Michael Kirkman designated for assignment by Rangers
By Matt Fisher
The long, strenuous journey for Michael Kirkman in the Rangers organization may finally be coming to an end.
Having run out of options and severely under-performing in the last two seasons, Michael Kirkman was designated for assignment to create roster space for minor-league catcher Chris Gimenez. The news comes from Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. A decision to designate Kirkman does not come without definite thought, as the hard throwing lefty is now exposed on the waiver wire and could be claimed by any team.
Kirkman never seemed to find his niche in the Rangers organization, always said to have the stuff but never the command, consistency, or health to put everything together. In four seasons with Texas, Kirkman, who profiled as a starter, never started for the big league club and only made 82 appearances in 101 innings. He earned a 2-5 record with a 5.17 ERA over his time with the Rangers.
Kirkman, 27, was likely to have been designated for assignment after making the club out of Spring Training last year and pitching poorly. A recurrence of skin cancer, however, enabled the Rangers to put him on the restricted list and gave them the opportunity to look at him again this season. If Kirkman makes it through the waiver process untouched, he is not allowed to refuse his assignment and must go to Triple-A.