Teams needing help in the pen

by Adam J. Morris on Feb 16, 2007 11:51 AM CST in News Comment 20 comments

A few items out there today that all have a similar theme...

The Philadelphia Daily News has an article on the Phillies' lack of a setup man, and their need for someone in camp to step up in that role. Two of the guys vying for jobs are ex-Rangers...Fabio Castro, of course, as everyone knows, but also Antonio Alfonseca, who is in camp with the Phillies this spring.

Buster Olney, in his list of the 10 most intriguing starting pitchers this season, mentions that pressure will be on Josh Beckett because of the shaky BoSox pen, and it seems likely that the BoSox will be in the market for a reliever or three in the coming months.

And T.R. Sullivan mentions the Devil Rays as a team that is shopping for relief pitching right now.

It is always hard to gauge the market for relievers, particularly in the wake of a crazy market like the one we just saw this past offseason. So I don't feel real comfortable speculating about what the Rangers might be able to find out there.

But look at the relief options the Rangers have right now:

Eric Gagne
Akinori Otsuka
Wes Littleton
C.J. Wilson
Ron Mahay
Joaquin Benoit
Rick Bauer
Frank Francisco
Kameron Loe
Scott Feldman
Francisco Cruceta
John Rheinecker

Loe, Francisco, Feldman, Rheinecker, Wilson, and Littleton all have options remaining.

Mahay, Benoit, Bauer, and Cruceta do not, and likely wouldn't make it through waivers.

And this assumes Josh Rupe wins the #5 starter job, as well...if Bruce Chen or Jamey Wright end up with that slot, Rupe could slide into the pen, making things more crowded.

The reality is, the Rangers are going to be dealing relief pitchers this spring. Maybe Bauer or Benoit for a utility infielder, maybe Mahay for a halfway decent prospect, maybe Loe or Feldman or Otsuka as part of a package for a bat...

But there are going to be a lot of scouts watching the Ranger relievers this spring, and I'm guessing there will be a couple of guys in different uniforms come Opening Day.

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Comments

Otsuka for Burrell

Get it done!!!

by Chris Martin on Feb 16, 2007 11:58 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

proposal

Are you being jokey, or do you think that is a possibility? Would the Phils go for that?

It's Coagulicious!

by trza on Feb 16, 2007 1:55 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

IMO, we'd have to thrown in someone else..but,

yes. The Phillies are looking for someone to go ahead of Gordon. Castro's one of those options, but if we offered the veteran set-up/closer for their overpaid/under-achieving outfielder, I think the only hold-up would be for the amount of money the Rangers would have to pay on his contract.

Additionally, aren't the Reds in the same situation with Adam Dunn? How do he and Burrell compare?

When all else fails, there's always delusion. - Conan O'Brien

by mtex on Feb 16, 2007 2:20 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Burrell has a no-trade clause

And has mentioned he would invoke it if it meant him leaving the Northeast.

It's been said that its possible Otsuka might be enough, since The Bat is owed 27 over the next 2 years and Gillick has been trying to shed salary.

I looked around the Duff boards after watching her on TRL.

by Brian Thomas on Feb 16, 2007 3:11 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Bauer

Don't know why, but I would prefer to hang on to him. I also fear some other team unlocking Benoit but at this point I think he is finished here. I would also hang on to Otsuka until the deadline when he could really be useful and we could see how Gagne holds up. If we trade Otsuka and Gagne goes down in May we will have some problems.

by pblack on Feb 16, 2007 12:07 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Here's the thing

If you go with a 7 man bullpen, and you keep those guys along with two lefties (and they are going to keep two lefties), you have:

Wes Littleton
Scott Feldman
Kameron Loe
Frankie Francisco

All vying for one spot in the bullpen.

by Adam J. Morris on Feb 16, 2007 12:23 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Who would close?

If we deal Otsuka and Gagne goes down do we have a guy they club would be comfortable handing the ball to in the 9th? I don't see him there. The best arms are too young and the vets are middle reliever types.

by pblack on Feb 16, 2007 1:02 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I think we'd have options

They'd be young, but we'd have them. Wes Littleton showed he had some great quality last year. Whether or not it was a fluke is yet to be determined.

I think CJ Wilson should be an option. He's expressed the desire to someday be one. Someday could be the big word there.

Other than that, I'd probably choose Bauer. He's been a starter before and could be the Rangers Joel Pineiro...not that that's a good thing, either. Just bringing to a point that if Otsuka and Gagne are out and we really don't think that any one of these plethora of guys can't get the job done, we're headed for a team blow-up anyway.

When all else fails, there's always delusion. - Conan O'Brien

by mtex on Feb 16, 2007 1:08 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Koronka?

Where does he fit in as far as the pen situation? Does he have options left?

by GoFrogs on Feb 16, 2007 12:35 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Here's what I do...

If you can get great value for Aki...then trade him.

5th Starter:
Josh Rupe

Go with the pen as:
Eric Gagne
Wes Littleton
C.J. Wilson (could close)
Ron Mahay
Frank Francisco (could close)
Kameron Loe
Scott Feldman

To AAA:
John Rheinecker
John Koronka

Trade:
Akinora Otsuka
Joaquin Benoit
Rick Bauer
Francisco Cruceta

"Chip" first person on LSB to be berated by someone on the 25-man roster. - RangerMoto

by ortonius on Feb 16, 2007 1:15 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

pen

I think Littleton, Loe, and Feldman are all too similiar to be in the same pen. Similiar deliveries, arm angles, velocity, repertoire.

by tricer on Feb 16, 2007 11:29 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

LMAO

Someone on T.R.'s blog said that we should trade C.J. Wilson, Wilkerson and Volquez to the D-Rays for Kazmir. That sounds like that trade with Victor Zambrano and what's-his-name.

When all else fails, there's always delusion. - Conan O'Brien

by mtex on Feb 16, 2007 2:57 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

there are too many levels of sarcasm here

but that trade isn't terrible. are you saying the d-rays wouldn't do it?

"I want him focused on figuring out a way to beat that lefty's ass." - RW

by ab03 on Feb 16, 2007 3:27 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Why would they do it?

The only upside for them is Wilson. The d-rays are trying to shuffle around their outfield situation as well, so why would they need another star-on-the-rebound-after-injury? Volquez is...well, not as great as everyone thought he would be.

If I were JD (which I'm not) I'd do that deal before even thinking about it. Kazmir's under contract until when before he becomes a free agent?

When all else fails, there's always delusion. - Conan O'Brien

by mtex on Feb 16, 2007 3:36 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Dude

That trade is pretty terrible.

If you had a young All-Star lefty with pure ace stuff and a slew of years left before FA, would you deal him for one year of the Brad Wilkerson mystery machine, a solid bullpen guy, and a non-top100 pitching prospect?

No WAY the D-Rays do that.

"One must scape to farthest north part of Togo to be safe from robot leaders."

by thedirkatron on Feb 16, 2007 9:28 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

LMAO part deux

That Bingosinatra dope (the one that seems to be the 1st to reply to every TR bloggage) said Kazmir was the only player the Rays had worth acquiring...

I looked around the Duff boards after watching her on TRL.

by Brian Thomas on Feb 16, 2007 6:28 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Side note..

T.R. reports also in his most recent blog that the Rangers offered Ron Belliard a minor league contract this winter. I knew we were picking up players left and right, but I didn't know we were that desperate.

When all else fails, there's always delusion. - Conan O'Brien

by mtex on Feb 16, 2007 3:00 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Belliard

He wasn't very good last year, but the two years previous, he was an above-average second baseman with the bat.

by RCCook on Feb 16, 2007 3:44 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Your right. He has had good seasons before.

Decent numbers and everything, especially for a 2nd baseman.

It just seems like it would be another player on the team who's last good season was in 2004.

When all else fails, there's always delusion. - Conan O'Brien

by mtex on Feb 16, 2007 3:55 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

good hitting 2b

are very hard to find. According to Scott Lucas AL 2b had an overall ops of just .735. That might factor into making Belliard seem like a good backup middle infielder (AL shortstops had an ops of .751).

by t ball on Feb 16, 2007 4:09 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs