Monday Morning Rangers Notes: Rumors At 20,000 Feet

Well, I haven't actually taken to the skies yet this morning (waiting time in the terminal doesn't exactly qualify), but I couldn't pass up this reference:

● In a Justin Upton-related update that may or may not actually be an update, Ken Rosenthal says that the Rangers are among several teams who continue to engage the Diamondbacks on Upton, with their preference being to "build a package around third baseman Mike Olt ... [Texas] is willing to add a top pitching prospect and third quality piece to the package, sources say"; in addition, Rosenthal indicates that Upton-to-Texas talks only "recently revived" after a trade was nearly consummated at the winter meetings, then fell apart late in the game (FOXSports.com)

● In response to a weekend San Diego Union-Tribune report stating that the Padres had made contact with the Marlins on a possible trade for Giancarlo Stanton, Clark Spencer fired back from the Marlins' beat: "Simply put, the Marlins 'are not moving him,' according to a source I spoke with. They haven't even 'discussed' it internally. The team's plans calling for Stanton to start the season with the club and occupy the clean-up spot have 'not changed at all,' according to another source with knowledge of the Marlins' intentions." (Miami Herald)

● In reference to his past "bashing" of the Rangers (which probably had more made of it than should have been the case), Lance Berkman commented thusly: I'm prepared to let bygones be bygones, but I understand the fans remembering those comments. Ultimately, I had to eat some crow and I was happy to do that. I tend to share an unvarnished opinion and not everyone was going to like that answer. It was my honest opinion and I was proved to be incorrect in my assessment and it was not the first time I've been wrong. This is a different team and a different scenario and I'm happy to be a part of the Rangers organization. It's a winning team. Hopefully by playing well, I'll be able to win over some of those fans I ostracized by shooting my mouth off before." (Richard Durrett, ESPN.com)

● According to Jon Heyman, "[the] Rangers [are] still looking for more after adding Berkman ... Michael Bourn, Justin Upton, and Kyle Lohse could be in play" (Twitter)