Texas Rangers Trade Possibilities

With the trade deadline looming on the horizon - I will try to take a look at what chips some of the teams who are out of playoff contention may put in play. Earlier I looked at the Baltimore Orioles, the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, the Kansas City Royals and the Chicago White Sox. Today I will take a look what players from the Rangers may hit the market.

- Mark Teixeira - perhaps the most hyped potential trade deadline player available. What many forget is that even though Teixeira will not be a free agent until after the 2008 season - next year he will be arbitration eligible and will probably get about $15 million for next year through arbitration. I think realistically the Yankees, Orioles, and Angels are the only teams with the need and the money to afford trading for Teixeira. The Rangers would save about $3 million by trading Teixeira before the trade deadline plus if they kept him - they run the risk of him getting hurt and damaging his off-season trade value. My guess is that the Angels put together a Reggie Willits, Erick Aybar type package to get the deal done.

- Eric Gagne - he is attractive not just because he's a lights-out closer when healthy but also because he'll probably be a type-A free agent which means the team that trades for him will also end up getting some draft picks (if they don't re-sign him). Gagne is almost guaranteed to be traded and I'd look for the Indians, Braves, Cubs and Diamondbacks to make the strongest push for him.

- Kenny Lofton - the Rangers would save about $7 million just in salary if they are able to trade Lofton, Gagne and Teixeira by the trade deadline. That amount is equal to about the total gate for 9 of the remaining 37 home games. I'll be upfront and say that I've never liked Kenny Lofton. He always just seemed like a jerkface to me. Maybe the Cubs will offer something for Lofton?

- Brad Wilkerson - he's a free agent at the end of the year and can play 1st or OF. He's got some pop in his bat (he averages 1 HR every 25 AB for his career). I think there would be a certain symmetry if the Cubs were to trade for Wilkerson and have him and Soriano playing in the outfield at the same time. My guess is Jon Daniels will trade Wilkerson if he doesn't think Wilkerson will be categorized as a class-B free agent.

Jon Daniels will probably also dangle Vincent Padilla but I doubt if anyone would be dumb enough to pick up that contract.