This article takes a look at how the Texas Rangers did in the
1999 season relative to preseason expectations. For an overview
of the approach used in this review, and a definition of some
of the key terms and statistics, please see the overview page
called 1999 Team-by-Team Performance Reviews.
Capsule Summary
Projected Actual
Runs for 886 945
Runs allowed 808 859
Run Margin 82 86
Wins 87 95
Pythagorean wins 88 89
Placement 2nd 1st
The supposition before the season began was that the Rangers
would score a lot of runs and allow a lot of runs. They did both
to a greater extent than expected. The offense finished second
only to the Indians in runs scored as Texas led the majors in
batting average and slugging percentage. The pitching staff, composed
of an erratic rotation and a previously unheralded bullpen, allowed
the second highest slugging percentage in the American League,
but was not bad enough to prevent the powerful Rangers from clinching
a weak Western Division.
A dismal performance against the Yankees in the playoffs and
concern about the signability of star Juan Gonzalez on a team
which had the second highest payroll in 1999 prompted the Rangers
to deal Gonzalez to the Tigers for a host of young talent. The
Rangers find themselves in an interesting position of simultaneously
building for the future and trying to remain competitive for the
2000 season.
Key Position Players
Up and down the order the Rangers had guys who could wallop
the ball. The Rangers won 36 games by five runs or more, the most
in the majors. Six players hit 20 or more home runs. They had
three players -- Ivan Rodriguez, Juan Gonzalez, and Rafael Palmeiro
-- who were contenders for the MVP award and one -- Rodriguez
-- who was selected as the MVP of the American League. Even the
weak link in the lineup, centerfielder Tom Goodwin, scored 63
runs in just 109 games.
All the runs in the world couldn't get the Rangers to the top,
however, and there will be number of new faces in 2000. Todd Zeile,
Mark McLemore, Goodwin, and Gonzalez will be replaced by youngsters
Mike Lamb, Frank Catalanotto, Ruben Mateo, and Gape Kapler, respectively,
as the Rangers hope that talent can overcome experience. The 2000
replacements have a grand total of 1088 at bats in the major leagues,
while 17,184 at bats of experience were lost by Zeile et al.
Ivan Rodriguez, c, age 27 (as of July 1, 1999)
AB H 2B 3B HR R RBI HP W IW K SB CS AVG OBP SPC OPS RC
Projection Tex 514 161 34 3 17 83 73 5 30 5 74 6 1 .313 .355 .490 .845 86
Prorated Tex 586 183 38 3 19 94 83 5 34 5 84 6 1 .312 .354 .485 .838 96
Actual Tex 600 199 29 1 35 116 113 1 24 2 64 25 12 .332 .356 .558 .914 102
The American League MVP. Rodriguez has been the premiere catcher
in the majors for many years but it was a career year at the plate
and his new added dimension of speed that helped push him into
MVP status. Rodriguez worked during the offseason in 1998 with
star Puerto Rico pole vaulter Edgar Diaz. They worked together
on his running to try and get him to be more efficient and generate
a quick start. This, in part, helped him steal a career high 25
bases and score 116 runs. But the training didn't help him get
out of the batter's box any quicker. Rodriguez led the league
with 31 double plays.
Greg Zaun, c, age 28
AB H 2B 3B HR R RBI HP W IW K SB CS AVG OBP SPC OPS RC
Projection Tex 89 22 5 1 2 9 10 1 11 1 14 1 0 .247 .337 .393 .730 12
Prorated Tex 92 22 5 1 2 9 10 1 11 1 14 1 0 .239 .327 .380 .707 12
Actual Tex 93 23 2 1 1 12 12 0 10 0 7 1 0 .247 .314 .323 .637 10
Zaun held one of the easiest jobs in baseball in 1999. Rodriguez
rarely misses games to injury or rest, so Zaun got to sit back
and enjoy the ride to the playoffs. He'll likely see more playing
time in 2000 as he was dealt to Detroit in the Gonzalez trade.
Bill Haselman will reprise the role as Rodriguez's backup, a position
he held in 1998.
Rafael Palmeiro, 1b, age 34
AB H 2B 3B HR R RBI HP W IW K SB CS AVG OBP SPC OPS RC
Projection Tex 524 151 29 2 37 89 109 5 66 7 82 7 3 .288 .370 .563 .933 110
Prorated Tex 588 169 32 2 41 99 122 5 74 7 92 7 3 .287 .369 .558 .927 122
Actual Tex 565 183 30 1 47 96 148 3 97 14 69 2 3 .324 .420 .630 1.050 153
How bad are Palmeiro's knees? He reached base 283 times, including
47 homers, for one of the most powerful lineups put together,
and managed to score under 100 runs. You don't need good knees
to hit, though, and Palmeiro certainly did that, finishing 10th
in batting average, ninth in OBP, and 2nd in slugging. You also
apparently don't need good knees to field as Palmeiro took home
the Gold Glove award at first, despite playing just 28 games at
first base. He will face tough competition for the award next
year as Don Mattingly committed fewer errors in just about the
same amount of playing time as Palmeiro had.
[TT: After the 1993 season, Palmeiro was allowed to leave Texas
as a free agent because the Rangers wanted Will Clark's fiery
attitude in the lineup and in the clubhouse instead. Five years
later, the Orioles let Palmeiro go so they could replace him with
the same Will Clark. In the six seasons since he was replaced
by Clark the first time, Palmeiro has 31 more doubles, 152 more
homers, 275 more RBI, and 92 more walks than Clark, and he's played
much better defense, too. If these guys had been traded for each
other, it would go down as one of the more lopsided deals in history.
Since the moves involved free agency, this linkage may soon be
lost to our memories.]
Lee Stevens, 1b, age 31
AB H 2B 3B HR R RBI HP W IW K SB CS AVG OBP SPC OPS RC
Projection Tex 446 120 23 3 25 64 76 1 35 4 105 1 2 .269 .322 .502 .825 69
Prorated Tex 530 142 27 3 29 76 90 1 41 4 124 1 2 .268 .321 .494 .815 80
Actual Tex 517 146 31 1 24 76 81 0 52 10 132 2 3 .282 .344 .485 .829 81
The slugging Stevens set a personal best for playing time in
1999 largely due to Palmeiro's knees and the injury to Mike Simms.
In the past Stevens has been used primarily in platoon situations,
but he showed he could hit lefties enough to keep a full time
job, hitting .304 with a .398 OBP.
Stevens also played a solid first base, although not to the
point where he was considered one of the best in the league as
Rafael Palmeiro suggested after Palmeiro won the Gold Glove. Despite
the breakout season by Stevens, the Rangers looked for a first
baseman in the offseason. But to find one that is better than
Stevens would require the Rangers to give up a lot in return.
Mark McLemore, 2b, age 34
AB H 2B 3B HR R RBI HP W IW K SB CS AVG OBP SPC OPS RC
Projection Tex 568 139 21 2 3 86 52 2 93 2 83 15 7 .245 .351 .305 .655 67
Prorated Tex 556 136 20 1 2 84 50 1 91 1 81 14 6 .245 .350 .295 .645 63
Actual Tex 566 155 20 7 6 105 45 0 83 2 79 16 8 .274 .363 .366 .729 82
Just when it looked like Mark McLemore's career was nearing
the end, he found a second wind and put together one of his best
seasons. He set new career highs in triples, home runs, and runs.
The quick McLemore is tough to double up and he has the speed
to take extra bases on hits. He's never been a selective base
stealer and his 67% success rate was close to his career mark
of 69%. The Rangers, looking towards saving a buck and adding
youth, sent him packing at the end of the year. He'll be in Seattle
in 2000.
Luis Alicea, 2b, age 33
AB H 2B 3B HR R RBI HP W IW K SB CS AVG OBP SPC OPS RC
Projection Tex 63 16 3 1 1 10 7 1 9 0 11 2 1 .254 .351 .381 .732 10
Prorated Tex 164 41 7 2 2 26 18 2 23 0 28 5 2 .250 .346 .354 .699 23
Actual Tex 164 33 10 0 3 33 17 0 28 0 32 2 1 .201 .316 .317 .633 18
The Rangers want to contend in 2000. They may start Luis Alicea
at second base. Quite the paradox, that. Versatility and experience
is all Alicea brings. He is fine for a defensive replacement but
he lacks the offensive skills to be a productive player, even
as an occasional spot starter.
Todd Zeile, 3b, age 33
AB H 2B 3B HR R RBI HP W IW K SB CS AVG OBP SPC OPS RC
Projection Tex 493 133 24 1 20 75 82 4 66 4 85 4 3 .270 .357 .444 .801 79
Prorated Tex 568 153 27 1 23 86 94 4 76 4 97 4 3 .269 .356 .442 .798 91
Actual Tex 588 172 41 1 24 80 98 4 56 3 94 1 2 .293 .354 .488 .842 98
I've always thought Todd Zeile was overrated. He is a very
error-prone defensive player and usually is unspectacular at the
plate. After a career year (do you see a pattern here?) which
saw Zeile make personal bests in hits, doubles, batting average,
and slugging percentage, the suitors came knocking. Zeile will
join the Mets, his eighth team, and play first base. This may
be the signing that keeps the Mets from being National League
champs.
Royce Clayton, ss, age 29
AB H 2B 3B HR R RBI HP W IW K SB CS AVG OBP SPC OPS RC
Projection Tex 522 137 31 4 8 80 52 3 40 3 88 25 11 .262 .316 .383 .699 61
Prorated Tex 472 124 28 3 7 72 47 2 36 2 79 22 9 .263 .315 .379 .694 54
Actual Tex 465 134 21 5 14 69 52 4 39 1 100 8 6 .288 .346 .445 .792 72
Royce Clayton is a difficult player to have on your team. He
has a lot of good aspects about his game but they all have their
negative counterpart. Clayton is fast, but he strikes out too
much and rarely walks. He set career bests in batting average,
slugging, on base percentage, and home runs, but those numbers
were anomalies. He has great range in the field but commits too
many errors. He also had shoulder problems which kept him out
of about thirty games. He's not very judicious on the basepaths
either and his steals dropped as his home runs rose.
Depending on what you want from your shortstop, Clayton may
or may not be able to give it to you. But until Dransfeldt starts
hitting better than Luis Alicea, Clayton will be the starting
shortstop.
Kelly Dransfeldt, ss, age 24
AB H 2B 3B HR R RBI HP W IW K SB CS AVG OBP SPC OPS RC
Actual Tex 53 10 1 0 1 3 5 0 3 0 12 0 0 .189 .232 .264 .496 3
Can Dransfeldt hit better than Alicea? Absolutely not. He has
a little more pop but struggles to make contact and never walks.
He's built like Cal Ripken but unlike the Ripken of yesteryear,
his size poses a barrier for him defensively. All in all, there's
not much reason to believe that he will have much of a major league
career.
Jon Shave, ss, age 31
AB H 2B 3B HR R RBI HP W IW K SB CS AVG OBP SPC OPS RC
Projection Tex 66 16 3 0 0 9 6 2 5 0 11 1 1 .242 .311 .288 .599 6
Prorated Tex 73 17 3 0 0 9 6 2 5 0 12 1 1 .233 .296 .274 .570 6
Actual Tex 73 21 4 0 0 10 9 2 5 0 17 1 0 .288 .350 .342 .692 10
The Rangers love his versatility and he will likely make the
team as a utility infielder. He doesn't offer much offensively.
In the field, he is steady and makes plays consistently.
Rusty Greer, lf, age 30
AB H 2B 3B HR R RBI HP W IW K SB CS AVG OBP SPC OPS RC
Projection Tex 568 170 33 3 17 98 92 3 73 2 87 4 3 .299 .378 .458 .836 101
Prorated Tex 578 173 33 3 17 99 93 3 74 2 88 4 3 .299 .378 .455 .833 102
Actual Tex 556 167 41 3 20 107 101 5 96 2 67 2 2 .300 .405 .493 .898 114
Greer went through a bad spell early in the season which resulted
in an uncharacteristic first half -- .268 AVG and a .423 SPC.
Had it not been for that, Greer might have received some MVP consideration.
Greer is interesting in that he makes platoon differentials meaningless.
His OBP against lefties was .411 compared to a .403 against righthanders.
Over his career he has shown little difference in his splits.
There has been talk about making him a leadoff hitter in 2000,
a role, given his on base percentage and his lack of platoon differentials,
in which he should excel. But there has also been talk about putting
the speedier Royce Clayton there, despite his anemic on-base percentage,
which just goes to show how slow baseball is to adjust to even
the most intuitive things.
Tom Goodwin, cf, age 30
AB H 2B 3B HR R RBI HP W IW K SB CS AVG OBP SPC OPS RC
Projection Tex 608 163 19 4 1 105 37 3 64 0 102 52 22 .268 .339 .317 .657 73
Prorated Tex 399 107 12 2 0 69 24 1 42 0 67 34 14 .268 .339 .308 .647 46
Actual Tex 405 105 12 6 3 63 33 0 40 0 61 39 11 .259 .324 .341 .664 49
Probably the departed Ranger who will be missed the least.
Rookie sensation Ruben Mateo seems ready and Goodwin, a fast outfielder
with average defensive ability, will get to roam the spacious
outfield at Coors Field. What do you get when you put Tom Goodwin
in Coors Field? An average Marquis Grissom season with a bunch
more stolen bases.
Ruben Mateo, cf, age 21
AB H 2B 3B HR R RBI HP W IW K SB CS AVG OBP SPC OPS RC
Projection Tex 70 19 5 0 2 11 11 2 2 0 9 2 1 .271 .307 .429 .735 9
Prorated Tex 118 32 8 0 3 18 18 3 3 0 15 3 1 .271 .306 .415 .721 15
Actual Tex 122 29 9 1 5 16 18 1 4 0 28 3 0 .238 .268 .451 .719 15
The bad news is that Ruben Mateo is a candidate for Rookie
of the Year in 2000. This is bad news because he was also a candidate
in 1999 but was so banged up, he didn't amass enough playing time
to lose his rookie eligibility. Injuries have been the largest
hindrance to Mateo's development. In 1999 alone he missed games
from a bruised shoulder, a pulled groin, and a broken wrist.
Right now he is very reminiscent of a young Eric Davis. He
is a five tool player with his arm maybe being the best of the
five. He covers ground well in the field and runs the basepaths
well. His power right now is more doubles power but he should
develop into a 30-homer player. Like Davis, his ability to achieve
star status will be determined largely by his ability to be in
the lineup everyday.
Scarborough Green, cf, age 25
AB H 2B 3B HR R RBI HP W IW K SB CS AVG OBP SPC OPS RC
Projection Tex 70 14 2 0 0 9 4 0 5 0 15 2 2 .200 .253 .229 .482 4
Prorated Tex 13 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 .154 .154 .154 .308 0
Actual Tex 13 4 0 0 0 4 0 0 1 0 2 0 1 .308 .357 .308 .665 1
Don't let the high average fool you. Scarborough Green can't
hit. Green is one of those players the Cardinals liked working
with in the late eighties and early nineties (Green was signed
in 1993 by St. Louis). Take a guy who runs like the wind and teach
him how to hit. The next time a team succeeds with that strategy
will be the first. Green is very fast and is a really good fielder.
But with Mateo and Kapler in the outfield in 2000, a defensive
replacement is not of great importance to the Rangers.
Juan Gonzalez, rf, age 29
AB H 2B 3B HR R RBI HP W IW K SB CS AVG OBP SPC OPS RC
Projection Tex 578 173 38 2 43 98 143 5 41 9 118 1 1 .299 .346 .595 .941 115
Prorated Tex 574 171 37 1 42 97 142 4 40 8 117 0 0 .298 .343 .585 .929 112
Actual Tex 562 183 36 1 39 114 128 4 51 7 105 3 4 .326 .378 .601 .980 128
Gonzalez is a fascinating individual to observe when it comes
to attitude and thinking about the future. Watch him with his
teammates before a game and you see a fun-loving individual. Check
him out after a game and you'll see someone who enjoys his family
and friends (he left the team during the season to give blood
to his daughter who was undergoing a surgery). He can be friendly
to fans.
But then you look at the flip side and you see a man who has
been divorced three times. You see someone who sat out an exhibition
game because his pants were not to his liking. He refused to play
in the All-Star game in 1999 because he was not elected to be
a starter. He also has had a history of minor injuries. Gonzalez,
after leading the league in home runs in 1992 and 1993, hit the
weight room for a power boost. The result was 125 missed games
over the next two seasons, largely due to pulled muscles.
How do you know what you're getting from Gonzalez? That is
something the Tigers will have to figure out if they hope to justify
the amount of talent they surrendered to Gonzalez for what may
be one year of his services. A pretty good indicator is to scope
him out when he arrives at spring training. If you could mistake
him for a ballet dancer, you can expect good things from Gonzalez.
The lean, limber Gonzalez is the one that puts up numbers like
he has the past few years, not the overmuscular or overweight
Gonzalez. I'm a little concerned at this point, however, that
he has put on some weight during the offseason. Look at Gonzalez
in spring training and I guarantee you will get a good idea on
how he will perform in 2000.
Roberto Kelly, rf, age 34
AB H 2B 3B HR R RBI HP W IW K SB CS AVG OBP SPC OPS RC
Projection Tex 284 86 13 3 11 45 45 4 14 0 51 3 3 .303 .342 .486 .828 45
Prorated Tex 297 89 13 3 11 47 47 4 14 0 53 3 3 .300 .338 .475 .812 46
Actual Tex 290 87 17 1 8 41 37 5 21 0 57 6 1 .300 .355 .448 .804 47
One of the more underrated players in the league. Kelly is
a productive hitter who can play all three outfield positions.
He is best suited for a platoon role but hits righties enough
to merit facing them from time to time. He will likely begin 2000
as part of Joe Torre's leftfield by committee for the Yankees
but may end up platooning in right with Paul O'Neill.
Mike Simms, rf, age 32
AB H 2B 3B HR R RBI HP W IW K SB CS AVG OBP SPC OPS RC
Projection Tex 130 35 8 0 9 21 28 2 14 0 33 0 0 .269 .347 .538 .885 24
Prorated Tex 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0
Actual Tex 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 .500 .500 .500 1.000 1
Simms missed virtually all of the 1999 season with a torn Achilles
tendon. He is a tremendous power hitter who jumps all over pitchers'
mistakes. Simms will be looked upon to spell Kapler on occasion
in 2000.
Key Pitchers
Interestingly, despite an infield that committed quite a few
errors, the Rangers allowed the fewest unearned runs in the majors
(50). Nonetheless, the Rangers' top two starters, Aaron Sele and
Rick Helling, had ERAs in 1999 that were right at the league average.
The rest of the rotation was awful but was helped immensely by
a bullpen that compiled a league high 72 holds. The Rangers, realizing
that the rotation was the weakest portion of the team, went out
into the free agent market and got lefties Kenny Rogers and Darren
Oliver. In the Gonzalez trade, the team also acquired southpaw
Justin Thompson for the rotation and budding superstar Francisco
Cordero for the already daunting bullpen.
The bullpen, led by closer John Wetteland, was nearly unstoppable
in the first half. The reliance on the bullpen took its toll on
the pen as their numbers dropped off after the All-Star break.
Six pitchers appeared in 50 or more games for the Rangers in 1999,
a total matched only by the Indians. Take a gander at how the
ERAs lagged in the second half.
All-Star Break
Before After Difference
Munoz 3.41 4.91 1.50
Venafro 2.84 3.46 0.62
Wetteland 3.96 3.34 -0.62
Zimmerman 0.86 4.58 3.72
Crabtree 3.62 3.31 -0.31
Patterson 4.38 7.71 3.33
Aaron Sele, starter, age 29 (as of July 1, 1999)
Tm ERA G GS W L S INN H HR BB K AVG OPS
Projection Tex 4.96 32 32 10 13 0 201 226 19 81 155 .286 .788
Prorated Tex 4.96 33 33 10 13 0 207 232 20 83 159 .286 .788
Actual Tex 4.79 33 33 18 9 0 205 244 21 70 186 .293 .802
Sele led the team in victories in 1999 after finishing second
to Rick Helling in 1998 with 19. Sele was acquired from the Red
Sox after the 1997 season. As a Boston prospect, Sele relied on
a vicious curveball to retire opposing hitters. Arm troubles reduced
the effectiveness of the curveball but it is still Sele's main
pitch. If he has trouble throwing it for strikes, Sele needs to
hope for a win via a slugfest. Sele has been helped immensely
by having the Rangers offense providing support. He will pitch
for Seattle in 2000 where the Griffey-less Mariners will likely
reduce Sele back to a .500 pitcher.
Rick Helling, starter, age 28
Tm ERA G GS W L S INN H HR BB K AVG OPS
Projection Tex 4.41 32 32 12 12 0 206 201 28 84 170 .254 .753
Prorated Tex 4.41 34 34 13 13 0 217 212 29 88 179 .254 .753
Actual Tex 4.84 35 35 13 11 0 219 228 41 85 131 .272 .837
Helling was a 20-game winner in 1998, his first full season
as a major league starter. He pitched 200 innings again in 1999,
with different results. He led the league in home runs allowed
and saw his strikeouts drop while his ERA and baserunners per
nine innings rose. One has to wonder if his sudden conversion
to a 200-inning workhorse isn't causing him to wear down.
For the first 90 pitches of a game, Helling held opponents
to a respectable .257 batting average, .327 OBP, and .466 SLG.
From pitch 91 on, batters hit .326 with a .382 OBP and a .604
SLG. Given these results, the bad news for the Rangers is that
Helling throws a lot of pitches. He's not the kind of guy who
tries to get batters to put the ball in play.
John Burkett, starter, age 34
Tm ERA G GS W L S INN H HR BB K AVG OPS
Projection Tex 5.07 32 32 10 12 0 192 232 21 44 135 .302 .795
Prorated Tex 5.07 25 25 8 9 0 151 183 17 35 106 .302 .795
Actual Tex 5.62 30 25 9 8 0 147 184 18 46 96 .307 .832
Shoulder problems hampered Burkett in 1999. He was ineffective
after coming off the disable list in May and was used briefly
in the bullpen until a handful of Rangers starters went down with
injuries. Burkett joins the Devil Rays for 2000 but at age 34,
seasons like last one will probably be the norm from here out.
Mike Morgan, starter , age 39
Tm ERA G GS W L S INN H HR BB K AVG OPS
Projection Tex 5.96 34 4 4 6 0 83 100 13 27 44 .302 .867
Prorated Tex 5.96 59 7 7 10 0 143 173 22 47 76 .302 .867
Actual Tex 6.24 34 25 13 10 0 140 184 25 48 61 .323 .921
Morgan was to work in long relief to begin 1999. But Esteban
Loaiza looked as if he forgot how to pitch in spring training,
so when the season started, Morgan found himself as the fifth
starter. Despite his lack of effectiveness, the Rangers kept him
in the rotation until September due to the number of injuries
that struck the rotation. Morgan will try to pitch for his thirteenth
major league team, the Arizona Diamondbacks, in 2000. Unless a
bunch of players fall to injury early on, it is unlikely that
Morgan, now 40, will find a role on the team.
[TT: Morgan broke in as an 18-year-old phenom during the Carter
administration, then waited until Bush (the elder) was in office
before posting his first winning season -- 14-10 in 1991. His
career mark is now 134-180, or 46 games under .500. There are
only 16 pitchers in history who finished their career more than
46 games under .500).
Esteban Loaiza, starter, age 27
Tm ERA G GS W L S INN H HR BB K AVG OPS
Projection Tex 5.34 27 27 8 10 0 160 191 23 47 95 .299 .820
Prorated Tex 5.34 20 20 6 7 0 118 141 17 35 70 .299 .820
Actual Tex 4.56 30 15 9 5 0 120 128 10 40 77 .275 .735
"How a Car Door Got My Career Back on Track"
may well be the title of Loaiza's autobiography, if he decides
to write one. Loaiza showed up in spring training with a spot
in the rotation locked up. It wasn't his to lose. He wasn't fighting
it out with someone for the final spot. The spot was his.
Loaiza then looked horrible all spring long and lost it. He
pitched in the bullpen and was horrible there, compiling a 7.31
ERA before the defining moment of his 1999 season. In May, Loaiza
shut his hand in a car door, breaking it badly. He underwent surgery
and was out until July.
Whether the broken hand was a wake up call or doctors gave
him a bionic hand or the time away from the game was the source
of the change, Loaiza returned a new pitcher. He found his way
back into the rotation and he went 9-4 with a 3.72 ERA the rest
of the season. Loaiza kept the ball down in the second half and
if he can do that, he will have continued success in 2000.
Mark Clark, starter, age 31
Tm ERA G GS W L S INN H HR BB K AVG OPS
Projection Tex 5.37 32 32 10 13 0 206 246 28 53 135 .298 .817
Prorated Tex 5.37 13 13 4 5 0 81 97 11 21 53 .298 .817
Actual Tex 8.60 15 15 3 7 0 74 103 17 34 44 .329 .980
The beleaguered Mark Clark suffered another setback in 1999.
After continued elbow soreness, Clark had it checked out. Doctors
discovered a torn ligament and his season was finished. Clark
is a competitor and his belief is that he will be back good as
new in 2000 and be part of the Rangers rotation.
Ryan Glynn, starter, age 24
Tm ERA G GS W L S INN H HR BB K AVG OPS
Actual Tex 7.24 13 10 2 4 0 55 71 10 35 39 .316 .933
Glynn isn't as highly regarded as some of the other young Rangers
pitchers despite being a fourth round pick in 1995 and progressing
well. He has done well in the minors and may pitch for the Rangers
in some capacity in 2000. He got the call in 2000 primarily because
he was one of the few minor league pitchers who was doing well
at the upper levels.
Jeff Fassero, starter , age 36
Tm ERA G GS W L S INN H HR BB K AVG OPS
Projection Sea 4.13 32 32 12 12 0 214 212 27 61 166 .260 .738
Prorated Sea 4.13 24 24 9 9 0 160 158 20 46 124 .260 .738
Actual Sea 7.38 30 24 4 14 0 139 188 34 73 101 .321 .969
Prorated Tex 4.13 3 3 1 1 0 20 19 2 6 15 .260 .738
Actual Tex 5.71 7 3 1 0 0 17 20 1 10 13 .286 .770
Prorated Tot 4.13 27 27 10 10 0 179 178 23 51 139 .260 .738
Actual Tot 7.20 37 27 5 14 0 156 208 35 83 114 .318 .948
The lefty Fassero was brought in for some help at the end of
the season against lefthanded hitters and to start against teams
like the Yankees who do poorly against southpaws. Fassero has
seen better days, none of them in 1999, and he will try and make
one last stand for the Red Sox in 2000.
Corey Lee, starter, age 24
Tm ERA G GS W L S INN H HR BB K AVG OPS
Actual Tex 27.00 1 0 0 1 0 1 2 1 1 0 .400 1.500
Lee's pitching is still a little unrefined. He stopped being
a thrower last season and has turned into more of a pitcher. At
least a half season at AAA is likely in order.
Matt Perisho, starter-reliever, age 24
Tm ERA G GS W L S INN H HR BB K AVG OPS
Projection Tex 6.38 4 4 1 1 0 18 23 2 11 13 .311 .875
Prorated Tex 6.38 2 2 0 0 0 8 10 1 5 6 .311 .875
Actual Tex 2.61 4 1 0 0 0 10 8 0 2 17 .211 .592
Perisho has had a history of arm troubles while in the Ranger
and Angel systems. He is a hard thrower who the Rangers would
like to see in the bullpen if Munoz or Venafro have problems or
become injured.
Doug Davis, mopup-starter, age 23
Tm ERA G GS W L S INN H HR BB K AVG OPS
Actual Tex 33.75 2 0 0 0 0 3 12 3 0 3 .600 1.900
Davis has a shot at making the Rangers rotation in 2000 with
a good spring. Although this would add yet another lefty to the
rotation, it's something the Rangers wouldn't necessarily mind.
Davis has a wide assortment of pitchers and knows how to pitch.
With an experienced catcher like Rodriguez, it's not a longshot
that he will have a good spring. He pitched in the Arizona Fall
League after 1999 where he was one of the top pitchers.
Jonathan Johnson, mopup, age 24
Tm ERA G GS W L S INN H HR BB K AVG OPS
Projection Tex 6.34 23 0 2 3 0 38 46 6 16 26 .301 .862
Prorated Tex 6.34 3 0 0 0 0 5 6 1 2 3 .301 .862
Actual Tex 15.00 1 0 0 0 0 3 9 0 2 3 .529 1.160
Once a top prospect for the Rangers, Johnson has not shown
an ability to succeed at the AAA level, despite spending parts
of four seasons there. He has also had problems with injuries.
With some of the younger and better arms the Rangers have, his
making the majors for any length of time is unlikely.
Danny Kolb, long relief, age 24
Tm ERA G GS W L S INN H HR BB K AVG OPS
Actual Tex 4.65 16 0 2 1 0 31 33 2 15 15 .268 .694
Another former prospect who has had troubles. Control has been
Kolb's biggest problem. He will get a full year in AAA to see
if he can still develop into a major league pitcher.
Tim Crabtree, long relief, age 29
Tm ERA G GS W L S INN H HR BB K AVG OPS
Projection Tex 4.34 70 0 5 5 2 95 109 7 38 69 .291 .768
Prorated Tex 4.34 46 0 3 3 1 62 71 5 25 45 .291 .768
Actual Tex 3.46 68 0 5 1 0 65 71 4 18 54 .280 .714
The Rangers acquired Crabtree from the Blue Jays after a season
of injuries in 1997 and he's been an important part of the Ranger
bullpen ever since. Crabtree is an aggressive hurler who comes
right at hitters with his fastball. His control improved dramatically
in 1999, largely because he was able to get ahead in the count
early. With the emergence of the bullpen in 1999, Crabtree was
not required to work multiple innings. As a result, he ended up
more of a right-handed specialist. More than the other pitchers
in the bullpen, he has the durability to be a long reliever.
Danny Patterson, long relief, age 28
Tm ERA G GS W L S INN H HR BB K AVG OPS
Projection Tex 4.50 53 0 4 4 0 74 81 9 23 55 .281 .787
Prorated Tex 4.50 46 0 3 3 0 64 70 8 20 48 .281 .787
Actual Tex 5.67 53 0 2 0 0 60 77 5 19 43 .304 .831
A couple of years ago, Patterson was the fastest pitcher in
the Rangers system and one of the hardest throwers in the American
League. He and Wetteland would warm one another up because no
one else was willing to handle their pitches. A torn rotator cuff
did him in and while he still throws hard, he is much more hittable.
The Rangers included him in the Juan Gonzalez deal and he may
end up as a setup man for Todd Jones.
Mike Munoz, lefty specialist, age 33
Tm ERA G GS W L S INN H HR BB K AVG OPS
Projection Tex 4.53 70 0 5 5 1 95 111 7 36 63 .294 .787
Prorated Tex 4.53 37 0 3 3 1 50 58 4 19 33 .294 .787
Actual Tex 3.93 56 0 2 1 1 53 52 5 18 27 .263 .712
I don't think Munoz got enough credit when he was in Colorado.
In 1997, he had a 4.53 ERA while pitching at Coors Field. In 239
innings for the Rockies over five plus seasons, he surrendered
just 23 home runs. The man can pitch. Oddly, as a guy used primarily
to face lefties, he does much better against righthanders. In
1999, he held them to a .235 average compared to a .290 against
lefties. Lifetime, he has been slightly better against righthanders.
Mike Venafro, setup man, age 25
Tm ERA G GS W L S INN H HR BB K AVG OPS
Actual Tex 3.29 65 0 3 2 0 68 63 4 22 37 .251 .655
If not for Jeff Zimmerman, Venafro would have been the big
story in the Rangers bullpen. Originally drafted in 1995 in the
29th round, Venafro was originially slated for the slow road to
the majors. He began as a middle reliever at low A Hudson Valley
but showed enough promise that he was turned into a closer for
the 1996 season. In two and a half seasons as a minor league closer,
Venafro saved 44 games. Venafro is a smart pitcher who was very
tough on lefties in 1999. Lefties hit hit just .193 with a .270
OBP and just one extra base hit. Not bad for someone with just
17 innings above AA before 1999. With a year under his belt, Venafro
should be even tougher on hitters in 2000.
Jeff Zimmerman, setup man, age 26
Tm ERA G GS W L S INN H HR BB K AVG OPS
Projection Tex 3.27 23 0 2 1 0 33 30 5 12 32 .242 .726
Prorated Tex 3.27 56 0 5 2 0 80 73 12 29 78 .242 .726
Actual Tex 2.36 65 0 9 3 3 88 50 9 23 67 .166 .517
Just in case you didn't hear the story, Zimmerman was pitching
independent ball in 1997. Not because he was holding out on a
contract (which seems to be the "in" reason to play
for an independent league) but because no one would draft him.
He faxed his resume to all the teams and the Rangers were the
only ones who took a flyer on him. In 1998, he posted a 1.28 ERA
in the minors.
By 1999, he was in the Rangers bullpen and in July he made
the All-Star team after an amazing 0.86 ERA in the first half.
He did not allow an earned run in 23 games in June and July. He
faded in August and September, allowing a 5.79 ERA and giving
up over a hit an inning and surrendering eight of his nine home
runs.
What is in store for 2000 is a question. Zimmerman has had
incredible success in his brief professional career. But his track
record is too short to declare him as one of the top relievers
for the next decade.
John Wetteland, closer, age 32
Tm ERA G GS W L S INN H HR BB K AVG OPS
Projection Tex 2.36 70 0 5 5 40 80 59 8 22 88 .205 .592
Prorated Tex 2.36 62 0 4 4 36 71 53 7 20 79 .205 .592
Actual Tex 3.68 62 0 4 4 43 66 67 9 19 60 .262 .745
Wetteland was a very ordinary pitcher in 1999, a fact that
had to be a little disconcerting for the Rangers. They have made
no effort to hide the fact that they feel Cordero is the closer
of the future and that Wetteland will likely not return after
the 2000 season. To his credit, Wetteland has already indicated
that he is more than willing to act as a tutor for Cordero and
Zimmerman. He worked with Patterson when he first came up and
may have the makings of a pitching coach somewhere down the line.
Wetteland never showed any indication of being his usual dominant
self in 1999. He did not work much in spring because of back spasms
and an ankle injury that had nagged at him since the 1998 season.
The back spasms continued over the course of the season and may
have played a role in the lack of effectiveness.
Outlook
The Rangers shook up their roster after the 1999 season, partly
because attendance did not meet management's expectations even
though the team set a franchise record for wins. The Rangers are
fortunate to be in a four-team division with at least one opponent
(Anaheim) that is unlikely to contend, so even if they do go through
some growing pains with their young talent, they should remain
competitive enough to keep people interested.
The three main issues the Rangers face from an on-field aspect
are the ability of the young players to perform as major league
starters, the continued success of the bullpen, and the development
of the rotation. Third baseman Mike Lamb and rightfielder Gabe
Kapler are going to have the most pressure on them in 2000. Lamb
is one of the best prospects in the system and Kapler will have
to fill the shoes of Juan Gonzalez. Centerfielder Ruben Mateo
will also be tested and will have to stay injury free.
The bullpen will have to perform throughout all 162 games.
John Wetteland needs to revert to his old form. With the tutelage
of Wetteland and an experienced bullpen, prospect Francisco Cordero
should develop and improve an already incredible relief corps.
Zimmerman will need to establish that his career has not been
a fluke to this point and that he is a dominating pitcher.
In the rotation, new lefties Kenny Rogers, Darren Oliver, and
Justin Thompson will join Sele and Helling to give the Rangers
an experienced and, hopefully, injury-free staff until some of
the arms in the minors develop.
The Rangers should be able to both rebuild and contend in 2000.
With the mix of talent they have plus the weak division, another
AL West title is likely in store.
Projections and text: Copyright © 2000.
Diamond Mind, Inc. All rights reserved.
Actual 1999 statistics: Copyright © 1999. STATS, Inc. All
right reserved.
