The Rangers Starting Rotation is a mess

[Chuck]

T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com reports that Alexi Ogando could get bumped to the bullpen.

Texas needs to identify a long reliever and Ogando has inexplicably thrown his hat into the ring by getting abused to the tune of 11 runs over 6 1/3 innings in his last two starts. The right-hander was removed in awkward fashion from his last start, as his skipper sent him out for the fourth inning only to yank Ogando after a few warmup pitches. "We messed up and forgot to tell him he wasn't supposed to go back out there," Ron Washington said. "Blame it on me." Said Ogando: "I wanted to keep pitching." The race for the final three spots in the rotation will come down to righties Ogando, Colby Lewis, Tanner Scheppers, Tommy Hanson, and southpaws Joe Saunders and Robbie Ross.

 

[nando714]

Great to hear

[Stradling]

It might be a mess, but I still wouldn't mind having that depth to compete for the spots on our team.

[19HALO71]

I like it!!!

[Blarg]

Daniels traded for Prince Fielder and picks up Joe Saunders for the rotation.The Rangers are devolving to the teams that were always in third place because they focused on hitting. I like their plan.

[Angel Oracle]

If Scheppers gets a rotation nod, it will be interesting to see how many innings he has in him for 2014 as he's been a relief pitcher for the past 2 seasons.  

[Glen]

We can only hope their rotation includes Hanson and Saunders.  Ah, the irony...

[sneaky_flute]

Daniels traded for Prince Fielder and picks up Joe Saunders for the rotation.The Rangers are devolving to the teams that were always in third place because they focused on hitting. I like their plan.

Let me know when that trend starts. They've had one of the best pitching staffs in the league for the last 3 or 4 years.

[jshep]

It might be a mess, but I still wouldn't mind having that depth to compete for the spots on our team.

 

Yeah, I read that and had the same thought.

[Guest]

Excellent. I loathe the Texas Rangers more than any team in all of sports. Classless players and fans.

[Docwaukee]

Yeah, I read that and had the same thought.

 

Granted having two injuries to significant contributors is difficult to overcome unless you are the cardinals, I have a hard time considering tommy hanson and joe saunders as quality depth.  Are you convinced that they would provide better production than Joe Blanton?  

 

Robbie Ross hasn't made a start in two years and his last one was in AA.  Scheppers has never really been a starter.  

 

Also keep in mind that their current #2 is Martin Perez who is a nice player but has some smoke and mirrors in his peripherals.  Granted, he's a ground ball guy so it's not as big of a concern, but I'd have a hard time with him as a #2

 

They do have a bunch of other guys that could chip away starts and are in a better position than the halos from that standpoint, but right now, the top 5 of the A's, Halos, and Rangers are pretty close to start the season.  

[Cdaniel]

Call me a homer but id take the Angels starting 5 right now over the A's and Rangers

[Brent Maguire]

Rangers fans are defending the rotation right now too and think it's actually good. 

 

Their rotation on paper now is one of the worst 10 in baseball and could be worse. They still have a great offense and good bullpen though. 

[Chuck]

Granted having two injuries to significant contributors is difficult to overcome unless you are the cardinals, I have a hard time considering tommy hanson and joe saunders as quality depth.  Are you convinced that they would provide better production than Joe Blanton?  

 

Robbie Ross hasn't made a start in two years and his last one was in AA.  Scheppers has never really been a starter.  

 

Also keep in mind that their current #2 is Martin Perez who is a nice player but has some smoke and mirrors in his peripherals.  Granted, he's a ground ball guy so it's not as big of a concern, but I'd have a hard time with him as a #2

 

They do have a bunch of other guys that could chip away starts and are in a better position than the halos from that standpoint, but right now, the top 5 of the A's, Halos, and Rangers are pretty close to start the season.  

 

 

Yeah depth is one thing. Good depth is another. Like the Angels, the Rangers have the depth, but the quality is lacking (outside of Matt Shoemaker who I really like). 

[Docwaukee]

Yeah depth is one thing. Good depth is another. Like the Angels, the Rangers have the depth, but the quality is lacking (outside of Matt Shoemaker who I really like). 

Exactly.  I'm not ready to start casting stones because if we lost Wilson and Richards we would be totally hosed, but the horses are all pretty even rounding the first turn.  

[Jay]

Rangers pitching looks like the Angels of last Spring.

[Homebrewer]

They are due for a season where a lot of things go wrong.

[Jay]

I'm sure Rangers fans are "not concerned at all."

[Cdaniel]

I'm sure Rangers fans are "not concerned at all."

They really aren't at least the ones I talk to aren't.

[Jay]

Let's see how they feel on April 1.

[nikkachez]

I would just wonder how many innings Scheppers/Ross would pitch, it's not a question about their stuff. We've been through the Hanson and Saunders days and who knows if Ogando/Lewis can stay healthy. It's good for the Halos that injuries are happening to the Rangers and A's, but we're only one injury away from Blanton. 

[Inside Pitch]

It's early, it's ST, and it's Arizona, but it's not a good sign to see their guys still getting lit up with less than two weeks before opening day.   Leading all of baseball in runs allowed this spring can't be sitting well with them given their health issues in the rotation.

 

Word is Andrus is being shut down for a bit with an arm issue too.

Edited March 20, 2014 by Inside Pitch

[Sherlock31]

Nolan Ryan > Jon Daniels

[rick99gtp]

Let's not forget that their offense is pretty beat up right now as well.  Evan Grant, their Ranger beat-writer, was on The Ticket this afternoon and said that they may get out to a slow start.  Though, they will get players back as the season goes on.  While this may be true, we all know how bad a slow start can hurt a team.

 

Apparently, Andrus has been dealing with a forearm tightness issue.  Adrian Beltre is dealing with something as well.  He, and the radio hosts, sounded pretty worried.  Though, they pointed to the A's as the team to worry about.

[Guest]

Prince Fielder for Ian Kinsler was a damn good trade for the Rangers. A steal even.

Edited March 20, 2014 by failos