5 Reasons the Rangers Should Hold on Tight at the Deadline

The Los Angeles Angels just made things a lot more interesting in the AL West. It seems like they have been doing that a lot this year. First Albert Pujols and C.J. Wilson, then Mike Trout arrives and now Zack Grienke is suiting up in Angel red.

To make things even more compelling, Billy Beane is working his magic again in Oakland.

So, with a five-game lead in the division with two months left, the Rangers must assess what they need to do at the deadline to keep that lead and make another push for the World Series.

However, the Rangers do not necessarily have to be desperate. Here are some reasons why Jon Daniels may consider standing pat at the trade deadline.

Players Available Worth the Price?

Perhaps the biggest reason for the Rangers to stand pat is the selection of the players available on the market. Zack Grienke and Cole Hamels are both off the table. Who realistically does that leave that is worth the asking price?

Miami’s Josh Johnson is interesting, but his history of injury makes him very risky. Boston’s Josh Beckett is not having a great season and has a lot of money left on his contract. Tampa Bay’s James Shields can eat up some innings, but his 4.52 ERA does not look like a big improvement for the Rangers’ rotation.  

Cliff Lee’s return to Texas looks like the most interesting possibility. Hamels’ new contract might make him expendable, and he appears like he can use a change in scenery.

The asking price will be high, and Lee is two years older than he was the last time the Rangers traded for him. 

Again, if Texas makes a trade it has to be for a big impact player—someone who will be worth the prospects the Rangers have worked hard to collect.

Bats Coming Around?

The Rangers offense has been underachieving immensely over the last month. Their failure in key situations is putting too much pressure on the starting pitching and bullpen to completely shut down the opposing team—which is difficult to do in the American League.

When a team’s biggest strength turns into a weakness, that team is going to suffer some setbacks.

However, there has to be a light at the end of the tunnel. The Rangers' offensive ineptitude must end at some point. There are too many good hitters with long track records of success to continue this slide.

If and when this occurs, it will be interesting to see the effect it has on the ballclub. A surging Josh Hamilton, Nelson Cruz and Michael Young are just like adding a new player and spark to the lineup.

Protect the System

Another reason to stand pat at the deadline is to avoid being shortsighted. Gutting the farm system for one player puts the team’s long-term plans to compete at risk.

The Rangers also have an aging lineup and some expiring contracts coming up very soon.

This is where the organization’s farm system comes in to play. Texas has some very good prospects like Mike Olt, Jurickson Profar, Leonys Martin and Martin Perez. There is no guarantee that these players will be superstars, but they provide young, cheap alternatives with big upsides.

The impact player Texas is looking for will require some of their best prospects. The front office will have to decide if acquiring that player is worth risking some of the team’s future. 

Core Is in Place

The Rangers have won almost 250 regular season games and two AL Pennants the last two and half seasons with basically the same group of core players. This is unlike the division rivals Angels and Athletics who have greatly overhauled their rosters.

This core is the group Texas must move forward with this season. They have had plenty of success in the past, so the team should be plenty confident they can win big this year.

They are not flawless, but a stretch of poor play is not a reason to disturb the chemistry this team has built the last few seasons.

Perhaps standing pat at the deadline will be a jolt of energy in itself. All the rumors are put to rest, so the players can focus on the pieces they have in place and fix their attention on the task at hand.

Problem Is Not Lack of Talent

The Rangers have the right players to make a run at a championship. The issue is not a lack of talented and experienced ball players. The rotation, in particular, is under the microscope.

Matt Harrison and Yu Darvish are all-stars. Alexi Ogando, who might make a return to the rotation, was an all-star a year ago. A healthy Roy Oswalt has plenty of pedigree to instill confidence in his ability.

There is no true “ace,” but it’s not like the Rangers don’t have experience with this. They were in the same position last season and were one strike away twice (yes, I know it still hurts) from winning a world championship.

This is why Jon Daniels and company have done their best to build a true team with no total emphasis on one player or group.