Fans love to speculate about trades. At the beginning of the year it looked like this might be one of the first years we wouldn’t be looking for an arm at the deadline. Now things are a little different. We have Feliz and Holland on the DL. Oswalt is working back into shape and will provide some help. The fact that the two pitchers who are on the DL are young would probably hold us back a little in looking for anyone to help us out. I know a lot of this also depends on their long-term prognosis. Both have arm problems and I have to wonder when the outcry about our “no pitch count” philosophy will come into question. I hope not.
There are some arms that might be available. We never want to leverage the farm in a win-now scenario and I have no idea what the cost would be. With no place for Mile Olt (unless he plays more first base soon), he might be the biggest chip we have to offer. Scott Feldman too, but he hasn’t exactly helped his trade value. Neither of those would be enough to get these pitchers. BUT, that said, I would like to ask about (and I don’t know that we haven’t) Matt Garza and Ryan Dempster from the Cubs and Cole Hamels from the Phillies. Hamels will be a free agent after the season. With the new free agent compensation setup, it would make signing him after the season imperative. That would just add to our list of players needing big money to continue with the Rangers. So as much as I would like him, I doubt it will happen. Garza would be costly I’m sure and Dempster’s name just hit the market today. Zack Greinke is a free agent after this season too.
Lots of talk about another bat and one player that has been mentioned going to the Rangers is Kevin Youklis. I don’t see it. We have Michael Young doing the same thing Youk does plus more (2nd base). We probably would consider adding a bat, but more than likely an outfielder. Possible first base. Carlos Lee might be available from the Astros. He had one stint with the Rangers already (he didn’t like it). Shane Victorino, who is not having a stellar year with the Phils, might be an option. Carlos Quinton, who recently returned from the DL in San Diego is probably available too.
At the beginning of the year, it looked like the last paragraph was all we needed to look at to finish out the roster. After the last month with the pitching causalities, I can’t help but wonder what we might have to do.
No Pepper 