Mauer is a perfect fit for the Rangers! However he costs too much.
Solution? Willingham is cheap. Pay both salaries and even it out with prospects, probably Rangers giving up C prospects for B prospects from Minnesota, but Rangers giving up more prospects. Mauer has 6 years left and hits left handed and has an extremely high on base percentage.

This solves the first base/dh problem, and the Kinsler problem, i.e. leave Profar in the minors for one year, trade Cruz. Ross performed at an elite level in a short sample and should be the last starting pitcher at least until Lewis comes back from injury.

Say ye?

Nah, bro.

Woah... I LOVE me some Joe Mauer!

But, not on the Rangers.

He fits well in the clubhouse (great guy, leadership, etc.), but not at that price. It would cost far too much to obtain him and his salary would not fit in The Plan.

How about Nick Hundley? He was banished to the minors by San Diego when Grandal was handed the catching duties (although Yas is taking that 50-game vacation to start the season). Nick is a veteran and is known to be excellent defensively and manages pitchers well. He just didn't hit, but he was hitting in the Grand Canyon there in San Diego. A change of scenery could well be Napoli 2.0 ... ?

Mauer: 6 more years @ $23M AAV. No thank you.

Would rather have Grandal let them keep Hundley.

To quote Samuel 1:25: 'My, how the mighty have fallen'. Have the Rangers fallen so low that a Padre reject catcher who batted ..219 in 2012, and that is not ba but obp, is the savior at catching. And the saddest point is that is not such an outrageous suggestion. Mauer is not leaving Minnesota, at least not until 2019 when he is 36, with dead legs where he can not even play first. Morneau is a different story at $14m for 2013, and at his best approximates not equals Josh's bat , and would fit better than anyone currently on the team in the third hole. He also beat Josh in the most memorable Home Run Derby in 2008. Morneau, like JOSH , has won an MVP, 2006, and has been shopped around recently for young pitching. In his last year of a 6 year contract, he could be a definite fit for a Grimm + a second tier pitcher, and is older than Josh by 6 days. h
He appears over his concussion problems, and had a moderately successful bounce back season in 2012, and the best aspect, will k at career level half the rate of Josh in 2012.

Why give up prospects for only one year of Morneau?

Morneau can be extended, and having but one year left on his 6 year contract reduces his value to a level the Rangers could afford, and he is not a self-absorbing addict. Character does count, he fits perfectly with the MURPH.

lol - of Course, you'd rather have Grandal... Grandal is younger and his upside is projected to approach Posey... or, at least, Wieters. Not likely to happen, but let's dream, anyway.

Hundley can do the job. And, take him out of the cavernous stadium he currently calls home and put him in a good hitting environment and we could have an excellent defensive catcher who can provide good offense as well. Better than Soto/Whiteside at any rate.

I stay away from the concussed players. They never really rebound to what they once were. The player that Morneau once was is a ghost, he.s something a lot less than that now.

Murphy and Grimm for Willingham. Before anybody says we need a lefty bat, check Willingham's splits. Actually hits RHP better.

Mauer would be a terrible pickup for the Rangers. He's overpaid by 10 million per year. I've finally come around- the rangers should swallow the pill and sign AJP. He's still very good, won't require a longterm commitment, and won't cost prospects. I had hopes for D'Arnaud, but that went out the window today.

I'd be interested in Carlos Santana, but my guess is he would cost a TON, and Wash prefers defense in his catchers. Probably not a great fit.

Concussions are serious, NFL forces a player to be taken out of a game, then have any risk, though in Pro Football, it is probably harder to find players who have never had a concussion, than ones that have. Brandon Mc will have an inner dread every time he throws a pitch in 2013. Morneau's concuss was in July 2010, 2 and 1/2 years ago, with no signs of relapse in 2012. Rich what statistical basis are you using to determine the playing level of a player who had suffered a concussion, especially one more than two years ago. Under that rational, not to down play the injury, the SKINS should trade the Cowboys RG III for he had already had one concussion this season. The fact is that Morneau is available, would certainly bat third on the current Ranger team, and help Beltre in a greater struggle to score runs in 2013 at a lower rate than 2012. Likely reality is that the Twins keep Morneau, and he does return to the hitter he was.All MLB players who have played a decade or more have ups and downs, often injurer y related.

give me willingham. has shown he can hit in the al. he would be a monster in arlington. play him in left, first and dh. can be an emergency catcher as well. extremely useful player. use your big trade material for a pitcher or sign a guy like romero and go with what you have

I would like to have gotten Dickey.

The last 3 years have proven that pitching and defense will stop big bats in a short series.
The ones that count!

We need to rebuild our bullpen and get a catcher.

Why are we not signing Rafael Soriano???
If a man can replace Mariano Rivera and close in New York......it's a no brainer for me.

Joe Nathan has 1 yr left on his contract--and he's either on or not--and you can tell after about 6 pitches!

The Rangers have by trade or not resigning their free agents cleared $66 + mil from their payroll. There is now a hefty budget to spend, and no where to spend it but top free agents or pick up bad contracts (A, Soriano, Wells, Mauer, Morneau types). So currently the best free agents available are: R, Soriano, Lohse, Swisher, Pierzynski, LaRoche, Sizemore (if and a big if healthy), E. Jackson, Bourn, D. Young. So which ones if any should the Rangers sign, and at what level/ length?

- Swisher, 4 or 5 years at around $15m per. Would rather overpay on him than anyone else.
- Jackson, 3 years at $10-12m per. This probably won't get it done. Could overpay slightly, as I think I like him best of all the FA pitchers.

Failing them, LaRoche for 2-3 years could be good, hopefully for less than $12m per. Lohse for a year or 2 at such a price could end up being a good thing. Pierzynski is starting to look like an attractive piece, though I'm not sure what to value him at. Not terribly interested in the others.

"Rich what statistical basis are you using to determine the playing level of a player who had suffered a concussion, especially one more than two years ago."

Les, Morneau was a solid 3 to 4.5 WAR player prior to his concussion. He's right around replacement level value right now. Ryan Church & Jason Bay are the two more recent examples of concussed players who never regained form. I'm sure there are others.

Just a personal preference to stay away from concussed players, especially those that are making any money. I certainly don't want to pay Morneau $14 million to give me Mitch Moreland performance.

Nathan has one year and an option= 2 years left.

If Mauer is overpaid by ten million per year, then he is still a perfect fit for the Rangers, just let the Twins pay the ten million per year, or make it up with prospects and Willingham.