Now obviously I would rather have Price or Grienkie but if not them how about someone like Edwin Jackson? We got Yu, Harrison, Holland, (and now) Gando already and I'm sure we would all love to have another BIG NAME starting pitcher but if not I think Jackson might be a pretty good middle of the rotation guy! He's a free agent so it wouldn't cost us minor leagers and he's bounced around the league enough if you offered him a 2 or 3 yr deal you could probably get him for pretty reasonable money. And as an addd bonus he's only 29.

Another pitcher I would like to see the Rangers possibly sign to a 1-year, or 2-year deal, depending on the factors leading up to this possibility, is Hiroki Kuroda.

Kuroda's a dependable and underestimated pitcher. I think he'd be a good fit in Texas.

Yeah Kuroda is dependable-he is a.500 pitcher for his career. Think we might could do better.

Yeah, because W-L records are the most accurate indication of a pitcher's performance...

^^^This & ^This.

I really feel like adding Kuroda to our Yu Darvish awesomeness would help capitalize on that investment. We'd start drawing a larger international market, get more national TV spots, and probably enjoy a little cost-savings considering the two could share interpreters and whatnot.

Oh yeah, there's also that Shohei Otani kid we talked about last week who might think this is a good idea.

@Mike: Of course they are. Take, just for example, Felix and Ivan Nova. Felix's win percentage is .563, barely over average. Nova's is .674, which is decidedly higher. Therefore, Nova must be a better pitcher. Hell, Nolan was a pretty average pitcher. His was only .526. That's hardly over .500.

I don't care that Kuroda's ERA was 3.32 and that his FIP and xFIP were under 4 this year; he's obviously average and isn't worth looking at.

Actually for his career he has been average. But your friend's idea about saving money on an interpreter--BRILLIANT.

Just like last year, Kuroda will only pitch in a few places....with the Rangers not being one. Why would you want to surrender a first round pick for him anyways? Makes no sense.

http://calltothepen.com/2012/11/05/hiroki-kuroda-limits-own-market-once-again/

@Andy: Obviously Felix is nothing more than a slightly above-average pitcher, I don't understand the substantial hype around the guy---Maybe it has something to do with his cap being slightly tilted to the side, but I'm not really sure. Now that Ivan Nova kid is something spectacular. The Yankees surely have a future HOF with that Win %!!!

@Henchmen: It definitely wouldn't hurt the Rangers' chances at Otani, if they were to sign Kuroda. But then again, I could envision a scenario in which the rest of the baseball world cries to the commissioner about the Rangers dominating the Japanese market. Kind of like how the rest of baseball was infuriated with the whole Jairo Beras situation, but hey, the Rangers do their due diligence, which is just another reason why I love our FO.

@Carlos: Look at Kuroda's stats. What about them seems average to you?

@P1 Stefen

Not that it really matters or makes much of a difference, as baseball draftees have such a high variance in regards to projected ceilings vs. floors, but aren't supplemental picks for Type-A Free Agents in the "sandwich" round?

didnt we extend colby? will he be back?

@Mike
Yeah, but we did get some guy by the name of Joey Gallo in the supplemental round this year. He's doing alright. I get your argument though. Higher picks do usually mean better talent though. Supplemental picks will nearly be 1st round picks bc teams will be forfeiting their slot too. I wouldn't feel comfortable giving that up for 1 year of Kuroda.

@P1

I would be comfortable with it, only because of the Rangers' haul in regards to the international signings of the past couple of years, which have contributed greatly in enriching the lower farm.

And nothing against Joey Gallo, as we all know of his incredible power potential, but he still has quite a ways to go, but I get what you're saying and can see why you wouldn't feel comfortable for 1 year of Kuroda, as it is well-known that drafted players have such a high degree of variance when it comes to what their MLB careers will become, so it's always wise to accumulate as much talent in the lower minors as possible, because in some parallel universe, the Rangers selected Mike Trout in the draft, and quite frankly, there's just too many should've's, could've's and would've's.

I think an underrated pick up could be villanueva from TOR. He had a helluva second half last year, throws mid 90s, multiple pitches, and has gotten better each year. the madduxes could tweak him into a fine tuned machine imo

I would like to see Kuroda here but a one year contract will be a little expensive when you throw in the draft pick loss. Throw in some club options for years 2 and 3 and it looks doable.

This year's Labor Contract eliminated the "surrendering of picks" if you sign a free agent, didn't it?

The signing team gets the player and the losing team gets the supplemental pick. The 1st rounder stays where it was.

@Yu Betcha

Villanueva is definitely someone to be looking at. I think he would be a prime candidate to compete for the 5th starter job, depending on our other FA and trade moves. I think 'compete' is the key word. He is good enough to be a big league pitcher, but he would be brought in to compete to be in the big leagues or go back to the minors. For that reason, I think he chooses a lesser team where he has a better opportunity to contribute to the staff.

"This year's Labor Contract eliminated the "surrendering of picks" if you sign a free agent, didn't it? The signing team gets the player and the losing team gets the supplemental pick. The 1st rounder stays where it was."

Ed, things have indeed changed, and the old system was discarded, but it doesn't quite work like you're stating.

The new setup has very limited circumstances that qualify, but in those, one team loses a pick and a different team gets a supplemental pick. At this point, there are 8 possible players where that may take place, and all other free agents have no draft pick ramifications whatsoever.

All i know is a staff of Greinke, Price, and Darvish makes me feel much better come playoff time. We can get through the slog of the season without 3 aces, but the San Francisco formula seems to really be working to win the 'ship. Now this doesn't mean mortgage the future to get Price, but in the current landscape of baseball and player development, when you are trading from a position of strength (SS) to get a top of the line pitcher who knows the grind of the AL East, and you can get another stud for just money and not players, its hard not to go all in.

ARI willing to deal Trevor Bauer:

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2012/11/diamondbacks-will-listen-to-offers-for-trevor-bauer.html

3rd pick overall in '11, unconventional warm-up routine, weight-room junkie, etc. What would we have to offer to land an Upton/Bauer package?

Upton is a 2 x all-star and quite likely to be again in the future. Bauer is a very highly touted prospect. I'm not sure why Towers would want to be moving these guys, but the fact that they're being actively shopped concerns me. What are they hiding?