Texas Rangers go into Winter Meetings with Leverage to Produce a Contender in 2009

The obvious and ideal situation for the Rangers in the offseason is to find quality arms in the starting rotation.  While that seems easy, there are limitation to what can be done in developing this process.  The Rangers go into the Winter Meetings with leverage.  They have a surplus of catching prospects that showed their depth and mettle this past season.

A trade with a catching prospect, coupled with a minor league slugger or two, the Rangers could be primed to land a quality pitcher.  However, if that doesnt fall through, not to worry.  Mike Maddux was hired as the pitching coach for the Rangers.  He comes form the Milwaukee Brewers, who finished second in the National League in team ERA.  The Rangers finished last in the American League in that category in '08.  It won't be a rebuilding job of sorts, but it will be a challenge.  Assuming the Rangers don't land a free agent pitcher or acquire one through a trade, the Rangers have a plentiful amoutn of pitchers in the minor league system. 

Kevin Millwood and Vincent Padila are safe in the starting lineup, but there are a number of other pitchers to fill 3-5 in the starting rotation.  Matt Harrison, who won 10 games as a rookie is a front runner for a starting job.  A promising scenario for the Rangers is to rely on their minor league arms.  The Rangers' farm system ranks third in all of baseball showing that they're developing younger talent correctly.  With Kason Gabbard, Tommy Hunter, Eric Hurley, and Dustin Nippert waiting in the wings, the Rangers have a corps of young talent on which to rely.  We also can't count out Blake Beavan, Michael Main, or Derek Holland, all of whom are in low A or double A.  At this point it is too early to assess their talent because they haven't developed the experience at a higher level, but their upside is there.

The disastrous scenario for the Rangers would be to give up another arm. We all saw what happened with John Danks, Bobby Jenks, Edinson Volquez, and Armando Gallaraga.  These pitchers have seen a measure of success with their respective clubs, but it remainsto be seen if they keep up their status as their careers progress.  Of course, you don't know what kind of prospect you have until they make it into the big league level, but history has proven that the bevy of talent in Texas's farm system consistently does well making the future a little brighter.  

With the Winter Meetings only a starting point in the long offseason for the Rangers, look for an arm or two to emerge from the minor league ranks and one traded for.  A catcher will most likely be used as bait so be also prepared for the possibility of Jarod Saltalamacchia or Gerald Laird being moved.  They were both hot commodities at last season's trade deadline and will be so again this offseason.