November 20, 200520 yr Sources: Rangers set to deal Blalock, Danks Trade with Marlins would bring ace Beckett, third baseman Lowell 08:25 PM CST on Saturday, November 19, 2005 By TODD WILLS / The Dallas Morning News The Rangers were on the verge Saturday of dealing for a long-desired No. 1 starting pitcher, Florida ace Josh Beckett, in a four-player trade involving All-Star third baseman Hank Blalock, major league sources confirmed. Rangers sources said Saturday that a deal, which has reached ownership level, would likely be done by Monday. The trade would send Blalock and top left-handed pitching prospect John Danks to the Marlins for Beckett and third baseman Mike Lowell, team sources said. Rangers owner Tom Hicks has reportedly had conversations with Florida Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria, but didn't care to get into those talks Saturday afternoon. "I'm not going to comment on anything today," Hicks said. New Rangers general manager Jon Daniels also wouldn't comment on any trade speculation. "We've talked to every team," Daniels said. Beckett, from the Houston suburb of Spring, is a former World Series MVP and would potentially give the Rangers the ace they have been in search of for years. Beckett, 25, was 15-8 with a 3.37 ERA and 166 strikeouts last season. The right-hander, who made $2.4 million last year, would be under contract with the Rangers for the next two seasons. Lowell, a three-time All-Star from 2002 to 2004, struggled offensively last season, batting .236 in 150 games with a career-low eight home runs. The 2005 Gold Glove Award winner had averaged 28 home runs during his All-Star seasons. The financially strapped Marlins are interested in unloading Lowell's contract, which has two years remaining for a total of $18 million. Blalock is much more of a bargain at $2 million in 2006, $4.75 million in 2007 and $5.95 million in 2008. Blalock is considered part of a young nucleus of Rangers All-Stars that also includes first baseman Mark Teixeira and shortstop Michael Young. Blalock batted .263 with 25 home runs and 92 RBIs in 2005 and led American League third baseman in fielding percentage. But he struggled for the second straight season after the All-Star break, hitting .236 with nine home runs and 35 RBIs. Danks, reached at his off-season home in Surprise, Ariz., said his mother called him Saturday to tell him about the trade rumors. Coincidentally, Danks said he is trying to sell his house in Surprise. Danks, the Rangers' first-round pick in 2003 out of Round Rock High School, was dominant at Class A Bakersfield last year but struggled after a promotion to Double-A Frisco. He was 4-10 with a 5.49 ERA for the RoughRiders. "I'll see how it goes," Danks said. "It's kind of cool to be thought of, but I'm a Ranger right now. Anything the Rangers feel they need to do, I'm really just an employee. I'm just getting ready for spring training and pitching for the Rangers."
November 20, 200520 yr Damn, Blalock will only be making $2 million next year. Let's turn him around for some starter and a prospect.
November 20, 200520 yr We'll just have to wait and see. The proposed deal with the Red Sox sounds better.
November 20, 200520 yr :boxed sh*t. Not even a bidding war.....we better not send a dime to Texas for Lowell's contract, if we do Beinfest is the biggest idiot out there.
November 20, 200520 yr Sources: Rangers set to deal Blalock, Danks Trade with Marlins would bring ace Beckett, third baseman Lowell 08:25 PM CST on Saturday, November 19, 2005 By TODD WILLS / The Dallas Morning News The Rangers were on the verge Saturday of dealing for a long-desired No. 1 starting pitcher, Florida ace Josh Beckett, in a four-player trade involving All-Star third baseman Hank Blalock, major league sources confirmed. Rangers sources said Saturday that a deal, which has reached ownership level, would likely be done by Monday. The trade would send Blalock and top left-handed pitching prospect John Danks to the Marlins for Beckett and third baseman Mike Lowell, team sources said. Rangers owner Tom Hicks has reportedly had conversations with Florida Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria, but didn't care to get into those talks Saturday afternoon. "I'm not going to comment on anything today," Hicks said. New Rangers general manager Jon Daniels also wouldn't comment on any trade speculation. "We've talked to every team," Daniels said. Beckett, from the Houston suburb of Spring, is a former World Series MVP and would potentially give the Rangers the ace they have been in search of for years. Beckett, 25, was 15-8 with a 3.37 ERA and 166 strikeouts last season. The right-hander, who made $2.4 million last year, would be under contract with the Rangers for the next two seasons. Lowell, a three-time All-Star from 2002 to 2004, struggled offensively last season, batting .236 in 150 games with a career-low eight home runs. The 2005 Gold Glove Award winner had averaged 28 home runs during his All-Star seasons. The financially strapped Marlins are interested in unloading Lowell's contract, which has two years remaining for a total of $18 million. Blalock is much more of a bargain at $2 million in 2006, $4.75 million in 2007 and $5.95 million in 2008. Blalock is considered part of a young nucleus of Rangers All-Stars that also includes first baseman Mark Teixeira and shortstop Michael Young. Blalock batted .263 with 25 home runs and 92 RBIs in 2005 and led American League third baseman in fielding percentage. But he struggled for the second straight season after the All-Star break, hitting .236 with nine home runs and 35 RBIs. Danks, reached at his off-season home in Surprise, Ariz., said his mother called him Saturday to tell him about the trade rumors. Coincidentally, Danks said he is trying to sell his house in Surprise. Danks, the Rangers' first-round pick in 2003 out of Round Rock High School, was dominant at Class A Bakersfield last year but struggled after a promotion to Double-A Frisco. He was 4-10 with a 5.49 ERA for the RoughRiders. "I'll see how it goes," Danks said. "It's kind of cool to be thought of, but I'm a Ranger right now. Anything the Rangers feel they need to do, I'm really just an employee. I'm just getting ready for spring training and pitching for the Rangers." Damn, I still hope this deal doesn't fall through. I expect Blalock to be traded some where else for other pieces. Only thing I like about this deal is John Danks who im high on. I was hoping it will be him and not Diamond if the deal happened.
November 20, 200520 yr We'll just have to wait and see. The proposed deal with the Red Sox sounds better. I'm not trying to sound sarcastic, but without a GM, doesn't that limit the likelihood that would be possible?
November 20, 200520 yr lalock batted .263 with 25 home runs and 92 RBIs in 2005 and led American League third baseman in fielding percentage. But he struggled for the second straight season after the All-Star break, hitting .236 with nine home runs and 35 RBIs. sounds like Mike Lowell jr. to me
November 20, 200520 yr Another thing. We better not pay a dime of Lowell contract. Lowell has a good chance to turn it around playing in a small ball park, good hitting line-up like Texas.
November 20, 200520 yr we are getting raped in this deal and this should be a lesson to never reward a big money backloaded contract with the hope that in those years you will have the mythical new stadium that will never be built in florida.
November 20, 200520 yr Author No doubt he does. Lowell will thrive in Texas. And Beckett is going to win 3 Cy Youngs. Josh is my third favorite Marlin - maybe second now that Miggy has an ego problem. This is a tough trade to handle. I'll always be supportive of Josh because of 2003 - no matter who he plays for, but I always kinda hoped he would be here for the long haul.
November 20, 200520 yr we are getting raped in this deal and this should be a lesson to never reward a big money backloaded contract with the hope that in those years you will have the mythical new stadium that will never be built in florida. No I think the lesson is don't give players large contracts just cause they are well known fan favorite's or big names. EX: Jeff Conine, Charles Johnson, Al Leiter, Lowell and to some extent Preston Wilson. A gm and owner job is to put the best players they can out there and I don't feel they been doing that these last couple of years.
November 20, 200520 yr we are getting raped in this deal and this should be a lesson to never reward a big money backloaded contract with the hope that in those years you will have the mythical new stadium that will never be built in florida. No I think the lesson is don't give players large contracts just cause they are well known fan favorite's or big names. EX: Jeff Conine, Charles Johnson, Al Leiter, Lowell and to some extent Preston Wilson. A gm and owner job is to put the best players they can out there and I don't feel they been doing that these last couple of years. no the reason they were backloaded was for hte mythical stadium that will never arrive.
November 20, 200520 yr This is terrible. I still pray it isn't true...doesn't make any sense for this club.
November 20, 200520 yr This is terrible. I still pray it isn't true...doesn't make any sense for this club. it makes perfect sense. we are over budget. we dont bring in enough revenue due to a lack of asses in the seats. so we have to cut payroll. if people would show up, support this team and make the legislature pass a stadium (you know something that happens in professional sports) then this wouldnt be the reality.
November 20, 200520 yr This is terrible. I still pray it isn't true...doesn't make any sense for this club. it makes perfect sense. we are over budget. we dont bring in enough revenue due to a lack of asses in the seats. so we have to cut payroll. if people would show up, support this team and make the legislature pass a stadium (you know something that happens in professional sports) then this wouldnt be the reality. But the Las Vegas jackpots still need to be an attractive team. Trading LoDuca, Delgado, Castillo, Pierre, Mota, Villone, etc. all make much more sense than trading Beckett.
November 20, 200520 yr Author I'm not gonna lie about this. I don't live in Florida. If they left - I wouldn't care. I just want them to be successful - no matter the location or the owner. For some random reason - I picked this team when I was 10 years old and almost 15 years later they are still my team and will continue to be no matter where they are located or who the owner is, and the current situation just isn't working.
November 20, 200520 yr screw you paper, screw you. Grrrr, sooo hate life right now. What else can go wrong today?
November 20, 200520 yr I hope that the Marlins have some magical play to immediately deal Blalock for something great. Swiiiiiiiiiiiing, and a miss!
November 20, 200520 yr I hope that the Marlins have some magical play to immediately deal Blalock for something great. I hope so also to lets say a team like the Twins thats need a 3B and can give us something good in return.
November 20, 200520 yr I highly doubt multiple media sources are talking out of their asses when referring to Beckett being on the market. I also think Joe Capozzi and the Palm Beach Post deserve some credit for breaking this story. They've taken alot of s*** for being biased for breaking supposedly unsubstantiated stories in the last few months, and this is one that they've gotten right. Good for them.
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