(Ticker) - Righthander Adam Eaton apparently will be
the centerpiece of the Texas Rangers' revamped rotation.
According to a report on MLB.com, the Rangers have agreed in
principle to acquire Eaton, righthanded setup man Akinori Otsuka
and a minor league player to be named from the San Diego Padres
for righthander Chris Young, first baseman Adrian Gonzalez and
outfielder Terrmel Sledge.
The deal reportedly is pending all players passing physicals.
Eaton turned in arguably his best major league season in 2005,
going 11-5 with a 4.27 ERA in 24 games, including 22 starts. He
matched his career high in wins, posted his best winning
percentage and allowed only 14 home runs - his lowest total in a
full season since his rookie year of 2000.
Eaton has gone 47-41 with a 4.34 ERA in 133 games -131 starts -
with the Padres. He will be at the top of Texas' rotation along
with Vicente Padilla, who was acquired from Philadelphia
earlier this month for fellow righthander Ricardo Rodriguez.
The 28-year-old Eaton and Padilla will have a tall task in
replacing the 6-10 Young and Kenny Rogers, who signed as a free
agent with Detroit earlier this month. Young, 26, went 12-7
with a 4.26 ERA as a rookie this past season and the 41-year-old
Rogers was an American League All-Star in 2005, going 14-8 with
a 3.46 ERA.
Otsuka, who was the primary setup man to Trevor Hoffman in San
Diego, will assume a similar role in Texas with closer Francisco
Cordero. A native of Japan, the 33-year-old Otsuka went 2-8
with a 3.59 ERA in 66 appearances this past season after going
7-2 with a 1.75 ERA in his first year in the United States in
2004.
Gonzalez, who was selected first overall in the 2000 draft by
the Florida Marlins, is regarded as a pure hitter and above
average defender. He struggled to find playing time due to the
presence of All-Star Mark Teixeira in Texas, batting .227 with
six homers and 17 RBI in 150 at-bats in 2005.
Sledge, acquired along with Brad Wilkerson in the deal that sent
second baseman Alfonso Soriano to Washington earlier this
month, is a .267 career hitter with 16 homes and 70 RBI in 153
games.
the centerpiece of the Texas Rangers' revamped rotation.
According to a report on MLB.com, the Rangers have agreed in
principle to acquire Eaton, righthanded setup man Akinori Otsuka
and a minor league player to be named from the San Diego Padres
for righthander Chris Young, first baseman Adrian Gonzalez and
outfielder Terrmel Sledge.
The deal reportedly is pending all players passing physicals.
Eaton turned in arguably his best major league season in 2005,
going 11-5 with a 4.27 ERA in 24 games, including 22 starts. He
matched his career high in wins, posted his best winning
percentage and allowed only 14 home runs - his lowest total in a
full season since his rookie year of 2000.
Eaton has gone 47-41 with a 4.34 ERA in 133 games -131 starts -
with the Padres. He will be at the top of Texas' rotation along
with Vicente Padilla, who was acquired from Philadelphia
earlier this month for fellow righthander Ricardo Rodriguez.
The 28-year-old Eaton and Padilla will have a tall task in
replacing the 6-10 Young and Kenny Rogers, who signed as a free
agent with Detroit earlier this month. Young, 26, went 12-7
with a 4.26 ERA as a rookie this past season and the 41-year-old
Rogers was an American League All-Star in 2005, going 14-8 with
a 3.46 ERA.
Otsuka, who was the primary setup man to Trevor Hoffman in San
Diego, will assume a similar role in Texas with closer Francisco
Cordero. A native of Japan, the 33-year-old Otsuka went 2-8
with a 3.59 ERA in 66 appearances this past season after going
7-2 with a 1.75 ERA in his first year in the United States in
2004.
Gonzalez, who was selected first overall in the 2000 draft by
the Florida Marlins, is regarded as a pure hitter and above
average defender. He struggled to find playing time due to the
presence of All-Star Mark Teixeira in Texas, batting .227 with
six homers and 17 RBI in 150 at-bats in 2005.
Sledge, acquired along with Brad Wilkerson in the deal that sent
second baseman Alfonso Soriano to Washington earlier this
month, is a .267 career hitter with 16 homes and 70 RBI in 153
games.
