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The Texas Rangers currently sit at 31-29, two-and-a-half games behind the Houston Astros for the AL West division lead and a half-game back of the Tampa Bay Rays for the second Wild Card spot. It makes sense that general manager Jon Daniels would want to improve his team before the trade deadline to give them the best opportunity possible to make the playoffs. One rumor that’s been floating around is that the Rangers are interested in trading for Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Cole Hamels. While Hamels would certainly improve the Rangers’ pitching staff, he wouldn’t be worth the price that the Rangers would have to pay to acquire him.
The only teams that should be interested in dealing for Hamels are the ones that are on the fringe of contending for a World Series title, and the Rangers aren’t quite there yet. The Rangers would have to give up three or four of their top prospects for Hamels, which would be too steep of a price tag for the team to pay. Mortgaging the future should only happen when a team is one piece away from winning the World Series, and the Rangers are a handful of pieces away.
I do believe that the Rangers should make some smaller moves in advance of the 2015 trade deadline. Daniels should be looking for some bullpen help, a cheaper starting pitcher and a right-handed power bat. If he addresses these holes and doesn’t have to trade the farm to acquire them, then the Rangers could very easily make the playoffs in 2015. All the Rangers would need is a ticket to the party, and then they have as good a shot as anyone to win the World Series title.
Hamels is one of the best pitchers in MLB, but he’s not a fit for the Rangers. The team can make the playoffs without him, and paying the Phillies the ransom they are asking for would not be best for business. If Daniels makes a couple of moves, on a lesser scale, the Rangers would be legitimate playoff contenders, which should be their goal for 2015. Winning a World Series title may not be realistic for the Rangers in 2015, but if they hold onto their prospects, it could happen in the near future.
Jason Fletcher is a MLB Featured Writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @JasonFletcher25, “Like” him on Facebook, or add him to your network on Google+.
