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Texas Rangers rumors: Alexi Ogando, Mitch Moreland, Neftali Feliz to be tendered contracts

Evan Grant writes that the Rangers are planning to tender contracts to their "key" arbitration-eligible players

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Texas Rangers rumors:  Alexi Ogando, Mitch Moreland and Neftali Feliz are all expected to have contracts tendered to them, per Evan Grant. The three players are all arbitration-eligible, and the Rangers have the option of non-tendering them if they would prefer not to run the risk of having them awarded a contract via arbitration that the team feels is excessive.

Feliz being offered a contract has appeared to be a foregone conclusion, given how he finished the 2014 strong, and appeared to finally be fully recovered from the Tommy John surgery he underwent in July, 2012.  He's expected to have the inside track to be the Rangers' closer next year.

Ogando missed most of the 2014 season with elbow problems, and he isn't pitching winter ball, which had led to some speculation the Rangers might decide to non-tender him.  That apparently is a non-issue, however, and I wouldn't be surprised if Ogando got a look as a starting pitcher this spring.  If Ogando doesn't end up in the rotation, he's expected to be a key righthanded setup reliever.

Moreland also missed much of 2014, but the Rangers have holes at both a COF spot and at DH, so Moreland will have the opportunity to at least be a platoon option in one of those two spots.

MLB Trade Rumors arbitration projection system projects Feliz to get $4.1 million in 2015, Ogando to get $2.6 million, and Moreland to get $2.8 million.  The Rangers haven't gone to arbitration with a player since Lee Stevens in 2000, and will most likely settle with their arb-eligible players this offseason.

The only other arbitration-eligible Ranger is utility infielder Adam Rosales, who is projected, by MLBTR, to get $1 million for 2015.  The Rangers may opt to non-tender him, and try to re-sign him to a minor league deal, rather than keep him on the 40 man roster and potentially go through the arbitration process with him.