Breaking Down The Rangers Offseason

Is Hurley still highly touted?

You have to figure Andrus + Hurley and some filler would at least entice Toronto.

CC that is.

Hurley has been struggling with nagging injuries and I would expect him to be in the rotation next year. Don't see the Rangers spending on free agency unless it a pretty sure thing. No of that waste money on Jason Jennings stuff. I kinda half way expect them to target guys like Homer Bailey or Clay Buchholz. Guys who have had down years, but tons of upside. And they have the prospects to make that happen. I fully expect Salty to be trade with Teagarden spending more time in the minor next year. I could see Salty being traded to the Reds or Red Sox in a deal for the above mentioned pitchers, with the Red Sox another player might need to be thrown in.
Neftali Feliz is really good too.

At least one of the Texas catchers is certainly gone next year. Can they bring back frontline starters? I'm not sure...

I thought that a Salty for Homer Bailey deal would work out well for both sides. I wouldn't mind expanding it though to bring in Andrus as well because the Reds really have no player in the orgainization that looks to be a sure thing to stick at SS and hit better then a backup. They have SS's that can hit but they project to be 2Bs or 3Bs and they have guys that can field but can't hit.

I don't see the Red Sox parting with Bucholtz, but Bowden and something could probably be had for Salty.

I say they trade Salty for Scott Olsen and try to land Aaron Harang and/or AJ Burnett.

Salty for Scott Olsen, a trade for Harang and a signing of Burnett should do the trick.

Wouldn't hurt to go for Mike Jacobs, too.

Salty for Bailey? I'm sure the Reds would pull the trigger on that one.

I'm not sure how much interest the sox have in Salty. Obviously this is just me playing armchair GM, but isn't Texas considering a move to 1b/dh?

Teagarden is another interesting name

I seriously doubt that the Rangers trade Teagarden. He is a local boy and great defensively.

the Jays are not letting go of Halladay why would Halladay want to go to texas?
The jays are working on deal with Halladay for him to stay

What I've learned when it comes to trading young pitching.

1. teams don't deal young pitching talent unless there is a problem with said young talent. If a pitcher were to come up and simply dominate he isn't going anywhere.

2. Teams that have obvious surplus of signed pitching talent are more likely to deal young talent to fill other holes, but would part with average signed pitching before a promising youngster.

So unless you are willing to part with a ton of talent you aren't getting guys like Lincecum, Gallardo, Volquez (which is ironic), or Cueto.

Guys like Hughes and Bailey who have been hit hard at the ML level and have injury and mental concerns will be easier to get.

Bailey is a local boy, the Reds have a need at catcher and have offensive issues. They actually do have pitching depth, and they have another new regiem at the helm.

Bailey and a reliever for Salty/Cruz could work out well for both sides.

Bailey gives the Rangers a young arm, the reliever would probably be around league average (pitching more valueable then catching...Cruz being a old prospect)

The Reds get a solid catcher and potentially a OF that could provide league average work. Because both Dunn and Griffey are gone they need OF help especially in 09, right now Bruce is there only sure thing, though Dickerson is making a good impression, but he is like Cruz getting old for a prospect.

If I were the Reds I pull the trigger and if I were the Rangers I would as well because I don't know if they'll get much better.

The trade bait would be Laird and Salty at catcher. The Rangers might part with one SS candidate Andrus or Arias. They could trade Byrd, Cruz or a youngster in the outfield. The Rangers could give up Millwood in a trade as well.

For all these guys in a couple of trades, you'd think they could land a couple of starters in at least the 3-4 category. I think they will have to pursue Sheets as their number one starter because we all know Sabathia is going to the Yanks.

Texas is starting to win because of the young talent that is finally catching up! The Rangers need to be VERY cautious if they even consider trading their top prospects. Just because the team has 5-6 top prospects that could be some teams' 1-2 doesn't mean that they have to trade any of them!

If I may play arm chair GM for a second...

The only players that I will consider trading this off-season are as follows: Nelson Cruz, Neil Ramirez, German Duran, John Mayberry, and ANY of our catching prospects. Personally I like Salty and Teagarden so I would like to keep those two but if it gets pitching well ok then.

Well who doesn't go? The untouchable prospects are: Neftali Feliz, Justin Smoak, Elvis Andrus, Engel Beltre, and Blake Beavan. The second tier of untouchables (the ones that you would have to REALLY think about trading) are Derek Holland, Michael Main, and Julio Borbon.
Again, just because the Rangers have 5 front line prospects DOES NOT mean they should trade them (even for pitching)

I think the players listed above that could be traded are plenty good enough to get what Texas needs in the way of pitching. Olsen, Bailey, or Bucholz? Ya for those guys Cruz and Salty would get it done.

If Rangers fans and Management can hold their horses on the elite prospects your looking at a line up like this around 2010-2011

1. Elvis Andrus ss
2. Ian Kinsler 2b
3. Michael Young 3b
4. Josh Hamilton OF
5. Chris Davis DH/1b/3b?
6. Justin Smoak 1b
7. David Murphy OF
8. Engel Beltre OF
9. Salty or Teagarden c

Rotation:
1. Hurley
2. Feliz
3. Beavan
4. Holland
5. Main/McCarthy

Closer: Kasey Kiker or Franklin Francisco?

And that rotation isn't including the possible pitcher the Rangers would get in return for trades this off-season or if they land one in free-agency!

In conclusion... HOLD YOUR HORSES!! In this case your prospects! Learn from the Devil Rays.

Absolutely you don't deal your top prospects unless you have no place to play them. Getting something you need is alot better then letting them rot in AAA.

Case in point the Angels.

Having four catchers and really only one or two slots to play them really isn't helping anyone. I can't see Liard bring back much, otherwise I believe he would have been dealt, Ramirez is a 1B/DH really and not a catcher so that limits his options in the trade market.

That leaves Teagarden or Salty as a centerpiece.

As long as Teagarden can hit around average for a catcher say .260 with 10 homers then I think the Rangers would be better off with him since there has been some talk about Salty being a near future 1B as well.

Since you can't play three 1Bs and a couple catchers the Rangers would be far better off finding a team that had what they needed and moving one of them hoping they keep the right one. If you are gun shy chances are all the players will lose value because you try to play them all or they don't develop as they should.

Case in point the early 2000's Reds. They had four OFs and a 1B in Dunn, Pena, Kearns, Griffey and Casey. At the time you could make a case for starting any of them. The GM at the time drafted very well but was horrible at trades because in my opinion he was afraid to make the wrong move.

Chances are you aren't going to get to keep the two best catchers, but really why keep the two best anyway? You can't play them both so you end up with a highly skilled backup that can't even really be a pinch hitter or DH unless you carry a third catcher. So you get a lesser return for one of the two weaker catchers while killing the value of the second good one.

THe correct move is to pick one of the two highly valued catchers, keep him and then deal the other for a larger return.

Deal Salty

Keep Teagarden in AAA

Use Liard and Ramirez at the ML level. Replace Liard with Teagarden in 2010 or perhaps earlier if he proves he's more then ready.

Schellis is right. Teagarden stays due to his great defense. Max is a keeper due to his bat. He can back up Taylor in case of emergency and still be used as a DH, pinch hitter, or 1B. Trade Salty straight up for a nice MLB ready pitcher (to Boston for Bowden, for instance...I can't see them giving up on Buchholz, no matter how poorly he's looked this year) and maybe Laird and a decent prospect or 2 (depending on who) to Cincy for Bailey. Laird, Tommy Hunter, and Mayberry, for instance for Bailey and a young reliever. Hell, you might get Bailey for Laird straight up with the way he's played his way into the doghouse. That's two more high upside young pitchers. Then, if you can get a young pitcher who has experienced some success (a Cain/Greinke type) at the MLB level over the winter, you pull the trigger; otherwise, let the rotation round into shape over the next few years. You'll be in the World Series by 2011 or '12!

milehigh78:

I would just like to applaud your post! I hope that your right and Newberg is wrong in his assessment of how other teams see the rangers farm system!

WilsonSaves:

I didn't forget Matt Harrison in that rotation. I am just more excited about the potentials of Feliz, Beavan, or Holland. A very likely senario might be Harrison in place of Beavan. Due to his age he might not be quite ready for full time duties.

But, in all honesty, the most I could hope Harrison becomes is a solid number 2 starter. Most likely I think he would be a very good number 3 "innings eater" type pitcher. Making him susceptible to trade rumors before then. Thats why I left him out. i do like him and his style for the ballpark (ground-baller)

Rangersvoice-

'I think the Rangers should find a Hernandez or Cain before they become big time MLB pitching.'

They have. His name is Neftali Feliz.

Also, I agree and disagree on Harrison. I agree with your decision to hold him out of your future rotation. But I think you're being far too kind in thinking he could develop into a No. 2. Obviously anything can happen and a ground-ball pitcher in Arlington sounds like a good idea (LOL), but I'm not sure his ceiling can be set any higher than as a No. 3 and that THAT may be a bit hopeful. Fans (myself included- an O's fanatic; yes, we're out there) tend to overstate their prospects'...um...prospects, if you know what I mean. There's nothing wrong with a really good back-of-the-rotation type. Using a little 'what's good for the goose...' hypothetical: Garrett Olson's numbers were awesome at AAA and, as a former supplemental first rounder, I got caught up in the (crazy) notion he might evolve into something of a No. 2/3. While that could still happen, I suppose, reality has forced me to accept that he's probably no more than a back of the rotation type, himself. Still, given time to develop and the experience to build confidence and craft, he could be a VERY GOOD 4 or 5. And let's be honest, while it's useful in analysis and discussion of a pitcher's potential, all that numbering crap is garbage on game day. Whether a guy is a 1 or a 5, when it's his day to pitch, he's the staff ace.