Rangers let trade deadline pass
Posted: Thu Jul 31, 2014 3:13 pm
DMN:
After making two mid-July trades, the Texas Rangers allowed the trade deadline to pass on Thursday without making any additional moves.
The club had discussed OF Alex Rios and LHP Neal Cotts with a number of teams, but ultimately did not find attractive enough fits. Rangers sources had indicated the team was not in a full-scale salary dump mode with the two players.
Rios has an option for 2015 at $13.5 million and a $1 million buyout. The Rangers could spend the first few days of August trying to negotiate a re-worked deal that might allow Rios to return for 2015 at a rate below the $13.5 million. If they don’t get any traction on that, they could expose him to waivers and try to make a deal that way.
Rios has twice been moved in August in his career, once on a waiver claim and last year via a trade to the Rangers.
With Rios’ power numbers down, his contract value might be worth something more in the $8-10 million range annually. If the Rangers could negotiate such a deal, it would continue to free up salary resources to make runs at free agent starting pitchers.
As for Cotts, he did not demonstrate the kind of dominance against left-handed hitters that contenders were looking for. Several teams – most notably Baltimore – checked in with the Rangers about Cotts, but ultimately the Orioles made a deal for Boston’s Andrew Miller. Miller has been more effective against lefties
After making two mid-July trades, the Texas Rangers allowed the trade deadline to pass on Thursday without making any additional moves.
The club had discussed OF Alex Rios and LHP Neal Cotts with a number of teams, but ultimately did not find attractive enough fits. Rangers sources had indicated the team was not in a full-scale salary dump mode with the two players.
Rios has an option for 2015 at $13.5 million and a $1 million buyout. The Rangers could spend the first few days of August trying to negotiate a re-worked deal that might allow Rios to return for 2015 at a rate below the $13.5 million. If they don’t get any traction on that, they could expose him to waivers and try to make a deal that way.
Rios has twice been moved in August in his career, once on a waiver claim and last year via a trade to the Rangers.
With Rios’ power numbers down, his contract value might be worth something more in the $8-10 million range annually. If the Rangers could negotiate such a deal, it would continue to free up salary resources to make runs at free agent starting pitchers.
As for Cotts, he did not demonstrate the kind of dominance against left-handed hitters that contenders were looking for. Several teams – most notably Baltimore – checked in with the Rangers about Cotts, but ultimately the Orioles made a deal for Boston’s Andrew Miller. Miller has been more effective against lefties