Here's a few offensive stats for you (MLB overall, not just AL), as of 7/18/11:
Runs: 2nd - 474 (tie w/ NYY)
HR: 2nd - 118
Hits: 1st - 900
Avg: 2nd - .272

I humbly suggest that those of you suggesting trades that would better our offense find something else to do. I'm open to rebuttal, of course.

Excellent ammo, Andy. It is all about pitching now. No question about it.

Agreed, unless something risk-free opened up (like Beltran for C-grade prospects and picking up his salary).

I think that just about everyone would agree that starting pitching is the first priority. But there don't appear to be many aces available this year, and to the extent there are a few, the competition is intense. So the if Rangers can't pull off another Cliff Lee-type trade, the question becomes, should they stand pat, go after a 4- or 5-type starter, reliever, or top-notch hitter. I don't think a mediocre starter helps much since he would be useless in the playoffs. A top reliever would be nice, but likely expensive. So why not upgrade the offense if you can do so without giving up the entire farm. It doesn't hurt and don't forget that the Rangers are incredibly injury-prone.

Why would you go after a #4 or #5? We have that. What you do not have is an Ace. Why do you need a top notch hitter? Have you not seen this line-up? Their stats? Their rankings? There are stud pitchers out there. But just what are you willing to give up?

I wouldn't go after a 4 or 5 starter. That was my point. I agree that the Rangers have a great offense. (I've seen the stats and watched about two-thirds of the games.) But CF could be upgraded. I would think Chavez is bound to fall to earth at some point. I also hope that the Hamilton/Cruz/Kinsler injury bug doesn't rear it's ugly head in the second half, but how can you count on that?

As far as ace pitchers go, I'd be willing to give up a lot to get one, including perhaps a starting position player. But it would have to be a true #1 (maybe a good #2) who would be around for a while. I haven't had a chance to follow the trade rumors, but I haven't heard that many guys like that are available.

RFan - Okay. I am with you. Martin will be up to take care of CF. I still think there could be improvement in our 4th OF, as Caleb and I discussed, i.e. Rasmus (RH bat, talented kid, controllable). And I like the way you think as far as trading for someone (pitching) who we would have control over for a while, should we make a trade.

@RFan: If you're trying to upgrade the offense, who would you want, and why would they be an improvement? And who would you give up for them?

Go after A Pulois. What would you give for him...C. Davis and any 2 "Farms", and J Burbon

Let Albert play 1st, M Moreland move to the outfield, when appropriate.

I like Pulois, Beltre, Hamilton, Cruz, Kinsler, Young, Moreland, Andrus + catcher with our 5 "stud, growing, maturing, starting pitching staff against any team.

Your thoughts and trade modification(s), please.

No thanks.

Hahahahahahahahahaha 0% chance WGM.......

@WGM: I'm not interested in Pujols. The Cards would want an arm, a leg, our firstborn child, a bucket of baseballs, and a piece of equipment to be named later for him.

I can almost guarantee you StL wouldn't take CD, Borbon, and 2 prospects for Pujols. And even if they would, I wouldn't make that deal. As great a hitter as he is, he's not so much of an upgrade over Moreland that it'd be worth giving up all that we'd have to for him, and that's even if we could pry him away from StL.

I imagine Albert's happy where he is, the Cards are happy with him, and few others would want to assume his financial burden. Leave him where he is.

Andy, I haven't had a chance to closely follow the trade market, but Beltran would be a nice addition to the outfield. I'm sure there are others, but to make a difference for this team, they would have to be good.

As far as who I'd give up to get a hitter, the only major league starters I'd give up are Moreland/ Torrealba/Chavez/Gentry. I'm not as familiar with the Rangers farm system as some on here. I've only watched the guys who've made it to Arlington and just read about the others. But I do think part of the value of a good farm system is the ability to take advantage of the trade market.

Andy -

I am very disappointed in you - you failed to mention that the bucket of baseballs would have to consist of 295 mint-quality baseballs individually autographed by each member of the Hall-of-Fame.

Additionally, the piece of equipment to be name later would consist of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington (lien and tax free for the duration of its existence), as well as (in a joint-venture with Jerry Jones), the new Cowboys Stadium (lien and tax free as well of course). Lastly, I am sure in order to make the deal work - the Cards would require the parking lots and the naming rights to both stadiums (again, on a tax free basis).

How many of these "farm hands are ever going to make it to rbia" I would say less than 30%. So if a deal is out there to acquire a proven commodity I say make the deal. This is why you build your farm system. Sure plug in a couple of these guys when their ready but also to bring in the extra piece when we're so close.

@ Bubba v:

How did Seattle get King Felix? Detroit get Verlander? Florida get Johnson? SF get Lincecum and Cain? Colordo get Ubaldo? LAD get Kershaw? Tampa get Price? Philly get Hamels? Atlanta get Hanson/Jurgens? They developed them.

NYY got CC via Free Agency. Bos got Beckett the same way. Philly got Lee the same way and traded for Halliday as a rent-a-player before extending him (essentially they signed him as a FA). There are a very small number of older Aces who can be had via FA, at an exorbitant price, usually with the foreknowledge that you will be paying bad years on the back end of the contract, all of which is out of the Rangers' league, financially. If the Rangers want THEIR front-end Ace, signed for years to come, at a salary that doesn't prevent the rest of the franchise from cratering under the weight of the contract, they must NOT trade the likes of Perez and Feliz and the other highest-ceiling pitching in the system.

@Caleb: My bad. In my haste I neglected to mention those important details. I promise to be more diligent in the future.

@RFan: I looked at Beltran's numbers currently (.287 avg, 59 RBI, 94 hits, 14 HR). Not bad, by any means, but he probably wouldn't be amazing on our team (his numbers are pretty similar to Beltre, Cruz, and Moreland in various stats). Would he be an asset to our team if we already had him? Absolutely. Is he worth trying to trade for, especially after he recently said he wanted to finish his career with the Mets? I don't think so.

Of course, some reports indicate the Mets are trying to deal him in return for top-notch young prospect(s) and cover his remaining salary, and I personally wouldn't want to give up any of our "top-notch prospects" for a few months of Beltran with no guarantee for next year or after. Cliff brought something we sorely needed last year: a TORP. The marginal increase in our offense we might see from Beltran, imho, probably wouldn't be worth it.

If I were JD, I wouldn't make a deal for Beltran that entailed dealing one of our top prospects.

Yeah, but you keep sniffing around Beltran. The Mets want to pay his salary and deal him for something like a pair of B+ prospects. If the Mets can't get that, they may accept a deal where they get a C grade prospect and get to dump his salary. If it comes to THAT, JD needs to be all over it.

I'd be fine with the Rangers paying the rest of his contract and sending Taylor Teagarden

Go after A Pulois. What would you give for him...C. Davis and any 2 "Farms", and J Burbon

Let Albert play 1st, M Moreland move to the outfield, when appropriate.

Posts like this make me want to shut down the forum.

I'd be fine with the Rangers paying the rest of his contract and sending Taylor Teagarden

Okay, even if the Rangers absorbed the entirety of Beltran's contract, the Mets are not going to trade him for a BACKUP catcher. Sheesh.

5 million got the Indians Carlos Santana

There is absolutely no way I include Teagarden in ANY package for ANYONE, even for a legit TORP, like Beltron. (Well, not true exactly - you start talkin' Harold Baines and now I'm listening....)

And, JM: while you obviously wouldn't want to start Mr. Pulois everyday, what's wrong with letting him spell Moreland at 1st, when appropriate? I mean, let's be reasonable...

what the hell is going on in here

Who is Pulois and Beltron?

I've never heard of these guys before. Do they play baseball?

The one offensive weakness remaining on this team is CF. Bourn is available. I'd like to connect the dots. Martin is the future but that doesn't mean he will make an immediate impact on this years roster. Bourn is a Gold Glove CF with excellent speed and instincts on the bases. He's scored 60 runs this year for an anemic offense. The combination of Gentry, Chavez and Borbon have scored 44 in what is a top 3 offense. Trade for Bourn and have him as your everyday CF the rest of the year and bring Martin up in September to play as his backup.

Going after a TORP would likely mean mortgaging some if not most of the immediate future of home grown talent. Frankly I'm not interested in that type of deal. The iron is not hot for SP this deadline and with the exception of Philidelphia every other rotation is dealing with the same issues the Rangers are and most playoff teams are in a worse position to acquire a TORP than the Rangers. Furthermore the pitchers who are "available" are from reluctant sellers which has a tendancy to inflate the asking price. This is not the year to go after starting pitching.

I would certainly love to see another of the best arms in the game here for a post season run but I don't believe it's necessary at this point and there are other deals that represent better value out there for the club than going all in for the one or two TORP's that are available.