We at MLB Trade Rumors extend our condolences to the friends and family of Jimmy Piersall, who passed away on Saturday at the age of 87. Piersall had a memorable 17-year playing career with the Red Sox, Angels, Indians, Senators, and Mets from 1950-67, winning two Gold Gloves and reaching two All-Star Games. After retiring from the field, Piersall had two broadcasting stints calling Rangers and White Sox games, and then worked as an outfield instructor for Cubs minor leaguers. Piersall is also remembered for his openness about his mental health issues, including a seven-week hospitalization after a nervous breakdown in 1952. Piersall covered the topic in his autobiography Fear Strikes Out, which was adapted into an Anthony Perkins film of the same name in 1957.
Some news from around the baseball world…
- It’s still too early for the Rangers to consider themselves deadline sellers, Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram opines. Even if they did move some of their stars, Wilson is doubtful that the team would get its desired haul of young talent back for the likes of pending free agents Yu Darvish or Jonathan Lucroy. Trading Adrian Beltre (who is under contract through 2018) also doesn’t seem likely given the veteran third baseman’s pursuit of 3000 hits. Texas is four games out of a wild card spot but that would likely be the club’s only route into the postseason, given how the Astros already have a 13.5-game lead in the AL West.
- Now that Brad Miller is back from the disabled list, the Rays don’t seem to have an everyday role for a player that hit 30 homers last year, the Tampa Bay Times’ Marc Topkin writes. Miller has only hit .199/.341/.309 over 167 PA, which isn’t nearly enough thump for the Rays to put up with his subpar defense at second base. Tampa also has several other left-handed bats (Corey Dickerson, Logan Morrison, Colby Rasmus) hitting well and taking up spots at DH, first base and left field.
- Also from Topkin, Rays shortstop Matt Duffy isn’t likely to return until the end of the month or perhaps even the All-Star break as Duffy continues his lengthy recovery from Achilles tendon surgery last September. This will lead to more playing time for Tim Beckham, who Topkin argues has earned regular at-bats in a utility role once Duffy is healthy.
Rangers are the perfect team that will wait right up until the deadline to decide whether to move their pieces or not a little like the Tigers in 2015
Giants trade for Duffy back give them Shaw and a pitching prospect
Rangers need to make some major deals to rid themselves from some of those “contracts.” Not going to be easy, but they have to do something if they are going to have any kind of future. 2017 season is trash, so let’s concentrate on rebuilding in 2018 and beyond. The Astros are at least one good “ace” pitcher from taking the World Series this year. Trading for Darvish as a “rental” could put them over the top.
The Astros are loaded with solid minor league talent who are going to have a hard time cracking the present starting lineup anyway, so trade some of them for an immediate need?
Lot of the good RS guys from 40’s-50’s would show up to ST every season, or maybe just on occasion.. Williams, DiMaggio, Doerr, Pesky, Monboquette, Runnels, Dobson etc.. Piersal was one always wanted to see in camp, but never got the chance, possibly because of his earlier issues?
I love my Rangers but we’re in a crap situation. Good enough to compete but not. Good enough pieces to sell but won’t get their worth. I think if anything, we deal guys like Lucroy and Gomez (for cheap) at the deadline. I think we’ll hold on to Yu in an effort to re-sign him so that A.) We keep our Ace and B.) Maybe we can entice Otani to come to Texas,
I agree. Only way you deal Yu is if you’re blown away by an offer. Same goes for Beltre unless the vet asks for a trade which would have to happen anyhow because he has 10-5 rights. Maybe deal Ross and Cashner for a couple of lotto tickets. I’d also consider dealing Bush if the right offer came along. This team missed their chance back in ’10 and ’11. Left with a bunch of aging vets and a few promising players in Gallo
and Mazara. Bad part is their minor league teams are pretty much devoid of upcoming impact players.
If someone asks about Beltre you go to him and his agent and see if they are interested. He won’t win a World Series with the Rangers.
And Yu isn’t going to re-sign with the Rangers. So forget that and any chance at Otani.
But then again Jon the Moron is the GM so he will do something stupid.
Rangers are not good enough this year. I agree on trading Yu, Lucroy, And just about any other vet I can get a decent return on. I would even trade Gallo. Gomez I’d like to keep. The problem is none of the draft picks have turned into anything significant.
You want an athletic team that doesn’t strike out a lot with some flexibility. So Mazara, Andrus, Roogie, Chirinos, Ryan stay, the rest are fair game. Pitching Perez, leclerc, Claudio, and maybe Bush stay the rest are fair game. Of course not all will get traded but if the right offer comes along everyone is available and we rebuild for the opening of the new stadium.
I’m on the fence with Yu. He will be paid mightily this off-season, which scares me. With that said, he could be a 2 for 1 deal in terms of securing the rights to Otani. I’m good with bringing back Yu for however much, so long as it is in reason, if it means we get Otani as well. (Otani apparently considers Yu his idol and would like to play with him)
Its seems logical for Texas to trade Mike Napoli, Shin-Soo Choo, Carlos Gomez and Jeremy Jeffress for whatever they can get. They are aging veterans and fringe projects. The Rangers went on a strong run then went lifeless again.
Sadly the only one of that group that has actual value is Jeffress. Nobody is taking on Choo’s contract. Napoli isn’t going to fetch anything at the deadline. Gomez only has value if he comes back from injury and starts stroking. Lucroy and Yu are our only real tradeable assets.
Yeah you’re probably right but one of the Rangers problems is payroll, they have no flexibility. The Fielder trade then injury really hurt this team. You have Yu, Hamels, Beltre, Choo, and Andrus eating up a lot of payroll space.
Choo’s contract is the worst of the bunch. We’re getting production out of Andrus, even if it isn’t AL All Star production every year. Beltre and Hamels contracts will be off the books after 2018, Yu is the big question mark right now.
About Piersall, I remember one game at Yankee Stadium c. 1962, Piersall was playing RF for the Cleveland Indians. Dizzy Dean and Pee Wee Reese were calling the game on Saturday’s baseball game of the week. Unbelievably, several Yankee fans leaped over the short right field seats and proceeded to attack Piersall in the outfield! Piersall fought fiercely until he was aided by of all people Mickey Mantle! Mantle chased off the attackers until they were captured by security.