Rangers Close Deal with Jason Jennings
UPDATE- (1/16) 10:48pm (EST): The deal is official, as per MLB.com. It is said to be worth $4 million for one year, with more expected in incentives. An official announcement is expected on Thursday.
Jan 11th: According to Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News, the Texas Rangers are “closing in on a deal to add right-hander Jason Jennings, a Dallas native…” (We had touched on this rumor yesterday). Jennings, 29, had visited team officials in Arlington earlier this week. In addition, a source confirmed yesterday that the two sides were close to a deal. The last remaining obstacle appears to be passing a physical, which may be no small task. Jennings tore an elbow tendon in ‘07 and did not pitch again after August.
Jennings was hampered by injuries pretty much all of the 2007 season, and finished the year with a 2-9 record, and an ugly 6.45 ERA. Back in 2002 with the Colorado Rockies, Jennings had won 16 games, his first full major-league season. As noted in the piece, he has not had a winning season since then. It is possible that if Jennings were signed, he could slot into the #3 spot in the rotation, behind Kevin Millwood and Vincente Padilla. Gross. This deal had better be heavily incentive-laden. Grant gives some other options for the #4 and #5 starting spots, but you’d have to assume that Kason Gabbard and Brandon McCarthy would win these.
Filed under: Colorado Rockies, Texas Rangers
Wow, solid rotation!
Expect Brandon McCarthy to take a step foward this year.. I do, he knows how to pitch, just needs to work out his nagging injury issues.
Agree. I was shocked when CWS traded him. Thought he could turn that one into a fleece for TX. Hopefully he can turn it around.
[…] Galarraga, 26, was designated for assignment by the Rangers last week to clear space for Jason Jennings. He pitched mostly in AA last year, posting a 9-6 record with a 4.02 ERA. He also struck out 114 […]
[…] is a little over 5 months removed from surgery to repair a torn flexor tendon. He signed a one-year deal back in January with the Rangers, with $4 million. He is slated to be the Rangers’ # 3 […]
[…] be the worst #3 pitcher in the AL. I think he should be the #5 starter in this rotation. Anyway, he signed a 1-year deal with the team this past offseason. Jennings is mostly a sinker-slider pitcher, who throws an […]