The Official Off-Season Thread of the Texas Rangers

[BigDFan85]

Truth is, I don't trust Nolan in free agency.

I understand letting Josh walk...it needs to happen. I will never understand why we couldn't have offered Cliff Lee (the only ace we've had since an aged Nolan Ryan) the extra year needed to keep him here. Now, while I like prudence, at some point Nolan & Co. are going to have to end the stubbornness and realize that in today's age, teams are having to add a couple bad years onto contracts just to acquire top notch free agents (i.e. Pujols, Fielder, etc.). There aren't going to be top of the line, young guys like Yu Darvish who will take a 5 year deal, just to get an opportunity to play in MLB, out there very often.

So, until I hear Nolan say: "You know what, we're going to sign ELITE PLAYER for seven years, knowing that even though ELITE PLAYER'S last two seasons won't be his best, that his first five years are going to put us into a great position to win", I'm always going to doubt this team.

The other thing is: How many premier free agents are coming out on the market these days? If you're young and a stud, chances are your team is stepping up to offer you an extension (Hamels, Cain, Votto, etc.) before you ever hit the market. Look at this years crop...

Zack Greinke is the best available. Remember us all discussing him a couple years ago. Most thought he was a good player, but not many thought he was a can't miss ace. Even now, if we sign him, are you for sure that he'll settle in here in Arlington?

Josh is probably #2 on that list...and chances are we're letting him walk (for numerous reasons).

Point is, there's not much after these two guys and you've got all the usual suspects that will be in on said top tier guys. So what does that leave us with? A trade?

Now I agree with Y2K and others...I'd rather deal Ian if we're dealing any of the 3 infielders in question. I disagree with simply moving him to the outfield IF a better outfielder can be had in a trade though. There are too many questions with Kinsler moving...can he play the position, after his "down" year what are you getting next year from him, etc.?

To sum this up (this got rather long, really quick)...

Will Nolan shell out the money to keep Andrus here when the time comes...even when the Yankees, in need of Jeter's replacement, offer him more years/money than he might be worth?

Will Andrus justify us having to overspend, especially when we will have Profar, a top prospect (now) and future star as cheap and already on the team?

Personally I want to keep the guy. I just don't trust the Rangers in free agency. Nolan is too stubborn (which isn't always a bad thing) at times, so to stay competitive, I really think this team is going to have to get active in a couple deals. Being that we're loaded at middle infielder, that is our best asset in a deal.

So, if Nolan isn't going to pull the trigger and give a top tier guy and the years and money that come with free agency...I think the only way he'll be able to achieve getting a top tier guy here is via trade. I don't expect the Greinke's/others of this world to sign here for cheaper/fewer years just because we're a good team. There are plenty of other good teams out there that will be willing to sign him also...AND give him the money/years he's going to want.

Bingo, I think we all agree we're going to have a take a risk every now and then. I do think they will be very calculated risks though, which is why we won't see the Rangers taking many of them.

[Skizzik]

There are only a handful of top pitchers I would offer Profar for and Price is one of them. If Profar is the make or break piece for the trade to happen or not then im sorry, but he needs to be included in order to make the trade happen. I cant think of another young controllable legit ace that will be on the market for a while, we have the assets now, we are in win now mode, and we have needed a legit ace for way too long. Who cares if Profar becomes a star in tampa, making that trade is very justified and Profar is still unproven while Price is an AL East proven ace which is huge. We would need to lockup Andrus and I really dont think he is going to cost as much as you guys are thinking, yes he will cost a lot, but I just dont see him getting $20 mil/year....I can see like 10 years, $150 mil with it being backloaded, while thats still a lot of money, proven All Star SS dont come along very often and we wouldn't have a replacement for him for a while if we did indeed trade Profar.

The deal wouldn't be Profar for Price. It would be Profar and more for Price. Which is why JD will never do it. JD wins prospect trades, he learned from the Tex trade. I doubt you will ever see him trade several top prospects from our system for one guy.

As for the the lower part, the bolded part is exactly why I believe we will not and should not trade Elvis. Everyone who talks about trading Elvis before Profar has ever accomplished anything at the major league level is ridiculous. While yes, he is generally considered the best prospect in baseball, nothing in life is assured. Elvis is proven, Profar is unknown. I'd rather have both, but if I only can have one and I had a gun to my head, I'd pick the proven one.

[stipe1280]

The deal wouldn't be Profar for Price. It would be Profar and more for Price. Which is why JD will never do it. JD wins prospect trades, he learned from the Tex trade. I doubt you will ever see him trade several top prospects from our system for one guy.

As for the the lower part, the bolded part is exactly why I believe we will not and should not trade Elvis. Everyone who talks about trading Elvis before Profar has ever accomplished anything at the major league level is ridiculous. While yes, he is generally considered the best prospect in baseball, nothing in life is assured. Elvis is proven, Profar is unknown. I'd rather have both, but if I only can have one and I had a gun to my head, I'd pick the proven one.

Most opinions have been that it would have to be a deal like Profar, Martin Perez and David Murphy to get Price. Truthfully, I'd rather offer Holland over Perez, but if it came down to the original opinion/offer...I'd still probably end up pulling the trigger on that one.

[Skizzik]

Most opinions have been that it would have to be a deal like Profar, Martin Perez and David Murphy to get Price. Truthfully, I'd rather offer Holland over Perez, but if it came down to the original opinion/offer...I'd still probably end up pulling the trigger on that one.

See, personally, I would never do that trade. But at the same time, if it happens, I wouldn't lose sleep over it. I just think that's too much.

[slugger82685]

See, personally, I would never do that trade. But at the same time, if it happens, I wouldn't lose sleep over it. I just think that's too much.

again, it comes down to....what is our biggest need?...a legit ace, its a need that has been lingering over our heads for a long time now and it is one of the biggest reasons we didnt finish the job at last year's WS and couldn't make our final push to avoid the play in game this year. So if offered a proven, legit, young, controllable, CY award winning ace for a couple unproven specs and a 4th OF then I take that trade all day long and twice on Sundays.

[Young2Kinsler]

I just can't see them dealing Profar. But, for Price, Felix, Kershaw types I would.

[Young2Kinsler]

Bingo, I think we all agree we're going to have a take a risk every now and then. I do think they will be very calculated risks though, which is why we won't see the Rangers taking many of them.

They went pretty big on Beltre

[BigDFan85]

They went pretty big on Beltre

I agree, and I think it was one of the very calculated risks. I just don't see the Rangers doing many more deals like this.

[ddhulett]

Is everyone against signing him? I think if you don't resign Josh we turn into a very middle of the pack team! He's the best player to walk through these doors since PUDGE! You don't let these guys walk.

We need to go cheap in other positions and reading Josh

[Jack of Blades]

Is everyone against signing him? I think if you don't resign Josh we turn into a very middle of the pack team! He's the best player to walk through these doors since PUDGE! You don't let these guys walk.

We need to go cheap in other positions and reading Josh

He's got like 2 years left in him.

[zdennis24]

Melky Cabrera signed with Toronto.

[ddhulett]

He's got like 2 years left in him.

How's that? He's 31, we all know the drugs didn't do well for his body but he also wasn't getting banged around on the field for those years either.

I just want to know how we plan on replacing him?

Who out there is going to give you 30-40 HR 120 RBI and 300 BA?

[stipe1280]

How's that? He's 31, we all know the drugs didn't do well for his body but he also wasn't getting banged around on the field for those years either.

I just want to know how we plan on replacing him?

Who out there is going to give you 30-40 HR 120 RBI and 300 BA?

To answer your question...there's not another ONE player that will be able to provide those stats. But for the money we're talking, we could probably get a couple/three players that can provide great production in a lineup.

I doubt you'll find many people that think those stats don't warrant that kind of money. You'll find plenty of people that don't trust Josh to consistently put up those kind of numbers though.

1) Josh isn't known for making it through full seasons. On average, he makes it 3/4 of a season and this is while he's been a young player.

2) You do have to factor in the drugs. He says he wants a 5 year deal, minimum. I believe he can pull off 3 years at a high level, but then I believe the drug/alcohol use effects will weigh in.

3) I don't trust him not to fall off the wagon again. It's always something, if not the drugs. We have caffeine, eyes that hurt, fidelity issues, and so on. All of these are distractions and I believe that he was a huge one coming down the stretch last year.

When you add all this up...no, I want no part of him. If he'll sign a 2 year deal with a 3rd year option...sure. That's not going to happen though.

[slugger82685]

Kyuji Fujikawa Begins Visits With MLB Clubs
By Mike Axisa [November 17 at 3:47pm CST]
Right-hander Kyuji Fujikawa started meeting with MLB clubs and touring their facilities this past week, reports Gerry Fraley of The Dallas Morning News. He's already visited the Diamondbacks and Cubs and is expected to meet with both the Dodgers and Angels as well. It's unclear if he'll meet with the Rangers on this trip.

Fujikawa, 32, has been the top closer in Japan for nearly a decade and is a true free agent, meaning he won't have to go through the posting process. The Red Sox have expressed some interest in the right-hander in addition to those five clubs above. Tim Dierkes ranked Fujikawa as the 34th best free agent available on his Top 50 Free Agents List, predicting he would sign with the Angels.


Read more at http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/#RW7FsD6tRDjeKuGa.99

-MLBTR

I think this would be a nice addition. We need a few pen arms so it would make sense, plus Darvish could ease him into the USA

[stipe1280]

As it stands according to the latest rumors:

*The Dodgers are the frontrunners to sign Greinke, with the Rangers and Angels "looking in from the outside".

*The Braves appear to be the favorites to sign B.J. Upton.

*The D-Backs appear to be content with keeping Justin Upton and don't appear to be willing to budge for anything less than Andrus, Profar or another young SS.

*Torii Hunter (one potential target) has already signed with the Tigers.

*Adam LaRoche is wanting a 3 year deal and trying to work one out with the Nationals.

Now, rumors are just that...rumors, but if everything plays out according to these rumors, I'm wondering what we'll be left with this season.

1) If Hamilton really is gone and we are unable to replace him with one of the Uptons, then what is our option? Do we stick with David Murphy?

2) If Hamilton is gone, we are going to need to replace his left handed bat, seeing that our lineup is very right handed heavy without him. I actually asked Jim Bowden (former Nats GM) about this, he confirmed the need and he brought up LaRoche's name as being a fit. If LaRoche isn't available, then who do you like as a lefty power replacement in the lineup?

3) If Greinke is off the table, where do we go to find one more starter that we need? With Colby and Feliz out until mid-year, we're going to be going forward with a rotation of Harrison, Darvish, Ogando and Holland it seems. Do we plug in Martin Perez for a fifth spot, do you consider taking on a potential bad longterm contract with guys like Anibal Sanchez or Kyle Lohse or find some lesser type pitcher you can plug in the 5th spot?

4) What to do about catcher? What would it take to land Arencibia/D'Arnaud and, if we are out on Greinke, can we afford to include a pitcher like Holland in a deal to land a catcher? Do we suck it up and bring back Napoli or could we possibly go after a Russell Martin?

These are just a few questions that came to my mind and not to be negative, but unless we are signing Greinke or somehow getting lucky in a deal for a David Price or Justin Upton, then I don't see how this team improves next year. I just don't like a lot of the "secondary" free agents out there this year and I'm not seeing how we can get significant players in return on a trade without including either an Andrus or Profar.

(Sorry, long post)