So, it looks like Yu Darvish's 2015 season is over before it ever started — 12 pitches into his Cactus League debut, to be exact.
So the Rangers should go out and trade for another star pitcher, right? You know, because of the new television money and the money reimbursed to the Rangers from Darvish's insurance policy if he does miss the season, as expected.
Wrong.
Not only wrong, but that would be the worst thing the Rangers could do right now.
Some people, including noted local columnists, are throwing out the idea of the Rangers rushing out to acquire Philadelphia Phillies ace Cole Hamels to replace Darvish atop the Rangers' rotation, and if anyone out there could do that, it'd be Hamels. He's great. But what would be the point?
With Yu Darvish as the Rangers' ace, we felt a lot better about the team's starting rotation than we do now, that's for sure, but the Rangers were by no means a slam dunk to contend for a pennant, or even the AL West, in which Seattle seems to be a heavy favorite. Going to get Hamels wouldn't change that.
Going to get Hamels would do one thing, it'd further handcuff a team financially that's already looking at a few potential bad contracts in Prince Fielder, Shin-Soo Choo and even Elvis Andrus, though he's still young, unlike Fielder and Choo.
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The right thing to do is to plug in one of your young arms to the No. 5 spot in the rotation and move everyone else up a spot, so Derek Holland is "replacing" Darvish, even though we all know that's not realistic. Going and trading for an arm now would do nothing but hike up the price on the Rangers, who are obviously seen as desperate at the moment. No one's going to feel sorry for them.
Do that, and see what the Rangers can do with it. If there are no more injuries, they can still compete. There have been very successful teams in recent years without an ace, and the Rangers could possibly be another. Then, come June or July if the Rangers are still competitive and in the mix, then you can go get another arm.
