this year's free agent class wasn't very good and texas didn't overpay for players who would have had very little impact. were they supposed to exceed the angels' offer and give hamilton 30 million a year? should they have traded olt and profar for james shields?

the rangers are smart precisely because they didn't make those types of moves.

"people" are only focusing on the here and now. They're not focusing on next year and beyond. If the Halos don't capitalize this year or next, I would say they're the big losers of the past two offseasons. The Rangers are staying the course. It's hard to see the light when other teams are making big moves. Thankfully the Rangers aren't making moves just to make them.

And they have stuck to LONG TERM PLAN A, even after signing Berkman to potential 2 yr/ S20m. Next is a free agent Starting Pitcher, and what Levine stated on radio more than a week ago: looking for also a reliever [ FRASOR ] and a hitter [ BERKMAN ] becomes fete accompli. So what is the choices for a starter: Bedard, Jurrjens, Karstens, Marcum, Matsuzaka, Jonathan Sanchez, Vazquez, Webb a second try [ he kinda owes the Rangers ], or this is entertaining Zambrano.?? Limitations, can not exceed $6m for 2013? In 2011, the Rangers paid Brandon Webb $ 3m, and has not pitched since 2009 in the majors. He did have 4 starts for Frisco in 2011, and last full season [2008 ] was 22-7 3.30 at 29, and was the NL Cy Young in 2006. Just for now meaningless background info.

I don't think it has been a very good off-season. I felt like the Rangers going into the off-season needed a pitcher to pair with Yu at the top of the rotation. And they needed a replacement bat for the loss of Hamilton, who I thought was sure to sign elsewhere. The former didn't happen. For the latter, they have sort of recovered, at least in 2013 in getting Berkman and AJP, but with their age both have significant risk of falling off the cliff. And Hamilton ends up with our biggest rivals. It was a bad deal but I think people are kidding themselves if they don't think it will hurt in 2013 and 2014, at least. So, I don't think calling the Rangers losers of the off-season is terribly wrong.

However, I do have a problem blaming the front office for the off-season. You can't control events. Shields was too expensive. They wanted Profar then Myers. That would've been an awful long-term trade. Nobody was going to outbid the Dodgers on Greinke. And long-term Hamilton would've been a crippling contract, just as Young was. I probably would've gone for Andrus for Upton, but I'm not willing to blast them until I see what we end up getting for Andrus.

Damn right damn right, and now they are in position to hold all the aces come trade deadline.

What makes a good GM?

NOT money whipping over sized egos in to submission. NOT filling your team up with a bunch of has been FA's.

Creativity, spotting guys who aren't on other teams radars, developing guys, scouting guys, trading for needed talent, and LASTLY AND NEVER FIRSTLY paying the right price for a long term free agent signing that has massive positive impact on the team. Anything else is not a LONG TERM recipe for success.

The stage is set, the Ranger's FO has "failed." Bottom line, that means the Rangers have succeeded and that they are poised for a great season.

Does this look like failure to you?

Kinsler 2B
Andrus SS
Beltre 3B
Berkman DH
Cruz RF
Murhpy LF
Gentry/Martin CF
AJP/Soto C
Profar/Moreland (Play Profar at 2nd against LHP and some RHP with Kinsler at 1B, play Moreland at 1B against some RHP)

You get Olt in in right or left against some (or all) LHP while Murphy sits and against some RHP while Cruz sits. Cruz wasn't very good against RHP last year and Murphy, excepting last year, hasn't been very good against LHP.

Obviously it would be great if we could get a Stanton or an Upton but I don't see one spot in that lineup that I don't like.

And then you have

Darvish
Harrison
Ogando
Holland
Perez

With Lewis coming in May...

and then you have

Frasor
Soria
Nathan
Linblom
Ross
Rookie long man or late sign veteran who doesn't make the rotation or Perez
A bunch of guys competing for the final spot which is what you want

and Feliz when he gets back...

that could end up being an elite bullpen

I feel very good about all this, and we have added two things that we were short on last year.

EDGE in the persons of Berckman and AJP, I mean hate your enemy edge not hate your teammate edge.

YOUTH in the persons of Profar, Olt, Perez, Gentry, Martin, Moreland, Ross, Feliz, and other pitchers

Let the guys compete and let the youth get out there and play their hearts out.

The more I think on all this the better I feel about our chances of winning it all.

This is cool.

Other than signing your yearly old guy or rehab guy to compete with Perez for the number 5 spot our roster seems pretty complete. I mean, the last few years we always had discussions about the 24th and 25th man, but since Profar can play SS and Olt 3B we don't need a utility player. Our bench will likely be much stronger with a very versatile roster.

The 13 will likely all be active as well with no one sitting on the bench 90 percent of the time.

1. Kinsler
2. Andrus
3. Profar
4. Moreland
5. Beltre
6. Berkman
7. AJP
8. Soto
9. Murphy
10. Cruz
11. Martin
12. Gentry
13. Olt

I have that same question
We didn't pay over 100 million to a deteriorating outfielder.
We didn't pay over 140 million on a pitcher who would have been the number 2 in our rotation. (I actually would have done this)
We didn't overpay for an old knuckleballer or we didn't give up a couple of very good prospects for James Shields.
We did get a very competent catcher for 1 year.
We did get a very potent DH in Lance Berkman.
We traded away -2 War.
We have quietly put together a good pen.
We have kept our top prospects.
We have put our team in a position to succeed for a long time.
And we have almost "Wash-proofed" our team.
It hasn't been a great offseason but it has quietly been a good one.

@Joe - I like it. Profar can play SS and 2nd. Olt can play 3rd, 1st and RF.

At this point, I am strongly in favor of 3 more fairly possible moves.

Darren Oliver wants to pitch for the Rangers which would free up Ross for the 6th rotation spot. I see this as important because Oliver is good, cheap enough, left handed, and Ross has been great so far and was profiled as a starter until last year. Having a good 6th starter is important, because starters other than the top 5 start about 26 games per team, per year. I see Ross as a 4 WAR starter based on his very strong record as reliever which rivals that of CJ Wilson, Feliz and Ogando, who have had success as a starter.

Second, sign Napoli. He appears, oddly, still to be available, and on terms nearly the same as Berkman. He supplies about the same WAR as Berkman, and could play 1st some, catch some and DH some, keeping him fresh. His OBP and homers are game changing. He would take at bats from Moreland, Cruz and some from Soto. Someone will get injured too, during the season, and the redundancy at 1st, DH, catcher and right field will bode well for the team. Napoli would net the Rangers 2 WAR more than what they now have, by my estimates, if he is healthy enough to play.

Third, trade Cruz. His defense, baserunning and OPB are bad and he is paid almost 11 million for only one year. He would net one decent prospect and salary relief. If he is not traded, you just know that Wash will play him every day in right field, just as he did last year, and this cannot be allowed. Alternatively, keep Cruz, but fire Wash, but since this isnt going to happen this year, trade Cruz.

By the way, JD has had a good off season also in the way he has strengthened the bullpen depth in AAA with about 10 good upside signings of nearly MLB ready hard throwers. I think the Rangers could get some value from Lindblom, who I dont want to appear, due to homers he throws, and Scheppers. I am still hopeful that the Rangers can use Borbon or obtain something for him, and Butler the same. It is amazing now, how strong the Rangers are with current players and pitchers, as well as prospects, while maintaining much salary room. It is just too bad the Rangers didnt make some changes with Young and Cruz earlier.

"Wash-proofed"?

lol

uhg.

I really don't think so...

Too bad.

@Goodasgoldyesmaam
I'm more than open to the first idea but I still don't see any reason for the Blue Jays to trade DO to a potential threat.
On the second point, where would Napoli play? I was open to signing him before the Berkman signing, but I really don't see space for him anymore.
And Finally on the last point, I am more than fine with trading Cruz if we can get either Upton or Stanton to replace him. Otherwise I want Boomstick on this team.

Nap would take all of the at bats that would have gone to Cruz and some of the at bats from Moreland and Soto and some of the at bats to cover injuries too.

I am hoping the Blue Jays choose between a) nothing, if DO retires and b) something, if the Rangers give some C- level prospect for him.

I see your point about DO, but I just don't see the Blue Jays giving up a dominant lefty reliever for a C prospect.

Oh and if we traded Cruz, who is in right field.