Countdown To The Trade Deadline: Take A Shot At Making The Best Possible Rangers Deal

Posted on July 27th, 2009 1:00pm by Evan Grant
Filed under Burning Questions, Talkin' baseball, Texas Rangers

Just under five days to go before the trade deadline, so let’s engage in a little exercise: Make believe trades. You may have already read the armchair GM’s roundtable in which MJH, Jamey Newberg, Joey Matschulat and I wasted your time. Now it’s your turn:

We’ve got a simple question, doctors (with Spanish subtitles, too!): Propose your best, most realistic trade the Rangers could make between now and the deadline. Be specific. Who knows if the club makes a trade and your proposal is dead-on, we might even send you a prize. Or Jon Daniels might hire you as an assistant. Time’s a wasting. Go.

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44 Comments to “Countdown To The Trade Deadline: Take A Shot At Making The Best Possible Rangers Deal”
  • Jake @ July 27th, 2009 at 1:20 pm

    Jim Knox for Erin Andrews?

  • Adam D @ July 27th, 2009 at 1:24 pm

    I believe they said “realistic”, Jake… Tom Hicks couldn’t afford to pay Erin Andrews :)

  • scooper @ July 27th, 2009 at 1:27 pm

    @Jake: I love the way you think!

    I’m going for Halladay: Feliz, Smoak, Poveda, Max Ramirez.

  • scooper @ July 27th, 2009 at 1:30 pm

    …if it takes one lower-level pitching prospect (not named Perez or Ross), I’d give them that, too.

  • Mark T @ July 27th, 2009 at 1:31 pm

    How about Penny for Max Ramirez/Teagarden and Beavan/Poveda/Kiker? Boston would almost certainly ask for a young catcher and pitcher in return, I just wonder if this would be too steep a price for a rental

  • scooper @ July 27th, 2009 at 1:32 pm

    …lower-level defined as low class-A or below.

  • scooper @ July 27th, 2009 at 1:33 pm

    @MarkT: In my opinion only, waaay to steep for a rental.

  • Rangers Fan @ July 27th, 2009 at 1:36 pm

    Trade Target: Dan Haren
    Players to Give: Smoak, Holland, Moreland, Beavan

    Reasoning: I’m much more willing to go after someone who will be here longer than a year. Haren is signed through 2012. Obviously his numbers speak for themsleves. I put Holland in there instead of Feliz because Feliz could help right now (we need another power righty in the pen, IMO). Maybe you could make an initial offer of Smoak, Kiker, Moreland, Beavan and Ramirez but I don’t think that’d work. Overall, if we’re going to give up a lot I’d like to have the catch here for a while.

  • Tsing Sao @ July 27th, 2009 at 1:40 pm

    Beavan, Ross, Kiker and player to be named for John Wetteland, John Burquett and Rick Helling.

    Andruw Jones for Will Clark

    Arias for McLemore

  • Mike E @ July 27th, 2009 at 1:42 pm

    Adrian Gonzalez and Heath Bell for Smoak, Andruw Jones, Feliz, and one or two other mid-level guys like Vallejo and Beau Jones.

  • scooper @ July 27th, 2009 at 1:45 pm

    @RangersFan: I like the reasoning for going after Haren, I just don’t think that he is available. If he was, I’d include Feliz over Holland because I think Holland will become an Ace and I don’t think Feliz will. And Holland can help in the ‘pen this year, too. Also, I wouldn’t want to trade Smoak AND Moreland. I’m thinking that there is a decent chance that Moreland becomes our DH in the future (much like we thought Max Ramirez would) and we can get more by trading Smoak.

  • Rangers Fan @ July 27th, 2009 at 1:46 pm

    Who do you think other teams value more…Holland or Feliz?

  • Rangers Fan @ July 27th, 2009 at 1:48 pm

    And you’re right…I’m not so sure he is available, unless you blow them away. Even though Halliday is one of the best, I don’t want to give up as much as it will take for a year and 2 months…

  • 09 is the Year @ July 27th, 2009 at 2:01 pm

    Rangers get Scott Rolen from Toronto for Marcus Lemon.

    Rangers get Aubrey Huff from Balt for Mitch Moreland and Zack Phillips.

    Rangers get Andy Sonnastine from TB for a low level prospect.

  • Rossometown @ July 27th, 2009 at 2:04 pm

    I thought of this a few weeks ago and since then Dayton Moore has squashed that theory, and I asked JD what he thought about it at the Stretch Run Pep Rally, but my thought was:

    Blalock, Arias, Golson, and Moreland for Gil Meche.

    Like I said, they have since said they won’t trade Meche, but I figured Hank would give them (hopefully) a type B free agent and a guy who can give them some pop the rest of this year, if they don’t ship him out for prospects this season. Arias is better than Betancourt or he could be a good utility guy for them, Golson could be a really good OFer for them (better than Freel at least with a ton of upside) and Moreland is a decent prosect for them.

    This trade would open up some 40 man spots that would eventually help the crunch come rule 5 draft time, plus it’d give us a solid #2 or 3 rotation member for the next few years. It’s been squashed and would never happen, but I liked where my head was at.

  • Mike E @ July 27th, 2009 at 2:10 pm

    Ty Wigginton for one or two mid-level prospects.

  • scooper @ July 27th, 2009 at 2:18 pm

    @RangersFan: probably Holland, but that doesn’t mean that I want to trade him!

  • Josey Wales @ July 27th, 2009 at 2:19 pm

    Nelson Cruz for Nick Johnson, John Lannan and Joe Beimel.

  • iHARTtherangers @ July 27th, 2009 at 2:26 pm

    Cliff Lee & V Mart

    for

    Feliz, Smoak, Beavan & Borbon…

  • jeff @ July 27th, 2009 at 2:27 pm

    Padilla for anything, since there’s no way a team is going to sign him if that means giving up their first round pick.

  • Rangers Fan @ July 27th, 2009 at 2:29 pm

    @scooper: Yeah, I don’t “want” to trade him. I won’t be disappointed to keep them and let them develop for this year and see where it goes next year. However, if there is deal to be made for a big-time player, that could help us for years to come, it’s gonna take a lot and at some point we’re going to have to flip prospects for pieces here.

  • Joey Matschulat @ July 27th, 2009 at 2:29 pm

    Evan — it’s Matschulat. Thanks.

  • Evan Grant @ July 27th, 2009 at 2:37 pm

    Oy, Joey, I’m sorry. I’ll fix it right away.

  • Da Blade @ July 27th, 2009 at 2:38 pm

    I hate to give up Feliz if he’s the next Pedro. But Hallday is a pretty sure thing, even if he bolts after 2010. I would give up: Feliz, Moreland, Beavan, Teagarden and Beltre.

    And if you sign a healthy Sheets in the offseason, you have a top-heavy veteran rotation in 2010 with Halladay and Millwood, to go along with the youngsters (Holland, Hunter, Feldman, etc.) And in 2011, when Halladay and Millwood jump ship, Perez and Font should be ready to replace them, followed in 2012 by Purke and Scheppers.

  • Brad Corbett @ July 27th, 2009 at 2:40 pm

    Feliz, Smoak, Poveda, Ramirez and Beavan for ol’ Greinke..
    Then I give it two good shakes, zip, wash and shake hands. Done deal…

  • Dave H @ July 27th, 2009 at 2:42 pm

    I think I’d try to pry a couple pitcher’s away from the Marlins. How’s about Josh Johnson/Chris Volstad/Ricky Nolasco and Kiko Calero for Blake Beavan, Max Ramirez, Tim Smith, and Wilfredo Boscan?

  • Brad Corbett @ July 27th, 2009 at 2:45 pm

    BTW
    Jake, I like the way you think. Knoxie for Erin Andrews would make my pants break the sound barrier as they flew around the room..
    But I would dearly miss my nightly Knoxie trainwreck…

  • Bobby in Bryan @ July 27th, 2009 at 2:49 pm

    Isn’t it pretty much of a given that the Rangers are not on Halliday’s approved list?

    I don’t know who might be offered from other teams, but I would offer Blalock/Smoak; Arias/German; Teagarten/Ramirez; and Beltre/Golson for a strong, healthy starter.

  • Steve @ July 27th, 2009 at 2:57 pm

    Justin Smoak and Warner Madrigal for Dallas Braden and Michael Wuertz.

  • Steve @ July 27th, 2009 at 3:03 pm

    For: Halladay
    Holland, Smoak, Kiker, and Beltre

    We have depth at several positions Use it while they have value.

    Back-up Plan
    For: Cliff Lee
    Beaven and Beltre

  • Kinsler is Overrated @ July 27th, 2009 at 3:07 pm

    Nothing. Nada. Zilch. Well maybe Poveda for Duke with Pitt throwing in some cash.

  • Steve R @ July 27th, 2009 at 3:16 pm

    Well I guess there are two Steve’s so I will change mine to Steve R.

    I think a lot of people are overvaluing our prospects. Duke, for instance, is about as valuable as Feldman. How would you feel if we traded Feldman for a mediocre AA pitcher? I know I’d be infuriated. The Pirates would, rightfully so, want any 4 prospects of their choice not named Smoak/Holland/Feliz/Perez or they would want one of the big four.

    I also think Dallas Braden/Michael Wuertz would be a really interesting avenue to explore. Braden looks like a good #2/3 starter and Wuertz is a dominant set-up man. Oakland needs to develop some better positional players to be competitive in the future.

    Braden/Wuertz would really give us a fighting chance to stay competitive this season and next. Plus they are both under team control for several years. I would be okay dealing Smoak plus a few additional prospects (Madrigal? Kiker? Beavan?) for those two players. I also think Billy Beane would be the kind of GM who would deal within his own division without much hesitation. He is discussing Wuertz with the Angels as we speak, and he has already made significant deals within the division in the past (Carlos Pena for instance).

  • Joaquin @ July 27th, 2009 at 3:22 pm

    Try to get Zach Duke from Pitt for Max Ramirez and Wilmer Font or Wilfredo Boscan or Omar Poveda or Guillermo Moscoso and Jose Vallejo or Marcus Lemon If Pitt wants to pitchers in return instead of one package two of the above pitchers and perhaps throw in Vallejo or Lemon.

  • Bennie @ July 27th, 2009 at 3:41 pm

    I would get a third team involved, one that needs Kinsler. Whatever we can get for Kinsler we package along with Salty for Halliday.

  • Rangers Fan @ July 27th, 2009 at 3:56 pm

    @Bennie…that’s about the craziest thing I’ve heard.

  • Bennie @ July 27th, 2009 at 4:04 pm

    @Rangers Fan…that’s okay. You are entitled to your opinion.

  • Chris Hartman @ July 27th, 2009 at 4:09 pm

    Trade for Halladay:

    Feldman
    Smoak
    Beavan
    Font
    Moreland

  • Samags @ July 27th, 2009 at 5:28 pm

    Lee and VMart: Feliz, Smoak, Teagarden, Proveda, Moreland and Beltre.

  • texaslifter @ July 27th, 2009 at 7:27 pm

    Feliz, Saltalamacchia, Kiker, Poveda, McCarthy, and Moscoso for Zack Greinke.

  • secondbaser @ July 27th, 2009 at 7:40 pm

    vallejo, poveda for ian snell and cash

  • Buck @ July 27th, 2009 at 9:27 pm

    I’m sort of off the Halladay band-wagon. He’s not gonna come cheap either in prospects or salary. I’d rather spend the cash on Purke and Scheppers – sign these guys and play it out.

    Trade for a vet bat right now doesn’t seem like the best idea – isn’t that why we have A. Jones and Hank? Both of these guys will be gone next year and that will open up a spot for one of the AAA outfielders and/or Davis/Smoak. Seems fine to me.

    Even though he’s not hitting right now, Max Ram might be an interesting call up come Sept.

  • Ryan @ July 27th, 2009 at 10:04 pm

    Smoak, feliz, kiker, engle beltre for adrian Gonzalez

  • Rangers Fan @ July 27th, 2009 at 10:36 pm

    Willingham with 2-slams tonight…JD, go forth…make it happen

  • TylerJ @ July 27th, 2009 at 11:30 pm

    stay the course. these things always come back to bite us. weve got people, lets let them do it. were not going to the World Series this year.