Okay, enough caustic derision.

In actuality, the 2013 team is not perfect (no team is), but the Rangers are far from needing to do anything. Rather than fall victim to the media pundits and their compulsively heedless propensity to identify and/or regurgitate “story lines”—the things of ESPN Sunday Night Baseball broadcasts, refer to the facts.

As I have already mentioned, the Rangers are in a position in which the team does not need to do much of anything different in order to legitimately compete. As a matter of fact, the Texas Rangers still remain as one of baseball’s most well-rounded organizations. Sure, a trade or two is a want at the moment, but it is certainly not a need. Teams in desperation have needs, the Rangers are in a position of wants.

Despite being an annual buyer at the trade deadline for the past three seasons, the Rangers still boast a unanimous top ten farm system. Despite losing such arms as Colby Lewis, Neftali Feliz and Matt Harrison to the DL, the Rangers’ pitching has posted the 4th best FIP in MLB at 3.64 (7th best xFIP). Despite losing major contributors to the offense during the offseason, the Rangers’ offense has posted the 10th best wRC+ in MLB at 102, along with scoring the 10th most runs in all of MLB. Despite every narrative that has been spun by these media pundit spiders with the intentions of snaring readers and followers within their webs, the Rangers are doing just fine.

The grandest of all illusions is convincing the audience of a farce. For the most part, Rangers fans seem rather convinced that the team has an abundance of needs. For the most part, Rangers fans are seized by this radical notion. Disappointingly for this fraction of Rangers fans, they have fallen victim to narratives—the grandest of all illusions, except there is nothing subtle or magical about this trick.

In reality, the 2013 team has competed admirably to this point. Reinforcements are soon to come. The farm system is as deep and loaded as it needs to be in order to accomodate the impending wants. 

Relax, the Rangers are fine.

This is Feliz’s first of three anticipated arbitration seasons, and the $2.9 million deal he received is just a mere $200K below his expected $3.1 million cost, according to MLB Trade Rumors. Barring an extension, Neftali Feliz is under contract with the Rangers through the 2015 season.

Feliz, Texas’ former flame-throwing closer turned starting pitcher before the 2012 season, produced 4.0 fWAR out of the bullpen between 2009 and 2011, accumulating better than a strikeout per inning (9.07) and a walk rate of 3.1/9 IP. Though he only pitched an abbreviated 2009, totaling 31.0 innings, he ranked 19th in all of baseball in pitching fWAR in the three-year period between ’09-’11. He’s an elite specimen out of the ‘pen.

Acknowledging that, the thought before the 2012 season was to capitalize on his value by transitioning him from closer-to-starter, much like the Rangers successfully accomplished in 2010 with C.J. Wilson, and 2011 with Alexi Ogando. The early returns were somewhat promising; his ERA was 3.16, despite an xFIP of 4.98, a SIERA of 4.67, and a BB rate of 4.85/9 IP. This data comes in the ridiculously small sample of 7 starts, so it’s debatable just how much it actually means.

He began a rehab stint into June and July, but never regained his form. He clearly was not the same pitcher he had been in his first three years, which began the whispers questioning if Feliz was broken. Or, even worse, injured.

He underwent Tommy John surgery in the middle of the summer, and isn’t expected to be back until August of 2013, at the earliest. It’s highly questionable if he will even throw one pitch for the Rangers next year, and if he does, we wonder if it will (a) be out of the bullpen, or (b) be effective enough to justify a significant role come postseason time. Right now, I expect (a) would be true, and am highly suspect about (b).

To that end, it should be a given that he won’t be able to produce enough value out of the bullpen in 2013 to justify the $2.9 million price tag bestowed upon him, but more importantly, we just need to make sure he’s healthy, and ready to go, by 2014.

If the 90%+ success rate of Tommy John surgeries holds true, then he should be a favorite to earn the 5th rotation spot year after next, joining him with Yu Darvish, newly-extended Matt Harrison, Derek Holland and Alexi Ogando, as part of one of the more formidable rotations in all of baseball.

First things first, we want Neftali Feliz’s arm to be OK. Secondly, we want him to be able to pitch again. Thirdly, we want him to begin throwing on a rehab assignment next year. Fourthly, we want him to be called up to the Major League team, hopefully in the midst of a playoff chase.

And lastly, we want a dominating 7-inning start out of Darvish, an 8-0 lead heading into the 8th, and a loud, raucous roar from the Arlington faithful once Neftali Feliz regains his rightful position in the Rangers bullpen.

This season appears to be more of the same. A shell game on the public front, while working to fortify holes at first base, in our bullpen and most obviously the one left by Josh Hamilton. I have made a reference to this before, that while re-signing Hamilton isn’t out of the question, they will try to re-create him (as was said about Jason Giambi in Moneyball) in the aggregate. What we do know about that is that we tried to deal with Atlanta for a shortstop and spin him to Arizona for Justin Upton. That whole scenario shows us that for at least the next season, we will see Profar and Andrus playing in Arlington. Again, a message behind the scenes to fans but more importantly to Elvis Andrus.

Nolan Ryan and Jon Daniels
(photo from ESPN)

The last two years, outside of the Nathan signing, all of the action has occurred from the Winter Meetings forward. We have been disciplined in not letting the market dictate to us what we do but being deliberate in staying our own course.  Not great for fans, but very good for the people holding the cards. And for the success for the team on the field.

Moving parts include getting the final shot at Josh Hamilton and Mike Napoli (allegedly) but also trying to eye the strategy of our rivals. Namely the Angels.  The Winter Meetings are coming up a week from today in Nashville. Unless something ridiculous happens this week, this will be where the magic happens.