Rangers manager Ron Washington seeks an experienced closer if Neftali Feliz goes to the rotation, reports MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan. Washington told Sullivan he has confidence that GM Jon Daniels can find that reliever; Tim MacMahon of ESPN Dallas/Fort Worth has quotes. Feliz recently changed his mind and expressed a preference to start, which seems to match the Rangers' choice.
Sullivan names Alexi Ogando and Mark Lowe as the "leading in-house candidates" to close, but notes that neither has much ninth inning experience. Lefties Darren Oliver and Arthur Rhodes have seen just about everything, but they're not known for closing either.
Speculating on potentially available experienced closers, Heath Bell, David Aardsma (when he's healthy), Francisco Rodriguez, and Mike Gonzalez come to mind. The Blue Jays have four relievers with closing experience in Frank Francisco (if healthy), Jason Frasor, Octavio Dotel, and Jon Rauch. Dotel and Rauch, I believe, cannot be dealt without their consent until after June 15th. By the way, if you're looking for instant closer updates to help you win your fantasy league, follow @closernews on Twitter.
Can Frankie frank be traded? It’d be hilarious if he goes back to Texas for Napoli
Well he does have a limited no-trade clause, but who knows which teams those are. However, I seriously doubt the Rangers would want to take the risk on KRod being their highest paid player next season.
dude is talkin’ bout frankie franc, frank francisco
Not the first time I missed the mark… I blame sleep deprivation.
young would be their highest paid player
I was talking about the risk for the 2012 season where KRod could potentially be paid $17.5M.
Waiting for the Napoli for Bell trade proposals ad nauseum.
How about Francisco Rodriguez? Experienced and knows the AL West pretty well.
the Mets would certainly love to move him
Michael Young for K-Rod.
I know this is a far possibility, but with the Mets certain to owe K-Rod $17 mil if he hits 55 innings pitched this year and their lack of 2B alternatives, is there a possibility of a Michael Young for K-Rod swap?
Yes, because I’m sure a team with major money worries is dying to trade a contract worth $11M or $28M for one worth $48M. And no, don’t expect the Rangers to pitch in on that one.
They already have money issues, and with money coming off the books after this season, it’s not like the Mets have better options at 2B if they are planning on dumping Castillo and Ollie before the season starts.
michael young playing second base and hitting in citi field would be brutal
Michael Young hasn’t played 2B since 2003 and was pretty terrible at it back then. Not to mention going from Texas to NY will see his HR totals cut in half…
its not innings its games finished. The Mets will certainly do anything in their power to prevent this from vesting but if a team like Texas is in need of a CP, they can get him without having to give up anyone of real importance if they are willing to take on salary.
The wrinkle here is that Rodriguez’s lucrative vesting option only kicks in if he FINISHES 55 games. The ideal situation would be for the Mets to trade him to a team that already has an established, successful closer. The new team could rightly use K-Rod as an 8th inning guy to avoid the option and thwart the wrath of the union.
I love how this headline reads exactly like a personal ad.
lowered expectatiiionsssss
Adult friendfinder.
Creepy…
What would the Rangers be willing to give up for Soria?
get real
The Royals already have Francerour, they don’t want anything from Texas
He would probably veto that trade, LOL.
The Mets should be doing whatever it takes to extract some prospects from Texas for K-Rod. I would even eat some salary if I were them and it brought back a better quality prospect from Texas.
K-Rod would be a very good fit for Texas.
the desperate overvaluation of the “9th inning” reliever marches on
having said that, the rangers have plenty of spare pieces to movie for bullpen help
what do you mean, the ninth inning is the super inning, it takes nerves of steel, balls of metal and unconscious mental state that can only be achieved by the toughest of relief pitchers.
I love the generalized “spare pieces” guy that gets included in every proposed trade.
the rangers have 4 ML-ready 1st base/DH types and one catcher too many
Jason Frasor for that Hamilton guy
Nah, he’s a bum drug addict.
I guess the title “Washington Seeks Experienced Closer” would have been misleading…
please get krod.
The Rangers don’t need a closer. They’re fine with Ogando or Lowe. Don’t expect a deal to get done, unless it’s Michael Young for a team’s entire farm system.
I’d give the job to O’Day if he weren’t struggling so badly right now. As for MY, I still don’t know why the Angels haven’t come running to the Rangers to take on another bloated contract in exchange for Haren and cash.
haren for Young??
I get that Angels looked foolish after the wells trade
but thats a brutal deal.
And cash back to the Rangers. I would have said no way before the deal with the Blue Jays, but now…???
but because of the trade with the jays and all the media and analyst criticism that followed..
isn’t it less likely to happen now?
soria for perez….who says no?
royals said no to montero +
The Rangers hang up the phone and laugh for 10 minutes
i assume that’s because dayton moore’s response to the proposal was to sit on his phone and let one go
try again, royals have turned down more.
Get real. The Royals can get a better deal than that. If they made it known they were willing to move Soria, teams would be giving up the farm for his talent and contract. Perez would be a great starting point, but come on. Straight up? I will have a good chuckle over that for the next few minutes.
who’s the last reliever to bring a huge haul?
A top 30 pitching prospect is a pretty significant haul for a guy who’s going to pitch 60 innings a year.
2 years of matt capps cost the twins their top catching prospect (58th overall prospect in baseball at the time) and another player
capps is half the closer soria is, and soria is under contract for 4 years instead of 2
but, but, but. I’m a texas fan. and they need a closer, plus perez is the best pitching prospect of all time..
The Sox once traded Jeff Bagwell for Larry Anderson and made the playoffs. Still doesn’t mean it was worth it for Boston.
ramos’ star had fallen a ton by the time the trade was made…im not positive, but i dont believe i saw him on any top 100 list this offseason…or even on any of the just missed lists
he was a top 50 prospect in the spring, and a bum by july? i don’t doubt his stock fell within the twins org — he hit like crap for 70 games — but that’s not nearly a long enough slump in AAA to wipe out a guy’s status. he was hitting again by the end of the season and remains a top catching prospect
last year’s slump dropped him out of the top 50, but he is still a top 100 prospect according to baseball america keith law et al
It doesn’t even make sense as a deal. Right now Perez is pretty close to an elite closing option, if he is to become a starter and he does well he will be untouchable. Rightfully so, considering Perez at full potential as a SP, young and under control is better than any elite closers value, even with his cheap contract.
ollie? (sorry. bad joke)
They had to know in advance that they were going to possibly move Feliz to the rotation, why did they move frank knowing that it would alienate their tenured fan loved Michael Young and leave them without closing experience. Doesn’t make sense.
Two words, Mike Napoli…He was undervalued in Anaheim and now will haunt his former team.
dream on. napoli will make bar owners around arlington very happy.
nudee bars
He is going to make everyone in Arlington very happy, its Anaheim that is going to be drinking their sorrows away.
Michael Young for K-Rod seems like a good starting point, the Mets are going to release Castillo, and would need a bat, Young wasn’t terrible at 2b, K-Rod to the Rangers would be a good change of scenery, and this could actually work out, I am sure other players would be tagged into this but the two main pieces make sense for both sides, just don’t know who would close for the Mets.
awful idea. k-rod is gone in 1 possibly 2 years. the mets are stuck with young for 4/48? thats exactly what i want for my team whos about to be a billion in the hole. id rather a 400k strikeout machine up at bat this year. besides. murphy has upside. not saying hes gonna be good, just hoping.
Are we sure AA can’t trade one of : Heartbreak Dotel, Octerrible Dotel or Don’t ask Dotel before June 15th???….Is this a free agent rule or part of his contract?
free agent rule, plus he’s injured
Why would you even mess with this two weeks before the season starts? Stretch him out over the winter, don’t create two holes trying to do it now.
if you stretch him out over the winter they are going to have to shut him down pretty early
if you stretch him for that long he will be 20ft. tall.
I lold.
Here is a good idea, do NOT put Feliz in the rotation. That way there is no need for a closer. Matt Harrison is doing very well, Holland is doing good, Bush has surprised me in being better than expected, Ogando would love a shot at the rotation…etc. so why move Feliz when there is no need, especially when it is known that shortly after the season starts Webb will be ready. Right now, the rotation needs to be C.J. Wilson, Colby Lewis, Brandon Webb, Derek Holland, and Matt Harrison. No Feliz, he is comfortable as a closer so leave him there for now and let him develop his pitches more especially his change-up and newly acquired cut fastball. I agree, Feliz has front of the rotation stuff, just the time to test it out is not now.
Rafael Soriano to the Rangers for these magic beans and a coupon to Hair Club for Men for Brian Cashman.
I wouldn’t do it unless those magic beans come with a $20 million a year contract.
– Tony Reagins
I wonder if they will go back to dealing with Toronto again? They will almost certainly have to trade a reliever or two, but I doubt they would give Francisco back? Camp and Frasor could be possibilities, though they have limited closing experience.
People talk about closers having minimal value in terms of WAR, but they are still a very important part of a contending team. If you’re playing musical chairs back there and not finding the right guy for the job, it will cost you a lot more than just one win.
On this same topic, I remember when the Red Sox had a young closer that was really dominant named Papelbon, after his one year as a closer they wanted to move him to the rotation and be a starter because he was “that good”, well he did and he hated it and stated he wanted to go back and be the full time closer, I have a feeling Feliz is going to experience the same feeling and ask the same.
What about David Price? Adam Wainright?
To be fair to the argument I think he’s making, neither player was a closer for a full season.
wainright wasn’t a closer but made 61 relief appearances in 04 and successfully turned himself back in to a starter.. Whether or not he pitched in the ninth inning or the 8th is insignificant.
I think you mean in 2006.
For some reason I thought he was a late season call up that year. Guess I was wrong.
yes 06 sorry, i combined that he was 24 and it was 2006.
the only difference is the whole plan was to make wainright and price a starter. in neftali and papelbon’s case there was indecision
feliz literally just said he changed his mind and wants to be a starter
And shoot, being the closer has been going up and up, it used to be you had to be a starter to make the big bucks, and now big time closers and relievers are making huge money, Paps is over 10 million, K-Rod, Mariano, Soriano, it is starting to pay being a dominant closer.
Rangers do not need a “Closer” last year they didnt need an experienced “Closer” they can just stick Ogando or Lowe in the ninth. Dam Ron Washingtons love for Veterans.
Matt Capps?
Francisco Cordero!
what about broxton?
ouch disqus fail.
Joe Torre liked this
Joe Torre likes Bigelow Green Tea as well.
Okay.. He had a bad half a season. If people didn’t notice last year, he went stretches of DAYS, and I mean DAYS of not pitching.. Like 7-8 days at a time. Torre is gone and hopefully if Broxton isn’t hurt, don’t think the Dodgers would be willing to trade him right now. Hes value is shredded and considering that value might of been the highest for a closer before 2010.. I think they keep him and hope for the best.
Whats wrong with trading Broxton when you have Kenley Jansen ready to step-in?
Brox could bring back a couple prospects, maybe even someone to play 3rd because old man Blake’s walker gets stuck in the dirt a little too often…
I love Kenley but that guy has been pitching less than 2 years.
Heath Bell for Chris Davis +
Chris Davis + Martin Perez?
no.
Heath Bell for Davis, Borbon, and Tommy Hunter
Are we talking about the same Heath Bell who said he wants to take a discount to stay in SD?
yea sorry i guess its cuz i dont really WANT the Rangers to trade for Bell know what i mean
Padres don’t want nor need Davis. They already have an influx of first base prospects and Davis’ poor K totals and LH’ed bat are not suitable for players in Petco.
I’m going to make a realistic proposal:
Chris Davis and low prospect for Gregg or Gonzalez from the O’s (with salary relief).
I was thinking something along those lines because the Orioles do not have many 1B prospects. Gonzo did pitch pretty well the 2nd half of the year too. Hopefully the Orioles throw Patton into the bullpen and he matures into a reliable LH reliever. Sounds like a nice June trade.
Gregg cannot be traded until June i think
how about jenks?
Jenks is with the BoSox to be a set up man.
dont forget about Bard and Wheeler in there too… hell even Okajima are all capable set-up guys…
someone call up ian snell and get him out of retirement to close for the rangers
What about Leo Nunez?
Brad Lidge for Michael Young
I’d be fine with my Twins trading away Joe Nathan OR Matt Capps for a nice haul of prospects. Capps would probably bring back more though.
what about Fernando Rodney? i know the angels are in the Al West, but a Rodney for Young sawp (with other players and money included on either side) doesnt sound awful. i don’t know i am just throwing it out there