Rangers manager Ron Washington laid out his offseason wish list Wednesday afternoon in a conversation with MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan. Among the skipper's desires? A veteran starting pitcher, a left-handed reliever and a right-handed hitter.
Beyond Scott Feldman and Kevin Millwood, the Rangers have quite a few question marks when it comes to their 2010 starting rotation. Derek Holland, Tommy Hunter, Matt Harrison, Brandon McCarthy, Dustin Nippert and Neftali Feliz are worthy candidates for the final three spots, but Washington would like to add one reliable veteran arm to the mix.
"We need one with experience that could help our younger kids move along," said the Texas manager, "so we don't have to push them into situations they're not ready for or can't handle."
Money problems will probably keep the Rangers out of the sweepstakes for guys like Rich Harden, Ben Sheets, John Lackey and Randy Wolf, but there are some decent veteran arms available this winter. Doug Davis and Justin Duchscherer spring to mind as possibilities. As for left-handed relief specialists, John Grabow and Joe Beimel will be on the market. And right-handed hitters? Well, the Rangers could always re-sign Marlon Byrd. It's hard to imagine them shelling out major cash for a free agent bat.
