The Rangers are not currently pursuing Rafael Soriano and were not engaged with him at any point this winter, according to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (Twitter links). The team signed Adrian Beltre this week, so there's not enough money remaining in the team's budget for Soriano, another Scott Boras client.
There's a potential fit for Soriano in Anaheim as MLBTR's Mark Polishuk explains here. Jon Heyman of SI.com has suggested that the Yankees are likely to pursue Soriano if Andy Pettitte retires and the White Sox are eyeing the reliever, too. The Cardinals don't appear to have much interest, however.
Soriano is one of three unsigned free agents who will cost a draft pick. The Red Sox, who are in line for the Rangers' 2011 first rounder, would only get Texas' second rounder if Soriano heads to the Lone Star State, so there's reason for them to hope he signs elsewhere.
Who the heck is going to sign this guy?? No team with out a closer wants to sign a type A
. Originally I thought the Angels, but now it makes no sense for them to go get him..
Plus the Angels have been linked to guys and haven’t done jack. Tony Reagins is asleep at the wheel. I don’t even want Soriano at this point. The competing bus already left the station. No need to waste money now.
If the ‘competing bus’ already left the station you have to wonder if the will try to sign Jered Weaver to an extension. If he has another year like he had in 2009 he may be asking for Cliff Lee type money.
Might sound crazy, but the Mets could be a potential landing spot, with a quiet off season, and with F-Rod supposedly beating his wife, then the Mets trying to go through the league to cancel his contract, it might make an easier transition with Soriano in their pen in case F-Rod goes. Or maybe The Chi Sox, since their next option was a kid they brought up that was drafted in June, who has huge potential. Just some food for thought
Makes no sense?
The cost of signing Soriano is their 3rd round pick (1st round is protected, 2nd round would now go the Rays, and the 3rd round would go to the Jays).
It won’t be a one year deal. Having a bullpen in 2011 and beyond that consists of Downs, Soriano, Walden, Jepsen is downright awesome.
To me, I make the deal IF it’s a bargain signing. As other teams have blown their money and filled their holes, Soriano on a 3/$25 type deal would be an absolute steal.
So does this mean Feliz is staying in the pen? I thought at some point the Rangers discussed the possiblity of moving him to the rotation. All I know is that kid is absolutely filthy
So it might sound ridiculous but just a stupid trade thought….and I know it is not going to happen but could work out well for both teams.
Rangers get Dice-K
Red Sox get Michael Young
Rangers would add another pitcher and the sox would be able to add the right handed bat they ahve been looking for, plus someone who could spell youk and agon.
Feliz could stay in the pen where he has been so good. Of course this would somewhat hurt the sox without a 5th starter. Money would be hard to match up but whatever, im just getting ready for fantasy baseball this year!
Just a thought tho, go ahead and laugh
Haha. Now that I got your request out the way. Where would Young play and why would you want to pay Ortiz $12.5 mil and Young $16 mil to be platoon players? Who would replace Dice-K in the rotation and why take away from the depth when Beckett is so fragile and inconsistent?
Like I said I know it wouldnt happen, bc of the money, and other players. But young could spend time at 1st, 3rd and DH especially against lefties! This would keep agon and youk healthier and more rested.
For some reason I dont see a lot of production out of Ortiz this year, and I hope im wrong. The main issue with the sox would be finding another pitcher. My guess would be doubront.
The rangers would get a nice pitcher and keep neftali in the pen.
But before you start hating, I did say it wouldnt happen but there is a match there.
There really is no match…
No there could be, just to much money and not enough pitching to go around. Sox need a right handed hitter that could play corners and the rangers need a pitcher!
DiceK has been talked about being traded and so has young…what are you missing? The problem is, is that the money would never work out.
There’s not.
The Red Sox are close to the luxury tax level. Young’s extra money is $28 mil, for a part time player, over 3 years. Add in luxury tax (~33%) and you have ~$36 mil for a 40-50 game a year player. Jed Lowrie can do that for about $5 mil over the same 3 years. And Lowrie knows what that leathery thing on his hand is for.
If the Rangers come calling with Scheppers and M Perez that’s a better match…
Why are you arguing a point that I have already made? Geez, I have already said a few times that the moeny would NOT work out. Like I said, getting ready for fantasy baseball! I knew it would not happen because of the MONEY.
Now Jed is good, but he has a lot of injuries, and no one knows what Ortiz will bring this year.
So after you read this…please dont argue the moeny! I was just looking at postions and pitchers.
Thank you sir for arguing what i was originally saying
I get the idea, and on the face of it it isn’t a terrible one. But there really isn’t a good match there.
The Sox don’t have anyone who can step in and be sure to do any better than Dice-K, so there isn’t any real reason to move him. Plus there really isn’t any need for a Young type of player, they already have Lowrie (and Navarro in AAA) who can play all over the infield and provide at least as good offensive numbers as Young with better defense (and for WAY cheaper). They also have Cameron who can spell Ortiz at DH against lefties, along with Varitek who still hits lefties well, McDonald who hits from the right side and now Max Ramirez who hits righty (and can play potentially C, 1st and 3rd).
As for the Rangers, if they are going to go out and get another pitcher they would likely want someone who is more consistent and who could be a mentor to their young pitchers. Dice-K isn’t the type of pitcher who could be a mentor to young pitchers like that, and it’s nothing against him personally, but with the language barrier and his issues with his own effectiveness it just wouldn’t work very well.
Not to mention both players can veto any trade.
I agree, thus for the reasons I listed. The way this came about I was talking another baseball fan and they threw the idea out there when Beltre signed. We both obviously knew it would not work bc of money! So I thought i would throw it on here. Like you said and I 100% agree with you, on the face of it, it is not bad, there are just to many other factors in play that would hinder the trade!
I think he forgot Youklis is at third now.
Or the fact that you didnt read what i wrote!
Wouldn’t happen. Young has nowhere to play on the sox. They already have either Lowrie or Scutaro on the bench depending on who gets the starting gig after ST. Dice-K is now slotted as the #5 starter which just about any team would take in a heartbeat.
Back to Soriano. I’m kind of surprised the Yankees haven’t been sucking up all these relievers since missing out on Lee. They’ve got the money to spend and sometimes a shutdown bullpen can be the key to a championship team.
sancap14:
“Back to Soriano. I’m kind of surprised the Yankees haven’t been sucking up all these relievers since missing out on Lee. They’ve got the money to spend and sometimes a shutdown bullpen can be the key to a championship team.”
Agreed. Once they missed on Lee, the logical place to go was/is the deep reliever market and get 2-3 of the best.
They’ve got Feliciano. Good start. Now get Soriano. And if you’re gonna sign Soriano, go all in and sign Balfour too. He’ll only cost you $ and a second rounder. Then Joba can be traded to get prospects back that will more than offset the lost draft picks.
i actually like this idea, he could start at short most of the days then once a week he could spell Gonzo or Youk, i honestly think we could put Wake back into the rotation if this were to ever happen (not saying it will, i want it to, don’t get me wrong but i think Michael Young is too good a teammate to want a trade because he has to switch positions again)
I don’t get why they wouldnt atleast try him in the rotation, he did well in the minors.. I’m thinkin price or wainright, come up as a damn good reliever and then move back to the rotation..
at the end of the day if he can give you 180 innings of 3.50 era its a lot more valuable then 70 innings at 2.50 era.
I can see the Rays doing a sign-and-trade to the same effect the Braves did last year. Not too many teams that need a closer, let alone ones that would be willing to meet his asking price.
Not a bad idea. They would most likely trade him to a NL team to avoid helping one of their competitors.
I can’t figure which team needs a closer like Soriano and has the resources to sign him
That only worked because of arbitration. You can’t sign and trade a free agent in baseball
All I know is I agree with you on Joe Buck.
Icing on the cake….Jerry needs to dig a bit deeper
who are the other 2 remaining type A/B free agents that will cost teams a draft pick?
Balfour is one of them.
thx. anybody know the other?
Carl Pavano…
Question for Rays fans. Was Soriano out at any point last year with soreness or arm/shoulder problems? *Real or otherwise.
Rays are the only team that is need of a closer. Just give him a one year contract with a raise to 8-9 million and immediately put the team back into contention for a play-off spot. They have the money to spend(they are well below the 50 million budget publically stated). And that money is recouped just by making the play-offs through ML shares.
I think Soriano will easily do better than a one-year contract, and the Rays aren’t going to tie up that much money over multiple years to a relief pitcher on their budget.
He hasn’t got that multiple offer yet mostly because teams may not want to risk Soriano getting injured(especially at 8+ million a year). He may have to settle for one year at at time at this point in his career, which is where the Rays are more apt to offer him that deal.
None of this comes as any surprise. I’d be surprised if they spoke to Boras at all about Soriano. There is no need for him even if Feliz becomes a starter. There are many potential closer candidates with Francisco, O’Day and even Scheppers leading the list.
If the Yankees do get Soriano, does anyone think it’s possible that they could use him as a more than 1 inning set-up man? Not necessarily 2 innings of course, but I mean in some games, he could go 1.1 or even 1.2 innings pitched, perhaps after Feliciano and Logan get out a lefty. Sort of like 96, Mariano to Wetteland, although Rivera. Or is it “bad” if I may call it that, to overuse a reliever.
I don’t think Girardi would do that though. I think Girardi handles the bullpen well, meaning he knows when to give guys rest when they need it. I don’t and many fans don’t always agree with some of the moves he makes of course, but he would never overuse a pitcher if he had others available. Torre on the other hand, was not great at that. (As far as how he did with the Dodgers with it, I’m not sure).
I would imagine, IF the Yankees got him, he could be used for over an inning especially in close games. I wouldn’t make a habit of throwing the guy 2 innings, but he can definitely do it, he’s a fierce competitor and wants to help the team he plays for win. Girardi is a great coach, and smart, despite how he or Torre decide when to pull someone, doesn’t make them any less of a good coach. No manager is perfect, and most of the time, it’s out of the managers control, esp if one of your top relievers has an off day.