The next move for the Texas Rangers?

[Saber]

With the All-Star game looming, it's a matter of time before the Texas Rangers start a fire-sale. So with the guys likely to be purged, where do you think they end up?

*1B/DH Mark Texiera - Gold Glove first baseman. Switch hitter with 35 homerun power. Batting .302 with 12 homers and 41 RBIs. Probably the Rangers biggest bargaining chip. Yanks have showed interest.

*CF Kenny Lofton - With Lofton you know what you're getting. Is going to bat around .300 and steal some bases and play solid defense. He's pretty much on one year contracts for the rest of his career, but the Rangers don't have any use for this guy if they aren't contending. He's stole 16 bases thus far. Hard to tell who takes him...

*DH/RF Sammy Sosa - Can't imagine he gets moved since he's putting the butts in the seats for the Rangers.


*LF Brad Wilkerson - Strikes out a ton, but hammers lefties. Should probably be platooned, but can play all 3 outfield spots. Limited value.

*LF/DH Frank Catalanatto - Has had a terrible year, but able to spray the ball to all fields. Generally hits around .300 though his fielding has slipped. Limited value.

*RP - Akonori Otsuka - Closed last season, and pitched well in relief this year. I would assume they're going to go ahead and go with Gagne as the closer for the remainder of the season. Otsuka has value as he could improve just about any bullpen in the majors.

Thoughts?

[eXperiment63]

Re: The next move for the Texas Rangers?

I could see the Redsox going after Otsuka.

[Saber]

Re: The next move for the Texas Rangers?

I could see the Redsox going after Otsuka.

I can't imagine they give up any major league ready talent for him though.

[oakfan162]

Re: The next move for the Texas Rangers?

I've heard scouts are hovering over everything Gagne's doing, I wouldn't be surprised if he was moved as well.

[Saber]

Re: The next move for the Texas Rangers?

I've heard scouts are hovering over everything Gagne's doing, I wouldn't be surprised if he was moved as well.

But I would assume he has minimal value unless he finishes out the season well. I can't imagine them dealing BOTH Otsuka and Gagne and leaving them without a closer on the roster.

[Macar91]

Re: The next move for the Texas Rangers?

But I would assume he has minimal value unless he finishes out the season well. I can't imagine them dealing BOTH Otsuka and Gagne and leaving them without a closer on the roster.

From what I've heard, it's one or the other. Not sure who has more value, but I would have to think it would be Gagne if he is healthy and putting up good #'s around the deadline.

[cubsfan203]

Re: The next move for the Texas Rangers?

I doubt Teixeira gets traded, at least not this year. Sosa is probably as good as gone if the right offer comes up, because he hit #600, so he's not selling seats anymore. Hopefully they will be the ones making the good trades this time, and not the horrible.

[Saber]

Re: The next move for the Texas Rangers?

I doubt Teixeira gets traded, at least not this year. Sosa is probably as good as gone if the right offer comes up, because he hit #600, so he's not selling seats anymore. Hopefully they will be the ones making the good trades this time, and not the horrible.

I think we sell for prospects... can't imagine we're gonna draw a lot of major league ready players. Get some of the young guys in the farm system some time I guess.

[rsox]

Re: The next move for the Texas Rangers?

I doubt Teixeira gets moved during the season and Sosa has no real value outside of Texas but the Rangers do have several moveable players that teams may want.
I would not be surprised if the Rangers held a fire sale. Lofton, Wilkerson, Gagne, Otsuka, Mahay, Hairston, Benoit, Byrd all could bring the Rangers something in trade.

[Saber]

Re: The next move for the Texas Rangers?

I doubt Teixeira gets moved during the season and Sosa has no real value outside of Texas but the Rangers do have several moveable players that teams may want.
I would not be surprised if the Rangers held a fire sale. Lofton, Wilkerson, Gagne, Otsuka, Mahay, Hairston, Benoit, Byrd all could bring the Rangers something in trade.

Anyone major league ready though? You're talking almost exclusively prospects and maybe not above the AA level. This season is going to get much worse before it gets any better. Hopefully they can avert their offseason attention from the needs at centerfield because quite frankly... lack of a centerfielder is not why they're losing games. It's lack of pitching from both a talent standpoint and the fact that Gerald Laird can't call a game to save his life.

[jmw1137]

Re: The next move for the Texas Rangers?

I would see them trading Lofton. I hope they trade Wilkerson too. I really like Aki but if they can get some good talent for him so they should go ahead and trade him.

I'd hate to see Gagne go and it doesn't seem like he wants to leave:

Gagne can be a free agent after this season. He also has a partial no-trade clause, which means he can designate 12 teams that he can't be traded to without his consent. He smiled and said he doesn't remember which teams are on the list. He said he would rather stay in Texas.

"I signed on to be a Ranger and that's all I care about," Gagne said. "When I got here, it was a one-year deal, but I said it was a long-term commitment. I still feel I can really help this team, but I can't control what they do.

"I'm a Ranger and I'm proud to be a Ranger. I don't know what will happen or what direction they'll go. We'll see if they want me or not. I'm not going to worry about it, I'm going to do my job and help the team get back on track."

I don't take him for someone who would say something like that and walk. I think we should trade Lofton, Wilkerson and possibly Aki. I doubt they'll trade Tex 'cause they think they have a shot to win next year, which I don't think is crazy...I think this is a good team that started off very bad. They've been playing much better recently (won 3 straight series) and I do think they have a shot to be good next year.

[eason2387]

Re: The next move for the Texas Rangers?

I love gagne, but I could see both him and aki getting traded this year. There have been talks of C.J. Wilson taking over the closer role; it wouldn't hurt to at least give him an audition as the closer of the future, since this season is shot anyway.

That being said, if gagne is serious about staying on after this season, by all means they should keep the guy. It just wouldn't surprise me if gagne used this season to improve his stock league-wide and then sign on with either a contender or whoever throws the most money at his feet. I believe the guy has the intention of resigning with Texas, but we all know that money can render good intentions irrelevant.

[rsox]

Re: The next move for the Texas Rangers?

Anyone major league ready though? You're talking almost exclusively prospects and maybe not above the AA level. This season is going to get much worse before it gets any better. Hopefully they can avert their offseason attention from the needs at centerfield because quite frankly... lack of a centerfielder is not why they're losing games. It's lack of pitching from both a talent standpoint and the fact that Gerald Laird can't call a game to save his life.

For Teixeira i believe they will want major league ready pitching prospects, for the rest of those guys the demands will not as high.
The Rangers have money to spend so it's not like they have to fill all of their holes in trades. Wilkerson, Gagne, Otsuka and even Lofton should land them at least two players in any deal, the other players i mentioned may only bring one player probably a player to be named later which is usually a low level minor leaguer. The Rangers farm system is not that good so anything should help in the long term.

I look at the Rangers as being a lot like the Baltimore Orioles. Both teams spend money but they spend big money on bad players and that is why they don't win many games.

[Macar91]

Re: The next move for the Texas Rangers?

The Rangers don't want anything short of Phil Hughes for Teix and the Yanks refuse to include Hughes in any deal, so I don't see Teixeira going to the Bronx any time soon.

[Saber]

Re: The next move for the Texas Rangers?

For Teixeira i believe they will want major league ready pitching prospects, for the rest of those guys the demands will not as high.
The Rangers have money to spend so it's not like they have to fill all of their holes in trades. Wilkerson, Gagne, Otsuka and even Lofton should land them at least two players in any deal, the other players i mentioned may only bring one player probably a player to be named later which is usually a low level minor leaguer. The Rangers farm system is not that good so anything should help in the long term.

I look at the Rangers as being a lot like the Baltimore Orioles. Both teams spend money but they spend big money on bad players and that is why they don't win many games.

But at the time is seems appropriate. Take Millwood, he was coming off a season in which he led the AL in ERA and has always been able to chew up innings. Granted no one expected a Cy Young from him, but a 4 - 4.5 ERA and 16-18 wins with what the offense was expected to produce for this "staff's" Ace seemed like a good investment. They overpaid for Padilla hoping he could at least match last season's numbers, but Padilla's a headcase not unlike Park was. Robinson Tejada looked good last year at times, but's been pretty awful this season. Loe has put together a couple good starts after starting the seaon so poorly. McCarthy really hasn't shown much of anything. The absolute worst thing they've done in the last 5 years, and that includes overpaying for Millwood, Park, and Padilla, and only landing Soriano for A-Rod, and not landing much of anything for Soriano (wilkerson? sledge? c'mon!), was trading Chris Young. Had absolutely no reason to trade this kid when he looked so promising. Then rather than trying to re-sign the main player in that trade (Eaton), they let him walk 'cause he was banged up all year (as usual). So essentially they got Otsuka who was a good closer for Young who's an excellent starter. Now they're probably going to deal Otsuka, in effect losing their best pitching prospect since I dunno when. And the GM gets an extension. I LOVE IT!