Today was the deadline to offer arbitration eligible players contracts, otherwise they’d become free agents. We offered arbitration to all our eligible players.
Mark Teixeira, Kevin Mench, Gary Matthews, Brad Wilkerson, Vicente Padilla, Joaquin Benoit, & Rod Barajas were the players all tendered contracts. Formally, San Diego offered arb to Adam Eaton, as he isn’t Ranger property until the trade is actually consumated.
Desired salaries from both sides (management, player) are exchanged sometime in the middle of January. If there’s no settlement on a contract between now and sometime in early February, there will be an actual arbitration hearing; something that hasn’t happened with the Rangers since 2000 (although I forget who the player was
If the sides don’t agree on a contract figure by mid-January, they’ll exchange desired 2006 salaries. If there is no settlement by early February, the sides will participate in an arbitration hearing, which usually is classified as ugly.
The Rangers haven’t gone to a hearing since 2000, when Doug Melvin was the GM. Can’t remember who the player was, though.
Rangers: Win now?
There’s an intersting article by Ken Rosenthal over at Foxsports’ site about this trade. Definitely a good read, he talks about whether this move almost shows that we’ll go get Milwood in a “win now” mentality. Most of the article is questioning bits of the trade, but he did point out that we did all this without giving up any of our biggest prospects (DVD, for instance). Tim Cowlishaw of the DMN also says that he’s skeptical about the deal. It’s the first three words of his article! There doesn’t seem to be much positive about him, although he seems to think we’re going to go overpay for Milwood. Evan Grant also chimes in on the deal here.
Speaking of Milwood, he was in town today, but there doesn’t appear to be any word as to what happened that I can find right now. I wouldn’t mind two years on Milwood at the dollars he wants. Maybe three tops, but I wouldn’t be happy with four, and no way should we do five. Still, I know Milwood from following the Phillies, and I don’t think it would be a horrible move. We certainly could use him. He did seem to falter in Philly when he was supposed to be the #1 guy in that rotation.
Chris Young seems to be unfazed by the trade, according to this story on the DMN site. I still think it’s an odd move, but it does tie in to Rosenthal’s “win now” article, if you believe most of the Internet based knee-jerk fan reactions. :) While it’s an eyebrow raiser for sure, it’s not somehting I’m going to freak out and demand Jon Daniels’ head over like I’ve seen online already.
If anything, all these moves show that Daniels isn’t the same GM that we were very eager as fans to run out of town (or at least upstairs where he can’t be seen, or onto the golf course officially). Daniels has made a bunch of moves. How it plays out remains to be seen.
Could be worse. We could be baseball fans in Montreal, and see our team taken from us. As bad as some fans are about bashing management, hey – at least we have a team! :)
Chris Young, Adam Eaton Trade
- P Adam Eaton, P Akinori Otsuka, & C Billy Killian acquired via trade from San Diego Padres for P Chris Young, 1B Adrian Gonzalez, & OF Terrmel Sledge [ Link ]
Adam Eaton comes, Chris Young goes?!?
This just came in from the Dallas Morning News.
The Rangers agreed in principle to a deal with San Diego that will bring them right-handed starter Adam Eaton and hard-throwing setup man Akinori Otsuka and a minor league prospect in exchange for pitcher Chris Young, first baseman Adrian Gonzalez and outfielder Terrmel Sledge, major league officials confirmed.
Out: Chris Young, Adrian Gonzalez, & Termel Sledge
In: Adam Eaton, Akinori Otsuka, & Billy Killian
Adrian Gonzalez I figured would bring more of a blue chip than being involved in this trade.
Termel Sledge is no big loss. My thinking there is “well, it’s not Mench”.
Chris Young? Going into this offseason, our rotation was Young, Loe, ?, ?, & ?. Now it’s Eaton, Padilla, Loe, ?, & ?. I don’t see trading him as a particularly good thing at all. Course I didn’t think moving Drese was good either, and he has been a bust in Washington for the most part.
Adam Eaton: Could be OK, but he’s a flyball pitcher if I remember right, plus he’s not the healthiest of pitchers. Could be OK, but this is a big wobbly question mark.
Akinori Otsuka: I don’t know anything about him, but the initial press says he’d be the primary setup man. We could use one of those, as Francisco probably won’t be really healthy again until 07, assuming he’s still with us then.
Billy Killian: Was the Padres third round pick in 2004. Is a catcher. We could probably use a good young one, although I thought we already had Gerald Laird?
I probably would be OK with this if it wasn’t for the inclusion of Chris Young. Young probably will really benefit by this move, going to Petco Park (a big non wind tunnel place), as wel as the NL (no DH).
Contract Status:
Chris Young:
Due $1.1 Mil total in 2006 & 2007, plus 2008 team option. Not sure of 06/07 breakdown.
Adrian Gonzalez:
Arbitration Eligible in 2006, made $316,500 in 05
Terrmel Sledge:
Arbitration Eligible in 2006, made $345,000 in 05
Adam Eaton:
Arbitration Eligible in 2006, made $3.325M in 05; fa after 06
Akinori Otsuka:
Signed through 06 – gets $1.75M
Billy Killian:
In Minor Leagues. Doesn’t really apply to this.
Padilla trade completed
- P Ricardo Rodriguez sent as PTBNL to Philadelphia Phillies to complete Vicente Padilla trade [ Link ]
Padilla trade completed
We sent Ricardo Rodriguez to the Phillies today to complete the trade for Vicente Padilla.
No huge loss there, as he seemed to fall out of favor with managment. Shame though, as he was going so well until he was plunked in the arm with a pitch in the middle of the 2004 season.
Roger Clemens in 2006?
There’s been some talk that Roger Clemens might pitch in Texas in 2006, if he pitches at all. I’m here to say there’s no way he’ll pitch here, even if he’s “considering” us. Why? This quote from an article on Friday..
“It’s Houston, Texas, New York and Boston,” Clemens told a banquet in Fort Worth, Texas. “I love all those places, they have great players that I respect very much.”
When has Texas ever won out over another team like that, especially Boston/New York unless we throw a quarter billion at them? He won’t be here.
D’Angelo Jimenez signed
- IF D’Angelo Jimenez signed to a 1 year minor league contract with an invite to spring training. [ Link ]
- P Kasey Ueno signed to a minor league contract
- The following minor league players were released: OF Jeremy Cleveland, RHP Marcos Herrera, IF Josh Kreuzer, IF Bobby Lenoir, IF Abigail Sandoval and OF Jose Torres.
Seattle signs Carl Everett
Seattle on Wednesday signed Carl Everett, the former Rangers outfielder. (Story)
I’ll take this chance to say that when he was dealt, he had turned around my opinion of him. He still was unsuited to play center field here, as he’s not fast enough for that position, but I ended up being in his camp when he left. One thing I still admire him about is his stance on his children. So many actors, sports guys, etc have no problem with divulging every piece of information about their family and kids. Not Carl. He has five children, but in every team he’s played for, he gives no information on their names, birthdates, etc. I admire him for trying to keep his personal life personal. I even wrote him a letter about that when he was playing here and told him so.
Good luck Carl, except the 19 times you play us. :)
Wilkerson & Padilla introduced
Brad Wilkerson and Vicente Padilla were introduced to the press today. Here’s a picture from the press conference, which I did not hear, unfortunately. Didn’t even know there was going to be one. Oh well.
Anyway, on the subject of uniform numbers which I’m so keen on.. Padilla was wearing 44, which was his number in Philly. As I said before, that was worn at the end of the season here by Jason Botts, so that’s no surprise.
Brad Wilkerson was wearing 6, which was Gerald Laird’s number for the last two years. I don’t know if it will stay that way. Wilkerson wore 7 in Montreal/Washington, and that’s already taken by DeRosa, so it isn’t much of a surprise that he got bumped to 6. Don’t know what Laird will be wearing if indeed Wilkerson goes into sping training with 6. 5 was worn by Ian Kinsler in 2005’s spring trainign, so that could be open. We’ll see.
UPDATE: There’s now an article on the Rangers site with reactions from the press conference by Wilkerson & Padilla. Check it out.
- « Previous Page
- 1
- …
- 285
- 286
- 287
- 288
- 289
- …
- 520
- Next Page »