The Wire

There isn’t much time left before the trade deadline, so let’s assess the latest news on the wire:

– Jon Morosi says the Rangers and Tigers have “talked” about Joe Nathan; the extent isn’t known at this point, with Morosi saying — expectedly — the price for Nathan is high. Duh, because what else is Jon Daniels going to say?

Detroit’s general manager, Dave Dombrowski, countered with: All I can say is that we feel very comfortable in the ninth and eighth innings with Benoit and Smyly. I don’t know where you’re really going to go out and improve that significantly.

And so goes the nature of posturing through the media around the July 31st deadline.

– Ken Rosenthal says the Rangers interest in White Sox outfielder, Alex Rios, is “overstated,” which doesn’t come as a real shock, given the marginal win upgrade he would provide, as well as the roughly $18 million he will be owed between now and the end of 2014.

As much as Rios is a “toolsy” guy — and we all know the Rangers like tools — he’s more of a good complementary player than some sort of offensive force with the power to singlehandedly erase a six-game deficit within the division.

I don’t pretend to know the motivations, or the inner-workings of Major League front offices. From my seat all I can do is observe and react, and use my logic and reason the best I know how to. So if I’m doing that, I’m assuming Jon Daniels & Co. aren’t thrilled at the idea of giving away a second set of prospects for a player under minimal team control, whose contributions to a postseason run would more or less be negligible . . . .

To that end, Alex Rios wouldn’t make a ton of sense. And neither would Hunter Pence, or [insert +1.0-win-upgrade hitter under control for one or two seasons].

* * *

Being a Rangers’ fan through the 2000’s made me, I would say, abnormally patient as far as “winning” was concerned. When you become conditioned to watching a team lose, it makes the wins that much more special. And sure, I still feel like a child inside almost every time Texas loses a game, like the universe is personally bitch-slapping me square in the face.

So I guess that’s why, now that the Rangers are “good,” or what have you, I don’t want to be that emotional, irrational kid who wants to spoil it. Trading future big-leaguers for present stopgap fill-ins seems to me more emotional than logical, inasmuch as blowing up the team would be more radical than reasonable.

It’s funny, because if I’m gambling I want to make my money fast; if I’m hungry I go to a drive-through to save myself the trouble; I have YouTube for short clips, Twitter for quick information;

And with baseball I’m willing to play the slow game. The future is just as important, if not more important, than what’s going on right now.

I’m also wrong a lot of the time, so maybe Jurickson Profar will get traded.