2023 Pre-Season Profile: San Diego Padres

 #6

The San Diego Padres continued to spend more than almost any other team this offseason.  Will they get over the hump and win a World Series in 2023?

2022 Predictions

#6 - 2nd in NL West, WILD CARD, lose in NLDS

MIH - Manny Machado

MIP - Yu Darvish

PTW - C.J. Abrams

2022 Results

#4 - 89-73, 2nd in NL West, WILD CARD, lost in NLCS

Highest WAR (Position) - Manny Machado

Highest WAR (Pitcher) - Yu Darvish

The 2022 San Diego Padres could be summed up with three players: one was one of the best in the league, one never showed up, and one showed up mid-season.  First, Manny Machado may have had his best season ever, earning a runner up finish in the MVP race.  Second, Fernando Tatis Jr. got hurt before the season started in a motorcycle accident, and right before he was ready to return, got suspended for PED's, potentially tainting an entire career of one of baseball's brightest young stars.  Third, the Padres showed they are willing to continue to double down by trading for one of the best hitters in the game Juan Soto at the Trade Deadline.  They rode the talent on the field to the NLCS, but no one was beating the Phillies in their run to the NL pennant.

Additions / Subtractions

Just when you think the Padres may have reached their limit in payroll, they doubled down again.  They seemed to be in on every big name free agent, finally landing shortstop Xander Bogaerts on (another) huge deal.  They signed Manny Machado to an extension that was (another) huge deal.  They solidified the rotation with Seth Lugo and Michael Wacha.  Then, as if they didn't have enough already, they went to the veteran market and picked up Nelson Cruz and Matt Carpenter.  There were a couple subtractions, like Jurickson Profar, Wil Myers, Sean Manaea, and Mike Clevinger, but I think the additions outweigh the subtractions.

Most Important Hitter

Fernando Tatis Jr.

One of the most fascinating storylines in all of baseball entering the 2023 season is what will happen with Fernando Tatis Jr.  The last time we saw him, he was an MVP candidate, leading the league in home runs, and earning every bit of his newly signed 14 year megadeal.  However, even then his durability and overall health were being questioned as he was starting to see some time in the outfield to protect the wear and tear on his body.  Then he gets hurt making a dumb decision.  Then he compounds that by getting caught for PED's.  Then the Padres go out and sign another shortstop to an 11 year deal.  Now Tatis will have to wait another month before he finally is allowed back from his suspension, and he essentially has lost his job.  He finished 2021 as possibly the face of baseball.  Now he is being looked at as, at best, the 4th best player on his team.  What will he be this year?  How much did PED's possibly impact his past performance, or was it another dumb decision during his injury recovery?  Who is this player???  He's only 23 year old too!  Does he go back to his MVP-caliber 2021 form?  If he does, the Padres will be special.  Is he put off by losing his job, switching positions, and still sitting out?  If so, he could be a negative influence in that locker room that destroys one of the most talented teams in the league.  No one knows!  Watching what happens with Tatis will be one of the biggest storylines of the entire season.

Most Important Pitcher

Blake Snell

The Padres will roll out possibly the best lineup in all of baseball in 2023, however their pitching staff has a lot more questions in it.  One of the players that could be an X-factor for the whole pitching staff in Blake Snell.  In 2018, Snell was on another planet for the Rays.  He had a 217 ERA+ that year and won the Cy Young.  Since then, he hasn't even sniffed that level of production.  His best season since was the COVID-shortened 2020 season with a 127 ERA+.  Last season was next best at 111 ERA+, but he only threw 128 innings.  Now he is entering his third season with the Padres, which is also his contract year at age 30.  If he can return to some level of dominance, it not only will solve a lot of possible questions with the Padres pitching staff, but it will also earn him one last big payday heading into free agency next offseason.

Prospect to Watch

Jay Groome

With all the big spending and blockbuster trades the Padres have done the last few seasons, it has completely depleted their farm system.  Ranked in the bottom third of MLB farm systems, the Padres only tout 2 prospects in the Top 100, with neither ready to contribute this season.  In fact, only 2 prospects in their top 10 even have a chance to play in the big leagues this season.  The more intriguing of these prospects in their 9th best prospect, Jay Groome.  When drafted in 2016, this 6'6" 262lb left-handed pitcher was thought to be one of the top prospects in the draft.  Then injuries and missed time completely derailed his development to the point that the Padres acquired him as an afterthought last season from the Red Sox in the Eric Hosmer trade.  He stuff isn't elite, but he still has pretty good makeup.  Look for him to get a chance to earn a rotation spot if the injury bug hits the Padres this season.

2023 Prediction

2nd in NL West, WILD CARD, lose in NLDS

It might be a hot take to have the Padres this low, but there are just way too many elite National League teams.  With that said, the Padres are probably the most talented team in the league.  They also feel like they could completely implode on themselves.  They do have one of the best managers around in Bob Melvin, and they have basically a player/coach at this point in Nelson Cruz.  So hopefully that stabilizes some of the volatility.  There are still a lot of questions with their rotation.  When they win the division and go on to win the World Series, this will look like a really bad take, but it's what I'm going with right now.

Fearless Prediction

One of the Padres superstars will not be on their roster at the start of the 2024 season.

The spending has to stop at some point, right?  Right?!?  They have paid out huge money to Manny Machado, Xander Bogaerts, Fernando Tatis Jr., and Yu Darvish.  However, they have yet to lock up Juan Soto beyond this season.  He might need the biggest contract of all of them.  I could see the Padres let him walk in free agency ... or maybe they sign him and trade Tatis ... or maybe they trade Soto mid-season to get something for him ... or maybe they just double down one more time and sign Soto and just keep it all.  They have to run out of money at some point though ... I think.

2021 Pre-Season Profile: San Diego Padres

 #9

The San Diego Padres were one of the most exciting young teams in all of baseball in 2020, and they followed that up with the most exciting offseason of any team in the league.  Will all that excitement lead to a deep postseason run in 2021?

2020 Predictions

#19 - 3rd in NL West

MIH - Manny Machado

MIP - Garrett Richards

PTW - MacKenzie Gore

2020 Results

#3 - 37-23, 2nd in NL West, lost in NLDS

Everyone knew the Padres were on the verge of being a contender for several years now.  They had built up an elite farm system and were surrounding that young talent with some great veteran stars.  It was just a matter of when.  In a shortened season like 2020, I didn't see the jump happening, but it did.  Slam Diego became must-see TV, with mid-season trades for pitcher Mike Clevinger, catcher Aaron Nola, and closer Trevor Rosenthal showing they were ready to commit to this team's success.  But the couldn't win the division, despite the third best record in all of baseball, thanks to the Dodgers.  And they couldn't advance far in the postseason thanks to the Dodgers.  There's a theme here...

Additions / Subtractions

You would think a team coming off such a huge successful year like this with a farm system bursting with talent might let their talent naturally take the next step forward.  Not the Padres!  They saw that Dodger superteam in front of them and tooled up to try and take them down.  So instead they used their farm system to trade for Blake Snell, Yu Darvish, and Joe Musgrove to make their rotation elite (and to make up for the injury to Mike Clevinger).  They signed reliever Mark Melancon to replace Trevor Rosenthal in the back of the bullpen.  The only real addition to the lineup was a move for depth, adding Korean standout infielder Ha-Seong Kim.  They also locked up their young superstar, Fernando Tatis Jr., through 2034!  I didn't know it was possible for the third best team in baseball to improve this much.

Most Important Hitter

Fernando Tatis Jr.

He is the league's next superstar.  He is possibly the next face of the sport.  He just signed a 14 year megadeal.  He is the 22 year old leader of the most exciting team in baseball.  He's also never played more than 84 games in a season at the big league level.  For as amazing and potentially legendary Tatis Jr. is, there are still some serious question marks heading into 2021.  He finished 3rd for Rookie of the Year in 2019, playing only 84 games due to injury.  He finished 4th in MVP in the COVID-shortened 2020 season, playing in 59 of the team's 60 games.  How will his young body hold up under 162?  All indications are that this isn't a problem, but he's never done it.  If he is able to put in a full season, all those expectations put on his back will be completely justified.

Most Important Pitcher

Blake Snell

The Padres paid a big price to bring Blake Snell in, but his career has shown some inconsistencies that make this move somewhat risky.  In 2018, Snell was out of this world, winning the Cy Young with 21 wins, a 1.89 ERA, and a ridiculous 217 ERA+.  In 2019, he struggled with some injuries and was barely above average.  In 2020, he bounced back with a strong season, but nowhere near his 2018 production.  The lasting image of 2020 was him being taken out of the final World Series game despite his complete dominance of the Dodger lineup.  The Rays wouldn't let him be a workhorse like he wanted to be, which is partially why it made sense to trade him away.  Now the Padres will probably let him be that workhorse, but can he handle it?  Even in his Cy Young year of 2018, he only pitched 180 innings.  He is coming off an injury season in 2019 and a shortened season in 2020.  Can his arm handle to workload and the pressure of what the Padres want from him?

Prospect to Watch

MacKenzie Gore

Like I said, the Padres have been using their farm system more to acquire established talent than to directly impact the big league roster.  With that said, the Padres still rank as the 6th best farm system in baseball, with 4 players in the Top 100 Prospects.  The best of these players, and probably the only untouchable prospect in their system, is MacKenzie Gore.  This lefty was my Prospect to Watch last season, and if it were a full regular season, you can be sure we would have seen him.  Everyone assumed he would have a spot in the rotation for 2021, but then the Padres went and traded for a bunch of aces.  Now their 2020 Opening Day starter barely has a spot.  With all that said, barring an injury MacKenzie Gore will play a role on the 2021 Padres at some point.  With the jump back up to 162 games, look for him to be brought up at some point to add more depth to the rotation and never look back.

2021 Prediction

2nd in NL West, lose in Wild Card Game

The San Diego Padres might have the 2nd best roster in all of baseball entering 2021.  They might be the most exciting team to watch this season with all their young talent and trades.  I will be rooting for them because they are a fun breath of fresh air.  The problem is if they have the 2nd best roster, the best roster is in their division.  That means that they will be stuck getting a Wild Card spot even though they could easily win over 100 games.  As of right now, we are back to the old playoff format, which means one Wild Card Game to make the divisional round.  I would take the Padres in almost any playoff series, but with how I have the playoffs predicted shaking out I don't like the matchup in a one game playoff.  So I see this season ending in great disappointment for the Padres, but that won't change how exciting they will be to watch.

Fearless Prediction

The San Diego Padres will win the NL West in 2022.

As long as the Padres stay the course and don't blow up their roster after a possible disappointing end to 2021, I could see 2022 be the season where they overtake the Dodgers as the top team in the division and the top team in the league.  Will that lead to World Series appearances?  That remains to be seen, but this team is heading in the right direction for sure.

2019 Pre-Season Profile: Chicago Cubs

#14

The Chicago Cubs have not been able to repeat the success that won them their historic World Series in 2016.  Will 2019 bring them back to elite or mark the possible end of their run that broke the curse?

2018 Predictions

1st in NL Central, win World Series

2018 Results

95-68, 2nd in NL Central, WILD CARD, lost Wild Card Game

First, I didn't quite get to all my articles last season so I do not have a Fearless Prediction to carry over.  However, you could say predicting them to win two World Series in three years was quite a fearless prediction.  Unfortunately, that didn't happen.  It seems impossible for a 95 win season to be a disappointment, but it was in Chicago.  Although their record still showed success, they struggled all season with injuries and offense.  They lost a playoff game for the division title against the Brewers, then lost the Wild Card Game against the Rockies.  When they needed to win a game, they couldn't.

Additions / Subtractions

With the amount of money they have committed to several players as they have made this run over the last few seasons, the Cubs really had no financial flexibility to go out and acquire anyone.  In fact, they are entering 2019 with almost the exact same roster as they ended last season with.  Daniel Murphy has moved on after being acquired mid-season last year.  Daniel Descalso was brought in to replace Tommy La Stella as a backup utility infielder.  That's about all they did.

Most Important Hitter

Kris Bryant

Kris Bryant started off his career winning Rookie of the Year in 2015 and the MVP in 2016 before winning the World Series.  2017 wasn't up to his MVP level, but 2018 was his worst season to date.  Injuries limited him to 102 games.  When he played, he was below his lofty standards, only hitting .272 (.295 the year before) with 13 home runs (lowest total before that was 26) and an OPS+ of 118 (lowest before that was 135 his rookie year).  After being a 6 or 7 win player in terms of WAR each season up until this point, 2018 saw him total a 1.9 WAR.  If the Cubs are going to be elite in 2019, Kris Bryant needs to be elite once again.

Most Important Pitcher

Yu Darvish

Some questioned the Cubs last offseason when they decided to sign Yu Darvish to a 6 year deal after he seemed to fall apart in the World Series the year before for the Dodgers.  It was questioned even more when Darvish was only able to make 8 starts and total 40 innings in 2018 due to injuries.  He says he is entering 2019 100% healthy which will be needed.  Darvish still has the ability to be dominant, and the Cubs have a rotation that is aging and shown signs of inconsistency.  Darvish can stabilize the rotation and be the leader he is being paid to be.

Prospect to Watch

Adbert Alzolay

When the Cubs were preparing for their World Series run, they had one of the best farm systems in all of baseball.  Now, is it tends to happen, their system is one of the worst as all their top prospects are now several years into their career.  Others they have traded away to bring in players to help them now, like the 2016 trade of Gleyber Torres to the Yankees for Aroldis Chapman.  Or the 2017 trade of Eloy Jimenez to the White Sox for Jose Quintana.  Now they are left with a system that only boasts one player in the top 100, and he is still at least a couple years away.  Their best opportunity for meaningful contributions comes from Adbert Alzolay, a 24 year old right-handed starter.  He missed a good portion of last season with an injury so he won't be ready right away, but look for him to be a helpful arm through the dog days of summer.

2019 Prediction

3rd in NL Central

The way I see it, #11-14 on this list will be teams that are competing for a playoff spot all the way down to the final games, but come up just short.  The Cubs may have a renewed focus and energy this season, but they also now see themselves int he most competitive division in baseball.  Even if their win total is nearing 90 games again, it is possible that is only good for 3rd place in this stacked division.  Some of their core players are aging and past their prime, and I think their window with this core is quickly closing.

Fearless Prediction

This will be Joe Maddon's last season as Cubs manager.

There has been much speculation about this throughout the offseason.  Joe Maddon is in the last year of his contract, and no progress has been made towards an extension.  Several speculate that Maddon might want to see what happens this season first before he decides if he wants to come back.  Some say he might just be done managing.  However you look at it, chances are this is the Cubs last run with the manager that finally brought a World Series title back to Wrigley.

2017 Pre-Season Profile: Texas Rangers

#9

The Texas Rangers followed up a surprising 2015 with another division title in 2016, however they lost in their first series for the second straight year.  Will 2017 bring about a deep playoff run for the Rangers?

My 2016 Predictions

2nd in AL West, WILD CARD, lose in Wild Card Game

Josh Hamilton will play less than 50 games in 2016 before he retires at season's end.

2016 Results

95-67, 1st in AL West, lost in ALDS

After hitting the cellar in 2014, the Rangers have now won a very competitive division two years in a row.  Not only that, but in 2016 they had the best record in the American League.  The problem is they can't get past the Toronto Blue Jays as they knocked them out for the second year in a row.  As for Josh Hamilton, he never saw a game in the big leagues during 2016.  I don't know why he didn't retire after the season, but he is currently property of the Rangers recovering from yet another surgery.  He will be lucky if he ever sees the major leagues again.

Additions / Subtractions

The Rangers were fairly quiet this offseason.  They let veteran pitchers Colby Lewis and Derek Holland move on, as well as rent-a-players Carlos Beltran and Ian Desmond.  The only significant player brought in was Mike Napoli to replace Mitch Moreland at first base.

Most Important Hitter

Jurickson Profar

Over the last few seasons, one of the biggest issues the Rangers have faced is injuries.  Even this year, Texas is starting the season with 7 players on the DL, including third baseman Adrian Beltre.  One of the injury concerns in past years was Jurickson Profar.  Once the top prospect in baseball, Profar missed all of 2014 and 2015 with injuries.  Last year, I had the Rangers trading him, but instead he emerged as a useful utility player.  In 2017, he is being counted on as a super-utility guy, being able to play pretty much every position on the diamond.  He went from being one of the injury concerns to being the solution to the injuries.  If the Rangers are going to be successful this season, Profar is a key to that success.

Most Important Pitcher

Yu Darvish

When the Rangers traded for Cole Hamels in 2015, they sold Hamels on the deal with the prospects of dominating the top of the rotation with Yu Darvish in future seasons.  Darvish lost all of 2015 and part of 2016 to Tommy John surgery.  For the first time since acquiring Hamels, Darvish is 100% healthy.  It is also the last season of his current contract.  Especially with the injuries the Rangers have entering the season, they need Darvish to be back to his dominant self in 2017 to partner with Hamels and be one of the best top two's in baseball.

Player to Watch

Yohander Mendez

You can never have enough pitching.  The Rangers know that better than anyone.  That is why they are happy to have prospects like Yohander Mendez ready to join the rotation whenever he may be needed.  Ranked the 5th best lefty prospect in all of baseball, this 22 year old got a taste of the Show in 2016, and is now ready to have a breakout year whenever he gets his chance to make an impact.

2017 Prediction

2nd in AL West, WILD CARD, lose in Wild Card Game

Yes, this is the same prediction as last season.  I see the Rangers once again having a strong regular season and get into the playoffs.  The injuries will probably keep them from winning the division, and their problems of winning in the postseason will continue, but making it to the postseason is huge.  With all that said, the Rangers will start to get antsy as they wonder if they will ever break through with this group.

Fearless Prediction

Joey Gallo will be traded to the Brewers for Ryan Braun.

This is quite a bold prediction, but here is how I see this playing out.  The Rangers have been waiting for Joey Gallo to take off and be the star his potential has said he could be.  With Adrian Beltre starting the season on the DL, Gallo is going to get a chance to show how good he can be.  If he gets off to a hot start, his stock will be high when Beltre comes back to reclaim his hot corner.  If there is any spot in the Rangers lineup that is weak, it is leftfield.  The Rangers and Brewers have a good working relationship after the Jonathan Lucroy trade last year (that I correctly predicted).  If this all works out, Gallo could be the centerpiece of a package going back to the Brewers to bring in the former MVP.

2016 Pre-Season Profile: Texas Rangers

The Texas Rangers used a late-season charge in 2015 to surprise everyone with a division title.  Will they be able to have the same success in 2016 now that the expectations have changed?

Last Season

My 2015 Prediction: 4th in AL West

2015 Result: 88-74, 1st in AL West, lost in ALDS

No one knew what to expect from the Texas Rangers in 2015.  They were coming off a 2014 season with one of the worst outbreaks of injuries the league has ever seen, and their World Series manager quit on them late in the season.  Everything seemed to be starting fresh in 2015.  Under Jeff Banister, the Rangers showed just how good they were (and honestly, could have been in 2014).  In a division where everyone was talking about the Angels and Mariners entering the season, and everyone was talking about the Astros during the season, the Rangers snuck up on everyone and stole the division.  This had to even surprise the Rangers, who acquired Cole Hamels at the Trade Deadline with the promise of building for 2016.

2016 Additions / Subtractions

The acquisitions for 2016 started, like I said, at the Trade Deadline in 2015 when they were able to pick up Cole Hamels.  Even with the 2015 success, there still were major injuries, and the return of Yu Darvish to the rotation will feel like a key acquisition.  Outside of these "moves," the Rangers were fairly quiet throughout the offseason until the start of Spring Training when they signed shortstop Ian Desmond to play leftfield.  This relegates Josh Hamilton to the bench, which makes whatever production they get out of him a bonus.  They also picked up Tom Wilhelmsen from Seattle in a trade of Leonys Martin, who had lost his spot to Delino DeShields, Jr. in 2015.  The only other subtraction was Yovani Gallardo, whose departure was planned for with Hamels coming in and Darvish coming back.

Most Important Hitter

Shin-Soo Choo

The Rangers have some real strength in the heart of their order, with Adrian Beltre, Prince Fielder, and the newly-acquired Desmond.  This pop means nothing unless you have a strong table-setter.  Shin-Soo Choo is that table-setter.  He has had an up-and-down tenure so far with the Rangers, and it's no coincidence that a playoff run last year also included Choo's best season with the club.  Choo needs to continue to be the jumpstarter for this lineup if they plan on having similar success.

Most Important Pitcher

Derek Holland

There are a lot of question marks with the Rangers' pitching staff.  Will Shawn Tolleson be able to repeat his success as closer?  Do they have enough bullpen arms to get to Tolleson?  When will Yu Darvish come back, and how strong will he be?  The one sure thing in this staff is Cole Hamels.  The hope is Yu Darvish will return to his Cy Young caliber form upon his return, however it cannot really be counted on.  The Rangers will have to show some rotation depth, and a guy like Derek Holland can provide that.  Holland had a good stretch from 2011-2013.  Injuries have ruined his last two seasons, limiting him to a combined 15 starts.  The Rangers need a guy like Holland to stay healthy and give the rotation some much needed depth, especially as they wait for Darvish's return.

Player to Watch

Dillon Tate

When you talk Rangers' prospects, everyone wants to talk about Joey Gallo.  However, with Adrian Beltre entrenched at third base, and the signing of Ian Desmond to play leftfield, there isn't a spot for the big power hitter to play unless there is an injury to Beltre.  Jurickson Profar, coming off two seasons where injuries prevented him from seeing the field, has a better opportunity to make an impact on the team than Gallo.  With all that said, the spot a young player has the best chance of making an impact is the rotation, and Dillon Tate might be that guy.  This hard-throwing right-hander was the 4th overall pick last year in the draft, but he looks to have a pedigree that could put him on the fast track.  If the rotation starts to suffer some of the injuries they have seen the last few seasons, don't be surprised if they give Dillon Tate a chance to shine sooner rather than later.

2016 Prediction

2nd in AL West, WILD CARD, lose in Wild Card Game

Last season showed the Rangers are still an elite team as long as they stay healthy.  Their offense can rival any lineup in the league, especially adding Ian Desmond into the mix.  Their pitching is a question mark, but I think it will hold up enough.  They won't get all the way to the division title again this season, but they will sniff the playoffs.  I see this team being even better in 2017.

Fearless Prediction

Josh Hamilton will play less than 50 games in 2016 before he retires at season's end.

I don't know if I have ever seen a career path in any sport as wild as the journey Josh Hamilton has been on.  He was a top overall draft choice, then out of baseball for off-the-field issues.  His career was resurrected in Cincinnati and Texas, where he finally showed the promise of his potential.  After signing a big free agent deal with the Angels, injuries hit and his past caught up with him.  Last season, he came crawling back to Texas where he seemed to get things back on track.  Now, injuries are going to prevent him from starting the season on the roster, and the signing of Ian Desmond shows the Rangers do not expect any production out of Hamilton.  He will be a bench player in 2016, when healthy.  I wouldn't be surprised if he decides to hang it up after this, bringing to a close one of the more fascinating careers in sports history.

2015 Pre-Season Profile: Texas Rangers

After four straight 90+ win seasons, the Texas Rangers had an injury-plagued season for the ages in 2014 that took them from the top of their division to the bottom.  Will 2015 mark a return to their winning ways, or was 2014 a sign of future struggling?

Last Season

67-95, 5th in AL West

The Rangers seemed to set records in 2014 for most days spent on the DL by their players.  As a self-proclaimed Rangers hater, I couldn't help but feel sorry for a club that was forced to only be a shell of their potential self.  For the first time since 2007, the Rangers were not in either first or second in the division.  It was a lost season that ended up with a finish in the cellar and a question of what things could have been.

2015 Additions / Subtractions

The biggest move the Rangers made this offseason was trading for veteran starter Yovani Gallardo from the Brewers.  Outside of this move, the Rangers were quite quiet over the offseason.  Their main additions came from getting players back from injury like Prince Fielder, Shin Soo Choo, and Derek Holland.  The subtractions start with the loss of manager Ron Washington, who resigned near the end of the 2014 season.  Although the calendar has turned, injuries have not ended for the Rangers, with former top prospect Jurickson Profar missing his second consecutive season with a shoulder injury and Yu Darvish going down in Spring Training with the dreaded Tommy John.

Most Important Hitter

Prince Fielder

It was hard to remember that the talk of the 2014 offseason was the Rangers acquiring Prince Fielder from the Tigers for Ian Kinsler.  This is because Fielder, who was a model of consistency his whole career, missed most of the season with an injury.  Now he is healthy and is needed desperately to anchor their lineup as one of the only players in their lineup with any pop.  If he can return to his superstar form this year, then the Rangers will have a chance to be back on top sooner than later.

Most Important Pitcher

Neftali Feliz

Neftali Feliz has had quite a roller coaster career so far.  Early on in his career, Feliz shot to stardom as one of the most dominant closers in the league.  Then the Rangers decided to try and make him a starter.  After a decent start to his 2012 season, Feliz needed Tommy John surgery and has not played a full season since.  Now, he is finally back healthy to start a season and back in the closer role for the Rangers.  The team needs him to be back to the player he was in 2011, his last full season as the closer.

Player to Watch

Joey Gallo

This could be a fascinating situation to watch moving through this season.  Joey Gallo is the best prospect in the Rangers' system and the 10th best prospect in baseball.  After an outstanding Spring Training, he looks like a star in the making.  There is only one thing keeping him from becoming an impact player in the big leagues: he plays third base which is currently occupied by possible Hall of Famer Adrian Beltre.  If the Rangers struggle at all like they did last year (which is highly likely), look for Beltre to be on the trading block to make room for Gallo.  Beltre still is a top tier player and could really help a team making a stretch run, and Gallo is the type of player that becomes an impact bat in a lineup as soon as he gets an opportunity to play.

Prediction

4th in AL West

Injuries killed the Rangers' season in 2014, and injuries have already affected the 2015 season before it even started.  There is more there though.  The injuries last year exposed just how thin their lineup is in spots and how much they need to grow to get back to the top of the division.  This year will likely be slightly better than last year, but they are definitely a few years away from being back on top.