MLB.Com has posted 31 season previews, one for each team, and one overall one for baseball in general.
Here’s the one for the Rangers.
If you’ve been following the team pretty closely, there’s nothing here that’s really new, but it’s a nice summary of what’s going on just the same.
Happy New Year
As we close 2005, we have a lot to be excited about for 2006. I think we might finish higher than third for the first time in SIX SEASONS now. Ugh. Anyway, I just watned to say Happy New Year. I’ve been quiet lately as I’ve been working on a bunch of behind the scenes things for next season. I’m still working on revamping my daily game recaps for 2006. They’ve remained the same since I first started the site in December of 1998, so they might be in need of an overhaul. I’m probably going to be quiet for a little while longer, as I want to make sure I get everything done and ready. Should there be big news, I’ll have the headlines, but I probably won’t write a ton for the next couple of weeks.
Also, I just saw where Yahoo will be running their fantasy baseball again for free in 2006, so I’ll have my league from this site as usual. They say registration starts in early February, so I’ll post when it’s open.
Milwood Signed
- P Kevin Milwood signed to a 5 year contract [ Link ]
Blalock to White Sox?
Heard on XM Radio a few minutes ago a new rumor about Hank Blalock being moved.
Blalock to White Sox for a starter and Joe Crede.
Depending on who the starter is, I’d do that. Most of the White Sox starters had great records last year, so if we can grab one of their guys, that’d be cool, but it wouldn’t make much sense to me for the Sox to move someone like Garland, Contreras, etc…
Rangers sign Milwood
According to the Ft Worth Star Telegram and TR Sullivan…
The Rangers have signed Kevin Milwood. It’s supposed to be announced tomorrow after a physical, but it’s apparently a four deal deal with an option (Jamey Newberg’s report says its’ a vesting option). The FTW article doesn’t mention what kind of option, and I can’t find any mention of this story on any national website as I write this.
Although I imagine that will change shortly. More updates as I get them.
UPDATE #1 @ 5:30PM Mon: According to this story, it’s a 5 year contract at $60 million. The fifth year can be voided by the Rangers if Milwood doesn’t pitch “x” number of innings in an unspecified time during the first years. So we’re locked into $48 million for four years. Could be OK, could be bad. We’ll see. Also no word if the $60 is a straight $12 per year or if there’s some other breakdown. Again, more as it comes in.
Regilio re-signed
- P Nick Regilio resigned to a 1 year minor league contract [ Link ]
Damon in Pinstripes
4 years, $52 Mil. I’m sure the Yankees and their fans will make a big deal out of this, and he’ll probably be good for them in 2006. But I’d be stunned if he doesn’t turn into Bernie Williams at the back end of this. He’s already partially there with the same relatively weak arm.
The Non Tender Deadline
Today was the deadline to offer arbitration eligible players contracts, otherwise they’d become free agents. We offered arbitration to all our eligible players.
Mark Teixeira, Kevin Mench, Gary Matthews, Brad Wilkerson, Vicente Padilla, Joaquin Benoit, & Rod Barajas were the players all tendered contracts. Formally, San Diego offered arb to Adam Eaton, as he isn’t Ranger property until the trade is actually consumated.
Desired salaries from both sides (management, player) are exchanged sometime in the middle of January. If there’s no settlement on a contract between now and sometime in early February, there will be an actual arbitration hearing; something that hasn’t happened with the Rangers since 2000 (although I forget who the player was
If the sides don’t agree on a contract figure by mid-January, they’ll exchange desired 2006 salaries. If there is no settlement by early February, the sides will participate in an arbitration hearing, which usually is classified as ugly.
The Rangers haven’t gone to a hearing since 2000, when Doug Melvin was the GM. Can’t remember who the player was, though.
Rangers: Win now?
There’s an intersting article by Ken Rosenthal over at Foxsports’ site about this trade. Definitely a good read, he talks about whether this move almost shows that we’ll go get Milwood in a “win now” mentality. Most of the article is questioning bits of the trade, but he did point out that we did all this without giving up any of our biggest prospects (DVD, for instance). Tim Cowlishaw of the DMN also says that he’s skeptical about the deal. It’s the first three words of his article! There doesn’t seem to be much positive about him, although he seems to think we’re going to go overpay for Milwood. Evan Grant also chimes in on the deal here.
Speaking of Milwood, he was in town today, but there doesn’t appear to be any word as to what happened that I can find right now. I wouldn’t mind two years on Milwood at the dollars he wants. Maybe three tops, but I wouldn’t be happy with four, and no way should we do five. Still, I know Milwood from following the Phillies, and I don’t think it would be a horrible move. We certainly could use him. He did seem to falter in Philly when he was supposed to be the #1 guy in that rotation.
Chris Young seems to be unfazed by the trade, according to this story on the DMN site. I still think it’s an odd move, but it does tie in to Rosenthal’s “win now” article, if you believe most of the Internet based knee-jerk fan reactions. :) While it’s an eyebrow raiser for sure, it’s not somehting I’m going to freak out and demand Jon Daniels’ head over like I’ve seen online already.
If anything, all these moves show that Daniels isn’t the same GM that we were very eager as fans to run out of town (or at least upstairs where he can’t be seen, or onto the golf course officially). Daniels has made a bunch of moves. How it plays out remains to be seen.
Could be worse. We could be baseball fans in Montreal, and see our team taken from us. As bad as some fans are about bashing management, hey – at least we have a team! :)
Chris Young, Adam Eaton Trade
- P Adam Eaton, P Akinori Otsuka, & C Billy Killian acquired via trade from San Diego Padres for P Chris Young, 1B Adrian Gonzalez, & OF Terrmel Sledge [ Link ]
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