Sunday Morning Open Thread: Five Questions
1. Into which camp(s) do you fall vis-a-vis the Rangers right now: the optimistic camp (now that Texas has won 11 out of 12 games), the pessimistic camp (brutal second-half schedule) or somewhere in between?
2. Was Friday night's somewhat controversial bout yet another example of the umpiring trying to overshadow the rest of the game? Phrased more informally, are you as beaten down by the state of major league umpiring as the majority seems to be?
3. Do you harbor much optimism at this point that the sale of the Rangers will be completed before July 31st, much less before hot commodities such as Cliff Lee -- whom FOXSports.com's Ken Rosenthal suggests could be dealt in the next two weeks -- disappear from the market?
4. And speaking of Lee, a hypothetical trade proposal sans Martin Perez, who nobody seems to want to trade: Seattle is willing to take Tanner Scheppers plus Blake Beavan, but doesn't subsidize any salary, thus precluding any further trades this summer. The trade is completed on July 15th. Do you pull the trigger?
5. Using your eyes alone, what would you deem to be the three best pitches thrown by any current member(s) of the Rangers' pitching staff? (For example, Neftali Feliz's fastball, Tommy Hunter's curveball, etc.)
47 Comments | in Open Thread, The Season
Reader Comments (47)
1. The Rangers control their destiny. You can't ask for more than that at this point in the season. That puts me in the optimistic camp.
2. Haven't been paying close enough attention to have an opinion.
3. Seems like they're on track.
4. Nope. Trading Scheppers is just as bad of an idea as trading Perez. Scheppers seems like the better prospect to me. They have similar ceilings, and Scheppers is closer to realizing it.
I think you have to hold on to Scheppers and Perez for a Dan Haren or Zack Greinke type.
The latest rumor is that the Twins appear to be the front runner with Wilson Ramos as a key component of the deal. That would be a steal for the Twins.
5. Have watched only a few games, mostly on gameday. The few I've seen would suggest: (1) Feliz's fastball, (2) Colby's slider, (3) CJ's mix
1. The optimistic camp -- Rangers will win divison
2. Umps are human-- they make mistakes, have egos, get tired. Its all part of the game.
3. Doubt the sale gets done before trade deadline -- Rangers will win division with what they have.
4. Nope.
5. No opinion.
1) Optimistic.....we will win the division minus any major injuries.
2) Yes, even though the umpires are human some seem to have huge attitude issues and go off the deep end way to easy.
3) NO.......Tom Hicks needs to step up and make things right with the creditors to get them off the backs of the Rangers........Hicks is the culprit in this whole mess along with creditors who it would appear made some pretty bad decisions in the loans that they gave to Hicks and his HSG.
4) NO.........absolutely NO! Don't mortage the franchise for a rental player. Lee will be gone to the Yankees in 2011 for huge dollars!!!
5) No opinion.
1. It's nice to win games against weak opponents and I dare say they have had their easiest schedule in memory so far (and that really continues unthe AS Break, Angels aside.) This allows them some leg room for a tough second half.
2. Umpires make mistakes. It would be nice to have perfect umpiring but really, what are you gonna do?
3. I have no faith in the deal being fixed until somewhere between November 2010 and April 2011. We are dealing with unscrupulous people, not to mention lawyers and judges (adjectives removed because a lot of respectable Rangers' fan are lawyers.)
4. Not no but "hell no." I'd be willing to give up 5 position players in the minors not named Profar and Alfaro though. Any five.
5. Obviously the fastballs of Feliz and Ogando.
1. The schedule doesn't look overwhelming (we do get to face the Mariners and A's quite a bit, but it would probably need to be compared to the Angels. I can't help but worry LAA is about to go on a run that will see them post somewhere in the neighborhood of 95 wins for the season, and that's tough to match. With 17 games left against Scoscia's boys, we control a LOT of our own destiny.
2. I'm not convinced the umpiring harms any one team more than another. The players seem fine overall with the state of today's umpiring, if you believe the informal polls taken recently, so it can't be too bad. Just a few bad apples ruining things.
3. Optimism isn't the right word, but it does seem they made some progress when they got the next court date brought back to 9 July. I think if JD can informally offer them the right package, Seattle might wait -- while all the time continuing to take more offers to drive up the final price.
4. I'm more and more thinking Scheppers, Ogando, and Perez should be off limits for anyone. If we are truly headed for $100M+ payrolls as soon as the new ownership comes in, then maybe you can say we can buy our way back from the loss of a couple of key prospects, but I'd rather we pay nearly all of Oswalt's salary and keep our top youngsters. Trade Beavan, trade Beltre, trade Erlin, but let's keep Scheppers and Ogando and Perez. I guess Houston is looking for position players, so I don't know what we can offer them other than Chris Davis that would cause any sting. No one on the current major league starting nine should be allowed to go anywhere while we're on this pennant run -- they can have Murphy. Cliff Lee probably maximizes our short-term playoff success, but hurts us in 2011-2012 if we lose a Scheppers, Perez, or Ogando -- which we definitely would. We'd need to replace those losses quickly on the free agent market.
5. 1) Feliz's 4-seam fastball 2) Colby's slider 3) CJ's 2-seamer
Optimistic that they will win the division.
The umps are human and make mistakes.
Not optimistic about the sale getting done on time to help in second half, but this may be a blessing.
No, no, no no, hell no rentals.
CJ's stuff, Hunter and Lewis's curveball, Feliz fastball, Oliver FB location.
Don't care about the rest of this stuff, but absolutely you trade Beavan and Scheppers for Lee in the scenario you described. Either Ogando or Scheppers (but not both) is expendable in a trade, and Beavan, while a talented kid with a solid future, is also trade bait if he can get you Cliff Lee for the stretch run.
1. Optimistic. If the bullpen arms don't fall off and the hitters don't fall into a month long slump again, there's no reason they can't battle through the second half.
2. I am frustrated with the umpires in general. The strike zone is way too inconsistent, and especially with the Kinsler ejection, that ump was not calling those same pitches strikes to the majority of the other hitters on both teams.
3. I don't think the sale will be complete by the deadline unless Bud Selig steps in and uses his power to complete the deal.
4. I would prefer more than a 3 month rental for Scheppers. If the cost is too high for Lee, see what 2nd tier pitchers might be available (they have to be better than Harden). If the cost is still too high, ride it out with what you've got and hope Holland comes back strong after the break.
5. When he is on, Hunter's curveball seems unhittable.
1. The Rangers are doing what all godd teams should do right now-beating up on the little sisters of the poor. As for the upcoming schedule, with the momentum they are building, they I have confidence they will be alright, plus the fact that they have proven that they match up well with rest of the division.
2. Haven't really noticed that big of a difference in the overall umpiring this year.That being said, there are always going to be those days, and unfortunately they're is not much that can be done about it.
3. It's in the courts dude, and from my experience, when it goes civil, you can forget about it getting done quickly.
4. I'm with the school of "not just no, but hell no", no way you mortgage the future for a rental.
5. Going strictly of my eyes, I like Feliz's 4-seamer, Ogando's slider, and Colby's curve ball
1. Optimistic.
2. Yes. Umpires are too visible, and every little thing is glaring right now. It's not good timing for an umpire to flex his muscles, and it sure seemed, to me, like they were doing that Friday. Jim Joyce got a lot of grace for one of the worst calls in history, and it's because he was humble about it. Sadly, humility doesn't seem to be a common denominator in the much ballyhooed "human element" that umpires bring to the game.
And I loved this quote from The Onion (http://onion.com/c4sMCA) - "Life isn't fair, and neither are the easily fixable issues in baseball."
3. I won't even venture a guess.
4. I believe so. Even if everyone gets healthy and gets right, it's hard to imagine the Rangers current rotation contending with the Yankees, Rays, or Red Sox in a playoff series. If a couple guys get healthy and/or right and Lee is added, it's not hard to imagine, at all.
5. Feliz's fastball and Colby's slider are the only ones that come to mind. I do enjoy Holland's pickoff move, too.
1.optimistic. They sure are in control of their future. They showed early in the season that they could take the big teams but the shaky bullpen and blown saves made us look bad against those teams. This current confident and strong bullpen is way better than the early version of themselves.
2.the umpires are human true. but to me it seams that they show how human they are whenever they take a turn calling the game for the rangers. I know that the make mistakes with all the teams but I still have the image of Teixeira homering in that san francisco game years ago with the umpire making the wrong decision. the strike zone is pretty much different for some teams that is for others adding the regular irregularity to all the teams.
3.I wish that could get done but it would not surprise me that the deal does not gets done.
4.no. "rangers seam to fall in love with their prospects" fits well here but the farm is one of the best ones so no thank you for a rental pitcher for those pitchers that are almost ready (beavan and scheppers, Ogando) and Perez gives the rangers a chance to grow a true no #1 starter a true ace that the team has craved. But if you say o we are getting JJ from the marlins of ZG from the royals we are talking...
5. Feliz's FB, "la cobra's" slider and right now Ogando's FB
1 - #2, pc. Until they prove otherwise.
2 - Yes.
3 - No
4 - No
5 - I'm blind
I don't trade Scheppers for Lee. I see both Perez and Scheppers as having about the same ceiling. Tanner will likely be in the MLs this year while Perez has an outside chance of making it in 2011.
1. Cautiously optomistic... still will have to hold our own against the big boys of the league
2. Umpiring in the big leagues is one of the most difficult officialing jobs in sports, at least umpiring behind the plate. Kinsler probably would have been thrown out by half of the umps in the bigs for his fiasco, he took his chances by showing his emotions instead of taking it like a man and trying to come back and make up for it. As for the strike zone, think you can hit a 95 mph FB with movement? how about figure out where it crossed the plate at while being just feet from being drilled by it? Its not an easy job for them but they do the best they can even though the are not perfect.
3. Not looking good, but I think Selig may decide to step in if the next hearing doesnt give us a good chance of getting it done by the deadline.
4. I could deal with trading Shep, even though it would be tough, because we still have one of the top bullpens right now, and still have some great other relief options in the minors if needed. As long as we keep perez i am good with any deal basically
5. Feliz FB, Ogando Slider (DIRTY!), and maybe not the best pitch but definitly one of the most effective is the O'Day Slider
1. I think there's a 65% chance we win the division. The expletive-expletive Angels are the most inexplicably successful team I've ever seen-and a result, I just can't count them out.
2.I'm absolutely beaten by them. If I were sure we had the appropriate technology, I'd do away with the entitled SOBs and go fully to electronic officiating.
3. At this point I'd be surprised if a deal gets done before the ASB. This is simply too complicated an issue.
4. No. Scheppers is the kind of huge-upside arm I'm loath to part with and Beavan's one of my favorite prospects around-he looks like a reliable third starter for many years.
5. Feliz's fastball, Colby's slider, Francisco's fastball.
1. I'm optimistic but I'm not out bragging how my team is going to win the division. They have a lot to prove.
2. Sometimes. The Max thing was uncalled for but I think the crew was just really sensitive on that subject. The Kinsler thing....he deserved it. When did that guy become such a douche, albiet a talented one? I think Milton rubbed off on him in 08.
3. I have no earthly idea. Just waiting on an annoucement on July 9.
4. Hard to include Scheppers in a deal for a rental, even if its Cliff Lee. Scheppers in a Mariners uniform would greatly disturb my dreams. I would rather go after a pitcher with years of control like Grienke. Scheppers, Beaven, Beltre, Strop for Grienke? Not sure if KC wants pitchers or hitters more.
5. Felicidades' fastball, Ogando's umpire-killing fireball, and when its on, Frankie's splitter is deadly.
If a trade of scheppers and bevan or perez and beavan not only gets Lee but it also brings two first round draft picks. Those draft picks could be used on pitchers and then all that's lost is a couple years of development which would be supplimented by an increase in budget to buy some other free agent pitchers. Just thinking out loud.
But it's not like Lee owns the Yankees, they hit better than .300 against him and Jeter is 11 for 27 lifetime against him. So would that really be a post season plus?
I think the Rangers as currently constructed make the playoffs, going somewhere is another question. We absolutely need home field in the first round and if Lee can increase win total by that much then go for it. A victory in the first round is all I care about, since it would mean this is the best Rangers club ever. If we get the Twins in the first round another lefty would look good against there big M&M bats.
1. Very optimistic
2. I don't think the umpiring has changed that much in the last 30 years, just that every game is televised and there are highlights for days of any incident.
As far as the Kinsler ejection on Fri, as I remember the ball he was whining about was a strike (at least on pitch tracker). Ian is really bad about his reaction to pitches he thinks aren't strikes, looks like a spoiled 3 year old. Time for him to grow up.
3. Hope not, Aug 1 is a good date.
4. Don't want to trade. But if force to I limit it to prospects that are far away from being here or extra pieces like Davis, Arias, Salty, Nippert, but I'm sure JD won't ask for my opinion.
5. The most unhittable pitches and therefor the best are Nefi's off speed stuff, Hunter's curve, and anything coming out of the hands of Ogando or Oliver.
If Scheppers is traded, here is the 2011 Rangers SP depth...
Lewis, Wilson, Feldman, Hunter, Holland, Mathis, ???
1) Optimistic...starting pitching just has to hold up with our offense and bullpen
2) I think its being blown way out of proportion
3) Mr. Greenburg doesnt seem too worried, so im trying to stay optimistic
4) No...as much as I want Lee, I would have a hard time parting with Scheppers
5) Feliz Fastball, Frankie Splitter, and Lewis Slider
1. Optimistic that they'll win the division even if they're forced to stand pat personnel-wise
2. Umpires union needs to be broken, any and all technological aids to making the CORRECT call should be employed (aside from in-game balls and strikes, to be discussed in a second), the most egotistical and confrontational umps (I'm looking at you, Joe West) need to be sent to the minors along with the 5% each season who perform the worst in calling balls and strikes, as determined by postgame bal/strike analysis.
3. My only hope is that at the point that the sale can truly be judged to be imminent, that the new ownership group strikes a deal with Selig to be able to make a move like an Oswalt trade with the provision of an accelerated payback of what the club owes MLB.
4. I hold out for Oswalt if I think we can get him without moving a piece of the Pentagon - if we're screwed on the sale timing and have to stand pat, we just send one more middle finger Tom Hicks' way and go with what we've got. The window isn't closing on this team after this season.
5. 1) Feliz' fastball 2) Lewis' curveball 3) Hunter's curveball 999) Harden's poopball
1. The Rangers will win the AL West this year.
2. Umps do not beat me down.
3. The court will be a siginificant barrier to a trade this July.
4. Scheppers and Beavan for Cliff Lee is not a wise move. It impairs the Rangers for 2011 and beyond. Sure Cliff Lee carries two draft picks; but picks are speculative. Scheppers and Beavan are near ML-ready starters under Rangers' control through 2016. Im not convinced that even with Lee anchoring a playoff rotation, the Rangers would beat NYY and Tampa Bay this year. How about trading relievers Ogando, Omar Beltre and Pedro Strop for Lee?
5. Feliz's fastball, Feldman's cutter and Lewis's curve.
1. Guardedly optimistic.
4. Scares me to death. JD's worst trades have been prospects for veterans. The Rangers would have been this good a year or two ago had they just hung on to prospects named Young & Danks. I fear history repeats itself if he makes a significant trade in July.
@ Conner's Dad
"The Rangers would have been this good a year or two ago had they just hung on to prospects named Young & Danks."
Excellent point.
1. Somewhere in between. I don't think the Rangers end up winning 98 games as they are currently on pace to do. With their schedule, I think 88-91 is more realistic, and I think that'll be enough to win the division.
2. Umpiring errors are part of the game. I don't think there's been a whole lot more bad calls this year than any other year, but the Joyce situation brought everything to the forefront.
3. No, I don't harbor much optimism at all about this deal. Its such a complicated process, and I think the creditors have every right to recoup their money. The idea that Hicks stands to make money out of this ordeal nauseates me; HSG spread themselves too thin, they should have to pay for it out of pocket.
4. Yes, I make that deal. Its selling high on Beaven, who I think is going to be a good 3rd starter but not a TORP. Scheppers history of shoulder issues scares me; I just don't think his arm holds up in a starting role. We get Lee for the stretch run, and pick up a 1st rounder and a compensation pick to replenish our system in the draft (hopefully Greenberg-Ryan will be in place by that point). And the idea of Lee starting Game 1 of the Divisional Series against the Yankees gives me goosebumps.
5. Feliz fastball, Lewis curveball, Feldman sinker
If we did eventually trade for Lee, what are the chances of them finishing bad enough to draft Purke again? If we ended up trading Scheppers for Purke, essentially, I'm okay with it.
1. Optimistic. Schedules, weak or strong, are just a part of it. The Rangers are winning and I hope it's contagious.
2. Yes but I don't ever see it changing.
3. I hope the deal gets done but I have no clue about the legal side of it. What I do know is that HIcks should step up and make it right. I have no respect for the guy.
4. Negative, especially within the same division. But we cannot hoard all of our young talent.
5. Lewis-Location that's the only thing that jumps out at me.
1. I've said since ST that the Rangers were a 92-95 win team. I even tried to convince my Chinese wife to let go over to Macao and put a substantial sum on the Rangers to win the division at 16 to 1. I should have done it anyway. We could have retired to the Bahamas next May.
2. Umpires have always been blind, every since I was a kid. They also always favor the Yankees and Red Sox. S/O
3. I think the sale will be delayed until 2012 when it is revealed that the owners of the Angels are bankrolling Hicks under the table to keep the Rangers salary low.
4. Not unless Lee Immediately signs a two year extension. I'd give up Sheppers for Grenke but not for Lee
5. Colby Lewis' slider. Feliz's fastball
1. Camp A
2. No to both questions. Fri night was Kinsler’s fault totally. Overall ... there are good nights and bad nights for everyone including umpires.
3. No. So TEX must proceed as if it isn’t and make other moves to shore up the holes. If the sale happens it just opens up other opportunities. Sitting and doing nothing is not an option regardless of the ownership status.
4. Yes
5. Feldman’s sinker.
1.) The Rangers are the only team in the division who have outscored their opponents and we get to 88 wins by merely playing .500 ball the rest of the way. 'Nuff said.
2.) Friday night was frustrating, but when you look at it, it said more about the Rangers than the Umps. The pitch Kinsler took was close, and you take your chances if you pout like that. As far as that ump getting hit, look at it from there perspective: Their buddy is down, some in the sellout crowd are cheering, and they depend on catchers to protect them. No, they shouldn't have said anything, but they were ticked. I'd have been mad too.
3.) My optimism on the quick sale died Friday when the judge went off on the Rangers lawyers.
4.) In a heartbeat. We don't want to break in Perez, Scheppers, and Beavan while you are trying to win. That's too many young pitchers to break in for the kind of team we have now. Pick one, trade the other two and lets try to win it all now, while we can. I love my fellow BBTIA readers, but seriously, you guys need to stop living in the past. Rebuilding is over. Its time, baby!
5.) Feliz's FB, Lewis' cutter, Frankie's FB
the mariners will probably have a protected top 10 pick
1. In between I guess. As near as I can tell if the Rangers play .500 ball from here on out they will have 89 wins. That might be good enough. However, I am not certain they can against the high-powered schedule. They don't have the starters. So count me slightly pessimistic. Plus, these are the Rangers we're talking about.
2. No and no.
3. No quick sale. Even if the Monarch crowd loses they'll head to District Court as fast as their legs can carry them. I think this is headed to the US Supreme Court unless there isn't some negotiated settlement. At this point MLB will have to pull the franchise. But that too will head up the black robed chain. This may not be settle before next season.
4. I oppose any trade of major talent at this point.
5. Feliz Fastball, Frankie Splitter, and Lewis Slider
1. Mostly optimistic; optimistic on offense and bullpen, somewhat pessimistic on rotation (save me Dutch!)
2. It's almost like a defensive mechanism for the umpires; since they have been under so much fire lately, it's almost like they are trying to reassert their authority a little more than usual
3. Not really. I will just be happy when it's over
4. Yes
5. a) Felizian fastball, b) Franky splitter, c) Colbayashi slider
4. Hell no.
Good questions Joey.
1. I see what the Rangers are doing now as what they should be doing. Good teams beat bad teams. Now, maybe we shouldn't be winning 11 in a row against anyone, but it certainly is nice. The second half schedule is going to be very hard. I would be surprised if we can play above .500. Hopefully that will keep us in the division race. If we can take care of business against the Angels, the rest of the second half might be a moot point.
2. I have been tired of the umps all year. I know they try and do their best, but that doesn't mean the outcome is good, or right. Call balls and strikes right. Get plays at first base right. Do a replay for a home run if the ball hits high off the wall. The ump should never be above the player or the game. The fans pay to watch the players play, not the umps play the players.
3. Not sure the sale gets done in time, but the judge did move it up to July 9th instead of the 22nd. Still don't think I want to trade for a rental unless we don't have to give up a top prospect.
4. Nope. I have said all along that I wouldn't consider a deal for Lee unless we have a contract extension worked out in advance. Renting a player for a year where, realistically, we aren't going to win the WS isn't the best idea.
5. Feliz Fastball. Lewis Slider. Wish I could say I have seen Schepper's curve myself, cause that would go right here.
5. Can Darren's curve get some love? Dude is straight dealing.
5. 1colby's slider 2 feliz fastball 3. oday slider
Optimist,
Don't care, every game is different,
It will happen eventually.
Being near Philly a) Lee is good, but I am not making Seattle stronger, no matter what. Again, being from Philly, b) I've seen what Ed Wade of Houston will do when backed into a corner (Rolen, Schilling, Lidge) and we can get Oswalt for a reasonable price and maybe keep him. No way on Scheppers or Perez, REGARDLESS!
Feliz, Hunter
Stationed in Dallas for a few months this summer after not having lived here in over a decade.
I knew the Dallas view of Rangers game outings had changed substantially since the late 90s, but I am amazed at how much.
Giving away my season tickets in the late 90s, even last minute, was simple. Never more than 2-3 phone calls at most. Now? Next to impossible. People in North Dallas just flat out do not want to go to Rangers games for the most part. And I've heard from several other North Dallas/Park Cities resident season ticket/suite holders the exact same story.
Fun to blame Hicks for this of course, but that has nothing to do with why the North Dallas/Park Cities people I and these other season ticket holders I know cannot find takers. The people we offer them to have no problem with Hicks (at least not to some level as silly as choosing not to go to sporting events they'd rather go to) and live in his and his family's Park Cities/Preston Hollow circles.
And this phenomenon has not at all changed despite the Rangers winning 87 games last year and being in first place on pace to win over 95 games this year.
The reasons for no longer wanting to go are varied depending on the day and person, but ask the same people at another time what they think of the Ballpark and its location and the responses are completely unanimous.
W. and Rose got themselves paid. Good for them I guess. But the Rangers are seriously paying for it now.
Don't trade Scheppers or Perez!
1) Optimistic. Still don't think the offense has realized it's full potential, and that's a scary thought. But a little worried (idk if that's necessarily the right word) about the pitching staff once August rolls around.
2) I have no problem with mistakes. What I have a HUGE problem with is umpires that either a) won't admit or recognize when they do mess up, b) have massive egos and think they're bigger than the game or the players and make sure people know who they are, or c) won't use whatever help is available (replay, other umps, etc) because their egos are so big they feel theyre never wrong.
3) Wasn't this deal supposed to be done before spring training? So... no. Little hope. Just let me know when it's finally done, rather than when the next round of meetings will push the date back even more.
4) Umm probably not. Does is absolutely have to include Scheppers or Perez? Unfortunately, most likely.
5) Feliz and Ogando fastballs are awesome, I think O'Day's pitches from his angle make him one of the dirtiest pitchers in the game, when Feldman is on, he gets some pretty crazy movement too.
1. Right now, somewhere in-between. I'm still kind of afraid of what could happen when the schedule toughens up and the bullpen starts to feel the repercussions of it's immense workload in the final couple months, but I'm a bit more optimistic that this team will be able to handle it with the balance of offense and a decent pitching they've shown of late.
2. More robots, less "human element" please.
3. Not really, no. And in a way, I might be be thankful of that if it prevents us from wasting talent on acquiring Oswalt. On the other hand, it also means we have no shot at the guy I want, Dan Haren, but for some reason the Rangers don't seem too interested in him...
4. Well, I'd still like to acquire a right-handed 1B/OF (Wigginton or Kearns) but considering we've still got Garko in OKC that actually seems like a decent deal to me. I'm definitely not one who fancies giving up talent for a rental, but I don't see Scheppers as a starter long-term due to his durability, and I don't think Beavan is anything better than Tommy Hunter 2.0, so... I think I might actually pull the trigger on that, given the fact that we'll get a couple good draft picks out of it next year as well.
5. Feliz and CJ's fastballs, and Lewis's slider.
I guess if you think Feliz is going to stick as closer, and Scheppers is also closer material, then you can make Scheppers available for the right guy. I think Smoak has probably made Chris Davis a lot more expendable, too. No way Texas should move Tommy Hunter. Similarly, Feliz, Holland, and Perez should be off-limits. So that leaves a deal involving Scheppers, Davis, and Matt Harrison - plus maybe a throw-away guy like McCarthy or Strop or Arias. I don't think Houston would make that deal, though - and so it makes it highly unlikely that Oswalt will be a Ranger. I expect there are cheaper solutions out there. And really, the best solution of all is for Rich Harden to come back healthy and pitching like he is capable of.
My bottom line if I were GM is that I only trade from strength, and I don't give up top shelf players who could be important pieces to the team over the next 5 years.
Another idea that must be considered is to look at the players out there who are still available as free agents. I believe that both Pedro and Smoltz are in that category. If you are looking for a veteran presence who can add a little experience in a playoff setting, you could do a lot worse than either of those guys. Some other names: Jarrod Washburn, Braden Looper, Paul Byrd.
Its kinda funny but if Matt Purke were in the system I would probably trade Perez, but not Scheppers. Right now there is no way and no one I trade either for. I just don think it is time to give up ACE or CLOSER type arm for a one and done player
I''m late to the game on this post, so probably nobody will see this, but want to add one point of fact that everybody is missing: Scheppers signed on September 17 last year and CANNOT be traded for at least a year after that. So he can't be included in a deal between now and July 31.
Now, I suppose there's a possiblity of making him the player to be named later in a deal (there's a time limit on completion of those as well), but are the Mariners (or any other team for that matter) going to be agreeable to waiting that long for him?
I like what Yung said.
"And really, the best solution of all is for Rich Harden to come back healthy and pitching like he is capable of."
This couldn't be more true. A healthy Rich Harden, who pitches like he is capable, not like we have seen this year, could make as big of an impact as any of the trade targets. I trust Maddux has had his time with him and they can figure something out. He is supposed to be the best pitching coach in the game, so let's see what happens.
It kinda sucks that a part of our future is in the hands of Harden, If he sucks still when he comes back, we get to trade away part of our future core in either schep or perez or another solid young guy, but if he can be somewhere between what he was and what he could be, he saves us from needing to make a major deal and schep and perez get to stay in the org for at least another year