In an effort to buy more time before exposing some of their promising young starters to the big leagues, the Rangers are expected to sign veteran RHP Kris Benson to a minor league contract, mlb.com reported.
Benson, 34, hasn't pitched in the big leagues since 2006 because of a torn rotator cuff. He was 11-12 with a 4.82 ERA for Baltimore in 2006 before the injury. The Rangers had briefly considered trading for him during the 2006 season. The Rangers could use another arm for insurance. Right-handers Kevin Millwood and Vicente Padilla both spent time on the DL last year. Right-hander Scott Feldman, who logged 151 major league innings, was in his first year as a starter. Left-hander Matt Harrison didn't reach the big leagues until the second half. And right-hander Brandon McCarthy, who is the likely No. 5 starter, missed almost all of last season with arm problems.
There are two talented young prospects in camp -- right-hander Neftali Feliz and lefty Derek Holland -- but both are non-roster invitees who have never pitched above Double-A. If an injury strikes one of the members of the rotation, the Rangers would prefer to not to have to go to either of the prized prospects until they believe they are fully ready.
The other in-house options for a fill-in starter are not attractive. Right-hander Jason Jennings had an 8.56 ERA in five starts last year before having surgery. He might be the best alternative but might not be fully ready to go at the start of the regular season. The other possibilities: right-handers Luiz Mendoza (3-8, 8.67 ERA in 2008), Dustin Nippert (3-5, 6.40 ERA) and Tommy Hunter (0-2, 16.36 ERA).
TOP CANDIDATE TO SURPRISE: RHP Brandon McCarthy has done nothing but struggle with injury or ineffectiveness in the two seasons he's been with the Rangers. But he was full of promise when the team acquired him, is still only 25, and finally might be over the slew of injuries that plagued him. He might be a prime candidate to flourish under the tutelage of new pitching coach Mike Maddux.
TOP CANDIDATE TO DISAPPOINT: The Rangers are putting a lot on the 20-year-old shoulders of SS Elvis Andrus. They've moved INF Michael Young, who has done nothing but make All-Star teams in his five years at short, to third for Andrus. The club says it believes Andrus is ready for the task, but it also went out and signed 11-time Gold Glove winner SS Omar Vizquel as a backup/mentor. If Andrus looks overmatched in spring, will the club be tempted to go with Vizquel to start the year?
AUTHORITY FIGURES: Manager Ron Washington is 154-170 in his first two seasons with the Rangers and enters the season in the final year of his contract. He's done a good job in the second half of the last two seasons to get the club to rebound, but if the team gets off to a third horrible April start, he might not be around to get a third chance at rallying the Rangers. The Rangers are 20-33 over the first month of the season the last two years.
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