Rangers come to terms with Murphy, others.
ARLINGTON, Texas — The Texas Rangers announced on Thursday that the club has agreed to terms with outfielder David Murphy on a contract for the 2011 season. Financial terms were not disclosed, per club policy.
The club now has five total players still eligible for arbitration heading into the 2011 season: OF Nelson Cruz, RHP Frank Francisco, OF Josh Hamilton, OF RHP Darren O’Day, and LHP C.J. Wilson. Murphy joins right-handed pitcher Mark Lowe as arbitration-eligible players already under contract for the upcoming year.
Murphy, 29, batted .291 with 12 home runs and 65 RBI in 138 games for Texas in 2010. He had a .311 (66-212) average with 9 homers and 41 RBI over 63 games after the All-Star break and was named Rangers Player of the Month for September. He played 11 postseason
games during the club’s World Series run, including a homer in Game 2 of the American League Championship Series against the Yankees.
ZACH JACKSON SIGNED: The Rangers formally announced that the club has signed left-handed pitcher Zach Jackson to a minor league contract with an invitation to major league spring training. Jackson, 27, spent last season with Las Vegas (AAA) in the Toronto organization, going 2-3 with a 5.64 ERA (51 ER/81.1 IP) in 35 games/5 starts. He has 22 games/17 starts in his major league career, going 4-5 with a 5.81 ERA for Milwaukee (2006, 2008) and Cleveland (2008-09). Jackson joins seven other non-roster invitees to big league camp: INF Brian Barden, C Kevin Cash, OF Endy Chavez, OF Doug Deeds, INF Esteban German, RHP Seth McClung, and RHP Ryan Tucker.
ALL IN THE FAMILY: The club also formally announced that Erold Andrus, older brother of Rangers shortstop Elvis Andrus, has been signed a minor league contract. The elder Andrus, 25, will be in minor league camp this spring. In his last action in 2009, he batted .302 with 9 home runs and 48 RBI in 90 games for Florence of the independent Frontier League. He owns a career .267 average in eight minor league seasons from 2002-09.
