Well, well, well. The Rangers have done it again. Less than 48 hours before the trading deadline, the Rangers dealt one of their best players, and a huge fan favorite for that matter, to the Atlanta Braves.
And what did the Rangers receive in return?
Pitching!
Wait, no. They didn't get pitching. Not really. They received a 19-year-old right-hander Nestali Feliz (sounds like a familiar spanish-style take on a Christmas song?) and another minor-league pitcher that is to be determined. Included in the deal were Rangers relief pitcher Ron Mahay, and catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia and minor-league shortstop Elvis Andrus.
Okay, the Rangers are in dyer need of pitching, and have been since they arrived in Arlington from Washington, D.C. in 1972. So, why did they TRADE away a pitcher for yet ANOTHER catcher, a minor-league shortstop and, and two young pitchers who will likely be traded away from the Rangers anyways?
Let's refresh. Earlier in the season, the Rangers acquired catcher Adam Melhuse from Oakland. They also have a bright-futured minor-league catcher, Chris Stewart, who has seen some major league action this season. And the Rangers' starting catcher, Gerald Laird, is quickly and quietly becoming one of the better-hitting catchers in all of baseball. So what point does it make to acquire ANOTHER catcher from Atlanta?
Now let's look at shortstop: Michael Young. Probably the most popular Rangers player among fans. What good is acquiring another shortstop when Young is young. He is only 30 and has at least 7 more years of playing time in his career. If I was a player, I wouldn't want to be playing in the minor leagues for at least 7 years, waiting for an all-star player to retire so that I could have MY shot in the spotlight.
Conclusion? A total bust for the Rangers. It seems as if they were so concerned about getting rid of Teixeira and his $9 million salary, that they settled for whatever they could, or what they thought was the best amount of talent being offered.
The Rangers may have acquired some young talent through their dumbfounded decision making, but they lost a fan.
GO BRAVES.
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