How The Texas Rangers Can Instantly Become Contenders

Remember that Francisco, Rupe, Rheinecker, Mendoza, and Littleton stay in Oklahoma, so reinforcements are only a state away. It may not be a championship pitching staff, but considering how well-matched to Arlington it is, you could break .500 with these guys.

We still need a third baseman, a backup third baseman, a shortstop, and an outfielder. The starting third baseman is easy enough:

• Trade C Gerald Laird to DET for 3B Brandon Inge.
  

Laird gives the Tigers a catcher for the post-Pudge era, and also insurance if Rodriguez breaks down. Inge is obviously expendable, and he's obviously a major-league-caliber starting 3B, maybe even better than Blalock.

The shortstop question is harder. Obviously with hitting there is a ton of freely available talent, but given that this is Texas, we would want a lefty-hitting shortstop, which narrows the options a bit. Why do we need a lefty-hitting SS? The rest of the infield hits righty, so you'd like a lefty hitter somewhere in there.

• Acquire SS Chase Lambin from FLA for cash.
  

Lambin switch-hits and plays good defense, and he's a very scrappy, fundamentally sound ballplayer. Think of him as a sort of Eckstein-type except with a LOT more power. No one has really ever noticed him after he was a very late-round draft pick, and he's easy to get as a minor league journeyman at age 29. He can do the job for two years until Elvis Andrus is ready.

So all we need is a backup third baseman and an outfielder. Nice and easy.

• Acquire 3B Mike Hessman from DET and OF John-Ford Griffin from LAD for cash.
  

Hessman has 40-homer power, but to get 40 HR from him in the majors, you'd have to deal with 200 strikeouts and a .220 average. His skill set makes him useful as a backup. Griffin is slightly less extreme with the HRs and Ks, but is the same type of hitter. However, he's a lefty, and any lefty with true over-the-fence power is dangerous. His acquisition allows Murphy to slide into more of a fourth outfielder-type role.

So we get this:

C: Saltalamacchia/Shelton

1B: Gold/Hessman/Shelton

2B: Kinsler/Roberts

SS: Lambin/Roberts

3B: Inge/Hessman

LF: Botts

CF: Hamilton/Murphy

RF: Griffin vs. R/Murton vs. L 

Inge, Roberts and Lambin can both play pretty much anywhere in time of need.

It can be arranged into a lineup like this:

Kinsler 2B

Lambin SS

Hamilton CF

Inge 3B

Griffin/Murton LF

Gold 1B

Saltalamacchia C

Botts DH

Murphy RF 

Shelton, Hessman, Roberts, and the other half of the LF platoon are all valuable bench bats. And really, this is very similar to the current team, with a SS downgrade and 3B upgrade. It's worth it for the pitching upgrades.

Also note that several of the players listed in "who goes" were not dealt. They can be dealt for cash to compensate for the cash given up in these deals, or to improve an already excellent minor league system.

Failing that, they just get DFAed, and sent to the minors for depth.

Step Three: Watch The Team Win 

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