Rangers Sign Orlando Hernandez

So far this season it seems like the Chicago White Sox have been trying to go back in time. After getting off to a bad start to the 2009 campaign, the Sox went out and signed Scott Podsednik to a minor-league deal -- even though most scouts would have told you he was done. Well, it's worked out pretty nicelyl for Chicago as Podsednik is back on top of their lineup and playing surprisingly well.

Then, this week the White Sox signed another player from their 2005 team who most people think is washed up: Freddy Garcia. It seems like the team thinks if they get as many players as they can from 2005 they'll win another World Series. Which is why it's too bad that the Rangers had to go and destroy Chicago's "brilliant" plan.

Orlando Hernandez was a big part of that 2005 World Series champion team, and I was expecting to read a headline that the Sox had signed him to a minor-league deal any day now. Well, I saw the headline that El Duque had signed, but it was the Rangers who snapped him up.

The Rangers are of the belief you can never have too much pitching.

That's why they signed free-agent right-hander Orlando Hernandez to a minor league contract Thursday. The Cuban, who last pitched in the majors in 2007, will go to Oklahoma City on Sunday. He'll throw in the bullpen and in batting practice before being added to the roster.

"We've liked what we've seen," general manager Jon Daniels said. "He's healthy. He's throwing the ball well. He's motivated to come back. It's an opportunity we wanted to give him."

The last we saw El Duque he was in a Mets uniform in 2007, and made 24 starts for them going 9-5 with a 3.72 ERA, which wasn't too bad at all. Of course it's been two years and I'm not sure how much pitching Hernandez has done in that time span, so who knows whether he'll be able to give the Rangers any solid innings.

What we do know is that with the recent release of Vicente Padilla, Brandon McCarthy being out until probably late July, Matt Harrison questionable to return next week, and closer Frank Francisco's status in doubt this weekend, the Rangers need to get pitching anywhere they can get it right now.

If Hernandez can help the staff tread water for the time being, this could turn out to be a great move.