If the Texas Rangers front office was hanging on to any belief that this team doesn’t need to trade for a pitcher, it’s all long gone now with the recent news about Colby Lewis. Lewis, the team’s third different opening day starter in as many years (after 4 straight Kevin Milwood’s; yeah, I don’t remember either) aggravated a forearm injury in his first start returning from the DL because of the same problem. Lewis will not make his next scheduled start, or any after because he will miss the remainder of the season, forcing Rangers GM Jon Daniels into a hand that he likely was dealing with anyway. But now the leverage of the sturdy, reliable, veteran presence and efforts of Lewis are lost and what was already a need at starting pitcher is now an absolutely vital need.
Two years ago, the Rangers were new to being contenders and the first-time jitters of being buyers instead of sellers almost cost the organization dearly. The Rangers made several moves at the trading deadline during that 2010 postseason run, when the Texas franchise experienced its first playoff series win and also an American League pennant that had eluded the team in its first 48 years of existence. But all this did not happen because of acquisitions such as Jeff Francoeur, Jorge Cantu, Christian Guzman, or even cyclist Bengie Molina.
