AL West Notes: Manny, Rangers, Gonzalez, Angels

It's the start of trade season with July underway, but the Rangers made the biggest splash of the day with a minor league signing.  Fresh off of a very successful stint in Taiwan, Manny Ramirez will attempt to join the majors for the first time since his brief stint with the Rays in 2011.  Whether Manny can bring his hot hitting from overseas to Arlington, Texas, however, remains to be seen.  Here's more out of the AL West..

• Some many wonder if Ramirez is worth the gamble at age 41, but in the case of the Rangers, he absolutely is, opines Todd Wills of ESPNDallas.com.  Texas needs a right-handed bat ever since Opening Day and Ramirez's minor league deal is a no-risk move.  
• Before signing with the Rangers, Ramirez told Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle (on Twitter) that he also had conversations with the Nationals.  The slugger believes that Washington had some interest in him as a pinch hitter.
• The Angels have scouted Cuban pitching prospect Miguel.Alfredo Gonzalez, but likely will not compete for him as hard as others, tweets Alden Gonzalez of MLB.com.  Gonzalez is being pursued by a number of clubs, but we've heard recently that the Yankees won't try to sign him and he's "not a fit" for the Nationals either.