Texas Rangers

DOB: 05/02/1988

Frame: 6'3'' 180 lbs

Stuff: Four seam fastball(94-99 MPH consistently, plus plus pitch), curve ball(promising), and a change up(improving).

The Past: The Atlanta Braves signed Neftali at the age of 17 out of the Dominican Republic during the 2005 season. After two short stints in RC ball with the Braves, Feliz was traded, with a few other prospects, to the Texas Rangers through the 2007 Mark Teixera deal.

I know that it is early in the season and that eight games it not enough of a sample to trend what a team and for that matter a player is going to do in the 2009 MLB season.

However, the early returns can begin to paint the picture of what is going to happen throughout the season. Right now the Rangers bullpen is heading down the wrong path.

The Rangers did get off to a great start by winning their first three games at home against the Cleveland Indians, but since then a three-game sweep at the hands of the Tigers and so far losing the first two to the Orioles.

Ranger fans like no other fans know what roller coaster type seasons are like, the Texas Rangers have been having that share over the past ten seasons.

Last year the entire season almost went by before the Rangers swept a series and were swept in a series, it took the first week of the season to accomplish both this year.

The Rangers opened the season at home with a three game series against the Cleveland Indians. The Rangers went on to sweep the Tribe 9-1, 8-5, 12-8 and comply 29 runs, 37 hits, and 18 extra-base hits to start the season.

The baseball season has started, and when every team begins 0-0, it seems all clubs feel they have a shot at a magical year, if they have a good start.

And it's funny how people react when they do get off to say, a perfect start.

Take the Texas Rangers, for example.

They're off to a 3-0 start, and it's the first time they've begun a season with three-straight wins since 1996.

With the 8-5 win over the Indians last night, the Texas Rangers are off to their first 2-0 start since to 2000 season.

Just like Opening Day, the Rangers' offense put four runs on the board in the second inning.  Nelson Cruz led off the inning with his first home run of the season, a shot to left-center field. 

After a David Murphy fly out, Chris Davis picked up his first hit of the season, singling to the opposite field.  Jarrod Saltalamacchia followed with a double to right field, moving Davis to third. 

The first two times that I wrote this piece it was predicting what the Texas Rangers organization was going to do in regards to the 25-man roster.

Well now with the season only a couple days away, the roster has been set, and the team is ready for the 2009 season.

Along with the players are the positions that they will be fulfilling and their projected stats (according to CBS Sports Fantasy Baseball).

STARTING ROTATION

Kevin Millwood - 12-11, 4.50 ERA, 129 K, 49 BB

Vicente Padilla -12-10, 4.32 ERA, 134 K, 60 BB

Those looking for this year's Josh Hamilton—a breakout slugger—look no further than teammate Nelson Cruz. Nelson, who will turn 29 this season, has made a career in the minor leagues.

He capped off his minor career last season with a bang; a bang which included blasting 37 home runs and batting in 99 runs, not to mention a .342 batting average. Last year's spectacular performance in triple-A earned him the Pacific Coast League MVP award.

Nelson's triple-A contract with Oklahoma was bought out on Aug. 25, 2008.

Spring Training and Opening Day bring new hope to most baseball fans around the country. Yet for Rangers fans, Opening Day is typically the only sellout of the year and the beginning of a summer of heartbreak.

However, excuse me for beating the dead horse of optimism just one more time. Old habits die hard.

"Sports Illustrated" wrote in a recent edition that, within the next two years, the Rangers could be the next Tampa Bay, and I agree. The keys to Rangers success not only this year, but next year as well, lies in the hands of Jon Daniels and well-executed trades.

A few weeks ago, it sounded as if the Texas Rangers were going to go with outfielder Frank Catalanotto, which meant that former Brave and Dodger Andruw Jones would be looking for a new team.

After that story first broke, Jones has apparently turned the corner and gotten his swing back because the Rangers have decided to keep the Gold Glove Award winning center fielder. This means that Catalanotto's days with the Rangers are officially over, according to a blog written by MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan.

At the beginning of Spring Training, the Texas Rangers had four catchers with a legitimate shot at making the big-league roster: Jarrod Saltalamacchia, Taylor Teagarden, Max Ramirez, and Adam Melhuse.

Ramirez has been just a bit behind, as his native Venezuela had a long run in the World Baseball Classic. He will likely start the season at Triple-A Oklahoma City to continue to work on his defensive skills. Max could be brought up to the Bigs again if either Salty or Teagarden get injured or struggle.