Sierra? Madre!

ESPN reports that the Texas Rangers have signed Ruben Sierra to a minor-league deal after his one year excursion to Seattle ("Attle? Who's Attle?" Thank you, Brady Bunch). He is only guaranteed $90K but would make between $600K and $800K.

Sierra is 37 and was just an average hitter last year (OPS was 1% better than average) in the second full year of his mini-Renaissance. He also appears to have been a poor left fielder and only appeared in 60 games there for a team (Seattle) that was desperate for a decent left fielder in 2002.

Th Rangers now appear to have six players for the three outfield spots and the DH: Sierra, Juan Gonzalez, Carl Everett, Doug Glanville Rusty Greer, and Kevin Mench. Funny that they didn't make ESPN's top-10 outfields list. Mench wasn't great last year but is only 25 and is the only one with a prospect to improve. Gonzalez may have one good year left in him but at 33 he may also be done. Greer is expected to miss the entire year recovering from rotator and elbow surgeries (though he is still damn plucky, he has excised running into walls from his rehab plans).

If it were me, I would hand the corner jobs to Mench and 25-year-old Jason Hart. Let them go the entire season to see if they will be major-leaguers. I would let switch-hitter Carl Everett (.170 advantage in OPS as a left-handed bat) and right-hander Doug Glanville platoon in center, unless a better option becomes available. I would do the same with Sierra and Gonzalez in the DH slot, going with the hot bat trying to resurrect one of their careers. Of course, Hart won't make the team, Mench will struggle and be benched, their outfield will be Gonzalez, Glanville, and Sierra by August, and the Rangers will continue to finish last in 2003.