The Rangers have money to spend and ESPN.com's Buster Olney suggests they could spend it on Adam Dunn. GM Jon Daniels could pursue Carl Crawford or another free agent if Cliff Lee signs elsewhere, but Dunn would provide the Rangers with a formidable power threat. Here are the rest of Olney's rumors:
- The Rangers' priority is still to sign Lee.
- Rival executives see Texas as the team that's most likely to acquire Zack Greinke from the Royals.
- To create leverage with the Yankees, Derek Jeter will need another club to make a significantly better proposal than the three-year $45MM deal the Yankees are offering. Needless to say, it will be difficult for agent Casey Close to find such an offer for a 36-year-old coming off a down year.
- Olney hears that the Nationals are the most enthusiastic team about signing Carlos Pena.
I might start crying with laughter if Close pulls out the old Boras “Mystery Team” crap.
If the Rangers sign Dunn and get a top tier starter, the AL West is locked for years.
Rangers won’t be willing to give up what it’s going to take to obtain Greinke right now.
If they can’t get Lee, they will make a big run at Greinke. If they don’t get either, and the Angels get two out of Crawford, Beltre, and Soriano, the Rangers won’t be able to compete for a few seasons.
That’s crap man. 2 of those guys virtually make the two neck and neck without the Rangers making any significant moves and I really don’t see them standing pat.
Who’s the Rangers ace without either of them? I dont see it as crap at all.
How many games ahead of the Angels last year when Cliff arrived? No, CJ Wilson would not be a true ace if they did not resign Cliff or make a trade, but they did pretty well last year before C. Lee arrived. They WILL make moves though, that is my point. Saying the Rangers “won’t compete” with the Angels if the Angels do this is a bit drastic
It was probably drastic, but how about this, if the Rangers can’t make a move for an ace, and the Angels get two out of those three, i think it’s fair to say the Angels are the better team. Deal?
but the supposedly “better” team, does not always win.
Of course not, but you would rather be the “better” team than the “worse” team right?
I will give you even, I still don’t think that makes them better. That Ranger’s lineup is still stacked and even though I would rate the Angels starting pitching higher, I would still give the edge in lineup to the Rangers.
The Ranger’s have the prospects to deal if they see fit and if they don’t get Cliff, I’ll bet you dollars to doughnuts they bring in a big bat and a middle of the rotation starter via trade or free agency.
This whole argument is “assuming the rangers don’t make a trade for a big time starter.” So I’m aware they have the chips, but this is assuming they don’t deal them.
Then we should assume the Angels don’t get any free agents either.
If the Rangers don’t get Lee they will take a major hit. The rest of their pitchers are don’t have a great track record. The addition of Crawford and Beltre would make the Angels the front runners in the west. But I think with the strength of the east next year, the wild card will come out of the west.
thank you
There is no way someone in the al east doesnt get the wildcard for the bajillionth time.
Because the Angels will be able to add both Crawford AND Beltre. They’ll probably get one but they’re still NOT Yankees-West.
Because the Angels will be able to add both Crawford AND Beltre. They’ll probably get one but they’re still NOT Yankees-West.
I agree with you. Hamilton really can’t do any better next year so you have to assume you will loose a little production there too. They also have to replaces Vlad’s production.
I think they will compete but it is going to be very close between them, the Angels and the A’s. The AL West could be a lot of fun next year if the Angels sign Crawford and the A’s get Beltre. It will be wide open.
uh any dodger news ?
There’s zero chance Jeter gets a deal even comparable to the yankees offer, but I what I could see is if Jeter feels disrespected by the yankees, maybe he would take a deal with a different team just so he keeps his pride.
But that is a “loss” for Jeter too. It is hard for him to leave, turning down over 15mil a year, without it negatively impacting his “legacy/image.” It makes him look just as bad as the yanks.
I totally agree, that’s why I don’t think it will happen. I’m just presenting other options. If DJ feels truely disrespected and unappreciated for all that he’s done for the organization (what he thinks not me) then he could take an offer for less money just to make Cashman look bad.
15 mill is only the opening offer for Jeter.
Yeah. Any other team that was smart would wake up and realize what a mistake it was and change it to 2/15M
I don’t see Jeter pulling a Damon and signing with another team. The Yanks like to be in the news so this will drag out for a bit, then it will be Lee, then Rivera, and last a releiver. Jeter 4/18- Lee 5/135- Rivera 2/17 Feliciano- 2/ 3mill.
You kind of switched up your contracts for total and amount for years… Is Rivera’s 2 for 17 each or 2/17? And I think Lee will get a 6 year contract.
my mistake, Jeter 4/72 Lee 5/115 Rivera 2/34 Feliciano 2/7.
no dodger news ??????
Pena seems like a very bad choice. His offense and defense are both trending down and is 32 years old. Isn’t there a 1B or OF (to convert to 1B) prospect they can find somewhere? Maybe Kila Ka’aihue (soon to be replaced by Hosmer), Kala Ka’aihue (blocked by Freemen) or Brandon Allen?
I think they want a veteran player that that can make an impact instantly.
Hosmer will marinate in AAA for at least another half year. Kila has a chance to increase value during that time or show he is just a AAA star.
Kala isn’t really a prospect…He’s the little lava. The big lava wouldnt be that much more an upgrade over Pena…
I’m pretty sure I would acquire both Kila and Kala just to confuse people – even though Kala’s batting average at high A last year was less than .200.
The Nationals would be taking the easy way out to sign Pena; they’re just waiting for one of their prospects to step it up, but everyone knows Dunn is a better alternative. My hunch is they’re waiting for interest in Dunn to decline as teams who require his services (like the Tigers) turn elsewhere. Then they’ll get him for the price they want – 3 years, $45 mil, something like that.
Dunn will cost more than that and it’s a guarantee he gets more years.
Kala isn’t in the Braves system anymore.
I’m not worried about Derek going anywhere, so let Close pull out whatever he wants. If the Yankees screw their captain along with the greatest closer in the history of baseball, I’m not watching baseball anymore…
They’ll get them both back, unless Cashman’s offer to DJ is the best he’s going to do and he wont compromise that is. I still don’t understand why they won’t give Rivera two years, the guys ageless.
Mo will get 2/30 and Jeter will end up with like 4/70. The Yankees started low and Jeter started high because that is the whole point of negotiating. They will meet in the middle. I really don’t think any of this is news but the sports media in New York needs to come with a story this offseason and so far that is it. Hopefully once the Yanks get Lee they can talk about that.
So the Yankees are screwing a terrible shortstop by not offering 500 billion dollars? They are also screwing a closer who wants ridiculous money? lol
The Yanks aren’t scewing Jeter they are offering him one third more than any other team. That being said, he is worth more than they are offering him now. I would rather see the player make the money, than the owner.
It’s not about owner making money vs player making money to me. Its about overpaying Jeter and how that will effect the Yankees acquiring other players. The Steinbrenner’s are sticking to this imaginary line they drew at ~210 million dollars, and with all the overpaid players we have already, overpaying another one for mediocre performance will definitely hinder Cashman from adding other players to the Yankees in the years to come.
With that said, the Yankees always pay there players well. So its not fair to use this argument about them putting money in their own pockets like other owners do. They aren’t even the richest owners in the league, although they do have the biggest money making team in the league.
On top of that, its not like Jeter didnt already get his huge payday when he first hit free agency. For everyone sayin the Yankees are disrespecting Jeter by taking a hardline with them yet willing to pay CLee, Burnett, Teixiera, Sabathia, that is all a moot point. First off, they were all younger than Jeter in their contract year, arguably in their prime years, AND had awesome seasons. Jeter… 36, diminishing defense, and worse season of his career. Jeter already got his big pay day and already has more money than any of those aforementioned players the Yankees.
As a Yankee fan that grew up watching the yankees before they got good, i could care less if Jeter left the team if he turns down a perfectly fair offer from the Yankees. I am a Yankee fan, not a Jeter fan, although I do like Jeter. I loved the Yankees before i even knew who Jeter was, and will continue to if Jeter decides to leave. I will not stop watching the team if Jeter decides to leave. I will not become a fan of the team that Jeter decides to go to. Anyone who says that they will, is a fake a$$ yankee fan and i have no respect for you. And you sir Jeter, who has already made over 200 mil from the Yankees, are NOT bigger than the team…
my son 14 is biggest jeter fan and hes gettin queasy with jeters(agent?) attitude.kids always thought he’d play for nothing
my son 14 is biggest jeter fan and hes gettin queasy with jeters(agent?) attitude.kids always thought he’d play for nothing
as a lifelong yankees fan (mid-1960s) i would be comfortable if the team held the line with a 3-year offer to Jeter but tossed in more money (it’s ONLY money!) per year.
Agreed, as long as he isn’t making 20 mill for 4 years I’ll be moderately happy with them offering him somewhere around 3/55ish.
Greinke to the Rangers? Interesting…
Here are my ideas…I’ve got 3.
Martin Perez/Tanner Scheppers/Engel Beltre/Jurrickson Profar/
Martin Perez/Derek Holland/Engel Beltre/Jurrickson Profar
Mark Hamburger/Derek Holland/Tanner Scheppers/Alexei Ogando/Engel Beltre
I’ll take the 2nd one.
HEY SPAN STOP THROWING ALL THESE NAMES OUT THERE. GAWD WORST POST EVER. I CAN’T COMPREHEND THIS STUFF
(there’s seriously a guy named Hamburger?)
Hamburger is the German word for people that reside/from Hamburg, Germany. So he definitely has a German heritage with that last name.
My full name is Ethan Saucy McRib
He is going to be one of the top 15 picks in the Rule 5 Draft. Look for him. I can’t believe he wasn’t protected.
I bet the Royals would like the Rangers top four prospects…not happening!!!
Derek Holland isn’t a prospect and the system is much depleted since they all graduated to the show.
Your first offer was the Rangers top four prospects, and replacing Scheppers with Holland makes it an even more valuable package…once again, not happening!! There much depleted farm system is still a top ten farm system in baseball and you’re not going to see a team give up their top four prospects for a Greinke.
Btw, I don’t know why you brought up Hamburger. He would be lucky to make the Rangers top top 30-40 prospects, and in no way deserved to be protected on the 40 man.
The Rangers would most likely say “pick one of Perez/Holland/Scheppers” and then fill in the trade with other prospects/mlb ready talent. There is no way the Rangers give up 2 or 3 of their best pitching prospects for a guy that only posted a sub 3.50 ERA in 2 of 7 seasons, even if he did have an exceptional 2009… He added 2 whole ERA points to that this year. Greinke is just as likely to repeat 2010 as he is 2009; actually, more so (career 3.82 ERA). But I still think the rangers should pick him up.
The Rangers would most likely say “pick one of Perez/Holland/Scheppers” and then fill in the trade with other prospects/mlb ready talent. There is no way the Rangers give up 2 or 3 of their best pitching prospects for a guy that only posted a sub 3.50 ERA in 2 of 7 seasons, even if he did have an exceptional 2009… He added 2 whole ERA points to that this year. Greinke is just as likely to repeat 2010 as he is 2009; actually, more so (career 3.82 ERA). But I still think the rangers should pick him up.
Greinke isn’t worth that much. If the Ranger’s made any of those trades they’d be idiots.
I think the 2nd one is perfectly fair.
I don’t think Greinke is a good fit in Texas. He wants a small market team.
He wants a lower pressure team. Texas isn’t NY/Chicago/LA. I mean Toronto is the 4th largest market in Baseball, but you wouldn’t call them a large pressure team right?
He wants winning without the media spotlight of the Yankees/Mets/Red Sox. Nobody pays attention to the AL West. Perfect place for him.
nobody? really?
Greinke would prefer a small market team, but if you are considering that the size of the actual market is exactly the same as the size of the baseball market inside that market, you need to have your eyes checked. While the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex is the 4th largest market in the country, its baseball market is vastly smaller. Dallas Cowboys with a 2-7 record (currently 3-8) command more media attention than the Rangers. The Dallas Mavericks command more media coverage than the Rangers. This year is a bit different with the Rangers having actually made the World Series, because if they hadn’t, we would have been talking Dallas Stars hockey with how bad the ‘Boys are.
Plus, did you know Zack Greinke’s wife is a former Dallas Cowboys cheerleader?
2nd one would do it. Maybe KC throws in cash or an extra player though.
I could see that. Maybe sending someone like Kanekoa Tex.
I’m not entirely sure the Rangers would give up Perez though. Swith him with Scheppers and I think they have a deal.
I’m not entirely sure the Rangers would give up Perez though. Swith him with Scheppers and I think they have a deal.
I could see that. Maybe sending someone like Kanekoa Tex.
Great idea, you should be a GM. I think any of those deals would make both teams much better.
Is it disrespect when you have paid Jeter more then any other SS in history? Hell if he gets ‘only’ $15 mil a year its still more then any other SS is making per year.
If he thinks he will have a bounce back season then maybe he should get a 1 year deal and try to cash in next off season.
I know lots of teams want to pay over $15 mil a season for a SS with no range that grounds into a lot of Double Plays. The SS market is thin…
Just take the damn deal & be done with it you greedy F’in wench. And BTW, whats stopping Texas from forming their own, better version of the N.Y. 1-2. Eh, Eh?
Just take the damn deal & be done with it you greedy F’in wench. And BTW, whats stopping Texas from forming their own, better version of the N.Y. 1-2. Eh, Eh?
my son 14 is biggest jeter fan in ct.and he’s gettin queasy with jeters (agent)? attitude.kids always thought jeter would play for nothing
my son 14 is biggest jeter fan in ct.and he’s gettin queasy with jeters (agent)? attitude.kids always thought jeter would play for nothing