Texas Rangers Texas Rangers 2005 Finish: 79-83, 3rd place 2006 Schedule | Team Page | Roster	Select Team Angels Astros Athletics Blue Jays Braves Brewers Cardinals Cubs Devil Rays Diamondbacks Dodgers Giants Indians Mariners Marlins Mets Nationals Orioles Padres Phillies Pirates Rangers Red Sox Reds Rockies Royals Tigers Twins White Sox Yankees

Mark Teixeira Otto Greule Jr./Getty Image

Beyond the Box Score Youth is served The Rangers jumped on the younger-is-better bandwagon where the GM is concerned. On Oct. 4, 2005, just two days after the season's end, 28-year-old Jon Daniels replaced John Hart as GM. With the promotion, Daniels became the youngest GM in major league history. Overhauled Any doubts about the depth of the Rangers' remake of the starting rotation? Just consider that none of the members of the 2005 Opening Day rotation remain with the organization. Ryan Drese was lost on a waiver claim; Kenny Rogers went to Detroit in free agency; Chris Young and Chan Ho Park were traded to San Diego and Pedro Astacio was released. Also, Ricardo Rodriguez, who was the sixth starter deployed by Texas in 2005, was traded to Philadelphia. Those six combined to start 115 games for the Rangers. Coaching carousel The pitching staff wasn't the only aspect of the team to experience significant change. The Rangers also changed three coaching spots. Mark Connor moved from bullpen coach to pitching coach to replace Orel Hershiser. Dom Chiti moved from Director of Player Development into the bullpen coach's job. And long-time minor league manager Bobby Jones moved from Triple-A Oklahoma to replace DeMarlo Hale as first base coach. Hale moved to Boston to become third base coach. The leader With a .331 average in 2005, shortstop Michael Young became only the second Ranger to win the AL batting title. He follows current New York Met Julio Franco, who won it in 1991, when Young was 14 years old. Launching pad The Rangers may try to do more than just reconstruct their pitching staff. They are also looking into whether something can be done structurally at Ameriquest Field to lessen the effects of a jet-stream effect that blows out to right center for most of the summer. It's believed the jet stream has been heightened since the construction of an enclosed club for high-dollar ticket-holders behind home plate. The club was built in 2000 and the incidence of home runs has jumped dramatically. The Rangers commissioned a study of the wind currents this winter, paying close attention to the changes generated by the addition of the enclosure.

All that was missing was Ty Pennington, the exuberant host of TV's Extreme Makeover. New Rangers general manager Jon Daniels, a bit more languid and far more youthful than the TV host, swept through the pitching staff in a three-week overhaul in December. When the dust had settled, the new model made two things clear: The Rangers once again value pitching, and the team believes it is ready to win in 2006.

Rotation

The starting rotation has been an absolute nightmare since the turn of the century. The Rangers have yo-yoed between pricey free agents and trying to develop their own talent. This season, they'll try a mix. They landed the (potential) ace they've sought for years by coming to an agreement with Kevin Millwood that could keep him at the front of the Rangers' rotation for five years. The Rangers are hoping Millwood, the AL's ERA leader in 2005, can help debunk the notion that Ameriquest Field is no place for pitchers. In addition, the Rangers traded for experienced starters Vicente Padilla and Adam Eaton. Both have great stuff, but both have largely been considered underachievers. The Rangers' calculated risk is that the two 28-year-olds are about to blossom and that they will have extra motivation going into their final season before free agency. If the front three are healthy, it gives the Rangers a legitimate start to the rotation and should allow for the growth of homegrown right-handers Kameron Loe and Juan Dominguez at the back end.

Bullpen

The bullpen was the single-biggest reason the Rangers had a 10-win dropoff in 2005. Injuries, particularly to Frank Francisco and Carlos Almanzar, crippled the 'pen from the start, and it never recovered. The relievers saw their ERA rise from 3.51 in 2004 to 4.85 in '05. The Rangers plan for Akinori Otsuka, obtained with Eaton in a six-player deal with San Diego, to help out. As a 32-year-old rookie in 2004, Otsuka was as good a setup man as there was in the NL, but his numbers fell off dramatically last year. To keep Otsuka effective and fresh, the Rangers need somebody to pair with him. The job could fall to Joaquin Benoit, who has shown some aptitude as a long reliever, or Jon Leicester, obtained from the Chicago Cubs. R.A. Dickey, still in the process of developing a knuckleball, could give the Rangers a versatile arm in the middle of the 'pen who could pitch long relief multiple days during the week and even pitch in as an emergency starter. The back of the bullpen is set with Francisco Cordero. Though he struggled a bit last year, he remains one of the most effective closers in the game.

Middle Infield

Shortstop Michael Young, only the second Ranger to win the batting title, has developed into one of the most complete and respected players in the game. Young's average (.331) improved over the previous season for the fourth straight year. He also set the club record with 221 hits; it was his third consecutive 200-hit season. Young will likely be joined in the middle by rookie Ian Kinsler, whose approach to the game is very Young-like. Kinsler, 23, will get the first shot to replace Alfonso Soriano, who was traded to Washington. The Rangers aren't expecting Kinsler to put up 30 homers like Soriano, but they would appreciate a more patient approach at the plate and more predictable results in the field. If Kinsler struggles, either utility man Mark DeRosa or free agent D'Angelo Jimenez could step in.

Corners

First baseman Mark Teixeira clearly established himself as the game's newest superstar in 2005 with a .301 average, 43 homers, 144 RBIs and a Gold Glove. And he won't turn 26 until the second week of the season. On the other side, Hank Blalock seems to have hit a plateau, or slid backwards, since his breakout season of 2003. Blalock's numbers have dropped off dramatically in the second half of the last two seasons as he seemed to try to pull everything. Blalock must get back to hitting the ball all over the field. If he does, it would make the Rangers' tandem of corner infielders the best in the big leagues.

Outfield

The bulk of the power will come from the infield, but the Rangers are hoping the addition of Brad Wilkerson to the outfield mix will help make the offense more efficient. The Rangers too often relied on the home run last year and nearly set the major league record for homers in a season, but they often short-circuited when they needed to create a run. Wilkerson has walked at least 80 times in each of the last four seasons and has a career .365 on-base percentage. Wilkerson, who can be a free agent after 2006, could play center with Laynce Nix (if he's recovered from a pair of shoulder operations) or Gary Matthews Jr. moving to right. Or, Wilkerson could take over in right, leaving the center-field situation as it was. It appears Kevin Mench will get the bulk of the playing time in left field. Mench could be a 30-homer guy, but like Blalock, he can't afford another second-half slide.

Catching

Rod Barajas is another of the players who can be a free agent after the season. Barajas played a career-high 120 games in 2005 and responded with career highs in homers (21) and RBIs (60). He is a solid bottom-of-the-order threat and is excellent at managing a game. His backup will be Gerald Laird, his replacement-in-waiting. Laird should get about 60 or so starts. The main goal is for him to become a better game-caller this season.

DH/Bench

David Dellucci, yet another free agent-to-be, should handle the bulk of the DH duties and get some left-field starts. He has great strike zone judgment and hit a career-high 29 homers last year. The Rangers still have Phil Nevin on hand, but his role right now would be, at best, a right-handed DH. If the Rangers don't keep him, it could open up even more playing time for right-handed hitting DeRosa, who can play any of the infield spots and corner outfield spots. DeRosa hit .322 in 59 at-bats vs. lefties last year.

Management

Buck Showalter knows the game, but he's never managed a team more than four seasons. This will be his fourth in Texas. Though he has contract security through 2009, it's up to Showalter to let this team play and to trust the players to win the games. If not, a recreation of last season's mild player revolt in mid-August could turn a lot uglier.

Final Analysis

If the Rangers were in a weaker division, they might enter 2006 as the favorite, but the AL West is deep with pitching. Though the Rangers seem to have improved on paper, the competition will be mighty thick. Remember, this is a team that won 89 games in 2004 — and finished in third place. It may take 95 wins or more to capture the division.

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