With the Texas Rangers looking to sign Japanese import Yu Darvish, everyone is imagining this young, yet unknown, hurler as the new ace in the Rangers’ rotation, replacing C.J. Wilson. I’m not as excited about that prospect.

I mean, sure I’d like to see the Rangers get someone like Darvish if he is as good as advertised. He could be an invaluable addition to the Rangers’ rotation. However, I want to take you back to 2010 and the World Series Rangers’ squad. Cliff Lee was the ace of the lineup and Texas lost him to Philadelphia.

Texas didn’t run out and sign a big name starter to replace him. Texas plugged former closer C.J. Wilson into the ace role. See, Wilson moved up and started the entire 2010 season and was the ace until Lee arrived. Wilson proved himself in 2010 and earned his 2011 ace role through his hard work within the organization.

That is where I am getting at here. He earned it by his work as a Texas Rangers’ pitcher.

Now, Wilson is gone and Texas needs a new ace. Darvish could be that man, but I’d prefer to see someone that I feel has worked hard within the Rangers’ organization and deserves the chance to be the new ace of the lineup.

I’m talking about Derek Holland.

In 2011, Holland finished the year with a 16-5 record and 3.95 ERA. Now, I know that ERA is not at Wilson levels but I think this kid has what it takes to be the Rangers’ ace not only this year, but for years to come. He is currently working on a new five-year contract extension with the Rangers, so it proves they are interested in him as well.

I want to take you back to Game 4 of the 2011 World Series. The Rangers were down two games to one and no starting pitcher was playing well for most of the postseason. That is when Holland took the mound and did the unthinkable. Holland pitched 8.1 innings of two-hit shutout ball. Lance Berkman got the only two hits of the game and no one made it home against him. It was the best pitching performance of the World Series.

And, I think it earned Holland a shot at becoming the Texas Rangers’ ace for 2012.

Author Shawn S. Lealos has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Oklahoma (2000) and has been a Texas Rangers fan his entire life, watching the Rangers’ Triple-A affiliate play for over 30 years. While Texas has moved their Triple-A team, Shawn still remains a loyal Rangers fan and awaits the year they finally win the big one.

Source: texasrangers.com

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CARACAS, Venezuela — Texas Rangers catcher Yorvit Torrealba has been suspended from Venezuela’s professional baseball league for 66 games for striking an umpire.

Torrealba was arguing with the home-plate umpire Friday after striking out. He angrily put a hand on the umpire’s mask and shoved him. He was then ejected.

League President Jose Grasso Vecchio called Torrealba’s behavior unacceptable and a violation of league rules.

Torrealba plays for the Caracas Lions when not playing in the majors. His agent, Melvin Roman, said Torrealba acknowledges he got carried away in the heat of the moment.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Texas Rangers catcher Yorvit Torrealba struck an umpire during a Venezuelan League game on Friday (Dec. 23). In doing so, he not only embarrassed his team, but earned the deserved reputation of being a hot-head that has no self control.

ESPN reported that after swinging at strike three, Torrealba immediately got in the face of home plate umpire Dario Rivera Jr. He began yelling and gesturing at the umpire, but it is unclear if the umpire was saying anything back. A few seconds into the tirade, Torrealba struck the umpire in the face mask. It was obviously an intended attack on the umpire, and it is immediately going to create a lot of controversy.

This story is still unfolding, so it is not clear what Torrealba or Rivera were saying in the conversation, but it must have been something that Torrealba didn’t want to hear. No matter what words got exchanged, Torrealba’s actions crossed the line and it has embarrassed him, his team and all of Major League Baseball as a result.

Maybe the worst thing for Torrealba is that something like this will stick with him for the rest of his baseball career. Everyone remembers how Roberto Alomar spit in the face of an umpire during a game in 1996, and that was something that stuck with him all the way to when he was getting voted on for the Baseball Hall of Fame. Most fans weren’t willing to forgive that action and now even more fans are going to see the video of Torrealba losing his self-control.

It’s very unclear what type of punishment that MLB will dish out for this incident or if the Texas Rangers will do something about his egregious behavior. There isn’t a lot of precedent to deal with incidents taking place during games in the winter leagues, and it is hard to project what MLB would do about this. If it happened in a regular season game you could expect an immediate suspension and stiff fine for something like this, but for now we will all have to wait to see what commissioner Bud Selig thinks is a fair punishment.

As for his legacy in baseball, while Torrealba has just been a role player for the Rangers, this is the behavior of a thug that nobody should try to gloss over. He basically sucker-punched an umpire who posed no physical threat to him. The umpire didn’t make Torrealba swing at a pitch in the dirt, and losing his temper like that goes far beyond stupidity.

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