Yesterday we heard that Yu Darvish was in the Dallas-Forth Worth Metroplex to see the area as well as the Rangers' operations first-hand. No deal is close though, and the two sides have 13 days to get one done. Here's the latest from Texas, courtesy of MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan…
- "We love Mike and we're not closing the door on anything but right now we are focused on a one-year deal," said Daniels in reference to a long-term deal for Mike Napoli. The backstop is arbitration-eligible for the final time and projects to earn $8.5MM in 2012. The two sides were discussing a long-term deal last month.
- Daniels made it clear the team is not interested in Prince Fielder as their focus right now is on Darvish. If something falls apart with the righty, Sullivan speculates that they could turn their attention to Fielder.
- The Rangers are still interested in upgrading their bullpen, with lefty relief being a primary focus. Texas recently lost southpaw Darren Oliver to the Blue Jays.
Get off the pot Daniels, and make Fielder a Ranger.
Yeah let’s grab up an overweight 1B instead of extending Hamilton, Napoli, Cruz and Kinsler. Even though those four together make for a top 3 offense. I’d rather spend on pitching.
Not every Rangers fan wants Hammy and Nelly extended. When healthy, Hammy is the best in baseball, but that’s just it… when healthy. Cruz is the same thing, chronic leg issues. I don’t think anyone should be surprised when Hammy walks after this year and Nelly next year. I think Jon Daniels is too smart to commit tons of money to such injury-prone players. Just my opinion.
You may be right about Cruz, but I see Hamilton as a different scenario. Hamilton seems to always have freak injuries while Cruz just has glass legs. Putting Hamilton in left solves almost all injury problems, and I doubt that breaking his shoulder is any reoccurring thing. So yes, I do believe JD gives Hamilton an extension instead of overpaying for an overweight 1B.
You make a good point about Hammy’s injuries being freak injuries, but they still happen all the time. I just hope Jon Daniels doesn’t overpay and I really don’t think he will.
Is “freak” Texan for “drug-related”?
Yeah, I remember seeing a story say that breaking your shoulder sliding into home plate can happen if you used to take drugs. Guess Hamilton should retire now while he’s ahead.
As long as he get the job done, i wouldn’t worry about the weight. Darvish is the one im worried about. The overweight 1B has proven what he can do.
Should we just hope that he is still able to perform over the last half of his contract which will likely be 7 or more years? Big guys don’t have a good track record and I’d rather not give up another A-Rod type contract to an overweight, soon to be DH.
gee…….someone who makes sense….where is ken spliffey?? im sure he would beg to differ
Fielder might end up as a Carlos Lee in a short while, but I would like a bat like Fielder’s on the lineup instead of Moreland’s.
Prince Fielder will gain 50 lbs before the age of 30 and be out of baseball due to health issues. Bank on it. Just see what happened to his dad and Mo Vaughn. No way he deserves more than 3 years with his body type.
Or maybe Prince will learn from his dad and due to them not getting along at all, he’ll want to surpass his father’s exploits and be a Hall-of-Famer…
To say any big-bodied guy will wash out in his early-30s because a couple other guys with similar bodies did so in the past is a conclusion I’d be careful jumping to.
take fuentes please
We’re trying to upgrade the pen, not downgrade.
as an a’s fan…that’s disappointing
Maybe Beane can trick the Angels into it. That would help both Texas and Oakland.
pull off an AA type ninja move and make fuentes turn into segura and cowart…if only reagins was still their GM
Are we sure he isn’t still? That Pujols contract looks ridiculous.
C’mon, you can do better.
I don’t have to do better. That Pujols contract will be all the satisfaction I need 4-5 years from now.
As ridiculous as paying $50 million to talk to someone and then ignoring him when he comes to town?
The Rangers don’t pay the 50MM posting fee if they don’t sign Darvish.
And players have been posted and not signed before.
Dipoto did some dumb things with the DBacks.
I think any AL West team fan remembers when he gifted Haren to the Angels for Skaggs and spare parts.
Jon Daniels is the most secretive (and best IMO) GM in baseball. I think if the Rangers sign Fielder then it is the end of Mike Young in Texas. Young already doesn’t want to DH fulltime and he’ll throw an even bigger fit riding the bench for interleague games.
That having been said, I’ll believe the Rangers don’t want Fielder when he signs with another team.
You know, that’s a good point. When people talk about the Rangers signing Fielder they usually talk about how it will impact Hamilton, Cruz and Kinsler, but a lot of the money that would go to Fielder can be made up when Michael Young’s contract is up. It’s two years from now so not an immediate payroll solution (barring a good trade in terms of not eating too much), but it certainly makes it that much more plausible.
JD isnt the best gm in baseball.
Signing Fielder would make the Rangers having the best hitting team in MLB history. Move Moreland to the outfield. No need for the Rangers to rush signing Hamilton to an extension. Wait until the end of next season and see how he does first. He’s not going anywhere. He wants to stay in Texas. Singing Darvish and Fielder would be a lock to win the WS next year, no dought!!!!!!!!!!!
doubt
Hamilton wants to stay in Texas, but if we sign Darvish and Fielder, extend Napoli and probably Kinsler soon, then there might not be enough money available for a Hamilton deal. And Hamilton has made it clear that while he loves Texas, we won’t get a discount for him.
darvish and fielder are big names, so they’ll rake in some pocket money. maybe enough to keep hamilton around?
Or we could just sign Hamilton and continue to have the 2nd best offense in the majors. Why people think we need more offense is beyond me. It’s ridiculous.
i’m not saying it’s a need at all. im just saying if they do sign darvish and fielder, they might still have the funds for their extensions.
Take the St Louis approach to giving Hamilton a contract, I like it.
Cause it worked out so well for STL!
There’s nothing any team could do to make themselves the lock to win the WS.
If Daniels can get Fielder to sign for less than 5 years, he should do it. Fielder would hit 50 home runs in Arlington.
I just don’t like the secretive of Jon Daniels, it’s getting on my last nerve. If Darvish gets hurt or can’t handle the MLB hitters then what? That’s why i would go after Fielder.
I’m on the other side of this. I love how cloak and dagger Jon Daniels is. He’s like a ninja. Quiet offseason then BOOM, signed Adrian Beltre, nobody saw it coming. Quiet offseason so far then BOOM, Darvish (and Fielder?). Daniels knows what he’s doing. and besides, if everyone knew what the Rangers were up to it would lessen their negotiating power in dealing with agents. Just my opinion.
Sign Napoli to a multi-year deal. He earned it last year. The Rangers really don’t need Fielder at all. The lineup is already stout as it is. Sure it would help but pretty costly for a guy who won’t make much of an impact with a lineup that already has plenty of power in it.
Wow I knew his stats last year were pretty good but not THAT good. At least offer him 2 years.
I’d sign him to a 2 or 3 year deal. The pitching staff does great with him and we haven’t had this good of a catcher since Pudge left.
Unbelievable career year for Napoli last year, take a look at his career stats before you wish for a big extension. He wasn’t a great catcher and struck out too much all years prior in Anaheim. Reminds me of the Angels signing GMJ to a big contact after one great year.
That’s why I said to make a 2 year offer. You never know. He could carry that success another couple of years. Even his career numbers are pretty good for a catcher.
In what world does a 2 or 3 year deal qualify as a big extension? All he has to do is keep up the solid game calling and power, and hit at least .250 to be the best catcher we’ve had in years. Napoli is easily capable of that.
I’m hoping Fielder signs with the Nats before the 18th and the Rangers fail to reach an agreement with Darvish. That would be epic.
If by epic you mean the Rangers will still have a top 3 offense, and a top 10 pitching rotation…then yes…epic.
Where will the Nats be? Even with Fielder y’all would struggle to get the additional wild card.
I really, really hope for the sake of the Angels that the Rangers don’t sign Fielder. After watching Vlad and Napoli go bersek at that park the last couple of years, I shudder to think what someone like Fielder could do, weight issues be damned.
Our offense is good enough to beat the Angels as is. Darvish is what we need to top the Angels though. I’m confident Texas can beat Santana and CJ. But we need a guy like Darvish to keep us in a 2-2 game against the likes of Weaver and Haren. I think Holland could be that guy soon, but not yet.
We have a top 3 offense. Save the money for pitching. If Felix becomes available we’ll have to trade for, then pay him.