My Official: Plan to get the Rangers to the World Series in '05

[Blonde Bomber]

OK, so I was bored on a Friday night so I sat down and tried to figure out what plan of action would I do if I was Tom Hicks. I broke down everything from FA signings to trades in the offseason. And please, for the love of GOD, I don't need responses on how there is no way any of this could happen or how it's out of the relm of possibilty. I know that these moves will most likely not happen but these are the moves that I would love to see happen over the fall. Now sit back and let me know how you would feel if we could field this roster next year.............


</u>BIG trade goes down in Arlington!!!</u>

The Rangers have just announced that they have traded Alfonso Soriano back to the Yankees for [/b]RHP Javier Vazquez[/b] and other cash considerations.

There are rumors that the Yankees would love to have fan favorite Soriano back in there lineup. He could go back to second or could be moved in the outfield, where the Yankees would most likely move him. Also, there are rumors that the Yankees are the only team that Soriano would play for if he had to play in the outfield. So we send him packing back to the Bronx where he wanted to be all along...but it does come at a price. We get Javier Vazquez, who the Yankees will be looking to dump. Now Vasquez does make a pretty high salary, a little over 10 million a year, BUT the kicker in this trade is that the Yankees would have to eat the rest of the A-Rod contract that we were stuck with. Which in the bigger picture is not a big deal for the Yankees to do, but would be HUGE for the Rangers to have that money to use in FA. I know people are down on Vazquez right now, but don't forget that Vasquez was an ALL-Star this year and could pay off big being in a different environment here in Arlington then being scrutinized in New York.


<u>FREE AGENCY</u>

I would only go after 3 top to middle tier FA's. Now these 3 players would not come cheap, but were not talking about anyone close to over 15 mil a year, so with the room created by expiring contracts and getting rid of the dead weight of A-Rods deal then we should have plenty of room to go and get these 3 guys......


Carl Pavano

The guy had an 18-8 record last year with and ERA of 3.00. The guy is a #1 starter in this league and would be put at the top of our rotation from day 1. I wouldn't go to the extreme to sign this guy but somewhere in the neighborhood of 10 to 12 million a year should be around what he should get.




Orlando Cabrera

Orlando would move into the SS position and I would move Michael Young back at 2nd base where he belongs. Orlando would give you a decent bat and would help solidify a good defense up the middle.




Moises Alou

This is the bat that we need to help boost the lineup. The guy has been the model of consitency when it comes to offensive numbers and he doen't hurt you in the outfield. He had an BA of .298 with 30 HR and 109 RBI IN '04.


......that's it. The rest of the singings would be roster fill guys. Though I would like to bring back Delluci, Mathews Jr., Barajas, and Eric Young to be on the bench. You can't have too much veteren influence in the clubhouse.

The only other real change is a postion change of sorts. I would move Mark Teixeira into LF to make room for Adrian Gonzalez at 1st base. Gonzalez is ready for the majors and we just can't let his talents just rot in the minors when he could contribute on the big club. I think Tex would handle it much like Young when he moved to SS for Soriano.

So here would my opening day lineup..

Michael Young - 2nd
Orlando Cabrera - SS
Hank Blalock - 3rd
Mark Teixeira - LF
Moises Alou - RF
Laynce Nix - CF
Kevin Mench - DH
Adrian Gonzalez - 1st
Gerald Laird - C


...and my 5 man rotation w/closer

Carl Pavano
Javier Vazquez
Ryan Drese
Kenny Rogers
Juan Dominguez - the 5th spot could go to Ricardo Rodriguez or Chris Young
Francisco Cordero