Rangers Decide on Feliz: Closer in 2011; Starter in 2012

by WWMcClyde on Mar 24, 2011 1:42 PM CDT in Texas Longhorns and Other Baseball

UPDATE 2: Some quick-take thoughts:

On Randy Galloway's radio show this afternoon, Nolan Ryan said this:

"I think if we weren't in such a need for him as a closer, he would be starting for us this year," Ryan said. "I think what it means is that we have a year to find somebody within our system or through trade or a free agent acquisition to come in and take that role. At the end of [this season], we'd like to be in position to tell Feliz to go home this offseason and be ready to be a starter for us next year ... do what you need to do to come into spring training with that mindset and physically being in a position to take that."

My thoughts:

1. This is really the only decision the Rangers could have made given their expectation to repeat as AL West champions in this year.

2. Does Feliz have the stuff and makeup to become an ace? Yes. Would he pitch like an ace in his first year as a starter? Not likely, and he would have also probably been limited to somewhere in the neighborhood of 150 innings, with 175 being the outer edge of the envelope. They'd have to be very careful with him.

3. Still, would he be better than Holland, Hunter or Harrison (the 3-4-5 starters)? Assume it's a yes, but one of the better bullpens in baseball suddenly has a huge hole in the back end, and nobody else on the staff has closing experience.

4. Given the makeup of the starters they have now, the Rangers no doubt concluded that the club's best bet was to strengthen the bullpen as much as possible in an effort to turn as many games as possible into 6 or 7 inning affairs. In order for this strategy to work, Ron Washington must be willing to use Feliz -- his best pitcher -- in high leverage situations that aren't necessarily save situations and he must be willing to use him for more than one inning from time to time. If you only use Feliz in the 9th with a lead, you're not getting the most bang for the buck. The turning point in a game might very well be in the 7th or 8th, say with the score tied or a hanging on to a 1-run lead. Your opponent has the go-ahead runner at second and you've got a guy in the bullpen with a triple-digit fastball that jumps all over hitters like the Tijuana clap. Why wait?

UPDATE (4:20 pm) -- Who says things in baseball move at a slower pace? The Rangers announce their decision on the starting rotation prior to the start of a split squad game against the Reds. Tommy Hunter just left that game in the 3rd inning with a strained right groin. Don't know if this will affect the Feliz decision, but my guess is no.

The Rangers just announnced that Neftali Feliz will return to the bullpen and the closer's role for the 2011 season.

Starting rotation will be: CJ Wilson (1), Colby Lewis (2), followed by Tommy Hunter, Derek Holland and Matt Harrison with the order of those three TBD.

Beyond Feliz (R), bullpen locks are Alexi Ogando (R), Darren Oliver (L), Arthur Rhodes (L) and Darren O'Day (R) with a middle and long man still TBD. Competitors for the middle slot are presumably Mark Lowe (R) and Pedro Strop (R) while the long slot is coming down to either Brett Tomko (R) or Mason Tobin (R).

Working on a post now, will update this shortly.

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Comments

Yeah, this was obvious from the beginning. Washington needs to make a revolutionary change and make his closer a 2 inning guy. Otherwise, it is just a wasted resource.

by PatronSaint on Mar 24, 2011 1:46 PM CDT reply actions

Not to be that guy, but what’s with the Texas Rangers commentary? This is a Texas LONGHORNS board. If you’re going to go with MLB material, how about something about Huston Street with the Rockies. Sorry, but all this Rangers talk is kinda turning me off to the site.

by defmob on Mar 24, 2011 2:35 PM CDT reply actions

We need Brandon Webb to get healthy and come around. He can be that top of the rotation guy. I like C.J. and Cobra as 2/3 starters. not 1/2.

That’s actually a pretty good bullpen. Wish Lowe had looked better in tthe spring – I think Tomko gets the nod – and fucking Kirkman has been a letdown. That dude needs to step up.

by Ag_in_TX on Mar 24, 2011 3:32 PM CDT reply actions

No offense, demfmob, but don’t let the door hit ya’. This is more than a Longhorn site and a damn good one. If you don’t like it, don’t read it. Simple, really.

I was really hoping to see Feliz in the ST, but with the bullpen a mess this spring and no one stepping up to potentially take on the closer role, for the sake of this season, go with Feliz in the 9th. He proved he could stretch out when needed. I just hate seeing Hunter in there, he’s a bullpen killer with no true out pitch. I think he’s much more tailored made for the long man role. I like they’re giving Holland a chance, I just hope his leash isn’t too short. As far as Tomko and Tobin, go with the vet to seee if he has gas in the tank left, you’ve got options remaining with Tobin and you can always bring him up when/if needed. Good talk Russ.

by Holy Cow on Mar 24, 2011 3:56 PM CDT reply actions

Thanks for the suggestion Holy Cow. I’ll be over at BON. Hook ’em!

by defmob on Mar 24, 2011 4:07 PM CDT reply actions

“….all this Rangers talk….”

OH NOES, TWO POSTS IN A ROW ABOUT THE RANGERS!!!

This is a board for Texas fans, defmob…it may specialize in the Longhorns, but a large number of Texas fans are also fans of….wait for it….the Rangers, the Mavericks, the Spurs, the Cowboys, the Texans, etc…

Shocking, I know.

by Orangeblood79 on Mar 24, 2011 4:11 PM CDT reply actions

I can’t speak for defmob’s allegiance but it didn’t seem like BC was doing the same with Looping Starship posts, well, when they were more regular. I enjoy the baseball talk, so I’ll read regardless. I just don’t see why it needs to be on this board considering the sidebar links are easily accessible.

by villagehorn on Mar 24, 2011 4:21 PM CDT reply actions

For the 2011 Texas Rangers this is probably a reasonable move. You weren’t likely to get more than 150 innings out of Feliz in his first season as a starter, so you were looking at a lot of 5th-starter skip starts and innings management issues or face the strong risk that he’s out of gas by playoff time. His net impact as a 150-inning first time starter probably wouldn’t be too much greater than the impact of having him as a closer and strengthening the overall bullpen by moving everyone ‘down’ a slot (Ogando to the 8th, O’Day/Oliver to the 7th, etc.). I’d still rather have rolled the dice to see what Feliz could bring us a a starter, but not tearing my hair out.

For the 2012 Texas Rangers I hate this move – you’ll now be enduring your ‘break in’ season with Feliz a year later, and possibly with a weaker overall rotation given the prospect of losing CJ to free agency. To me, the team’s window of contention is driven by Hamilton, Cruz, Beltre, Kinsler and Andrus (primarily defense for Elvis), in that order. I think JD and the new ownership can keep most of that nucleus together financially, so I think you’re looking at 2011-2014 as a reasonable window before age and injury take a toll on most of those guys. I’d like to see us rocking Feliz as a potential top of rotation pitcher/ace for as much of that window as we can.

I think we can win the West with this group provided we get a little better luck on the injury front this season and Hunter/Harrison aren’t both terrible. I see us making another deadline deal for pitching to make a credible postseason run, and at the deadline (or any time, really) it’s easier to find a late-inning reliever than it is a frontline starter.

by nobis60 on Mar 24, 2011 4:24 PM CDT reply actions

They are wasting a year with this guy. He needs to be stretched and take the lumps now as a starter this year for a solidified rotational spot in 2012. They are just delaying the enevietable regardless of the shape of the bullpen. Its just excuses at this time. “We wanted to do this…but but but” Additionally, hes likely not going to use all his pitches in the closer role thus setting him back another year for growth. SACRIFICE NOW FOR LONG TERM SUCCESS

by Mysterious Package on Mar 24, 2011 5:23 PM CDT reply actions

Why do people keep saying no one has stepped up? Ogando is doing fine what else do you want for a closer? Does anyone realize that team win 95% of the time with a 2 run lead or more in the 9th. That means even the average pitcher can close with success. The closer role is overated and most “experts” value a starter a ton more than a closer. Just look at salaries. Rivera is making what 7-8M a year, go look at Cliif Lee or Halliday or CC for a counter arguement…However, I expected this so I’m not surprised. Just thought for once we were going to do the right thing instead of whats easier.

by Mysterious Package on Mar 24, 2011 5:27 PM CDT reply actions

Great stuff. I am really enjoying WW’s posts. Not a huge Rangers fan, but good writing and good insight. Keep up the good work.

by cazadores on Mar 25, 2011 5:29 PM CDT reply actions

it didn’t seem like BC was doing the same with Looping Starship posts, well, when they were more regular. I enjoy the baseball talk, so I’ll read regardless. I just don’t see why it needs to be on this board considering the sidebar links are easily accessible.

I think the reason they are doing this is to promote the Fantake Texas Ranger site. It is still pretty new to the Fantake network and BC gets more hits by a huge margin over the other sites in the network so they have Willie Waylon make posts over here to start some momentum.

I can’t for the life of me imagine getting butthurt over it like defmob did though. He must be a lot of fun to hang out with.

by t1climb1 on Mar 26, 2011 8:39 AM CDT reply actions

Consider where the Rangers are right now compared to what they started 2010 with. Feldman, Harden, Wilson, Lewis, Harrison started 2010. Hunter didn’t pitch until June in 2010, even starting this year on the DL he should be ready by mid April. Look for Webb to be ready to go by early May and Feldman will be ready by June. Texas was 11-12 in April in 2010 and they haven’t had a wining record in April since 2004. Rangers should not panic no matter what happens in April.
Although the Ranger brass says different it is still possible that Feliz will be in the rotation by the time August rolls around, particularly if Webb doesn’t pan out. Baseball is a 162 game season, the Texas Rangers are a team built to compete over 162 games. They have the strongest bench in baseball with a versatile Michael Young being able to rest regulars at 3 positions. You have Napoli being able to fill in at 3 slots and Murphy the best damn 4th outfielder in baseball. The Rangers have 8-10 guys they can use as starters and all of them are as good if not better than the other 13 teams 4th and 5th starters. What we tend to forget is that every team has problems filling out a 5 man rotation. Texas does have legitimate replacements, while most teams don’t.
Right now my bigget worry is the bullpen, no one had a good spring training and that causes concern. Hopefully it was the dry Arizona air, guys getting in their work, and they will hit opening day running.
If they pitch like they did in 2010 the Rangers will be back on top come October.

by prehist51 on Mar 26, 2011 9:08 AM CDT reply actions