Texas Rangers - open to trade vets

[reillymcshane]

The Rangers are open for business.

 

Texas understands they can't win and are willing to make deals for their veterans.

 

I don't see any hitters really of interest. From the pitchers, there's Cole Hamels, Doug Fister and Bartolo Colon.

 

Colon and Fister are having good seasons, but due to age and a spotty track record. Neither is under contract beyond 2018.

 

Hamels is probably the most interesting player. He's pitching pretty well - although FIP doesn't like his 2018 performance. At 34, he's not a dominant player anymore, and he makes a lot ($23+M this year and an option for 2019 (with a $6M buyout). I don't know if he has a no trade clause.

 

None of these guys should cost much - and Hamels would need to have some money kicked in if we were interested.

 

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2018/05/rangers-trade-rumors-cole-hamels-adrian-beltre.html

 

Personally, I'd pass on all of these guys - but if you're looking to add starting pitching depth, it might be a way to get someone now as opposed to waiting until the deadline.

[pacopete4]

Wow is their team absolute trash. Woof.

[ThisIsMyCrew]

Adrian Beltre is on the DL now. Is in the last year of contract. Would it be with bringing him on in July for a 3b and 1b option? Can’t gaurentee that agulair continues his ways or Thames comes back hitting his stride. Not sure I’d go for it, but the Beltre fan in me wouldn’t mind seeing him.

[Roderick]

I don't follow the AL much, so I don't know how good they are. But, I think we have enough mid-level starting rotation options. I think you target a true #1 or improve 2B/C. It doesn't sound like the Rangers pitchers are at that level of pitcher.

[liveforoctober]

I guess I have mild interest in Joey Gallo as a down the stretch bench bat if the Rangers go into fire sale mode.

 

While he doesn't fit the 'hitter' mold of other corner infield reclamation projects like Lind, Shaw, etc ... he is a Branyan disciple whose power numbers should uptick a bit playing at Miller Park, although I know Arlington is ok to hit in as well.

 

Curious if a new opportunity/new hitting coach/new ballpark would bring something out of him. The power is real.

[adambr2]

The only guy they have that is even kind of intriguing to me is Rougned Odor, and he was pretty bad last year so it would have to just be a giveaway flyer that he can get back to where he was pre-2017. He's still only 24 though and the Rangers signed him to a long-term deal so I doubt they want to deal him much less for nothing.

[MrTPlush]

Things that aren’t happening:

 

1) Acquiring Beltre to be on our bench. Doesn’t need much explaining.

 

2) Joey Gallo as a bench bat once we get him on a bargain in a trade. The Rangers will drive that talent into its grave before they dump him at 24 years old. He still managed a 3 WAR last year...not too shabby.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

Gallo is exactly the type of high K low average high power player that Stearns seems to be shying away from. We got enough of those types already on the team. No thanks.

[StearnsFTW]

Hamels is the only guy I'd want. And I wouldn't give that much for him, so I doubt he'd end up here on my watch.

[JosephC]

Kind of surprised that nobody brought up Robinson Chirinos. Yes, he's been bad at the plate this year (.198/.280/.414/.694). But from 2015-2017 his slash line is .240/.337/.476/.813. Like Pina against lefties? Chirinos slashed .220/.318/.446/.764 against righties from 2015-2017 and that might not be great but it's more than the team would get out of Bandy. Simply a product of the home park? .223/.322/.473/.795 on the road from 2015-2017. Chirinos is only a part timer and is only good for about 70 games per year, which makes him a good fit if the Brewer's aren't looking to kick Pina to the curb. Chirinos' contract isn't an issue at all. Due about 1.7 million for the remainder of this season and has a 1 million dollar buyout for next year (only 2.375 million if the option year is picked up). His average seasonal WAR between Baseball Reference and Fangraphs from 2015-2017 is about 1.7 which is surprisingly good considering he has only averaged about 70 games per season. And while the production has been pretty good and the contract is pretty low, it's doubtful that the Rangers would put a high price-tag on him because he is getting up in age, is not having a great season and has been a backup/part-timer for almost his entire career.

[JohnBriggs12]

My dream is Brewers acquire Hamels and Machado in July. Now that would send chills to the north side of Chicago and the rest of the NL. Hamels could be this year's version of Verlander.

[pacopete4]

Acquiring Hamels would look like this:

 

Hamels

Anderson

Davies

Chacín

Guerra (Nelson)

 

 

 

Acquiring Machado:

 

Cain- CF

Yelich- LF

Machado- SS

Shaw- 3B

Santana- RF

Braun/Thames/Aguilar- 1B

Villar- 2B

Pina- C

Pitcher

[superfly]

Let me just say I love Bartolo Colon wherever he's pitching and that he'll never get too old to play. Let's get it done lol

[Austin Tatious]

I’d take Hamels if the cost is small. He’s a veteran presence that can produce and lead. He can give the younger pitchers a role model.

[DocLuna7]

Hamels does have a no trade clause for what it's worth.

[bill hAll Star]

I’d take Hamels if the cost is small. He’s a veteran presence that can produce and lead. He can give the younger pitchers a role model.

 

Is it worth $20+ million dollars to acquire a cliche that we are not completely sure exists in him?

 

As a pitcher I'd be on the fence. I'm all for the salary absorption type moves and his K/9 is promising but we may be stretched pretty thin in 2019 with his buyout or if we pick up the option.

[reillymcshane]

I'm not sure what to make of Hamels. The ERA and K rate is good, but he's got his worst ever walk rate - and he's giving up HRs at a really high rate. The latter can just be a fluky thing - but who knows. Often times you need to see him pitch (which I haven't) and really get a better feel for his skill level.

 

Ultimately, his no-trade clause would be a serious issue. He might request his $20M option be vested to accept the deal. That's not insignificant - but maybe the team would be happy to have him for a year and a half. Adding him may preclude the team from making any major moves in the offseason (which might not be a big deal).

 

I wouldn't give up much for Hamels as his salary is already really high.

[nate82]

I was going to say do a mega deal for Andrus, Odor, and Hamels. But then I remembered that Andrus is injured and the last major trade like this was never except in video games.

 

I wonder if the Rangers would take Arcia, Villar, Peralta/Burnes, Phillips and Erceg for Andrus and Odor. To much or not enough?

[tmwiese55]

I'd think Hamels is the real only option to me. And it would have to be pretty much a salary dump type of trade where we basically give up no legit prospects in exchange for taking on that money. I'd rather spend $$ than prospects, I want to hold all the starting pitching prospects.

[KCBrewerfan34]

If we take on that contract, we would pretty much be done adding. I think I pass.

[reillymcshane]

 

I wonder if the Rangers would take Arcia, Villar, Peralta/Burnes, Phillips and Erceg for Andrus and Odor. To much or not enough?

I think that would be awful. I don't think Odor is very good, and Andrus had a major injury a month or so ago. And both are due a lot of money.

 

Odor hit .204 last year. He's hitting .174 this year. And he's due $45M or so through 2022. Does the guy hit home runs? Yes. But he doesn't walk - he had a 3.0% walk rate during his best year - 2016 - and is generally around 5%. And he strikes out around 27-30% of the time.

 

Andrus broke his elbow - due back in about a month. But who knows how well he will play after that. He's due $60M through 2022, but can opt out of his contract this year or next.

 

That's two very questionable players who make a lot of money. Odor had a very nice 2016, but was not very good last year - despite the 30 HRs. I would argue that he has negative value going forward - especially with the contract.

 

I wouldn't give up much - if anything - for those two guys. To give up Arcia, a top 100 prospect pitcher, and a couple of other good prospects would be a disaster in my book.

[liveforoctober]

I wonder if the Rangers would take Arcia, Villar, Peralta/Burnes, Phillips and Erceg for Andrus and Odor. To much or not enough?

 

Holy crap.

[pacopete4]

Once again showing that we really under evaluate our own.

[nate82]

I wasn't being serious about the Andrus and Odor trade. I thought my video game comment would have made that obvious but I guess not. I'll put it all in blue next time.

[YelichPosse]

As sad as it may sound... the player I would want most from Texas would be Bartolo Colon actually. He seems to turn it on at all the right times, and would easily outhit Arcia and Pina... lol.

 

But seriously how fun would he be as the long guy/spot starter down the stretch. He's literally been everywhere and in every situation. Could get him for a song too.