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June 08, 2005

Ryan Drese designated for assignment

Texas designated pitcher RYAN DRESE for assignment, removing him from the 40-man and 25-man rosters. Texas also placed reliever RON MAHAY on the 15-day Disabled List. Texas recalled reliever NICK REGILIO from AAA and activated outfielder GARY MATTHEWS from the 15-day Disabled List.

Barely three months after he signed a two-year extension and two months after starting on Opening Day, Ryan Drese finds himself without a job. Drese had no remaining options and Texas apparently was unwilling to use him in relief, so the Rangers took the startling action of dismissing him. He has a 6.46 ERA and has allowed a line of .334/.390/.470.

Drese has been somewhat unlucky, allowing a .325 average on balls in play, but a more reasonable average would not compensate for allowing so many balls in play in the first place. Drese did keep the ball on the ground as he must, but his strikeout rate had fallen to an abysmal 2.6 per nine innings. Tack on his in-game scuffle with management darling Rod Barajas and two starts in which he killed the team with terrible glove work, and Drese had stunningly worn out his welcome.

Will anyone take the waiver bait? Since Drese will receive about $450,000 for the remainder of 2005 and $1.7 million in 2006,. I expect him to clear. I don’t believe he has quite enough service time to refuse a demotion, so he could be starting for Oklahoma City by the end of next week.

Ron Mahay's might really have a sore groin, but more to the point is his 8.38 ERA. Regilio joins the team for what I believe is his fourth option-and-recall sequence. Apparently, Texas saw enough in Matthews’s rehab appearance in AA to call him up, as they need another bench bat for NL play.

Posted by Lucas at June 8, 2005 04:57 PM