Juan May Be Gone, but All Is Not Lost

As the Texas Rangers struggle to regain their winning form of the last two years in the American League West, amid bullpen inconsistency, injuries and a lineup remodeling after the departures of Juan Gonzalez, Todd Zeile, Mark McLemore and Tom Goodwin, Manager Johnny Oates feels he’s on a roller coaster.

“With this ballclub, I’m throwing up one inning and the next I’m doing jumping jacks because I’m so excited,” Oates said. “I know one thing, I can’t take it like this all year.”

Wishful thinking? Probably. Just as the one other thing Oates will have to continue to take, but wishes he didn’t, are the daily questions about that nine-player trade in which Gonzalez went to the Detroit Tigers.

“I find it interesting there’s so much analysis this early,” Oates said at Edison Field. “That trade was not made for six weeks. It was made for the long term.”

What spawned new analysis was the determination that left-hander Justin Thompson, perhaps the key acquisition for Texas, will not be available until 2001. He hadn’t pitched this season after undergoing shoulder surgery last August, then had rotator cuff surgery on Friday.

The Rangers knew there was a 20% chance Thompson might not be able to pitch this year, Oates said, which meant “there was an 80% chance he could. This was one of those times the percentages didn’t work in our favor, but . . . he’s still a young guy who can win a lot of games at this level.”

There is nothing for Oates to do, of course, but put his best face on the situation. The Rangers, he said, weren’t going to be able to afford re-signing Gonzalez, who is eligible for free agency at season’s end and probably will leave Detroit if not traded before then.

The payroll shake-up resulting from the departures opened the door for young Rangers such as outfielder Ruben Mateo and third baseman Mike Lamb and netted potential fixtures such as outfielder Gabe Kapler and reliever Francisco Cordero.

Going wholesale instead of retail, Oates said, referring to the dollars.

“We have a pretty good idea what the club is going to look like over the next few years,” he added. “It’s not like last year, when we had seven potential free agents. I mean, it’s exciting to have a lineup with a lot of young players and it’s not like we took a step backward. We still have a chance to win.”

Despite the loss of Gonzalez and others, along with injuries to Kapler and Rusty Greer, the Rangers led the majors in batting at .301 through Friday. They still have Ivan Rodriguez and Rafael Palmeiro, augmented by David Segui, who was tied for second in the league in batting at .371 through Friday. Kapler and Greer are expected back soon, and if the bullpen regains its 1999 groove behind a rotation bolstered by the signings of Kenny Rogers and Darren Oliver, Oates may yet get off the roller coaster.

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Might the Angels join the Alex Rodriguez sweepstakes next winter? Given Gary DiSarcina’s recurring shoulder problems and other injuries, and the impact Rodriguez would make on the lineup and sagging gate, it would make sense.

Besides, the Angels are almost certain to save $6 million on Ken Hill, whose rib-cage injury eliminates the possibility of his 2001 option vesting statistically, and they are certain to save $4.1 million on Tim Belcher, spending $1 million to buy out his 2001 option of $5.1 million.

That’s a saving of $10.1 million. Add another $10 million and they might have the first year of a multiyear Rodriguez contract covered.

It’s all probably beyond Disney’s financial parameters if it still owns the team, but it wouldn’t be the first time Disney has been energized by a war with Fox.