Rangers Acquire Mike Adams

[Elite]

The Rangers acquired reliever Mike Adams from the Padres for pitching prospects Robbie Erlin and Joe Wieland, according to tweets from Evan Grant and Corey Brock. Ken Rosenthal has retracted his earlier report about Heath Bell going to Texas, and the team has confirmed the Adams deal.

I reported the asking price of Wieland and Erlin two days ago, and the Rangers decided today to pull the trigger. Having added Koji Uehara yesterday, GM Jon Daniels acquired two of the game's top setup men this weekend. The Rangers will control both through 2012.

Erlin and Wieland, who are both represented by Sosnick Cobbe Sports, ranked fourth and 22nd in Baseball America's preseason Rangers top 30 prospects list prior to the season. Wieland has seen his stock rise since then, with a 1.23 ERA in 44 Double-A innings - including a no-hitter his last time out. Erlin, a 20-year-old southpaw, is considered among the top 35 prospects in the game by Baseball America and Kevin Goldstein.

MLBTR

Great deal for the Rangers. Mike Adams is a great reliever and their bullpen is looking lethal with Mike Adams, Koji Uehara, and Neftali Feliz.

 

[elcheato]

Better then Heath Bell too.

 

[Elite]

Who knows how well he would do in the closer role though?

 

[elcheato]

Isn't Feliz still the closer?

 

[Elite]

Yeah, but you said that he was better than Heath Bell. While both are relievers, Heath has the more difficult role.

And Ron Washington expressed that he felt that Neftali was underperforming this year too. Not sure his exact words but he's been unhappy with his performance. Those words and them acquiring to two relievers who I think are capable of closing will probably light a fire under him though. I could see him going on a tear to end the season.

 

[elcheato]

Well, even saying that I think he'd be fine as a closer. He's been dominating for the last 4 years.

 

[Mexi]

he's better than Bell

and how can you say who knows how he'd do as a closer BC?
every single Pads game he goes into is 1 or 2 runs.
and like cheato has said, he's been dominant the past 4 years.

 

[The Guid]

Because it's not nearly as high pressure a situation as closing. Yes, he's been better statistically but Bell has the harder role.

 

[Mexi]

i think Adams would be fine
i've see the guy often

Heath was a setup man before becoming closer too

bottom line, the guy has amazing stuff
and every game he went into the past few years has been pressure packed. i'd take him as my closer no hesitation

 

[elcheato]

Set up guys don't always come into a clean inning either.. Coming into a game in the 8th inning with runners on can be more pressure packed then starting the 9th inning with no one on base.