Per MLBTR
The deal is for 3 years...

See ya Nap, much love brother.

Red Sox are already talking like he is part of the team.

Sucks, I really liked Nap. Here's to 1 more year of way too much MY at 1st base.

Looks like a done deal... Financial details aren't disclosed yet, but it's supposedly high AAV to keep it at 3 yrs.

Anyone get the feeling sometimes that the Rangers' pockets really aren't as deep as everyone makes them out to be?

MLB Trade Rumors says it's 3 yrs/$39m.

I don't think this is a case of the Rangers not having money. I think they didn't want to pay $13m a year for 3 years to a guy they think is unlikely to look anything like his 2011 self.

I would have been okay with the Rangers overpaying for Napoli given that the catching market looks absolutely terrible, but they didn't feel the same way. It'll be interesting to see what they do now, as right now Luis Martinez looks like our #2. Here's hoping Magadan brings out something good in Soto and whoever else we get.

3/39 ... thats a great deal for Napoli personally, but he will be the primary 1st baseman not catch like he wanted to.. Either way Rangers did well avoiding that contract

I don't know, balking at 13MM AAV for a guy that's a lock for 20 jacks and good OBP kinda seems a little fishy.
Plus we really have zero at catcher.

We have Soto, who was not hired for his offense.

Maybe, if we're lucky, Magadan will help him find his stroke again.

I just saw this on ESPN and after looking at Nap's numbers for the last 3 yrs I think we just dodged a bullit. .238, 320, .227 looks more like 2011 was more of a fluke than the norm. I likes Nap and wished he could have stayed but 3 for 39 is to much.

The only regret here is the qualifying offer, other than that, for terms of this one, Rangers were wise to avoid.

Not tendering a qualifying offer was a stupid move.

Anyone get the feeling sometimes that the Rangers' pockets really aren't as deep as everyone makes them out to be?

No. I just feel that we have an ownership groups that wants to manage this business investment like a business investment rather than a $150M/year pastime.

I loved 2011 Nap. 2012 Nap frustrated the hell out of me. 2013-2015 Nap will likely be a bit of an overpay for an injury-prone player with a questionable makeup at his primary and secondary positions. I'm a closet Red Sox fan so I hope he produces but I don't blame the Ranger's (or even the Yankees) for passing on this deal.

Would you rather spend 13 AAV for Napoli or get LaRoche or Swisher instead?

Everyone knows that MLB free agents these days get huge contracts with huge dollars. If a guy like BJ Upton can get 5/75... Anything is possible.

Point is, in order to improve a position of your team that needs improvement, you either have to a) spend the money to do it, b) trade away prospects, or c) develop from within.

This ownership team definitely seems to shy away from a) and b).

Of course they are willing to throw away gobs of money for guys like Rich Harden, Brandon Webb, Scott Feldman, etc...

I would take Laroche at fist over Nap. Personally, I loved Nap in a Rangers uniform but that is way too much money for him. It will be interesting to see what develops as the week goes along.

My prediciton is Rangers resign Hamilton for 5 and 125 then trade Olt/Perez or Holland plus lower level guys for Upton and Bauer. Then trade for a Catcher maybe Cruz goes.... But we will see.

I'd like to have LaRoche but reading the DC papers it seems he wants to go back there. They only want to give him 2 years though. Not that it makes any difference but he's from Kansas and lives there on his ranch. Of course Cliff Lee was from Arkansas and it made no difference with him.

Nat,

It isn't fair to lump those guys in with the moves that have been made in the past 2 years. We threw gobs of money at Yu Darvish and Adrian Beltre and they're looking like pretty good investments so far. The jury is still out on Kinsler. It's hard to look at any of the free agents over the past two years we've been tied to, didn't sign, and say "man, we missed out on that guy".

Remember this time last year when everybody wanted to sign Carlos Pena? 2012 triple slash: .197/.330/.354 wRC+ 98, bWAR .4

We really need to trade Kinsler if anyone. We have the infield covered, and I think ownership would feel better about going after a big FA with that contract off the books. Someone would bite on Kinsler, he's got a good track record.

Please explain to me why we really need to trade one of the top 5 2b in baseball when there's a very good chance our all star short stop will likely be leaving in two seasons.

There are only a very few Cs that are elite in all phases. Call them 10s. If you don't have one you want to upgrade and usually pay WAY too much for usually not much more than what you now have, a 4-5 rating. That 2-3 million a year more spent can be added to a position where 2-3 million can make a difference. Soto is Napoli who has not had his out of body time yet. You develop a C or you pay too much or get lucky in a trade for an unproven long shot yute or make do with what you got. Nap was one of those average everyday guys who had an out of body 1/2 season. We got that 1/2 season in the books but Boston probably will never get more than a simple out of body series out of him. Remember Feldman's one great season we enjoyed? It went away and never came back. LAA who had a former C for a manager let him go too. I agree we dodged a bullit.

I'll miss Nap. Loved him in Texas.

As did I. He was a huge reason for 2011's success. Peace out, Nap.

I'm sad. I hope this doesn't mean we'll try to sign AJP. I would hate that.

I was hoping it wouldn't come to this, but now, it looks like we could do a lot worse than AJP.

I now hope, though, that the Rangers don't promise a lot of money to him before seeing what other FA acquisitions they could make. Or, at least until after Greinke signs wherever, so the Rangers have no excuse for not offering him as much as they can.

I just don't see how AJ is going to happen. We need defense behind the plate.

Also, to add, I don't typically listen to the national media when it comes to painting players (Jay Cutler, AJP) as assholes, but AJ is just someone I've always distasted. No interest in what he brings to the table.

I'm not as bullish on AJP in general as some seem to be, because I don't trust that his HRs could more than triple at age 35 contract year and then be sustainable. (Sounds like contract year 'roiding to me. Get away with it once, then cash in big and you don't have to keep doing it after you have the shiny new contract.)

But even at his previous batting levels, I think he would make sense at the right price. He'd add significant value from the fact that he is a left-handed bat, as well as the ability to fill some of the hole at catcher.