

Youngsters: While the Rangers have several promising youngsters, including highly touted first baseman Carlos Pena, third scacker Mark Teixeria, and the righty-lefty starting pitching combo of Joaquin Benoit and Andy Pratt, the big name among the newcomers is Hank Blalock, who at age 21 is already considered polished enough to take over the third base job from Mike Lamb, who has been pretty sheepish this spring. Blalock, as they say, does it all: he hits for average, has good power, is patient at the plate and, even though he has been developed at the hot corner, could move to the outfield if someone out there is injured or fails. They could then call up Texeria, who is in the "needs one more year of seasoning but could do the job if needed" category. Blalock is getting a lot of media attention but I've been around long enough to know there is no such thing as a "can't miss" prospect. But he does look pretty durn good. Two new position players will return some of the fire back to the Rangers' offense--Juan Gonzalez, who had his best years in Texas (although his .325/35/140 last year in Cleveland wasn't too shabby and proof that his off-year in Detroit was an aberration, not the beginning of the end) and Carl Everett, who had an off-year with the Red Sox but is nonetheless one of the best centerfielders in the game. Hopefully getting out of Boston will mellow out the tempermental slugger somewhat.

They did go out and get some pitching. My neighbors are ecstatic about the arrival of Chan Ho Park, the Korean fireballer (218 K's in 234 innings) who went 75-49 in the past five seasons with L.A. But he did much better in spacious Dodger Stadium than on the road and the Rangers' Ballpark (catchy name for a baseball stadium, que no?) is designed for their hitters. The AL is more of a hitters' league in general and the new ace's lifetime 3.80 ERA is sure to rise in the Junior Circuit. Kenny Rogers, several incarnations ago the ace of the Texas staff, returned in 2000 for a 13-13 year, then a rib injury that necessitated an artery in his shoulder being removed limited his effectiveness last year, as he was 5-7 with a 6.19 ERA. The man who went 17-7 for the '95 Rangers before leaving for New York, Oakland and the Mets, is now 37, low on stamina and recovering from that injury. And he is pencilled in as the #2 starter. We got Dave Burba from the Indians, but like Rogers, he is past his prime. His 6.21 Cleveland ERA should fit right in with this supposedly improved staff.

Doug Davis, a lefty, is 26, went 11-10 with a 4.50 ERA, but he is basically a number three or four starter. Reliable, good, but not enough to take up the slack needed to put Texas back on top. Aaron Myette came up mid-season and I saw him fire that slider of his at the Ballpark. It is impressive, but he is young, talented and has a lot to learn about big league pitching. He had a 7.14 ERA which would scare most teams, but here that just makes him one of the boys. The Rangers have a long list of guys coming out of Tulsa and Oklahoma (their farm teams), headed by the aforementioend Benoit and Pratt. None of them particularly impresses me, but one or two of them needs to step forward or the Rangers need to do some more trading. Park will definitely be an improvement, but as for the rest, it's pretty much the same old thing. Maybe I'm wrong about Rogers and especially Burba, but we are used to having old war horses come here to prepare themselves for the glue factory.

Relief? With a staff like that, the Rangers need all the firemen they can get. As lousy as the rotation was last year, the bullpen led the majors in relief losses (31), runs allowed (295) and ERA (5.19--which was .52 better than the starters!). Jeff Zimmerman kept those numbers from being even worse, going 4-4 with a very un-Ranger like 2.40 ERA. He also fanned 72 men in 71 innings, while walking only 16. He saved 28 of the Rangers' 73 wins. He is an unsung hero around here.

The rest of the bullpen is shaping up as Todd Van Poppell (back again--a talented fireballer who just never seems to put it together), John Rocker (please, just what we need for clubhouse harmony. He and Everett ought to be quite a pair. And last year in Cleveland he seemed to bring gasoline rather than water to fires started by the rotation; he is pitching prowess in Atlanta was all that made him bearable), Jay Powell (him, I like. He throws a mean sinker and keeps it down. He has gotten better with experience), Juan Moreno (little known outside of Texas, he had a 3.95 ERA in 45 games as a rookie last year. No reason he shouldn't improve), and Hideki Irabu (ever since he came over from Japan he has always acted like he just isn't paying attention. Anybody with a 5.09 ERA in 5 big league seasons deserves to pitch in Arlington.)

OVERVIEW: They are going to be better this year, probably .500 or so. The outfield is exciting, the infield greatly improved, but as for the pitching staff, all I can say is that it is less bad than last year.

Ten Years Ago...

Our Rangers Preview from April 1992, by Jose Smith:

Texas Strengths: Easy: strength is hitting, weakness is pitching. The middle of this line-up is hotter than Tex-Mex chili. Sierra, Palmerio and Franco are the second trio to amass 200 hits each in 54 years. Their composite: 21 homers, 94 RBIs, 18 SB. 41-year-old DH Downing hit 17 homers; he'll share that spot with Kevin Reimer, who smacked 20. Palmer hit 15 homers in 268 at bats. 5' 9", 20 year old catcher Ivan Rodriguez, reminds people of Fisk and has already been deemed "Pudge." Rotation is not too cool, but relievers Russell and Rogers are hot. Juan Gonzlez may outslug them all.

Weaknesses: Ryan a weakness? No, but 12 wins doth not a pennat make, & will spend some time on the DL. #2 starter Jose Guzman had his first major league season since '88, was 12-3, 2.77 in last 19 starts; could win 20 if arm holds up. Other Ranger starters were 27-40, 5.56. Kevin Brown is loopy, injury-riddled Bobby Witt is droopy. It gets worse. SS (Thon, Huston) and LF (Daugherty, Fariss) are only questionnable positions. IF-OF defense is weak.

Outlook: Unless pitching improves, all that amazing offense is poof. GM Grieve and manager Valentine in place since '85. Upper brass and fans respect stability, but crave a pennant. Rangers have 2 million + attendance last 3 years. One of only four teams to have winning record each of last 3 years.