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Rangers seeking right-handed hitter with pop; Dye a possibility?

SportingNews staff reports Nov 6, 3:16 am EST

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The Texas Rangers preached situational offense when introducing new hitting coach Clint Hurdle on Thursday, but the team also is expressing a need for some thunder in its lineup.

General manager Jon Daniels told the team's Web site he's looking to add a right-handed middle-of-the-order hitter to shore up an attack that scored more than half a run per game less in 2009 than it did in 2008.

The Rangers' Web site speculated that White Sox outfielder Jermaine Dye(notes) is high on the Rangers' wish list. Chicago is unlikely to exercise its $12 million 2010 option on Dye, thus making him a free agent. Dye, 35, batted .250 with 25 home runs and 81 RBIs this season, but he slumped in the second half, batting just .179.

How much the Rangers want to spend on a hitter like Dye is unclear; the club is for sale, but MLB.com reporter T.R. Sullivan wrote that the process is moving slowly and won't influence what the Rangers do in the immediate future.

"We've got a budget to operate within and we've got a plan we're going to execute," Daniels told Sullivan. "If ownership changes, that's a new variable to consider. But we're not thinking about that."

Daniels indicated that the club might not re-sign outfielder Marlon Byrd(notes), who led the team with 89 RBIs.


"In a perfect world, we'd like to have Marlon back. It's just not going to happen in the exclusive window period, if it's going to happen at all," Daniels said.

The team can negotiate exclusively with Byrd and its other potential free agents through Nov. 19. Daniels said infielder Omar Vizquel(notes) could re-sign during that period.

Also, the club wants to see how catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia(notes) is recovering from shoulder surgery before it begins talks with Ivan Rodriguez(notes) on a new deal.


More from Sporting News: New York Yankees win World Series

Updated Nov 6, 3:16 am EST
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8 Comments

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  1. Ronny C
    8. Posted by Ronny C Sun Nov 8 2:55pm EST

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    Marlon needs to be resigned, Hamilton is always hurt, the only reason I can see to not sign Bird would be because we have someone young that can play everyday in the outfield, lets forget about bats with pop and get bats with average and players with speed, remember speed Kills.
  2. doright
    7. Posted by doright Sat Nov 7 11:31am EST

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    Woe is me......Hey Nolan, are you still out there. Surely you can see where this is going. Looks like next year will be the same old crap. Over pay some old has been and trade off all your young help that will do you some good. Oh and by the way.....how are you going to screw over Young and a few others that mean the most to the team?
  3. cuffablimp
    6. Posted by cuffablimp Fri Nov 6 10:48pm EST

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    He would only be an asset no matter where he plays.
  4. Livin' the Vegas Life
    5. Posted by Livin' the Vegas Life Fri Nov 6 9:29pm EST

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    I have to agree, Marlon Byrd is far more valuable to the Rangers than either Dye, or Bradley. Byrd can contribute on defense and as well as hitting for average and power. The Rangers need a younger player with some pop in his bat and whose future is ahead of him. Dye and Bradley don't fit that bill. Keep Byrd and look for someone else.
  5. Livin' the Vegas Life
    4. Posted by Livin' the Vegas Life Fri Nov 6 9:28pm EST

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    I have to agree, Marlon Byrd is far more valuable to the Rangers than either Dye, or Bradley. Byrd can contribute on defense and as well as hitting for average and power. The Rangers need a younger player with some pop in his bat and whose future is ahead of him. Dye and Bradley don't fit that bill. Keep Byrd and look for someone else.
  6. D N
    3. Posted by D N Fri Nov 6 1:15pm EST

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    There is NO logic in what the Rangers are doing now. Byrd is better all the way around and so is Ivan Rodriquez. It seems to me the only reason they are trying to make Jarrod Saltalamacchia the starting catcher is because they received him in the trade for Tex. I don't think Jarrod will ever be the catcher as Ivan or Teagarden.
  7. Winholder
    2. Posted by Winholder Fri Nov 6 10:59am EST

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    I agree. They will spend big bucks to get Dye who is older than Byrd, less productive than Byrd, a downgrade in defensive skills and call it a good decision! Wow. I thought Nolan was smarter than this.

    A right handed, old, mediocre bat is better than a good left handed bat that also brings a history of being a great club house presence, a team player, a hustler? The lunatics are running the asylum.

    Dye is a low-key Bradley in waiting. He will complain every time he hits the bench for lousy hitting, he will complain if he doesn’t like the manager, etc. The guy is a pain in the butt. For what? .250 and 25 home runs while he is on his way to the bottom. Come on JD you have to be able to do better than this, even if it is someone from AAA.
  8. Matty Joe
    1. Posted by Matty Joe Fri Nov 6 10:48am EST

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    I see NO logic in this. Who would you rather have: the player who's older, has far worse defensive skills, drove in less runs, hit 32 points lower, and has no chemistry with the team OR the younger player, who can play all three outfield positions, led the team in RBIs, was second on the team in batting average and extra base hits and who sparked many a rally with timely hitting.

    This is a no brainer. Keep Marlon!
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