The Gobbler Gets The Axe

LHP Jimmy Gobble, signed to a minor league contract just last week, has been released. Gobble didn’t do himself any favors by walking a left-handed Alex Gordon on Saturday in what amounted to his auditon for the roster. Gobble, 27, pitched 2.1 innings in three games for the Rangers this spring.

That pretty much eliminates any possibility the Rangers would carry three lefties in the bullpen to start the regular season. Gobble was the only lefty other than C.J. Wilson and Eddie Guardado remaining in major league camp. Kasey Kiker is on the travel squad today and may pitch if the Rangers pitchers can’t get through their prescribed work. But I asked if there was any outside chance that Kiker might get an audition as a lefty reliever this year and was given an emphatic “no.” Probably for the best. You’d hate to see a first-round pick turned into a lefty reliever three years after being selected out of high school.