I completely agree with yall, however you have to atleast have a solid 4 in the playoffs. as of right now i'm not confident that we have that. look at hunter last year. he was horrendous in the playoffs. Without a dominant Ace that guarantees to wins a series (like Cliff Lee did) we need a solid 4th guy that gives us a better chance than Holland/Harrison/Hunter/Webb/Feldman etc.... Thats where i hope we can grab someone like pelfry, or maybe Meyers or Lilly, someone dependable, but wont cost us the farm. Heck if we could get Hamels for Cruz, Scheppers, MY and some Cash.... just an estimation no clue what it would take to get him (all i know is they want offense) that would give you a solid line up for the playoffs of CJ, Hamels, Ogando, Colby.

I would be confident that with a rotation like that anything could happen in the playoffs. it might be going 5 and 7 everytime... but a rotation like that could scrap

Bottom line is i'm just not confident that we have a solid 4th for the playoffs. But Caleb's absolutely right anyone of our pichers could catch fire during the playoffs. Look at Colby last year... there's no denying that besides the giants there wasnt a better pitcher during the playoffs. given lee's games agains the giants, i'd say colby pitched even better than lee during the playoffs. we just need one more guy to give us a chance. right now i'm not confident enough in holland or harrisson to do that.

DC - if Philly is in the playoffs, or sniffing around close, they aren't going to move Hamels. That would be stupid. And right now they are in 1st place in a very winnable division. No - the guy TX gets is not going to be Hamels.

Hamels did this tonight:

8.0 6 0 0 0 9 0 0.95 2.58

He's 8-2, with a .95 WHIP, and 5th in the league in K's. LOL - you're friend in Philly is smoking crack. Philly signed Lee so that they'd have Lee, Halladay, Hamels, & Oswalt for the playoffs. It would make no sense for them to trade away Hamels - no one does that - no one trades away one of the top 10 pitchers in the league when they are winning and headed to the playoffs. No one.

dont shoot the messenger. i'm just relaying what the rumors that are around there. and apparently they dont feel like they can win a WS without improving their offense. Blanton's hurt, but also isnt going to bring in anyone of significance offensively, theyre not gonna get rid of Halladay, Lee, or Oswalt, Hamels fits the bill. Odd man out kinda thing. But i was just using him in the example. The main point is although it would be nice to get a TORP it appears if its not Felix, its not worth giving up the farm. However i still think we need a reliable 4th. there are any number of pitchers out there or could be out there that are more reliable than Holland and Harrison right now, i'd take Marcum, i still think Danks could turn it around, possibly even Brett Meyers. we need someone a 4th pitcher we can rely on. I think a trade is gonna have to be made to accomplish this, but i'm actually holding my breath that Holland might actually start playing to his potential this year. Last couple of outings have given me some confidence...

I still don't think anyone is hitting the edge yet.
JD is not going to deplete the farm for depth or
a minimal strength advantage. You HAVE to think
BIG, to be close. "Shut Down" is the KEY. We're
talking WINNING EDGE, not a comfy, balanced arm.
It's really too early, other than pure speculation. Most
are still in the Divisional Race, but again, it's going to
be a BIG salary dump, with little lost in trade bait. My
first thought is Mark Buehrle, but he dose not personify
what I am alluding to. Oakland should be on the Radar.
As much as I see LAD, NYM in a cash crunch, nothing
BIG points to a JD move. The Florida Teams seem viable.
Both Chicago Teams of course, especially seeing the CUBS
will make a Strong push for Pujols. Lee came to Rangers on
July 10, 2010... nobody is quaking yet, except Oakland and
their injuries. They need help... they have BIG pitching, but
will they go inter-division, as Seattle did last year? Will Marlins,
Ray's and even Seattle rethink their Rosters future/now needs?
It's going to be BIG. Boston-Philly Staffs~ the teams I leave out.
July 2011... JD earns his money.
Return to the World Series, in 2011~ the ONLY real focus.

@HubZ

i like the way you think, but i'm also kinda torn btw trying to keep a balanced roster and seeing what can happen.... its though

If you think Florida is viable.... i'd be willing to deplete the farm for josh johnson. he's minor injury prone... he'll hit the DL once a year for something minor... but he's a chance of a no hitter everytime he goes out there. Granted that would probably change at RBiA... isnt FL field considered pretty pitcher friendly?.... Do you really think Oakland would deal in division? same with the Angels....cuz Weaver would be on my radar. I know everyone is high on Oakland's pitchers, but besides Cahill i think their a little overrated... and i think he sometimes is overrated. Granted he kicks our ass everytime we face him.
But i agree with you 100%. I dunno about some of the ppl out there, but last year gave me the Hunger. i cant settle for just making the playoffs and going out in the first round. I want a shot at the WS again. I just dont know if we can get THAT guy to do it, or if we can find a balanced enough approach to Win one that way.

"Return to the World Series, in 2011~ the ONLY real focus."

I totally disagree with this. I wnat to win 7 divisions in the next 10 years, and believe the franchise is set up to do just that. Then trust that the WS title will come during that run. Keep the best parts of the baby pitching, and everything else will work itself out. Keep Perez, Feliz, Ogando, Ramirez, Erlin, Ross, Holland and build your own version of the 90's Braves, or at least the 2010's Giants. Young, controllable TORPs are the Coin of the Realm- and we're slathered in guys with that kind of upside.

Now, if you can make an impact trade with what's left for right now- DO IT! If a package of Schepper, Weiland, Borbon, Chris Davis, Skole can get you an impact piece for this year, PULL THE TRIGGER! But don't mortgage the future rotation under any circumstances.

@ Scooby Dude

Exactly!

Actually S.Dude. I'm right there with you. I wouldn't mortgage the farm for a Big Arm...
nor do I think Daniels will. That's why I stipulate the Shut Down, will come with a Big
Salary... DUMP, for the team of trade. It's not going to be as in the Atlanta Miracle Trade.
Probably closer to the Lee Trade, or slightly in between. The Baby Arms stay here, in wait.
The wheel has shifted this year. Many teams are looking for Offense, not pitching. Marlins
are falling out of the "Choice Arm Pick", for obvious reasons. They're now searching arms.
Bottom line: I don't think Daniels will dismiss the thought in focus, to have the BEST Shot
Winning the AL Championship , in 2011. I know that IS his focus, as with the whole Tx. Org.
We're not reinventing the wheel here. Pitching wins Championships.