It is July 1st and the only thing baseball fans are thinking about, besides the Home Run derby and All Star game, is the July 31st trade deadline. It's one of the biggest days in the entire season. I mean teams can make or break their season on this day or bad teams can make themselves better for the future. Here is a prime example of what I mean. The Texas Rangers traded for Cliff Lee right before the 2010 trade deadline. That was a move to make an immediate impact and it did just that. Cliff Lee was outstanding the second half of the season, nearly unhittable in the playoffs, and help lead the team to their first ever World Series. That trade made the 2010 season for the team. Now let's take a look at the 2007 trade deadline that saw the Rangers send Mark Teixeira to the Atlanta Braves in exchange for Elvis Andrus, Matt Harrison, Neftali Feliz, and Jarrod Saltalamacchia. Saltalamacchia was later traded to Boston, but Elvis Andrus, Matt Harrison, and Neftali Feliz all three became All Stars. Teixeira left Atlanta after that season in free agency. So the trade deadline is one of the most important days in a baseball teams season.So with the Rangers sitting a half game ahead of the Oakland A's at 48-34 (as of July 1st), what should they do that might help them make it back to, and this time win, the World Series. I think the team needs a bat more than they need pitching. Their pitching is doing very well. As a team, they have a 3.64 ERA with a few good arms getting healthy and expected to make an impact in the second half of the season. Look at who is coming off the DL sometime in the second half...Joakim Soria, Colby Lewis, Alexi Ogando, and Matt Harrison. That's three starters and a very good reliever. If Martin Perez keeps pitching like he has lately, then you might see Ogando join Soria in the bullpen and be a big time arm added to the bullpen. So I'm not concerned with the pitching staff. My thing is hitting. We need a good, power hitting bat in the lineup. As a team they are only hitting .260 with 95 home runs and 334 RBI. They need a big time bat in their line up. Or at least a bat that can shake the line up around. Let's face it. Lance Berkman just ain't cutting it. His old joints and brittle bones are more suited for my amateur baseball league than the Major Leagues. I'm also not impressed at all with Jurickson Profar. He is considered the number one best minor league prospect in all of baseball. But I believe he just isn't a smart player...yet. Not saying he can't become a good, smart player. But if you are trying to win a World Series now, he isn't the kind of guy you want on your team. He makes dumb mental mistakes on the base paths while rushes to make plays on the field instead of taking time to make the play. He has made some good plays, but it's the routine plays he seems to always mess up. He doesn't have a place to play on a regular basis. He needs a place to play regularly and that won't happen anytime soon this season. So why not use him as trade bait to gain a big bat or big pitching arm (if that's what they decide to go after). So let's take a look at the top three pitchers and top three hitters the Rangers should try to trade for.
Top Three Pitchers:
1. Cliff Lee, Philadelphia Phillies
I know this sounds crazy, but yes the Rangers need to trade again for Lee. He has been the only bright star out of what has turned into a bad pitching staff in Philly. Lee is 9-2 with a 2.51 ERA and 105 strike outs on the season. Lee is also under contract for another two years. I know the Rangers would want the Phillies to pick up some of the financial burden of Lee's contract, but I believe they would do it if the Rangers were willing to put Profar in a packaged deal. Lee would garner another big player along with Profar so the Rangers should send Mike Olt, Profar, and a couple of lower level prospects to Philadelphia for Lee and cash. Lee would enhance the Rangers and give them a dominant pitching staff. Think about a staff of Lee, Darvish, Holland, Harrison, and Lewis. Not too shabby going into the playoffs.
2. Matt Garza, Chicago Cubs
This is a trade that I believe would be a little bit of a gamble, but could pay off royally. Garza has been injury prone, but since coming off the DL a few weeks ago, he has a 2-0 record in 22 innings pitched, 2 earned runs, only 3 walks, and 23 strike outs. He has dominated his last three outings and is showing signs of his old self. He is a free agent at the end of the season, but if the Rangers could pull the trigger and send three or four lower level to Double A decent prospects, I think they could land Garza. If healthy, he could be a major asset to the Rangers pitching staff.3. Edinson Volquez, San Diego Padres
Volquez is no stranger to the Rangers. He was on the teams from 2005 to 2007. He was traded in December of 2007 to Cincinnati for Josh Hamilton. This year he is 6-6 with a 5.50 ERA and 79 strike outs. He has dealt with a couple injuries, but when he is on he is dominant. I think he would boost the Rangers staff tremendously. Sometimes a new team and new atmosphere can really change a guy around. I believe Volquez would benefit from a trade to Texas.Now that I have given you the top three pitchers I believe the Rangers need to go after at the trade deadlines, it's time to show you who I believe the Rangers really need to trade for...a big bat.
Top Three Hitters
1. Giancarlo Stanton, Miami Marlins
I have been vying for the team to make this trade since the Marlins sent all of their good players, minus Stanton, to the Toronto Blue Jays. This is a guy who would bring a big presence into a good line up and would add major pop and youth to the team. Due to a stint on the DL, Stanton is only hitting .268 with 8 home runs and 22 RBI. But he has been tearing it up since coming back to the Marlins line up. It would take a major, major package for the Rangers to get Stanton, but I believe it would be worth it. He is under contract for another three years at a total of $1.6 million. He would be a steal for the Rangers to trade for. They need to send Profar, Olt, Wilmer Font (who made a brief appearance last season for the Rangers), and Rougned Odor (who is on the verge of making the Futures All Star Game). I think this package would definitely land Stanton in a Rangers uniform. With Nelson Cruz potentially going to be suspended for at least 50 games, Stanton would provide that major pop in the line up. Here is my ringing endorsement...GO GET GIANCARLO STANTON!!!
If Stanton isn't an option, then Willingham would be a good addition to the lineup. He is only hitting .220 with 10 home runs and 36 RBI, but he has always hit well at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. Putting a guy like Willingham on a contender team might be what sparks his bat to come back alive. A package of 2 or 3 decent Double A guys might do the trick to get Willingham.
3. Michael Young, Philadelphia Phillies
The reason I believe trading for Michael Young would be good is because it would be a major boost to the clubhouse to have their leader back. If you have watched Young play at all this season, he just looks like he isn't comfortable on any team but Texas. He is only hitting .280 with 4 home runs and 19 RBI this season. But if the Rangers brought him home, made him the DH again, and let Lance Berkman go, it would show Young that Daniels made a mistake and he would go back to enjoying playing baseball again. He just doesn't look like he enjoys it anymore. So the Rangers need to bring Michael Young back to the Rangers.So there you have it. My thoughts on who the Rangers should trade for. Obviously, my first pick is Giancarlo Stanton, but if they trade for any of these six players I believe it could put them over the top to go back to and win the World Series. The countdown is on...30 days until the trade deadline. It will be exciting to see what the team does.
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