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August 27, 2004
Transaction
Added pitcher JOHN WASDIN to the 40-man roster and recalled him from AAA Oklahoma. Designated pitcher SCOTT ERICKSON for assignment.
I suppose he was worth a shot, but Erickson pitched miserably during his four-start tenure with Texas. With the minor-league seasons ending in a few days, Erickson won't have much of a chance to pitch again if he goes unclaimed. This could be the end of the line. Wasdin joines the roster for the third time and will try to do the five-inning three-run thing.
Posted by Lucas at 03:41 PM
August 26, 2004
Transaction
Activated pitcher CHAN HO PARK from the 60-day DL. Placed pitcher MICKEY CALLAWAY on the 15-day DL. Transferred pitcher JUAN DOMINGUEZ and 1B/DH BRAD FULLMER from the 15-day to the 60-day DL.
DL, DL, DL. Amazingly, Park's ERA is middle-of-the-pack among the 16 who have started a game for the Rangers this season. Park doesn't have to be good, he just needs to avoid disaster. Callaway has a sore shoulder and I wouldn't be surprised if he misses the rest of the season. Dominguez has a chance to return but had to be placed on the 60-day DL to make room for Park. Dominguez has already missed two months, so the move won't affect his return.
A balky knee has cut short Fullmer's '04 campaign. I really expected Fullmer to excel as a platoon DH in Arlington, and I advised fantasy owners to pick him up in the late rounds. Instead, Fullmer posted the worst rate stats of his career. He'll get an NRI somewhere in 2005.
Posted by Lucas at 03:40 PM
August 24, 2004
Transaction
Added pitcher CHRIS YOUNG to the 40-man roster and recalled him from AAA Oklahoma. Placed pitcher JOAQUIN BENOIT on the 15-day disabled list.
Texas received Young in the Einar Diaz trade. What did I have to say about that trade? Getting anything, anything at all, for Diaz makes for a fine trade... None of the prospects [Young or pitcher Justin Echols] has a strong chance of making the Majors. I'm glad to be wrong, though Young's appearance stems from the dire state of the rotation than his own efforts in AAA, strong though they've been. If Young can offer five innings and three runs allowed, Texas will take it. With Callaway hurt yet again and Erickson pitching to expectations (which is to say, poorly), they may have little choice but to keep him around.
As for Benoit, he might have thrown his last pitch as a Ranger. I believe he'll be arbitration-eligible next season, and while he won't get much of a raise, Texas might not want to pay it to someone with a career ERA of 5.76. Several tough 40-man roster decisions this winter for Texas won't help his cause.
Posted by Lucas at 03:39 PM
August 22, 2004
Transaction
Activated pitcher R.A. DICKEY from the 15-day DL. Place pitcher ERASMO RAMIREZ on the 15-day DL. Ramirez has soreness in his pitching shoulder.
The Ranger bullpen has improved immensely this year, but not because of either of these gentlemen.
Posted by Lucas at 03:38 PM
August 16, 2004
Transaction
Activated pitcher MICKEY CALLAWAY from the 60-day DL. Placed 3B/DH HERBERT PERRY on the 15-day DL. Tranferred pitcher RICARDO RODRIGUEZ from the 15-day to the 60-day DL.
Mickey Callaway's return bolsters an already strong Ranger rotation. Oh, not really. As with Regilio, Wasdin, Bacsik, Bierbrodt, and Jim Umbarger, Texas will pray for five non-catastrophic innings from Callway's surgically enhanced arm. So far in August, Texas has 50 innings of sub-2.00 ERA from the bullpen, 20 innings of 1.33 ERA from Ryan Drese, and a 6.44 ERA from the other starters. Perry's sore knee buys him a few more days of service time; Perry himself acknowledged he might be released.
Posted by Lucas at 03:37 PM
August 14, 2004
Transaction
Added IF MANNY ALEXANDER to the 40-man roster and recalled him from AAA Oklahoma. Designated pitcher MIKE BACSIK for assignment.
Perhpas Buck Showalter intends to give Michael Young a day off. Alexander is otherwise a nonperson who won't see the field unless one team is ahead by ten runs. Bacsik should clear waivers and rejoin Oklahoma for their last two weeks.
Posted by Lucas at 03:37 PM
August 12, 2004
Transaction
Recalled reliever ERASMO RAMIREZ from AAA Oklahoma. Optioned pitcher NICK REGILIO to AAA Oklahoma.
And on Monday, Texas will jettison either Ramirez or Rosman Garcia in favor of now-healthy Mickey Callaway. Regilio has promise but clearly was in the Majors out of necessity rather than him forcing the Rangers hand. Like Bacsik, Wasdin, Narron, Drese, etc., Regilio has combined moments of competence with cringe-inducing wildness.
Posted by Lucas at 03:36 PM
August 09, 2004
Transaction
Activated reliever DOUG BROCAIL from the 15-day Disabled List. Optioned reliever ROSMAN GARCIA to AAA Oklahoma.
Pass.
Posted by Lucas at 03:35 PM
August 08, 2004
Transaction
Recalled reliever ROSMAN GARCIA from AAA Oklahoma. Optioned pitcher RYAN SNARE to AAA Oklahoma.
I'm beginning to understand the real reason Chris Kahrl of Baseball Prospectus hates how the Rangers and other teams effectively expand the 25-man roster with constant rotation of marginal pitchers between AAA and the Majors. The rule-bending itself doesn't offend me -- the rule is at fault, not the team -- but writing about these frequent and basically meaningless transactions gets tiresome. Anyway, Snare at least got into one game before being kicked back down to Oklahoma.
Posted by Lucas at 03:34 PM
August 05, 2004
Transaction
Placed reliever JEFF NELSON on the 15-day disabled list. Recalled pitcher RYAN SNARE from AAA Oklahoma.
Nelson had bone chips removed from his elbow while on the DL, and after just two appearances he felt more soreness and returns to the shelf. Snare will hang around long enough this time to get an appearance. A pitching staff with Snare, Regilio and Bacsik does not inspire confidence.
Posted by Lucas at 03:34 PM