News
2/8/2002 12:00 pm ET
Rangers Spring Training Preview
Texas hopes busy offseason pays off
By Jesse Sanchez
MLB.com
Rangers at a glance
ARLINGTON, Texas -- There are a few numbers that have haunted The Ballpark in Arlington all winter.
11: The number of different starters who combined to go 51-58 in 2001.
658 and 368: The number of runs and walks allowed by the pitching staff last season, highest in the Major Leagues.
5.71: The staff's ERA, worst in the Major Leagues for the second consecutive season.
That was 2001. Rangers General Manager John Hart is hoping for a better outcome in 2002.
And so far, Hart has made good on his promise to give the club the opportunity to exorcise the ghosts of pitching failures past. During a busy offseason Hart agreed to terms with a slew of power-armed pitchers that includes Chan Ho Park, John Rocker, Todd Van Poppel, Jay Powell, Dave Burba, and Ismael Valdes. The Rangers will bring a new pitching coach, Oscar Acosta, and 36 pitchers to Port Charlotte, the largest number of hurlers ever brought to Spring Training in franchise history.
For now, the Rangers starting rotation consists of Park, Kenny Rogers, Valdes. Doug Davis, Burba, Aaron Myette, Mario Ramos, Rob Bell and Hideki Irabu are all competing for the final two positions. Davis, Ramos, Bell and Myette all have options remaining, meaning they can be sent back to the minor leagues.
Moreover, Texas currently has 64 players on its Major League Spring Training roster. This will be both the most players and most non-roster invitees that Texas has ever had in a Spring Training camp.
. "We are certainly excited about the talent we were able to get in here, but I think now we are into the next phase, the most important piece, and that is to get everybody into Spring Training and get our arms around everybody, " Hart said. "I come from the school that says you can never have an excess of starting pitching. This is an organization last year that finished dead last in earned run average, struggled in the rotation and the bullpen. I think at as a result, we have brought a lot of pitchers into camp.
Pitchers and catchers report to Port Charlotte, Florida on Feb. 14 and will work out for the first time the following day. Infielders and outfielders report on Feb. 20 with the first full squad workout is scheduled for Feb. 21.
"We have pitchers with credentials as well as some of our youngsters, and this gives us the ability to make some good decisions coming out of Spring Training in an effort to improve the club," Hart said.
Rangers Manager Jerry Narron is pleased with the progress Hart has made during the offseason. He should be. During the Rangers' 89-loss campaign last season, the team struggled with mediocre performances from the starters and the bullpen.
"I'm really excited about the pitching and what John Hart has done," Narron said. "We brought in a lot of new guys and I think the competition will be healthy. That's why we sign up for this job. The main beneficiary is going to the Texas Rangers."
However, one of the biggest task entering Spring Training for Texas is finding innings for the large group of pitchers heading to Port Charlotte. Hart finds the dilemma a luxury.
"We are certainly going to have to prioritize innings and I think we are going to try to play split squads and things like that. The fine line you walk there is giving the guys you know you are going to break with their innings and their work and at the same time make a good decision on the guys fighting for jobs," he said. "I'd rather have the problem of having to find innings for talent rather than have too many innings and not enough talent."
The Rangers have 30 contests scheduled in the Florida Grapefruit League to figure out that talent and exactly where to put it. The team will break camp after a road game with the Boston Red Sox on March 28 and club will return to The Ballpark in Arlington for a pair of games with the New York Mets on March 29 and March 30. After an exhibition game with their Triple-A club, the Oklahoma RedHawks, on March 31, the club is scheduled to open the 2002 regular season in Oakland on Monday, April 1.
Hart is satisfied with the team thus far, but is the first to admit that he has not ruled out making anymore moves for more talent before and during Spring Training.
"What we tried to do is raise the bar and you do that by bringing in players with credentials and mix them in with young players," Hart said. "I think hopefully when you look at our bullpen and our starters, you will see that."
2/8/2002 12:00 pm ET
Rangers Spring Training Preview
Texas hopes busy offseason pays off
By Jesse Sanchez
MLB.com
Rangers at a glance
ARLINGTON, Texas -- There are a few numbers that have haunted The Ballpark in Arlington all winter.
11: The number of different starters who combined to go 51-58 in 2001.
658 and 368: The number of runs and walks allowed by the pitching staff last season, highest in the Major Leagues.
5.71: The staff's ERA, worst in the Major Leagues for the second consecutive season.
That was 2001. Rangers General Manager John Hart is hoping for a better outcome in 2002.
And so far, Hart has made good on his promise to give the club the opportunity to exorcise the ghosts of pitching failures past. During a busy offseason Hart agreed to terms with a slew of power-armed pitchers that includes Chan Ho Park, John Rocker, Todd Van Poppel, Jay Powell, Dave Burba, and Ismael Valdes. The Rangers will bring a new pitching coach, Oscar Acosta, and 36 pitchers to Port Charlotte, the largest number of hurlers ever brought to Spring Training in franchise history.
For now, the Rangers starting rotation consists of Park, Kenny Rogers, Valdes. Doug Davis, Burba, Aaron Myette, Mario Ramos, Rob Bell and Hideki Irabu are all competing for the final two positions. Davis, Ramos, Bell and Myette all have options remaining, meaning they can be sent back to the minor leagues.
Moreover, Texas currently has 64 players on its Major League Spring Training roster. This will be both the most players and most non-roster invitees that Texas has ever had in a Spring Training camp.
. "We are certainly excited about the talent we were able to get in here, but I think now we are into the next phase, the most important piece, and that is to get everybody into Spring Training and get our arms around everybody, " Hart said. "I come from the school that says you can never have an excess of starting pitching. This is an organization last year that finished dead last in earned run average, struggled in the rotation and the bullpen. I think at as a result, we have brought a lot of pitchers into camp.
Pitchers and catchers report to Port Charlotte, Florida on Feb. 14 and will work out for the first time the following day. Infielders and outfielders report on Feb. 20 with the first full squad workout is scheduled for Feb. 21.
"We have pitchers with credentials as well as some of our youngsters, and this gives us the ability to make some good decisions coming out of Spring Training in an effort to improve the club," Hart said.
Rangers Manager Jerry Narron is pleased with the progress Hart has made during the offseason. He should be. During the Rangers' 89-loss campaign last season, the team struggled with mediocre performances from the starters and the bullpen.
"I'm really excited about the pitching and what John Hart has done," Narron said. "We brought in a lot of new guys and I think the competition will be healthy. That's why we sign up for this job. The main beneficiary is going to the Texas Rangers."
However, one of the biggest task entering Spring Training for Texas is finding innings for the large group of pitchers heading to Port Charlotte. Hart finds the dilemma a luxury.
"We are certainly going to have to prioritize innings and I think we are going to try to play split squads and things like that. The fine line you walk there is giving the guys you know you are going to break with their innings and their work and at the same time make a good decision on the guys fighting for jobs," he said. "I'd rather have the problem of having to find innings for talent rather than have too many innings and not enough talent."
The Rangers have 30 contests scheduled in the Florida Grapefruit League to figure out that talent and exactly where to put it. The team will break camp after a road game with the Boston Red Sox on March 28 and club will return to The Ballpark in Arlington for a pair of games with the New York Mets on March 29 and March 30. After an exhibition game with their Triple-A club, the Oklahoma RedHawks, on March 31, the club is scheduled to open the 2002 regular season in Oakland on Monday, April 1.
Hart is satisfied with the team thus far, but is the first to admit that he has not ruled out making anymore moves for more talent before and during Spring Training.
"What we tried to do is raise the bar and you do that by bringing in players with credentials and mix them in with young players," Hart said. "I think hopefully when you look at our bullpen and our starters, you will see that."
