Texas Rangers Notes: C.J. Wilson, Torrealba, Soria, Wood

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C.J. Wilson sets a career high


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The Texas Rangers are reeling, losing seven of their last nine games including getting swept by the New York Yankees over the last three games.

One bright spot from that series was starter C.J. Wilson who set a career high with 129 pitches through eight solid innings of work. Wilson gave up just two runs on seven hits and struck out 10. He is showing why the Rangers believed him when he said he could take the role of the staff 'ace' when Cliff Lee departed for Philadelphia.

Through 15 starts, Wilson sports a 7-3 record with a 3.03 ERA.

Torrealba calls out the New York Yankees

Rangers catcher Yorvit Torrealba apparently had a problem with Yankee hitters Andruw Jones and Mark Teixeira, accusing both of stealing signs.


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Torrealba got into it with Jones during the fifth inning on Wednesday night and apparently said something to Teixeira during his at bat one night earlier. Both took exception to Torrealba's accusation, naturally, and even Jones said it was a little bit of sour grapes on Torrealba's part.

While stealing signs isn't illegal it is something teams take exception to if it's being done. There have been plenty of games where you'll hear a comment from a catcher or see a verbal altercation over this kind of issue.

Hitters should be good enough to figure a pitcher out without the "tipping" help of a runner on second base

Texas Rangers searching for help

The Rangers need help in their bullpen and they need it soon. Even general manager Jon Daniels recently admitted as much. "It's something that we're open to, but it's easier said than done," Daniels told T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com. "There are not a lot of clubs eager to move quality arms right now. We've got to be able to address it right now."


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Asked about their combined 4.52 bullpen ERA Daniels said, "it hasn't been as effective as we need it to be. We haven't hit our stride yet. It would help if a couple of guys come back healthy, but we need to be more consistent. The bottom line is it needs to be better."

One name Sullivan talked about in his column on Thursday is Kansas City Royals' reliever, Joakim Soria. Earlier in the season he would have been an expensive reliever to acquire. However, thanks to his recent struggles, including a string of three blown saves in four appearances, he may not have quite the price tag at this point.

However, he has not given up a run in his last six appearances (8 IP) so that price may be going up.

A few other names mentioned by Sullivan were Chicago Cubs' reliever Kerry Wood, San Diego Padres' closer Heath Bell, Washington Nationals' relievers Todd Coffey and Tyler Clippard, and Baltimore Orioles' relievers Koji Uehara, Jim Johnson and Kevin Gregg.

Could Joakim Soria be a Good Fit for the Texas Rangers?

The Texas Rangers have a need in their bullpen and if you listen to some of the sports talk radio around the Dallas/Ft Worth metroplex, you know there has been questions as to whether a move needs to be made sooner rather than later.

A few names I've talked about before were Kansas City Royals' reliever Joakim Soria, Boston Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon, and San Diego Padres' closer Heath Bell.

We know any of these three guys are going to have high price tags as far as what each team will want in return. If you read the blog I did on the possibility of landing Heath Bell, you saw names out of the Rangers' minor league system. Guys like Engel Beltre, Jurickson Profar, Michael Kirkman, and "a David Murphy type player."

While most might say it's too high a price to pay to bring in a proven reliever to help out their bullpen, these are three guys who can make an immediate impact on a team who can make it back to the World Series if they make the right moves.

So knowing what we know about Bell, some wonder if the cost would be same to land Soria.

I talked to one American League beat writer who told me the Royals could very well ask for two major league ready players, guys they can have under their control for the foreseeable future, as well as two minor league pitching prospects.

That being said, they also told me the Royals system is so stacked with top prospects that they don't have the kind of needs the Rangers may be able to fill.


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Heath Bell Could be a Permanent Fix to the Texas Rangers' Bullpen

 The Texas Rangers are struggling and it's not just with the rotation, the bullpen has had their problems as well and not just since outfielder Josh Hamilton went down with an injury.

You will hear a lot of the sports talk radio shows talking about how to fix this team and how to "right the ship." We can talk about trades and we can talk about the return of Tommy Hunter and Neftali Feliz. While those two players are great to have back, the Rangers are still waiting for some sort of good news from Brandon Webb who does not look any closer to joining the team.

So how does this team patch up the holes in what seems like a sinking ship? There are a few names we can talk about and some may be a little more far fetched than others.

Let's start with Boston Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon. It's not the first time the young reliever's name has come up in trade rumors and it wouldn't be the first time the Red Sox would explore trading him. They aren't off to the kind of start they were hoping for and if their struggles continue maybe they might actually look more seriously at dealing Papelbon for the right return of young minor leaguers.

Another name that could be explored is Kansas City Royals' reliever Joakim Soria. The 27-year old was the only bright spot for the Royals last year, closing out 43 or his 46 save chances last season and finishing the season with a 1.78 ERA in 2010. He was a big name on the rumor sheets not only at the deadline last year but also during this past off season. The Royals weren't able to get a deal done but that doesn't mean they won't be approached again in July.

But if you want a name who can come in and bring the confidence this bullpen needs, look no further than San Diego Padres' closer Heath Bell.

For those of you who love the game of baseball, you know all about this guy. The guy that sprints in from the bullpen and the guy who gets fired up every time he closes out a game. His fiery attitude and closer's mentality is exactly the kind of guy the Texas Rangers need and they need it sooner rather than later.

I talked to two different sources about the possibility of the Rangers going after Bell and what the Padres might ask for in return.

My first assumption was that the Rangers would need to include Michael Young, Chris Davis, and/or star minor league pitcher Tanner Scheppers. But when I talked to these two sources, neither of them brought up any of the three aforementioned names.

So what would the Rangers need to give up to land the Padres' closer? How about outfielder Engle Beltre,left hander Michael Kirkman, shortstop Jurickson Profar, and as one source told me "a David Murphy type player." A four-for-one deal to bring in a guy the Rangers desperately need.

Here is the problem as it stands in early May. Another source close to the Padres told me San Diego would not trade Bell this early in the season no matter how badly the team is struggling right now.

While they might be right because we do not see a lot of trades this early in the season, the Padres aren't going anywhere fast and they know they have little to no chance of retaining Bell for the long term. If general manager Jed Hoyer knows he can get three young minor leaguers and one other player who could possibly have some big league experience already, do you think he pulls the trigger on that deal?

Bringing in another closer to the team does bring up one problem. Does Feliz remain the team's closer or does that allow the Rangers to transition him to the starting rotation? Something which was talked about during spring training. I wasn't a fan of that move when it was being discussed and there is a part of me that still isn't in favor of it.

However, with the rotation struggling like it is, the Rangers may need to bring this idea back to the forefront once more. It's not going to be a popular decision and as of right now it's not a decision that is going to be given any thought at all. Just don't count out the fact it might be brought into the conversation prior to the trade deadline in July.

The American League West is not the strongest division in baseball and there isn't one team among it who can run away with it this early in the season. It is what has allowed this team to struggle and not already be more than 10 games back of the Los Angeles Angels.

But if they do not do something soon to put the pieces back together and bring back the swagger this team had after winning the American League Championship over the New York Yankees, it could spell disaster for a team who is expected to have the same kind of success as they did in 2010.

Manager Ron Washington, general manager Jon Daniels, and owner Nolan Ryan have to be looking at their options. When they do, the name Heath Bell will come up more times than one. There's no panic in Arlington just yet but they can't wait too long to decide the best course of action.


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Texas Rangers Shopping for a Closer, Neftali Feliz to the Rotation?

With just a few weeks left before Opening Day for Major League Baseball, the Texas Rangers still have decisions to make not only with the starting rotation but also for the bullpen.

Oddly enough, it surrounds just one name.

Neftali Feliz.

The team's closer last season has been worked out as a starter during spring training and the team seems sold on bringing him in as a starter behind either C.J. Wilson or Colby Lewis. He's not going to be the ace of the staff so let's stop with those rumors.

Speaking of rumors, with Feliz potentially moving into the rotation it leaves an open spot at the back end of the bullpen. Who will be the closer for the Rangers in 2011?

A few names who have made their way onto the rumor sheets are current Boston Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon, San Diego Padres' closer Heath Bell, and Kansas City Royals' closer Joakim Soria.

The team could look internally to fill the spot but there really isn't a name that puts fear into opposing hitters.

We know the chips the Rangers have to trade and they happen to surround two different names, Michael Young and Chris Davis.

As far as I'm concerned we can take the Padres off the list because if Davis struggles at the plate in Arlington, a well known hitter's park, he won't have much luck at one of the best pitcher's parks in baseball, Petco Park.

However, the Padres are one team Michael Young can not refuse a trade to until his 10-and-5 rights kick in a few months from now. The Rangers have already made it clear they would be willing to assume most of Young's salary in order for them to move him.

That could definitely entice the Padres who don't exactly have the money to bring on the kind of contract Young still has coming to him.

I don't see the Red Sox trading Papelbon but it's not the first time I've heard his name mentioned in trade rumors. He came up prior to the trade deadline last year and again during this past off season.

He would definitely entice me if I'm the Rangers but the Red Sox don't have a full time position for Michael Young to assume. Not only that but the Sox would tell you they've already spent enough money for right now.

There is still time for decisions to be made but the Rangers are cutting it awfully close to Opening Day. It seems they want Feliz to be in the rotation but they need to figure out who their closer is going to be. A closer-by-committee isn't going to work and unless they can find the right trade scenario, they might need to fill it internally for now.


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