2015 MLB Team Previews – Rangers
The Rangers went from being a perennial playoff team to one that missed the post-season last year because of a slew of key injuries. Not only did they miss the playoffs, but they finished dead last in the division and finished the season 28 games under .500.
MLB Lines & Matchup Insight
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2015 MLB Team Previews – Texas Rangers
- AL West: +1200
- American League: 22/1
- World Series: 50/1
Key Additions: Yovani Gallardo, Ryan Ludwick, Nate Schierholtz, Ross Detwiler, Kyle Blanks, Juan Carlos Oviedo, Anthony Ranaudo, Ross Ohlendorf, Jamey Wright
The Rangers were a big disappointment last season and after losing Ace Yu Darvish to season ending Tommy John surgery Texas may be in for a long season and their offense may need to bail out their pitching staff often.
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Projected Starting Line-Up
1. Shin-Soo Choo, RF
2. Elvis Andrus, SS
3. Prince Fielder, 1B
4. Adrian Beltre, 3B
5. Mitch Moreland, DH
6. Jake Smolinski, LF
7. Leonys Martin, CF
8. Rougned Odor, 2B
9. Robinson Chirinos, C
The Rangers have a solid top of the line order led by Adrian Beltre, who did bat .324 last season, but his power numbers were down with 19 HR and 77 RBI. Prince Fielder had spinal fusion surgery and he needs to regain his power this season and if he does not he will be seen as a bust in the Lone Star State.
Soo Choo and Andrus are a solid #1 and #2 and they need to get on base for Beltre and Fielder to knock them in. which they may have to since the bottom of the order is not very strong. CF Martin played well last season and he is a speedster that had 31 steals last season.
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He needs to have another good season and play good defense in the outfield. With all the injuries last season, especially Fielder, the Rangers only ranked 17th in runs scored.
Projected Starting Rotation
1. LHP Derek Holland
2. RHP Yovani Gallardo
3. RHP Colby Lewis
4. LHP Ross Detwiler
5. RHP Nick Tepesch
The loss of Darvish is HUGE, as when he is healthy he has shown he can be one of the better pitchers in baseball. Derek Holland is now the #1 of the staff, but he also has injury issues and he only pitched in 6 games last season. Gallardo is a solid middle of the rotation starter, but he needs to pitch like he did in Milwaukee a couple of seasons back. Colby Lewis missed the 2013 season with an injury and while he was healthy last season he led the American League in losses.
There is a lot of competition in the back of the rotation between the likes of Nick Tepesch, who only went 5-11 last season, Anthony Ranaudo, who was a top prospect back in 2011, and Ross Detwiler, who was used in the bullpen for the Washington Nationals last season.
The rotation was shaky last season and that was with Darvish for 22 games. Without him there are many question marks and Holland leading the staff will not inspire fear in opposing batters.
Closer Neftali Feliz
Bullpen
Setup men: RHP Tanner Scheppers, RHP Kyuji Fujikawa
Middle men: LHP Joe Beimel, RHP Shawn Tolleson, RHP Spencer Patton
Long man: RHP Ross Ohlendorf
Neftali Feliz is the closer, but can he stay healthy? He closed 13 of 14 games last season and while he has the talent he has only appeared in 42 games over the last 3 seasons.
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After Feliz the rest of the bullpen is very questionable and while Tanner Scheppers had a solid 2013 as a closer he was not good in the rotation last season. Kyuji Fujikawa is coming over from the Cubs where in 2 seasons for them he pitched in 27 games with an ERA over 5.00.
The rest of the bullpen does have talent, but they are very young and inexperienced. If Feliz is injured again the Rangers may be in trouble, as he is the leader of a bullpen that is mediocre at best.
The Rangers have talent, but the loss of Darvish and Fielder coming off major surgery leaves many question marks for Texas this season, which is why odds makers are not giving them much of a shot to win the AL West.
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