Rangers GM Daniels disputes notion he won’t trade prospects

Anyone who wants to walk on the fightin’ side of Jon Daniels simply needs to tell the Texas Rangers’ general manager that baseball sources are saying he is unwilling to trade any of his club’s prospects.

“I don’t give a [hoot] what people are saying,” Daniels said Tuesday at the winter meetings. “I laugh because you’re not willing to trade these guys, and then you get criticism because you trade too many of these guys. Apparently, we’re guilty of both.”

The charge still stood at the Manchester Grand Hyatt that the Rangers are in discussions with multiple teams for significant additions but are unwilling to give up the prospects needed to complete a deal.

Daniels, though, said the Rangers have been engaged in trade talks that have advanced beyond the feeling-out stage. At one point, there was a lobby rumor that the team was closing in on a deal for a young starting pitcher who wouldn’t be eligible for free agency for multiple seasons.

That was premature, Daniels said, but he isn’t discouraged by the progress this week.

“I don’t expect any announcements tonight,” Daniels said. “We’ve probably had more advanced discussions in certain areas than others, but there are no shades of gray. You have a deal or you don’t. That’s why I’m hesitant to characterize it as close or not.

“I feel good about where we are. We have a number of players that teams like. It’s finding the right combination.”

The most likely suitor, at least on paper, is not one of the clubs moving forward with the Rangers. San Diego and GM A.J. Preller, Daniels’ former lieutenant and fraternity brother, aren’t yet willing to surrender right-handers Tyson Ross or former TCU star Andrew Cashner.

Preller has temporarily put the brakes on any notion that the Padres will be rebuilding. Preller believes the team has a small window to win with the quality pitchers everyone seems to want, but the catch is San Diego must add offense.

They have tried, falling short in bidding for free agents Yasmany Tomas and Pablo Sandoval. They are trying to get Matt Kemp away from the Los Angeles Dodgers, but until they miss on Kemp and maybe Atlanta outfielder Justin Upton or another of the available difference-making bats, their young pitchers aren’t going anywhere.

If the Padres continue to miss, they could opt to enter a rebuilding mold and will want multiple top-tier prospects.

Preller and Don Welke, another former high-level Rangers official now in San Diego, know exactly which Rangers prospects they would want — such as right-hander Alex Gonzalez and outfielder Nomar Mazara.

However, those talks are on hold until the Padres hit or miss on the remaining big bats.

So, the Rangers have remained engaged with the New York Mets and Miami Marlins for their young pitchers, and are also considering pitchers who become free agents next off-season.

Cincinnati righties Johnny Cueto and Mat Latos fit that mold, and both are on the Rangers’ board. So is Washington righty Jordan Zimmermann, but the Rangers won’t be surrendering a top prospect for just one year of salary control, either for a pitcher or for a hitter like Upton.

Upton is more likely to be traded than Braves catcher/outfielder Evan Gattis, the Dallas native whose salary would be under club control for four more years. The Rangers have asked about both.

The Rangers also are looking more closely at free-agent pitchers. Daniels said they have extended some offers, though sources have downplayed the club’s reported interest in Justin Masterson.

Daniels met with representatives of righty Gavin Floyd, who made nine solid starts for Atlanta last season before suffering a fractured elbow. The Rangers have a track record of signing affordable players on the rebound, just as they have a track record of trading prospects for key pieces.

So, don’t tell Daniels that he isn’t willing to trade prospects.

“We’ve made proposals,” Daniels said. “We’ve gone back and forth. We would trade from our prospect group. It just has to be the right deal.”

This story was originally published December 9, 2014 at 9:40 PM with the headline "Rangers GM Daniels disputes notion he won’t trade prospects."