One of the biggest stories in Spring Training so far has been the work of Rangers flamethrower Neftali Feliz as a starting pitcher. No decision has been made yet, but there's a good chance that Feliz - last year's closer and AL Rookie of the Year - will begin the year in the starting rotation. And in the event that that happens, Ron Washington knows exactly what he wants.
If Neftali Feliz Starts, Ron Washington Wants A Proven Closer
“I have confidence in Jon Daniels and our scouts,” Washington said Tuesday morning. “If [Feliz starts], I’m 100 percent sure they’ll go out there and find somebody to close ballgames down for us.”
Washington continues:
“Who do we have in our bullpen that’s closed ballgames down? ... We ain’t talking about ‘might be able to.’ This ain’t about ‘might be able to close a ballgame down.’ We need somebody that’s bona fide to close ballgames down. But, like I said, if we need to stay in-house, we’ll figure that out.”
It's almost embarrassingly easy to point out that, just last year, Feliz had tremendous success as a rookie closer, turning himself from an inexperienced yahoo into a proven bullpen ace. The year before that, it was Frank Francisco who went from being a successful non-closer into being a successful closer. And the year before that, C.J. Wilson did the same thing. The Rangers don't need proven closing talent so much as they need talent, and they may very well already have that talent in-house.
Mark Lowe is one option, and if he's healthy, he can be dominant. And then there's Alexi Ogando. Ogando headed into 2011 and Feliz headed into 2010 look very similar. Both work primarily off of blazing heat and a power breaking ball, and Ogando's strike and contact rates from last season are comparable to Feliz's from the season before. He may have a bit less raw ability. but he's got the tools to excel.
If the Rangers opt to turn Feliz into a starter, that will open up a hole in the bullpen. But no matter what Washington may say, they don’t need to go find an experienced veteran to fill it. Not now. Not until they give their own options an opportunity to get the job done.
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