The Offseason Is Underway

Hello, everyone. Welcome to Day One of the MLB offseason. 

Over at Lonestarball, Adam Morris writes that the Rangers have opened at 33:1 to win the 2015 World Series according to Bovada. I won't advocate anyone to gamble, but geez, 33:1? Given a little health the Rangers certainly have the talent to at least be a Wild Card team next year, and if the Royals can come 90 feet from sending Game 7 into extra innings, why not Texas? 

Evan Grant tweets that Jon Daniels told the media Jurickson Profar's MRI is "95% clean," and although I really don't know what that means, I know that 90% was good enough for an A when I was in high school. Or at least that's what the other kids told me. The hope for Profar, apparently, is to have him cleared by January, and if all goes well an opening assignment to Triple-A Round Rock figures to be in the works. Rougned Odor is the Rangers 2nd baseman until proven otherwise, but it would be a fool's game to sleep on Jurickson as 2015 gets underway. 

Grant also has an article up stating that Texas have extended a big league contract to free agent RHP Colby Lewis, who has expressed on multiple occasions his interest in returning to the Rangers. Lewis was shaky in the first half, but compiled an impressive resume (all things considered) down the stretch, finishing the season with a 3.97 ERA in his last 10 starts. Last year Cobra earned $2 million, and given some innings-reached thresholds in his 2015 contract, I suspect we're looking at something in the range of $3-4 million. 

Lastly, as I opined about a week ago, T.R. Sullivan writes that on Friday the Rangers are expected to announce Mike Maddux will return as the team's pitching coach, and for Steve Buechele to be promoted to bench coach. This will finalize the club's 2015 coaching staff under new manager Jeff Banister, with Dave Magadan as hitting coach, Maddux and Buechele. 

Other than that's, it's still Day One. Over the next couple of months we'll see some qualifying offers getting extended, free agents coming off the board, and eventually the rosters will be finalized for what should be a very interesting 2015. For the first time since 2009, probably, the Texas Rangers offseason should be far more entertaining than the regular season. 

Then again, how couldn't it be?