Bell and Benoit and Pray for Detroit

The Texas Rangers traded starter Ismael Valdez to Seattle yesterday. His competency has stuck out like a sore thumb in their rotation all year, and the Rangers felt that he deserved a chance to play on a team where his obvious lack of ineptitude would not prevent him from partaking in the reindeer games. The similarly skilled Kenny Rogers appears to still be a shoppable commodity.

With the loss of Valdez, the released Dave Burba, Chan Ho Park (to injury though he's due back 8/23), the demoted Doug Davis, and potentially Rogers, the Rangers could recycle their entire staff in one year. Unfortunately, a staff of Aaron Myette, Rob Bell, Joaquin Benoit and two scrubs to be named later does not fill the opposition with fear, but rather gets their salivary glands a-goin'. Expect lots of scoring in Texas, at least by the opposition, down the stretch.