The OFFICIAL Texas Rangers thread

[openroadracer]

i would think it would be innings pitched, era & wins; in that order. it's all relevant - if you do well you will have a high number of innings pitched, more than likely your era will be lower than the league era average. if you have a low era then your chances of winning are greater. but three or four 1-0 losses can skew a W/L record also... that's why i would think wins would be the last incentive to hit.

just my opinion.

[0 GT 2]

Shoulder surgery is a tough hill to climb. Only 30% of pitchers make it back to 100% post surgery so I'm less than optimistic.

[mustang_marc]

The Rangers could be really close to grabbing Beltre...

http://rangersblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2011/01/report-texas-rangers-havent-re.html

Team president Nolan Ryan called third baseman Adrian Beltre the top free agent on the market. And the Rangers might be close to grabbing him.

PioDeportes.com, a website based in Beltre's native Dominican Republic, reported Sunday morning that the free-agent third baseman had agreed to a six-year, $96 million deal with the Rangers.

However, a major-league source told FoxSports.com Sunday that while the Rangers are talking with Beltre, they haven't reached an agreement with him.

Beltre's agent, Scott Boras, is seeking a contract worth at least $85 million over five years or more, rival executives told Fox.

Other AL West teams have expressed interest. The Los Angeles Angels could be the favorite to sign Beltre. The Oakland A's have reportedly pulled their latest offer.

Ryan said last week of Beltre: "If you looked at the free agent market right now, he's probably the premier free agent that's still unsigned."

Ryan continued: "When you have a player of his caliber out there, you have to have an interest if it's realistic within what your budget is and how he would fit into your ball club and how you would hit him in the lineup and stuff of that nature. So, obviously with our ball club, it wouldn't be nearly as clear-cut as somebody else, say whether it be the Angels and the rumor is that Oakland has made him offer."

If Texas signed Beltre, it would likely have to move Michael Young to first base or designated hitter.

The Rangers could also re-sign Vladimir Guerrero and possibly add a right-handed-hitting first baseman to pair with Mitch Moreland rather than working a deal for Beltre.

Beltre hit .321 with 28 homers and 102 RBIs in 154 games last season with the Boston Red Sox.

[Kenny_Stang]

Would love to sign Beltre and move Young to DH. That would make a great lineup.

[mstng86]

Source: Adrian Beltre, Rangers closeEmail Print Comments28 By Enrique Rojas
ESPNdeportes.com
Archive
ORLANDO, Fla. -- The Texas Rangers and free-agent third baseman Adrian Beltre are close to completing terms on a multiyear deal, a source told ESPNdeportes.com on Sunday.




Olney: Rangers Stay Aggressive
Having lost out on Cliff Lee, the Rangers are after Adrian Beltre. If they land him, the gap between the Angels and the Rangers will have grown wider, writes ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney. Blog

From ESPNDallas.com:
• How deal affects Rangers
• Rangers blog

"They are still talking and have not completed the details, but an agreement appears imminent," the source told ESPNdeportes.com.

Another source said the contract probably will be for five years, with an option for 2016.

Two Dominican Republic media outlets reported Sunday on the negotiations. The newspaper El Caribe reported that Beltre and Texas would complete a six-year, $90 million deal within the week, while the website Piodeportes.com said the contract was a done deal and will earn Beltre $96 million.

Beltre, 31, had the second-best performance of his major league career in 2010, batting .321 with 28 home runs, 49 doubles and 102 RBIs with the Boston Red Sox.

Beltre had reportedly received offers from at least two other teams: A $64 million proposal from the Oakland Athletics and another for $70 million from the Los Angeles Angels.

Beltre had his best statistical season in 2004, when he batted .334 with 48 homers, 32 doubles and 121 RBIs with the Los Angeles Dodgers. That performance led the Seattle Mariners to sign Beltre to a five-year, $64 million contract. He hit .266 and averaged 21 homers and 79 RBIs per season during his stay in Seattle.

With the Red Sox, Beltre was an All-Star for the first time and earned his second Silver Slugger award.

A two-time Gold Glove winner, Beltre has a .275 career average with 278 home runs and 1,008 RBIs in 13 seasons.

[mustang_marc]

Looks like Young is on board for signing Beltre and not causing any problems.

Young willing to DH

Michael Young said Monday night that he is willing to move to designated hitter if the Rangers sign Adrian Beltre.

Young also said he would be willing to play multiple positions if that got him on the field.

Young said he does not want to be traded.

"I want to stay here," Young said.

Young's willingness to accomodate the team could pave the way for a deal for Beltre.

More on the website later.

[mustang_marc]

Got a Rangers FB update...deal does appear imminent with Beltre... 6 years $96 mil...with an option to void the 6th year if he doesn't meet a certain number of plate appearances.

I just don't like that Boras is his agent. I thought we got rid of all the players that used him when Tex was traded.

[TRAXX]

Young is a class act. Gets pushed from 2nd, SS, then to 3rd and now says he is willing to DH and fill in, in the field when needed.

I dont know what to think about Beltre. Apparently, he's not the greatest clubhouse guy <cough>Texeria<cough> but then again the Ragners have taken in characters like this is the past and they were saints while they were here (Bradley)

[Slowhand]

I really don't like this deal with Beltre. The reward is going to be hit or miss and the financial risk combined with the morale risk (pushing Young around yet again, Beltre not being a big team guy) makes this pretty iffy to me.

[UserX]

I really don't like this deal with Beltre. The reward is going to be hit or miss and the financial risk combined with the morale risk (pushing Young around yet again, Beltre not being a big team guy) makes this pretty iffy to me.

Same here. I would have preferred the Rangers sat on this money for now, and see what pitching becomes available later this season or next.

[BP]

One good thing is that we have a large group of young Dominican players here that'll harass the hell out of him if he starts to slack off.

The environment in Seattle is just weird, lots of hippies and everyone loves Ichiro. Even the manager is Japanese. Not really any other Dominicans on the team and the Mariners just plain sucked when he was there.

In Boston he had Ortiz to hang out with and of course the Red Sox were competitive all season. He thrived there.

Unfortunately though this deal means Vlad probably isn't coming back. There isn't anywhere for him to play if Young is DH.

[mstng86]

One good thing is that we have a large group of young Dominican players here that'll harass the hell out of him if he starts to slack off.

The environment in Seattle is just weird, lots of hippies and everyone loves Ichiro. Even the manager is Japanese. Not really any other Dominicans on the team and the Mariners just plain sucked when he was there.

In Boston he had Ortiz to hang out with and of course the Red Sox were competitive all season. He thrived there.

Unfortunately though this deal means Vlad probably isn't coming back. There isn't anywhere for him to play if Young is DH.

I thought we signed vlad?

[Nash B.]

Unfortunately though this deal means Vlad probably isn't coming back. There isn't anywhere for him to play if Young is DH.

He's always welcome in right field when Cruz goes out...

[bcoop]

He's always welcome in right field when Cruz goes out...

lmao. Seriously? He was nothing but a liability on the field.

[BP]

I thought we signed vlad?

He had a 2011 option that the Rangers declined to pickup. I think he's willing to play for less but wants two years and we only will offer one. And yeah he sucks in the field. He might be okay at first base every once in a while in a pinch but otherwise he's a DH only. If he has to run or judge a pop fly it's going to be a hit.