So it has been a while since my last post - just checked and the basketball season hadn't even started yet. That said I am very excited about the way the Major League Baseball Winter Meetings went for the Texas Rangers! One thing is for sure, the Texas Rangers are a better baseball club than they were a week ago.
If you didn't already know, every year after the season has ended team executives and player agents get together to talk trades and free agents. It is in a different location each year and will actually be held in Dallas at the Hilton Anatole in 2011. All potential free agents have either decided to accept arbitration or declare free agents at this time.
2010 has always been the year Texas Rangers management has pointed to for big time contention because of all our blooming young talent and the fact that many of the players already in the bigs will be in the prime of their careers. This is not to say it is a one and done year like the Florida Marlins like to do, but more so the beginning of winning seasons for years to come. I don't think anyone could have predicted the Rangers would have had the year that they did last year - coming as close as they did to making the playoffs and level of play they exuded. Being the optimist that I am about our young talent I can say I did (hope you have a sense of humor... oh and Windows 7: my idea).
So what happened? Well it started with us trading our veteran ace, if you want to call him that, Kevin Millwood to the Baltimore Orioles for 28 year old relief pitcher Chris Ray. Being in the financial crunch that they are in with all the ownership issues they are having it was thought perhaps this move was just a salary dump because Baltimore picked up $9M of the $12M owed to Millwood or maybe this was a preliminary move to another.
If you said maybe then your are correct. The Rangers then went and signed a legitimate ACE in Rich Harden. Harden has a history of injuries but is determined to prove himself. When not injured he is one of the best pitchers in the game. Not offered arbitration (he would have been Type A which would have forced the Rangers out of a 1st round pick in next summer's draft) Harden comes relatively cheap.
Side Note: Also recieved Rule 5 draft pick from Baltimore which netted the Rangers lefty specialist Ben Snyder. Won't get into that one for now.
Rumblings and Bumblings: Close to deal for Red Sox 3rd basemen Mike Lowell for one of our minor league catchers Max Ramirez. I really like Max Ramirez but the move to get Lowell's bat in the lineup as part time DH/1B excites me. A veteran presence who has played with winners. This lineup sure could have used him last year.
And for, in my opinion, the best Texas Rangers coverage on the planet check out "www.newbergreport.com" - subscription to his newsletter is FREE!
I'm SO EXCITED for Rich Harden!
