We are officially out of the wild card race (have been for a while).  Byrd and Kinsler's comments beg the question, what can management do to overhaul the 2009 rangers pitching staff? The offense is young, cheap, and good enough to win it all.  I know that this isn't the first, and certainly won't be the last post on the subject, but I would like to hear suggestions for what you would do this offseason to correct the worst pitching staff in baseball.

My suggestion:

1- Spend money. We have the money. We don't have any true 1's that will be ready until 2010 at best.  Plus, great teams have top flight young pitchers that have to force their way onto the roster.  They don't leave gaping holes that force pitchers that aren't ready onto the major league roster.  If the offense wasn't there, it wouldn't make sense to spend, but they are so we should.

I would push hard to sign 2 of the following 3: Sheets, CC, and Burnett.  Are we guaranteed this? Not at all. But any of these pitchers become our top pitcher. No reason to spend on 3's and 4's.  It's all in or bust.

2- if the price is right, trade for a top starter.  Greinke, Holliday...etc.  The obvious choice is to use our catching surplus and deep farm system to provide a top of the line pitcher that we can control for a while in return.

3- Don't buy relievers.  Relievers are the most unreliable pitchers from year to year.  I strongly believe that the best way to make a strong bullpen is to have a great rotation and then allow quality leftovers to fill the bullpen.  A bad rotation means you have scraps for a bullpen.  The Krods of the world will be overpaid given the risk.

Here's an ideal offseason for me:

1- Sheets/CC

2- Burnett/Sheets

3- Greinke/traded pitcher

4- Padilla

5-McCarthy (possibly Millwood)

Bullpen:

Rupe, Wright, Feldman (only has two pitches), Francisco, Wilson, Benoit, Mendoza (maybe, but he shouldn't be a starter- 2 pitches), Guardado (resigned), Madrigal.  Closer would be the winner of a Francisco, Madrigal (I think he's the future), Wilson, and Guardado battle.

AAA

Nippert- he's got #1/#2 potential, and he's starting to put it together. Rather than stash him in the pen, he should build stamina and be the first call up- and we know it will come.

Hurley- a 5 ERA in AAA says he doesn't belong in a World Series contending rotation yet.

Gabbard- another back of the rotation ceiling pitcher.  He's perfect for a call up, terrible if we are counting on him to be a permanent placement in the rotation.

Harrison- not ready for the show yet.

Mathis

Bullpen

Hunter- closer (only has two pitches, he can be an average starter or a dominant closer), Littleton, Loe (2 pitches and is always hurt)

The "only has two pitches" comment is that I've heard that you need to have 3 pitches to get through a line up more than once.  We keep filling our rotation with guys that really have to pitch perfectly to make it through the line up.  They could be great relievers, but will never be more than back of the rotation starters.  (Mendoza, Loe, Feldman, Gabbard)

Now...I'm open to rebuke.