The Texas Rangers

Texas Rangers GM Jon Daniels has a contract through the 2011 season. The way I see it - Daniels is safe (as long as there is no major collapse) until he gets to field "his" team in 2010.

The Rangers are solid up the middle. They have Gerald Laid at catcher; Ian Kinsler at 2nd (locked up till 2013); Michael Young at short (also locked up till 2013) and Josh Hamilton in centerfield. In addition David Murphy and Jarrod Saltalamacchia look like they will be productive low-cost players in the starting nine.

That leaves 3rd base, a corner outfielder and a 1st / DH. Hopefully Chris Davis who has hit 5 HR in 14 games this year in Arlington will be the answer at 3rd. The Texas farm system is getting better and maybe the holes can be filled by prospects like Chris Davis. However, to become a playoff threat team - some free agents will need to be signed. But where will that money come from?

Consider the situation of the following players:

Kevin Millwood is the highest paid Ranger but his contract is actually very favorable to Texas. Millwood has to pitch 273 inning between this season and next (or 180 innings next season) or the Rangers can opt out of the last year of the deal ($12 million in 2010). Who knows though? $12 million may be the going rate for a 180 IP per year pitcher with a league average ERA.

Vicente Padilla also has a $12 million 2010 option. So basically if neither pitcher is performing up to club expectations then the team can save more than a third of their payroll and start anew for new starters.

Hank Blalock has a team option of $6.2 million for 2009. Unless Blalock catches fire in the second half - I don't see the Rangers picking up that option. You can't catch fire from the DL.

That's over $30 million of payroll that can be shed by the time the 2010 season comes around.

If I were in Jon Daniels shoes' I would target the following 3 free agents to field as competitive team as possible in 2010.

1. Derek Lowe - free agent after this season. His sinkerball could be just the right pitch in the heat of Arlington.

2. Jason Bay - free agent after the 2009 season. He would add another big bat to an already potent line-up.

3. Justin Duchscherer - free agent after 2009 season. This has been Duchscherer's breakout season but I think he's the real deal.

Those three players would cost more than the $30 million that was just trimmed but it would be worth it. Justin Duchscherer and Derek Lowe at the top of the rotation with that potent Ranger line-up would make the Rangers a very competitive team come 2010.

Baseball Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous baseball thoughts and observations.

The A's bring back Big Hurt. I don't think it's going to work out. Many people expect that Thomas is just in an early season slump but I think he may be done. And I think the more the slump worsens the more surly Thomas will become... Selective memory? Scott Miller lists off a number of moves Texas GM Jon Daniels has made in an effort to question the young GM. It is telling though that Miller left off his list the trade that sent Eric Gagne to Boston and the Mark Teixeira trade to Atlanta. The Gagne trade was a steal for Texas. They netted a very nice 3rd starter in Kason Gabbard (3-1 with a 4.43 ERA since being traded to the Rangers) and David Murphy (hitting .312 since being traded) for the succubus Gagne. Teixeira was traded for Jarrod Saltalamacchia, Beau Jones, Elvis Andrus, Matt Harrison, and Neftali Feliz. Miller noted that Texas' minor league system is now ranked 4th in baseball but he neglects to say that it was the Teixeira trade that had a big deal to do with that... Josh Beckett has missed a number of starts this season due to what could be termed minor ailments. I - in no way - question these injuries. I will say that knowing the Boston media - if the Red Sox had made the Johan Santana deal these injuries would have been played up as some sort of work stoppage by Beckett in the hopes of a new contract. That's the way the Boston media would be playing the situation and anyone who is a Boston fan knows it...

Texas Rangers Trade Deadline Haul

You know - I think the big winners of the MLB trade deadline were the Texas Rangers.

Take a look at the talent balance sheet for GM Jon Daniels and the Rangers:

- They trade Mark Teixeira to the Braves and get back the three players Baseball America had rated as the Braves top prospects (Jarrod Saltalamacchia, shortstop Elvis Andrus and pitcher Matt Harrison) plus prospect pitcher Neftali Feliz and Beau Jones thrown in for good measure.

- They trade Eric Gagne to the Red Sox for pitcher Kason Gabbard and Minor League outfielders David Murphy and Engel Beltre.

- They trade Kenny Lofton for Minor League catcher Max Ramirez.

That's at least one starting catcher, one starting pitcher, and a fourth outfielder just for next year. In the near future they will also probably get at least a starting shortstop, starting outfielder and another starting pitcher out of this haul. AND ALL THE PLAYERS WILL BE CHEAP!

Don't overlook that last point. By shedding Teixeira, Gagne and Lofton the Rangers have saved about $7 million for the rest of the season. By trading Teixeira (after making a PR face-saving $140 million contract extension offer) the Rangers save another estimated $12 million next year too. Then you factor in the appeal to fans to come out and see Salty, Gabbard and some of the other kids and you wind up realizing that the financial windfall from the trade-deadline for the Rangers was at least equal to the talent haul they got in return.

Teixeira to the Braves

It looks like it's official - the Rangers are trading Mark Teixeira to the Braves for a package centered around catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia and shortstop prospect Elvis Andrus plus two more prospects.

This trade could be the proverbial "win-win" situation for both teams.

For the Braves it gives them a solution to their black hole at 1st base. Not only does Teixeira have perhaps the best power bat available this trade-deadline - he also brings with him Gold Glove caliber fielding. With Teixeira in the line-up - the Braves are pretty solid 1-7 in the batting order. This puts Atlanta in a very good position to win either the NL East or the NL Wildcard.

Next year Texeira will probably get at least $12 million through arbitration but Atlanta will probably be losing at least that much when Andruw Jones goes the free-agent route. If Andruw Jones does leave as a free agent - then the Braves will get two top draft picks in compensation and they get to reload the farm system once again to make trades like the one for Teixeira possible. It should be noted that given the facts that Teixeira went to Georgia Tech and the Braves have Mike Hampton's contract coming off the books after 2008 - the Braves should not be ruled out re-signing Teixeira long term.

In the deal the Braves also got lefty reliever Ron Mahay. That helps strengthen the bullpen and again makes the Braves a formidable opponent down the stretch.

From the Rangers perspective - they had to trade Teixeira. They could not afford to risk keeping him and having him get injured. In Saltalamacchia and Andrus - the Rangers got the Braves' two top prospects (according to Baseball America). It is also rumored that the Braves will be including pitching prospect Matt Harrison in the deal. If true then that would be Atlanta's top 3 prospects according to Baseball America. How could the Rangers hope for more than that?

Two things to consider. From the Rangers position - I'm not sure how confident I'd feel about still wet behind the ears GM Jon Daniels dealing with the master of the trade John Schuerholz. In all the deals that Schuerholz has made the only prospect I can think of that went on to become a star is Jason Schmidt. That has to make Ranger fans at least a bit nervous. From the Braves position - I'm still not sold on Teixeira being the great hitter everyone cracks him up to be. Teixeira has almost a 60 point difference between what he hits at Arlington and what he hits on the road. His OPS is over 100 points lower on the road than it is at home. That has to be a red flag. At least the Braves have a one-year audition to see if Teixeira really can hit outside of Arlington (facing NL pitching should help there).