Texas Rangers Ready to Showcase Chris Davis in the Outfield?

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The Texas Rangers could be ready to bring Chris Davis back to the big leagues but it's not to play first or even third base.

No according to reports, Davis is going to see playing time in the outfield at one of the corner spots and will move Josh Hamilton from a corner outfield position to center field. Something that could make just about every Ranger fan cringe after all the times Josh has run head long into the outfield walls.



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This is nothing more than the Rangers showcasing Chris Davis for a possible trade at or before the trade deadline at the end of July. Davis has seen time in the outfield with Triple-A Round Rock but if Major League teams are going to be interested in making a trade with Texas, they are going to watch him over the next few weeks to see how he handles the change in position.

The knock on Davis, however, isn't his defense but it's when he grabs a bat and steps to the plate. He has a ton of holes in his swing and hasn't had near the same success offensively that he's shown in the minor leagues.

That being said, Davis is still very much a hot trade commodity and the Rangers know it. If he wasn't they would have no reason to bring him up and stick him in the outfield. They know the problems he's had at the plate and they the risk they're taking in having him in the lineup on an every day basis.

But the Rangers need to show that Davis is a serviceable big league player because they themselves need to include him in a trade that would land them a big time reliever for the bullpen or starter for the rotation.

We have talked about a few names the Rangers could be looking at but what we don't know is which deal Davis would be included in.

The San Diego Padres aren't going to do a one-for-one deal with Heath Bell or Mike Adams. They may not even be interested in Davis seeing as they already have young infielders Anthony Rizzo, Jesus Guzman and Kyle Blanks able to man the first base position.

So if it's not Bell or Adams, where will Davis end up and what will he bring in return.

One deal I've talked about before on my podcast involves the Baltimore Orioles and right hander, Jeremy Guthrie.

This is a guy who could use a fresh start especially since he's spent his entire career with an Orioles' team that has no chance in winning their division let alone getting deep into the playoffs.

They are in need of an infielder like Chris Davis and could do send Guthrie to Texas without the Rangers having to give up a second player in the deal.

Also, the Chicago Cubs are about ready to waive the white flag on their season and could be willing to part with reliever Kerry Wood, again. The Cubs aren't going to sell high on Wood and may send him to the American League on a one-for-one swap.


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But there's one name who the Rangers could, and should, look at and he's another pitcher with the Chicago Cubs. Matt Garza was a guy who was brought to the windy city thanks to the aforementioned Kerry Wood and it seems as if the Cubs could very well be open to dealing him in the right trade.

Garza is a guy who really became a young star with the Tampa Bay Rays and it was one of the biggest reasons the Cubs landed him in free agency after the 2010 season.

He won a combined 34 games over three seasons with the Rays and never finished with an ERA worse than 3.95 during his time there.

This season hasn't been nearly as good to him but he has experience in the American League and he's only 27-years old, soon to be 28 in November, so you're getting a young pitcher who still has a lot of good years ahead of him.

There are more than a few names the Rangers will look at over the next month but their ability to make a deal hinges on how Chris Davis performs over the next month. If he struggles and his batting average takes a tumble, so will his trade value.

The Rangers are taking a definite risk but one they could really cash in on if it pays off.

Texas Rangers: Heath Bell or Mike Adams?

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The San Diego Padres are already waiving the white flag.

Well, at least if you listen to SI.com's Jon Heyman. His column this morning talks about the Padres already engaging in talks about closer Heath Bell and set up man Mike Adams.

"San Diego has even shown a willingness to at least engage in trade talk even about a star young reliever such as Mike Adams," said Heyman. "Padres people may ultimately decide to keep Adams, but they appear to be taking a very realistic approach to their team and season."

It's common knowledge the Texas Rangers are a team who will be looking for bullpen help at the trade deadline and they have already met with Padres' brass at Petco Park in late May.

While they won't be the only ones looking for a guy like Adams or Bell, most of the teams looking for pitching help are going to be focusing their attention on the Padres' set up man instead of the closer.


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One of the more obvious reasons might be the fact Adams will be under team control through the 2012 season and may not cost nearly as much to sign the right hander long term.

As of right now, Bell is making $8.5 million in what will most certainly be his final season in a San Diego Padres' uniform before he hits free agency. Once that happens, Bell is going to land a deal between three and four years and in the neighborhood of $10-$12 million per season.

The Rangers may not want to invest that much money, not to mention that many years, for a guy who is already 34 years old. You're looking at an investment that you hope stays healthy for a full three seasons at an age where most pitchers are starting to wind down their career.

Adams is the best option for Texas to go after but what they need to be concerned about, where both him and Bell are concerned, are the players the Padres will ask in return.

Not only will Adams be under a team's control through the 2012 season but his $2.5 million price tag and an ERA that hasn't been above 2.00 since the 2008 season makes him an attractive reliever in any bullpen.

If the Padres are really serious about selling off Mike Adams, it's going to cause a bidding war either in the days leading up to the deadline or just hours before it expires.

If I'm the Rangers, I get the asking price and figure out if it's something I can afford to give. If not, no matter how good Mike Adams is, I move to on other names who can help fix a struggling bullpen as well as a starter for the rotation.

There's no doubt Adams gives the Rangers' bullpen a much different look and a guy manager Ron Washington can hand the ball to knowing it'll be taken care of.

Heath Bell or Mike Adams? That is the question.

Texas Rangers Notes: Bullpen Trade Options

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The Texas Rangers are in desperate need of fixing their bullpen. If Wednesday night's debacle wasn't enough for Ranger fans to begin scouring the internet for rumors of possible trades, I don't know what kind of meltdown it would actually take for panic to finally set in.

We know all the talk surrounding Neftali Feliz making the move from the team's closer to the starting rotation. The Rangers did not see enough of him during spring training to believe he could successfully make the transition.

Now, after blowing a two-run lead in the ninth inning against the Houston Astros on Wednesday, general manager Jon Daniels and CEO Nolan Ryan may need to kick start conversations with teams around Major League Baseball to see who is available.

With that in mind, here is a look at some of the bullpen names who could be mentioned in connection with Texas from now until the trade deadline at the end of July.

Heath Bell (Padres) - 2-3, 19 Saves, 2.70 ERA

San Diego Padres' closer Heath Bell is a name that came up immediately after Feliz blew the save for the Rangers on Wednesday night. But his name has come up long before that.

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It's common knowledge that the Padres are going to make him available at the deadline as the team will not be able to afford what Bell will ask for in free agency.

I talked to a source last week who told me the Rangers had met with Padres' brass at Petco Park about a month ago. Though they couldn't say if names were exchanged, one has to believe the likes of Bell as well as Adams were probably brought up in conversation.

As for what Bell might cost the Rangers? A few names I've been told are minor league shortstop Jurickson Profar and possibly reserve outfielder David Murphy. With rumors the Padres could trade outfielder Ryan Ludwick at the deadline, bringing in another veteran outfielder makes little sense in this scenario.

Mike Adams (Padres) - 2-1, 1.35 ERA


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While Heath Bell would be a great addition to the Rangers, San Diego Padres' set up man Mike Adams might be an even better option.

The soon to be 33-year told right hander has allowed just five earned runs 33.1 innings pitched and has given up just one run in his last nine innings.

Though he's only a year younger than Bell, Adams is the one who has ties to Texas. He was born in Corpus Christi and attended Texas A&M-Kingsville. A trade back to Texas would bring the native son home to an area he grew up in and close to family he still has in the state.

The Padres are less likely to give up Adams especially since he's under team control through the 2012 season. He would also cost the Rangers more in return than Bell would.

All that being said, he's shown just how dominant of a reliever he can be. Say what you want about pitching at Petco Park, where he sports a 1.06 ERA and holding opposing hitters to a .138 batting average, Adams has a 1.65 ERA away from Petco and is holding opposing hitters to a .155 batting average.

Joel Hanrahan (Pirates) - 0-1, 20 Saves, 1.31 ERA

According to Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune, the Texas Rangers had apparently contacted the Pittsburgh Pirates in late May about their closer, Joel Hanrahan.

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At the time, the conversation did not go anywhere as the Pirates were not willing to talk about any deals regarding Hanrahan.

He's been solid all season long and has yet to blow a save. He's only given up two earned runs over his last 20.1 innings pitched. Pittsburgh isn't exactly a pitcher's park so give the soon to be 30-year old right hander credit. He's arguably one of the biggest reasons the Pirates are only three games behind the Milwaukee Brewers in the National League Central.

Hanrahan sports a 1.42 ERA at home and has held opposing hitters to a .194 batting average. On the road he's even better. He holds a 1.17 road ERA with a .218 batting average against.

Francisco Rodriguez (Mets) - 1-2, 19 Saves, 3.34 ERA

There was a time where I would almost beg for a guy like 29-year old Francisco Rodriguez. This is a young reliever who burst onto the Major League Baseball scene with the then Anaheim Angels during their World Series run. He was the young kid who made Derek Jeter and other New York Yankee hitters look like little leaguers at the plate.

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His fastball was in the upper 90's with a breaking ball that was absolutely unhittable.

After his trade to the New York Mets, and drama involving his arrest for assaulting his father-in-law last year, he just hasn't been the same dominant closer that he had been in the past.

Rodriguez has blown each of his last two saves and has given up eight earned runs in his last 10 innings pitched. If he's struggling in the NL East, how are things going to go for him in the American League especially in a hitter's park?

Kerry Wood (Cubs) - 1-3, 2.25 ERA

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Kerry Wood is one of those relievers the Rangers would love to bring in. He's currently on the 15-day disabled list with a blister on his right index finger but that shouldn't keep teams from inquiring about his availability.

Wood's career took a big turn for the better in 2010 as a member of the New York Yankees. The right hander was 2-0 with an astounding 0.69 ERA allowing just two earned runs in 24 appearances with the Bronx Bombers.

His experience in one of the toughest divisions in baseball, the AL East, will make him a very sought after commodity at the trade deadline.

With things not going so well for the Chicago Cubs, Wood could definitely be just one of several players on the trade block.

Grant Balfour (A's) - 4-1, 2 Saves, 2.48 ERA

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Oakland A's flamethrower, Grant Balfour, could be one of the more interesting names as the trade deadline approaches.

While the A's aren't waving the white flag of surrender on a very weak AL West division, they could very well do just that if they continue to slip further and further behind the Seattle Mariners and front-runner Texas Rangers.

In 2010, Balfour showed the kind of dominance he could bring with the Tampa Bay Rays. He had 57 relief appearances (55.1 IP) he had a 2.28 ERA and held opposing hitters to a .216 batting average. He was signed by the Oakland A's during the off season and has been just as dominant in 2011 as he was last season.

This season, in 33 relief appearances (32.2 IP), Balfour has a 2.48 ERA and holding hitters to a .198 batting average.


Best of the rest:

Sean Marshall (Cubs)
Todd Coffey (Nationals)
Joakim Soria (Royals)
Tyler Clippard (Nationals)
Kevin Gregg (Orioles)

Texas Rangers Notes: Chris Davis, Julio Borbon, Todd Coffey, Padres, Nationals

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With the trade deadline just under two months away, the trade talks and rumors will begin to get hot and heavy through just about every online baseball site there is.

For the Texas Rangers, they are in need of bullpen help and Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports covers just that topic today in his column.


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For those of you who have checked in on my blog for my thoughts on the Rangers and who they should use as trade bait, you know one name I've thrown out is reserve first baseman Chris Davis. As of right now he is expendable and one place I've mentioned as a possible landing spot is with the offensively starved, San Diego Padres.

It's well known that the Padres will be willing to listen to trade offers for a few of their relievers including closer Heath Bell and set up man Mike Adams. If Texas can shore up their bullpen at or before the deadline, they will be a tough team to beat in the American League.

Another candidate that Rosenthal talks about is outfielder, Julio Borbon, who the team sent down to Triple-A Round Rock due to the surprising success of Endy Chavez who has been on an absolute tear as of late. He had eight hits in 12 at bats against the Cleveland Indians and is 13-of-26 in his last six games.

If this continues, and with the depth the Rangers have in the outfield, they are in the position to be able to trade Borbon to a team who needs depth at the position.

According to Rosenthal, the Rangers have been interested in Washington Nationals' reliever Todd Coffey and he says Borbon could be a good piece to use in a deal.