Soriano Traded!

[ames7]

Wow. They actually did something! Check out the last line of this story...yeah, good luck with that.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2251887

Despite an uncertain ownership situation, the Washington Nationals have made a splash at baseball's Winter Meetings.

The Nationals have acquired Texas Rangers' second baseman Alfonso Soriano in exchange for Brad Wilkerson, Terrmel Sledge and a minor-leaguer to be named later, ESPN's Peter Gammons reports.

The deal is pending physicals.

Soriano hit .268 with 36 home runs, 104 RBI and recorded 30 stolen bases last season. During his seven-year career, Soriano has a .280 average with 162 home runs, 465 RBI and 169 stolen bases.

With Jose Vidro already entrenched at second base, it's believed that the Nationals would move Soriano to left field.

[jleefilled]

uh, for who, who and who? educate me here, ames. was this a good trade? I loved having Soriano as a Ranger. I thought he was clutch.

nm, I looked them up, and they don't look that great to me. I hope the minor-leaguer is a pitching prospect.

[#1MavsFan]

This seems like they just wanted to dump him. I was hoping they could package him in a deal for a starting pitcher, but I should know better by now consider their history.

[ames7]

Wilkerson:
http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/players/6631

Sledge:
http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/players/7188

I like Wilkerson alright. Not too familiar with Sledge. I liked Sori too & I'm disappointed they didn't get a pitcher, but I'm inclined to like this deal. We needed outfield help badly. I haven't really seen much of the Nats to really know too much about the guys we're getting, but Jamey Newberg loves this trade & I tend to trust him in these things.

[u2sarajevo]

I really think Soriano was fools Gold. But what we got in return are a couple of young Outfielders. Wilkerson is the most valuable piece...... although I hoped we would get Pitching, I will be disappointed if the minor leaguer isn't a Pitcher.

I think Sledge is a minor leaguer, although he played a couple dozen games or so last year in the majors.

[Five-ofan]

ames do you post on Newbergreport.com??? I am Matt there. I love wilkerson. I would have taken him straight up for sori the rest is just gravy.

[Murphy3]

Wilkerson is a nice player. He walks alot and will immediately step in and be the Rangers lead off hitter. Don't look for him to hit .250 for the Rangers. It'll probably be closer to .270 with a .360-.370 OBP. Plus, he can play CF. He has a little pop.

Sledge is just a guy. If you're 28 and you've accomplished as little as he is, anything you get from him other than just being another guy would be unexpected.

Galarrage the pitching prospect they got in trade has a nice arm. He'll probably start out in AA. Unless he develops a third pitch, he'll probably end up in the pen but he does have a good fastball.

[ocelot_ark]

Sounds like a shit deal to me.

[Murphy3]

I would assume that the deal was made to bring OF's and to allow the rangers more cash to spend on FA pitchers. Plus, I do believe that people will be pleasantly surprised by Wilkerson. It's still a wait and see thing. What they do next will decide whether or not this was a good deal.

[#1MavsFan]

Wilkerson
Career 654 2265 369 580 149 23 83 265 43 .256 .365 .452

Soriano
Career 802 3255 505 912 199 16 162 465 169 .280 .320 .500

Soriano was 29, Wilkerson is 28. Sledge is a huge spare and basically just a throw in. They better get some pitching from the $$$ this trade saved, if they don't it'll just show once again that the Rangers are incompetent when it comes to the off season and that Tom Hicks just wanted to reduce more payroll.

[jthig32]

It is very likely that Wilkerson's offensive numbers will be better than Sori's accross the board this year with the changes in leagues and park. We traded from a position of strength and filled a position of need (OF), and, btw, the PTBNL is in fact a pitcher, 23 year old who was the #5 prospect for the Nationals this past year.

[Murphy3]

Well, considering you're not focusing on perhaps two of the most important things concerning Wilkerson and Soriano. Wilkerson is a good center fielder...something the Rangers have desperately needed AND he's a leadoff man. Do you see his OBP? It's .365 before moving to a hitters friendly park.

Wilkerson is a lefty. With his pop, he'll probably hit 25-30 HR's, have a .370+ OBP, and hit .270+.

And yeah, he fields his position much better than Soriano does. I'm not saying that he's a better player, but he along with Galarraga PLUS the freed up cash should make this deal a good deal.

[jleefilled]

Thanks Murph, I'm feeling much better about this trade. I knew there had to be something good about it. I just don't think you trade Soriano for a handful of magic beans.

That pitching prospect sounds interesting, and a hitter who has a high OBP is just what the doctor ordered for the Rangers.

[Five-ofan]

Galaraga reminds me alot of Benoit. Wilkerson hit 32 homers the in 04. He is a tough out. He will be a benefit and he isnt terrible defensively. Sledge doesnt do alot for me but hey he could turn out to be solid. I like the deal and this frees up mench or nix to be traded.

[ames7]

Originally Posted by Five-ofan

ames do you post on Newbergreport.com??? I am Matt there. I love wilkerson. I would have taken him straight up for sori the rest is just gravy.

I don't post that often, but I lurk all the time during baseball season. Not as much nowadays unless something's happening. Most people over there seem to like the deal, yes?

I think this is as close as they were probably going to get to value. I'm wasn't thrilled with the LA rumors about that pitching prospect b/c I really think they need to be getting major-leaguers or major-league-ready guys out of Sori.

[snoop]

Originally Posted by u2sarajevo

I really think Soriano was fools Gold. But what we got in return are a couple of young Outfielders. Wilkerson is the most valuable piece...... although I hoped we would get Pitching, I will be disappointed if the minor leaguer isn't a Pitcher.

I think Sledge is a minor leaguer, although he played a couple dozen games or so last year in the majors.

they are not young. both are 28. this was a bad trade. the rangers could have got more if they held out.

[Five-ofan]

I dont think the rangers could have gotten more and they still hadnt offered sori arbitration so there was a chance they could have just let him walk. One more thing, though I dont think it would ever happen, if Zito is available Wilkerson is much more of a moneyball player and Beane would be more likely to accept something centered around him than sori. Just something to think about.

[Murphy3]

Be prepared for the talking bobble heads such as Randy Galloway to hammer this deal. Galloway probably doesn't understand OBP and minor league prospect.

[Five-ofan]

While I think OBP is overrated by some, this is a good trade for the rangers

[jthig32]

Originally Posted by snoop

they are not young. both are 28. this was a bad trade. the rangers could have got more if they held out.

Plain and simply not true...not even close. Go read some of the more in depth baseball sites around the country. The general concensus is that, while this trade doesn't necessarily fill the Rangers' most glaring need, it is WAY more than anyone expected the Rangers to get for Soriano.

Casual baseball fans see the homeruns and speed, and don't realize he's one of the most overrated players in baseball.

[Five-ofan]

Also about the what people dont understand front is that A)the rangers outfield situation was pretty bad B) though the lineup is good, it does have weaknesses. If we had traded for a pure power hitter with a low obp I would be a little bothered. I personally think Wilkerson will hit at least 30 homers here but even if he doesnt he should have a 380+ obp which means someone will be on base when the power hitters hit homers. Very nice deal.

[Drbio]

Originally Posted by Five-ofan

ames do you post on Newbergreport.com??? I am Matt there. I love wilkerson. I would have taken him straight up for sori the rest is just gravy.

I am Doc there....


From Newberg.....

Peter Gammons of ESPN is reporting that Texas has traded Alfonso Soriano to
Washington for outfielders Brad Wilkerson and Terrmel Sledge and a minor
leaguer to be named later, and I am incredibly pumped. Soriano for
Wilkerson alone would have suited me just fine.

The deal is pending physicals.

More in the next Newberg Report.

Jamey

[Drbio]

Originally Posted by ocelot_ark

Sounds like a shit deal to me.

All due respect.....this is wrong. This is a pretty solid trade. I know most here will not be familiar with the guys coming into Texas but this was a good deal.

[Five-ofan]

I love it, btw, we traded german for the first pick in the rule 5 draft. I am impressed with JD so far.

[Murphy3]

Originally Posted by Five-ofan

While I think OBP is overrated by some, this is a good trade for the rangers

how can you overrate OBP?

[Drbio]

Originally Posted by snoop

they are not young. both are 28. this was a bad trade. the rangers could have got more if they held out.

You clearly do not follow baseball as closely as basketball (I assume you follow basketball) or you would not feel this way.

[Drbio]

For those who post at Newberg.....how long have you been tehre?

I joined back when they had an open board in the good old days. That was about 99 or 2000 I think.

[LonestarROB]

Dont get to excited about Wilkerson. Rumors are he'll be moved on to toronto for Orlando Hudson.

[Five-ofan]

Think that the rangers should trade everyone they have for people with high obp and no power. Think that someone with a 300 avg and a 350 obp isnt as good as a guy with a 250 avg and a 360 obp assuming everything else is equal. OBP is very important dont get me wrong but its not the end all be all that it was made out to be. Slugging percentage has a higher connection to runs but in this particular case I like it because I think that a lineup needs to be balanced and the rangers still have a wealth of power. Plus I think wilkerson will match soris power numbers here.

[Drbio]

With all due credit to Newberg....here is his daily report....


THE NEWBERG REPORT

On the day Texas traded for Alfonso Soriano, it snowed in Dallas. On the
day nearly two years later that Texas traded Soriano, it sleeted in Dallas.
The moment I heard the news last night, after a couple weeks of multiple
Ranger trades that had apparently dissolved at the doorstep, it felt like
one colossal thaw.

On Monday, buried in the middle of a long Newberg Report was the following
paragraph:

"ESPN's Jayson Stark writes that the Mets 'aren't in on' Soriano, and that
Minnesota and the Cubs are no longer interested. Washington, according to
Stark, is the team with the most interest in Soriano but lacks the pitching
that Texas wants. (If the Nationals offered outfielder Brad Wilkerson and
righthander Armando Galarraga, I'm interested.)"

So you might imagine how I felt when word spilled late Wednesday night that
Washington had agreed to trade exactly those two players, plus outfielder
Terrmel Sledge, to the Rangers for Soriano. The deal is contingent on the
players passing physicals.

This trade was possible only because Wilkerson had an off-year in 2005 due
to forearm and shoulder injuries -- he was virtually untouchable a year
earlier -- and because Jim Bowden was determined to make a splashy trade.
I'm still surprised that Texas was able to get the three players it got.

The Nationals are surely going to get only one season out of Soriano, who
won't be happy playing in the outfield as he's apparently slated to do (or
in the club's cavernous ballpark), and so one year from now we'll see
Washington offer him arbitration, see him decline it, and see the club
recover two picks in the first two rounds as a result. It's not hard to
imagine that what the Nationals will get will be the Yankees' first-round
pick in 2007 plus a supplemental pick between rounds one and two.

Wilkerson was a supplemental first-round pick himself in 1998, taken 33rd
overall by Montreal as compensation for the loss of catcher Darrin Fletcher
to Toronto. A two-way player at the University of Florida, he'd gone 26-11,
4.38 over his three Gator seasons, leading the club in starts as a junior,
and he hit .381 in his college career, with an OPS of at least 1.182 each
year. In 699 college at-bats, Wilkerson hit 55 home runs and drove in 214
runs, drawing 224 walks and striking out only 98 times. His on-base
percentage each year exceeded .500.

Has Wilkerson lived up to the potential he showed in college? Briefly. He
began his pro career in AA and reached the big leagues to stay in his third
season, and in 2004, his fourth major league season, he hit just .255 but
went deep 32 times and drew 106 walks. Dogged by the two injuries in 2005,
however, he saw his numbers dip from .255/.374/.498 to .248/.351/.405, and
his homers plummet from 32 to 11.

There are a great many things that Soriano does very well. There are a
couple he doesn't -- things that Wilkerson excels at. Wilkerson is an
excellent defender, capable of playing any of the three outfield spots and
first base. He's also a remarkably patient hitter, drawing at least 80
walks in each in of his four full big league seasons. Soriano has never
drawn half that many.

Consider this: Soriano hit 43 doubles and 36 home runs and drove in a
career-best 104 runs last season, and yet his on-base percentage was .309.
In an off-year (in a terrible hitters' park), Wilkerson reached base at a
.351 clip.

It's not hard to imagine Wilkerson's power reemerging in Ameriquest Field.
He definitely adds a dimension to the lineup as a hitter who will work
pitchers. He led off for the Nationals and might very well be asked to do
the same here. Oddly, he hit lefthanders (.296/.390/.414) far better in
2005 than he fared against righties (.228/.335/.402), which was a more
severe split than his career mark but in keeping with the left-handed
hitter's unusual tendency to hit better against southpaws -- which is
something that the Ranger lineup can use.

Bet this surprises you: Soriano's career OPS is .820. Wilkerson's is .817.


Wilkerson is a good baserunner, has a good arm, plays hard, plays smart.
While there are obvious differences, there's a little Rusty Greer in him.

Does Wilkerson figure in center field? (He's solid there but isn't a
sprinter.) Left? Right? Does he free Texas up to trade Kevin Mench for
pitching?

Is his physical going to be an issue?

Hope not.

Wilkerson earned $3.05 million in 2005 and has two more arbitration years
left, which puts him a year ahead of Mench in service time (and gives Texas
one more year of control than it had with Soriano). Wilkerson will probably
earn between $4 million and $5 million in 2006 -- half of what Soriano is
likely to earn.

Thinking ahead two years: Wilkerson is represented by Scott Boras.

Sledge missed most of the 2005 season due to hamstring surgery. A late
bloomer, he didn't reach the big leagues until 2004, when at age 27 he hit
15 homers and drove in 62 runs in just 398 at-bats (.269/.336/.462).

It could be that Sledge facilitates another trade as well. Rumors have
persisted since the summer that the Yankees covet Gary Matthews Jr., and
Sledge, who is three years younger than the arbitration-eligible Matthews,
could fit as a fourth outfielder (though his experience in center field is
limited) and free the Rangers up to move Matthews to New York. A
left-handed hitter like Wilkerson, Sledge historically hits righthanders
with more success than southpaws.

Sledge tested positive for steroids in October 2002, more than a year before
he reached the major leagues.

Galarraga is very intriguing. The 23-year-old entered the 2005 season
missing from Baseball America's ranking of Washington's top 30 prospects.
He finished it as the publication's number five Nationals prospect.

Signed as a 16-year-old out of Venezuela, the 6'4" righthander pitched for
two seasons with Montreal's Venezuelan Summer League entry before spending
the next three years (2001-03) toiling in the anonymity of the Gulf Coast
League, logging a total of just 53.1 innings due to 2002 Tommy John surgery.
His numbers were fairly ordinary in 2004, as he went 5-5, 4.65 for Low A
Savannah with no particularly eye-popping stats.

But in 2005, assigned to High A Potomac, Galarraga went 3-4, 2.48 in 14
starts, fanning 79 and walking 23 in 80 frames, and he earned a mid-season
berth in the Futures Game and a promotion to AA Harrisburg, where he went
3-4, 5.19 in 13 starts, striking out 58 and issuing 21 walks in 76.1
innings. He works in the low-to-mid-90s with sink, complements his heat
with a power slider that Baseball America called the best in the Washington
system, and has a change-up that remains a work in progress. The
development of that third pitch, as with so many pitching prospects, could
determine whether he will eventually start or relieve. It's a safe bet that
he'll begin the season in Frisco's rotation.

Like Wilkerson and Sledge, Galarraga was on Washington's 40-man roster and
thus goes onto the Rangers' roster, which sits at 39 members.

What can I say about Soriano? He's a remarkably gifted offensive player
with every defensive tool but was erratic with the glove. He rarely worked
walks and occasionally gave bases away by admiring his laser shots for a
second or two before hitting full gear out of the box. I'm not convinced he
was ever going to sign with Texas long-term after the 2006 season, and I'm
also not convinced his numbers are going to look nearly as gaudy now that
he's not going to play half his games in Arlington.

Does Ian Kinsler step in as the Rangers' starting second baseman? At the
moment he does. But Texas isn't through making trades, as the addition of
Wilkerson and Sledge to the outfield picture sets up further movement -- as
does the reduction of payroll by virtue of moving Soriano. Could a
Mench-for-Orlando Hudson deal be in the works with Toronto (which,
incidentally, will attempt to get Texas to part with Wilkerson, according to
multiple stories this morning)? Could the dollars saved in the Soriano deal
be used to increase an offer to a free agent pitcher?

Could Roger Clemens, not offered arbitration by Houston by yesterday's
deadline, be that pitcher? Maybe he and Tom Hicks can find somewhere to
hang out together on, say, January 4.

It might be Matt Morris. Rumored earlier in the week to have offered three
years and $25 million to the righthander, Daniels told Kathleen O'Brien of
the Fort Worth Star-Telegram that the organization is preparing to make its
"last best offer" to Morris. Sounds like there might be a bump up
facilitated by the moving of Soriano.

Tony Jackson of the Los Angeles Daily News reports that the Dodgers want
Mench, and that in return Texas wants Jonathan Broxton (who was rumored
yesterday to be coming to the Rangers for Soriano).

The Rangers rejected the Cubs' offer of outfielder Corey Patterson for
Mench, according to Bruce Miles of the Chicago Daily Herald.

Texas didn't offer arbitration to Kenny Rogers or any of its other remaining
unsigned free agents (Sandy Alomar Jr., Doug Brocail, Richard Hidalgo, Steve
Karsay, Greg Colbrunn), meaning the club can't sign any of them to a big
league deal before May. The seventh potential free agent, righthander John
Wasdin, signed a $600,000 major league deal with the Rangers on Wednesday.

Interestingly, Boras told the Star-Telegram that Rogers's contract
prohibited the Rangers from offering him arbitration even if they wanted to.
As a result, the Rangers will not receive two compensatory picks in next
summer's draft from the team that signs Rogers. Boras has indicated that
Rogers, age 41, will get a three-year deal from some team, possibly Detroit,
San Diego, Cleveland, or St. Louis.

The Angels didn't offer arbitration to lefthander Jarrod Washburn. Wonder
if Boras secured the same no-arbitration clause in his contract.

Minnesota continues to show interest in Hank Blalock, write O'Brien and T.R.
Sullivan (who add that righthander Brett Tomko turned down a two-year offer
from Texas). La Velle E. Neal III of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune suggests
the Twins might offer lefthander J.C. Romero and righthander Scott Baker for
Blalock, and that a deal could be expanded to include Mench.

David Lennon of Newsday writes that the Mets and Rangers are discussing a
deal that would send righthander Kris Benson and his wife to Texas for
righthander Juan Dominguez and outfielder Laynce Nix. Not crazy about that
idea at all.

O'Brien and Sullivan suggest that the Rangers could make at least one
selection in the big league phase of this morning's Rule 5 Draft. Since the
40-man roster will be at 39 members once the Soriano trade is made official,
the club can only make one choice. (If the trade isn't announced before the
draft, I suppose Texas could make up to three choices, but multiple picks
are highly unlikely.)

Although it occurred too late to get into the Star-Telegram, Sullivan came
on the Newberg Report message board this morning and reported that Texas has
agreed to a trade with Kansas City, which owns the first pick in the draft.
Evidently, the Royals will make the first selection -- likely a pitcher --
and then immediately trade him to the Rangers for infielder Esteban German.
That would give Texas Rule 5 rights over the pitcher, giving the club spring
training to decide if he can make their big league staff. If he doesn't
stick, Texas has to put him through waivers and, if he clears, offer him
back to his 2005 club.

The pitcher could be White Sox lefthander Fabio Castro, projected by MLB.com
to be the top Rule 5 pick. The 20-year-old, who is listed at just 5'8", 155
and has never pitched above Class A, had a phenomenal finish to the 2005
season, his fourth as a pro. Pitching strictly in relief for High A
Winston-Salem, Castro posted an ERA of 1.35 over the final two months,
including 11 straight appearances without allowing an earned run to finish
the season. Overall, he went 5-5, 2.28 in 53 games, saving six of them,
scattering 58 hits (.209 opponents' average) and 37 walks in 79 innings
while fanning 75.

For his career, Castro has an ERA of 2.28, an opponents' batting average of
.190, and 10 strikeouts and under four walks per nine innings. He's allowed
only 13 home runs in 260.1 innings.

According to O'Brien and Sullivan, Texas could lose Drew Meyer in the draft
to San Diego, whose braintrust includes Grady Fuson.

I'm headed out to the Rule 5 Draft. More later today.

[Five-ofan]

the rumors about hudson are just stupid at this point. Something could come to fruition but it would be mench, not wilkerson. I doubt seriously Hudson becomes a ranger but I wouldnt be opposed to it if he did.

[Drbio]

Here are a couple of guys I wouldn't mind at least looking at who were not offered arbitration and thus could be had for the contract.......

Mike Piazza as a full time DH/Part time back up to Gerald Laird (or whoever if Laird is traded)


Carl Everett who could step into left field if Mench is traded and who could DH if needed.



Two solid guys who know how to win.

[jthig32]

Originally Posted by Drbio

Here are a couple of guys I wouldn't mind at least looking at who were not offered arbitration and thus could be had for the contract.......

Mike Piazza as a full time DH/Part time back up to Gerald Laird (or whoever if Laird is traded)


Carl Everett who could step into left field if Mench is traded and who could DH if needed.



Two solid guys who know how to win.

We already have two catchers unless Laird is traded. I don't see anyway Barajas isn't our opening day starter as long as Buck is here. I don't see Piazza being much of a fit. We actually already have Nevin, who is another washed up 1B/DH/Emergency catcher.

Everett: I might be interested depending on the contract....Assuming of course we trade Mench, as you said. If you don't trade Mench or any other OF's, we already have Mench, Wilkerson, GMJ, Nix, Dellucci and Sledge, although Nix may be headed back to AAA.....

[ames7]

How does everyone feel about the Nix & Dominguez to the Mets for Kris Benson rumors?

[jthig32]

Originally Posted by ames7

How does everyone feel about the Nix & Dominguez to the Mets for Kris Benson rumors?

I am torn. I'm not real high on Benson, and I think Dominguez has some serious upside.

On the other hand, I'm not completely convinced Dominguez will ever live up to potential here, and I think the organization in general is tired of him.

I'd be ok with the deal, but I would not be shocked at ALL to see Dominguez turn into an above average starter in this league.

Oh, I care nothing about including Nix. I think he's a 4th outfielder at best.

[sike]

looks like the young GM is making his mark....getting rid of Sori is one way to get noticed...now how about Blaylock for some pitching???

you can always count on murph for solid baseball talk....it's the one sport he actually knows...

[snoop]

Originally Posted by Drbio

You clearly do not follow baseball as closely as basketball (I assume you follow basketball) or you would not feel this way.

heres my problem with the trade, Sori gives good numbers year in and year out, here and with the yanks. While he is error prone, he is a very steady player.

Wilkerson had a very good year two years ago but struggled last year batting lead off through injurys.

sledge had a good rookie year but once again struggled through injurys.

I don't like to trade for possible one season wonders when it envolves a proven player. I don't know anything about the prospect but I don't see this as a good trade. I hope I'm wrong, and time will tell, but give me a proven (multi year) in return or younger prospects.

just because someone differs from your opinion deos not mean they don't follow as close as you do, it just means they are right and your wrong=)

[jthig32]

Originally Posted by Drbio

For those who post at Newberg.....how long have you been tehre?

I joined back when they had an open board in the good old days. That was about 99 or 2000 I think.

I've been reading Newberg and the forums for about 4 years. The first version of boards gave me such a headache I had a hard time with them. A soon as they went to the DallasBaseballHome format, I started reading a lot more regularly.

[jthig32]

Originally Posted by snoop

heres my problem with the trade, Sori gives good numbers year in and year out, here and with the yanks. While he is error prone, he is a very steady player.

Wilkerson had a very good year two years ago but struggled last year batting lead off through injurys.

sledge had a good rookie year but once again struggled through injurys.

I don't like to trade for possible one season wonders when it envolves a proven player. I don't know anything about the prospect but I don't see this as a good trade. I hope I'm wrong, and time will tell, but give me a proven (multi year) in return or younger prospects.

just because someone differs from your opinion deos not mean they don't follow as close as you do, it just means they are right and your wrong=)

What he means is, only casual baseball fans believe that Soriano "gives good numbers year in and year out". Soriano puts up glamour numbers. But they are largely hollow, and also, in his time with the Rangers, were VERY, VERY dependant on being at The Ballpark in Arlington. If you take a look at his OBP, his inability to draw walks to see pitches, and his dreadful, DREADFUL production on the road, you woudl understand Soriano is an average player for any position, and when you taken into account his defense...well...he's not exactley a hot commodity.

You just wait and check out Sori's numbers in the NL in that pitcher friendly park, and check out Wiklerson's numbers here. I'm betting Wilkerson, if healthy, posts better numbers almost across the board.

[Murphy3]

Originally Posted by ames7

How does everyone feel about the Nix & Dominguez to the Mets for Kris Benson rumors?

I don't like it. Benson's numbers would not be pretty in all likeliness here at TBiA. I think Dominguez has a better chance to succeed as a Ranger than Benson AND Dominguez is much cheaper.