Daniels held a strong hand at deadline. He didn’t win a big pot, but he didn’t fold
Joey Gallo made his first appearance before the media Wednesday since he underwent surgery on his right hand last week, and he was in good spirits for someone who has no feeling in the tips of two fingers.
But just about everyone one in the Texas Rangers’ clubhouse was in a good mood. The trade deadline had passed, and they were all still there.
Elvis Andrus said he felt encouraged because he doesn’t like to see anyone go but also because he believes the Rangers are a few off-season player acquisitions away from being legitimate contenders next season.
All the Rangers need is a good starter, a closer and a big right-handed bat.
That’s it.
It appears they have a shortstop. Andrus can opt out of his contract after the season, but he spoke very much as if he won’t be doing that. He’s hinted as much, but this was another indication.
Here’s some Rangers Reaction from a 9-7 victory over the Seattle Mariners that snapped a three-game losing streak.
Daniels doesn’t fold
What public sentiment Rangers Reaction saw after the Rangers did nothing big at the trade deadline seemed to be split. Some were glad no key players were shipped out while others thought general manager Jon Daniels missed a chance to add talent.
Of course, only Daniels, a few of his lieutenants and executives on others teams know what was proposed. Daniels admitted that they had a high value on their players, especially Mike Minor, and he didn’t budge for a lesser deal.
Did he do that with Yu Darvish, when the package for Willie Calhoun was thrown together in the final 20 minutes before the 2017 deadline? That Cole Hamels trade last year pretty much stinks, though keep an eye on Alexander Ovalles.
He’s the last of the three players acquired from the Chicago Cubs who remains with the Rangers, and the 17-year-old just earned a bump to Short-Season A Spokane.
Daniels had more leverage with Minor than the other two because Minor comes with another year of control. Darvish was headed to free agency, and Hamels likely was with a $20 million club option.
Daniels didn’t have to move Minor. He could still attempt to trade him in the off-season, sign him to a contract extension, let him ride out his contract, or trade him for whatever he can get next July.
If top prospects or MLB-ready players weren’t going to come back in return, Daniels felt Minor had more value to the Rangers.
That goes for Hunter Pence, a free agent after the season but a player deemed so important in the clubhouse that Daniels didn’t dump him.
The Rangers want to know if this Danny Santana is the real Danny Santana. If so, the Rangers have an even bigger steal on their hands.
Daniels said that the Rangers will enter the off-season with some more money to play with, so maybe he crosses all three players off Andrus’ wish list. Maybe a trade of, say, Nomar Mazara, helps accomplish some of that.
Those things are possible because Daniels didn’t fold.
Minor weight lifted
Daniels was the one who called Minor after the deadline passed to tell him that he was still with the Rangers. Minor didn’t answer on the first try.
When Daniels did get Minor to answer, he told him how sorry he was for being put through the trade ringer but that everyone is thrilled that he is still with the team.
Minor then went out and finished July with another sub-par outing.
He allowed five runs in five innings, walking three, hitting one and allowing seven hits. But a three-run shot by Calhoun in the Rangers’ fifth left Minor in line for the win.
“I didn’t do anything to help us get the win,” he said.
Mechanical issues are betraying Minor on the mound, though he said he will get through them. He said that all the questions about the trade deadline have been a distraction, but he didn’t say the uncertainty has affected his pitching.
“He’s not going to use that as an excuse,” manager Chris Woodward said. “I think we all can realize it had to have an impact on him.”
Minor said there was a sense of relief when Daniels phoned him shortly after 3 p.m., but he made it very clear that he will no longer happily take questions on the subject.
“I’m tired of talking about it,” he said. “It’s over now. I didn’t want to talk about today with him or anybody unless he was calling me to tell me I was going somewhere.”
Guess that’s why he didn’t answer on the first try.
Astros get better
Anything can happen in a short series. That’s what underdogs often say.
Every team in the American League is now an underdog to the Houston Astros, who upgraded their pitching staff in a major way in the final minutes before the trade deadline.
In a Zack Greinke major way.
The Arizona Diamondbacks shed much of the right-hander’s contract for four Astros prospects, none of whom were the Astros’ top two prospects. Greinke, a former Cy Young winner, joins Justin Verlander and Gerrit Cole atop the Astros’ rotation.
Try beating that in a best-of-5 series.
Not only does Greinke give the Astros the best rotation in baseball, he also provides insurance in case the Astros fail to re-sign Cole in the off-season.
Houston stocked up on relievers, too, adding right-handers Joe Biagini and Aaron Sanchez in a trade with the Toronto Blue Jays. The deal also included outfielder Cal Stevenson coming from the Blue Jays for outfielder Derek Fisher.
Oddsmakers quickly made the Astros co-favorites to win the World Series and jumped them past the New York Yankees to win the American League pennant. The Yankees didn’t make any significant acquisitions.
Greinke has two years remaining on his contract after this season.
