2007 Texas Rangers season
Encyclopedia
The Texas Rangers
' 2007 season
began with the team trying to win an AL West
title for the first time since , when they were swept by the New York Yankees
in the ALDS
.
The team entered the season with only one spot in the pitching rotation to fill, with Jamey Wright
beating out Kameron Loe
and Bruce Chen
(both of whom moved to bullpen roles). Two other new players won roster spots in spring training, C Chris Stewart
and INF Matt Kata
.
and Mark Teixeira
. One of the few players who was swinging the bat well was sophomore second baseman
Ian Kinsler
, who batted
.298 and hit 9 home run
s, earning him an American League Player of the Week award.
Another concern was the starting rotation. Jamey Wright
was moved to the 15-day disabled list
on April 12, and hasn't returned to the lineup. Vicente Padilla
and newcomer Brandon McCarthy
both had rough starts, ending April with 4-loss months.
The team's first home series, a two-game set against the Boston Red Sox
on April 6 and April 7 set records for the coldest home opener and the coldest game ever played at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington.
The starting rotation continued to have problems. Both Kevin Millwood
and McCarthy spent time on the disabled list. Even when healthy, the starting pitching was suspect, as Rangers starters finished the month with the worst ERA in the Major Leagues.
The injury bug struck the position players as well. All-star third baseman Hank Blalock
was moved to the 60-day disabled list after being diagnosed with thoracic outlet syndrome
in his right shoulder, a condition that required surgery and a layoff of as much as three months. Outfielders Brad Wilkerson
, Frank Catalanotto
and Jerry Hairston, Jr.
also had long stints on the disabled list in May. At month's end, only second baseman Ian Kinsler
was among the top three players at his position in All-Star balloting.
, who ended the month with a .375 batting average, and pitcher Kameron Loe
, who used a brief stint in Triple-A to correct his pitching mechanics, resulting in a month-ending streak of three straight wins.
Veteran right fielder Sammy Sosa
celebrated a career milestone on June 20, hitting his 600th home run in a game against his former team, the Chicago Cubs
. Sosa became only the fifth player to reach the mark, following Babe Ruth
, Willie Mays
, Henry Aaron
and Barry Bonds
.
While several key players returned to active duty in June, including Wilkerson and Jamey Wright, injuries continued to plague the club. Gold Glove
first baseman Mark Teixeira
's franchise record for consecutive games played ended at 507 on June 8 when he strained a quadriceps muscle. Starting pitchers Vicente Padilla
and Brandon McCarthy
also spent time on the DL, for elbow inflammation and blisters, respectively.
This project began in July 2007 with the trade of 1B Mark Teixeira
to the Atlanta Braves, a player the Rangers themselves had drafted and developed themselves. Arguably the biggest trade of the season, Teixeira netted the Rangers organization a treasure trove of young prospects, headlined by Jarrod Saltalamacchia
. The Braves also sent over SS Elvis Andrus
, RHP Neftali Feliz, LHP Matt Harrison
, and RHP Beau Jones.
The front office subsequently moved closer Éric Gagné to the Boston Red Sox
in exchange for RHP Kason Gabbard
and OF David Murphy.
These roster moves made the truth apparent to all: the Rangers would not make a concerted effort to win the West in 2007.
hung 36 runs on Louisville in a game in 1897.
Texas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
' 2007 season
2007 Major League Baseball season
The 2007 Major League Baseball season, began on April 1 with a rematch of the 2006 National League Championship Series; the St. Louis Cardinals and New York Mets played the first game of the season at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri, which was won by the Mets, 6–1...
began with the team trying to win an AL West
American League West
The American League West is one of three divisions in Major League Baseball's American League. The division currently has four teams, but it has had as many as seven teams before the 1994 realignment. Although its teams currently only reside along the west coast and in Texas, historically the...
title for the first time since , when they were swept by the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
in the ALDS
1999 American League Division Series
-Cleveland Indians vs. Boston Red Sox:-Game 1, October 5:Yankee Stadium in Bronx, New YorkThe Yankees once again swept the Rangers and held them to one run through three games. In Game 1, Aaron Sele went against Orlando Hernández...
.
Preseason
- Manager Buck ShowalterBuck ShowalterWilliam Nathaniel "Buck" Showalter III is an American Major League Baseball manager for the Baltimore Orioles. He has previously served in a similar capacity with the New York Yankees , Arizona Diamondbacks , and Texas Rangers...
was fired with three years remaining on his contract. The Rangers hired former Oakland AthleticsOakland AthleticsThe Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
third base coach Ron WashingtonRon WashingtonRonald Washington is a former Major League Baseball shortstop and the current manager of the Texas Rangers. Prior to managing the Rangers, Washington coached in the New York Mets and Oakland Athletics organizations.-Playing career:Washington was signed by the Kansas City Royals on July 17, 1970...
to replace Showalter.
- OF Gary Matthews, Jr.Gary Matthews, Jr.Gary Nathaniel Matthews, Jr. is an outfielder who is currently a free agent. Matthews is the son of Philadelphia Phillies broadcaster Gary Matthews, who played 16 years in the majors as an outfielder. Matthews, Jr...
, OF/INF Mark DeRosaMark DeRosaMark Thomas DeRosa is a Major League Baseball player. DeRosa is a utility player who has been primarily a second baseman, but can play other positions, including the outfield; he played six positions for the Chicago Cubs. He bats right-handed.DeRosa was selected by the Atlanta Braves in the 7th...
, OF Carlos LeeCarlos LeeCarlos Noriel Lee is a first basemen in Major League Baseball who plays for the Houston Astros. He bats and throws right-handed....
, and RHP Adam EatonAdam EatonAdam Thomas Eaton is a former Major League Baseball pitcher.-High school:Eaton graduated from Snohomish High School in 1996 where he went 8–0 with a 0.67 earned run average as a senior, and earned second team High School All-America honors from Baseball America. Ranked the No...
signed with other clubs in free agency.
- OF Frank CatalanottoFrank CatalanottoFrank John Catalanotto is a former Italian American baseball outfielder. Nicknamed "Little Cat", the Long Island native bats left-handed and throws right-handed...
signed a multi-year contract,
- RHP Éric GagnéÉric GagnéÉric Serge Gagné is a former Major League Baseball pitcher.Signing with the Los Angeles Dodgers as a free agent in 1995, Gagné began his career as a starting pitcher...
and center fielderCenter fielderA center fielder, abbreviated CF, is the outfielder in baseball who plays defense in center field – the baseball fielding position between left field and right field...
Kenny LoftonKenny LoftonKenneth Lofton is a former Major League Baseball outfielder known for his great speed on the base paths as well as in the field, award-winning defensive play , timely hitting, and playful spirit. He batted and threw left-handed...
each signed one-year contracts to close games and play center field, respectively.
- OF Sammy SosaSammy SosaSamuel Peralta "Sammy" Sosa is a Dominican former professional baseball right fielder. Sosa played with four Major League Baseball teams over his career which spanned from 1989-2007....
also signed a one-year contract with the team that drafted him in 19851985 Major League Baseball seasonIn 1985, the Major League Baseball season ended with the Kansas City Royals defeating the St. Louis Cardinals in the seventh game of the I-70 World Series. Bret Saberhagen, the regular season Cy Young Award winner, was named MVP of the Series...
, expected to be the Rangers' right fielderRight fielderA right fielder, abbreviated RF, is the outfielder in baseball or softball who plays defense in right field. Right field is the area of the outfield to the right of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound...
.
The team entered the season with only one spot in the pitching rotation to fill, with Jamey Wright
Jamey Wright
Jamey Alan Wright is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent.-Career:...
beating out Kameron Loe
Kameron Loe
Kameron David Loe is a professional baseball pitcher for the Milwaukee Brewers.He previously pitched in Major League Baseball for the Texas Rangers. At 6' 9" tall, Loe is one of the tallest players in the game, and also has a 7 foot boa constrictor named Angel which he keeps in the clubhouse...
and Bruce Chen
Bruce Chen
Bruce Kastulo Chen is a Panamanian professional baseball pitcher for the Kansas City Royals.-Background:...
(both of whom moved to bullpen roles). Two other new players won roster spots in spring training, C Chris Stewart
Chris Stewart (baseball)
Christopher David "Chris" Stewart is a professional baseball player who currently plays in Major League Baseball for the San Francisco Giants. Stewart, a catcher, has played in the majors for the Chicago White Sox, the Texas Rangers and the New York Yankees and the San Diego Padres...
and INF Matt Kata
Matt Kata
Matthew John Kata is a Major League Baseball infielder who is currently in the Texas Rangers organization....
.
Opening Day Starters
- Gerald Laird, C
- Mark Teixeira, 1B
- Ian Kinsler, 2B
- Hank Blalock, 3B
- Michael Young, SS
- Brad Wilkerson, LF
- Kenny Lofton, CF
- Sammy Sosa, RF
- Frank Catalanotto, DH
- Kevin Millwood, RHP
April
April saw the club get to a slow start. Several of the club's offensive threats had poor starts, notably Michael YoungMichael Young (baseball player)
Michael Brian Young is a Major League Baseball All Star designated hitter and utility infielder for the Texas Rangers....
and Mark Teixeira
Mark Teixeira
Mark Charles Teixeira , nicknamed "Tex" is an American Major League Baseball player for the New York Yankees. Mostly a first baseman, he has also played third base and in the outfield...
. One of the few players who was swinging the bat well was sophomore second baseman
Second baseman
Second base, or 2B, is the second of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that player's team. A second baseman is the baseball player guarding second base...
Ian Kinsler
Ian Kinsler
Ian Michael Kinsler is a Major League Baseball All-Star second baseman for the Texas Rangers.Despite having been drafted in only the 17th round out of college, Kinsler has risen to become a two-time All Star, and a member of the Sporting News 2009 list of the 50 greatest current players in baseball...
, who batted
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
.298 and hit 9 home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s, earning him an American League Player of the Week award.
Another concern was the starting rotation. Jamey Wright
Jamey Wright
Jamey Alan Wright is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent.-Career:...
was moved to the 15-day disabled list
Disabled list
In Major League Baseball, the disabled list is a method for teams to remove their injured players from the roster in order to summon healthy players.-General guidelines:...
on April 12, and hasn't returned to the lineup. Vicente Padilla
Vicente Padilla
Vicente de la Cruz Padilla is a Major League Baseball pitcher, who is a free agent. Padilla previously pitched for the Arizona Diamondbacks, Philadelphia Phillies and Texas Rangers...
and newcomer Brandon McCarthy
Brandon McCarthy
Brandon Patrick McCarthy is a Major League Baseball right-handed starting pitcher for the Oakland Athletics.-Early life:He graduated from Cheyenne Mountain High School in Colorado Springs, Colorado in 2001....
both had rough starts, ending April with 4-loss months.
The team's first home series, a two-game set against the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
on April 6 and April 7 set records for the coldest home opener and the coldest game ever played at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington.
May
The month of May was one of the most dismal in the club's history. The Rangers ended the month with a 19–35 record, putting them on a pace for a 105-loss season, which would tie the franchise's previous mark for futility, set in 1973. The team's 20 losses set a record for the most ever in the month of May.The starting rotation continued to have problems. Both Kevin Millwood
Kevin Millwood
Kevin Austin Millwood is an American professional baseball pitcher. He has previously played for the Atlanta Braves, Philadelphia Phillies, Cleveland Indians, Texas Rangers, Baltimore Orioles and Colorado Rockies.-Personal life:Millwood graduated from Bessemer City High School in North Carolina...
and McCarthy spent time on the disabled list. Even when healthy, the starting pitching was suspect, as Rangers starters finished the month with the worst ERA in the Major Leagues.
The injury bug struck the position players as well. All-star third baseman Hank Blalock
Hank Blalock
Hank Joe Blalock is a Major League Baseball third baseman who is currently a free agent.-High school:Blalock attended Rancho Bernardo High School in San Diego, California...
was moved to the 60-day disabled list after being diagnosed with thoracic outlet syndrome
Thoracic outlet syndrome
Thoracic outlet syndrome is a syndrome involving compression at the superior thoracic outlet involving compression of a neurovascular bundle passing between the anterior scalene and middle scalene...
in his right shoulder, a condition that required surgery and a layoff of as much as three months. Outfielders Brad Wilkerson
Brad Wilkerson
Stephen Bradley "Brad" Wilkerson is a former American college and professional baseball player who was an outfielder and first baseman in Major League Baseball for eight seasons in the 2000s. Wilkerson played college baseball for the University of Florida, and was selected by the Montreal Expos...
, Frank Catalanotto
Frank Catalanotto
Frank John Catalanotto is a former Italian American baseball outfielder. Nicknamed "Little Cat", the Long Island native bats left-handed and throws right-handed...
and Jerry Hairston, Jr.
Jerry Hairston, Jr.
Jerry Wayne Hairston, Jr. is a Mexican-American professional baseball utility player.-Professional career:...
also had long stints on the disabled list in May. At month's end, only second baseman Ian Kinsler
Ian Kinsler
Ian Michael Kinsler is a Major League Baseball All-Star second baseman for the Texas Rangers.Despite having been drafted in only the 17th round out of college, Kinsler has risen to become a two-time All Star, and a member of the Sporting News 2009 list of the 50 greatest current players in baseball...
was among the top three players at his position in All-Star balloting.
June
In stark contrast to May, June was the Rangers' first month of 2007 with a winning record (14–12). Several players had a strong month, most notably outfielder Marlon ByrdMarlon Byrd
Marlon Jerrard Byrd , popularly known as The Position or The Possish or Sish, is a Major League Baseball outfielder for the Chicago Cubs...
, who ended the month with a .375 batting average, and pitcher Kameron Loe
Kameron Loe
Kameron David Loe is a professional baseball pitcher for the Milwaukee Brewers.He previously pitched in Major League Baseball for the Texas Rangers. At 6' 9" tall, Loe is one of the tallest players in the game, and also has a 7 foot boa constrictor named Angel which he keeps in the clubhouse...
, who used a brief stint in Triple-A to correct his pitching mechanics, resulting in a month-ending streak of three straight wins.
Veteran right fielder Sammy Sosa
Sammy Sosa
Samuel Peralta "Sammy" Sosa is a Dominican former professional baseball right fielder. Sosa played with four Major League Baseball teams over his career which spanned from 1989-2007....
celebrated a career milestone on June 20, hitting his 600th home run in a game against his former team, the Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
. Sosa became only the fifth player to reach the mark, following Babe Ruth
Babe Ruth
George Herman Ruth, Jr. , best known as "Babe" Ruth and nicknamed "the Bambino" and "the Sultan of Swat", was an American Major League baseball player from 1914–1935...
, Willie Mays
Willie Mays
Willie Howard Mays, Jr. is a retired American professional baseball player who played the majority of his major league career with the New York and San Francisco Giants before finishing with the New York Mets. Nicknamed The Say Hey Kid, Mays was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1979, his...
, Henry Aaron
Henry Aaron
Henry Louis "Hank" Aaron , nicknamed "Hammer," "Hammerin' Hank," and "Bad Henry," is a retired American baseball player whose Major League Baseball career spanned the years 1954 through 1976. Aaron is widely considered one of the greatest baseball players of all time...
and Barry Bonds
Barry Bonds
Barry Lamar Bonds is an American former Major League Baseball outfielder. Bonds played from 1986 to 2007, for the Pittsburgh Pirates and San Francisco Giants. He is the son of former major league All-Star Bobby Bonds...
.
While several key players returned to active duty in June, including Wilkerson and Jamey Wright, injuries continued to plague the club. Gold Glove
Rawlings Gold Glove Award
The Rawlings Gold Glove Award, usually referred to as the Gold Glove, is the award given annually to the Major League Baseball players judged to have exhibited superior individual fielding performances at each fielding position in both the National League and the American League , as voted by the...
first baseman Mark Teixeira
Mark Teixeira
Mark Charles Teixeira , nicknamed "Tex" is an American Major League Baseball player for the New York Yankees. Mostly a first baseman, he has also played third base and in the outfield...
's franchise record for consecutive games played ended at 507 on June 8 when he strained a quadriceps muscle. Starting pitchers Vicente Padilla
Vicente Padilla
Vicente de la Cruz Padilla is a Major League Baseball pitcher, who is a free agent. Padilla previously pitched for the Arizona Diamondbacks, Philadelphia Phillies and Texas Rangers...
and Brandon McCarthy
Brandon McCarthy
Brandon Patrick McCarthy is a Major League Baseball right-handed starting pitcher for the Oakland Athletics.-Early life:He graduated from Cheyenne Mountain High School in Colorado Springs, Colorado in 2001....
also spent time on the DL, for elbow inflammation and blisters, respectively.
July
Before the non-waiver trade deadline, the Rangers' front office headed by general manager Jon Daniels devised a plan to rebuild the Texas Rangers. This change signified a shift away from the practice of signing large numbers of free agents and instead focused on scouting, acquiring, and developing young talent that would be under club control for the first year of the players' careers. Franchise resources would from then on be redistributed with an emphasis on international scouting (particularly in the Far East and Latin America) and minor league development. The organization's stated purpose was to field a team that could legitimately compete for the A.L. Western Division by the 2010 season.This project began in July 2007 with the trade of 1B Mark Teixeira
Mark Teixeira
Mark Charles Teixeira , nicknamed "Tex" is an American Major League Baseball player for the New York Yankees. Mostly a first baseman, he has also played third base and in the outfield...
to the Atlanta Braves, a player the Rangers themselves had drafted and developed themselves. Arguably the biggest trade of the season, Teixeira netted the Rangers organization a treasure trove of young prospects, headlined by Jarrod Saltalamacchia
Jarrod Saltalamacchia
Jarrod Scott Saltalamacchia , nicknamed "Salty" is an American professional baseball catcher with the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball.His last name is the longest in Major League Baseball history...
. The Braves also sent over SS Elvis Andrus
Elvis Andrus
Elvis Augusto Andrus Torres is a Major League Baseball shortstop for the Texas Rangers.Entering , he was rated by Baseball America as the No. 2 prospect in the Atlanta Braves organization...
, RHP Neftali Feliz, LHP Matt Harrison
Matt Harrison
Matthew Reid Harrison is a Major League Baseball left-handed starting pitcher for the Texas Rangers.-Baseball career:Harrison attended South Granville High School in Creedmoor, North Carolina...
, and RHP Beau Jones.
The front office subsequently moved closer Éric Gagné to the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
in exchange for RHP Kason Gabbard
Kason Gabbard
Kason Ronald Gabbard is a starting pitcher who is a free agent. He bats and throws left-handed.-High school:Gabbard played high school baseball at Royal Palm Beach High School in Royal Palm Beach, Florida...
and OF David Murphy.
These roster moves made the truth apparent to all: the Rangers would not make a concerted effort to win the West in 2007.
August
On August 22, the Rangers scored an all-time American League record of 30 runs in one game against the Orioles. The final was 30–3. Texas' 30 runs broke the AL record and modern major-league record set by the 1950 Red Sox and tied by the 1955 White Sox, and were the most scored by any team since the Chicago ColtsChicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
hung 36 runs on Louisville in a game in 1897.
Roster
| 2007 Texas Rangers | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roster | |||||||||
| Pitchers |
Catchers Infielders |
Outfielders |
Manager Coaches (bullpen) (pitching) (bench) (hitting) (first base) (third base) |
||||||
Batting
Note: G = Games played; AB = At Bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting Average; HR = Home Runs; RBI = Runs Batted In| Player | G | AB | H | Avg. | HR | RBI |
|---|
Other batters
| Player | G | AB | H | Avg. | HR | RBI |
|---|
Starting pitchers
| Player | G | IP | W | L | ERA | SO |
|---|
Other pitchers
| Player | G | IP | W | L | ERA |
|---|
Relief pitchers
| Player | G | W | L | SV | ERA | SO |
|---|