Back in third place, behind the hated Mariners. At least the A's lost yesterday...but incredibly, if Seattle wins today and the A's lose, Seattle will be tied for first place.
41-40 at the halfway point. Two games worse than last season. On pace to win 82 games this year.
Jim Reeves has a very sensible column today on potential trade acquisitions...he points out that to add anyone of real value is likely going to cost the Rangers one of the DVD, or Eric Hurley, and questions whether this team really should be making such a move right now, when it is, Reeves suggests, still a season away.
An interesting paragraph:
Daniels is too well-prepared not to have already done his homework on possible trades, but he's right when he says he's waiting to see some sign that this team is serious about winning the division. It would be a travesty to spend a highly-valued prospect, like one of the DVD boys, to try and help this team when it's just not ready to close the deal.
I'd seen some suggestions that Daniels was going to end up getting killed by the media come July and August, that they were going to rip him for not making a deal (particularly for pitching), and suggest that he's too young to be a g.m., not ready yet.
But Reeves seems to have a handle on the reality...the pitching market is shallow, the cost of any acquisition is going to be very dear, and making a deal just to make a deal doesn't make much sense. So there's one prominent DFW media member, at least, who appears to understand the problem, and isn't going to rip Daniels just for the sake of ripping.
Kat O'Brien says that a Rangers official says the report out of Philadelphia -- that the Rangers are looking at David Dellucci -- is incorrect. She says the Rangers had a scout at the Phillies/Blue Jays series because the Rangers are playing Toronto next week, and are not trying to get Dellucci back.
That makes sense...the Rangers already have Jason Botts and Fab 5 Freddy Guzman unable to get any playing time. I'm not sure what they'd do with Dellucci if they had him back right now.
O'Brien also has a piece on GMJ's push to be an All-Star this year. His catch last night was one of the best I've ever seen, even if it went for naught.
7 games left before the All Star break. I'm thinking that, come a week from today, we're going to have a much better handle on whether the Rangers are going to be contenders, or whether they are going to be fielding offers for guys like GMJ and Rod Barajas.