I feel better after my rant of last night. It was very carthartic, getting all that out.
In the meantime, according to T.R. Sullivan, the Rangers are trying to accomplish one positive thing, anyway -- moving Alfonso Soriano to the Mets.
Sullivan says that the holdup right now is the Rangers' demands, as they are asking for three players, with the headliner being Lastings Milledge. According to Sullivan, sources are saying "the talks are hotter than both teams are letting on." That's a good sign.
This has been talked about here before, at length, but Milledge plus just about anything for Soriano would be a good deal for Texas.
That same source appears to have been talking to the New York Daily News, since they have this to say on the situation:
GM Omar Minaya expects to be a buyer before Sunday's trade deadline, and the Mets' interest in former Yankees All-Star second baseman Alfonso Soriano is "hotter than people think," said a source close to the situation.
The Mets and Rangers spoke earlier this season, but Texas requested Double-A outfield prospect Lastings Milledge at the time, scuttling any potential deal. Texas' current asking price, according to another source, is "a lot more than that."
Mets sources wouldn't characterize their interest level yesterday, but it is no secret the slugging Rangers would like to upgrade their rotation. And the Mets could have a surplus with injured starter Steve Trachsel slated to be activated shortly after the deadline. There also have been rumblings in recent days that the Mets are considering obtaining Dodgers lefty Odalis Perez, whom they briefly pursued as a free agent last winter.
More recently, the Astros and Twins have been in dialogue about Soriano, though contact with Houston faded, according to one AL source. And the Twins recently obtained Bret Boone.
The Mets also attempted to obtain Soriano, who has 24 homers and 66 RBI, early in the 2004 season.
Meanwhile, the Baltimore Sun says that the Rangers are still interested in Sidney Ponson if Phil Nevin vetoes the pending Ponson-for-Nevin swap.
Yay.