Rangers 2013 !!

[Geor!]

Might as well have kept him if they're eating 2/3 of his salary.

[bucky]

Might as well have kept him if they're eating 2/3 of his salary.

Agreed, as much as he regressed last year he would have been a good utility bench player. The problem was i heard is that Wash would have felt obligated to keep finding a spot for him in the lineup.

[Slowhand]

Agreed, as much as he regressed last year he would have been a good utility bench player. The problem was i heard is that Wash would have felt obligated to keep finding a spot for him in the lineup.

That's the problem. Sitting his ass on the bench would cause just as much bad blood as if they traded him. At least this way he gets to play every day and pad his stats some.

The two arms the Rangers get in return aren't bad either. One good bullpen arm that will probably make the opening day roster, and another minor-leaguer with a good arm that has some struggles but big upside.

[Vertnut]

That's the problem. Sitting his ass on the bench would cause just as much bad blood as if they traded him. At least this way he gets to play every day and pad his stats some.

The two arms the Rangers get in return aren't bad either. One good bullpen arm that will probably make the opening day roster, and another minor-leaguer with a good arm that has some struggles but big upside.

You think he'll play every day? No DH in that league.

[Slowhand]

You think he'll play every day? No DH in that league.

They have absolutely nothing else at third. Probably won't play 150 games, but I have to imagine that he'll play 120+.

[Lone Sailor]

You think he'll play every day? No DH in that league.

Did you forget already what happened last year when they first told him they wanted him to be the DH? He threw a damn fit and demanded to be traded.

[Vertnut]

Did you forget already what happened last year when they first told him they wanted him to be the DH? He threw a damn fit and demanded to be traded.

On the contrary. I remember EXACTLY what an ass he was, and was reminded even more when his batting diminished by 40 RBI and 60 points in his average.
Furthermore, I hope he's a butcher at 3rd for them.

[Vertnut]

They have absolutely nothing else at third. Probably won't play 150 games, but I have to imagine that he'll play 120+.

I didn't realize they were empty at 3rd.

[Slowhand]

Dodgers reportedly close to a 6 yr/$145mm deal with Greinke. Praise the lord!

Rangers' options for a #1 starter down to Dickey or Shields, both of whom I prefer to Greinke.

[mustang_marc]

Dodgers reportedly close to a 6 yr/$145mm deal with Greinke. Praise the lord!

Rangers' options for a #1 starter down to Dickey or Shields, both of whom I prefer to Greinke.

The Rangers didn't get him, but at least he departed from the Angels. Win/win.

[dmh165638]

Dodgers reportedly close to a 6 yr/$145mm deal with Greinke. Praise the lord!

Rangers' options for a #1 starter down to Dickey or Shields, both of whom I prefer to Greinke.

I prefer Greinke since he is a free agent and it only requires money to get him. Asking price for Dickey or Shields will be high.

[Mike]

That's the problem. Sitting his ass on the bench would cause just as much bad blood as if they traded him. At least this way he gets to play every day and pad his stats some.

The two arms the Rangers get in return aren't bad either. One good bullpen arm that will probably make the opening day roster, and another minor-leaguer with a good arm that has some struggles but big upside.

The prospect you guys god is going to be a rock star. I'm actually more excited about getting rid of Lindblom off of our roster. That guy can serve up the long ball withe best of him.

They have absolutely nothing else at third. Probably won't play 150 games, but I have to imagine that he'll play 120+.

I didn't realize they were empty at 3rd.

We have Kevin Frandsen and another utility guy that can get him some rest. Charlie has spent the past couple of seasons having to use the bench, because we can't get away from signing guys that are just past their prime.

[mustang_marc]

James Shields off the market - to the Royals of all places. I figured he'd go to a contender...unless I'm missing something about the Royals.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/baseball/mlb/12/09/rays-royals-trade-james-shields-wil-myers.ap/?eref=sihp

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) The Kansas City Royals gambled their future Sunday night for a chance to win right now.

The Royals acquired former All-Star James Shields and fellow right-hander Wade Davis from Tampa Bay in a six-player deal that sent top prospects Wil Myers and Jake Odorizzi along with two other minor leaguers to the Rays. The swap immediately bolsters the Royals' starting rotation and should make them a contender in the relatively weak American League Central.

"We have to start winning games at the major league level, and the way you develop a winning culture is by winning major league games," Royals general manager Dayton Moore said. "It's time for us to start winning at the major league level."

Kansas City, which hasn't had a winning season since 2003, has long had one of the best farm systems in baseball, and slowly the cream has risen to the big league level. But there has remained a dearth of starting pitching that has hampered the Royals' chances for success for years, and Moore wanted to solve that problem this offseason.

He's already re-signed Jeremy Guthrie to a $25 million, three-year deal, and took on former All-Star Ervin Santana and $12 million of his contract from the Angels. But the trade for Shields and Davis is Moore's most aggressive move yet, giving Kansas City the ace it has been lacking since trading away Zack Greinke, along with another piece that could fit in the rotation or the bullpen.

"When you can acquire a pitcher like James Shields and Wade Davis, we have to do it, because that's what we've committed to our team - we've committed to our organization," Moore said. "It's important that we start winning games."

Along with giving up Myers, widely voted the minor leagues' top player last season, the Royals also traded away Odorizzi, a talented right-hander who would have competed for a spot in the Kansas City rotation this season. Left-hander Mike Montgomery and third baseman Patrick Leonard also are headed to the Rays, while the Royals will receive a player to be named or cash.

"We're constantly working to balance the present and the future, and always trying to thread the needle," Rays executive vice president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said. "As an organization we rely more on the contributions of our young players basically than anyone else in baseball, and with this trade we're hoping to replenish our system and add a lot of players we feel can help us sustain this run of success that we've had for the last five years."

Shields, who turns 31 this month, has been a stalwart in the Tampa Bay rotation the past seven seasons. He was an All-Star two years ago, when he went 16-12 with a 2.82 ERA and finished third in the American League Cy Young Award voting, and was 15-10 with a 3.52 ERA in 33 starts last season, when he pitched 227 2-3 innings - his sixth consecutive year of at least 200 innings pitched.

The only other pitchers to log at least 200 innings in six straight seasons are the Jays' Mark Buehrle, San Francisco's Matt Cain, Yankees left-hander CC Sabathia and the Tigers ace Justin Verlander.

"If you're going to win consistently in the major leagues, you're going to need a rotation that gives you innings, competes, helps you win," Moore said. "That's what our goal is, to put together a very good rotation. We feel we've done that."

Shields is due to receive $10.5 million this season. He has a club option for $12 million in 2014 with a $1 million buyout.

The Royals suddenly have a glut of starting pitchers with Shields, Santana and Guthrie joined by Bruce Chen and Luis Mendoza, who are expected back from last year. Luke Hochevar is eligible for arbitration, while Danny Duffy and Felipe Paulino will return at some point during the middle of the season after undergoing Tommy John surgery.

Davis also could be thrown into the mix.

The right-hander started 64 games for Tampa Bay from 2009-11, but he was shuttled to the bullpen last season when the Rays had an abundance of starters. He flourished as a reliever, going 3-0 with a 2.43 ERA, creating some flexibility for him in Kansas City.

Davis is due to make $2.8 million this season and $4.8 million in 2014, with the Royals holding options on the next three years.

The jewel of the deal for Tampa Bay is undoubtedly Myers, who turns 22 on Monday.

The power-hitting outfielder batted .314 with 37 homers and 109 RBIs in 134 games at Northwest Arkansas and Triple-A Omaha, and eventually could help provide some protection in the batting order for Rays star Evan Longoria. Myers showed what he could do during the All-Star Futures Game hosted by Kansas City in July, when he had a pair of hits and drove in three runs at Kauffman Stadium.

He'll finally get a chance to prove it at the major league level at Tropicana Field.

"I think it's very possible that Wil Myers and Jake Odorizzi will help us win games in 2013, and Mike Montgomery as well," Friedman said.

Odorizzi will also have an opportunity to make a splash in the big leagues after going 15-5 with a 3.03 ERA for Northwest Arkansas and Omaha. He made two late-season starts for Kansas City, going 0-1 with a 4.91 ERA in 7 1-3 innings.

Montgomery was once considered one of the Royals' top prospects, but his stock has slide considerably the past couple of years. He was just 5-13 with a 6.07 ERA last season, when he was demoted from Omaha to Northwest Arkansas.

Leonard hit .251 with 14 homers and 46 RBIs in 62 games for short-season Burlington.

"It's not easy to give up prospects," Moore said. "It's time for us to start winning at the major league level, and we have to use all our resources. Our farm system is certainly one of them."

Read More: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/201...#ixzz2EeaAhOa7

[mustang_marc]

With the bigger name pitchers now off the market, I wonder if the Rangers will feel pressured to snag Hamilton to feel like they accomplished something this offseason? If they have no Hamilton and no upgrade to the pitching staff, they're gonna have a harder time selling this team next year.

[bucky]

The Royals gave up a ton to get Shields. That leads me to believe the Rays were probably asking for Profar and Olt in that deal. That means David Price is off the table also.