Rangers Offseason

[jthig32]

So this will probably be THE only thing worth discussing on this board during the Rangers offseason, but this is probably a big enough deal to justify a thread of its own.

So what appears to be official, pending medical exams, is that the Rangers have traded Millwood to the Orioles for Chris Ray. The Rangers are also covering $3Mil of Millwood's salary.

Chris Ray, FYI, is a relief pitcher who used to be pretty darn good, but had Tommy John surgery almost two years ago and hopefully could be rebounding, as this is the optimal time after TJ surgery.

But the main point of the trade is to unload $8Mil worth of Millwood's salary. Millwood was not nearly as good as his base numbers suggested last year, and he was a good bet to not be worth anything close to the $12Mil he was due. The Rangers, for once, have plenty of options to step into the rotation and at the very least give league average performance. So for what you were paying Millwood, you'd like to have someone with a later higher upside.

Enter Rich Harden, whom the Rangers are apparently very close to signing to a one year deal with a team option for a second year. With Harden you have a bonafide, proven, top of the rotation ace. Like, not a "Ranger ace", but a real, big time, ace.

*Except*, (obviously there's an except on a pitcher signing a one year contract) Harden is VERY injury prone. I certainly wouldn't count on 190 innings from him this season.

But if he can stay relatively healthy and produce up to the level he's shown in the past, the Rangers just made themselves significantly better for 2010.

Very cool, and a very creative move by a front office that can't spend any money right now.