Looks like most of the newspaper staff in town have been assigned to the Cowboys this weekend.
There are a couple of articles on the start of the baseball GM winter meetings, with T.R. Sullivan concluding that the Rangers have plenty of chips to get something done in the trade market if they desire and highlighting Brandon McCarthy as a potential target. Jeff Wilson outlines Jon Daniels' first day and says that the Rangers will focus on the trade market.
Buster Olney, on his subscriber blog yesterday, talked about clubs that may be worthy to take the plunge on a front end starter. The #2 team on the list (behind the Brewers) is the Rangers:
2. Texas Rangers: They were one of the teams most aggressively pursuing Halladay at the trade deadline, and if they could land one of the big three available aces -- Halladay, Vazquez or Lackey -- they could have a formidable pitching staff next season if Derek Holland and Neftali Feliz (13 hits allowed in 31 innings with 39 strikeouts) continue to develop as expected.
Lackey would fit for many reasons -- he grew up and played college ball in Texas; he's had success in the AL West Division -- but it's unknown whether the Rangers have any chance to make an aggressive multiyear offer for the right-hander, given how their ownership is in a state of flux. The timing just might not be right.
Rather, the Rangers might be more inclined to make a deal for a one-year fix like a Halladay or Vazquez, and there already are rumblings that the Braves and Rangers have discussed Vazquez.
Olney goes on to discuss Chris Davis and Nelson Cruz as trade options.