Texas Rangers fans hoping for general manager Jon Daniels to deliver a new player for Christmas may be disappointed.
Despite not making a big splash yet this offseason, Daniels likes the direction the roster is heading for a team that finished in last place in the American League West in 2014.
"I think there are a few areas we'd still like to add some depth and we may," Daniels said Tuesday at the team's Christmas lunch. "I like a lot of our internal candidates for these spots. I like a lot of the competition that's been created, both by the some of the pieces we've brought in but maybe more so by the development of some of our young guys and the positive medical news we're getting on the whole group that should be the best players on our team."
The additions of left-hander Ross Detwiler, right-hander Kyuji Fujikawa, Rule 5 pick Delino DeShields Jr. and the re-signing of Colby Lewis could end up being the major moves for the Rangers. Daniels said the club could still add starting to back up the younger pitchers in the rotation or a right-handed bat but that a major move may not happen.
That doesn't mean the Rangers haven't been thought about making something major happen.
"We've been involved in a lot of guys that have moved or rumored to be moved," Daniels said. "For where we are or what we would have had to give up we didn't feel like the prices made sense for us at this point in time. We've been in the thick of things. We've been amongst the teams in that flurry before. There's an adrenalin rush to it. I'd be lying to you if there weren't days where I wanted to take off the restraints and go a little bit because it's fun. Sometimes the right thing to do, the prudent thing to do, is look back and say 'Hey our players are good.'"
What Daniels continues to bank on is his team being healthy in 2015 and all the reports so far are that they will be.
New manager Jeff Banister likes what the Rangers have added this offseason. He likes the edge a player like DeShields, who was made available for the Rule 5 draft by Houston, and Detwiler bring. Both have something to prove and he believes the Rangers will be the beneficiary.
"Anytime you come across men that have an edge, they have an axe to grind, they have something to prove, I was that guy, didn't reach the level of what these guys have," Banister said. "I know when you have something to prove, you have a burning desire inside of you, you are going to be a guy that pushes yourself. You don't typically need a lot of other guys pushing you along."
Briefly
• Pitcher Matt Harrison has been named the Harold McKinney Good Guy Award winner by the local members of the Baseball Writers Association.
• Texas agreed to a deal with right-hander Mitch Atkins on a minor-league deal. Atkins played in the minors for Atlanta in 2014, going a combined 7-4 with a 3.76 ERA between Triple A and Double A.
• Daniels said left-hander Martin Perez, who is recovering from Tommy John surgery, could begin throwing off a mound in May and begin pitching in rehab games in June.
• Kyle Blanks, who was signed to a minor-league deal, won't play in the outfield. He'll be used at first base and designated hitter. Blanks is still recovering from a calf injury.
