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BP says Rangers will bid big for CC

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BP has a rundown up that is viewable as part of its free preview.  John Perrotto touches on the "rumors and rumblings" for both the AL and the NL.  Of particular interest is this:

The Rangers are expected to be among the top bidders for Brewers left-hander CC Sabathia when he becomes a free agent at the end of the season.

It's thrown in there and not exactly a shock, but the fact that it is already making the rounds among writers is somewhat encouraging.

 

Here is the link to the story

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Hopefully

this time we won’t come in second place.

by coolaid on Jul 27, 2008 6:49 PM CDT   0 recs

and yet, my money would be on 2nd place

or 3rd.

not necessarily a terrible thing depending on how much is given.

though I dont think CC will be a zito.

the preceding post is not nearly as negative or insulting as you think it is

by DSheppard on Jul 27, 2008 6:55 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

I say this

without any sarcasm, but I fully expect them to be 2nd or 3rd if they’re in the middle of that bidding war. Just gonna be too high stakes.

Offense doesn't doubt me, but my first and primemost thing is defense and punt return and kickoff return

by zywica on Jul 27, 2008 9:43 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Sheets is a more realistic target

I think

"Sooner or later, prospects kill you, because you hang onto them." - Greggo, 11/22/2005

by Agreen07 on Jul 27, 2008 11:08 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Money

Recent BP chat…can’t remember who it was, the guy baldly said MLB is going to be just awash in money. Contracts are about to get really stupid rich.

I wouldn’t rule Hicks out of that, especially if it’s the overall sea level that’s changing.

Anyway somehow I’m just not optimistic on CC. He’s too fat and too worn down. It’s fine here if JD gets outbid, even preferred.

Free agent starting pitching is bullshit, folks.

Go Strangers.

by hightowersmith on Jul 27, 2008 11:42 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

The Yankees

want Sabathia badly and have tons of money coming off their books. Who would you bet on in a bidding war with the Yankees and Rangers equally motivated?

Offense doesn't doubt me, but my first and primemost thing is defense and punt return and kickoff return

by zywica on Jul 27, 2008 11:50 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Seriously.

All the same, I don’t think both of CC and Sheets make it to the big money teams. The Red Sox have too many good internal options…I don’t see them getting into the FA market.

Go Strangers.

by hightowersmith on Jul 28, 2008 12:02 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Yeah

That’s why Sheets does seem a tad bit realistic to me.

Offense doesn't doubt me, but my first and primemost thing is defense and punt return and kickoff return

by zywica on Jul 28, 2008 12:33 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Jon Heyman:

Five executives who know Sabathia were asked whether they believe he will follow his heart or the money, and there’s a split about how heavily he’ll lean toward signing with a California team. Two executives opined that he’s surely bound for California (“he isn’t a New York guy,’’ said one) and would be shocked to see him go to the Yankees or any other big-market East Coat team. But three others said some version of “money talks.’‘

Sabathia is building a home right now in Southern California.

by oc on Jul 28, 2008 1:50 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Again, I don't think CC is the one you want.

Sheets, baby. Throw the bank at Sheets.

"But the point is, [Jeff] Mathis is a bush-league uber douche." -lonestarJon

by ghtd36 on Jul 27, 2008 6:59 PM CDT   0 recs

I throw the bank at both....

and hope just one of them takes it.

by clinton33 on Jul 27, 2008 7:00 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Throw the bank at both

and get both of them. Hicks hasn’t spent squat in years…except on a soccer team.
Pony up and get them both…THEN you have a very solid contender.
Tell each of them that you’re getting the other. meet with them both at the same time.
Bring Josh Hamilton with you! Whatever it takes, do it. BOTH.

I Stole The Red Finger !

by Clueless on Jul 27, 2008 7:58 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Pony up for both...

Trade for Halladay, and tell everyone with questions about the Rangers pitching staff in the past to eat shit.

by N41D on Jul 27, 2008 8:30 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

One can always dream

and the thought of Halladay, Sabathia, and Sheets in the same rotation gave me a serious baseball-gasm…and I am not ashamed to admit that.

And darn it if the Brewers aren’t 2/3 of the way there. Sick!

"Here comes the version of Benoit that lets the other team put it out of reach. I hate that version."
-Athos

by SaltyDawg on Jul 27, 2008 8:31 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Why do that

and give up prospects for a guy who is going to be 32, when you can just go out and sign someone younger, who may end up being just as good…

"Well, the Dallas Mavericks got beat by the New Orleans Hornets last night ending their season. Word is that someone on the team is dating Jessica Simpson." - Jay Leno

LSB facebook group ---->>> http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=33345329288

by hinduplaya on Jul 27, 2008 8:33 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

i was talking about your part of trading for Halladay

not about your part of signing Sabathia and Sheets

"Well, the Dallas Mavericks got beat by the New Orleans Hornets last night ending their season. Word is that someone on the team is dating Jessica Simpson." - Jay Leno

LSB facebook group ---->>> http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=33345329288

by hinduplaya on Jul 27, 2008 8:33 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Just dreaming aloud, really...

Tell me it wouldn’t be nice to see the Rangers rolling out three aces though…

by N41D on Jul 27, 2008 8:37 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Ya it would be

but hey, I’d love to see one of those be Feliz

"Well, the Dallas Mavericks got beat by the New Orleans Hornets last night ending their season. Word is that someone on the team is dating Jessica Simpson." - Jay Leno

LSB facebook group ---->>> http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=33345329288

by hinduplaya on Jul 27, 2008 9:53 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

feliz will be better than both of them

Feliz and Hurley. The 1-2 punch of the future

by Steal Home on Jul 27, 2008 10:41 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Tell them what?

Their just gonna get hurt after two months of pitching for Texas. They all do ya know.

The bloggerformelyknownasBigBaddBubbaJ

by NYTXFAN on Jul 27, 2008 10:22 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Sheets has an injury history

and CC has a million miles on his arm, and looks like he could die of a heart attack at any time.

Coin toss?

"...my balls are really like a veiny flesh color" blueballlefty on Jun 4, 2008 7:44 PM EDT
"you gonna lose your horse. seriously." FX2
"If you ain't got no money, ain't nobody calls you honey," Bo Diddley

by Rodney on Jul 27, 2008 7:01 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

i think sheets is more realistic

because the injuries will probably scare off various bidders moreso than CC’s weight and innings.

id want the rangers to at least be involved in both though.

the preceding post is not nearly as negative or insulting as you think it is

by DSheppard on Jul 27, 2008 7:04 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

I think Sheets is more realistic...

Because even if we were the high bidders, I think CC would take a slightly cheaper deal to move to the west coast. We’d have to money whip the living hell out of him to get him to come here.

Sheets is a Texas boy and Houston just sucks all kinds of balls right now. I’m not sure he comes to us, but there’s a better chance of it happening than Sabathia.

by LiamP on Jul 27, 2008 7:10 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Sorry.

Sheets isn’t a Texas boy, but he’s from the South. Keep forgetting he’s from LA.

by LiamP on Jul 27, 2008 7:11 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Although...

He does live in Dallas now according to a recent Newberg Report.

by Kevin McBrayer on Jul 27, 2008 10:19 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Why would you make this call now?

Why not wait until the end of the season when we’ll have seen whether Sheets can actually stay healthy for an entire season for the first time in 5 years?

Plus, C.C.’s a LH’er and we need LH’ed starters considering our park.

Not to mention Oliver Perez who had a horrible start to the season but has been pitching very well recently, Ryan Dempster, Jon Garland etc. are going to be FA’s too.

If we want an injury risk for a lot cheaper than Sheets will be, what about Randy Johnson? Lefty = good.

by Rangerchick on Jul 27, 2008 7:09 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

I like Dempster..

I dont trust Oliver Perez with guaranteed money..

And I really like the idea of Randy Johnson..

by tyd3311 on Jul 27, 2008 7:59 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

LOL

Randy Johnson who by next year you will have to wheel him out to the bump on a dolly. There are better ways to use your money.

"Would you mind walking a time or two so I could drive in some runs"? Milton Bradley

by boomer1 on Jul 27, 2008 8:02 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

I'm thinking

Money isn’t gonna be much of an issue for this team here on out..

Randy can still bring it at 93-94.. I’d like him to take Millwood’s spot in the rotation, if we can get rid of Millwood. Not to mention the effect he might have on a C.J. Wilson or Matt Harrison. or any of our young pitchers for that matter.

by tyd3311 on Jul 27, 2008 8:06 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

not trying to be sarcastic

why is money not gonna be an issue if we an owner like tom hicks

OT- did anyone see that eephus randy threw today. hilarious

Feliz and Hurley. The 1-2 punch of the future

by Steal Home on Jul 27, 2008 10:49 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

That pitch

was crazy…

Tom isn’t afraid to spend money, we just have been going about it a little differently the past couple years, but I think now that we have a core to build around, and have proved to be competitive, Hicks will open up the wallet for us to take the next step.

by tyd3311 on Jul 27, 2008 10:57 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

i know im dreamin here but

Sabathia/Hurley/Feliz/Padilla/someone(harrison, mendoza, hunter, mathis, gabbard, jennings) can be an above average rotation

Feliz and Hurley. The 1-2 punch of the future

by Steal Home on Jul 27, 2008 11:07 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Randy is a post-steriod user,

once he got of the juice, well, he just hasn’t been the same.

The bloggerformelyknownasBigBaddBubbaJ

by NYTXFAN on Jul 27, 2008 10:25 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Damn Ranger Chick,

ur a hottie. Keep talking baseball, that’s hot.

The bloggerformelyknownasBigBaddBubbaJ

by NYTXFAN on Jul 27, 2008 10:24 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

we need to a power pitcher no more scrub sinker-ballers

Feliz and Hurley. The 1-2 punch of the future

by Steal Home on Jul 27, 2008 10:43 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Why do lefties = good?

Pitchers who are good at getting outs are good.

I could not care freaking less which hand a pitcher throws with.

It’s the most overrated thing in sports.

The 40 Trumps All!!!

by thedirkatron on Jul 28, 2008 1:54 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

The article also talks about

the Mets looking at Eddie Guardado

the Yankees looking at Laird

the Twins considering trading for Blalock

and a mention of Cat being expendable, though not really attaching his name to any other team

"Here comes the version of Benoit that lets the other team put it out of reach. I hate that version."
-Athos

by SaltyDawg on Jul 27, 2008 7:05 PM CDT   0 recs

CC

CC is a better fit than Sheets because he’s a lefty. Lefty pitchers are better for our ballpark. But we won’t land either, no one wants to pitch here unless we over pay by a lot.

by Monkey Brain on Jul 27, 2008 7:11 PM CDT   0 recs

Everyone knows that

that’s why we will have to overpay…

"Sooner or later, prospects kill you, because you hang onto them." - Greggo, 11/22/2005

by Agreen07 on Jul 27, 2008 7:27 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Holy Cow Batman

He is listed at 290!

by Goyogringo on Jul 27, 2008 9:53 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

well, he's 6'7"

W: "Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we."

by hubcityraider on Jul 28, 2008 9:33 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Let's get both!

CC for 1 year 23MM, Sheets for 1 year 18MM.

Josh Hamilton is better than you.

by Longhorn on Jul 27, 2008 7:49 PM CDT   0 recs

Exactly!

No more lame excuses.

I Stole The Red Finger !

by Clueless on Jul 27, 2008 7:59 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Big daddy has the money

Go for it.

"Would you mind walking a time or two so I could drive in some runs"? Milton Bradley

by boomer1 on Jul 27, 2008 8:02 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Heh

Yah, I’m sure they’d both love to sign one year deals to pitch in Tejas.

The 40 Trumps All!!!

by thedirkatron on Jul 28, 2008 1:55 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

I vote both as well.

You can make a case for either, though if I absolutely had to pick, I would go with CC.

Sheets would be a great sign as well, though, because he is extremely consistent when he’s healthy. The guy’s numbers (not to mention the stuff he had at the ASG) are insane. The only big question mark is obviously his injury history.

With CC though, you can rely on the guy to stay healthy for the most part. The biggest draw for me about him is that he eats innings and throws more CG’s than anyone in the majors (except Halladay perhaps). Besides that, he IS a lefty and we all know that those are rare to come by in Arlington.

Ian Kinsler has finally earned the right to be the third of my co-favorite players.

by utlonghorn24 on Jul 27, 2008 9:41 PM CDT   0 recs

tough one

I like Sheets better as a pitcher but not only has he had the injry problems, he is also 2 years older than Sabathia.

by kumizi on Jul 27, 2008 10:35 PM CDT   0 recs

we need to tell them both

that if you both come then we’ll give you both more money and also just tell them over and over that we have the best and youngest offense in baseball so if you allow 4 or less runs then you are most likely gonna get the win

Feliz and Hurley. The 1-2 punch of the future

by Steal Home on Jul 27, 2008 10:52 PM CDT   0 recs

Get off cloud 9 buddy

"Sooner or later, prospects kill you, because you hang onto them." - Greggo, 11/22/2005

by Agreen07 on Jul 27, 2008 11:11 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

how often do we not score 4 runs

Feliz and Hurley. The 1-2 punch of the future

by Steal Home on Jul 27, 2008 11:17 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

We don't have the money to sign both...

"Sooner or later, prospects kill you, because you hang onto them." - Greggo, 11/22/2005

by Agreen07 on Jul 27, 2008 11:46 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Sure we do

Especially if we just trade Padzilla at the deadline.

Padzilla and Jennings in ‘08 = the salary it’d take to get Ben Sheets here in ‘09. (~18mil)

We have enough money in the tank to absorb the 23mm or so hit it’d take to get CC here as well.

We could very easily have the money to sign them both.

It’s just that it’ll never happen.

The 40 Trumps All!!!

by thedirkatron on Jul 28, 2008 1:59 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Okay your argument

claims that we trade Padilla. Obviously if you deduct that from your payroll you have more money to play around with…

"Sooner or later, prospects kill you, because you hang onto them." - Greggo, 11/22/2005

by Agreen07 on Jul 28, 2008 2:27 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Um, yah, of course it does

I said so right in the first paragraph.

But the odds are good that some money gets chopped off at the deadline or over the winter.

Padzilla, Blalock and Bradley won’t all be with the big club next year, imo.

I was basically saying that, while it’s debatable as to whether we have enough money to add those two guys as our roster looks right now, there’s almost zero chance our roster right now is how our roster looks during ST of next year.

Our payroll is very low as is.

We could add 40mm in FA’s and still have a lower payroll than a lot of mid-majors around the league.

The 40 Trumps All!!!

by thedirkatron on Jul 28, 2008 2:38 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

As others have said...

I think the Rangers will throw a lot of money at CC, as they have done with players in the past, but I think someone will come in and jump 20 mil over them like the Giants did with Zito. I can also see the same thing happening with Sheets. The Rangers will make a nice offer but I think someone will out bid them.

"The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance."-Socrates

by slc ranger on Jul 27, 2008 11:22 PM CDT   0 recs

I think the common thread between Zito and CC

is that both of them really seem to be West Coast guys who will do everything in their power not to get stuck in a backwater burg like Dallas.

The 40 Trumps All!!!

by thedirkatron on Jul 28, 2008 2:00 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Can you blame them?

"Sooner or later, prospects kill you, because you hang onto them." - Greggo, 11/22/2005

by Agreen07 on Jul 28, 2008 2:27 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

no

I would prefer Cai over Texas any day of the week….

"Sooner or later, prospects kill you, because you hang onto them." - Greggo, 11/22/2005

by Agreen07 on Jul 28, 2008 2:57 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Well

they’re both from Cali, I believe, so that’s home for them. I can understand that.

Me, though, I’d do anything I could to not have to live in California. What an awful, awful place.

But I can’t fault anyone for not wanting to go to a place they’d rather not live. It’s nothing personal. They’d just rather be somewhere else.

It was it is.

The 40 Trumps All!!!

by thedirkatron on Jul 28, 2008 3:52 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Parts of Cali...

Are very nice to live in. I really miss the Bay and San Diego is very nice. It’s just so damn expensive to live there.

For the most part in you stay away from LA, Cali is very nice to live in imo. Of course I’m partial.

"The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance."-Socrates

by slc ranger on Jul 28, 2008 8:57 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

San Diego is an awesome place to live

I mean, it’s really expensive. But, beyond that, it’s a great city.

I'm undefeated in fights. Have I been in any? No. Thats because people know my f'ing status. Don't mess with the elite. - Miles

by Dirk Diggler on Jul 28, 2008 9:08 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

I assume you're joking about california...

that or you haven’t been there before.

"Sooner or later, prospects kill you, because you hang onto them." - Greggo, 11/22/2005

by Agreen07 on Jul 28, 2008 12:18 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

SIGN SABATHIA AT ALL COSTS!

Kinsler is the best player on the rangers(done), BENOIT SUCKS(done), bring up Harrison(done),new: Put Nippert in rotation, Mendoza to the pen, get Feliz to AAA by the end of the year, trade cat

by nice hands on Jul 27, 2008 11:32 PM CDT   0 recs

Has to be Sabathia

If we’re going to money-whip, might as well whip the guy who’s going to spend less time on the DL.

by cmkelly29 on Jul 28, 2008 1:42 AM CDT   0 recs

sheets would be nice

but i think we end up with a garland or lowe this year, and then maybe go after a big fish (beckett, webb, harden, lackey, bedard could all be FA) next winter, with the expectation that we will be a true contender by then and the milwood/padilla contracts will be off the books.

by Smoakin in the Boys Room on Jul 28, 2008 2:37 AM CDT   0 recs

Our offense is so ready..

If we decide to do that, I honestly can say I want Feliz in our rotation next year.

"Sooner or later, prospects kill you, because you hang onto them." - Greggo, 11/22/2005

by Agreen07 on Jul 28, 2008 2:58 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

$300 million

should bring both sheets and sabathia to tx

"Hey, I think it's easy for guys to hit .300 and stay in the big leagues. Hit .200 and try to stick around as long as I did; I think it's a much greater accomplishment. That's hard."-- Bob Uecker

by dmurphnextrusygreer on Jul 28, 2008 8:27 AM CDT   0 recs

Are you nuts?

How are you breaking that down? CC $200M/10 and Sheets $100M/6 years

I think a strong offer for both CC and Sheets is:

CC – $105M/5 years = 21M per – team options in year 6 and 7 for 23M each year with 1M buyout.
Sheets – $80M/5 years = 16M per

by Coolbean04 on Jul 28, 2008 9:32 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

if that works thats fine

but i think somebody is going to pay cc zito type numbers and sheets will be close behind

"Hey, I think it's easy for guys to hit .300 and stay in the big leagues. Hit .200 and try to stick around as long as I did; I think it's a much greater accomplishment. That's hard."-- Bob Uecker

by dmurphnextrusygreer on Jul 28, 2008 1:15 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Avoid

I’d avoid both of those guys. Remember how everyone was gnashing their teeth about losing out on Zito? How did that turn out? Rolling the dice on big money free agent pitchers is a loser’s game. Add in the fact that Sabathia has been over-used and Sheets is routinely injured, and you have a exposive combination. We need to focus on developing our own pitchers or trading for other team’s young pitchers. We should save the cash for extending our own players and bargain shopping.

--Brian

by BCanfield on Jul 28, 2008 9:29 AM CDT   0 recs

Not everyone

was gnashing their teeth at losing out on Zito :)

"And I stopped beating my wife just a couple of weeks ago." -John McCain

by DJCahill on Jul 28, 2008 9:45 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

i think the more likely scenario is

the Rangers not adding either big pitcher in 2009.

If they wait until after next season, Padilla and Millwood will both be gone (as will Blalock and Catalanotto for sure). They will have PLENTY of money to spend.

They could money whip John Lackey to come back to Houston, and they could maybe throw some money at Rich Harden as well if he can stay injury-free over the next 18 months.

Plus, by 2010, guys like Hurley and Feliz will be either that much better or ready.

Greatest Inventions Ever? 1. TiVO, 2. Boobs, 3. Baseball

by willamos2 on Jul 28, 2008 9:48 AM CDT   0 recs

Money

is of no object.

by tyd3311 on Jul 28, 2008 9:51 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs