On the Block
Rangers give Andruw Jones, Benson new lease on life
The Texas Rangers gave two struggling veterans a second chance in early April by adding outfielder Andruw Jones and right-hander Kris Benson to their final rosters for the upcoming season.
Jones, who turns 32 next week, got the last spot over Frank Catalanotto, who was placed on waivers. Jones had three homers and six RBI in 58 spring training at-bats.
A premier Gold Glover back in his heydays in Atlanta, the 31-year-old Jones has found his stroke back in spring, hitting .293 after struggling at the plate last season with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Formerly a Gold Glove center fielder and a home-run champion in his glory days playing with the Braves, Jones got a spot as the Rangers’ fifth outfielder and a bat off the bench after hitting .293 in spring training.
With plenty of lefties to fill their lineup, the Rangers found the lefty-hitting Catalanotto expendable.
Jones is coming off an injury-riddled 2008 campaign with the Dodgers, where he batted just .158 with three homers and 14 RBI in 75 games before being released.
Another player hoping to make it back into the majors is 34-year-old Kris Benson, who will be the Rangers fifth starter in their pitching rotation.
Benson, a former No. 1 overall pick in 1996, last pitched with the Orioles in 2006, where he started 30 games and finished with an 11-12 record and a 4.82 ERA.
This spring Benson holds a 2-0 record with a 4.76 ERA.
Ashley is a senior journalism student at the University of Florida, pursuing a career in sports journalism. She believes that life without baseball is no life at all.