Tue Feb 12 19:46:28 2008

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Rangers sign Mench to minor-league deal

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Surprise, AZ (Sports Network) - The Texas Rangers signed outfielder Kevin Mench to a minor-league contract on Tuesday, with an invitation to spring training as a non-roster player.

Mench, 30, hit .267 with eight home runs and 37 RBI in 101 games for the Brewers last season, his first full year with the club.

The University of Delaware product was a fourth-round choice of the Rangers in the 1999 draft, and made his major-league debut for Texas in 2002. He was named Rangers rookie of the year by Dallas-Fort Worth baseball writers that season after clubbing 15 homers with 20 doubles, and batting .260 in 110 games.

Mench posted consecutive 20-homer seasons in 2004 and 2005, then was dealt to Milwaukee in July, 2006. He holds a lifetime .271 average with 89 homers and 320 RBI in 651 games over six big-league seasons.

With Mench's signing, the Rangers' spring training roster is at 60 players.