Question Of The (Off) Day: Who Is In The Bullpen?

Posted on March 23rd, 2009 9:13am by Evan Grant
Filed under Bullpen, Burning Questions, Texas Rangers

question-marksVery simple request today, just two weeks out from Opening Day: Please construct a bullpen for the Rangers. After Sunday’s loss to the Dodgers in which Josh Rupe and Warner Madrigal both struggled, the burning bullpen issue is not getting any closer to being resolved. So, we’ll leave you to your devices. Just construct a seven-man ‘pen.

We’ll even let you make it more complicated if you like by not limiting you to the guys currently in camp. If you want to include a reliever from another club via a trade, just propose the trade, as well (please no Ian Gacs for Mariano Riveras).

Here are the guys currently still in big league camp:

Kris Benson

Brendan Donnelly

Willie Eyre

Frank Francisco

Jimmy Gobble

Brian Gordon

Eddie Guardado

Jason Jennings

Warner Madrigal

Doug Mathis

Luis Mendoza

Dustin Nippert (Sorry, left him off original list)

Josh Rupe

Derrick Turnbow

C.J. Wilson

Ready. Set. Go. I’ll be back with my projections at day’s end.

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24 Comments to “Question Of The (Off) Day: Who Is In The Bullpen?”
  • Ed @ March 23rd, 2009 at 9:24 am

    Nippert (Who you forgot to list)
    Rupe
    Eyre
    Turnbow
    Francisco
    Wilson
    Gobble

  • brandon @ March 23rd, 2009 at 9:25 am

    ff-closer
    cj-set-up
    rupe-mr
    maddog-mr
    eyre-mr
    gobble-mr(loogy)
    jennings-lr

    struggled to choose between rupe/turnbow/donnely. ultimately went with rupe solely on the fact he is homegrown

  • Andrew in Boston @ March 23rd, 2009 at 9:29 am

    Locks
    1. CJ Wilson
    2. Franky

    Should make it
    3. Warner Madrigal

    Like to see make it
    4. Jimmy Gobble

    Will make it, but probably shouldn’t
    5. Everyday Eddie
    6. Derrick Turnbow (there is just no on e else to fill this spot)

    Surprise bullpen member
    7. Willie Eyre

    (yes that is a very left handed bullpen, but I think Gobble is too good to leave off, and I don’t think the club will cut Eddie, even though I’m not sure how much he has left)

  • Bennie @ March 23rd, 2009 at 9:45 am

    Frank Francisco
    C.J. Wilson
    Eddie Guardado
    Willie Eyre
    Josh Rupe
    Warner Madrigal
    Brendan Donnelly

  • Dor @ March 23rd, 2009 at 9:47 am

    Francisco
    CJ Wilson
    Everyday Eddie
    Gobble
    Madrigal
    Nippert
    Eyre

  • SAD @ March 23rd, 2009 at 10:01 am

    Francisco
    Wilson
    Guardado
    Madrigal
    Nippert
    Eyre
    Turnbow

  • Habib @ March 23rd, 2009 at 10:02 am

    So thanks to JD’s wonderful work this is the group that we have to choose 7 from???
    Why didn’t we sign Joe Beimel??
    why not at least take one of either Holland or Neftali??
    I would keep FF,CJ and Rupe and option the rest down to minors and pick the rest off the waiver wire.
    Great job butcher JD.

  • Baseball Fan @ March 23rd, 2009 at 10:11 am

    I had hoped Habib wouldn’t find this blog. Just dreaming.

  • Habib @ March 23rd, 2009 at 10:15 am

    I know a lot of those losers are out of options and would have to be waived.
    I have no interest in JJ,Benson,EG,BD and turnBLOW.
    Can we tax %90 of JD’s salary???

  • Chris @ March 23rd, 2009 at 10:15 am

    Rupe
    Nippert/Donnely
    -If Nippert is still on DL
    Madrigal
    Gobble
    Eyre
    Wilson
    Fransisco

  • Fred @ March 23rd, 2009 at 10:18 am

    My hope:
    Start of the year: Francisco, Wilson, Guadardo, Rupe, Madrigal, Turnbow, Eyre

    Early August if we are in the race: Francisco, Wilson, Guadardo, Benoit, Rupe, Holland, Feliz or Feldman (W/Holland or Feliz in the rotation)

  • Evan Grant @ March 23rd, 2009 at 10:19 am

    Gosh darn it. Nippert should be on that list of possibilities.

  • Casey @ March 23rd, 2009 at 11:04 am

    Francisco
    Wilson
    Guardado
    Madrigal
    Eyre
    Nippert
    Rupe

  • DWC @ March 23rd, 2009 at 11:29 am

    Sturm is going to blog here? Better put a word limit on the boy. Oh my.

  • dude in Afghanistan @ March 23rd, 2009 at 11:42 am

    Only 3 bullpen positions are critical if your starting 5 can average 6 innings a game, but since we’re talking Texas, 7 relievers aren’t enough.

    Actually, I’m a little optimistic about the rotation this yr, but just in case, the best 7 bullpen candidates seem to be:
    FF, CJ, Eddie (with Gobble warming up in OKC in case Eddie never does), Mads, Eyre (know nothing about him, but the Rangers seem to believe in him), Turnbow, and Rupe. #8 for me would be Nippert, if healthy, and I assume he would replace Mads (options left).

    Who on the potential list of cuts is out of options? Rupe and Nippert, correct? That hand-cuffs the roster somewhat, because Rupe is NOT going to be released, and Nippert seems to be close to reaching his tremendous potential.

  • deft @ March 23rd, 2009 at 12:14 pm

    Kris Benson

    Willie Eyre (OKC)

    Frank Francisco

    Jimmy Gobble (OKC)

    Eddie Guardado

    Warner Madrigal

    Josh Rupe

    Derrick Turnbow

    C.J. Wilson

  • Mike J @ March 23rd, 2009 at 12:33 pm

    Closer – Franky Fransisco
    Set-up – C.J. Wilson
    Set-up – Warner Madrigal
    Middle – Eddie Guardado
    Middle – Josh Rupe
    Long – Dustin Nippert
    LOOGY – Jimmy Gobble

    *Turnbow and Eyre accept assignments to OKC while Donnelly takes Free Agency.

    *If Nippert is unhealthy, Rupe slides into LR and Turnbow takes his spot.

    Eyre will be the first mid-season call-up in case of injury.

  • Pigskinnie @ March 23rd, 2009 at 1:26 pm

    Can big Ian Gac play 3B? Because if so, we should trade him to the Yanks for Mariano Rivera, giving us the veteran closer that we need. Just a thought…

  • James in NY @ March 23rd, 2009 at 3:27 pm

    Warner “Cabbage Patch” Madrigal!! Seriously, he does look like a cabbage patch doll:

    http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/05sP3K47YW4LI/340x.jpg

  • Chris Hartman @ March 23rd, 2009 at 5:02 pm

    Long Relief Nippert
    Middle Relief Gobble (L)
    Middle Relief Eyre
    Middle Relief Guardado (L)
    Setup Turnbow
    Setup Wilson (L)
    Closer Francisco

  • Chris Hartman @ March 23rd, 2009 at 5:04 pm

    Correction :

    Middle Relief: Turnbow
    Setup: Madrigal
    Dropped to AAA: Eyre

  • Jolly @ March 23rd, 2009 at 7:41 pm

    Closer Frankie
    Set-up Madrigal
    Set-up CJ Wilson
    Middle Guardado
    Middle Rupe
    Middle Nippert
    Long Feldman

    Turnbow/Donnelly if Eddie is on DL

  • Jolly @ March 23rd, 2009 at 7:43 pm

    With only one new roster spot needed for Eddie.

  • Jon @ March 23rd, 2009 at 10:38 pm

    Fx2
    CJ
    Madrigal
    Guardado
    Nippert
    Turnbow
    Eyre