Frank Catalanotto signs with Rangers

Three years for $13 million.  Not crazy in this market, not crazy at all.  The key to Catalanotto is that he is just about worthless versus lefties.  He managed a great .300/.376/.439 in 432 ABs last year for Toronto, but he was savagely platooned: only 38 of those ABs were against lefties.  That’s smart of John Gibbons: only about 10% of Cat’s ABs in the last six years have been against southpaws, and he’s scratched out a .243/.327/.346 line vs. LHP in that time.

With those splits, Catalanotto would be a nice platoon partner for Nelson Cruz, but that still leaves the Rangers two outfielders short.  Brian Anderson would be a nice fit in center, but that still leaves the outfield rather thin; a recovered Brad Wilkerson, Victor Diaz, and Freddy Guzman are other in-house options.  Only Wilkerson even has a shot at providing league-average offense, and that assume his skills come back with his health.  Then again, if any team can manage a weak offensive outfield, it’s the one with Mark Teixiera, Hank Blalock, and Michael Young in the infield.

By Jeff Sackmann