My 2015 Texas Rangers Wishlist

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The Texas Rangers are in need of a lot of things for the 2015 season, and I thought I would take a minute to start a wishlist of sorts for the 2015 season. There is a lot that just went wrong in the 2014 season, but then there were some areas that the Texas Rangers just need to be a competitive team for 2015. There is not a lot that can be done about the way the Texas Rangers have had to deal with injury this year, and it has been a record breaking season as far as that goes. The Texas Rangers are also going to break an MLB record for most pitchers used in a season. Here is my first draft, so to speak, for what I would like to see in 2015.

Health.

I know that I just said there is not a lot that the Texas Rangers could do, but I think there is something. Prince Fielder was experiencing some problems last season, his

numbers were down, yet the Texas Rangers decided no to give him a physical when they traded for him. If the Texas Rangers would have kept Ian Kinsler, they would have been a better team, but hindsight is always 20/20. The Rangers were missing several key components to success in 2014 including Derek Holland, Martin Perez, Jurickson Profar, Prince Fielder, Matt Harrison, and then players like Yu Darvish, Shin-Soo Choo, Alex Rios and others have not been at 100%. The odds say that this just won’t happen two seasons in a row, and if it does, it is time to fire the entire training staff.

Stability.

I for one have been disappointed with the amount of change that the front office kept bringing to the team. Donnie Murphy was doing pretty good at first when Mitch Moreland went down, Josh Wilson was having a good season as the utility infielder, Michael Choice was taking his lumps but improving, Chris Gimenez was having a good season behind the plate. I don’t understand why the Texas Rangers have had so many people play first base. It baffles me. The Rangers need to have much more consistency at each position next season. It is hard to build team chemistry when you don’t know the guy next to you from week to week.

The Rotation.

Again, injury is the main reason that this was a problem in 2014, but the rotation needs to have a major upgrade. While I like Nick Martinez, Colby Lewis and Miles Mikolas, they are not going to bring a championship to Texas. The Rotation next season needs to have 3 major upgrades:

1. Yu Darvish

2. Derek Holland

Source: Tim Heitman – US Presswire

3. New guy

4. New guy

5. In house

My reason for having in house for the fifth starter is that I believe that one of the guys that pitched deserve to at least get a shot to try and make the rotation out of spring training next season. Whether that be Robbie Ross, Mikolas, Martinez or someone else, they at least deserve a shot. Other than that the Rangers need to make a big splash at least once if not twice in the rotation.

Don’t play hurt.

Shin-Soo Choo says he regrets not going on the DL earlier in the season. The Texas Rangers need to jump on injuries faster and just put the guy on the disabled list. It is

Jul 9, 2014; Arlington, TX, USA; Texas Rangers starting pitcher Yu Darvish (11) reacts after giving up a home run during the fifth inning against the Houston Astros at Globe Life Park in Arlington. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

way more important to have a guy at 100% for most of the season than to have him at 75% for the entire season. It showed really bad with Choo. His production went way down, and he just hasn’t looked like the same guy. The players need to be more honest, and the training staff needs to identify the injuries more quickly.

It will be a very fun off season for Rangers fans in my opinion, and I very much look forward to covering it. I hope you are looking forward to it as well, it is almost time for the Texas Rangers to get to work!

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