The Rangers made a minor trade earlier today, sending Kelvin De La Cruz to the Indians in exchange for cash considerations. De La Cruz was a Ranger for less than a month, as he was originally acquired by Texas in another deal with Cleveland on February 21.
Some more news from the two-time defending AL champions…
- In an interview Ben & Skin of ESPN Dallas 103.3 FM radio, Jon Daniels said that the Rangers are better served by having Alexi Ogando in the bullpen, though the GM admitted that Ogando probably deserves a starting job after his solid performance in the rotation last year. No firm decision has yet been made, however, about Ogando's status. ESPN Dallas' Richard Durrett collects some of the notable topics in Daniels' interview.
- Shortstop prospect Jurickson Profar may see some time playing second base, Rangers director of minor league operations Jake Krug tells Bryan Dolgin of the Rangers Magazine radio show. The 19-year-old Profar was ranked as the seventh-best prospect in the game by Baseball America's 2012 minor league rankings. Giving him time at second base would give Texas a possible option if Ian Kinsler can't be signed to an extension, though it seem a waste of Profar's defensive skills to move him away from short.
- The Rangers spent the most on any team on international bonuses last year, according to a report by Baseball America. The Rangers spent an estimated $12.83MM (not counting Japanese professionals or Cuban defectors) on international signings, more than $5MM ahead of the second-place team on the list, the Blue Jays.
- Texas accounts for the top two spots (Nomar Mazara and Ronald Guzman) on another Baseball America list, chronicling the top 30 international bonuses from last year.
- Brad Hawpe and Conor Jackson are both trying to keep their Major League careers going in the Rangers camp, reports MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan. Hawpe and Jackson are both signed to minor league deals and are fighting for jobs on the Rangers' bench. "It's hard to imagine either player going to Triple-A," Sullivan writes, so Hawpe and/or Jackson could find themselves waived by March 30.
The Rangers maybe should let Kinsler go if he can’t be extended and move Andrus to 2B as he seems inferior at SS than Profar.
Kinsler is too valuable to this team to let him leave. I think he’s the most valuable player on the Rangers.
If they let Kinsler walk I’m quitting this team.
even among rangers fans, ian kinsler is criminally underrated
I couldn’t agree more.
Underrated @ 214/302/428/730 on the road? Its a good thing he plays half his games in Arlington.
If I’m Ogando and I’m in the bullpen this year, I would not be a happy camper at all. That messes with his value and earnings, and he earned the starting spot. I totally get putting him in the pen for playoffs and maybe a stop gap for an injury or such, but he belongs in a rotation.
It would hurt Ogando, and I agree…I want him in the rotation. But if we put him in the rotation, that means we’ve got only one lefty in the rotation. The issue is, we’ve got a lot of guys who are capable of being rotation pitchers but not enough room.
I think it’s so when Josh leaves and Profar is ready, Kinsler can play LF, Andrus at SS, and Profar at 2B
I’ve never heard anyone with the Rangers mention putting Kinsler in the OF. I’m not saying it’s a bad idea (eventually), but i’ve just never heard it be mentioned.
Oh, and I believe Andrus would be moved to 2B. If Profar reaches people’s expectations as a defender, he’ll be too good to not have at SS. The same could be said for Mike Olt at 3B in the near future.