How The Texas Rangers Can Instantly Become Contenders

We still need two rotation members, and with three lefties already in the rotation, we probably should look to righties to fill the last two spots. Between those, it would be nice to have one sinkerball pitcher and one strikeout pitcher to go with Hill.

That way, you have three groundball pitchers (DiNardo, Laffey, and one righty) and two strikeout pitchers (Hill and the other righty), giving good variety. Since groundballers aren't particularly expensive, we should focus on the power pitcher first. Third baseman Hank Blalock holds substantial value.

Who needs a third baseman and has an expendable power righty?

• Trade 3B Hank Blalock to PHI for RHP J.D. Durbin and LHP Brian Mazone.
  

Durbin has a great curve and good fastball, and he doesn't allow many homers, so it's not like he's driving up one side of his peripherals at the expense of another. Mazone winds up slotting in as the swingman, and the fact that he serves as a second lefty is a bonus. He's already very old for a minor leaguer, but he is certainly useful.

We still need a groundball righty and one other reliever.

• Trade OF Marlon Byrd and RHPs Brandon McCarthy and Kevin Millwood to LAD for RHP Derek Lowe.
  

First of all, I should probably explain why in hell the Dodgers would do this.

First, Colletti is a bad GM. Second, Lowe is in a contract year. Third, with Andruw Jones in tatters, Byrd is certainly a good guy to have around. Fourth, it's not like McCarthy and especially Millwood couldn't pitch decently at Dodger Stadium as well, so the rotation wouldn't be taking a huge hit, especially since they just lose Lowe for five months. As for Lowe, he and Hill combine to form a good front of the rotation, with Laffey, Durbin, and DiNardo backing them up. That's easily the best rotation Texas has had since Rick Helling's heyday, if not before.

Before addressing the four missing position players, I'll quickly snap up one last reliever in a small deal.

• Trade C Adam Melhuse to ARZ for LHP Mark Rosen.
  

Why am I filling my last spot with a fat lefty who's currently in Double-A. How's this for a stat: Rosen had a 3.12 ERA in AA last year in 66 1/3 innings pitched. Okay, that's nice, but what's so interesting?

Umm...his BABIP was .411.

The league average is about .290. So basically, he had pretty much the worst luck imaginable last year, and still put up a very low ERA. Add in a solid GB percentage and excellent strikeout rate, and this lefty looks like a perfect fit, at least as a low-leverage guy.

In conclusion, the pitching looks something like this:

Rotation:

RHP Derek Lowe

LHP Rich Hill

LHP Aaron Laffey

RHP J.D. Durbin

LHP Lenny DiNardo

Bullpen:

LHP Brian Mazone

LHP Mark Rosen

LHP Rich Rundles

RHP Tom Mastny

RHP Joaquin Benoit

RHP Franklyn German

RHP Michael Wuertz

With Mazone handling long relief duties, Wuertz closing, and the rest being middle/setup guys, this has a good shot at shaping up to be a decent bullpen.

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