Rangers Notes: Beltre Earns Gold Glove, Silver Slugger Awards

Adrian Beltre committed just 11 errors while handling 312 total chances at third base for the Rangers this year.

Texas third baseman Adrian Beltre was recognized for his contributions in the field and in the lineup this season, picking up his third career Gold Glove award late Tuesday before receiving his second consecutive Silver Slugger award on Wednesday.

The 32-year-old Beltre hit .296 with 32 home runs, 33 doubles and 105 RBIs in 2011, when he also ranked third in the American League with a .561 slugging percentage.

A two-time All-Star, Beltre had previously won back-to-back Gold Glove awards with the Mariners in 2007-08, and he had earned Silver Slugger awards with both the Dodgers (’04) and the Red Sox (’10). The Dominican native joins Buddy Bell as the only Texas third basemen to win Gold Glove and Silver Slugger awards in the same season. Bell accomplished the feat in 1984, when he – like Beltre – was 32 years old.

Texas Locks Up Lewis, Tateyama for 2012

The Rangers exercised the contract options for right-handed pitchers Colby Lewis and Yoshinori Tateyama on Monday, securing the rights to their services for the upcoming 2012 season.

Lewis, 32, has been one of Texas’s most consistent starters over the last two years, racking up a total of 26 wins and 365 strikeouts while averaging just over 200 innings per season.

A 1999 draft pick by the Rangers, Lewis spent two years with the Hiroshima Carp in Japan before returning to Texas for the 2010 campaign. Across eight postseason starts, he has an impressive 4-1 record with an earned run average of 2.34 in 50 innings pitched.

The 35-year-old Tateyama, meanwhile, went 2-0 with a 4.50 ERA over 39 appearances for the Rangers in 2011, posting the eighth-best strikeout-to-walk-ratio (3.91) in the American League.

Tateyama had also spent time pitching in his native Japan prior to signing with Texas last November. In 2010, he put together a career-best ERA of 1.80 in 58 games for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters of the Japanese Pacific League.

Roster Trimmed with Minor Moves

The Rangers cleared a total of six spots on their 40-man roster Wednesday, losing right-hander Darren O’Day to Baltimore on a waiver claim and outrighting five others who successfully passed through waivers.

The 29-year-old O’Day made only 16 regular-season appearances because of a partial tear of his left hip labrum – which required surgery in late April – and he was not on the roster for any of Texas’s three playoff rounds. In 2010, O’Day led the Rangers in appearances (72) while posting a record of 6-3 and a solid 2.03 earned run average.

Also Wednesday, the club outrighted five players off its 40-man roster – right-handed pitchers Omar Beltre, Eric Hurley and Merkin Valdez and infielders Andres Blanco and Esteban German.

Wednesday’s moves leave Texas with 32 players on its current 40-man roster.

Rangers Notes: Starters, Home Runs Lead to Sweep over Royals

Mike Napoli (right) is congratulated by David Murphy after hitting a solo home run in the second inning of Sunday’s 8-7 win over Kansas City.

After losing three series in a row and briefly dropping behind the Angels in the American League West, the Rangers responded with a weekend sweep of the Kansas City Royals and improved their overall record to 14-7 this year.

Texas snapped its two-game losing skid Friday with an 11-6 win over the Royals in Arlington, hitting a season-high five home runs as left-hander Derek Holland went seven innings to earn the victory. Holland was charged with five runs on seven hits, although all five runs came in the fourth inning and he held Kansas City scoreless for the other six frames while recording a total of nine strikeouts.

Mike Napoli hit a two-run homer off Royals starter Jeff Francis in the third inning to extend what had been a 3-0 Rangers’ lead to 5-0, but Kansas City responded with five runs of their own against Holland in the top of the fourth to tie the game.

Second baseman Ian Kinsler put Texas back ahead with a solo home run in the fourth, and the Rangers homered in each of the next three innings – one apiece by David Murphy, Adrian Beltre and Mitch Moreland – to wrap up the scoring as every starter finished with at least one hit.

On Saturday, right-hander Alexi Ogando worked out of jams in each of the first three innings and pitched into the seventh as Texas held on to beat the Royals, 3-2. Making his fourth big-league start, Ogando limited Kansas City batters to just one run on five hits while lowering his season ERA to 2.13.

Murphy scored the first run of the game in the second inning when he reached on a fielding error by Chris Getz and came home on Moreland’s two-out double. Texas pushed its lead to 3-0 with a pair of runs in the third against Royals starter Kyle Davies, one scoring on an Adrian Beltre sacrifice fly and another on a two-out single by Nelson Cruz.

Ogando was pulled in the seventh inning after yielding a leadoff home run to Kila Ka’aihue in to lose his shutout, but right-hander Cody Eppley threw two scoreless frames in his major league debut to preserve the lead for Texas.

The Rangers were powered by three home runs and a six-run fifth inning Sunday as they held off a late charge by Kansas City, completing their three-game sweep with an 8-7 win over the Royals.

Mike Napoli clubbed his fifth home run of the year in the second inning to give Texas a 1-0 lead, but former Ranger Jeff Francoeur hit a solo homer of his own to tie the game in the fourth against left-hander C.J. Wilson. Despite allowing his first two round-trippers of the year, Wilson rebounded to throw seven innings and strike out a season-high 10 batters to pick up the victory.

After Beltre led off the bottom of the fourth with a home run, shortstop Andres Blanco did the same in the fifth, hitting his first long ball since 2009. Texas went on to add five more runs in the inning, capped off by David Murphy’s bases-clearing double with two outs.

The Rangers’ sweep of Kansas City, coupled with a four-game sweep of the Angels by Boston, moved Texas back into first place in the A.L. West division by 2.5 games over Los Angeles. Next up for the Rangers is a four-game series against the Toronto Blue Jays beginning Monday in Arlington.

Feliz Lands on Disabled List

All-Star closer Neftali Feliz was placed on the 15-day disabled list Saturday with inflammation in his throwing shoulder, and right-hander Cody Eppley was called up from Triple-A Round Rock to replace him on the active roster.

Feliz, who recorded 40 saves last season on his way to winning the A.L. Rookie of the Year award, was stretched out as a starter during spring training but eventually moved back into his more familiar bullpen role. Across eight relief appearances so far this year, Feliz has put together a 1.08 earned run average and converted all five of his save opportunities, though he’s also issued six walks (one intentional) along with his six strikeouts.

Eppley, 25, pitched at each of the Rangers’ top three minor league levels last season, posting a record of 5-2 with 16 saves and a composite 2.08 ERA for Bakersfield, Frisco and Oklahoma City.

To make room for Eppley on the 40-man roster, the Rangers transferred right-hander Eric Hurley from the 15- to the 60-day disabled list. Hurley suffered a mild skull fracture and concussion this week when he was hit in the head by a line drive during a Triple-A game in New Orleans.

Rangers Notes: Cactus League Update No. 4

Chris Davis watches the flight of his game-winning home run against the Cleveland Indians on Mar. 3, one of four long balls he has hit this spring.

Although the Rangers were rained out Monday and enjoyed their only scheduled off day of the spring on Tuesday, there was probably little rest or relaxation to be had at the club’s spring training complex in Arizona.

With just over a week to go until the season opener against the Red Sox, Texas has yet to finalize the back end of its starting rotation or decide the immediate future of right-hander Neftali Feliz, who saved 40 games as a rookie last year but has been stretched out as a starter this spring.

Feliz has looked sharp in his four Cactus League appearances so far (including three starts), compiling an ERA of 1.93 while holding opposing hitters to a .222 batting average.

One reason for so much indecision about Feliz has been the ineffectiveness of the Rangers’ potential in-house candidates for closer, particularly right-handers Mark Lowe and Darren O’Day, who have combined for a 12.21 ERA in 13 exhibition games this spring.

Another option could be right-hander Alexi Ogando, who posted an earned run average of 1.30 across 44 relief appearances last season and has expressed a willingness to step into the closer’s role if he’s asked to.

Elsewhere, infielder Chris Davis has continued to make a strong push for a spot on the Opening Day roster, batting .462 (6-for-13) over his last five games with two doubles, two home runs and six RBIs.

And according to Tim Brown of Yahoo! Sports, the Rangers are still “making calls” about possibly trading infielder/designated hitter Michael Young, though they are “asking for top-end prospects” in return and have found no takers thus far.

Hurley, Scheppers to Start Season at Triple-A

Right-handed pitching prospects Eric Hurley and Tanner Scheppers, both former first-round draft picks by Texas, were two of the nine players sent to minor league camp over the past week.

It was announced on Saturday that four players – Hurley, infielder Brian Barden, outfielder Chad Tracy and right-hander Ryan Tucker – had been optioned to Triple-A Round Rock, while catcher Jose Felix and first baseman Jose Ruiz were each sent to Double-A Frisco.

In addition, right-handed pitchers Cody Eppley and Seth McClung were reassigned to the Rangers’ minor league camp on Saturday.

Scheppers, who made just two appearances this spring before being shut down with a strained lower back, was sent to Triple-A Round Rock on Monday, and he is expected to join Hurley in the starting rotation for the Express this season.

Webb Continues Slow Recovery

Former Cy Young award winner Brandon Webb, signed in the offseason to bolster the big-league rotation, continues to work his way back from shoulder surgery and plans to throw live batting practice on Wednesday.

If that goes well, the next step will be for Webb to pitch in a minor league game, though he is still expected to miss at least the first month of the season.

(UPDATE: Webb was scratched from Wednesday’s throwing session because he couldn’t get his shoulder loose, and he now plans to see team doctor Keith Meister for an evaluation.)

Rangers Notes: Cactus League Update No. 2

Outfielder Julio Borbon is batting .391 this spring (9-for-23) with two doubles, five runs scored and a team-leading three stolen bases.

Exactly one-third of the way through their exhibition schedule, the Rangers have a Cactus League record of 6-5 while receiving strong pitching performances from some of the top candidates to fill out the starting rotation.

Left-hander Matt Harrison and right-handers Eric Hurley and Alexi Ogando each threw three scoreless innings in their starts this week, holding opposing batters to a combined three hits with five strikeouts. Right-hander Colby Lewis, meanwhile, gave up two earned runs on four hits and three walks in his three innings of work against the Diamondbacks.

Six-time All-Star Michael Young has been the team’s most consistent hitter in Cactus League play, batting .500 (8-for-16) with a pair of triples and four RBIs while getting starts at DH and every infield position except shortstop.

Outfielder Doug Deeds, a non-roster invitee, has impressed with a .400 average and two home runs, and infielders Chris Davis and Mitch Moreland have are hitting a combined .391 with four homers, seven doubles and 14 runs batted in.

And after missing five days with stiffness in his back, catcher Yorvit Torrealba returned to action on Saturday against Arizona, and he drove in the only Texas run Monday with an RBI double off Giants left-hander Jonathan Sanchez.

Daniels Given Four-Year Extension

The Rangers announced Friday that general manager Jon Daniels has agreed to a four-year extension which will keep him under contract with the club through the 2015 season.

“I am appreciative of the faith that ownership has shown in our baseball leadership group,” he said in a press release. “We’re proud of what we’ve accomplished to this point, but clearly we have more work to do to reach our ultimate goal. Keeping our baseball operations group together is a huge step towards that end.”

Daniels, 33, became the youngest general manager in baseball when he replaced John Hart as the Rangers’ GM on Oct. 4, 2005. Since then, he has overseen key player and personnel moves that helped the club make its first-ever World Series appearance in 2010.

The eighth general manager in franchise history, Daniels was recognized last season as Baseball America’s Major League Executive of the Year, becoming just the second Rangers representative to win the award after former GM Doug Melvin did so in 1998.

Scheppers Gets MRI on Strained Back

Right-handed pitching prospect Tanner Scheppers lasted just two-thirds of an inning last Thursday against the Cubs, and it was later revealed that he was experiencing stiffness due to a strained lower back.

Scheppers, 24, underwent an MRI exam on Friday and saw a back specialist Monday, though the original diagnosis did not change and no structural damage was found.

A supplemental first-round draft pick of the Rangers in 2009, Scheppers missed his scheduled appearance Tuesday against the Angels and it’s not known yet when he will return to the mound.

Feliz Prefers Closing Duties

While tossing live batting practice on Sunday, right-hander Neftali Feliz was hit in the left shin by a line drive off the bat of outfielder Craig Gentry and taken off the field on a cart, though his throwing schedule is not expected to be effected.

On Monday, it was reported that if Feliz were given a choice, he would prefer to remain the team’s closer rather than transitioning back into a starting role.

Perhaps picking up on that cue, the Rangers scratched plans for Feliz to start Wednesday’s game against Oakland (opting for left-hander Derek Holland) and announced that he will pitch the final three innings instead.

Rangers Notes: Texas Drops Exhibition Opener, 4-2

Yoshinori Tateyama gave up a hit and a walk in his Rangers debut on Sunday but held on to pitch a scoreless seventh inning against Kansas City.

The Rangers opened their 2011 Cactus League schedule on Sunday with a 4-2 loss to the Kansas City Royals at Surprise Stadium in Arizona, though the game did provide some bright spots for Texas.

Left-hander C.J. Wilson and right-hander Dave Bush, who is trying to earn a role at the back end of the rotation, combined to give up two earned runs on four hits over the first four innings.

Wilson and Bush were followed on the mound by a succession of right-handers for one inning apiece – Mark Lowe, Tanner Scheppers, Yoshinori Tateyama, Ryan Tucker and Pedro Strop – who held the Royals to just one unearned run the rest of the way.

Outfielder Doug Deeds hit a two-run homer off Royals right-hander Louis Coleman in the sixth inning to provide the Rangers with their only scoring of the afternoon.

Defensively, errors by third baseman Michael Young and center fielder Julio Borbon each allowed a run to score, though Borbon did contribute with a double off left-hander Bruce Chen in the sixth.

Beltre Sidelined with Calf Injury

Newly-acquired third baseman Adrian Beltre could miss anywhere from two weeks to a month with a Grade 1 strain in his right calf, it was announced Friday.

While initial reports said he would miss 10 to 14 days, Jon Heyman of SI.com said on Saturday (via Twitter) that he “heard [Beltre] could be out a month,” which would put his status in doubt for the season opener on Apr.1.

After hitting .321 with 28 home runs and a league-leading 49 doubles for Boston last season, the 31-year-old Beltre signed a six-year deal with the Rangers in January worth $96 million.

Kinsler Set to Bat Leadoff

On Saturday, manager Ron Washington announced his plans to have second baseman Ian Kinsler bat leadoff this season while dropping shortstop Elvis Andrus – who spent much of last year as the leadoff hitter – to second in the lineup.

Meanwhile, designated hitter Michael Young will move from No. 2 in the batting order down to Kinsler’s old slot at No. 6, and Adrian Beltre should fill the cleanup spot (No. 4) left vacant by the departure of Vladimir Guerrero.

Like last season, outfielders Josh Hamilton, Nelson Cruz and Julio Borbon are expected to bat third, fifth and ninth, respectively, although the lineup would likely be altered on days when David Murphy starts in the outfield.

Seven More Players Agree to Terms

The Rangers announced Saturday that they had agreed to salary terms with six of the seven pre-arbitration eligible players on their roster who were not under contract for the upcoming season, including All-Star shortstop Elvis Andrus and right-handed reliever Alexi Ogando.

Andrus, the team leader with 32 stolen bases and 64 walks last year, is set to make $452,180 this season while Ogando, who emerged as a key bullpen component down the stretch in 2010, has agreed to a salary of $430,150.

Also agreeing to terms on Saturday were infielder Andres Blanco ($520,000), outfielder Craig Gentry ($416,000), and right-handers Omar Beltre and Eric Hurley ($415,000 each).

The only player not to agree to salary terms Saturday was right-hander Pedro Strop, though he signed a one-year deal on Sunday worth $416,000, according to Richard Durrett of ESPN Dallas.