In some roster-clearing in advance of the offseason,Brandon McCarthy, Doug Mathis, and Esteban German have all cleared waivers, been outrighted, and have elected to take free agency.
Brandon McCarthy, of course, was acquired almost 4 years ago in exchange for John Danks, and while Danks has established himself as a solid #2/#3 starter, McCarthy -- viewed by the organization as a potential top of the rotation horse -- has struggled with injuries since arriving in Texas. He hasn't pitched poorly in his time here, but he hasn't been able to stay healthy, and he spent all of 2010 in AAA attempting to re-establish himself while working on new mechanics. He will, no doubt, sign elsewhere this offseason.
Mathis and German, meanwhile, are organizational soldiers who, I'd guess, could potentially come back for 2011.