For all intents and purposes, the Texas Rangers had a successful season. They won their division after being left for dead in midsummer and without their staff ace. They turned around a franchise that had finished last in the division last year and was in last place again after this season’s first month. Their younger players took big steps forward, their veteran players looked like they still could contribute, and their rookie manager didn’t look out of his depth. Yet the Rangers’ season will likely be remembered for two things: blowing a 2-0 division series lead after winning the first two on the road, and a nightmare 7th inning in the deciding ALDS game that would end their season. What should have been a great year ended in utter heartbreak, and that’s what Rangers fans will likely carry with them through the cold, bitter offseason.
Preseason Prediction: It’s difficult to imagine that Texas could experience a repeat of 2014, when just about everything that could go wrong did go wrong. With a Cy Young candidate in Darvish and a MVP contender in Beltre, there’s no reason to think the Rangers won’t be competitive this year if players stay healthy and some roster question marks get positive answers. Seattle and Oakland made several moves during the offseason, but it’s possible that no team will break away from the pack in the AL West. If Texas can approach .500, they might flirt with a wild-card bid. However, competing with the Astros to avoid last place looks far more likely. (Ian Casselberry, March 2nd)
What Went Right: The Rangers got big bounce-back years from Shin-Soo Choo and Prince Fielder, two guys they expected would contribute last year. Choo posted an .838 OPS and a 3.5 WAR, giving hope that his massive contract won’t be a total albatross the next few years. Fielder returned from neck surgery to hit 23 homers and ease concerns about his own contract albatross status. Rougned Odor emerged as the team’s everyday second baseman and looked like he could hold that job for a long time. Rule 5 pickup Delino DeShields was also impressive enough to conclude he’ll be the team’s center fielder next April. Cole Hamels looked like he was worth the huge prospect haul it took to land him from the Phillies and should anchor the rotation next year. Yovani Gallardo helped stabilize the rotation before Hamels arrived and resigning him should be at the top of Texas’s offseason to-do list. The bullpen performed well thanks in large part to the young duo of Keone Kela and closer Shawn Tolleson. Adrian Beltre continued to defy Father Time and had another great year.
ARLINGTON, TX – APRIL 13: Yu Darvish #11 of the Texas Rangers in the dugout during play against the Los Angeles Angels at Globe Life Park in Arlington on April 13, 2015 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
What Went Wrong: Yu Darvish was lost to Tommy John surgery in the spring, robbing the Rangers of one of the best pitchers in baseball. They also suffered injuries to Derek Holland and Martin Perez, and didn’t have any quality pieces to replace them with. Elvis Andrus had a ho-hum year, solid but nowhere near the level the Rangers probably expected from him. Josh Hamilton was supposed to be a feel-good story but instead looked like a shell of his former self. He’s definitely not the answer in left field, and it’s hard to see what he still brings to the table at this point. The rotation was so decimated, the Rangers used 12 different starting pitchers this year.
TORONTO, ON – OCTOBER 14: Delino DeShields #7 of the Texas Rangers celebrates after scoring a run in the first inning against the Toronto Blue Jays in game five of the American League Division Series at Rogers Centre on October 14, 2015 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images)
Most Surprising Player: The Rangers probably didn’t expect much from DeShields when they plucked him from the Astros in the Rule 5 draft, but the former top 10 pick started to live up to his draft status and emerged as the team’s starting center fielder. Taking the job from Leonys Martin and running with it, DeShields hit .261/.344/.374 while posting a 1.1 WAR and playing well on defense. It’s not often you find a legitimate starter in the Rule 5, but DeShields looks like the answer in center and at leadoff for the Rangers going forward. Of all the moves Jon Daniels made this year, getting DeShields for nothing may rank as the best.
ARLINGTON, TX – OCTOBER 2: Elvis Andrus #1 of the Texas Rangers reacts as Erick Aybar #2 of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim steals second base in the fifth inning at Rangers Global Life Park in Arlington on October 2, 2015 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Rick Yeatts/Getty Images)
Most Disappointing Player: It feels like Andrus has been on the verge of superstardom forever and just can’t take the next step; at this point, it’s fair to wonder if he ever will. There’s nothing particularly bad about his game, considering the numbers he puts up. But there’s nothing particularly great about it either, and a lot of shortstops could have the same kind of year for a lot less money. The Rangers gave Andrus a gigantic contract in 2013 thinking he’d blossom into one of the best shortstops in the game, and that simply hasn’t happened. Instead he’s a perfectly adequate, nondescript shortstop who happens to have $103 million left on a contract that runs through at least 2022. That in itself is disappointing.
TORONTO, ON – OCTOBER 14: Cole Hamels #35 of the Texas Rangers points as he exits the game in the seventh inning against the Toronto Blue Jays in game five of the American League Division Series at Rogers Centre on October 14, 2015 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images)
The Future: This is a very good team that could use a few tweaks in the offseason. A reliable left field bat would be nice, as would some help in the rotation. If Darvish comes back healthy at some point early on, and if they find a way to bring Gallardo back (or someone better, even), the Rangers would have one of the better rotations in the league with Hamels locked up for the forseeable future. Their lineup is well-rounded and dangerous and there’s no reason to think veterans like Beltre, Choo, and Fielder will suddenly fall off a cliff and stop being productive. They should be in the thick of things in the tough AL West again and should have no problem contending for a playoff spot if they stay healthy.
But the question of whether or not the Rangers have what it takes to win it all will continue to plague them, with their most recent collapse likely to be fresh in everyone’s mind for a long time. It wasn’t as bad as being a strike away from a World Series title and losing like they were in 2011, but it was still really bad. Will it haunt them, or will they use it as motivation to go further next year? That’s a question only the Rangers can answer, and they’ll have to in 2016.
