TEXAS RANGERS

In 2011, the American League Champion Texas Rangers had a pretty impressive hitting stat sheet. They were 1^st in batting average, 2^nd in slugging percentage, 3^rd in runs scored and 5^th in on base percentage.

The Free Agent marketplace had its mark on Texas. Starting with Endy Chavez signing with Baltimore. Chavez, a lifetime .274 hitter, had himself a decent year in 2011 with his bat, hitting .301.

Darren Oliver and his 2.29 ERA went over to Toronto, and Brandon Webb and his 3.27 ERA and 87-62 lifetime record remains unsigned. But the big loss is C. J. Wilson’s 2.94 ERA and 16 victories opposed to only 7 losses going to Los Angeles along with 206 K’s, all for the low price of $77.5 Million for 5 years, they practically gave himself away!

Derek Holland

The starting four of Harrison, Ogando, Holland and Lewis is still a formidable staff, and if by chance Darvish does work out, then the Rangers will have a real shot of finishing close to LA. With their 57 vicotries among them last year.

Not to be outdone by the Los Angeles Angels, Texas went out and spent over $50 million to talk and $60 Million to sign an unknown commodity called Yu Darvish to ease the pain of C. J. Wilson’s jumping ship. Not enough money spent? Well there is the really great pick-up of Joe Nathan for the paltry sum of $14.5 for 2 years, a veteran on the down side of a 10-year career.

Texas may have spent themselves into embarrassment and into 2^nd place. The overspending for an unknown Japanese pitcher who has never pitched in the majors, and keep in mind, most Japanese pitchers have failed.

Their hitting will not match up with the Angels even with Michael Young’s .338 BA, 106 RBI’s .380 OBP and 213 hits, or Andrian Beltre’s 32 homers.