COMMENTARY | Zack Greinke, James Shields, R.A. Dickey, Justin Upton, Josh Hamilton, Mike Napoli, Koji Uehara, Mike Adams, Ryan Dempster.
From free agents to possible trade acquisitions to players who could have returned to Texas, the only thing they've ended up with is a catcher, Geovany Soto, who is a backup at best, and a reliever, Joakim Soria, coming off his second Tommy John surgery.
Needless to say, the fans have grown restless of watching player after player go to this team or that team while the front office in Arlington remains asleep at the wheel. We're told time and time again to "trust [Rangers' GM Jon Daniels]" because of the moves he's been able to move under the nose of every other team in Major League Baseball.
The same was said before last July's trade deadline. Everyone expected the big move, an acquisition of Greinke perhaps, until the only thing the team ended up with was long time Chicago Cubs' right-hander Ryan Dempster and his battery mate, Geovany Soto. Not exactly the sexy move the Ranger fans expected.
Now, five months later, it's starting to have that exact same feel. Texas has brought back Soto for another year and signed a guy who's gone through two surgeries. They've been down this road before with another pitcher, Brandon Webb, who didn't exactly work out. What's to say this won't end exactly the same way?
From the lack of moves at the trade deadline, as well as what has transpired so far this off-season, it leaves most to wonder if this organization is going to let it ride with their younger players. They've had every opportunity to trade star minor leaguers Mike Olt and Jurickson Profar, both remain with the Rangers.
Social media networks have been on fire about what's next for this team. We talk at length about the players we want and what it would take to make them the next member of the Rangers. But there comes a time when the talk becomes tired, especially with the lack of movement coming from their favorite team.
How do they go from being in the World Series to a team in rebuilding mode in just two years? Is the front office really ready to make a youth movement? Are they really ready to watch the Los Angeles Angels and Oakland A's pass them in the division for the foreseeable future?
Is this team really ready to roll the dice on two young, but extremely inexperienced, infielders on how this team performs in 2013? There's plenty of hype surrounding both Olt and Profar and probably for good reason. But what have they shown on the field, outside of Profar's incredible big league debut, that makes anyone believe they'll live up to the hype? How will they perform when the pressure of an entire organization's success is put on their shoulders? Will they rise to the occasion or will they fold?
These questions can't be answered in just one article and it can't be answered with just one opinion or one thought.
The Rangers' front office has proven that they can get the best performances out of the most unlikely players but it's tall order to expect that this coming season unless something is done prior to spring training.
Alexi Ogando is supposed to regain the form he had, for just a half season, in 2011. The form that led him to the All Star game.
They expect Yu Darvish to assume the role of an ace in the starting rotation. A role I don't know that he's ready for.
They expect Soto and new catching acquisition Eli Whiteside to be the men behind the plate. Two players that probably wouldn't be more than backups on a lot of other big league teams.
Last season, the Rangers had depth in case of injuries. When Colby Lewis went down, Scott Feldman stepped in and did so admirably, carrying the rotation for the better part of a month. They had Ogando who could step in and eventually had to acquire veteran starter Roy Oswalt.
Heading into 2013, that depth is no longer there. The team has even gotten to the point where Robbie Ross has become candidate to be a starter. A move that makes most shudder at the thought, especially how he performed out of the bullpen in 2012.
I'm not one who's going to tell you what you want to hear. I read the articles about Adrian Beltre being acquired in the month of January and I tell most fans not to panic. But after seeing a lackluster acquisition at the trade deadline, I have to wonder if the Rangers are really ready to sit this off-season out. Making it arguably one of their more disappointing off-seasons to date.
From high expectations when the Winter Meetings began to going home with nothing more than a small footnote.
Most won't agree with my opinions and I'm just fine with that. I'll leave my personal opinions, as well as my off-season grades, on the sidelines until spring training officially gets underway.
If Soria and Soto are it, then you can imagine what grade will go on my score card. It's not time for this organization to rebuild.
Then again, I've been wrong before.
Todd Kaufmann lives in Arlington, Texas and has covered the Texas Rangers for Sports Page Weekly, a weekly publication in Dallas, Texas, as well as for Through the Fence Baseball where he is the voice of their Texas Rangers podcast.
