Tanner Scheppers had a respectable, albeit impossible, answer when asked what he wanted his role to be with the Texas Rangers in 2014, coming off his breakout season as the team's set-up man in 2013.
There's been discussion of Scheppers becoming the latest of a handful of Rangers relievers to give starting a try in recent years, joining the likes of C.J. Wilson, Alexi Ogando and Neftali Feliz. And Scheppers is on board with whatever the Rangers decide is best for the club. He could also take over as the club's closer after the departure of Joe Nathan, or could remain in a set-up role for possible closers Joakim Soria or Feliz.
"I want to do both," Scheppers told MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan. "But it's not my decision to make that call. The people in that position will tell me what to do."
Scheppers finally did what the Rangers had waited so long for from the oft-injured, hard-throwing righty, when he was one of the league's best set-up men. He compiled a 1.88 ERA in 76 2/3 innings of work with really only one bad stretch just before the all-star break as it was clear he needed a rest. He was a finalist for the final spot on the AL all-star team determined by fan vote, and it was probably a blessing he didn't get it and got to go home and chill for a few days.
The Rangers appeared to be set in the rotation but Derek Holland's knee surgery last week clouded the situation dramatically and made it to where the Rangers will either have to pull someone out of their bullpen like Scheppers or Robbie Ross or go sign "a guy" to give them some innings until Holland return. It seems the Rangers are out on a high-priced addition like Japanese import Masahiro Tanaka.
"I'm just going to go in there in the best shape of my life and be ready for whatever," Scheppers said.
