Joaquin Benoit finished the year as the closer, and the Rangers have not exactly spent a fortune there this offseason - will Benoit get another chance?

Where They Are Coming From

The 2007 season was a feeling-out process for the Texas Rangers, a team that was going through some major changes. Manager Ron Washington was in his first season as a major league manager. General Manager Jon Daniels, one of the youngest in the game, was still trying to prove himself to his peers and his organization.

The team made a rather large midseason splash when it traded two of its biggest stars in first baseman Mark Teixeira and closer Éric Gagné. Teixeira, arguably Texas' best player, was the Rangers’ cleanup hitter and possibly the best defensive player on the field at any given time. The Rangers shipped him east to Atlanta and netted them some promising prospects: catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia, shortstop Elvis Andrus, and pitchers Matt Harrison and Neftali Feliz. The main prize in the Gagne trade was former Boston Red Sox pitcher Kason Gabbard, a soft-throwing and crafty youngster.

Entering this offseason, the Rangers received a nice $21.3 million subsidy when Alex Rodriguez decided to opt out of his contract. This gave the team a bit of a boost financially for the next couple of years. Daniels used some of the money in free agency this offseason in hopes of improving upon a 2007 season in which they finished 75-87.

Players Added

The Rangers' opening day lineup this coming season will likely see three new hitters: Josh Hamilton, Milton Bradley, and Ben Broussard.

Hamilton came to the Rangers in December from the Cincinnati Reds for pitchers Edinson Volquez and Danny Herrera. Although Daniels had a tough decision to let go of a promising young arm in Volquez, he recognized the team's need for a rangy centerfielder who can also hit and pulled the trigger to get Hamilton. Hamilton can hit for average and power, and he makes dazzling plays in the outfield. He powered 19 home runs in just 298 at-bats in 2007, and he posted a robust .922 OPS. He is sure to be a fan favorite in Arlington, as he was in Cincinnati.

The volatile Bradley always seems to be lugging around some baggage. He argues with fans and the media when he is not on the disabled list. He gets in verbal altercations with umpires, and last season it cost him when he tore an anterior cruciate ligament in his knee while pleading his case. The latter was a major blow considering 2007 was his contract year. The Rangers got a bargain when Bradley signed the dotted line for one year and a meager $5 million. He batted .306 with 13 home runs and 37 runs batted in over 209 at-bats last season; if he can project those numbers over 150 games or so, the Rangers will be getting plenty bang for their buck.

Broussard came over from Seattle in a minor trade and signed for one year and $3.85 million. The Rangers currently have him slotted as the starting first baseman. His left-handed bat and slick glove make him a fit for this club.

Right-handed pitcher Jason Jennings, who was injured much of last season, was also plucked from free agency. The veteran will serve as the No. 3 starter in the rotation behind Kevin Millwood and Vicente Padilla and ahead of Brandon McCarthy and Kason Gabbard. Without him, their starting five might be the worst in the American League, so much is expected from Jennings in 2008. He got beat around last season to the tune of a 6.45 earned run average in 19 games last year in Houston, so obviously better outings are anticipated this coming year.

The Rangers also added veteran relievers Eddie Guardado and Kazuo Fukumori. Guardado, who pitched only briefly for the Reds last season after coming back from Tommy John ligament replacement surgery on his elbow, will play a key left-handed role in the pen and could easily close if he proves to be 100% healthy. Fukumori, a Japanese import, is a righty who could also close in a pinch. He has signed for a modest two years at $3 million.

Players Lost

In a somewhat surprising move, former closer Akinori Otsuka was non-tendered this off-season. Among regulars out of the bullpen, he was second only to Gagné with a 2.51 earned run average. The aging reliever did miss three months with a sore elbow, but since it was his non-throwing left elbow, some have questioned the move.

Sammy Sosa made the club last season after signing a minor league deal. He was productive for the most part, even though he hit only .252. His 21 home runs led the team, and his 92 runs batted in were second only to shortstop Michael Young's 94. Sosa has yet to cling on with another club.

Outfielder Brad Wilkerson hit a surprising 20 home runs last year in just 338 at-bats, but was the odd man out as the team went through player evaluations this off-season. The additions of Bradley and Hamilton as well as holdovers Marlon Byrd, Nelson Cruz, Frank Catalanotto, and Jason Botts left him expendable.

Some others who are also not returning in 2008 include Jerry Hairston, Victor Diaz, and Freddy Guzman.

Moves Still To Come

The Rangers are looking for more of a long-term option to play left field alongside Hamilton, and the Chicago Cubs' Matt Murton is the man they are currently eyeing. The expense will likely be Byrd, who the Cubs like as either a left or center fielder. Byrd, a free agent after 2009, is a more proven commodity coming off a 2007 season in which he hit .307, but Murton has a higher ceiling. Murton is will not be a free agent until after the 2011 season. He batted .281 with 6 home runs and 22 runs batted in over 285 at-bats last season.

Also, expect Daniels to look for more arms for the starting rotation. Millwood has the most stability of the five, having been the only one on the team to start more than 23 games, but his earned run average was 5.16 last season. That is just miserable for a pitcher that is your No. 1. They could trade some of the young talent the received in the Teixeira and Gagne deals, or they could dip into their homegrown positional talent to land a proven arm or two. One thing is certain – the freewheeling Daniels will not sit pat all season.

What to Watch in Spring Training

Will the starting five make it through a full season? Probably not – all five starters from last season spent time on the disabled list, and only McCarthy posted an earned run average under 5.00. There are lofty expectations for him, and he must prove that he can control his four above-average pitches and remain strong enough to make more than 30 starts. The Rangers were the only team in the major leagues without a complete game in 2007 – that stat they would like to see change this season.

How will the bullpen shake down? When Gagné and Otsuka were out of the picture last season, C.J. Wilson filled in nicely as closer, as he was 12-for-14 in save chances and had a 3.03 earned run average over 68.1 innings. The only concern with Wilson is his .275 BAA versus righties. As mentioned earlier, Guardado and Fukumori could also step in if needed. Joaquin Benoit, who was re-inked for two more years, also closed out six games last year and he appears comfortable in whatever role the Rangers seem fit to use him in. He provided an invaluable 82 innings last season. Righties Wes Littleton and Frank Francisco and lefty John Rheinecker fill out the back end.

Where is the power in the lineup? Without a true cleanup hitter, the Rangers could struggle to score runs in 2008. In addition, judging by their pitching rotation they will likely need to score runs in bunches. Second baseman Ian Kinsler has some pop, but he is not a middle-of-the-order hitter. He, along with Hamilton and a healthy Hank Blalock, seem to be the only ones who seem likely to hit 20 home runs this coming year.

How healthy is Milton Bradley? He suffered his torn ACL is September, and he said he will be ready for the opener. If this does not give Bradley the determination to prove everyone wrong about him, nothing will. The Rangers seem to think he has the determination to get back on the field in what will be a second consecutive contract year. If he is out for the beginning of the season, look for Catalanotto and Saltalamacchia to see significantly more time on the field.

The development of young players is crucial to the growth of the organization, and Spring Training will go a long way in telling how far along they actually are. Gabbard earned the fifth spot in the rotation after starting eight games last season for the Rangers. His earned run average was 5.58, but he has showed enough promise to warrant a spot. The young catcher Saltalamacchia will also get an extended look this year, his first full season in the bigs. The team re-signed veteran catcher Gerald Laird for one more year to mentor Salty – there is no plan to move Saltalamacchia to first base, so he is clearly the long-term option behind the plate. Young block Andrus at shortstop but, at 19, Andrus is still at least a couple years away from being a factor. Nonetheless, the team is extremely high on him. They also have a pair of third base prospects in Chris Davis and Travis Metcalf. Davis will likely move to first base or the outfield since Metcalf is nearly ready to play at the big league level on a full-time basis. The health of incumbent third baseman Blalock, who missed three months last season with circulatory problems, will determine how much playing time Metcalf receives.