The Rangers have released 24-year old lefty reliever/starter Kasey Kiker. Kiker pitched in 30 games (1 start) in A-ball last year for the Rangers and he was 3-4 with a 7.05 ERA and a 2.17 WHIP. He whiffed 54 batters in only 44 2/4 innings in the minors last year, but he also walked 52 batters and that killed him. Kiker has now pitched in 128 games (87 starts) in his first six years in the minors and he is 23-31 with a 4.53 ERA and a 1.51 WHIP. The Rangers won’t miss Kiker, as he is still pretty raw as a pitcher.

The Rangers have released 26-year old lefty swinging IF/OF Mitch Hilligoss. He played in 111 games in A+AA-ball for the Rangers last year and he was 111 of 430 (.258 avg, .662 OPS) with 49 runs scored, 5 homers, 46 RBIs and 5 stolen bases. Hilligoss has now played in 547 games in his first six years in the minors and he is 570 of 2,079 (.274 avg, .680 OPS) with 261 runs scored, 14 homers, 209 RBIs and 76 stolen bases. The Rangers won’t miss Hilligoss at all in the future.

The Rangers have re-signed 33-year old switch-hitting infielder Matt Kata to a minor league deal. Kata played in 106 games in AAA-ball for the Rangers last year and he was 115 of 392 (.293 avg, .832 OPS) with 60 runs scored, 13 homers, 71 RBIs and 1 stolen base. He last played in the majors back in 2009 with the Astros. Kata has now played in 278 games in his first five years in the majors and he is 166 for 695 (.239 avg, .660 OPS) with 89 runs scored, 12 homers, 63 RBIs and 9 stolen bases. He will more than likely be stashed in AAA-ball once again in 2012.

The Rangers have acquired 26-year old righty swinging catcher Luis Martinez from the Padres for 24-year old righty reliever Ryan Kelly. Martinez 22 games for the Padres last year and he was 12 for 59 (.203 avg, .614 OPS) with 7 runs scored, 1 homer, 10 RBIs and 1 stolen base. He also played in 58 games in AAA-ball for the Padres last year and he was 64 for 198 (.323 avg, .813 OPS) with 24 runs scored, 1 homer, 28 RBIs and 2 stolen bases. Martinez will likely start the 2012 season in AAA-ball for the Rangers, unless they decide to carry three catchers. Ryan Kelly pitched in 40 games (5 starts) in A-ball for the Rangers last year and he was 3-6 with 9 saves, a 3.95 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP.

The Texas Rangers had the winning bid in the Yu Darvish sweepstakes as they posted $51.7 million bucks to the Nippon Ham Fighters. The Rangers now have a 30-day window to sign Darvish. Darvish pitched in 28 games for the Nippon Ham Fighters last year and he was 18-6 with a 1.44 ERA and a 0.83 WHIP. He had 10 complete games and 6 shutouts for the Ham Fighters last year. He pitched in 128 games (126 starts) in his five years in Japan and he was 76-28 with a 1.72 ERA and a 0.89 WHIP. He only gave up 629 hits while whiffing 1,083 batters in his 1,024 1/3 innings in Japan, showing off what kind of stuff he has. He also only walked 221 batters as he has pinpoint control. Darvish doesn’t have any tricks, like most Japanese pitchers. He is a 6′5″ power pitcher that comes right after hitters. I have a feeling that Alexi Ogando will be going back to the bullpen in 2012, likely as the set-up man to Joe Nathan, as Darvish is going to win a spot in the Rangers’ rotation in 2012…if they can agree to a contract with him.