Byrd Hopes To Stay In Texas

Marlon Byrd will hit free agency for the first time after the season and, while he may not be in line for a Gary Matthews-esque contract, he's due for a raise from his $3MM salary. Byrd tells Anthony Andro of the Dallas Morning News that he wants Texas to be his "last stop," though he understands that GM Jon Daniels has to do what's best for the organization. Daniels raves about Byrd's play, but he works on a limited budget and already has Josh Hamilton, Nelson Cruz, Julio Borbon and David Murphy under team control for next year. 

Regardless of the Rangers' interest in Byrd, he should be able to draw attention around the league. Byrd, who turns 32 on Sunday, plays above-average defense at every outfield position, according to UZR. He has never had particularly good control of the strike zone, but his 55 extra base hits this year include 38 doubles and 15 homers, so he's showing lots of power.