Interesting Acquisition: Rangers claim Russell Wilson in Rule 5

[TURBO]

Rangers selected 2B Russell Wilson in the minor league portion of the Rule 5 draft.

 

The pick was made on Thursday. While the NFL superstar remains unlikely to ever pursue his baseball career again, the Rangers would like to be associated with him, and have their players and coaches be around someone with his drive and desire. Rangers general manager Jon Daniels has indicated that Wilson is excited to potentially come to spring training and wants to come to camp.

 

Source: MLB.com

[chadomac]

Old news, Rickey! Where you been the last couple days?

 

I question if the Rangers really thought that there was any chance Wilson would play baseball... or if they just wanted to waste 12k for some publicity.

[TURBO]

Old news possibly, but nothing mentioned here. Thought it was interesting.

[endaround]

It isn't the 12K, it's the 40 man spot even if it is just for a few weeks.

[jerichoholicninja]

It isn't the 12K, it's the 40 man spot even if it is just for a few weeks.

 

It was the minor league Rule 5 draft. No 40 man spot required.

[danzig6767]

Seems more like a PR move than anything for Texas.

 

Wilson in two years as a 21/22 year old playing A ball showed not a whole lot. Now he's three years removed from playing baseball and instead is one of the better quarterbacks in the NFL, leading an 11-2 team, and soon enough will be getting a 100 plus million dollar contract from the Seahawks. I can't believe that Seattle would think to kindly of making Wilson super rich and in the offseason, instead of doing a mix of resting his body and football related training, he's out there in spring training with the Rangers. For Russell, if he got hurt while doing baseball activities, it could get in the way of signing that monster NFL contract.

 

So i'd be very surprised if he ever set foot in a Rangers spring training. I sure wouldn't if i was him given that huge payday is not far away.

[endaround]

Seems more like a PR move than anything for Texas.

 

Wilson in two years as a 21/22 year old playing A ball showed not a whole lot. Now he's three years removed from playing baseball and instead is one of the better quarterbacks in the NFL, leading an 11-2 team, and soon enough will be getting a 100 plus million dollar contract from the Seahawks. I can't believe that Seattle would think to kindly of making Wilson super rich and in the offseason, instead of doing a mix of resting his body and football related training, he's out there in spring training with the Rangers. For Russell, if he got hurt while doing baseball activities, it could get in the way of signing that monster NFL contract.

 

So i'd be very surprised if he ever set foot in a Rangers spring training. I sure wouldn't if i was him given that huge payday is not far away.

 

Given that it is a minor league Rule 5, I'm expecting a uniform made up, locker space assigned and some light tossing. Maybe some batting practice. Garth Brooks will have done more in a training camp.

[jerichoholicninja]

Seems more like a PR move than anything for Texas.

 

Wilson in two years as a 21/22 year old playing A ball showed not a whole lot. Now he's three years removed from playing baseball and instead is one of the better quarterbacks in the NFL, leading an 11-2 team, and soon enough will be getting a 100 plus million dollar contract from the Seahawks. I can't believe that Seattle would think to kindly of making Wilson super rich and in the offseason, instead of doing a mix of resting his body and football related training, he's out there in spring training with the Rangers. For Russell, if he got hurt while doing baseball activities, it could get in the way of signing that monster NFL contract.

 

So i'd be very surprised if he ever set foot in a Rangers spring training. I sure wouldn't if i was him given that huge payday is not far away.

 

Given that it is a minor league Rule 5, I'm expecting a uniform made up, locker space assigned and some light tossing. Maybe some batting practice. Garth Brooks will have done more in a training camp.

 

I can't imagine the Seahawks would let him do anything more than have a few pictures taken of him in a Rangers uniform.

 

What would have been fantastic would have been if the San Francisco Giants would have drafted him instead.

[Fear The Chorizo]

I believe Wilson has shown interest in the past in working out with MLB teams in spring training, more or less as something to do to pass some time before getting ready for mini and training camps. It's a PR and teambuilding move from the Rangers perspective.

 

I don't think it's like the Michael Jordan situation where he needed to find something to do to pass the time during his ban from the NBA for gambling...

 

Yeah, if the SF Giants drafted him, the way things are going the Mariners would then draft Kapernick.