A Short Stop in Texas

Matt Bruce

Quick: Who's the best shortstop in Texas Ranger franchise history? The question became a lot less difficult to answer this week, even though the presumptive choice has yet to play an inning in a Texas uniform. A few years ago, when the Dallas Morning News asked readers to select an all-time, all-franchise team, a utility infielder named Mario Diaz finished in the top five. The Rangers' active everyday shortstop at the time, Diaz topped 200 at-bats for the only time in his career, thanks to the injuries and malingering of one Manny Lee.

It's an undistinguished record on an undistinguished franchise, a black hole nearly as all-consuming as Cub third baseman (after Ron Santo) or Expos catchers (before Michael Barrett). Okay, the comparison is a little unfair -- Toby Harrah had some fine seasons, a few of them even in the 6-hole -- but only a little.

You can check it out yourself at Sean Forman's Baseball Reference site, or just trust me that the history isn't pretty. It all goes back to the second Washington Senators. Their only regular shortstop, Ed Brinkman, hit .224/.280/.300 over a 15-year career. Traded to Detroit in 1970, Brinkman never made it to the promised land, if Arlington, Texas, can be called that.

Brinkman's departure made room for the 22-year-old Harrah. Toby Harrah is a player that only Ranger fans seem to know about, yet only intelligent fans older than me would know just how good he was. The numbers reveal a very patient player, with 1153 career walks against just 868 strikeouts. A .365 career on-base percentage is worthwhile, especially compared to the Pete Incaviglias and Ruben Sierras that defined the Ranger lineup after Harrah's retirement.

The problem with Toby Harrah as a franchise shortstop is that he couldn't field the position, or at least couldn't convince Texas management of it. The Rangers signed 35-year-old Bert Campaneris before the 1977 season, shifting Harrah to third base. Harrah was exiled to Cleveland two years later, though he did return to Texas (this time at second base) for the last two years of his career. (He also managed the team for half a season after Bobby Valentine's long-overdue firing.)

Campy was best known for his presence on the Oakland dynasty of the 1970s. His statistics peg him as no more than one of the luckiest men in baseball, a placeholder surrounded by greatness. He hit .186/.245/.238 in his second and last year in Arlington, also the second year in a row that the Rangers finished in second place behind Kansas City.

In 1979 Texas gave the job to another kid, 21-year-old Nelson Norman. He hit .222/.260/.265 in his first full season -- make that his only full season. Norman had just 52 at-bats in the majors after that year, though I can only imagine he hung around in the minors for awhile. Someone who knows more about this guy, please write!

The door revolved a few more times through Pepe Frias, Mario Mendoza (he of the namesake line), Mark Wagner, and Bucky Dent (he of the fluke home run). In 1984, 23-year-old Curtis Wilkerson claimed the job, only to slip to utility status a couple years later. Wilkerson, not unlike Brinkman, finished his career at .245/.286/.305, though 11 seasons in the majors is pretty good if you can't get on base, hit for power, or even catch the ball that well.

Then came Scott Fletcher, one of my personal favorites. Since Fletcher apparently had a dog named Spot, Texas broadcaster Norm Hitzges liked to call the player himself "Spot Fletcher." Scotty kicked around for 15 seasons of replacement-level ball, putting up some decent numbers for a guy with no power whatsoever. He hit .287/.358/.374 with a career-high five home runs in 1987 (remember, this was the year of the rabbit ball), then failed to go deep again in 203 more games in Texas.

Once Fletcher was traded back to Chicago (with Wilson Alvarez and Sammy Sosa), the door began revolving again. Baseball Reference lists Jeff Huson (at least he had his youth then) as the Rangers' primary shortstop of 1990-91, though Jeff Kunkel, Gary Green, Esteban Beltre, and former prospect Monte Farriss all got their licks in. Texas rented aging Dickie Thon for a year in 1992. He did okay, though his .293 on-base percentage is typical of the silent death the Rangers have suffered from that spot for decades.

Speaking of assassins, Texas did sign Manny Lee in that offseason. Lee, a 27-year-old coming over from Toronto, actually cost them a spot of money. A highly reputed tools player, Lee had never put together a good season, nor even stayed healthy enough to play more than 138 games. Think of Alex Gonzalez (the one who isn't a Marlin) when you think of him, and pity the team that ends up with Gonzalez. Lee lasted two years in Texas, then had exactly one more at-bat in the majors.

Almost an entire column already, and still no mention of the rushing of Benji Gil or the rusting of Kevin Elster. Nor will I step up and slam Royce Clayton (.312 career OBP), the man whose consecutive 14-homer seasons demonstrate just how offensive this era really is. I do have to salute the Rangers for finding someone to take them off their hands and even getting a good pitching prospect for it.

Now take a second and check out the new guy in Texas. Look at his numbers. Look at his age. You never thought $252 million would be the price tag on the biggest bargain in baseball, did you? Just as every team has had its share of blight, every team eventually latches onto a true MVP. It's a good time to be a Ranger fan, or rather a good time already to have been one.

Just think. With A-Rod at short, his range will make up a bit for Mike Lamb's occasional hot corner lapses. Frank Catalanotto should inherit the vacancy left by Luis Alicea, though Texas has Jason Romano on the farm, a year or so away. Carlos Pena might already -- what's this I hear? Oh, really? Well then. I feel silly.

The Rangers have Rodriguez for the next decade or so, which is good since they'll need more than a year to become a champion. Yet instead of building a dynasty, the Texas brass brought on Ken Caminiti, Randy Velarde, and Andres Galarraga. Combined age -- I don't even want to think about it. Games with all three in the same lineup -- probably countable on one hand.

That just means that Ranger fans can complain about injuries for the second year in a row, though only one of those complaints is legitimate. Last year, imagine a healthy Pudge Rodriguez and a healthy Ruben Mateo, with Rusty Greer at 100% and Gabe Kapler playing all year the way he did in the second half. Okay, they'd still be a .500 ball club, not too shabby given the pitching. So of course, they went out and stocked up on arms to keep the team in the game, right?

Bottom line, Texas will win somewhere in the mid-80s of games and miss the playoffs. Even without the over-the-hill gang (but with A-Rod), they weren't championship favorites. Maybe the high-profile busts will make the media less likely to do a Barry Bonds number on Rodriguez. Maybe. No matter what happens, we'll have a fun season and A-Rod will have an easy act to follow. I'm happy.

about the author

Matt Bruce spent most of his time at the company Xmas party talking about Scott Hatteburg's swing. Explain why he wasn't invited to the after-party at mb@strikethree.com.