that old name is none other than Daisuke Matsuzaka. Thoughts as the #5 starter that JD and Levine talk of signing?

matsuzaka is rotation depth for us at this point and not great depth at that wouldnt give him more than a minor league deal with an invite to spring training, as for the 5th starter id love a trade for rick porcello

My, my we are just full of ppl with imaginations. No! It sends the wrong message to the players to start bringing in the gerratric crowd.

32 isn't especially old, not like he's saying to give him a 5 year deal

Chris, you would take Porcello, that would cost the Rangers dearly with top prospects, when what the Rangers need is a transitory starter until Buckel and Perez or Ross are ready to join Yu, Harry and the Dutchman as the FIVE, and at least start until Coby is at full health. Although Daisuke can be a bore to watch pitch with his deliberate tempo on the mound, he still has ace level stuff. That was why Boston out bid the Rangers in the first place. And he was headed toward an ace level. Keep in mind until shoulder problems crept up in 2009, at about the same age as Yu is now, he was 33-15 in 372 innings, with 319 hits and 364 k. A year younger then Colby, he is over TJ surgery he had in 2011. His fastball still sits 91 to 93, and he still has his 'gyro' pitch. A change of scenery and an opportunity to join Colby and Yu, may be all Matsuzaka needs to begin to live up to his original billing. I am not suggesting in any manner to signing Dai to another 5 year plan, but a one year heavy incentive driven $2m deal, similar to Colby, should suffice. Some one will roll the tama on Daisuke, and may come up a big winner, happens every year, especially on an arm 2 years removed from TJ, it might as well be the Rangers. All of this on a low risk, high reward deal that does not remove talent from the current or future team.

Ok let's look at dice Ks numbers in 2009
167 ip 80 % strand rate 38% ground ball rate 8.27 k/9 5 bb/9 with a 2.90 era a 4.04 fip and and a 4.64 xfip your right he sure was an ace in 2009, even in his best year he would have gotten lit up like a Christmas tree here. As for porcello he screams jd move young controllable buy low candidate(I honestly don't think it would take much more over a Garcia/Buckel package) that gets ground balls.

Chris, you seem to have selective reading, 2009 as I posted is where his shoulder problems began that led to successful TJ surgery in 2011. In acquisitions, the key factor is what it cost a team. Daisuke would cost but a incentive heavy Colby-like contract, where as Porcello, who last three years era were: 4.92, 4.75 and 4.59 ( he is trending toward <4.00 and should make it in 6 years), would cost at least two high prospects, ie Olt and Perez. Or do you think the Tigers are just going to let Porcello go for Julio Borbon, and if so why not ask for Verlander, and while at it trade Engel Beltre, he is a 5-tool centerfielder, for David Price. There needs to be a sense of reality. Daisuke is a gamble, but a low risk throw of the dice and would be the Rangers #5 starter. Recall, that JD and staff led Rangers tried dearly to acquire Matsuzaka in the Fall of 2006, and having failed, five years later over bid to sign Yu. Yu, the Cobra and DiceK has a good ring to it, then toss in Harry and the Dutchman and though there might no be a Verlander/Price/Lee among them, they may just be the best 5-man staff in the AL West. Plus, this would allow Ogando to return to set-up, and allow Feliz and Soria to come back at a safer pace.

I agree that adding Dice K could deliver a lot of up side if he regained some of his prior form. I don't see Ross, Perez or Grim being ready to start on a regular basis in 2013. All but Ross would benefit from some more time in RR. The Maddox boys might be able to teach Porcello how to pitch, but he wouldn't come cheap - Detroit will want a good prospect or two.

Schoenfield had an article earlier this year on the importance of being able to "steal" a player or two in order to have a successful season. In 2011, JD was able to "steal" Napoli, in 2010 it was Vlad. Both the Cardinals and Giants have had a good deal of success in picking up players on the cheap and getting good performances from them at low cost. Being 18 month's removed from TJ surgery, Dice K might surprise like Carpenter did for the Cards. I think adding him would be a positive move.

ps. Chris, the Rangers would be foolish to trade Garcia and Buckel for Procello. The Tigers would jump at it. The opportunity to obtain a shortstop much better defensively then Peralta, who also hit ,292 at Frisco and a starting pitcher who could be along with Bauer in Cleveland the AL answer to a Tim Lincecum clone. So it is hard to judge a starting pitcher, only 24, but has had three straight years well over 4.50 era, that a team is so willing to trade. If Detroit viewed Porcello much more than what his numbers have shown, they would not even remotely bring his name up as trade bait, much less push to trade him. A 24 year old who has had 4 years starting on a full time basis is a rare gem, so why is Detroit so bent on shipping him to Seattle? Another, unrelated, story could be that this is the year ENGEL BELTRE shows his 5-tool talent at MLB level. Seems all he needs is to do a better job of getting his mind into the game and rely on his coaches for better judgment. So look for his name emerging in Surprise in March.