Here’s a few small transactions that happened over a couple of days:

• P Zach Simons released (Apr 11 – could be Apr 1)
• P Justin Miller recalled from AA and placed on 60 day DL
• P Jeff Beliveau traded to Tampa Bay Rays
• P Julio Borbon claimed off waivers from Rangers by Chicago Cubs

I really was hoping that Borbon could go somewhere and win.  I always felt he got a bit of a bad deal here.  Not *TOO* bad, mind you – as he had numerous chances to seize the job.   But in the end, he was passed by other guys on the roster.   Shame, as I always liked the guy.   Hope he does well in Chicago.

• P Matt Harrison placed on 15 day DL, retro to Apr 6
• P Justin Grimm recalled from AAA
• P Justin Miller recalled from AA and placed on 60 day DL [ Link ]

This isn’t a move I particularly like.  But Harrison has been pretty bad the first two starts of the season.   Odd, because I don’t recall him being hurt or bad during the spring.   So it popped up pretty quickly.   I’m also not sold on Justin Grimm as a replacement.  Bullpen on standby there.   Hopefully I’m wrong, but outside of Grimm’s original major league debut, I haven’t had a lot of trust in him to start games for us.

Justin Miller is a procedural move only, so I won’t count him in my list of players who have been called up this season.

• P Nick Tepesch purchased from AAA
• OF Julio Borbon designated for assignment [ Link ]

Well, the Julio Borbon era ends in Texas.  I have to say I figured it would end differently.  I figure we’d work out a trade with someone.  We may yet, but a DFA was a bit of a surprise.   He had a great spring, and I hope he ends up somewhere and does well.  Always liked the guy, feel bad, but he got buried behind a lot of other guys.   We always talk about how David Murphy has never gotten playing time.  Borbon did get playing time – twice, and didn’t capture it.  Still, you feel like he could now.   It just won’t be here.  See ya later Julio.

• C Robinson Chirinos acquired for PTBNL or $ from Tampa Bay
• P Jeff Beliveau designated for assignment [ Link ]

I honestly don’t know much about either of these guys.  Probably just a move to have some more depth at catcher in the minor leagues.

Here’s the big gaggle of transactions to set up for Opening Day (today):

• P Colby Lewis placed on 15 day DL, retro to March 22
• P Joakim Soria placed on 15 day DL, retro to March 22
• P Martin Perez placed on 15 day DL, retro to March 22
• P Cory Burns, P Josh Lindblom, & IF Jurickson Profar optioned to AAA
• IF Jeff Baker & P Derek Lowe purchased from AAA
• IF Brandon Allen given unconditional release from AAA

A lot has been written about the makeup of this roster, and it will be weird not having Michael Young here.  I’ll still get to see him in Philly, but it WILL be weird not seeing him here.   A few short remarks about guys on the 25 man roster: [Read more…]

• P Jake Brigham acquired from Cubs for P Barret Loux & PTBNL
• P Johan Yan signed to minor league contract for 2013 & given invite to spring training 
• IF Leury Garcia purchased from AA
• P Joe Ortiz purchased from AA [ Link ] 

• P Scott Feldman had his 2013 option declined, making him a free agent
• P Yoshinori Tateyama had his 2013 option declined, making him a free agent
• P Neftali Feliz reinstated from 60 day DL
• P Justin Miller purchased from AA [ Link ]

Remarks: Well, Feliz & Miller were procedural.   Miller lost all of the 2012 season due to Tommy John surgery, so those were just to get those guys back on the 40 man roster.    The others are moves that were expected.   Declining the options of Feldman & Tateyama are both ones that I think every Rangers fan saw coming.  Tateyama wasn’t exactly bad, but he never did much here, and we can probably find something better.

Feldman, however, was pretty darned awful in 2012, except for a stretch for a few weeks in the middle where he looked like the good Feldman again.  But overall, pretty bad.  Dug his own hole with that crappy performance.  In the article on the Rangers site, Scott was quoted as saying “I just want to go someplace where I can start regularly”.   Well, to be honest, Scott – that could have been here.  Had you not pitched so awful, you would have pitched regularly here.  In fact, he was given a regular starter’s role this year after he had that couple of week good stretch.  Then he blew it by pitching awful again.  So I don’t have a lot of tears for that stance of his.

This is the start of a few moves this week – I expect to see more in the next few days, when the decisions on qualifying offers come down.

• P Colby Lewis signed to a 1 year contract for 2013 [ Link ]

NOTES:  Colby Lewis was signed to a one year contract for 2013 today.   This is both good and bad.  He was going to be a free agent after this season, so it’s good we held onto someone.  He said “Texas is where I want to be” in his press conference, so that was nice.   The bad side is he’s hurt, and unfortunately isn’t due back until the middle of 2013, so we have no idea what kind of pitcher we’ll get then.

But still, keeping him is a better option than letting him go, that’s for sure.

• P Wilmer Font recalled from AA
• P Justin Grimm recalled from AA [ Link ]

NOTES: Wilmer Font & Justin Grimm were called from from AA Frisco.   Both have short appearances earlier in the season, with Grimm making a splash in his first start.  This is an insurance move, I can’t see either making a huge impact.

• C Mike Napoli activated from DL
• P Robbie Ross activated from DL [ Link ]

NOTES: Mike Napolo & Robbie Ross return from the disabled list.  Ross wasn’t there long, he was there just about two weeks.  Napoli, however has been on it for a few months now.  Let’s see if he can contribute anything in September, as he’s been pretty flat most of 2012.