2013 Team Awards: Texas Rangers

In order to review the 2013 season, the crackpot staff of Off Base is handing out awards to each Major League team. Please send us $19.95 for the shipping and handling of your team's Hello Kitty stickers awards. Here are the Most Valuable Player, Least Valuable Player, Cy Young, Cy Yuck, Rookie of the Year and Reliever of the Year for the Texas Rangers. *Guidelines, prices and participation may vary by author* 

MVP: Adrian Beltre

Team fWAR leader? Check. Team wRC+ leader? Check. Team wOBA leader? Check. And no, it's not like Nelson Cruz would have challenged Beltre all that much had he simply not used PED's to get over the weight loss from stomach bug. Nellie couldn't hold a candle to Beltre defensively, even when Beltre had the worst year of his career on defense. Beltre finished his Age-34 season with a wRC+ of 135, a wOBA of .379 and an fWAR of 5.2. He finishes home runs like this sometimes, he has an issue with people touching his head and has an ongoing troll war with Elvis Andrus. He was the Rangers best position player from start to finish this season, and only Craig Gentry's defense kind of/sort of made it a race. Go get your head rubbed, Adrian, get it rubbed good. 

Joe Nathan Gets Save 300 With an Assist from Marty Foster

Once upon a summer's day, Joe Nathan was as elite a reliever as you could find in all of baseball. As a member of the one-time Major League Baseball organization Minnesota Twins, Nathan established himself as such with an ERA+ of 204 and accruing 18.4 WAR according to Baseball-Reference. He appeared in four All Star Games and had two seasons where he finished in the top five for the American League Cy Young award. Not too shabby for a failed starter.

Although he hasn't been the same quality of reliever that he was for the Twinkies, Nathan has been at the very least, consistent and reliable for the Texas Rangers. Of course, at age 38, it would be unfair to expect anything more from a person who is 12 years away from AARP benefits and 15 years away from needing a colostomy bag. He did post an ERA+ last year of 163 and was still good enough for a bWAR of 1.9. Tommy John Surgery may have extended his career an extra couple of seasons, but chances are, he is coming up on his last ride in the not to distant future.

More Downside to Rangers Fandom

As if the Rangers offseason hasn't been painful enough. This video comes across my Twitter Feed. Of course, it is a video from 2006, but any chance to twist the proverbial knife a little deeper, is reason enough for me to show it off.

Hall of Fame Case: Royce Clayton

Who's getting into the Hall of Fame this year? With how stacked the ballot is, it should've been a slam dunk. But syringes, cocktails and creams have changed that. Some players like Barry  Bonds and Roger  Clemens will still most likely be enshrined one day. Others like Mike  Piazza, who might've had to wait a couple years, will probably be first ballot entries. And Jack  Morris is happier than a pig in shit because his borderline case looks really good with 'roiders on the ballot.

These players don't need my help. Or yours. There are others.

Royce Spencer Clayton is one of those others.