A few rumored Rangers targets gone

Along with the Blue Jays/D-Backs trade that apparently is about to go down, which will send Ranger targets Miguel Batista and Orlando Hudson to Arizona for Troy Glaus, there are a couple of other guys that the Rangers were supposedly interested in who are going off the market.

Jason Johnson is reportedly about to sign a one year, $4 million deal with an option year with the Cleveland Indians.  That's a little less than I thought he'd get, but it is still comparable to what Vicente Padilla -- a better pitcher -- will get in arbitration.

The thoroughly mediocre Juan Encarnacion, meanwhile, has signed a whopping three year, $15 million deal with the St. Louis Cardinals.

On the plus side, this means no Encarnacion for the Rangers.  I didn't want him here, and the contract he just signed is ludicrous.  Encarnacion is a bad player.  

On the down side, it makes it less likely the Cards deal Jason Marquis to the Rangers for Kevin Mench.