With Garza by all accounts heading to Chicago, and assuming the Rangers do not go hard after a Josh Johnson/Adam Wainwright/Chad Billingsley type I think we all agree the Rangers could use another 2-3 starter to bolster the rotation so it is not so reliant on the emergence of Holland. Who would you you target?

I am partial to Annibal Sanchez and Wandy Rodriguez and I am less enthused about Fausto than I was previously.

I'm not so sure about the Cubs to Garza trade being a done deal. This morning it was news to the Rays.

ESPN's Buster Olney cited a "well-placed source" Wednesday as saying nothing is close, and the Rays are more likely to deal Garza this summer.

I wonder what Carl Pavano would cost on a 1-yr deal? Now that we've given up a #1 for Beltre, and if (big if) we give up the #2 for Soriano, then maybe you give up the #3 pick for Pavano at 1/$15m, and then hope to get a sandwich first-rounder back for losing him next year.

I would really like to see this because it would not require trading high-minors prospects in return. Save the prospect trade chips for a true ace at the deadline.

Wandy would be a great pickup and probably be a reasonable price as far as prospects go, also I think Jeff Francis would be the FA to target

If your Andy Pettite would you take an additional 5-7 mil for a contract around 15-18 mil from the Rangers to play a final year? I know what he said, but money talks and so does a championship contender. He could be our Clemens... If I'm Nolan, I press the issue and say screw those Yankees. The Yankees are on the verge of sinking with the Red Sox retooling and the White Sox cashing in. Pettite would be our Lee of the postseason and only cost money...well not my money.

Via MLBTR

The Rangers aren't a player for Carl Pavano, sources tell Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (via Twitter). 

As has been said ad nauseum around these parts - no need to panic now - look at the depth this team has at SP, not counting Feliz / Ogando:

1. CJ 2. Lewis 3. Webb 4. Hunter 5. Holland 6. Feldman 7. Kirkman 8. Hurley 9. Beltre 10. Moscoso

No use either buying a mediocre FA arm or trading away good prospects for a "B" level guy - WAIT and see what shakes out in ST. Go for the upgrade in July - you'll get a much better return.

I agree that a "B" level guy would not be a huge upgrade and we should definitely wait. But um...read that list aloud and tell me you're not a little bit scared...at every single one of those names. Every guy has a question mark and most have huuuge issues. Here's to hoping they can figure it out...

YES, GO AFTER PETTITE!!! That would be awesome. There's no harm in asking him, if someone has the balls to call him up. Just do it.

Let's look at your list 3-10:

3) Webb: Egads, he MIGHT provide great upside, with even a teeny, tiny chance he's the best SP on staff, but he's an injury waiting to happen and should be "counted on" for nothing.

4) Hunter: Not a good pitcher. I'm guessing 5.00-5.50 ERA if he pitches all season.

5) Holland: Love the kid, but, really, who knows? This is the kind of pitcher you would love to see as a #5- great upside, but if he fails miserably, who cares? But as a #3, that's worrisome.

6) Feldman: Journeyman Long Reliever who apparently made a deal with the Devil in 2009.

7) Kirkman: See #5 Holland, only with less experience and less upside. I do like him, but more in the bullpen this year, rotation in 2012.

8) Hurley: Had not pitched competitvely in over 2 years until this fall. Looked good in AFL, but then again, it's the AFL. Starting to reach more than a little here. I do think he's got a chance, but he's a longshot.

9) Beltre: Maybe my favorite name on this list. I have high hopes that he can be a solid 2 WAR #4/5 SP within a year or two.

10) Moscoso: At this point you're just adding names to get to 10. Probably will be kicked off the 40-man top make room for Adrian Beltre anyway. Certainly, Feliz and Scheppers belong on the list here before Moscoso.

Look, if we need to fill the #5 slot off this list, I'd be thrilled. If we needed to fill the #4 and #5 slots off this list, I'd be satisfied or better. But to need to fill the #3, #4, and #5 slots off this list is a bit frightening, especially since #1 and #2 are very good pitchers, but without an ace. If it was Halliday, Lee, and then this list, I'd probably feel okay. But Wilson, Lewis, and this list is scary to me.

I don't think we need to add a pitcher to win the division, and the bullpen is so good that the overall staff might be very solid, and there is certainly enough talented young upside here that the rotation could conceivably be excellent. But this is NOT a very good rotation at this point.

Hell, I'd have Harrison ahead of Feldman at this point.

If everything goes wrong, and all those guys suck, then I'm with you on being alarmed. If half of those guys are good and half suck, we'll be fine, which is what the law of averages tells you - and that's not including Webb, who would be a huge boost if he can pitch at 80% of what he used to.

I'm not worried, at least not for the regular season. Now, in the WS against Philly's rotation? Hell yes I am worried - but by then I fully expect JD to have brought at least one #1 in here.

How bout Jeremy Bonderman. He is now two years removed from surgery to remove a blood clot in his shoulder but before that he had a three very solid years and one exceptional year in 2006. From 04 through 07 he was 50 and 43. He averaged 190+ innings over those four years and had an average WAR of 3.9. His 2010 was not in the same realm as his four years from 04 to 07 but the first full year back from surgery never is very good. Granted he may not fit above Wilson or Lewis at the top of the rotation but he is still a young (will be 28 at the start of the season) talented arm that can be had for little risk with the possibility of being a solid #3.

Last year Bonderman was 8-10 over 171 innings with a rather high 5.53 ERA for a Detroit team that finished the season at .500 yet he still managed a WAR of 0.9 which is the worst of his career. Based on his track record I believe its concievable he could finish next year somewhere around 12 or 13 wins over 180 innings with an ERA in the mid fours and a WAR between 1.5 and 2 which would be similar to what Garza had last year and aound what you could reasonably expect from Pettite but at a fraction of the cost. What do ya'll think?

Pettite was having one of his best seasons EVER before he got a little injured later in the year. I expect much better numbers from Pettite than Bonderman. But the main reason I like Pettite is his postseason record. We need that more than anything, not to mention Pettite isn't too shabby himself

I agree that in the post season Pettite would be extremely valuable however if we sign him I don't see JD making any significant roster additions at the deadline this this year due to Pettite's salary considerations. It's probably going to take between 16 to 20 mil to sign based on how desprate the Yanks are going to be. Bonderman would probably run between 6 to 8 mil and still allow JD to go and get a Wainwright, Johnson, F Hernandez type at the deadline. And even with Pettites post season experience there's no guarantee he stays healthy that long unless you limit his innings output to around 150 which is more than he threw last year. I'd rather get a solid arm with potential that allows JD some freedom but perhaps that's just me.

Why is Pettitte getting Lee money in this situation?

@ arp: I definitely understand your logic and it definitely makes sense, I just love Pettites track record way better. I think even with Pettite, we would trade for Felix, Johnson, Wainwright, etc. in a heartbeat.

@FullerTron: bc it's his last season and you're going to have to outbid the Yankees hard.

I'm having trouble finding the exact numbers, but I think that would be the most money for a one year deal in the history of baseball for a 38 year old pitcher who missed about 2 months of last season do to injury.

Pettite is great, but he has been very clear that he is either a Yankee or he is retired. I don't think he would take anything short of crazy Roger Clemens money to come back and he isn't worth that.

I'm not saying the move isn't crazy...it just costs money instead of draft picks and prospects. For a 1 year deal, I could justify the craziness...even though it's still...crazy. Are you guys followin me? lol

This is why I like Pavano on a 1-yr. He costs no prospects, cost a draft pick but has a good chance of generating one back next year, and I think he's surprised at how poor the market has been for him. A second good season in a row would certainly generate a better contract for him next year.

And I know there are reports we're not in on him, but I saw the same reports on Webb, Beltre, and Soriano (who we now appear to be in on).

Sign Soriano and Pavano, and your staff is top-notch top to bottom.

Pavano wants three years and the Rangers are out on him.

Him being Soriano.

As I said, there were firm reports that the Rangers were out on Webb and Beltre as well. I'll truly believe it when they sign elsewhere.

Pavano wants something like 3/$36m. He's having a lot of trouble getting those kinds of offers. Offer him 1/$14m and get contract-year performance out of him. He might take 1/$14 if his best other offer is 3/$28.

Personally, I'm hoping that Ogando gets a chance. I think he looks like a dynamic starter, and that leaves Feliz in the bullpen until he develops more pitches.