Deep Sleeper Prospects

There are two players who are completely off the radar and have yet to produce in games, that I believe have a chance, albeit a small one, of developing into ML caliber players.

Fernando Vivili: entering his 20-year-old season, Vivili has yet to put up an average above the Mendoza line in three rookie league seasons, putting up averages of .189, .194, and .180. To this point, he has six home runs in 342 career plate appearances.

However, despite his struggles, I believe he has the potential of being a ML caliber hitter. He has good bat speed and a good frame (6'3", 210). His swing is not too long, either.

Clearly, with his lack of production to this point, the chances of him reaching his ceiling are low, but I believe he has the ability to turn into a very good player.

Smerling Lantigua: also entering his 20-year-old season, Lantigua, like Vivili, is yet to produce in-season in three rookie league seasons, with OPS of .669, .524, and .642 to this point. He has struggled defensively as well.

Despite that, Lantigua has above average bat speed to go along with fairly quick wrists, a swing that is not overly long, and he also has a good frame to add strength to.

With his struggles to this point, he also does not have a high chance of reaching his potential, but he does have the ability to turn himself into a major league caliber hitter if he can cut down on his near 30% K-rate, which I can only assume is due to a lack of plate discipline and pitch recognition as I have not seen any reason for it from BP.

In all likelihood, these two will not pan out, but Vivili and Lantigua are a couple of deep sleeper prospects to keep an eye on, as the potential is there for them to develop into good players.

Jairo Beras Scouting Report

I was able to watch Jairo Beras take batting practice over the last couple days at the morning workouts, and here is what I saw:

His swing is a tad long but not long enough to where it should create a major problem for him, very good bat speed, good size (6'5") and should be able to add some good strength as he ages. Fairly quick wrists. Probably a year or two away from breaking out production-wise.

At just 18 with good bat speed, good size/frame, and quick wrists, Beras has a lot of potential to be a very good major league player. Should be able to develop above average power as he adds muscle. Don't see star potential, but definitely has the tools to develop into an above average ML player.

Lewis Brinson Scouting Report

I was able to watch Lewis Brinson take some batting practice over the last couple days, and this is what I saw:

Very good bat speed, one of the top 5 I have seen out here so far, to go along with very quick wrists. The combination of those two should give him plus power as he develops. He also has very good size, with the ability to add some muscle and gain some strength to his tall, skinny frame. However, his swing is definitely too long, and is something that will lead to him struggling to make contact throughout his career without some changes, as shown by his unheard of 38% K-rate last year.

At just 20 years old, Brinson has plenty of time to develop, and definitely has tools to succeed, with very good bat speed, quick wrists, and good size at 6'3-4", but he has a long swing that will lead to a tendency to strike out too often. His ability to reach his very high ceiling will likely come down to whether or not he can make enough contact.

Kellin Deglan Scouting Report

I was able to watch Kellin Deglan take some batting practice during the morning workouts today, and here is what I saw:

I saw very average bat speed, which will really hurt his ability to hit better, and especially harder-throwing, pitching. He has a good frame to add strength, which is something he is really going to need to do if he is going to be able to overcome his lack of bat speed.

At his best, he may be able to be a three true outcomes guy that can hang around in the majors as a backup catcher for a bit, with a ceiling of about 15 home runs if he can add a good amount of strength, as he has already shown a tendency to strike out a lot (struck out in 26.2% of plate appearances last year), and draw a good amount of walks (9.2% of plate appearances last year). That is his ceiling, but I don't see him ever being a ML caliber hitter.

Yeyson Yrizarri Scouting Report

I was able to watch Yeyson Yrizarri take some batting practice during this mornings workouts, and here is what I saw:

Many of you may not know this name. He is a 16-year-old shortstop prospect the Rangers signed out of the Dominican last year for $1.35 million.

While Yrizarri is known for having a quick bat, I saw his bat speed as just slightly above average. What I saw as his biggest asset is his very quick wrists. He has a good swing that doesn't have much wasted motion. He is also known for having a good arm although I have not been able to see him throw to this point. At 16 years old, it is too early to start making career projections, but he definitely has the ability to be a ML player down the line, and his quick wrists can make him a quality hitter as he adds strength.

EDIT: I was able to see him take some grounders a couple days after I wrote this report, and here is what I saw defensively:

Yrizzari definitely has a very strong arm, and that should really develop into a plus tool for him as he ages. However, he showed poor hands, fumbling multiple softly hit balls, and really struggling to field groundballs backhanded. I question his ability to stay at short, but he definitely has the arm to stay on the left side of the infield.

Ryan Rua Scouting Report

I was able to watch Ryan Rua take some batting practice during this morning's workouts and here is what I saw:

Rua has good strength, good wrist quickness, good bat speed, good short and compact swing. Just all-around solid tools at the plate, with no one special quality but also without one big flaw. An overall solid hitter.

Nothing about him stood out, but Rua showed good, above average abilities in wrist quickness and bat speed, to go along with good strength and a good short swing. I see his ceiling as a league average third baseman, which is a very valuable player, with a good chance to at least be a quality ML bench bat.

Jorge Alfaro Scouting Report

I was able to watch Jorge Alfaro take some batting practice today and play in an intrasquad game yesterday, and here is what I saw:

Plus plus, elite bat speed, really gets through the zone at a great rate, bat speed rivals Odor for best I have seen this week. Smooth swing with little wasted motion. Does have a plus arm which he is probably most known for, should be able to develop plus power due to his great bat speed. Great size and frame.

With fantastic bat speed, a good, short, smooth, mechanically-sound swing, a plus arm, good frame, good athleticism, Alfaro has the potential to be a perennial All-Star at the Major League level. Not at all overrated. Has all the tools to be a star, but needs to work on his plate discipline, with just a 6.7BB% last year. If he can become a more patient hitter, watch out.

Edwin Garcia Scouting Report

I was able to watch Edwin Garcia take some batting practice during the Rangers morning workouts today and here is what I saw:

I was not expecting anything from Garcia as I watched him this morning, but what he showed me surprised me. He flashed above average bat speed to go along with average hands as far as quickness goes, and a short compact swing. On top of being impressed with his batting today, I was able to watch a game in which he played in Myrtle Beach back in 2012 and was impressed with his glove and above average range at 2B.

Combining his above average bat speed and quick swing with above average range at 2B leads me to feel that he is one of the most underrated prospects in the Rangers system. Clearly he is blocked in the Rangers system by Andrus, Profar, and Odor in the middle infield, but it believe down the line Garcia has the ability to be a major league caliber utility guy with a ceiling of a low end ML starter if he is able to improve his plate discipline and patience at the plate (6.5 BB% last year at Myrtle Beach).

Preston Beck Scouting Report

I was able to watch Preston Beck take some batting practice during the morning workouts today and here is what I saw:

I was not expecting much from Beck, a little talked about prospect who hit .245 at High-A Myrtle Beach last year as a 22-year-old, and I was surprised at what I saw. I saw him show some solid bat speed and some fairly quick wrists. He definitely needs to shorten up his swing, however, as it is a little longer than where it needs to be.

He has a long ways to go, as shown by his .245/.345/.342 slash line last year, and the chances of him reaching his potential is relatively low, but I was impressed today and believe he has the potential to be a major league fourth outfielder and solid contributor if he is able to fully develop.

Chris Bostick Scouting Report

I was able to watch Bostick take some batting practice today during the morning workouts, and here is what I saw:

Bostick was a big disappointment to me after seeing him pop up as high as #6 in the Rangers system prospect rankings (he was ranked 6th by Keith Law), but I did not see him anywhere near that high. What I saw from Bostick was average bat speed and a swing that, while not necessarily excessively long, could use to be shortened up a bit. On top of those two detractors, Bostick is just 5'11", 185 without a frame to get much bigger. 

I was not able to scout him defensively, but I don't see him hitting well enough to be able to be an everyday player at the major league level as he develops. He may have the potential to be a utility guy if he has plus range and a plus arm, but his bat is simply not going to be major league quality without some serious improvement.

Nick Williams Scouting Report

I was able to watch Nick Williams take batting practice today during minor league workouts and here is what I saw:

Williams has outstanding bat speed, one of the top 2 or 3 I've seen while I've been out here in Surprise, maybe only behind Rougned Odor in bat speed out of the players I have seen to this point. He will have absolutely no problem getting around on inside pitches. He has a good swing, and although it may be very slightly longer than necessary, it is nowhere near long enough to be a problem with his elite bat speed.

Williams really stood out today, and to put that in perspective, he stood out in a group of Nomar Mazara, Ronald Guzman, and Joey Gallo. Obviously, batting practice doesn't show me his speed, defense, or arm, but based on what I saw today, I believe he is a top 5 Rangers prospect and potentially a top end everyday outfielder down the road.

Nomar Mazara Scouting Report

I was able to watch Mazara take some batting practice today and here is what I was able to pick up:

Mazara has plus bat speed, very good although not elite. He also has a very smooth, mechanically-sound, short, quick-to-the-ball swing. He showed an ability to hit the ball well to all fields as well.

Hopefully I'll be able to watch him play an inter squad game tomorrow morning so I can continue scouting him and expand on this report, but based on what I saw today I believe he has everyday right fielder upside. 

Shawn Tolleson Scouting Report

Tolleson threw one inning in the Rangers B game today and I was impressed with what I saw:

Consistent delivery which he repeats well, hides ball well, fastball a bit too straight, but good velocity plus good deception in his delivery make it a major league average pitch with the ability to be a plus pitch. Sharp, late breaking slider that could also become a plus pitch for him. Below average change.

Tolleson flashed late-inning potential, and I could see him having two plus pitches (fastball and slider) with a little more development. Definite breakout candidate, and at age 26, if it is ever going to happen, it needs to soon.

Rougned Odor Scouting Report

Odor played in the Rangers B game today and I was able to get a close look at him:

Odor has incredible bat speed and a short quick swing with no wasted motion. The combination of those two should lead to him being able to generate more power than would be expected from a player of his 5'11", 170 frame. I see 15-20 home run potential to go along with a good batting average , stemming from a low K-rate and high line drive rate which would come from his plus bat speed and compact swing.

Luis Sardinas Scouting Report

Sardinas played in the Rangers B game today. I was only able to see him bat from the right side today, so I still need to do a lot more scouting before I form an opinion on him, but here is what I saw from him:

Average bat speed from the right side, which, along with his smaller size, will severely limit him generating power from that side of the plate. While his swing is not long it could still be shortened up a little bit. Plus range at shortstop. I plan to watch him take some BP tomorrow from the left side and I'll update this report tomorrow night.

Ronald Guzman Scouting Report

Guzman played in the Rangers B game today, and here is what I was able to pick up:

Guzman has very good bat speed, which should lead to him developing plus power. He also showed a solid patient approach with good discipline in his ABs, although that is not supported by his 5.8 BB% last season. No big holes in his swing, solid mechanically.

After seeing Guzman today, I am a believer in his ability to become a very good big league first baseman down the line due to his very good bat speed.

Justin Germano Scouting Report

Germano pitched 3 innings at the B game today, and here are my observations:

His mechanics are fine and he has a consistent delivery he is able to repeat. His fastball sat in the 83-87 range without a great deal of movement, though it was not straight. His change up was a decent pitch with the chance to become a major league average pitch, but at 31 that is unlikely. His curveball does not have a sharp break and is not a big league caliber pitch. On the 20-80 scale where 40 is poor, 45 is below average, 50 is average, 55 is above average, 60 is plus, 70 is plus-plus, I would give his fastball a 40, change up a 45, and his curveball a 40.

Overall, I just do not see him as a successful major league pitcher pitcher now nor do I see the potential for him to be one in the future.

Rangers Top 50 Prospects

This week I will post part one my first ever Rangers Top 50 Prospects Rankings. In this part, I will give my top 20 prospects, and then next week I’ll post the next 30. 

1 SS Jurickson Profar (Highest Level MLB) – Many people rank Profar the #1 prospect in all of baseball. With his great contact bat that also has some power, along with his speed and Gold Glove potential defense, he is no question the Rangers’ #1 prospect. 

2 3B Mike Olt (MLB) – Despite his high strikeout numbers (101 K’s in 415 PA’s with AA Frisco this year), he has the power and the glove to make up for that. He also has a very good eye at the plate and works a lot of walks. He is very comparable to Mark Reynolds and Adam Dunn, but with a little bit higher batting average (probably in the .260-.280 range). 

3 SP Martin Perez (MLB) – Despite having a few growing pains in AAA the last couple of years, he was able to turn his season around and get back on track. At the age of 21, he has already been doing a solid job in the majors since getting called up, posting a 3.78 ERA in 33.1 innings pitched. He most likely profiles as something right below an ace, but a bit better than a typical #2 starter. 

4 SP Cody Buckel (AA) – Buckel really burst onto the scene this year, moving himself all the way up to the #41 prospect in baseball according to Baseball America’s mid-season prospect rankings. Despite a very good season in Hickory last year, he still wasn’t seen as a big-time prospect, but after tearing up the Carolina League hitters in High-A this year to the tune of a 1.31 ERA in 13 starts, he became highly coveted at the trade deadline. Along with Perez, Justin Grimm (#6 prospect) and Yu Darvish, the Rangers have plenty of young starting pitching talent.  

5 CF Leonys Martin (MLB) – Since he was signed out of Cuba mid-2011 by the Rangers, Leonys has done very well in the Rangers minor leagues, including a .359 average with 12 homers and 42 RBIs with Triple-A Round Rock this year, but has struggled in the majors, in part due to Ron Washington’s dislike of playing anybody young, which has put Leonys’ major league reps far and few between. Martin is very speedy, plays some good defense, and is a good contact hitter. If he can raise his baseball IQ a little bit, he could be a top-tier center fielder. 

6 SP Justin Grimm (MLB) – Justin is the 5^th out of my top 6 prospects that has already debuted in the majors, but unlike most of the rest, his short stint in the big leagues didn’t go so well. However, he still had a very good year, posting a 2.81 ERA between Double-A Frisco and Triple-A Round Rock. His future is most likely that of a #3 starter. 

7 2B Rougned Odor (Lo-A) – Despite not having a fantastic year at the plate (.259 AVG), Rougned lost none of his prospect status. He showed a bit more pop this year than last, breaking double-digit homers and 25+ doubles/triples. He also played solid defensively and was able to steal 19 bases. 

8 1B Ronald Guzman (Lo-A) – Guzman has incredible upside and possibly the best potential at the plate of any Rangers minor leaguer, but is very, very raw. He can play first base and the outfield, and has developed a little faster than expected since being signed out of the Dominican Republic in July 2011. 

9 CF Lewis Brinson (Rookie) – The Rangers #1 pick of this year’s draft, Lewis, like Guzman, may have the highest potential of any Rangers prospect, but is also very raw. Also like Guzman, Lewis is farther along in his development than expected at this point. He hit .283 with 7 homers and 42 RBIs in 237 ABs for the AZL Rangers after signing this year. 

10 3B Joey Gallo (SS A) – The Rangers second pick of the 2012 Amateur Draft (no, this was not intentional), also got off to a great start this year. He broke the Arizona League single season home run record with 18 before being promoted to Short-Season A where he hit 4 more. His skill set is very similar to Olt’s, as he will most likely hit a lot off homers, draw plenty of walks, but strike out too often as well. 

11 CF Jairo Beras (None) – Jairo had plenty of problems getting into the Rangers organization after they signed him in March, as MLB investigated his age to see if he was eligible or not. After they decided that he was, they suspended him from playing with an American Rangers affiliate until July of next year. I am completely going off of what scouts say in ranking him, and all I know is that he is said to have a crazy good bat. 

12 RP Wilmer Font (MLB) – Wilmer, at least to me, may be the most underrated prospect in the Rangers’ system. With his assortment of power pitches, including a fastball that touches 100, he looks to me like he’ll be a dominant bullpen pitcher for years to come, and possibly has the potential to be an All-Star closer.  

13 SS Leury Garcia (AA) – With the Rangers stable of middle infielders in Andrus, Kinsler, Profar, and then Odor two levels behind Leury, Garcia probably doesn’t have a future with the Rangers as anything more than a utility guy. However, with his speed (145 stolen bases in 4 and a half pro seasons), solid contact bat (.292 AVG this year in AA), and plus defense, he definitely has starter potential. 

14 C Jorge Alfaro (Lo-A) – Despite a bit of a disappointing year, as Jorge seems just as raw as he did coming into the year, Alfaro is still a top 15 prospect in my books. He’s got a lot of raw power and looks like he will continue to develop into a very good defensive catcher. 

15 SP Barret Loux (AA) – The former Aggie (Gig ‘Em!) and 1^st-round pick by the Diamondbacks, Loux had a fantastic season, and ended up winning the Texas League Pitcher of the Year Award with the Double-A RoughRiders. Barret went 14-1 with a 3.47 ERA in 127 IP for Frisco, and despite not having a real high ceiling, he makes up for it with a very high floor. Loux is a pretty sure thing when it comes to prospects but most likely won’t ever be anything better than a back-end of the rotation type of guy. 

16 RF Nomar Mazara (ROOK) – Nomar was the other big prospect the Rangers signed out of the Dominican in 2011, and Nomar’s signing bonus set the record for the biggest in Latin American history. He may have the most raw power in the Rangers minor league system, but at 18 years old, his talent is just so raw, it is hard to get a read on how he will turn out. 

17 RP Joe Ortiz (AAA) – After yet another great year in 2012, Joe has finally gotten himself into prospect status, and personally, I’m buying in. He had a 2.15 ERA for the second straight year, following up a 1.62 ERA in 2010, and should be one of the best lefty relievers in the game from 2014 on. It will be interesting to see what the Rangers do with Joe, as he is Rule-5 eligible this offseason. 

18 3B Drew Robinson (Lo-A) – Drew is just yet another good Rangers third base prospect. Robinson batted .273 with Low-A Hickory this year and popped 13 home runs while driving in 67 runs. He doesn’t have the upside of either Olt or Gallo, but he also has a high floor and should turn into a very nice bench bat or a serviceable starter in the future. 

19 CF Engel Beltre (AA) – In Frisco for the fourth straight year, Engel finally seemed to get his career back on track, despite having an enormously streaky season. He raised his batting average from .231 in 2011 to .261 in 2012. He also hit 12 more home runs in 2012 and raised his stolen base total by 20. He still isn’t quite the prospect he used to be, but there is hope again. 

20 SP Nick Tepesch (AA) – Nick is a prospect that I really like, and his pitching style fits the Rangers ballpark (and current team), as he is a big-time ground-ball pitcher, posting a 1.77 GO/AO ratio this year between Frisco and Myrtle Beach.  Look for Tepesch to have a breakout year next year and start making some major noise.

 

Come back next week for part two of my Top 50 Prospects.

August Awards

I am back after a much-needed break. I will continue to post every weekend from now on.

This week I will give my August Awards. These are who I think would be the most deserving if the season ended today. These stats are as of the morning of September 3^rd.

 

Rangers Awards:

 

MVP: Adrian Beltre, TEX (.318 AVG, 27 HR, 84 RBI) – Even though Adrian’s numbers aren’t as good as Josh’s, he has been much more consistent that Josh, and you can’t overlook just how important Beltre’s Gold Glove caliber defense is.

Runner-up: Josh Hamilton, TEX (.290 AVG, 37 HR, 113 RBI)

 

Cy Young: Matt Harrison, TEX (15-8, 3.30 ERA, 106 K) – Matt, one of an amazing 8 Rangers All-Stars, is one of the league leaders in wins and has a very good ERA. While I am worried about his mental toughness in the playoffs, there is no question he is the Rangers’ Cy Young through August.

Runner-up: Joe Nathan, TEX (28 SV, 2.45 ERA, 65 K)

 

Rookie of the Year: Robbie Ross, TEX (6-0, 1.78 ERA, 43 K) – Robbie, despite currently being on the DL, has been fantastic this year, with an ERA under 1.00 well into the season. Even after a recent rough stretch, he still has a sub-2.00 ERA and has been a key part to a great Rangers bullpen.

Runner-up: Brandon Snyder, TEX (.281 AVG, 3 HR, 9 RBI)

 

AL Awards:

 

MVP: Miguel Cabrera, DET (.331 AVG, 33 HR, 111 RBI) – Miguel still has a shot at the Triple Crown, as he is just behind Mike Trout for batting average, right behind Josh Hamilton for RBIs, and is fairly close to Adam Dunn and Hamilton for home runs.

Runner-up: Adrian Beltre, TEX (.318 AVG, 27 HR, 84 RBI)

 

Cy Young: David Price, TB (17-5, 2.54 ERA, 175 K) – David leads the AL in wins, is second in ERA, and has been unbelievable ever since the All-Star break. Don’t see how you could argue against him.

Runner-up: Felix Hernandez, SEA (13-6, 2.51 ERA, 191 K)

 

Rookie of the Year: Mike Trout, LAA (.333 AVG, 25 HR, 74 RBI) – As much as I hate giving an Angel an award, there’s no debating it – Mike Trout is the Rookie of the Year.

Runner-up: Scott Diamond, MIN (10-6, 3.21 ERA, 73 K)

 

Manager of the Year: Buck Showalter, BAL (74-59, 2^nd place) – The Orioles are a team that I said had “absolutely no chance” before the season, and now they are a wild card team that is 1 game out of first place. This one’s gotta be Buck.

Runner-up: Robin Ventura, CWS (72-61, t-1^st place)

 

NL Awards:

 

MVP: Buster Posey, SF (.329 AVG, 19 HR, 83 RBI) – A lot of people have been saying Andrew McCutchen, but I look at the numbers, and I just don’t see it. Posey has been a monster the second half of the season, and has solid to great numbers in just about every statistical category.

Runner-up: Matt Holliday, STL (.305 AVG, 25 HR, 92 RBI)

 

Cy Young: Johnny Cueto, CIN (17-6, 2.48 ERA, 144 K) – Johnny is tied for first in baseball in wins and leads the NL in ERA. He has definitely been the best National League starter so far this year, but his teammate, Aroldis Chapman, may pose the biggest threat to Cueto’s Cy Young bid.

Runner-up: Aroldis Chapman, CIN (34 SV, 1.25 ERA, 115 K)
 

Rookie of the Year: Todd Frazier, CIN (.292 AVG, 18 HR, 62 RBI) – Todd really stepped up once Joey Votto went on the DL, and he has a very solid batting average (with a good amount of home runs and RBIs), along with some great defense. Even though Wade Miley has been great, Frazier is more deserving.

Runner-up: Wade Miley, ARI (14-9, 2.90 ERA, 117 K)
 

Manager of the Year: Clint Hurdle, PIT (70-63, 3^rd place) – Most people seem to be giving this award to Davey Johnson, but I expected them to be good, and projected them as a wild card before the season. However, I didn’t expect the Pirates to be any good at all, so I think Hurdle is more deserving.

Runner-up: Davey Johnson, WSH (81-52, 1^st place)

 

Come back next week for my mid-September postseason predictions.

Dempster and Soto Trade Analysis

This week I will analyze both the Geovany Soto trade and the Ryan Dempster trade.

7/31 The Texas Rangers acquire C Geovany Soto and cash from the Chicago Cubs in exchange for SP Jake Brigham and either a player to be named later or cash considerations.

I like this move a lot for the Rangers, as Geovany Soto is definitely an upgrade in many ways over Yorvit Torrealba as the Rangers back-up catcher.

Not only does is he a large defensive upgrade, but he also has an extra year of controllability over Yorvit, who is now DFA'd. On top of that, Geovany has more pop in his bat and has the potential to be a very good offensive catcher, as shown by both his 2008 (.285 AVG, 23 HR, 86 RBI) and 2010 (.280 AVG, 17 HR, 53 RBI) seasons. He also put up some good power numbers despite a .228 batting average last year, with 17 home runs and 54 RBI's. On the flip side, Yorvit, while having a significantly better average this year (.236 to .199), has just 3 homers all year and had just 7 last year. And his weak bat was not offset by his defense, which was very subpar, throwing out 4% less of runners than Soto, who is very good behind the plate.

But with Soto not being a big difference-maker, as a back-up catcher, he is not worth giving up anything of note. And the Rangers did a good job of only giving up a fringe prospect in Jake Brigham. Jake has decent stuff, which may get him to the big leagues briefly as a reliever, but has issues with his command, frequently leaving pitches middle middle (leading to 19 home runs in 21 starts this year). In this, his seventh season in the Rangers organization, Jake has a 4.28 ERA with 116 strikeouts in 124 innings for Double-A Frisco.

Grade: B, the Rangers didn't get a steal, giving up a decent fringe prospect for Soto, a back-up catcher, but definitely did not overpay for a significant upgrade over Torrealba. This was yet another good move by GM Jon Daniels.

7/31 The Texas Rangers acquire SP Ryan Dempster from the Chicago Cubs in exchange for 3B Christian Villanueva and SP Kyle Hendricks.

This is another good move for Texas, as with the injuries to Colby Lewis and Neftali Feliz, and the struggles of Roy Oswalt, the Rangers needed a starting pitcher to add to their rotation.

While Ryan is no ace, as his numbers might suggest (2.25 ERA, .210 BAA), but he is a very solid #3 pitcher in a rotation. Since 2008 his ERAs have been 2.96, 3.65, 3.85, 4.80, and 2.25, which shows that he has been consistently solid for the Cubs with the exception of 2011. He has also had at least 200 innings in each of his last 4 seasons. Dempster is a guy who should post a sub-4.00 ERA for the Rangers and give the team a chance to win almost every game, allowing more than 4 runs in a game only once so far this year, and even in a bad year for him in 2011, only 4 times after April. So while the sabermetrics suggest Ryan has been somewhat lucky this year with a really low BABIP, he is still a solid pitcher even without luck. He is also a good character guy and should fit into the Rangers clubhouse very well. And it doesn't hurt that he will have a familiar catcher calling his games in Soto.

The Rangers also didn't pay an exorbitant price, even though Baseball America had Christian Villanueva as their number 100 prospect in baseball to start the season and Dempster is only a rental. Despite Christian's high rankings and solid season this year (.285 AVG, 10 HR, 59 RBI), he had no future in the Rangers organization. Christian is a third baseman, the same position that Adrian Beltre, Mike Olt, Drew Robinson, and Joey Gallo play in the Rangers organization. Adrian is one of the Rangers best players, Olt is BA's #11 prospect in baseball, Robinson is a solid prospect and is having a good year, and Gallo is a mid-first-round talent who is absolutely destroying Rookie ball pitching right now (.321/.459/.795, 14 HR, 36 RBI in 33 G).

And Kyle Hendricks is really no big loss despite a 2.82 ERA this year and a 2.02 one last year. Hendricks has the ceiling of a #5 starter in the NL, as Kyle is a strikethrower without any real good pitches besides an 88-90 MPH fastball with movement. He has organizational filler written all over him. He will start off in Double-A for the Cubs after pitching in High-A all year before the trade.

Grade: B+, the Rangers got a needed starter who should slot right into the #3 spot in their rotation, and did it without giving anyone that had a big-league future with the Rangers in return.

Come back next week for a post yet to be determined.