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11-21-2005, 07:08 AM
Rangers sweeten the deal for Beckett
Texas offers Danks or Diamond in pitch
01:18 AM CST on Monday, November 21, 2005
By EVAN GRANT / The Dallas Morning News
The Rangers are ready to make the necessary compromises in order to complete a deal to acquire potential ace right-hander Josh Beckett from Florida.
Now, it's up to Florida to make a decision.
While the Rangers, according to a club source, inched forward Sunday and agreed to include one of their top two pitching prospects along with third baseman Hank Blalock in a deal for Beckett and Mike Lowell, the Marlins were also considering an offer from Boston.
A major league source said the Marlins were weighing the two offers. The Rangers, according to a club source, hope to have the situation resolved by today. Otherwise, they will turn their attention back to free agency.
"It doesn't benefit anyone for me to comment on trade speculation," said Rangers GM Jon Daniels.
On Saturday, Rangers sources said if the team included left-hander John Danks, the club's top pick in 2003, a deal could be struck by the end of the weekend. The Rangers were not willing to go that far on Saturday, but had reconsidered Sunday. The Rangers are now willing to give Florida its choice of Danks or 2004 No. 1 pick Thomas Diamond.
The Red Sox are the lone remaining obstacle. Boston is reportedly offering shortstop prospect Hanley Ramirez and one of its own pitching prospects, either right-hander Anibal Sanchez or left-hander Jon Lester.
What is clear is that the Marlins want to shed serious amounts of payroll. Dealing Beckett, and especially Lowell, will help them accomplish that. Lowell is due $18 million over the next two years. Beckett, who is eligible for salary arbitration, is expected to make about $4 million in 2006.
Who ends up with Beckett could in large part depend on just how drastically the Marlins want to reduce payroll. Blalock, 25, will make $3 million in 2006 and another $10 million over the next two seasons. That would be a large commitment for the Marlins to undertake – if they don't turn around and trade Blalock for more young players. Under that scenario, Florida could potentially realize more return from dealing with the Rangers than with Boston.
The advantage for Florida of dealing with Boston is in cost. Ramirez, who turns 22 in December, would make only the major league minimum ($316,000) in 2006 and would allow the Marlins to fill a hole created by the free agency departure of Alex Gonzalez. Boston, however, could up the ante by including more in the deal. The Red Sox's biggest shortcoming in failing to return to the World Series was a lack of starting pitching.
For the Rangers, the lure is Beckett, plain and simple. The Rangers have long sought an ace-type pitcher in free agency and have come away empty. They also came up short in trade talks with Toronto about Roger Clemens before the 1999 season. The Yankees ended up with Clemens.
Beckett, 25, has already pitched like an ace in the 2003 postseason, when he compiled a 2.11 ERA in 42 2/3 innings and shut out the New York Yankees in Game 6 of the World Series to win the World Series MVP.
He has not, however, had a true breakout season. He went 15-8 in 2005, but it was the first time in his career he's won more than nine games. He has not yet reached 30 starts or 180 innings in a season. And he's been on the DL, mostly with blister problems, seven times in the last four seasons.
He comes with risk. All pitchers do. But the Rangers feel like they may be about to acquire the kind of pitcher whose rewards far outweigh the risks involved.
RISKY BUSINESS
Acquiring a pitcher is always a gamble. Staff Writer Evan Grant lists pros and cons to the Rangers' potential deal for Florida's Josh Beckett:
Pro
• Dominated 2003 postseason with 2.11 ERA in 42 2/3 innings and was World Series MVP.
• He doesn't turn 26 until May and already has 103 career starts. Pitchers generally start to mature and reach peak performance after 90-100 major league starts.
• Though he averages a strikeout per inning for his career, he's also owner of a solid groundball-to-flyball ratio (1.10 grounders per fly). He averaged 1.14 grounders per fly ball in 2005.
Con
• He is a health risk. He's been on the DL seven times in the last four years, at least once per season with a blister or skin tear. The Texas heat is notorious for causing blister problems.
• He pitched in a pitcher-friendly park that often forgives mistakes to the right-center gap. He was 10-2 with a 2.47 ERA at home in 2005, but 5-6 with a 4.31 ERA on the road.
• The AL transition may be tougher than usual. He's never made a regular-season start under AL rules and only one vs. an AL club. He allowed Seattle seven runs in 6 2/3 innings last season.
E-mail egrant@dallasnews.com
Texas offers Danks or Diamond in pitch
01:18 AM CST on Monday, November 21, 2005
By EVAN GRANT / The Dallas Morning News
The Rangers are ready to make the necessary compromises in order to complete a deal to acquire potential ace right-hander Josh Beckett from Florida.
Now, it's up to Florida to make a decision.
While the Rangers, according to a club source, inched forward Sunday and agreed to include one of their top two pitching prospects along with third baseman Hank Blalock in a deal for Beckett and Mike Lowell, the Marlins were also considering an offer from Boston.
A major league source said the Marlins were weighing the two offers. The Rangers, according to a club source, hope to have the situation resolved by today. Otherwise, they will turn their attention back to free agency.
"It doesn't benefit anyone for me to comment on trade speculation," said Rangers GM Jon Daniels.
On Saturday, Rangers sources said if the team included left-hander John Danks, the club's top pick in 2003, a deal could be struck by the end of the weekend. The Rangers were not willing to go that far on Saturday, but had reconsidered Sunday. The Rangers are now willing to give Florida its choice of Danks or 2004 No. 1 pick Thomas Diamond.
The Red Sox are the lone remaining obstacle. Boston is reportedly offering shortstop prospect Hanley Ramirez and one of its own pitching prospects, either right-hander Anibal Sanchez or left-hander Jon Lester.
What is clear is that the Marlins want to shed serious amounts of payroll. Dealing Beckett, and especially Lowell, will help them accomplish that. Lowell is due $18 million over the next two years. Beckett, who is eligible for salary arbitration, is expected to make about $4 million in 2006.
Who ends up with Beckett could in large part depend on just how drastically the Marlins want to reduce payroll. Blalock, 25, will make $3 million in 2006 and another $10 million over the next two seasons. That would be a large commitment for the Marlins to undertake – if they don't turn around and trade Blalock for more young players. Under that scenario, Florida could potentially realize more return from dealing with the Rangers than with Boston.
The advantage for Florida of dealing with Boston is in cost. Ramirez, who turns 22 in December, would make only the major league minimum ($316,000) in 2006 and would allow the Marlins to fill a hole created by the free agency departure of Alex Gonzalez. Boston, however, could up the ante by including more in the deal. The Red Sox's biggest shortcoming in failing to return to the World Series was a lack of starting pitching.
For the Rangers, the lure is Beckett, plain and simple. The Rangers have long sought an ace-type pitcher in free agency and have come away empty. They also came up short in trade talks with Toronto about Roger Clemens before the 1999 season. The Yankees ended up with Clemens.
Beckett, 25, has already pitched like an ace in the 2003 postseason, when he compiled a 2.11 ERA in 42 2/3 innings and shut out the New York Yankees in Game 6 of the World Series to win the World Series MVP.
He has not, however, had a true breakout season. He went 15-8 in 2005, but it was the first time in his career he's won more than nine games. He has not yet reached 30 starts or 180 innings in a season. And he's been on the DL, mostly with blister problems, seven times in the last four seasons.
He comes with risk. All pitchers do. But the Rangers feel like they may be about to acquire the kind of pitcher whose rewards far outweigh the risks involved.
RISKY BUSINESS
Acquiring a pitcher is always a gamble. Staff Writer Evan Grant lists pros and cons to the Rangers' potential deal for Florida's Josh Beckett:
Pro
• Dominated 2003 postseason with 2.11 ERA in 42 2/3 innings and was World Series MVP.
• He doesn't turn 26 until May and already has 103 career starts. Pitchers generally start to mature and reach peak performance after 90-100 major league starts.
• Though he averages a strikeout per inning for his career, he's also owner of a solid groundball-to-flyball ratio (1.10 grounders per fly). He averaged 1.14 grounders per fly ball in 2005.
Con
• He is a health risk. He's been on the DL seven times in the last four years, at least once per season with a blister or skin tear. The Texas heat is notorious for causing blister problems.
• He pitched in a pitcher-friendly park that often forgives mistakes to the right-center gap. He was 10-2 with a 2.47 ERA at home in 2005, but 5-6 with a 4.31 ERA on the road.
• The AL transition may be tougher than usual. He's never made a regular-season start under AL rules and only one vs. an AL club. He allowed Seattle seven runs in 6 2/3 innings last season.
E-mail egrant@dallasnews.com