Notes from the AL West, as the Angels learn that Scott Downs is out indefinitely with a broken toe…
- Chris Davis, who suggested earlier in the week that he wouldn't oppose a trade, clarified his thoughts on 103.3 ESPN's Ben and Skin show, without changing his stance much. "If they're not going to give me an opportunity to play in Arlington I think the fairest thing and the right thing to do would be to give me a chance to play somewhere else," Davis said.
- I looked at potential destinations for Davis yesterday and today Jon Heyman of SI.com suggests one of the teams I mentioned makes sense (Twitter link). Heyman likes the Rays as a potential suitor for Davis.
- Many of the Angels' established hitters tell Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports that they're enjoying watching powerful first base prospect Mark Trumbo this spring.
- As Matt Eddy of Baseball America explains, the Mariners released and re-signed Nate Robertson after learning that he needs elbow surgery.
If I’m the Rangers I don’t trade Davis unless they get something useful in return. If the light ever comes on in his head the way it did for Nelson Cruz, he’s a bona fide 30-HR guy who plays top-notch defense at first and can also play some third base.
Yeah but where are you going to play him?
OF- Hamilton, Cruz, Bourbon, Murphy
1B-Moreland, Davis, Napoli, Young and Murphy
DH-Young, Napoli, Murphy, Davis
and 4 catchers.
You have too many space issues as it is (Young). Murphy is an edgy young kid wanting to play everday. You already have an angry vet you can’t find space for. This keeps going and Murphy is going to be like the slave from Amistad…..”Give us free….give us free!!!”.
Is there room on the Rangers for both Young and Davis (or either of them)? Might be prudent to retain at least one for depth.
Not just Young and Davis because you have Napoli who can play first and Moreland who is entrenched at the position right now.
That was my point I suppose, only mentioned Davis / Young because they have been discussed as more likely to be traded than Moreland or Napoli. Question was more “can Texas have Davis and Young as backup infielders for the whole season?”
Davis has a minor league option left. The expectation is that the Rangers are going to stuff him in AAA in case they need him later in the year for some reason, which is pretty much what touched off his comments to begin with.
Literally on the team? There’s room for one but not both right now. In the organization? Yeah, you can stuff Davis in the minors and leave Young on the ML roster.
I wouldn’t give Davis away for less than a top pitcher. I agree he could end up like Cruz and be a solid bat in that lineup.
Maybe as part of a package including a great prospect. But otherwise Davis along is not going tonet you a top pitcher. I mean the kid has potential but he did ko 190x in his last 510 AB, hasn’t posted an OBP above .300 and doesn’t have the Dave Kingman-esque HR totals to warrant the KOs.
It might be prudent to take one of Davis or Murphy, Holland and a prospect or two and package together for a pitcher though.
ken does the angels too? i thought he worked for the junkees.
Downs is out for a month or so. “indefinitely” is blowing it out of proportion.
trumbo is a beast!
too bad he doesnt play third…
Davis was given the starting 1b job three different times and he blew it. He needs to go to Round Rock and show he knows the strike zone. The Rangers have no obligation to trade him unless they get exactly what they want in return.
Brewers.
I love watching Davis hit and his defense. But he’s a bit off base when he says he’s done everything the organization has asked him to. It’s great to see him tear the cover off the ball in spring training and the minors. But at the major league level, he hasn’t put it together and that’s why he’s in his current situation. If he hadn’t blown it (more than once), then Justin Smoak and Mitch Moreland never would have had their opportunities.
If he ever puts it together, I think he has more upside than Moreland, but he needs to do it, and because of the Rangers current situation, he may end up having to do it for another team. He’d be a perfect fit for the Dodgers.