3afan
01-18-2006, 04:54 PM
TEXAS RANGERS
Moving in/moving out: The Rangers needed pitching, so they spent big -- not A-Rod big, but still big -- on Kevin Millwood ($60 million for five years). He'll be the new ace of the rotation, which lost Kenny Rogers (the camera-shy lefty ended up in Detroit), but now boasts Adam Eaton (trade from San Diego) and Vicente Padilla (trade from Philadelphia). The Rangers freed up some money by finally dealing slugging Alfonso Soriano to Washington, getting top-of-the-order outfielder Brad Wilkerson in the swap. And they've added pieces in the bullpen (Akinori Otsuka came in the Eaton deal). Millwood's the key, and he's a good one.
Lowdown: Hitting is no worry for Texas, especially in that ballpark, but by trading Soriano, the Rangers have left themselves with a hole at second base (prospect Ian Kinsler is a front-runner for that spot). The Rangers still will be scary at the plate, with newly reminted first baseman Mark Teixeira, third baseman Hank Blalock, shortstop Michael Young and the rest. No matter how you cut it, the pitching, from the starters to the back end, is better. No, they're not as good as the A's or the Angels yet, but the Rangers are getting there.
GRADE: Solid, moving-up offseason -- B.
Moving in/moving out: The Rangers needed pitching, so they spent big -- not A-Rod big, but still big -- on Kevin Millwood ($60 million for five years). He'll be the new ace of the rotation, which lost Kenny Rogers (the camera-shy lefty ended up in Detroit), but now boasts Adam Eaton (trade from San Diego) and Vicente Padilla (trade from Philadelphia). The Rangers freed up some money by finally dealing slugging Alfonso Soriano to Washington, getting top-of-the-order outfielder Brad Wilkerson in the swap. And they've added pieces in the bullpen (Akinori Otsuka came in the Eaton deal). Millwood's the key, and he's a good one.
Lowdown: Hitting is no worry for Texas, especially in that ballpark, but by trading Soriano, the Rangers have left themselves with a hole at second base (prospect Ian Kinsler is a front-runner for that spot). The Rangers still will be scary at the plate, with newly reminted first baseman Mark Teixeira, third baseman Hank Blalock, shortstop Michael Young and the rest. No matter how you cut it, the pitching, from the starters to the back end, is better. No, they're not as good as the A's or the Angels yet, but the Rangers are getting there.
GRADE: Solid, moving-up offseason -- B.