Rangers Sign Benson

The Rangers and Kris Benson have agreed to a minor league deal with an invitation to big league camp. The Rangers view Benson as a possible bottom of the rotation starter, but he has a lot to prove if he wants that spot. The Rangers have been doing adding a lot of minor league free agents, like Casey Daigle, Jason Jennings, Doug Mathis, and top prospects Neftali Feliz and Derek Holland. While it doesn't look like any of these guys will have serious impacts on the Rangers 2009 campaign, they will give some of the Rangers' regular pitchers more time off to prepare for the regular season. 

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Rangers Laird On The Move?

Rangers catcher Gerald Laird is drawing a lot of interest, and the Rangers are now in a place to trade him with Jarrod Saltalamacchia ready to play everyday. While the Rangers may stick with Laird to make sure they are solid behind the plate, Club president Nolan Ryan may want to have another 'growth' season, and land as many prospects as possible. Laird, who is a year from free agency, hit .278 with 6 HR and 41 RBI in 94 games this season. He is drawing interest from the Tigers and Brewers, but the Reds, Red Sox, and Yankees are all possibilities if the Rangers really make him available. 

The Rangers could probably land two solid prospects from a trade, but should try to eat up some of his contract to make sure those prospects have real growth. 

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Olsen to Rangers?

The Rangers are looking for young pitchers to add to their rotation, and may target Marlins lefty Scott Olsen. The Rangers have their pitchers on an intense conditioning program, and adding Olsen early can get him on that program. The Rangers have some solid young prospects that they could put in a trade and not miss, and that is expected to happen. The Rangers could look to add either Kevin Gregg or Josh Willingham in the deal, as insurance in case they lose Bradley. Olsen went 8-11 with a 4.20 ERA in thirty-three games this season and is 31-37 over the course of his career.

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Young Asks Rangers For Trade

Texas Rangers shortstop Michael Young has asked the Rangers for a trade and gave them a small list of teams for for which he would waive his no trade clause to. Young, an All-Star in each of his five years at shortstop, won his first Gold Glove this year. You can see why Young wouldn't want to accept a move to third base. Third base is a hard position to adjust to, especially after playing your whole career at second and short. Why change something that has worked well for you and the team over the past five years? When Young signed his extension last season, he signed it thinking he was their shortstop. Obviously things can change, and maybe he's upset because the Rangers approached him the wrong way. The way I see it, if a minor league prospect can prove himself in the big leagues, a spot will open up naturally.

Rockies prospect Ian Stewart, who was asked to make the move from third to second, said he had trouble making the adjustment: "At third base, nearly every ball is hit hard. At second, most plays are pretty routine. I had trouble with getting around the ball, adjusting my feet, taking my time. It was something I just wasn't used to." We know that Young is very athletic and could probably make the transition, but his numbers could suffer as well as the teams performance.

Young will probably draw serious interest on the open market. He is entering the first year of a five year contract, where he will make sixteen million annually until 2013. It is possible the Red Sox would make a play for Young, but they have Jed Lowrie and Julio Lugo, and are in no position to take on a big contract like Young's. The Rangers would have to be overwhelmed to trade him away.

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Washington: Pitchers Are Working Hard

I caught up with Rangers manager Ron Washington in the lobby of the Bellagio today and got the impression that the Rangers are still looking to add pitching and have their current pitchers on schedule for 2009. The Rangers have three spots up for grabs in the bullpen, and are working to sign some under the radar pitchers in hopes that they turn around. Washington is very excited to have former Brewers pitching coach Mike Maddux on his staff. "He's one of the best, he's a straight-shooter." 

The Rangers are reportedly targeting Casey Daigle, but nothing is imminent. The Rangers are also talking with Ben Sheets, and hope Nolan Ryan can potentially lure Randy Johnson to Arlington as well. 

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Interview With Rangers Reliever C.J. Wilson

Rangers reliever C.J. Wilson was nice enough to answer some of my questions for MLB Rumors through email. Wilson is a young hard throwing left hander in the Rangers bullpen entering his third season with the Rangers. He also has his own blog called Scorpion Tales: C.J. Wilson's trek through the '07 season.


ELI: What is Sosa like in the clubhouse? How has he been embraced?

C.J: He's great and everybody is happy to have such a legend on the team.

ELI: Why not use the blue glove?

CJ: When the blue glove was broken in, I used it every time.

ELI: What are the biggest differences in starting and relief? Which do you prefer?

CJ: If I could pick to start in the national league, I would do that, otherwise I would prefer to close.

ELI: How's Ron Washington?

CJ: Ron is awesome, he's realistic and positive.

ELI: You say you like Texas? Do you hope to pitch there for years to come?

CJ: Dallas is a great city, I am not a free agent so they're gonna have my rights for a long time it seems.

ELI: When did you start pitching? Have you always been a pitcher?

CJ: I was primarily an outfielder until I signed with the rangers in the 2001 june draft.

ELI: What would you say to kids who hope to become professional ball players?

CJ: I would say if you can continue to get better and stay healthy, it's possible. work harder than everyone else around you, and you'll give yourself a good chance.

ELI: Did you come up through the minors with any of the young guys on the team?

CJ: I played with feldman, tex, laird, and most of the guys that have been up and down like botts, rupe, tejeda, etc. We've had a lot of fun over the last few years. I also played against blalock, laird and botts in high school and junior college or in youth leagues during the summer.

ELI: Is there anyone on the team that has been like a mentor to you? Who?

CJ: In 2005, sandy alomar jr and doug brocail were great to me, last year I learned a lot watching and talking to Aki Otsuka.

Buyers and Sellers

Here is a list of teams you should expect to buy, and a list of teams expected to sell:

BUYERS

Yankees
- Without a doubt. Losing Alex Rodriguez hurts, but what hurts even more is stating all season that they will not negotiate once he opts out. We know the Yankees are dieing to talk money with Rodriguez, but have made no indication that they actually will. Because of it, expect the Yankees to basically unload their farm system again for players Miguel Cabrera and possibly Johan Santana. I expect them to get Cabrera, and then go after a solid pitcher to help the rotation now thatPettitte is gone.

Potential Sellers: Marlins, Twins, Mariners, Rockies, and Orioles.

Rangers
- The Rangers have some solid players that are drawing interest. And the Rangers, are looking for solid upgrades around the field. They are looking to find a first baseman, while exploring the market for another infielder and center fielder. They have talked with the RedSox about a potential deal for Coco Crisp, but no real progress has been made. They are also looking into the possibility of acquiring RichieSexson from the Mariners in exchange for Vicente Padilla.

Potential Sellers: Red Sox, Mariners, Cubs, Dodgers, Braves, and White Sox.

Dodgers
- They bought Joe Torre and are already a better team because of it. They are very interested in Alex Rodriguez, Andruw Jones, Hiroki Kuroda, and even Johan Santana. Obviously, they will not get them all, but one, maybe two is a definite possibility. They have the money to spend, and will definitely be spending.

Potential Sellers: Twins, Marlins, White Sox, Cubs, Braves, and Rangers.

Giants
- The Giants have a lot of wholes to fill now that Barry Bonds has left and are already looking at possibilities such as Alex Rodriguez, Carl Crawford, andDelmon Young. All they will be selling some of their pitchers, I think there best bet is signing Rodriguez, and holding on to some of their pitchers for just a little bit longer.

Potential Sellers: Devil Rays and Phillies.

Twins
- They will probably lose both Torii Hunter and Carlos Silva and are exploring all options. They are looking at Rocco Baldelli, Coco, Crisp, and according to MLB Rumors Correspondent Steve Wilson, Felix Pie as well. Not only that, but they are exploring the possibility of trading for Jon Garland, but I doubt that will happen. Despite them trying to trade Johan Santana, more upgrades will come from buying.

Potential Sellers: Devil Rays, Athletics, and Rockies.

SELLERS

White Sox
- They can probably be considered both, but they are definitely selling right now. They are shopping their whole pitching staff in exchange for some solid prospects while looking for a suitor for JoeCrede. They are very interested in Torii Hunter, but I see them taking the trade route to find better upgrades.

Potential Buyers: Yankees, Rockies, Astros, Mariners, Dodgers, Rangers, and Braves.

Marlins
The Marlins have two solid players that they have put on the market, and they are already drawing a lot of interest. I do not expect them to tradeDontrelle Willis, but we could see Miguel Cabrera on the move. The list won't be too long because the Marlins asking price is so high, but there will be interest. Other than Cabrera, expect them to shop Anibal Sanchez, who they have had some problems with over the past year.

Potential Buyers: Yankees, Phillies, Red Sox, Dodgers, and Giants.

Athletics
The Athletics have admitted that their farm system is weak and will probably look to restock this off season. The three players that plan to trade are JoeBlanton, Dan Haren, and Dan Johnson. Blanton and Haren are already drawing interest while Johnson could easily be dumped for some low level players. I expect many teams to be interested in the two pitchers because the market is so weak, so they will probably get a lot in return.

Potential Buyers: Rockies, Mets, Diamondbacks, Cardinals, Phillies, and Reds.

If you have any others, leave me a comment and I will add them.

Sheets to Rangers?

While the Brewers are open to bringing back Ben Sheets, they will likely let him walk and collect the draft picks. The Rangers are pursuing a trade for pitcher Scott Olsen, but may settle on a short term contract with a low base salary. Sheets is injury-prone, but when healthy he can be very effective. The Rangers are in desperate need of an ace, and could offer him a deal that would give him 8-11 million dollars. Sheets went 13-9 with a 3.09 ERA in 31 games this past season, his first time starting over thirty games in three seasons. Although he is a Type-A free agent, the Rangers have the fourteenth pick in the draft, and MLB rules state that you do not lose your first round draft pick by signing a Type-A free agent if your are in the top fifteen for the following years draft. Instead, they will lose their second round pick, which is okay considering they still will have a first round pick as well as one more if the Rangers lose Milton Bradley.

The Astros, Phillies, Indians, Giants, and Braves are all interested in Sheets, so his price could shoot up. 

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Team by Team Updates from Orlando

Angels: After signing Gary Matthews to a five year deal, the Angels have kept fairly quiet. GM Bill Stoneman arrived late Monday and had minor discussions with a couple different teams. The Angels are tossing names around like Bartolo Colon and Felix Rodriguez in hopes of acquiring a bat. But other than just rumors, there has been no news to report.

Astros: The latest news from the Winter Meetings for the Astros is that Andy Pettitte wants to pitch next year and is leaning towards returning to the Astros. This could influence Roger Clemens decision on whether he wants to return to Boston, New York, Houston, or just retire. The Astros are also discussing a possible trade for Jason Jennings.

Athletics: The A's appear to be the number one team to sign Mike Piazza as their DH. The deal is a two year deal worth 15 million dollars. They are also working on a deal with Alan Embree.

Blue Jays: The Blue Jays are desperately trying to retain Ted Lilly but it appears that the Cubs are the favorite. Lilly has received a four year offer, worth 40 million dollars. "That's just hearsay from our end," Ricciardi said. "I personally talked to Ted Lilly on Saturday and had a great conversation with him. That's really all I can go on." The Blue Jays are also targeting Gil Meche, and are talking with the White Sox about trading Vernon Wells.

Braves: Reports from Orlando are saying that the Braves may look to trade Adam LaRoche and Marcus Giles. However, there are also rumors concerning Andruw Jones as well. It appears that GM John Schuerholz will look to trades before signings.

Brewers: The Brewers have been talking with teams about trading Geoff Jenkins or Kevin Mench, and have heard the Red Sox are interested in acquiring Derrek Turnbow. The Brewers are also interested in signing Kenny Lofton. They also are working a deal with Tony Graffanino who appears to be staying in Milwaukee.

Cardinals: The Cardinals have inked a five year, 65 million dollar deal with Chris Carpenter. The also plan to meet with Jason Schmidt. Other than that, the Cardinals have been relatively quiet.

Cubs: The Cubs have made an offer to Ted Lilly at an estimated 40 million over four years. They are also looking into Jason Schmidt and Gil Meche. They are also looking to trade Jacque Jones, have inquired about Jason Jennings, and may look to sign outfielders Cliff Floyd and Kenny Lofton.

Devil Rays: The Devil Rays main priority is to build their bullpen. However, that has not stopped them from looking to trade Rocco Baldelli, Jorge Cantu, or Carl Crawford. They are also working on a deal to sign Akinori Iwamura.

Diamondbacks: The Dbacks have been very quiet, hoping they could possibly sign Mark Mulder. The have also met with the agents of Keith Foulke.

Dodgers: The Dodgers appear to be interested in Jason Schmidt and have only had few conversations. On Monday, the Dodgers and Red Sox were talking about a trade for Manny Ramirez, but according to Colletti, the deal has a less than "5 percent" chance of getting done. They are close to finalizing a deal with Mike Lieberthal and rookie closer Takashi Saito.

Giants: The Giants have signed numerous players over the past week and have just began to finalize them. They have signed Dave Roberts, Rich Aurilia, Bengie Molina, and have resigned Pedro Feliz. The Giants are looking into signing Ryan Klesko, and have inquired about the Mariners Richie Sexon and the Cubs Jacque Jones.

Indians: Joe Borowski will take a physical either today or tomorrow for the Indians and then he will sign a one year deal. However, they will still look into signing Octavio Dotel or Keith Foulke. The Indians are really focusing on pitching and beefing up their bullpen after signing Dellucci.

Mariners: The Mariners are in hot pursuit of two pitchers. They plan to meet with Jason Schmidt and appear to be the favorites if the Cubs sign Lilly. However, Schmidt has said he wants to win now and has no problem leaving the West Coast. They are also looking to trade for Jason Jennings, but so are several other teams.

Marlins: The Marlins are showing serious interest in acquiring Rocco Baldelli. The Marlins are reluctant to part with pitching, but according to sources, Scott Olsen could get the deal done.

Mets: The Mets were in hot pursuit of Barry Zito but may have to settle for a veteran because of how high Zito's price tag is. Scott Boras is reportedly asking for a six to seven year deal, worth 102 million dollars. The Rangers seem more willing to offer the big deal.

Nationals: The Red Sox and Giants are talking a three way deal with the Nationals concerning Manny Ramirez. They would probably lose Chad Cordero and possibly acquire Noah Lowry. However it is just speculation. The Nationals Ryan Church, Jose Vidro, and Chad Cordero are all drawing interest in other trades.

Orioles: Rodrigo Lopez is on the topic of most general managers list of pitchers. The Mariners, Brewers, and Mets have all inquired about Lopez but no deal appears imminent. The Brewers have offered Kevin Mench but a formal offer will have to be sketched out. The Braves appear interested in Brian Roberts but the Orioles are reluctant to trade him.

Padres: The Padres are closing in on a deal with Greg Maddux. The deal is estimated at a one year deal worth 10 million dollars with an option for one more. They are also interested in Jason Schmidt and Ronnie Belliard.

Phillies: A frustrating off season so far might make a turn for the worst. Pat Burrell is drawing little to know interest and the Phillies continue to struggle to find pitching. Eaton only pitched in 65 innings and pitched okay when he returned. They are looking to Chicago to acquire Freddy Garcia, possibly reuniting Aaron Rowand. The Cubs might also be interested in Aaron Rowand because they are in need of a center fielder.

Pirates: The Pirates are talking with the Braves and Reds about Adam LaRoche and Adam Dunn. They have also inquired about Trot Nixon for right field. None of these deals appear to be finalized soon. The Pirates do have a slight advantage with the overload of pitching. They could acquire a decent hitter for a pitcher or two.

Rangers: The Rangers and Vicente Padilla have agreed to a three year deal, worth 33 million dollars. This will set the minimum for other second tier pitchers like Ted Lilly and Gil Meche. The Rangers also expect to make a serious run for Barry Zito, who is seeking a six year deal, worth 17 million annually.

Red Sox: The Red Sox are close to signing Julio Lugo and J.D. Drew. They also plan to finalize a deal with Daisuke Matsuzaka. Theo Epstein has also set a deadline for when he will stop trying to trade Manny Ramirez. THIS JUST IN: The Red Sox have agreed to a 5 year deal, worth 70 million dollars. I do not see Manny Ramirez being traded because the teams that are pursuing him do not have what the Red Sox want. Or they are not willing to part with what the Red Sox want.

Reds: The Reds have signed a 2 year deal, worth 5 million dollars total with Dave Weathers. Other than Weathers and Gonzalez, that is all the news from the Reds office. Adam Dunn is drawing some interest from teams but no deals have been worked out.

Rockies: The Rockies have signed LaTroy Hawkins and he will be their setup man. Several teams have inquired about Jason Jennings including the Astros, Cubs, Mariners, Mets, Rangers, and Twins. They also have interest in Kenny Lofton and Darin Erstad.

Royals: The Royals have focused on pitching, and have made an offer to Miguel Batista (3/24). They also have put Gil Meche as a top priority but it appears he will either go to the Cubs or Blue Jays.

Tigers: Jeremy Bonderman and Marcus Thames' names have come up in trades but the Tigers do not appear to be interested in trading them. They are interested in trading for Marlins pitcher Renyel Pinto. Pinto, 24, went to the Marlins last year in the Juan Pierre deal. He pitched from the bullpen most of the season.

Twins: The Twins are serious about acquiring Jason Jennings and a deal could get struck by tomorrow. With Liriano out for 2007 and Radke to retire, the Twins are looking for pitching and due to a lack of funds, will have to do it by trade. They are also working a deal to keep Rondell White.

White Sox: White Sox pitcher Brandon McCarthy may start in AAA next year unless they can trade one of their pitchers. Javier Vasquez and Freddy Garcia have both drawn a lot of interest from the Mets, Phillies, and Yankees and it is more than "50 percent" possible that one of them gets traded. The White Sox are also interested in acquiring Vernon Wells but I do not know if they have what it takes to trade him. They also have interest in Aaron Rowand.

Yankees: The Yankees have made an offer to Andy Pettitte worth 15 million for one year. The Yankees and Bernie Williams have also had minor discussions about a deal. They are also close to a deal with Kei Igawa. They have interest in Ted Lilly, Gil Meche, and Freddy Garcia (via trade).

Benson Breaks Rangers Rotation

Out of the MLB since 2006, Kris Benson has made the Rangers as a starter. Benson, who is 2-0 with a 4.76 ERA ERA in five games this spring, has a 4.34 career ERA in 8 major league seasons. Benson gives the Rangers veteran experience in a young rotation and could prove to be a valuable piece of the Rangers rotation. 

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Rangers, Giants In On Penny?

According to the SFGiants.com, the Giants have some interest in free agent starter Brad Penny. Penny, who went 6-9 with a 6.27 ERA in 19 appearances for the Dodgers, won thirty-two games between 2006 and 2007. He would probably command a one year deal in the three to five million dollar range, something the Giants definitely can afford. Sources have informed me that the Rangers are aggressively pursuing some under radar pitchers, as well as guys returning from injury. They believe that young pitchers once considered future stars may be able to turn it around under the supervision of Nolan Ryan and some of the other Rangers coaches and executives. 

The Rangers are also in talks with Ben Sheets.

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Rangers Sign Turnbow

MLB.com is reporting that the Rangers and free agent pitcher Derrick Turnbow have agreed to a minor league deal. Turnbow chose the Rangers because he is familiar with Rangers pitching coach Mike Maddux, who was the Brewers pitching coach while Turnbow was in Milwaukee. If Turnbow makes the major league roster, he will receive 925,000 plus incentives. 

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Sheets' Dilemma

Despite having a formal meeting with Ben Sheets, the Rangers interest in him appears to be waning. The Rangers would like more information on his torn flexor tendon, which bothered him towards the end of the season. Sheets will definitely need to be eased into a heavy work load, much slower than most pitchers knowing his history. With the Rangers pitchers on an experimental pitching program, it might not be worth it for the Rangers to sign him, even if pitching coach Mike Maddux is familiar with him.

The Cubs, Mets, Dodgers, and Phillies all had interest in Sheets, but the Cubs are pursuing other pitchers, the Mets are talking with Oliver Perez, the Dodgers are talking with Randy Wolf, and the Phillies are content with their current rotation. It looks like Sheets is going to have to take a backloaded one year deal to prove that he is healthy.

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Yankees Want Teixeira, Not Helton

When Internet rumors spread about the Yankees working a trade for Todd Helton, both sides were quick to downplay that. The Yankees were not interested because they need to get younger to keep up with the rest of their division, and why would they put Todd Helton, 33, at first base when they could put a younger and better first baseman in Mark Teixeira for young pitching, which they have a lot of. Not only is Teixeira 27, but he has the potential to hit 30+ home runs for the next 6-7 years. The only thing holding any team back is that he is a free agent in 2008 represented by Scott Boras, so knowing Boras' style, the team that trades for him will only have him for a season and a half. That is also raising the asking price of the Rangers, who are desperate to get a lot in return after trading away two future All-Stars in Adrain Gonzalez and Chris Young. The Rangers would be smart to hold on to Teixeira til the winter, and trade him when desperate teams come calling after failing to sign a premiere free agent; then he can bulk up the asking price. Or he could do what Billy Beane did with Barry Zito and hope the Rangers can turn it around in 2008. Then, he can wait for the right offer to come at the deadline, or make a run at the playoffs with Teixeira leading the way. And if they fail to make the playoffs or they win the World Series, the Rangers still get two first round draft picks. This season, Teixeira is batting .308 with 8 HR and 29 RBIs. The Yankees first basemen are batting a combined .251 with 6 HR and 22 RBIs.

Rangers May Trade Millwood

If Rangers pitcher Kevin Millwood continues to pitch like he has in his first two games, the Rangers might be able to unload him for a pair of decent prospects. Clearing payroll would also be a reason to make the trade considering Millwood has 2 years and 23 million dollars left on his contract. Millwood has been the veteran the Rangers hoped he'd be when they signed him, working with their young pitchers and taking pressure off Vicente Padilla and Brandon McCarthy. 

A team like the Brewers, who are already considering adding another pitcher, could look to Millwood as a potential fallback to someone like Jake Peavy.

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Rangers Interested In Jones?

The Rocky Mountain News is reporting that the Rangers have some interest in bringing in Andruw Jones to help in the outfield alongside Josh Hamilton. Jones could prosper in the hitter friendly Ballpark in Arlington, but he would have to take a low base salary if the Rangers were serious about signing him. Jones hit just .158 with 3 HR in 75 games for the Dodgers last season, a year after hitting .222 with the Braves.

If he can get himself into shape, he could turn around his slumping career and put up decent numbers for the Rangers.

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The Rangers and Ben Sheets

Free agent pitcher Ben Sheets visited his former coach and current Rangers pitcher coach Mike Maddux in Texas today. The Rangers have had interest in Sheets for a while, but will wait and see how he throws before making a decision. The Rangers have some good young pitchers and may not be in a position to spend money. However, Sheets has had seven double-digit win seasons, and has a career 3.72 ERA.

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Jones To Opt Out Friday?

Rangers outfielder Andruw Jones can opt out of his minor league deal Friday if he is not on the Rangers 40-man roster. Jones is hitting .290 (9-for-31) with 1 HR. but hasn't played in a game since March 13th. The Rangers have a couple good young outfielders, meaning Jones would really have to turn some heads if he wants a shot to make the roster. But, Jones has hit .190 over the past two seasons, hitting just 3 homeruns last season.

Starting Jones in Triple-A is better for the Rangers. It leaves a spot open on the major league roster to give an opportunity to Greg Golson or Brandon Boggs, or someone at another position. It also lets them evaluate Andruw Jones to see if he is still a n effective major league ballplayer. I wouldn't be surprised to see Jones opt out and look for a job elsewhere.

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Rangers Interested In Vizquel

According to MLB.com, the Rangers have some interest in Omar Vizquel. The Rangers would like to use Vizquel as a utility player, but also as insurance in case Elvis Andrus needs time developing in the majors. He is going to be making the jump from Double-A, but the Rangers still feel that he will be able to produce immediately. He could struggle earlier on while he is figuring things out or he could blast on the scene because teams aren't familiar with him. Either way, Vizquel will make for a solid back up and an excellent mentor to Elvis Andrus. 

Vizquel did struggle last season in 92 games, but finished his final 61-at bats hitting .344 and five extra base hits.

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Blalock to Giants?

According to the Hot Stove Blog, the Rangers and Giants will speak at the Winter Meetings this week about Hank Blalock. The Rangers are in need of a pitcher and the Giants need an offensive hitter, making these two very possible trade partners. Blalock hit .287 with 12 HR in 65 games for the Rangers, but has only played in 123 games for the Rangers over the past two seasons. T.R. Sullivan suggests Jonathan Sanchez as the returning piece in the deal, but that is pretty high price for an injury-prone player with one year left on his contract. 

The Giants could send Jack Taschner and a pitching prospect for Blalock, 

This story was approved by MLB Rumors.