FanHouse Mike Maddux

Footprints in the Snow is FanHouse's look at the paths to be forged by MLB teams this winter as they look ahead to 2010.

For the Texas Rangers, 2009 was a rousing success of a transition year. The team who used to simply try to outscore you altered their mindset. They put more of an emphasis on pitching and defense, and it paid off. They dropped down from first to seventh in runs scored in the AL, but the team ERA climbed from last (14th) to eighth. Their defense went from one of the worst in baseball to being considered one of the best.

The result was a huge step forward in the one stat that really matters for Ron Washington and his troops: they won 87 games, which was the most for the Rangers since 2004. Expect the growth to continue as the Rangers are loaded with young talent. The only problems could be money (more on that later) and the fact that their division is going to be really strong for the foreseeable future. But, hey, to be the best, you gotta beat the best.

---

---

We're at the point in most fantasy baseball leagues where the trade deadline has passed, so to make any kind of roster moves you need to rely solely on the waiver wire. But, that's not a bad thing. There's still lots of talent to be had.

In Tuesday night's version of the Fantasy Baseball Cram Session, Tom Herrera and I talked about finding different categories in rotisserie-style scoring where you can gain ground on the teams ahead of you. We focus on saves, stolen bases, wins and home runs and give you a number of players on the waiver wire who could help your team make up some of the difference between you and the guy(s) ahead of you in the standings. Listen to the podcast after the jump.

---

---

NEW YORK – Thanks in part to the influence of a 300-game winner, and the brother of a 300-game winner, the Rangers no longer have to try to out-slug people.

In the most remarkable turnaround of the season, Texas' pitching staff is actually pretty good, with a 4.46 ERA after shutouts Thursday and Friday and allowing three runs Saturday. If the Rangers can keep it there all year, it would mark the first time since 1993 the franchise had an ERA better than 4.50.

Not coincidentally, Texas leads the AL West at 35-26, the second-best record in the league.

"This is my third year here," right-hander Brandon McCarthy said, "but in two years I got sick to death of hearing, 'Texas pitchers stink. Texas pitchers stink.'

"Now we can turn those tables a little bit, be the group that maybe changes that whole mindset. It would be an awesome accomplishment."

The picture to your right is not of former Oriole Kris Benson throwing a pitch. He tried to wave goodbye to a friend and his arm just snapped back like that.

In baseball news you may have missed (because you could not possibly care about it), the former first pick in the 1996 draft and perennial bench-grimacer signed a minor league contract last Saturday with the Texas Rangers. He pitched two solid innings in the Rangers Wednesday opener. Huh.

Tonight's Dugout, alternately titled "Return of the Living Dead," is after the jump.

The Milwaukee Brewers are on fire. They've won four in a row and have the biggest lead on any division in baseball with their three game lead on the Reds in the NL Central. Last night they managed to do something that no one had done to this point in the season; score runs on Rich Hill.

Hill entered last night's game as the biggest surprise of the year for the Cubs, having allowed only one run in 21 innings in his first three starts. He started last night off with three more scoreless innings, but that was before Prince Fielder ripped his third homer in the past two games against the Cubbies. The Brewers then touched Hill up for two more on their way to the 4-1 win, including a solo homer by Kevin Mench, before Hill was removed with two outs in the seventh.

Also positive for the Brewers was Jeff Suppan's strong start, going eight shutout innings by scattering eight Cub hits to improve to 3-2 on the season. Pitching coach/resident crazy person Mike Maddux was impressed. Earlier this year, he discussed three "ables" that Suppan had that made him worth his hefty off-season price tag. What did Maddux have to say after this start? From the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel:

Milwaukee Brewers pitching coach Mike Maddux, who has been known to fracture a word or two of the English language, came up with a new way Tuesday night to describe Jeff Suppan.

"He's not rattle-able," said Maddux.

Well then, cross that off the "able" list.

Previously at the Fanhouse
Jeff Suppan's Price Tag: $14 Million an "Able"