Caveat Emptor in July
The New York Yankees took a four-game winning streak into Wednesday's game with the Toronto Blue Jays and were within eight games of the Boston Red Sox in the American League West. Seven in the all-important loss column.
Everybody knows what that means.
If the Yankees are back in the playoff hunt then they are back to being a "buyer" in the trade market, although one baseball executive said the Yankees are "always buyers" no matter what the situation.
That could be good for the Rangers, who have much to offer teams trying to upgrade for the stretch drive but also are demanding a high price for their goods. Make mo mistake about it, Jon Daniels isn't giving anybody away.
He might be reasonable when it comes to Sammy Sosa because the Rangers want Jason Botts in Arlington, but the Rangers are driving hard bargains with almost everybody else.
Yes he has some people around the league fuming. One scout said the Rangers were being "completely unrealistic" when it comes to their relievers and another said his team was backing off Teixeira because Daniels was "asking for the world."
He has to. Daniels only answers to Tom Hicks and he can't miss on the return package if he does trade Teixeira. Daniels knows it's better to take a highly-motivated Teixeira into his walk year in 2008 rather than get fifty cents on the dollar in return on a trade.
This all could come right down to the July 31 deadline. Both the Yankees and the Red Sox have been known to get cut-throat and overly-aggressive when going for the same player. That's what the Rangers are hoping for, not only with Teixeira but all their players.
Yes, the Rangers are frustrated that Akinori Otsuka can't pitch but so are the half-dozen or more scouts who show up every day to watch Otsuka and Eric Gagne. They are also watching Joaquin Benoit closely. Given that Otsuka is hurt and Gagne is not interested in being anybody's setup reliever, it's understandable that Benoit is drawing significant interest.
Teams are even asking about Ron Mahay and when Brewers right-hander Ben Sheets goes down for 4-6 weeks then you know there might be hope that the Rangers could get something decent for Jamey Wright. He's not at the top of anybody's list. That would be Jason Jennings, Matt Morris and Jorge Contreras. But it's all about what one team asks for and another is willing to bid.
The Rangers study the signs: injuries, pitchers having bad outings or a hitter going into a slump. Sometimes a manager might pop off about wanting a veteran guy. Former Mariners manager Lou Piniella once made so much noise about needing a reliever that his general manager, Woody Woodward, dealt Jaon Varitek and Derek Lowe for Heathcliff Slocumb.
The Rangers will deal Sosa but they have to find the right buyer. They have the right fit in the Minnesota Twins, who have a desperate need for a right-handed hitting designated hitter and Sosa is hitting .348 against lefties.
But the Twins aren't interested and the simple fact is teams are still leery about Sosa being a disruption in the clubhouse. That frustrates and upsets the Rangers because they know that Sosa has been terrific this year, doing everything asked of him both on and off the field.
Still, a team's needs change, sometimes from day to day and it's a game of brinksmanship going down to the July 31 trade deadline and there could be much blinking before it's over.
So--one online article today, I forget which, suggested that if A-Rod opts out of his contract, that Texas might make more serious overtures to Teixeira, since $30 million will have been freed up. Any thoughts on that, T.R.?
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I personally am convinced that Texiera is gone. Even if the Rangers offered him the 7 year 126 million. Sure he wants the money, but i think he is frustrated that the Rangers are just the RANGERS and will always be that. He yearns to win and knows he won't do it here. He doesn't want to give up the control over his situation. He is going to get his 18 million a year, it is just going to be somewhere else. I would be more worried about the Yankees having the $48 million to spend on Texiera. A-Rod walking frees up 48 million for the Yankees and they will spend it wisely unlike Hickey boy. So the Yankees technically can have Texiera for 78 Million over 7 years. That works out to 11 million real cost. A-Rod is a cancer, and Texiera fills a greater need for them. Come to think of it, he could also play third or first base. Here is betting Texiera ends up in Yankee land. Daniels is driving a hard bargain? Give me a break. Here is betting we don't make any significant deals. At this point, i am for just dealing Lofton, Sosa, Mahay, Wilkerson and Catalanotto. Texiera i would keep if he would sign, but he won't, so deal him but get the motherload or keep him and let him rot and walk for draft picks next year. Maybe if we keep him and we start off winning next year then he might want to stay for 7 years 126 million. The biggest mistake, Daniels made with Soriano was not keeping him til the All-Star Break of his last year. So if we can't get what we want, then don't trade Texiera. We may not be that far off. Things are looking up and it all relates to our starting pitching. Imagine that.
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Looks like Daniels has realized he has been fleeced and looks like a foolish youngster. It is great to be a little gun shy, probably a smart thing. The key to always remember is never, never ever trade young pitching. How would this look like as a starting crew: Young, Hurley, Danks, Loe and Millwood. Not a bad starting five. Don't include Benoit, Gagne or Otsuka. Pitching is what cures all ills. Deal the above mentionalbles. Losing those guys isn't going to hurt that much. It is time for the Youth movement. We could use some baseball. Rock on Rangers.
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I know why the Yankees want Tex, but why in the world would Boston be looking at him? They already have Youkilis at 1st, Papi Ortiz for a DH, which already forces them to play Manny Ramirez in left, when he should be a 1B/DH at his age. They have absolutly no place to play him, unless they're offering us Youkilis. But despite our recent pitching resurgence, and the promise of Hurley and Volquez, the Rangers still lack an anchor in the rotation. Millwood ain't it. Tex is the only chip we have to get that. But JD is right to ask for the world, even if it means we'll wind up keeping him. Who knows, if we do wind up keeping him (which is starting to look more like what's gonna happen) and we finish the year as strong as we are now, maybe we can talk Tex into resigning on a short term basis hoping the team will improve over that time and he'll want to reextend when it's up.
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I think, lonestar, that the thinking behind Boston getting Tex would be to put him at first, move Youkilis back to his origional postion at third and trade Mike Lowell who is a free agent at season's end.
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hefe - good point, but like I said, you would think they'd want to convert Ramirez to 1st, just to get him out of the OF. He is getting pretty old - and he's always been slow, but then again, I'm applying my own logic to a situiation I know little about.
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NO WAY would I trade Benoit, Aki or Gagne. Just "UNLOADING VETERANS" certainly means JD will get fleeced. Again. Both are competent, and arent' those pieces we've had VERY few of recently? With the recent turnaround, and bringing some optimism for next year, WHY trade these guys who are performing? It mystifies me, that just because the YANKEES or RED SOX come a-calling, that we have to bow down and genuflect in their direction? I would NOT trade Gagne, Aki or Benoit. We haven't had this complete a 7th, 8th, and 9th inning group in perhaps our history....BUT, if JD sees Theo Epstein from Boston coming, he'll probably make all 3 available for "prospects." I'm serious, we don't know what a valuable commodity we have in those 3. Trading Tex is a no-brainer. Trading Aki, Gagne and Benoit would be a "NO BRAINS" deal. But, why would we not be surprised if it happens? I won't.
Second Point: Botts best learn First Base and maybe 3rd String Catcher. He is a defensive liability in the outfield. What little I've seen last year convinced me absolutely his future lies at First Base. Bye Tex. Been good to know ye. Do we quake in our boots and be afraid to play Botts at First when Tex is on the team? Does Tex make the decisions or does the Manager and management make the decisions? I'm just asking the obvious. It's the players, of course. (Which is terribly wrong in the first place).
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I am with Bingo, don't deal any of the pitchers, unless it is Padilla. We need to keep the rest of the pitchers. Get rid of Wilkerson, Lofton, Texiera, Sosa and maybe Catalanotto. Bye the way, i had lunch with the catman the other day in Grapevine, Texas. He had the Reuben sandwich. He is a pretty small guy. I wish Texiera would stay, but he won't. I still think it would be better to hold onto him until the all-star break of 2008. I think Boston just wants Texiera, to keep the Yankees from getting him. How about J.D. Drew, Lowell and a pitching prospect for Texiera? Does that sound like too much for Texiera? If Boston is calling, they probably want Gagne and Texiera. Add a couple of pitching prospects and i might be inclined to lean that way. But Gagne will hurt. Their just aren't that many closers out there.
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And Bingo, stop it with the third string catcher comments about Botts. He ain't gonna be a catcher. He will be a first baseman. The Rangers are holding him back until Tex is dealt. Once Tex is dealt, Botts will be offered as the next star for the Rangers. Now he is hurt.
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"How about J.D. Drew, Lowell and a pitching prospect for Texiera?" I just threw up in my mouth a little. The point of trading people like Teixeira and Gagne is to make the team better IN THE FUTURE. We won't win anything this year so you take guys who could be good next year or the next year.
They will cut Sosa and Botts will DH (he can't play 1B, C? lol is this a joke?)
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Yea their is no way that the rangers should ask for drew or lowell. They may have to take lowell in a deal as a salary dump. But drew is a bad player with an even worse contract. The point of this deal is to try and build towards the next few seasons. A deal i would look into would be something like mark teixeira and joaqin benoit for lowell, kason gabbard and hopefully buchholz (but prob. lester) or maybe michael bowden.
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My thought is simply this with Botts as "Emergency", 3rd string catcher: His durable body would be perfect for an "Occasional" start. Besides, he doesn't seem equipped to play in the outfield. I think 1st Base, DH, and 3rd-string catcher would be Botts' best positions, in descending order. With Bott's Carlton Fisk-like frame, I think he'd be perfect to at least learn the position, in case. Who knows? What if our Heroes actually play good baseball the rest of the year, and sign someone to pitch or play centerfield, (Tori Hunter, for ex.), and Tex actually WANTS to stay here and sign. It is remote, but a possiblity. That is why Botts needs to be learning something besides only First Base. Suppose Tex stays? Has anyone mulled over that thought. I doubt it will transpire, BUT, Botts best learn a couple of positions, just in case. Dwiregod, that is why I'm for Botts learning to back-up catch, say like Mike Piazza, Phil Nevin, who weren't catchers in the best sense of the word, but could do it on occasion and not embarrass the team. So, Jason, you need to acquire a First Basemen's mitt, stationery bike (for those long waits between AB's in the clubhouse while you are DH-ing), AND a Catcher's mitt. Just in case.
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I really hope that JD is truly "asking for too much". It is a GREAT thing if the Yankees and/or Boston and/or Dodgers get into a bidding war for Texieira.
JD needs to do exactly what it sounds like he is doing: Be a very stingy seller with the great players (Aki, Gagne, Benoit, and Tex) and be a somewhat stingy seller with the "good fit" pieces (Lofton, Cat, Sosa, Wright, Mahay).
I agree with the above comments that it would be ideal if most of the bullpen and selected starters stayed together, Aki and Gagne included!
In terms of Botts: If he is such a good DH (which there is every indication to believe so), then why can't he be considered trade bait? It sounds like he's a defensive liability and we've got plenty of guys that can play catcher and 1B.
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scrubbrush: Botts trade bait? Sure, he could be great trade bait - now just find me somebody young and promising, just about ready to start a Major League career, who has the power to be a future 3-4 hole hitter to replace him. Yes, we have plenty of guys that can play catcher and 1B, but not very many have the sock in their bats Botts does. No, wait, none of them do. Botts is the only guy we have that could fill Teixeira's shoes - you don't trade him, unless you have a plan to replace him. And if you want another reason not to underestimate a prospect like Botts, just read todays "Swapping Stories" from Jamey Newberg on how we stole Michael Young from the Blue Jays.
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