AI

Word going around is Mike Maddux would take the job this time around with Greg coming with him.

Villanueva is a Top 100 guy but in a position of depth for the Rangers (3B). With Olt nearly ready and Joey Gallo murdering the ball in Arizona (not to mention Beltre signed for another 4 years), the Rangers have 3B covered. I think worth it for a team that really needs SP help if another World Series run is to happen. Everybody wins.

I think he'll certainly be in the mix and they are paying him a lot of money. We'll see. My guess is that it will be a platoon, though it may be a Martin/Gentry platoon instead of Borbon.

The Darvish contract details... 2012 -- $5.5 million 2013 -- $9.5 million 2014 -- $10 million 2015 -- $10 million 2016 -- $10 million 2017 -- $11 million There are also roster bonuses for $800,000 per year for each year he is not on the disabled list for more than 30 days. If he's on the disabled list for more than 30 days, the bonus is "reduced by $5,228.75 per day starting on Day 31."

If any front office can get this done, I believe JD and co. can. A three year deal (or a deal structured to resemble one makes sense. Josh Hamilton comes off the books after this year and Michael Young after '13. Given that Hamilton's decline is likely right around the corner and Young's age, this could be a great idea for the Rangers. We'll see. But the following lineup is pretty sick... Kinsler, Young, Hamilton, Beltre, Prince, Napoli, Cruz, Gentry/Borbon, Andrus is pretty sick.

Word in DFW is that Prince wants to join the Rangers and that the Rangers can still make it work even after Yu. They will have to get creative, though.

They said that about the Rangers after they lost Cliff Lee.

BURN!!

Well, then you're weird. :wink: We're pants optional 9 months out of the year down here.

That was my first question. I really didn't care for Riggins. How about Mike Maddux? :D The leading candidate (and perhaps only) candidate to replace Mike Maddux was BP coach Andy Hawkins. He's highly thought of among the Rangers front office.

Exactly. Speaking of dumps, with all that new money he can afford to move them out of that dump of a state Texas and up to a nice luxury suburb in north of Chicago. Theo has obviously never been to Southlake.

Per Jon Heyman's Twitter... SI_JonHeyman Jon Heyman Cubs will do a second round in managerial derby. So far its between maddux sveum alomar and mackanin

Sounds like a mentality of removing the reliance on pitch counts as well. There is a difference between being cognizant of pitch counts and being ruled by them.

Its all about conditioning the arm and the body to be stronger and more durable. The Rangers do not abuse their pitchers at all and the statistics bear that out.

We are really going to miss him here in TX.