A whole lot of stuff on the Rangers from the out of town papers this morning...
Some good news first...New York Newsday says that Minaya's attempt to pry away Juan Dominguez and Laynce Nix from the Rangers for Kris Benson was "to no avail." Very happy to hear that. That trade would have sucked.
Newsday and the New York Daily News both say that the Yankees are interested in trying to get Mench or Wilkerson, but they don't have the pitching that the Rangers would want.
The Washington Post is reporting that the Orioles have talked to the Rangers about getting an outfielder, but want to send the Rangers Bruce Chen or Rodrigo Lopez, while the Rangers apparently want Hayden Penn. I really like Penn, and getting him for someone like Mench would be a coup, but the Post says that the Orioles have indicated that they aren't dealing Penn.
Several items about Mench out of Chicago...the Daily Herald and the Chicago Sun-Times both say that the price for Mench is too high for the Cubs, with the Sun-Times saying that the Rangers want "at least" at #2 starter in exchange for Mench. I have to agree that a #2 starter is more than Kevin Mench is really worth. The Chicago Tribune, however, is reporting that Mench is a "real possibility" for the Cubs.
The Houston Chronicle is reporting that the Astros have talked to the Rangers about Kevin Mench, but that they'd probably have to deal a reliever to the Rangers rather than a starting pitcher as part of a Mench trade, because the Clemens situation means that they can't afford to part with Brandon Backe.
Meanwhile, the Minneapolis Star-Tribune says the Twins are continuing to pursue Hank Blalock, and all the Toronto papers say that J.P. Ricciardi wants Brad Wilkerson badly, and is looking at some combination of Orlando Hudson and pitchers to try to get a deal done to bring Wilkerson (or possibly Mench) to Toronto.