Rangers Notes: Still a Bridge to Cross on Signing First-Round Pick/TCU Recruit Matt Purke

ARLINGTON - LHP Matthew Purke, the Rangers’ first-round draft choice, is undergoing a physical exam this weekend at the Rangers’ request, and while it doesn’t mean a signing is imminent, at least the sides remain amicable negotiations less than 80 hours before the draft signing deadline.

Daniels said there is still a significant gap to close in the talks, but also acknowledged the situation isn’t markedly different than it was in either of the last two years when the Rangers signed first-rounders RHP Blake Beavan and 1B Justin Smoak, within 24 hours of the deadline. If the Rangers don’t sign Purke by 11 p.m. CDT Monday, the club would lose the rights to him and would receive a pick in the same spot in the 2010 draft as compensation. Purke has also signed with TCU, but said, after he was drafted, that he wanted to play professionally.

“It’s probably about where you would expect it to be,” Daniels said. “It’s three days before the deadline and thre is still a bridge to gap, but the talks have been amicable and we continue to talk.”

As of Friday afternoon, only four of the 13 picks taken ahead of Purke had signed. Most draft picks are holding out for money above the MLB-recommended bonus “slot.” Those contracts tend to get done in the waning hours of the signing period.

The most significant dvelopment is that Purke has agreed to take a physical this weekend. The club needs to have the results of the physical completed and sent to Major League Baseball by the deadline. If Purke were to take and fail a physical after the deadline, the Rangers wouldn’t be able to get any compensation even if they were able to void the contract.

The Rangers have agreed to terms with RHP Sean Blackwell from League City. The 24th round pick will receive a bonus of $300,000. Also 25th round pick OF Riley Cooper, also a football player at the University of Florida, has agreed to a$250,000 bonus, according to Baseball America. The Rangers, however, say that no agreement has been reached with Cooper, but that things are “moving down that path.”  Since Cooper is planning to play football this season – he is Tim Tebow’s roomate and favorite receiver – a signing and the bonus would be contingent upon him passing a physical after football season.

The Rangers haven’t really made much progress with RHP Tanner Scheppers, their “sandwich” round pick. Scheppers does not fall under the deadline rules because he would have been a college senior this season. The Rangers have until the end of May, 2010 to sign him. Daniels said the club would like to get him signed before Instructional League starts in September since Scheppers only experience since the 2008 draft has been independent ball. Scheppers has also worked out for some Japanese teams, most likely for negotiation leverage. Rangers scouts were expected to see him throw a bullpen session on Friday.

McCarthy update: If RHP Brandon McCarthy is going to return to the Rangers rotation this season, it’s looking more and more like Sept. 1 would be the day.

McCarthy improved significantly in his second rehab outing after getting hammered in the first. McCarthy threw three scoreless innings for Triple-A Oklahoma City on Wednesday and is scheduled to pitch again Monday and probably on Saturday, August 22. McCarthy, who has been out since early June with a stress fracture in his right scapula, thinks he might be ready to rejoin the rotation after that. That is, if the Rangers need him then.

“That’s a factor of what our needs are here,” GM Jon Daniels said. “Right now, there is nobody who needs to lose his job.”

The likely scenario – barring an injury – is for McCarthy to make a fifth rehab start on August 27. Five days later on Sept. 1, the day rosters can be expanded up to 40 men, the Rangers have a doubleheader against Toronto. He would be on regular rest and ready to go.

Briefly: As mentioned earlier, OF Nelson Cruz was placed on the DL with the move made retroactive to August 4. Cruz rolled over his sprained ankle when he stepped on a base during running drills in Cleveland. He is expected to play in rehab games for Double-A Frisco on Monday and Tuesday and could be activated Wednesday. … 2B  Ian Kinsler was activated on Friday, but was not in the starting lineup because his original flight from Tulsa to Dallas/Ft. Worth was canceled.