Per T.R. Sullivan, lefthanded reliever Mike Gonzalez, acquired by the Rangers late last season for Pedro Strop and a key part of the team's bullpen in September and the postseason, has turned down a minor league contract offered by the Rangers, with the team expecting him to sign a major league deal elsewhere.

I find this a bit confusing...Gonzalez performed well for the Rangers last year, was interested in coming back to Texas for 2012, and the Rangers had been saying they were interested in bringing him back. Given that, it would seem to be a no-brainer for the Rangers to offer him a major league deal, with the sticking point being the amount of the deal.

Offering Gonzalez a minor league deal seems to suggest that the Rangers aren't all that interested in Gonzalez after all, and are comfortable going with Michael Kirkman, Joe Beimel, or one of the other non-roster candidates as the team's bullpen lefty.