Usually towards the end of the year, we always hear about how many players the Texas Rangers have used overall in any particular season. The Rangers are usually towards the high end of that list. Injuries, callups, usually make for a long list, and you tend to forget the guys who are here so quick that they don’t even have time for the proverbial “cup of coffee”.
I’ve done this for the last three seasons, and it’s worked out pretty well. I’ve also gotten some positive feedback on it, so I’m doing it again in 2011. For the record, if you’d like to see the final tallies for the other years I’ve done this, you can still see them here: [ 2008 | 2009 | 2010 ]
Anyway, this post will get bumped whenever there is a player who is making his first appearance for the Texas Rangers in 2011 (not guys like Teagarden & Davis that get called up 20 times a season). I am going to count guys who get called up, but don’t play immediately (or sometimes don’t play at all), as they will be part of the 25 man roster officially. So here goes. The most recent additions will be on the top of the list. The original opening day 25 man roster is not in any particular order.
In 2011, the Rangers have just one in the original opening day 25 that is making his major league debut (Mason Tobin), which is an increase over 2010 when we had nobody. We had one in 2009 (Elvis Andrus) and one in 2008 (Kaz Fukumori). We do have, however five guys making their Ranger debuts in 2011: Adrian Beltre, Dave Bush, Mike Napoli, Arthur Rhodes, Mason Tobin, and Yorvit Torrealba.
Total players in 2011: 44
Total pitchers used in 2011: 24
Total position players used in 2011: 20
Total players making major league debut: 5
#44 – Merkin Valdez (Sep 1 – Sep callup)
#43 – Esteban German (Sep 1 – Sep callup)
#42 – Matt Treanor (Sep 1 – acquired via trade)
#41 – Mike Gonzalez (Sep 1 – acquired via trade)
#40 – Leonys Martin (Aug 30) *
#39 – Mark Hamburger (Aug 30) *
#38 – Mike Adams (Jul 31 – acquired via trade)
#37 – Koji Uehara (Jul 31 – acquired via trade)
#36 – Scott Feldman (Jul 14, replace Darren O’Day who was optioned to AAA)
#35 – Omar Quintanilla (Jul 8, replace Andres Blanco who went to DL)
#34 – Yoshinori Tateyama* (May 23 – Replace Cody Eppley, optioned to AAA)
#33 – Endy Chavez (May 14 – Replace Julio Borbon who went to DL)
#32 – Craig Gentry (May 7 – Replace Nelson Cruz who went to DL)
#31 – Ryan Tucker (Apr 27 – Replace Darren O’Day who went to DL)
#30 – Cody Eppley* (Apr 23 – Replace Neftali Feliz, who went to DL)
#29 – Taylor Teagarden (Apr 20 – Replace Michael Kirkman, optioned to AAA)
#28 – Brett Tomko (Apr 20 – Replace Mason Tobin, who went to DL)
#27 – Michael Kirkman (Apr 15 – Paternity List leave for Colby Lewis)
#26 – Chris Davis (Apr 13 – Replace Josh Hamilton, who went to DL)
#25 to #1: Dave Bush, Neftali Feliz, Colby Lewis, Mark Lowe, Darren O’Day, Alexi Ogando, Pedro Strop, Mason Tobin*, Matt Harrison, Darren Oliver, C.J. Wilson, Arthur Rhodes, Derek Holland, Mike Napoli, Yorvit Torrealba, Elvis Andrus, Adrian Beltre, Andres Blanco, Ian Kinsler, Mitch Moreland, Michael Young, Julio Borbon, Nelson Cruz, Josh Hamilton, David Murphy
* – Making Major League Debut
Please note that 1 to 25 are in no particular order.