Christmas is over. The off-season’s unofficial half-way point is behind us. Now it’s time to start getting serious about the upcoming season.

Lost in the shuffle of the holiday week was the Rangers signing right-handed starting pitcher A.J. Griffin. This could be a steal. Or this could be a Tommy Hanson, Orlando Hernandez, Brandon Webb-like signing. A guy with a name and a resume but without the arm to match.

Most likely it’s a bust. But you never know.

Griffin was ticketed for stardom when he came up with the Athletics. He was 7-1 with a 3.06 ERA in fifteen starts in his rookie year in 2012. His next season, he started thirty-two games, won fourteen, with an ERA of 3.83.

Then he had Tommy John surgery. Then he had shoulder surgery. Which is how he ended up on the Rangers doorstep.

It’s a typical Jon Daniels signing. Low risk, high reward. Those have rarely paid off in the Jon Daniels era. But you can’t blame him for trying.