Josh Hamilton had worn out his welcome elsewhere, but the Texas Rangers promised him a fresh start last season. Based on Hamilton's natural talent, it was possible to squint and see the upside, and in Hamilton's first at-bat back in Texas, he ripped a double and received a standing ovation. Things didn't stay quite so terrific -- he was recently released.
Which brings us to Carlos Gomez. He had worn out his welcome elsewhere, but the Rangers promised him a fresh start on Aug. 20. Based on Gomez's natural talent, it was possible to squint and see the upside, and in Gomez's first at-bat in Texas, he ripped a home run. He hasn't recorded a hit since (0-for-11, 6 strikeouts).
Every player is different. Hamilton requires his own special considerations, and to be fair, the Rangers aren't the only team in baseball that had an interest in giving Gomez a shot once the Houston Astros dumped him. If there's one thing Carlos Gomez isn't short on, it's energy, which a roster can lack around this time in the year. Yet it's hard to see Gomez's promise. Every single indicator is down on his skills.
On the simplest possible level, Gomez does fit. The Rangers lost Shin-Soo Choo to injury, and just a few years ago, Gomez was genuinely one of the best all-around players in the game. He's still just 30, so it's reasonable to believe he's not washed up. The Rangers paid virtually no acquisition price, and there's also no long-term commitment. They're taking a shot on a player who seems to be liked by his teammates.
But it's impossible to get around the numbers. In fact, those numbers almost couldn't be any more negative.
To whatever extent you want to believe in the upside -- the Rangers had to see something -- it's balanced out by the fact that the Astros, a division rival fighting for a playoff spot, gave up on Gomez. Whatever the Rangers see, the Astros didn't. And given what they had paid in trading for Gomez, the Astros had something to lose. They were invested in getting Gomez right. They couldn't, and the plot below is fairly damning. Let's dig in.