The latest on the Rangers via GM Jon Daniels and assistant GM Thad Levine:
- Levine joined Mike Ferrin and Jim Bowden on MLB Network Radio and said Texas will be present at any workouts Roy Oswalt holds. The Rangers hope to limit Neftali Feliz to 140-160 innings in 2012.
- Levine said the Rangers and Mike Gonzalez maintain mutual interest, Bowden tweets.
- Regarding Josh Hamilton's next contract, the outfielder's recent comments "don't play into it much," Daniels said in an online chat with Dallas Morning News readers. The GM added, "Maybe I'm an optimist but I'd like to think that at the appropriate time, we'll sit down and be able to work something out." Daniels noted that they'll "revisit contract talks privately at some point."
- Asked about the limits on draft and international player spending in the new collective bargaining agreement, Daniels said, "It seems to limit teams in those areas, and if it plays out that way, I won't be a huge fan. Just think clubs should have the freedom/flexibility to make individual decisions in the best interests of their franchise – and we're all in different situations."
- Daniels confirmed Joe Nathan is his closer. The 37-year-old righty signed a two-year, $14.75MM deal in November, with extra benefits for games finished.
- Highly regarded pitching prospect Martin Perez has a shot to make the team, but "Ideally, he'll get more minor league innings as a starter, which is where we see him long term."
