Delgado signing close
Carlos Delgado is finally getting around to making a decision. The fact I am even mentioning this shows how slow the news is around baseball right now.
Delgado is the last of the big-name free agents still unsigned, and it looks like the Texas Rangers have wisely pulled their offer. Does this mean Tom Hicks is not a complete tool?
Given the Rangers play in the same division as the M's, it pays to see what our division rival is doing this off season. They tend to get overlooked with all the attention paid to Beane and Anaheim, but Texas has a curious plan in building their club.
If we looked at the Rangers last year, we see a team that has young positional hitters who can mash the ball all over the place. We also see a team that got a solid pitching effort from Rogers and Drese. At first glance, logic would tell you they are a few solid pitchers away from taking that next step. Instead, the Rangers go after Delgado, an aging slugger?
It would seem the Rangers are avoiding the high-priced free agent pitchers entirely. I guess we can call this the "Chan Ho" lesson. Instead the Rangers are content to build their pitching through scouting and the draft, and attract hitters who welcome the opportunity to pad their stats in Arlington.
The Rangers also made a curious decision regarding their run at Delgado. Instead of playing the traditional we'll match the latest offer, Hick's told Delgado here is our offer and BTW- you have until Sunday to accept. The Rangers wisely realized Delgado was going to play teams against one another and forced him to accept/reject the offer. Now that Delgado has suddenly realized AL teams are going to want him to play DH, he says he won't sign. So Hicks pulls the offer.
Smart on his part. If I'm the Mets or Marlins, I realize I don't have to compete with Texas any longer. The same owner that Howard Lincoln basically called an idiot not that long ago now seems to have learned a lesson in dealing with free agents.
Nice to see.
From the M's perspective, it's hard to say if Texas losing out is a good thing. Personally I think any team who gives Delgado a ton of money is going to regret that contract later on, so for the M's it might have been good long term to see him as a Ranger.
The really good news though is we are that much closer to Spring Training.
Carlos Delgado is finally getting around to making a decision. The fact I am even mentioning this shows how slow the news is around baseball right now.
Delgado is the last of the big-name free agents still unsigned, and it looks like the Texas Rangers have wisely pulled their offer. Does this mean Tom Hicks is not a complete tool?
Given the Rangers play in the same division as the M's, it pays to see what our division rival is doing this off season. They tend to get overlooked with all the attention paid to Beane and Anaheim, but Texas has a curious plan in building their club.
If we looked at the Rangers last year, we see a team that has young positional hitters who can mash the ball all over the place. We also see a team that got a solid pitching effort from Rogers and Drese. At first glance, logic would tell you they are a few solid pitchers away from taking that next step. Instead, the Rangers go after Delgado, an aging slugger?
It would seem the Rangers are avoiding the high-priced free agent pitchers entirely. I guess we can call this the "Chan Ho" lesson. Instead the Rangers are content to build their pitching through scouting and the draft, and attract hitters who welcome the opportunity to pad their stats in Arlington.
The Rangers also made a curious decision regarding their run at Delgado. Instead of playing the traditional we'll match the latest offer, Hick's told Delgado here is our offer and BTW- you have until Sunday to accept. The Rangers wisely realized Delgado was going to play teams against one another and forced him to accept/reject the offer. Now that Delgado has suddenly realized AL teams are going to want him to play DH, he says he won't sign. So Hicks pulls the offer.
Smart on his part. If I'm the Mets or Marlins, I realize I don't have to compete with Texas any longer. The same owner that Howard Lincoln basically called an idiot not that long ago now seems to have learned a lesson in dealing with free agents.
Nice to see.
From the M's perspective, it's hard to say if Texas losing out is a good thing. Personally I think any team who gives Delgado a ton of money is going to regret that contract later on, so for the M's it might have been good long term to see him as a Ranger.
The really good news though is we are that much closer to Spring Training.
posted by Tom at
10:16 AM
