Here is an update on the Rangers off-season trades. On the Trading Block:
- One Ranger Catcher is Safe (includes Saltalamacchia, Teagarden, and Ramirez), but we really do not know which one it is that is safe.
- Vicente Padilla
- Kevin Millwood
- Hank Blalock
- Marlon Byrd
- Greg Olson (from John Mayberry Jr. trade)
Already Traded Away:
- Kameron Loe (to Japan for cash)
- John Mayberry Jr. (for Greg Olson)
- Wes Littleton (to Boston for Beau Vaughan)
- Gerald Laird (to Detroit for Guillermo Moscoso and Carlos Melo)
Arbitration Eligible:
- Frankie Francisco
- C.J. Wilson
- Marlon Byrd
Free Agents Signed:
- Joe Torres (minor league deal)
- Elizardo Ramirez (minor league deal)
- Derrick Turnbow (minor league deal with training camp invitation)
- Doug Mathis (minor league deal with training camp invitation)
- Casey Daigle (minor league deal)
- Brian Gordon (minor league deal)
Notable:
- Brandon McCarthy (signed a one year deal; avoided arbitration)
Off-Season 08-09 | Players Left | Players Aquired | Cash |
|---|---|---|---|
Trades | 4 | 4 | 1 |
Free Agents | 4 | 6 | N/A |
Rangers ranked #1 with the best farm system in baseball. This isn't the first time that Baseball America has ranked the Rangers farm system the tops in baseball. The Rangers also grabbed the honor in 1990. Look at the top ten prospects then and now:
Rank | 1990 | 2009 |
|---|---|---|
First | Juan Gonzalez, OF | Neftali Feliz, RHP |
Second | Robb Nenn, RHP | Derek Holland, LHP |
Third | Donald Harris, OF | Justin Smoak, 1B |
Fourth | Dean Palmer, 3B | Elvis Andrus, SS |
Fifth | Brian Bohanon, LHP | Martin Perez, LHP |
Sixth | Kevin Belcher, OF | Taylor Teagarden, C |
Seventh | Dan Peltier, OF | Engel Beltre, OF |
Eighth | Scott Coolbaugh, 3B | Michael Main, RHP |
Ninth | Monty Fariss, SS | Julio Borbon, OF |
Tenth | Eric McCray, LHP | Max Ramirez, C/1B |
Juan Gonzalez won a couple of MVPs. Nenn did some pitching in the Majors. Harris played three partial seasons in the Majors, but was mostly forgettable. Palmer played OK third base, but was bothered by injuries. Brian Bohanon pitched for 12 seasons, and had a career 5.19 ERA. Kevin Belcher had 15 career at-bats at the Major League level. Dan Peltier did a little better, collecting 243 career at-bats spread over 3 seasons. Scott Coolbaugh split four seasons in the Majors with 432 career at-bats. He played for the Rangers, Padres and Cardinals. Monty Fariss played three seasons in the Majors, collecting 226 at-bats and a .217 batting average for the Rangers and Marlins. Eric McCray never cracked the Major League level.
In comparrison, the 2009 team has: Andrus making his Major League debut this upcoming season. Teagarden and Ramirez have at-bats already on the ML level, and Smoak is said to be as good, if not better than Mark Teixeira. And if you think a prospect like Smoak should be a #1, and here he sits at #3... well, that should tell you the quality of the top 2. Feliz and Harrison both threw no-hitters in the minors (at AA Frisco). Harrison finished the season in the Majors. Holland is just as good as Feliz and many groups interchange where Feliz and Holland sit in the top two.
Both of these two groups were the best of the minor leagues. Which group is better? Already knowing how the 1990 group turned out, it seems easy to see that the 2009 class is much, much better... but maybe that is putting the cart before the horse.
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