well i haven't seen much brought up about Juan Cruz since Benoit has been shut down so im going to make this fanpost.

So i go to texasrangers.com to go check out the 40 and i remember the Benoit injury and wonder what the bullpen will look like going into a season where the Rangers can make a big push (not playoffs but at least compete for 3/4 of the season).

Before i did look, like Adam i didn't think we were in bad shape but after looking at the relief candidates It was pretty worrying. The article on the website says it starts with Fankie, C.J. and ends with Turnbow, Rupe, Madrigal as most likely there for the start of 09.

C.J. and Frankie are solid guys to build a bullpen around but then you have a rookie who was kinda effective but real raw, a guy who is decent but overrated in Rupe and an elite closer for like 3 seasons that fell off the ship and won't come anywhere near that for the rest of his career.

Well looking at the guys out there, i saw a guy named Juan Cruz. Yea he's a little old but can still bring it and was damn solid last year. Who knows, he can probably save some games for us. His numbers are good and the only problems with him are small. Money is gonna be one but im sure he's still going to be cheap in this market. Another one is his type a status which shouldn't get in the way of fixing a big hole with the big club. This guy is the best out there and money shouldn't be a problem UNLESS WE SIGN SHEETS (which is what im pulling for with about every fan on this site).

But really, we really need the help and i think this guy can help out a ton.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/baseball/mlb/12/14/wbc.hamilton/index.html

Sounds like he'd be their cleanup hitter and as much as I want Hamilton tp show the world what he can do, I'd rather have him get into shape so he stays fresh through October (yes, OCTOBER.)

I'm not exactly sure, but i'm pretty sure some players said they wish they didn't do it so they would have been more ready for their season so Hamilton not doing this might be a good thing.

Too bad though, because I think the whole world should know his story and see how amazing he is living life now compared to just a couple of years ago.

Maybe more Rangers asked for other countries?

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/8437824/Sources:-D-backs-fail-in-bid-to-land-Reds'-Dunn?CMP=OTC-K9B140813162&ATT=3498

Traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks for Dallas Buck and two players to be named later.

I'd say good deal for D-Backs and I would say makes them the favorite in the N.L if they can hold off the dodgers.

Wonder if the rangers inquired on Dunn?

I need six more words. Haha

Jon Heyman has wrote that Willie Randolph, Howard Johnson, and Rick Peterson could be on their way out of New York.

Do you think there is a possibility that we shoot the goose and hire Peterson.

He is one of the top pitching coaches around and has developed young pitchers (Zito, Mulder, Hudson)

Also familiar with Ron Wahington from their days in Oakland.  Maybe a FA will want to sign here if we have a good pitching coach

 Just saw this on mlbtraderumors.com and checked out the article but it's in spanish.  2 years for 2 mil.

Do the Yankees really need another DH/Outfielder?

Why give him a 2 year deal when he hasn't had an at bat in 2005 and he's 38 years old?

Here's the link if you understand espanole

http://www.vocero.com/noticiasum.asp?id=11112 "el Día de los Santos Inocentes"

Joh Weisman of si has his Rotaion Rankings up and has put our dead last WITH Volquez. He obviously doesn't know anything about this team if he lists Rheinecker and Wright as candidates

Is Millwood really below average?

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/writers/jon_weisman/12/21/al.rotations/index.html

This is mostly for Adam

please get off Torii Hunters nuts. Okay , Torii wasn't a good match for this team like most people have said but not because he's not a good player.
Sure, throw all the numbers you can at me but this guy is class act clubhouse leader who would have made something happen in this Rangers clubhouse full of youngsters. His offense isn't great and probably will get worse toward the last 2 years of his contract which is why we shouldn't have signed him.
For his defense,another fact not mentioned. He has played 81 games a year on the tough turf of the Metrodome for what 8-10 years. I'm sure that takes a toll on you. Finally playing on grass for a whole season will only make this guy better. Another defect of the Metrodome is that roof that is the same color of the damn ball. Do you think late jumps toward the ball and the guessing he has to do in that stadium helps?

If this guy signed with the White sox or the Dodgers then you wouldn't really care too much, but since it's the Angels in our own division you feel you have to make this guy out to be a third rate ball player. I guess that's why almost every team had his as the top centerfielder on the market. If you're so right about him then maybe you should be the Rangers g.m. and sign Mike Cameron.

The fact that he won't be as good in the last year of his contract doesn't matter. Maybe you couldn't tell but the Angels are in a win-now mode
and this move makes a guys like Willits and Figgins expendable to get Miguel Cabrera. They have a lot of youngsters and now they need the right number of veterens to guide them. stop trying to be their g.m when you don't know what they're doing.

All I know is this move with the one with Garland  will only improve this team to stomp past the other A.L. teams to get to the W.S. That's what a real team does

So seriously stop posting crap about Hunter. I don't want to hear what experts like Keith Law have to say. The Angels have a plan to win the World Series (something the Rangers are beginning to come up with) Maybe we should listen to the Angels  G.Ms have had to say and study it as much as you've been on the "Don't bring Torii Hunter, bring Mike Cameron to town bandwagon"