8:58pm: The Cardinals are also in the mix for Mazara, Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports. That jibes with their goal of acquiring a lefty-hitting outfielder.
6:17pm: The White Sox are “working hard to land” Mazara, as Jim Bowden of SiriusXM first reported. As for Chirinos, the Astros, Tigers, Rays and Pirates join the Rangers in the market for him, Jon Heyman of MLB Network tweets.
1:04pm: The Rangers have remained busy on the market, with MLB.com’s TR Sullivan reporting that the club is active on multiple fronts (Twitter links). While it stands to reason that the team is still considering moves in the rotation, the attention now is on the position player side after several notable pitching additions.
It has long seemed likely that the Rangers would explore possible swaps involving its existing outfielders. But the team now appears to be engaged in a somewhat dedicated manner. Sullivan says the intention is to “move one of their extra left-handed hitting outfielders,” with Nomar Mazara, Willie Calhoun, and Shin-Soo Choo named as possibilities.
That’s a highly varied group of players. Mazara is a mid-arbitration player that hasn’t turned the corner in the majors but remains quite youthful. Calhoun hasn’t had the same degree of opportunity (and hasn’t logged as much service) but showed well with the bat last year. He’s also still a question mark defensively, as is the aging Choo, who can still hit but isn’t worth the remainder of his big contract.
The Rangers are said to be chatting with the Diamondbacks about some of these players; the clubs were connected last night regarding Mazara. Evidently talks between the Rangers and Marlins didn’t advance. Craig Mish of MLB Network Radio tweets that the Fish were turned off by the asking price for Mazara, a former top prospect.
Meanwhile, there’s “mutual interest” in a new deal with backstop Robinson Chirinos. That’s rather an interesting development, considering the Texas organization surprisingly declined its option over him last fall. The replacement plan fell apart, as MLBTR’s Connor Byrne explored, while Chirinos flourished with the cross-state Astros.
The 35-year-old Chirinos and the Rangers are amply familiar with one another, as he played with the team for six seasons. It seems the sides carry no ill will over the way things ended. The catching market has moved rather swiftly to this point, leaving Chirinos and Jason Castro as the top available options.
Don’t even think about it AJ. Move on.
Haha epic! Beat me to it. Close your eyes AJ and walk right by.
For the first time in a while they got several left handed options.
Mazara will be a Padres before nightfall…Hahahahahaha!
I’d love to see the cards get Marza then start shopping our outfielders around- San Diego’s, Texas and Cleveland-anyone who will take 4 or 5 of them!
Mataram sorry
Mazara sorry
What descent MLB Player would even want to go to St. Louis for the next 4 years??? The Owners and front Office has already declared no more impact players until they can weed out Carpenter, Fowler, Cecil’s contract, Leake’s contract, Leone, Gregerson, etc. Cards will actually wait until Wainwright and Molina retire. Dumpster diving for players and dumping contracts and free agents until the 2021 off season. I bet Ozuna is glad contenders are interested in him. Wonder what Goldschmidt thinks of the owners attitude???
Corey Dickerson getting no love? I know he’s no superstar, but he quietly puts up very solid numbers and would fit nicely on any team in the market for L-handed hitting OF. Would love for the Phils to bring him back, but I think he’s better than a 4th OF at this point.
White Sox will take any of them.
Calhoun could be a great DH for a team in need. The other two are pretty much useless unless you are just trying to field a team.
.265/.371/.455 is useless?
Overpriced? Fine. Definitely not useless.
White Sox should take Choo if Rangers ate some of the money. But I think any trade involving Choo will require Rangers eating some of that money!
The rangers would happily eat half or more of the salary for a decent return.
I kind of wish we keep choo, he helps the team a ton despite what people think. He isn’t worth 21 million, but he is worth 13 million at least.
What’s your calculations on how much war, offense vs defense = how much
Choo isn’t worth 13 million dollars. He’s a Designated Hitter. Worth maybe 8 million bucks and that’s only to AL teams.
He’s definitely overpaid, as are most Boras clients in their last year or three of their contract (not a knock on Boras, he’s doing his job). However, Choo is a very solid player who executes the small things very well. He often takes a ton of pitches, wearing down the starters. He spends time with the younger players teaching them some of the finer details to succeed in the majors. He doesn’t take games, or even AB’s off. Should the Rangers eat a ton of his salary if they trade him – yes. But if he is traded whoever gets him is getting a player that does stuff that doesn’t always show up in the stats and analytics. I hate how much he is paid, but I respect him as a player. Plus it’s not like they will be asking for a king’s ransom for him. He’d be a great addition to a team with a lot of young players.
Couldn’t agree more
I would take any of the above if they would take back Odubel Herrera.
id certainly explore, cost dependant, taking Calhoun if i was Klentak. i know he’s not a great defender, but i believe in that bat and he can fill in at 2B this year while taking some OF reps as well and being a plus bench option. should woek out well as long as they can add a defensive safety net at 2B/3B/SS as well. (Kikuchi?)
Have to think we are packaging Mathis in a Mazara deal if we are looking at Chirinos, unless Trevino is getting sent down again but I doubt that
Mathis has almost zero value. If we packaged him with Mazara we’d be lucky to get a box of bats back.
Choo to padres for will meyers?
Myers and what prospect? Because there’s no way on GOD’s green Earth that the Rangers are taking on an additional 40 million smacks for Wil Myers.
Myers is trash anyways . Padres are stuck with him.
As a Texas fan, I wouldn’t mind this. I’m curious what Myers would do in a different environment. Also he could play first.
Myers isn’t worth what he is owed in his contract, but he probably would do better in Texas as a first baseman. For all the hate he gets his OPS+ was still 95 last year, which is below average but you’d think it was like 70-80 with how people talk about him. Prior to that he has been around 110, so slightly above average.
Choo is a better hitter and is owed $21 million in 2020 before hitting free agency.
Myers is owed $68.5 million through 2022.
i can’t imagine its straight up. perhaps the Pads pay 1/3 of the contract and they add some players. guys like Alvila and Nix look like odd men out now, and Potts is a sleeper, and they have plenty of better prospects as well, so they could go quantity or quality in their approach.
Yeah as a rangers fan I’d explore this. Especially if San Diego was willing to either include a B level prospect or eat some salary. I’ve always like Myers and maybe a change of scenery would be good for him. He’s certainly been off lately but his age would certainly be an upgrade over choo. Choo can still hit though just that salary number is tough
I’d do that if the Padres sent $15 million along with Myers. That wouldn’t happen though. Myers needs a change of scenery and to be put back at 1B and stop being drug around the field. He is a great natural hitter and I believe all the changes of positions along with some injuries has severely limited his career. Maybe he never reaches his potential but I still believe there is greatness that hasn’t been tapped with him. But he’s running out of time.
(Chirinos reunion) “It can bring a tear to the eyes of that of a grown man” – Rangers29 2019
cmon i need this one for the contest
How about Alec Bohm and Cole Irvin for Joey Gallo and Emmanuel Clase. Can Gallo still play 3B?
Gallo and Harper are good friends.
I cant imagine they are trading Gallo at this point, unless they are really bothered by his lack of desire to move around the diamond.
What do you mean lack of desire? The guy has changed positions like 4 times already! He is not a 3B though, that ship has sailed a long time ago.
the only position he said he doesn’t want to play…lack of desire?
He was in the MVP discussion last year before he got hurt. It’s going to take more than that to get him.
Hard pass chief, and I do think Gallo CAN still play, but it is at a low level, he fits the outfield.
Gallo is horrendous at 3B and has stated multiple times he no longer wants to play the position.
Ask the orioles which prospects they want from the cardinals/D-backs.
Acquire them Via Mazda and Trade a reliever if needed
Couple them with a couple of our prospects and get Trey Mancini From the Orioles to play 1B.
Sign Chirinos
Sign Rendon
Team should be good to go
Mazara* not Mazda
1. You’re not getting “prospects” from the Cardinal’s for Mazara. That’s laughable. He’s probably worth less than OF’ers the Cardinal’s ALREADY have. The only reason they might be interested in him is he hits LH. So you might get a 1 for 1 for him. But you’re not getting multiple top level prospects for him.
2. The Cardinal’s are more likely to trade 3 for 1 for Mancini, then turn around and ask you which prospects PLUS Mazara you want to give for Mancini than what you suggest. And that won’t happen either. But to think you’re going to fleece ANY team with Mazara is laughable. Mazara is a 4th OF’er on a contending team.
Not saying Mazara won’t get traded to ARI or STL, but you aren’t going to get back enough to get you Mancini. Those said teams would probably rather just go get Mancini themselves.
I was actually shocked seeing the Cardinal’s tied to ANY Ranger’s OF’ers. None of them are very good other than Gallo. I love Gallo, but the Ranger’s probably don’t want to part with him for anything short of a haul. Calhoun is atrocious the few times I’ve seen him on defense. And Mazara looks more like a AAAA player than what he was advertised coming up. I don’t get to watch the Ranger’s much, but none of them really do it for me. If I’m the Cardinal’s, I”m trading for Joc Pederson and platooning him with my glut of RH hitters. Still more production than you’ll get from Mazara or Calhoun, with better defense.
I agree, a joc Pederson in stl makes sense
Why Peterson? We have 3 of him already at least Maraza still has potential.
Pederson sorry
Wonder if the Yankees/Rangers would consider a Happ/Shin PooPoo swap. Yanks take on the additional $3M on Shin and move on from Gardner. Rangers get, probably, a solid back-end contributor.
For the Yanks, they add $3M in the deal, but save the $12-14M for Gardner, so a net savings of $6-8M, plus they don’t have to worry about Happ hitting his option, although that’s pretty unlikely unless he pitches well. 165 IP isn’t as easy to reach as it used to be for a 3/4/5 starter.
Choo can’t play defense. Last thing the Yanks need is another DH with Andujar and Stanton in town.
For crying out loud, Andujar is not a DH. He was a middling performer at 3B. The good word is that he’s been working his backside off to get better.
His agency had set up a camp with Perry Hill (a big time infield defense guru) to work with Andujar (and Amed Rosario). They think he’s going to have a better arm slot on his throws and cleaner footwork going forward.
So again, we’re talking about a guy who can be VERY VERY valuable just by being average in the field, and he seems to want to be more than average. Discarding him as a DH is a pretty big jump based on his age-23 season.
Even if we wanted to go ahead and play pretend that Andujar was a 3B you still have Gio Urshela. I’m failing to see how that would make the acquisition of Choo any more of a fit. You already have Clint Frazier if you want a bat first guy w sub standard defensive capabilities.
He’s a DH until proven otherwise, and what his handlers “think” he might do is a long way from actually doing it. Don’t think the Yanks will have the patience when they’re in a win-now mode.
Yea, this doesn’t make any sense for the Yankees.
Sure it does. It goes to the “getting rid of Happy and avoiding the vesting-option dance.” It has the added benefit of adding a left-handed bat to the team.
Is it great? No. Is it ideal? No.
To me, what makes more sense is just keeping Happ unless his whole contract can be moved without surrendering anything particularly good.
I’d be willing to bet on a Happ resurgence a lot more heavily than I’d bet on Domingo German being anything NEAR what he was in 2019.
Not a Ranger fan, but I think it would be nuts to move Calhoun.
they won’t, by far our best hitter second half last year and his defense was ok in left, only to get better with the whole off-season to work on it
Choo is an interesting candidate. His last 3 years have been mirror images (.260, 20+ and 65+). That’s Assuming Texas would eat about half of his 21m for next season.
Dbacks-Rangers trade change of scenery candidates Jake Lamb for Nomar Mazara.
Mazara has been much better than Lamb the last 2 seasons, would need additional prospects/AZ taking on Mathis
Lamb looks done. Pass from Texas.
I’d do Mazara, Mathis, and Tyler Phillips for Lamb and J.B Bukakas, and then stated earlier in the comments, trade J.B and another to the orioles for mancini..
And then you’d turn off MLB 2019: The Show and start your shift at Chik-fil-A?
I always get triggered by the “trades” where “I’d flip this guy for this guy and then that guy for these two and then one of those for this other guy and…”
Cards need a lefthanded bat have several young outfielder s
However, Mazara isn’t worth multiple of the Cardinal’s OF’ers. He hits LH, thats about it.
Neither is Pederson unless u move some money in the deal I would offer Miller to the Dodgers for Pederson and platoon him like was suggested.
Cardinal’s don’t need to move money to afford Pederson.
They act like they do
I was at Mazara’s pro debut, had seats in right field. Dude is big, strong, athletic. He had a good series and I really though he’d be a problem for the AL West for a while.
I can see why the Sox might like him, but also why he’s available.
So the White Sox want to make Mazara their RF. That’s a good move… for a rebuilding team. If they’re making a gamble like this then they aren’t serious about winning this year.
Or….Adolfo, Basabe, and Rutherford had miserable 2019’s. But, if you think one of them will bounce back and be a viable candidate for the 2021 roster then Mazara makes complete sense as a low risk, somewhat high potential 2020 option.
If he doesn’t cost any real assets (he shouldn’t), I’m 100% fine with it.
If a player doesn’t cost any real assets they would just be released.
I know he isn’t mentioned, but zero buzz about Puig.
One of the writers on the Athletic (can’t remember which one) mentioned that Puig would be a good fit for Miami. The rational was that the fan base would likely love his energy and spirit and help to put more people in seats.
But you’re right, outside of that one brief mention, it has been crickets on Puig.
Not sure I get the love of Mazara by the Sox. I want to believe that he is prime for a breakout, but right now he is a poor fielding RF who strikes out and doesn’t walk. Basically was Palka was in 2018. Obviously there is much higher potential upside, but I’d like to aim at someone who’s actually shown they can do it more than possible.
Can get the same htter profile with better defense by just signing Calhoun. Bad trade, if they do it.
100% correct!
If the are going to go this route, might as well take a chance on yoshitomo.
He is probably a better fielder with more flexibly, can get on base and will cost no prospects. He will also have a full slate of service time.
If he busts, you lose money. Send him to the minors and move on.
Some Ranger insiders are starting to create buzz around Steele Walker. I would be very surprised if he was included in a deal for Mazara. His ceiling seems pretty high and Mazara, while still full of potential, hasn’t warranted that level of return.
Non-Prospect. Steele Walker is a tweener. Too slow for CF, not enough pop for the corners.
Really? I thought the WS were much higher on him. Doesn’t he have a really consistent bat and an above average glove?
Yes. He doesn’t have any elite tools so some people hate him. The kid can hit, take a walk, and he doesn’t strike out much. I’d argue he has more pop than he’s given credit for – plus FG gives him a 60 raw power. He’s probably never going to be an elite player, but I could pretty easily see him turning into a big league regular. Calling him a “non-prospect” at this point is off base.
I really don’t understand what the thing is with having to have “pop” in order to play certain positions. You are either really great at one or the other, and then the rarity great at both. Why can’t a 2B have pop and a right fielder have the glove and arm (see Ichiro)?
Of course some are never really great at either.
i feel the same about lefty/righty pitching and hitting. just get a player
If this comes to fruition, the White Sox are really going for it. Sad trombone.
Can’t play defense, doesn’t get on base, should never hit against LHP, only under team control for 2 years…and the Sox are interested. Of course they are.
DON’T DO IT, RICK!!!
Oh, he’s gonna do it. Typical Hahn move.
“Typical Hahn mover”. Like what, loading up the farm and continuing to angle to compete in 2021 like he said was going to happen back in 2016?
No. Like being overly obsessed with finding a left-handed slugger, and looking toward players with only one solid hit tool – power – to fill that void. Palka, AJ Reed, Casey Gillespie, and some other guys. It’s the same thing every year.
They need to find guys who can get on base and at least be average in the field. This ain’t it.
The team slashed .251/.305/.404 vs RHP last year – 9th worst wRC+. They had the 8th best wRC+ vs LHP.
Mazara slashed .288/.344/.500 vs RHP. There’s the interest.
There are clearly other, better options available though.
Tigers pursuing veteran catcher is an indication that we’ll be seeing some top SP prospects early in 2020. Rogers certainly isn’t ready as a minimal MLB hitter and may not be for quite a while, but he won’t have to hit much as a backup to a mentor like Castro or Chirinos.
If they sign a catcher, then Greiner will be the backup, not Rogers. Rogers will be at Toledo for another year of seasoning.
It’s a coin flip as to which one, but because of Rogers great D, Greiner will have to out-hit him by a LOT to get the job. Having said that, it wouldn’t be the first MLB surprise if it’s Greiner or for that matter, neither one.
Not really a coin flip. Rogers is not better defensively at the major league level and outside of his first couple of weeks, he looked way overwhelmed at the plate. Greiner, on the other hand, down the stretch hit far better than Rogers, which in my mind, the combination of better defense and offense, will earn him a backup position on the opening day roster and Rogers gets the starting role at Toledo. Also, to your comment about neither one, the Tigers aren’t signing two FA catchers this offseason. They have too many other holes to fill. So, no coin flip and no MLB surprises.
Filling holes is not a concern when they’re in the process of an intentional tank, other than the need for a very good defensive and experienced C to handle the young staff that we’ll be seeing the next three yrs. What Greiner did in the second half is irrelevant – it’s a backup job that stresses defense. Rogers is the future if he hits .220 and Greiner will be organizational depth. Of course, as I said, it also may be neither, given the unpredictable occurrences that are a part of MLB, but at this point, IF they sign a Chinos or a Castro-type C, it is indeed a coin-flip as to who will have the type of Spring that would result in a roster spot going North. If Rogers has a great Spring and Greiner sucks, do you honestly think that Rogers won’t be in Detroit in April?
Yes. I think it’s a given Rogers is at Toledo. Avila admitted that he brought him up out of necessity and he simply wasn’t ready. I believe that says Greiner is a lock for the backup job. Rogers is still the catcher of the future but he needs to drastically improve on both sides of the ball. Hitting .125 and committing seven passed balls in a bit less of half of a season is not going to cut it in Detroit or anywhere else. The place to work on his skills is in AAA not at the big club.
They knew what they had in Rogers when they called him up and you never know for certain how someone’s going to hit when they go up a level, but passed balls are more an indication of mix-up in signs than a need for more minor league experience. He wouldn’t be rated as possibly the best defensive catcher in the minors if he had a history of that. I can guarantee you that there is no such thing as a “lock” when a player (Greiner) hits .202 and OPS in the 5’s . His lauded month of September was powerless with zero HR. My point is that we just don’t know who will be the backup and as I said, it may be neither. Scivicque will certainly get a shot next Spring; he’s no worse than Greiner.
I think we should trade for Posey when Bart makes the show. It would send a message to the team and fans like Pudge did in ‘04. Rogers looked completely overmatched offensively and defensively last year. He needs the guidance and leadership Posey would provide.
SF would have to eat a whole lot of that $44 Mil he’s owed over the next two yrs for that to happen, and even then, at age 33 season, unlike Pudge, he’s no longer durable.
Rick Hahn can’t quit all-or-nothing LH sluggers who can’t field.
He has zero value if he can’t hit for power, just like Palka. And God forbid they put him in sane outfield as Eloy.
Mazara? Avi Garcia has more upside. I really hope this doesn’t happen.
With Avi, what you see is what you’ll get far into the future.
Sign Calhoun if you want Mazara. Same bat, better defender.
Calhoun is much more expensive then Mazara… not to mention Mazara has great upside. makes consistant contact. i really like him and would hate to see him go.
Mazara costs prospects. Calhoun can be signed to a 1 year deal.
St. Louis would basically just be trading a righty for a lefty. That leave no improvement to the roster. Don’t make a move just to make a move. Mazara is a career .261 hitter with over 100 strikeouts and less than 50 walks in every season save one. And his overall production just isn’t the kind of stuff you give up prospects for.
Who would the cards trade away for Maraza.
They should look into Betts
Go for Myers, the guy Crushes the ball
Tribe should try to get mazara.
Choo for Matt carpenter & $5 Million
No thanks. That is ridiculous.
Mazara is going to White Sox. Period.
Ranger fans shouldn’t expect much from Jon Daniels.
I see TEX joining SD and NYM in the bidding for Starling Marte. Maybe even make a trade for Bradley, Jr (BOS).