By all accounts, Andrus for Upton is still on table. Given our history of not being able to resign our own free agents and the fact that Boras represents Elvis, why not pull the trigger? Then we could have the following with other moves:
Catcher: Pierzynski/Soto
1B: Moreland/Pierzynski/Olt/Berkman
2nd: Kinsler
SS: Profar
3B: Beltre
OF: Upton, Murphy, Cruz, Gentry, Martin, Bourn
DH: Pierzynski, Berkman, Olt, Cruz
Make the trade, sign Berkman and Bourn to as short term deals as possible....Get more excited about this than what we have now. Possible???

I've been a fervent supporter of the Elvis-for-Upton trade since day zero, but at this point it just appears it's not going to happen. I don't understand why the Rangers are willing to eat into Ian Kinsler's contract value -- by moving him to 1B/OF -- for seemingly no rational reason (at least none that we've heard yet).

I'm into the idea of signing Lance Berkman to be our DH for a year. Dude basically shits OBP's a hundred points higher than his BA. He'd be excellent for our lineup. As for Michael Bourn, I'm passing on him all day. Even if he nets a short-term deal, one or two years for instance, it still figures to be pretty high from an AAV standpoint. Plus, we already have enough light-hitting leadoff types.

I'd be all for an Elvis/Upton swap and signing Nick Swisher for 4 years. Our lineup would certainly begin looking pretty solid from an OBP standpoint. All things being equal, a Swisher signing would probably kick either of Cruz or Murphy out of the lineup, likely as part of a minor trade package for a MORP. For the sake of who I'd like to see gone, I'll keep Cruz and dump Murphy.

Here's the lineup I'm suggesting, and it would probably keep us right around the purported budget.

1. Kinsler - 2B
2. Swisher - 1B (4 years, $56M)
3. Upton - LF
4. Beltre - 3B
5. Berkman - DH (1 year, $6.5M)
6. Cruz - RF
7. Pierzynski - C
8. Profar - SS
9. Martin - CF

That's a lineup that would take the West in 2013.

no interest in laroche?

I just saw on MLBTradeRumors that Arizona signed Cody Ross to a 3 year deal. Does this mean an Upton deal is getting closer? Or is this Kevin Towers buying even more leverage against the Rangers? Interesting..

The Dbacks just signed Cody Ross so this has to mean Kubel or Upton is still very much available. I think they should pull the trigger Elvis for Upton but that's just me.

And LaRoche is probably not worth 3 years at big money and losing a draft pick. I think he's gonna stay in Washington anyway, which means we could try to trade for Morse.

^

I think signing more outfielders concedes leverage. It certainly doesn't strengthen it. When you have a lot of something, it's basically assumed you're going to get rid of some of it. The Red Sox and Blue Jays are experiencing that this offseason with their catching depth.

Eric, who are the backups with that lineup?

@eric
I get your logic, and normally I would agree with you. But when you sign the guy who was likely the backup plan for the team you are trying to deal with, it means you have all the cards. I think Towers is playing hardball with JD. He wants Elvis.

@DDan

Gentry - OF
Olt - 1B/3B/COF
Moreland - 1B/RF
Soto - C

Eric, middle IF...Garcia?

@JW

But when you sign the guy who was likely the backup plan for the team you are trying to deal with

Are you talking about Cody Ross? If the Rangers had legitimate interest, he easily could have been attained. Three years is a pretty long deal for a 4th outfielder. All it does from AZ's perspective is it logjams their situation even more so than it already was. You can't play 6 outfielders at a time, and now they have three veterans who are under contract through '15, with three youngsters who are up and coming at the league minimum.

Something's got to give, and I'm assuming it will be Parra or Upton being moved.

@DDan

You're right, I should have included a defensive MIF backup. In such a case, either Olt starts the year at AAA or Mitch Moreland gets moved for a low-leverage bullpen arm.

I don't see Leury Garcia as that guy just yet. He's not ready. Probably some scrub off the scrap heap.

@eric
Agreed , something has gotta give for the D-Backs now. My point is just that if you are Kevin Towers and you want Elvis Andrus, this is a pretty ballsy move that potentially increases your chances of landing him, assuming the Rangers had legit interest in Cody Ross. Yes, it could just as easily blow up in Towers' face, but it's still a ballsy move.

Either that or there is already a deal in place to send Upton or Kubel somewhere.

I think Rangers need to give a chance to Moreland to be regular 1B (including lefties). I still think he is capable of 25+ HRs and good defensive 1B. If we can trade MY, why can't we trade Kinsler for something decent in return? We still have Elvis for 2 more years. I would rather have Elvis/Profar MI than Profrar/Kinsler or Elvis/Kinsler MI.

Yes, we desperately need to offload an elite 2b. Some of you are clueless.

Yeah, Kinsler ain't going nowhere and for good reason. Think it was dumb luck that the Rangers locked him up prior to lat season but didn't lock up Napoli or Hamilton? The answer is a resounding No, It was not dumb luck.

I don't understand why people think that, just because Ian is an all-star 2B, that anyone would want to trade for him. He's not cheap anymore. Most teams won't want that contract.

If Ian is traded, it's probably a salary dump. I don't think the Rangers need to dump salary at this point.

Swisher, Bourn and LaRoache all cost you that first round draft pick... to date, I think it has become somewhat apparent, JD's not giving up that pick - especially not for a short-term guy.

Bourn won't be signed - we already have a righty version of him in Craig Gentry and we have a CF prospect with some pop in Martin.

Swisher WOULD be a nice signing, but I don't see it, either... he's wanting more years (although, he could come off that) than the Rangers want to give and he wants more money than a good ballplayer should be getting - he's wanting elite money.

LaRoche would be in the way of our place to stash Moreland, Pierzynski, Olt and others when they aren't playing their "natural" positions - or, in Mitch's case - when he needs to play.

Upton could still happen - but, don't count on it. The D-Backs just picked up Cody Ross so they ARE still looking to move some OF pieces around. At least he wouldn't cost that First Round Draft Choice.

Berkman is an interesting note, though. But, with his recent injury history, we might have had better luck keeping Josh on the field over the next 4-5 years than Lance on the field for this year. I am a fan of his, though.

David I agree. I also see Berkman, if he does not retire, signing with Houston,. The only real free agent option left, who the Rangers in the past wanted badly but has not been able to play healthy since 2009, is Grady Sizemore. And his skills may have eroded over those injury plagued years so much to be a pointless sign. Andrus for Upton may now be really the only option for Arizona as well as Texas. If this does go down, then you roll with the youth and bat Martin, Profar and Upton as 1,2,3. Beltre bats clean up. Then AJP/ Kinsler-2b / Cruz-dh / Mrurphy- lf and Moreland at first. Not a bad bottom three. Bench would be: Soto- c / Gentry-of / Olt-1b/3b/dh and Garcia (who is as ready as Profar, both who were successful at AA and not a lot to gain by going to AAA) as your 2b-ss. If not Garcia the best utility player who can play both inf/of is Solarte, and he is already going to Surprise for Spring Training.

pa Arizona wants to win now and has two big Cal teams to compete with , and there in lies the need for an ALL STAR SS, even if under control for only two years. And this kicker, if Andrus keeps progressing like he has, who is not to say he signs a large free agent contract with the Rangers in November 2015. At this time, the Rangers would have their TV contract in hand and the Angels will be paying well over $50,000,000 for a 33 and 35 year olds aging superstars

Makes no sense to have Leury Garcia up on the roster as a backup. He still has plenty of room to improve, as he really lacks adequate ML plate discipline. He's only going to be 22 next year. I'd even start him at AA.

I think the various developments over the last few weeks make it more likely (rather than less) that Upton will end up in Texas, for a package featuring Olt.

* Despite what others want them to do, the Rangers have given no indication they want to trade Andrus.
* The Dbacks have their desire for a young up-and-coming SS filled.
* After signing Ross, they have 4 possible everyday OFs not counting Upton (Kubel, Eaton, Parra, and Ross) and no DH slot for the extra. 1B will be manned by Goldschmidt. Somethings gotta give.
* Upton has the biggest contract to get rid of (he is owed more than the rest of their OF combined), and will yield the highest return to boot. And AZ clearly is willing (perhaps even eager) to move him.
* While a deal featuring Olt isn't their first choice, it's probably still their best choice if they can't get Andrus. Their most pressing need when the season ended was to upgrade SS and 3B, and Olt is the #1 3B prospect in baseball and he's ML-ready as well.

It would take Olt plus "something." What "something" would be reasonable for both sides?

Wouldn't a trade like this make Cruz expendable, or even likely to be traded? Isn't it a problem to have two RH-hitting RFers? If traded, for what? If not, does Cruz become the everyday DH? Or what other dominoes might fall instead?

There is the possibility that Towers isn't trying to force JD's hand but instead is lining things up to accept something close to the original Olt+ offer for Upton.

If that happens, yes, Cruz moves to the DH spot full-time, Kinsler slides to 1B, and Profar starts at 2B. With all the talk about how much we need LH hitters, we'd still be the same as last season (AJP for Josh, Profar for Moreland). i prefer Gentry in CF to Martin, but I like both players.

1 - Kinsler (1b)
2 - Andrus (SS)
3 - Upton (RF)
4 - Beltre (3B)
5 - Cruz (DH)
6 - AJP (C)
7 - Murphy (LF)
8 - Gentry (CF)
9 - Profar (2B)
Bench: Martin (OF), Moreland (1B), Soto (C), and anybody.

Let me add another thought to that lineup I posted: there's virtually no need for a defensive replacement anywhere (except possibly with AJP behind the plate).

I did overlook the need for a backup 3B, though.

well looks like we can all get Swisher out of our heads - to the Indians 4 yrs $56M