Quote:
Originally Posted by Marco Polo
My only thought is that they still need pitching in the worst way. I bet they prefer to trade Andrus just because of his contract but I would prefer a cost controlled SS for years (Profar), even if it means giving up a little more.
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We keep saying that, but do they really?
Darvish
Holland
Martin Perez
That's a pretty good 1-3 so you're really looking at 4 and 5 for them. So even setting aside what they have at the positions, is it worth trading a premier middle-infielder for a 4th/5th starter? No, not really. The value added to the team at that point isn't significant enough.
But beyond that, the Rangers are in pretty good shape at 4 and 5 anyway. Ogando and Harrison are the likely candidates. Ogando's been a nice starter at several points throughout his career and can likely be counted on for about 180 innings and an ERA in the 4.3 range. Matt Harrison went 32-20 in 2011-2012 before having some injury issues in 2013. He's a #3 starter on a lot of teams and would be a 4 in Texas.
Then you have Colby Lewis and Neftali Feliz as #6 and #7 options in case Harrison isn't healthy, though most accounts suggest he should be fine. Colby Lewis has become a very nice pitcher, another potential #3 that would be slotted as a 4/5 in Texas. Feliz has ace stuff, though he has to recover from TJ surgery (and not get moved into the bullpen).
The Rangers don't really need starting pitching as bad as we think they do.
They're really not that great of a trade partner when it gets down to it. Unless we're willing to trade them Taveras (I'm not), I don't see them moving either of those guys. When they had a surplus of IFers, perhaps they'd have been willing to take the best offer they could get. At that time, Miller may have been worth doing.
Now, however, they don't. They don't have Cano signed (and they won't get him; Jay Z isn't sending Cano to the Rangers) and they don't have a desperate need for SP.
The dream is dead, folks. Prepare for the path of least resistance: Stephen Drew.