Couldn’t every team in the ML say the same thing?

Start a list with everybody currently in the organization that you feel is a good bet to pitch 200 innings in the starting rotation next year and get back to me with that list.

Hurley and Padilla might have a reasonable shot of posting a couple hundred innings each (though I would probably bet the under), after that it is likely to be the same thing that we have seen for the last decade.

Clemens

Millwood, BMac, Hurley, Feldman, Harrison

Silly me. This is the Rangers. I need to factor in injuries. How about…

Mathis, Schlact, Murray, Mendoza, Ballard

The rotation needs major work
The bullpen needs significant work

1. Trade Millwood for whatever you can get – he’s not taking this team to the playoffs
2. Use Millwood money to aggressively go after Sheets (my preference) or Sabathia
3. Sign/trade for a 3rd tier pitcher who is a non-tendered type, needs change of scenery, etc. Think Jason Jennings, but hopefully more successful, or Padilla from a few years ago. These guys may not succeed as often as the AJ Burnetts, Jarrod Washburns, Kevin Millwoods, but are far cheaper when they fail spectacularly.
4. An alternative to trying to “get lucky” with a 4th starter would be to aggressively go after a team’s young pitcher similar to the Matt Garza/Delmon Young trade. We can all dream about those, but there are many names out there who could easily fit into our rotation near the top.

1. Sheets / Sabathia
2. Padilla
3. McCarthy
4. Old project / young trade acquisition
5. Hurley

That rotation won’t win anything by itself, but with this offense will allow us to be competitive.

Bullpen is always a crap shoot – just sign a bunch of guys and hope they are better than this year’s crop.

Off the top of my head, the locked in guys for the rotation are probably…

Kevin Millwood
Vicente Padilla
Eric Hurley
Scott Feldman

With the following fighting for the fifth spot, in order of current status…
Brandon McCarthy(he has the right to be first)
Matt Harrison(needs some conditioning)
Kason Gabbard
AJ Murray- Could try, will be a AAA starter waiting for injuries

As far as your comment about no signing big free agents, the Rangers need a front line starter for the future, why not a contract for Sabathia or Sheets, one or the other, and then you could have….

Sheets/Sabathia(Both #1 starters)
Kevin Millwood(A better 2-3 than 1-2)
Vicente Padilla(see Kevin)
Eric Hurley(Future 1-3, developing in his first full season)
Scott Feldman(Would be the best innings eater whose a 5 in MLB)

Keep BMAC in the pen or AAA to get his arm strength and durability up… Unless he is NEEDED, let him prove he is ready and healthy, and then give him a shot when a spot opens up, you cant tell me that wont happen guys get hurt, it kinda happens.

Kason may be a future lefty bullpen option such as Rheiniecker… Not durable as a starter

Now for minors

AAA- The big guys who should be there by mid season…

BMAC- Let him come here and get his arm ready for the long haul while not taking a spot from someone on the MLB team who has been contributing the last two years instead of falling apart.

Tommy Hunter- Could be a mid season call up when injuries are pilling up… let him get ready her first

Neftali Feliz- He will finish the year at AA, get an invite to ST, then hopefully get slotted at AAA where he can get his innings up to MLB level, develop a consistent breaking ball against MLB ready hitters and also be in a position to maybe get a SEPT call up for bullpen duty(ala Joba)

Others could be here, Im not getting into those tho…

AA-

Kasey Kiker- Making the big jump, well see if he tires with the increase in innings
Blake Beaven- By mid season, hel be here…
Mike Main- See Blake
Wilmer Font- He will rebound this fall, then have a good ST, then get slotted here by mid season…

So wow AAA and AA will have dynasty rotations, and the MLB rotation could be solid… I expect a bullpen to look like such…

Closer- CJ(Insert angry yell here if you are ignorant)
Set Up- Eddie
Set Up- Frankie(gets better every outing, next year hel break out)
Set Up- Jamey Wright(not wrong)
Joaquin Benoit- Gets better after he gets healthy this offseason and learns how to life some weights while not playing ball
And an assortment of others…..

Sheets / Sabathia / Best Available – this team MUST go out and get a true #1 to compete in ‘09. Everyone knows this. Even if it takes dipping into the talent pool, we gotta pull the trigger.

Padilla-he’s signed at a decent price. Like it or not, he’s been worth every penny.

Millwood-Unfortunately, I don’t think there is any getting rid of him. He’s not an ace but, still could be a good back of the rotation guy. I wish we could move him but, I just don’t see it happening.

BMac / Gabbard / Feldman – Damn, I wish that we still had John Danks. But, we don’t. Between these 3, you would think that one of them is ready to contribute in ‘09. I know Feldman has been ok but of the 3, I think that he’s the long shot.

Hurley / Harrison – Maybe both of them. But at least one of the 2 must come through.

Other Possibilities: Mendoza, Jennings (I think that we bring him back for another shot), Kiker, Holland, and Hunter will likely all be given a shot at some point next year.

I look for us to add another arm or 2 via trade (Blalock, Byrd, Catt, Cruz, Arias, a catcher). I could see us making a trades with any of the following: Twins, Reds, Dodgers, Marlins, Giants, Royals, Red Sox, Braves, Cubs, Cards, Yankees, or Mets. I know that I just named nearly half of the league. But all have holes that we could help fill and the majority have a surplus of young arms.

The Rangers are in decent shape at the back end. We have plenty of guys to come in and compete for 3-5. If we could just land a “true ace”, I think that we could compete next year.

I’m still waiting for you to name some pitchers you think we should target since you don’t approve of Sheets, Liriano or Greinke…

we got some other solid options out there. assuming these guys didn’t resign or extend during the season. they were freeagents according to that cot website. not saying this is what they’d agree to, but it would probably be the max i’d like to see the rangers go.
starting pitchers
paul byrd – how about a 1-2 year deal worth 5 per?
jon garland – 3 year for 30?
braden looper – 2 years for 8?
derek lowe – 3 years for 33?
relief pitchers
brendan donnelly – 3 years for 15?
brandon lyon – 5 years for 30?
brian shouse – 2 years for 6?

i’m not good with numbers and salaries.
of course sheets or sabathia would be great.

can’t guess who is gonna be traded.
for now it’s

millwood
padilla
hurley
feldman
mccarthy

can’t count on mccarthy.
or gabbard.

1) Sheets
2) Padilla
3) Hurley
4) McCarthy
5) Hunter

That would be beautiful to see. It’s not a great rotation, but it would be a improvement. It would mean that Millwood was dealt, the Rangers money-whipped Sheets, BMac was healthy, and Hunter continued to fly throughh the system and got a shot. Of course I woun’t be surprised if Padilla and Hurley are the only 2 from that list in the rotation come next year, oh well.

1-Sheets
2-Millwood
3-Hurley
4-McCarthy
5-Feldman

Bullpen
CL- Wilson
SU- Benoit
MR- FX2
MR- Wright
MR- Rupe
LR- Nippert
Lefty- Rheinecker