Former Lone Star Conference and Texas A&M-Kingsville standout Mike Adams is back in Texas after being traded from San Diego to the Rangers Sunday.

   Adams, one of the best setup relievers in baseball, is expected to boost the Texas Rangers bullpen as the club aims for its second straight American League West Division title following a World Series run last season. He makes his debut with Texas tonight at Detroit. 

   A native of Sinton, Texas, Adams played both baseball and basketball for the Javelinas.

   The right-handed pitcher left A&M-Kingsville as the school’s career strikeout leader with 240. He averaged an all-time best 10.42 strikeouts per nine innings and still ranks second on school charts with 16 complete games.

   Adams set the Javelina season records for games started (15) and complete games (9) in 2001 to earn first-team All-LSC South Division honors.

   In 2000, Adams was named LSC South Division Pitcher of the Year with 105 strikeouts in 88.1 innings pitched including a then-conference record 18 strikeouts in one game. The mark was broken in 2004 by TAMUK’s Garrett Murdy with 19.

   Adams was signed by the Milwaukee Brewers as an undrafted free agent in 2001. He made his Major League debut in May 2004 and earned the Brewers top newcomer award that year. After three seasons in Milwaukee, Adams joined San Diego in 2006. He had stints with four minor league teams before knee surgeries sidelined him in 2007.

   Since 2008, Adams has been a mainstay in the Padres bullpen with a career-high 70 games in 2010 and action in 48 contests this season. He brings a career 2.11 ERA with 295 strikeouts in 285.2 innings to the Rangers.

    As a member of the A&M-Kingsville basketball team, Adams played in 13 games during the 1996-97 season.