Nathan Declines and Other News

Joe Nathan high-fives catcher Mike Napoli after another victory

According to T.R. Sullivan, Joe Nathan is now a free agent.  Joe Nathan (as expected) decided to decline the Texas Rangers option for the 2014 season in hopes of landing a multi-year deal with the Texas Rangers or another team. The feeling around Arlington is that he will not re-sign with the Texas Rangers, but that will wait to be seen. Joe Nathan had a really good 2013 season, posting 43 saves while having an ERA of 1.39. I wish Nathan well and I am very glad he spent time as the Texas Rangers closer for two seasons, racking up a total of eighty saves in a Texas Rangers uniform. With Soria, Feliz and Scheppers all as possible closers, the Texas Rangers are going to decide to let Joe Nathan walk and sign with whomever will give him the money and years that he is after.

The Texas Rangers have declined an option for Lance Berkman in 2014, and I don’t think that anyone is shocked at all by this news. Berkman had a less than impactful season in a Texas Ranger uniform, and none of us will be real sad to see him go. I assume that he is now going to retire, and I wish him well. He was just never a good fit with the Rangers.

Nelson Cruz will receive a qualifying offer from the organization this offseason of roughly $14.1 million. My thoughts would be that he will be the primary DH going forward if the Texas Rangers can re-sign him, but I know that some other team out there may be willing to offer Nelly a bigger contract with multiple years attached and try to steal him away. It will be interesting to see what transpires for the Texas slugger over the next few weeks and maybe months. I would love to see Nelly come back for another year and be a part-time outfielder and a full-time bat in a lineup that really needed some impact hitters in 2013. We will just have to wait and see how this one works out for the Rangers.

The Rangers have claimed pitcher Chaz Roe off of waivers from Arizona today. Roe made it to the biggs for the first time last season and posted a 4.03 ERA. He is 27 years old and has some pretty impressive minor league numbers, posting a 1.11 ERA in twenty-five relief appearances at the AAA level in 2013.

Round Rock manager Bobby Jones has joined the Texas Rangers coaching staff. He will either be a bench coach or the new first base coach according to sources. Jones had done a good job with the Express and I think he will be a good choice to join the big club. Rumor has it that former Rangers Steve Buechele may move from double A to Round Rock and take over as manager of the AAA club.

The winter meetings are coming up real soon, and it will be fun to watch. Bookmark us for all your Texas Rangers news and opinion!