Trade Watchin': Part VII

Here is an update on the Rangers off-season trades. On the Trading Block:

• Saltalamacchia, Teagarden, and Ramirez are still on the block.
• Vicente Padilla (contract is keeping others away)
• Kevin Millwood (contract is keeping others away)
• Hank Blalock (Young move is a sign for him to go if price is right, could DH)
• Marlon Byrd (I'm thinking he isn't really on the block anymore, but I've been wrong before)
• 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)

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)
• Omar Vizquel (minor league deal with training camp invitation)
• Adam Melhuse (minor league deal)
• Nathan Haynes (minor league deal)

Notable:

• Brandon McCarthy (signed a one year deal; avoided arbitration)
• Frankie Francisco (signed a one year deal; avoided arbitration)
• C.J. Wilson (signed a one year deal; avoided arbitration)
• Marlon Byrd (signed a one year deal; avoided arbitration)
• Exercised the 2009 option on Hank Blalock.
• Moved Michael Young to third.
• Jason Jennings is a non-roster invite.

Off-Season Tally

Off-Season 08-09	Players Left	Players Aquired	Cash
Trades	4	4	1
Free Agents	4	9	N/A

If I said I wasn't frustrated about the Rangers off-season, I would be lying. I am frustrated. The Ben Sheets situation was a ray of light, but that fell through due to his injury. I wouldn't say that the Rangers are out of the hunt for Sheets, but things do not look good. It is closing in on spring training and the Rangers have not signed anyone off the free-agent market to a Major League deal. The Rangers have traded away four, one for cash, and returned four and signed 9 players to minor league deals, thus loading up the Rangers minor league system, which is #1 amongst all minor league systems right now. What does that mean? Well, the big picture tells us that the Rangers will be making the playoffs soon. Maybe not this year, but 2010 isn't out of the question. I would still like to go to the ballpark and see a strong competitive team play to win. And I may get that, but to know that they will not be able to compete with the opposite team is a bit discouraging to think about, to be honest. Don't get me wrong, I will still go to games... and I am still a Rangers fan through and through... But I would like to see a winning season this year. That's all I am asking. And the only way to do that at this time is to get the well needed pitching. I would still sign Sheets. I would sign him on a Lieber like contract that loads him up with incentives for 2009 with the league minimum for a base and then have gauranteed money for the two years following, thus giving him a three-year deal with one year to take care of getting healthy. That may be the best option for him right now.

Trades seem pretty unlikely at this point. Jon Daniels will more than likely keep quiet at the meetings, unless some wonderful opportunity comes along that is just too good to be true. Don't count on it, but stranger things...

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