Spring Training Preview: Starting Rotation (Ranked)

Tanner Scheppers

Aug 26, 2013; Seattle, WA, USA; Texas Rangers relief pitcher Tanner Scheppers (52) pitches to the Seattle Mariners during the 9th inning at Safeco Field. Texas defeated Seattle 8-3. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports

During the 2013 season, Scheppers was a prett solid reliever throughout the year.  Last season he had and ERA of 1.88 over 76.2 innings.  He never allowed more than 2 runs in any of his outings.  Also, over that time, he only had 2 blown saves.

Scheppers has a fastball in the upper-90’s, curveball, slider and changeup.  Mainly he uses his fastball and curveball to strikeout batters.

While it hasn’t been heavily mentioned, Tanner Scheppers is another name that has come up in discussion as a possible replacement for the injured Derek Holland.  If anything, the biggest talk about Scheppers has been putting him in at the closer role.  During the 2013 season, it was said that Joe Nathan was grooming him for the position throughout the season.   If you take his stats for the 2013 season, he’s made a pretty solid case for being the closer in 2014 season.

In my opinion, it is best if the Texas Rangers left Scheppers as a reliever or as the closer.  He’s been solid in that role and you don’t want to mess up a good thing.