If Neftali Feliz does great in ST as a starter who would YOU have at closer? Not who probably will be at closer but who YOU would want as closer. You could keep Nefty if you want or you could go with Ogando, or Daren Oliver hell you could pick Sheppers if thats who you want closing at the beggining of the season.

Also could you post your Rotation with Nefty a starter if you dont have him closing

Here's mine...

CJ Wilson
Colby Lewis
Derek Holland
Tommy Hunter
Neftali Feliz
with Ogando as the Closer
'When Webb is ready id let him take over for either Holland/Hunter/Nefty if theyre stinkin it up

It's easily Ogando for me. I think he would be every bit as effective as Feliz in the closer role.

In a perfect world (assuming Webb, even in that perfect world, is not ready on Opening Day) my staff would looke like this:

Rotation:

Lewis
Wilson
Holland
Feliz
Kirkman

Closer:

Ogando

Primary Setup:

Lowe

Setup Men (in order):

Rhodes
Oliver
O'Day

Long Men:

Hunter
Harrison (I hate Harrison in the rotation, but I really think a lot of him as a long man. I think he's pretty darned good once through the order, particularly as a LHP facing a lineup set for a RH starting pitcher. I also like him as a LOOGY in late-game situations).

I'd love to think Feliz will be starting, but I don't think he is, regardless of whatever the FO is saying. If he does, I'd say Ogando would get first look at closer, with Oliver and Rhodes ready to step up if he struggles. Long term, I think Scheppers is the guy.

How I see the Roto/Bullpen situation panning out this year (Not what I want, what I think will happen)

Wilson
Lewis
Hunter
Webb
Holland

CL Feliz
SU Rhodes
SU Oliver
MR O'Day
MR Lowe
MR Kirkman
LR Harrison

Taylor,

You left Ogando off the staff entirely. I assume this was an oversight on your part.

Oh yeah, MAJOR oversight. I wouldn't be surprised if Kirkman begins the year starting in Round Rock, so I'll drop him for Ogando.

Does Feldman have options left?

Assuming Webb starts the season either in extended spring training or AAA, I think it shakes out like this:

ASSURED A SPOT: CJ, Lewis, Hunter, Holland, Feliz, Ogando, Oliver, Rhodes, O'Day (9)

3 SPOTS UP FOR GRABS: Bush, Feldman, Kirkman, Tateyama, Lowe

LONG SHOTS: Harrison, Strop, Scheppers, Hurley

If everyone is healthy to start the season, including Webb, Webb would take the 10th spot, and the final two would probably go to Kirkman and Feldman, who can go multiple innings.

I think Bush is just insurance and that he won't make the team without a big injury early on.

I'm not sure what we can expect from Tateyama, or whether he's better than Lowe - I'm also not sure how good Lowe will be (before his injury he was pretty good).

What i take from this is that Texas actually has pretty good depth, even without Webb.

Oh, and I think the closer will be Feliz - if only because they have a glut of guys who are ready to get a crack at the rotation, and he was pretty good in that role last year.

If Feliz goes into the rotation, it would have to be Ogando. Scheppers is going to be here soon, too, I bet - as a late-inning guy...

If Nefty makes the switch to the rotation and Ogando is givin the shot at closer and has a few struggles early but Feliz has flourished as a starter would Ron Washington move him back to closer or give Rhodes or Oliver a shot? and if they were moved to the closer role would the Rangers have the only african american closer? just wondering none come to mind

That's exactly why I don't think they will mess with it this year, but will leave Ogando & Feliz in their slots.

But I guess if Feliz did go lights-out in ST as a starter, and he won the #5 spot, and Ogando became the closer, and then Ogando started sucking, I don't know what they'd do. Mark Lowe saved a few games awhile back with SEA, and I guess Oliver might be a candidate... but I don't think Oliver or Rhodes are going to be a long-term solution because of age and "stuff." Don't really know about Mark Lowe. Another long-term answer besides Feliz or Ogando is Scheppers - so there's that.

But I still think when everything is said and done, Feliz will be the closer. I'll be really surprised if he moves into the rotation this year.

As to your other question - I think you're right. Weird. But overall, I think it's no secret that over the last 10 years, ML baseball is becoming more latino and less black, for whatever reason.

@ Martin:

Doesn't really matter if Feldman has options. If a guy is out of options, in order to be sent to the minors (on a non-rehab asignment) he must clear waivers. Given Feldman's contract and 2010 productivity, if he can't earn a job on the ML roster, then passing him through waivers isn't a risk that you lose him, it's an opportunity to possibly get rid of his contract if some contending team is desperate enough for a pitcher.

I hope Feliz makes the rotation. Not only do I want his electric stuff and young arm in that rotation, but I think if he stays in the pen another year, he might get pigeonholed as a closer without ever getting a decent shot to be a SP. I have made my feelings known many times before about how much more valuable a pitcher is for 6 innings every 5 days than for 1 or 2 innings over that same stretch, so I won't revisit it.

My rotation:
Wilson
Lewis
Feliz
Webb
Hunter

I think Ogando has the best shot to succeed as the closer on Opening Day, though Oliver and Rhodes have tons of experience if Alexi should falter. I love O'Day in a 7th or 8th inning role against RHPs, but I don't think he has the stuff to get LHBs out in a clutch situation, so he shouldn't be overexposed by a closer experiement unless it is strictly against RHBs.

It is nice having so many talented pitchers to mix and match in our theoretical bullpens. I remember when this sort of discussion would have been about picking the Batting Practice pitcher who would give up the least carnage for Texas, not deciding which of the studs to put into what slot.

I can't wait for opening day!

I think the only way Feliz makes the rotation is if they decide they are going to do it from the start, come hell or high water, and they push forward with that plan. You don't want to stretch him out only to return him back to going 1 inning 4 days a week. In other words, you don't want to mess with his arm or routine unnecessarily.

Feliz has said himself that he likes relief, so I wonder if maybe they will just leave him there this year in order to see what comes of guys like Holland, Hunter, Feldman, etc. It's also been suggested that Ogando might be the guy to start, rather than Feliz, since Ogando has better secondary pitches, apparently. Ogando as starter, Feliz as closer, and Scheppers as 8th inning guy sounds good to me.

However, if Feliz does go to the rotation, I do think it will be exciting to watch, and so I'm definitely not against it.

Ive noticed theres been a decline in african american players but the majority of those players play OF do you think it is bc they cant pitch or bc they would rather use their athletic abilities in the OF?

1) C.J. Wilson
2) Colby Lewis
3) Brandon Webb
4) Neftali Feliz
5) Tommy Hunter

Closer

Ogando
Lowe (if Ogando tanks it)

Martin - are you trying to argue that all black people can't do X because they are black? That's preposterous and ... well... probably racist. I think African American kids can play any sport they want to, and so if they aren't choosing baseball it's not because of a biological reason, but instead a sociological one.

Not at all im just saying would they rather play of then pitch thats it

I know it's not that "they can't pitch." There are increasingly fewer black players in baseball - period - regardless of position. It is a complicated issue that Torii Hunter (albeit poorly) raised last year - here's a decent article about it:

http://www.theroot.com/views/torii-hunter-was-right-about-baseball

wow i didnt know it was 9% i knew it was bad but dam.. i think its because they just dont like baseball, and its pretty expensive these days for little league and you cant play one on one in baseball. Its just harder to get like 18 guys and bases balls bats etc. then one basket ball or one football.

PS Torri Hunter is dumb. Those players are still black they came from Africa too theyre just not from America but they are still black

I don't know about the money thing. You often see kids with pretty expensive sneakers playing basketball; that money could go towards a glove and a bat. I think it's more of a case that kids just don't want to play baseball. Why? Probably for a collection of reasons. Probably because baseball isn't considered "cool" or "tough" enough.

Regarding your second point, you have to define what you mean by "black." If it's just skin color, then yeah - lots of these Dominican and Puerto Rican guys are black. Elvis would be considered "black" if that's what you mean by it. But I think Hunter is talking about culture and ethnicity, and to him "black" means "African-American" only. So I don't think Hunter is "dumb" - and I would imagine that most people would agree with his definition of "black" - especially if one takes into consideration the unique situation and experience of Africans who were brought here as slaves, and all that followed.

To say that players from the Dominican Republic are "imposters" yea thats pretty dumb. And black people from the Dominican Republic are still black, calling them imposters would be like people from africa calling black people from the United States imposters. The black Dominicans over as slaves too, The US wasnt the only country with slaves are black people from europe imposters too?

African American kids are not exposed to baseball enough. All they see is how cool and rich guys are in the NFL and NBA so they want to be like them. I think there needs to be some Great black players who little kids look up to so that they can get interested into the game again. You look around the league theres not really a guy who black kids say wow i wana play baseball like ______. Dont get me wrong theres alot of good black baseball players but not really a guy who you can say is one of the best in baseball.
Who was the last black player to win either MVP that wasnt KGJ? I dont know im just wondering

I'll date myself here, but when I was a teen, two of the biggest stars in baseball were Dwight Gooden and Daryl Strawberry. That wasn't THAT long ago.

Then i guess baseball just isnt cool enough then.

But really its so hard to find 18 guys who like baseball and have a glove balls etc. when your a kid belive me. with basketball all u need is a ball, one other guy and you can just walk down the street to the park or rec. center, football well everyone likes football so its not hard to find a guy who will just play you dont really need anything to play.

You're right I guess, although you can hit and field with 5 guys: 1 batter, 1 pitcher, 1 IF, 3 OF - rotate. My friends & I spent about 3 years doing this pretty much every day during the summer. All you need is a couple of bats, 4 gloves, and 3 baseballs. I think the perception that baseball is "boring" and consists of a lot of standing around hurts the sport, unfortunately. It does have the home run going for it, though. LOL