| Josh Hamilton on his way out of Texas, the Rangers will have to adjust their offseason plans again. (US Presswire) |
R.J. White: The Rangers have been connected to several big names this offseason, including pitcher Zack Greinke, right fielder Justin Upton and the team's own signature player, center fielder Josh Hamilton. It now appears they'll miss out on all three, with Greinke signing with the Dodgers, Hamilton moving to the Angels and the Diamondbacks unmotivated to move Upton after acquiring a young shortstop.
So where does that leave the Rangers? Danny Knobler wrote about the team’s potential plans Thursday, but what is its next move? Is it to sign a free agent like Edwin Jackson or Kyle Lohse? Trade for Mets knuckleballer R.A. Dickey? Sign Michael Bourn for center field? Nick Swisher or Cody Ross for right field?
Chris Cwik: The Rangers are in a unique position in that they don't have to make a move to be a contender, but they are willing to spend money. Obviously, the last thing they should do at this point is overpay to try and keep up with the Angels. If they are interested in spending some money, though, they can still significantly upgrade their team. I like the idea of them signing either Bourne or Swisher, really. I'm not as high on their center field situation as some, so I think Bourn would be a nice leadoff guy for them. Swisher would likely hit 30-plus home runs in that park, so I like him as well. Another guy who's been mentioned that I kind of like in that park is Adam LaRoche. He's a candidate to be overpaid after having a career year, but I think he would be a solid addition for the team and would likely cost less than Bourn or Swisher.
I don't really see the Rangers going hard to trade for another pitcher. They've been hesitant to hold Elvis Andrus and Jurickson Profar all offseason, and it seems like they are prepared to start both guys, which is probably the right move. They are in a really good position with those guys. The rotation is weaker than it has been in previous years, but it's still good enough. Yu Darvish had an underrated season, and I would probably call him an "ace" right now. They also will get Colby Lewis back around midseason, and potentially Neftali Feliz a bit later, though it's unclear if he'll be used in the rotation again. They could pursue one of the pitchers left on the market, but none of those options make me as exciting as grabbing a hitter. Edwin Jackson is the best guy left out there, in my mind, and he scares me in that park.
Jack Moore: Yeah, I agree with Chris -- this Rangers team should at least compete for an AL Wild Card if not the AL West -- after all, the Angels are still a bit short on the pitching side. Jurickson Profar and Mike Olt could be better this year than many of the free agents signed this year, and Texas won't be giving full-time plate appearances to the husk of Michael Young.
I do think if they make a move they should grab an outfielder. Swisher is obviously the prize, and there's reason to believe he would rake at The Ballpark in Arlington. Otherwise, I think Cody Ross would be a surprisingly good fit -- he could pair with David Murphy for a left field platoon, allowing Craig Gentry to serve more as a roving sub or defensive replacement/pinch runner. Murphy posted an .862 OPS against righties and Ross posted a 1.010 mark against righties last year. How many left fields outdo that?
R.J. White: You're right, the Rangers don't have to make any drastic moves to contend, but I don't think that will stop them. If they offered Mike Olt for R.A. Dickey (and were rebuked), who else will they offer him for? I could see the Cubs being interested if the Rangers decide they want Matt Garza once he checks out as healthy. If the cost of James Shields was Wil Myers (and other quality prospects), would that make a Garza-for-Olt deal fair, even with Garza's contract up after 2013? For a team looking to compete in 2013, I think it would. I also think the money is there to get an extension done with Garza (a consistently above average pitcher). We'll see if they make a move by the trading deadline in July.
On offense, I think signing Ross or Swisher would be nice, but I'm not sure that's the way to go. I'd almost like to see how the team does with David Murphy, Leonys Martin and Craig Gentry all starting regularly (with Nelson Cruz at DH), though that would likely expose too many flaws in their offensive capabilities. Ultimately, I think the team sticks with what it has and re-evaluates in May.
For more up-to-the-minute news and analysis on the latest rumors from bloggers Chris Cwik, Jack Moore and R.J. White, follow @MLBRumorsCBS.