Fantasy baseball players on other side of Neftali Feliz’s trapdoor, and other Texas Rangers tips

The second shooter

The Texas Rangers have added first Adrian Beltre and now Mike Napoli to the roster in an offseason in which pitching, at least of the starting variety, was a greater need.

Ron Washington says that Michael Young is a regular. "Michael's going to get his at-bats. He's still going to be my primary DH. He's going to get some chances to play first. He's going to get some chances to play second. He's going to get some chances to play third." (It's also interesting, although not necessarily telling, that Texas' official site lists Young as Elvis Andrus' backup.)

Tanner's hideout

Initially, we could take Wash's words to mean that Adrian Beltre, Ian Kinsler and Mitch Moreland are all candidates to rest for a day or two a week; Young will fill in at those players' respective spots when they sit. The club's former third baseman will get a day or two off, too; then, Mike Napoli will DH. The ex-member of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim will also be a spot starter at first and play behind the dish here and there.

It all sounds encouraging, but that kind of arrangement isn't easy to maintain. We're dealing with a handful of players, other than Moreland, who are right-handed and used to playing - a lot. When one man's playing time becomes a little sparser, it's a touch harder for him to work through a slump. If another man is going well, it becomes a bit more difficult for the man who's in a skid to crack the lineup. If that man isn't happy, we may have a problem on our hands.

The comfort levels tied to the prices of Young, Napoli and Moreland go down just a little. The reality is that Moreland is probably the biggest loser (but also perhaps the biggest draft day value buy). His advantage (a shorter trip from the batter's box to first) doesn't seal the PT deal; I'm a fan, but he has 173 MLB plate appearances lifetime and isn't going to receive leeway like vets will. Does David Murphy, who had a breakthrough last year, become a more central figure if the 25-year-old first sacker can't hack it early on?

Some skippers tend to resort to stereotypical platoons in these situations. That shouldn't be a factor in Young's case, but Napoli's days off will probably come almost exclusively when a right-hander is taking the hill for the opponent. By the same token, Washington will almost assuredly insert the subpar receiver on days that the club faces a southpaw. Visions of Napoli launching 30-plus bombs (a possibility with the Toronto Blue Jays) are faint in Arlington, despite the favoritism that ballpark shows to stick swingers.

The saving grace for any of these players' barely altered states of being (that is, being fantasy valuable) is that, well, the Rangers employ quite a few other players who aren't strangers to the disabled list. Significant time lost for Beltre or Kinsler results in significant time gained for someone else, likeliest Moreland.

Because of that fact and the possibility the Rangers will still trade a commodity, despite Wash's verbal commitment to Young, Moreland remains a quality sleeper investment, and now he should cost less. Some of the optimism is gone, though. Young's and Napoli's own brands of mild uncertainty may knock off a couple of bucks, too, with no likely increase in risk.

Rangers say they want to remain forever Young's. Will they?

While Napoli's arrival has fouled up the lineup photo, Frank Francisco's ticket to Ontario seems to create greater confidence about Neftali Feliz's role. But the club has waffled on that matter for more than a year. Jon Daniels is adamant that Feliz alone will determine what's best for both the organization and the 22-year-old hurler. I tend to believe him; they wouldn't keep coming back to it if it wasn't something they desired to pursue intensely. If Feliz responds excellently to efforts to stretch him out in ST, they'll have a hard time putting him back in the bullpen.

Much will also depend on how the Feliz-less bullpen performs. If the Dominican is spectacular in a couple of starts this spring but no reliever seems capable of handling a backend job, Texas may opt to move Feliz back to closer on a short-term basis (i.e., for a few months, this season only at most) and begin searching for alternative solutions. It makes you wonder why they dealt for Napoli in the first place, but perhaps Brandon Webb's optimism has given the club confidence.

The risk attached to drafting Feliz as a high-end closer is real. He has vast upside as a starter, too, but he wouldn't warrant the kind of price that he fetches as a reliever because he'd have difficulty realizing it. The prospect of a flip-flopping role will tone down his impact. Given his talent, he's unlikely to bust, so you're not wasting money.

Alexi Ogando is first in line for the chance to succeed Feliz. He has big-time upside and is worth a gamble. The righty is a bit of an unknown, though, even after his excellent 2010 numbers at three levels, including the majors for 41 2/3 innings. Day-to-day events throughout the spring will influence his cost.

Above all, this should raise the fantasy baseball player's awareness of Tanner Scheppers. The Rangers began testing the right-hander on the farm as a starter as last season wound down, but the top prospect's traits seem more suited for a bullpen role - particularly, closer. The 24-year-old's path complements Feliz's. Scheppers could be the biggest profit gainer in Texas - perhaps quite easily.

Bits and pieces

- Check out the latest contributions from our partners at Mastersball. These guys are just ... really good.

Todd Zola handled a complex keeper league question and some Angels-Blue Jays concerns in "Lord Zola's Mailbag." The advice has incredible application to other scenarios you'll likely face.

Lawr Michaels previewed the FSTA's expert league draft by forecasting his team's composition in "Tumbling Dice." The writer gives us an opportunity to follow his thought process during the formation of a draft strategy.

In "The Prospector," Rob Leibowitz's latest look at impact prospects for 2011 sizes up the second base crop. Dustin Ackley and Danny Espinosa are the obvious names, but who else are you missing?

- Our lists of players in contract years might provide you with the bit of info you needed to tip the scales in one player's favor if you have a hard decision between two pretty even choices on draft day.

- The Fantasy Baseball Hot Stove is still warm to the touch. Take a look at the effects of recent moves in the American League and National League.

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