Richard Hidalgo

A slow start and injuries derailed Hidalgo's season before it ever got on track and he just didn't work out in Texas. He'll latch on somewhere with a one-year, incentive-laden deal. He still has power, so there's some optimism for a rebound.

Hidalgo, following his acquisition from the Astros for David Weathers, carried the Mets offense for nearly a month before reverting back to the poor plate discipline that got him traded in the first place. Hidalgo believes that a strained groin contributed to his second-half swoon, so he visited with Mackie Shilstone, who is also treating Jose Reyes, in an attempt to find a solution so the problem does not arise with the Rangers. He'll start in right field for Texas.

Hidalgo had his best season since 2000, posting a .957 OPS and rediscovering his power stroke in the process. Unfortunately, the number the Astros' front-office focused upon this offseason was the number 12, as in how many million dollars Hidalgo is scheduled to make in 2004. There's a possibility that he'll be traded away from the friendly environs of Minute Maid park.

A wrist injury, a hip injury, and a conflict with manager Jimy Williams all cut into Hidalgo's playing time last season. Looking at Hidalgo's game log, it looks like his wrist started troubling him earlier than he or the team disclosed. Hidalgo requested a trade after the season, and then got shot in the left forearm in his native Venezuela during the offseason, suffering nerve damage. Counting on a return to his 2000 form seems unlikely, although some improvement in his power from 2002 should be expected.