A lot of Rangers followers are calling this the worst offseason in club history, a notion I refuse to acknowledge based upon how poorly the franchise performed for so long. But nonetheless, there is no doubting that this winter has stung a little bit.

Hamilton, Mike Napoli, Zack Greinke and James Shields are all now off the board for the team, so it will now explore other options. In addition, all signs point to the Diamondbacks holding on to Justin Upton, so that’s basically out the window as well.

General Manager Jon Daniels and CEO Nolan Ryan have both said that they feel comfortable with the current roster, but the problem is that no one actually feels that way, especially with the Angels now having arguably the best lineup in the Majors. And it is ridiculous to believe that the team will not make any more moves before spring training. It will happen. It’s just a matter of who will be signed and how much longer the frustrated fan base will have to wait.

Right now, Ian Kinsler is moving to first base, Jurickson Profar is at second, Mitch Moreland is the primary DH and David Murphy is hitting third in the lineup. That’s not awful but it can’t match the other American League powerhouses.

The team has a few notable free agent targets left on the board in Nick Swisher, Michael Bourn, A.J. Pierzynski, Adam LaRoche and Edwin Jackson.

The Rangers primary need is a left-handed power bat, so Pierzynski and LaRoche make a lot of sense from that standpoint.

Pierzynski, who I have targeted in the past as being a villain of the MLB, is making more and more sense with the team’s current starter Geovany Soto and the backup being Eli Whiteside. Unless Soto has a “comeback player of the year”-worthy season and Whiteside all of the sudden decides that he can consistently produce at the Major League level, the team will not have much offense from behind the plate in 2013. I’m on board if Daniels and Co. pursue Pierzynski.

LaRoche is coming off one of the best seasons of his career as he slugged .510, posted a career high 33 HRs, knocked in 100 runners and had a WAR of 3.8. He would be the perfect fit for the No. 3 hole in 2013.

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Though he is not a “power bat,” perhaps the best fit for the team at this point is Nick Swisher. I’ve been all over the Swisher-to-Texas idea since I realized he was going to be a free agent. He’s a fit every way you look at it. He could hit in the No. 2 or No.5-8 spot in the lineup, is a switch hitter and can play RF and 1B. He would allow Nelson Cruz to make the much-needed move to DH and could sub in for Kinsler or Moreland (or LaRoche) when needed. Though another villain of the game, he is a tremendous clubhouse guy and always seems to be having a good time. He could add that off-the-field spark that the Rangers might need.

The addition of Bourn would possibly make the Rangers the speediest team in the Majors with Kinsler, Elvis Andrus, Profar, Leonys Martin and Craig Gentry already on the squad, but he is not exactly what the team needs at this time because the team lacks power.

After pursuing Greinke and kicking the tires in a trade for R.A. Dickey it seems that the team will look to add a mid-rotation starter, rather than the prototypical ace it sought early on. Jackson would be just that: a solid starter that would come in behind Matt Harrison in the rotation. But, with the market for starting pitchers so high, Jackson may command too large a contract if the team is looking to add some offense as well.

Through trade, they could look at Chris Capuano of the Dodgers — a team that has about eight rotation candidates with the addition of Greinke.

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Now, Rangers faithful will remain optimistic that the team has some sort of blockbuster in the works, whether it be swinging Upton after all, trading for a pitcher like David Price or forking over the entire farm for a big time duo like the Marlins’ Logan Morrison and Giancarlo Stanton. The team very well could pull off something like this, but I wouldn’t count on it.

Whatever the case, count on Daniels keeping a cool head despite the buzz going on around him. The cards are stacked against the Rangers front office at this time, but it’s their turn to make a move.

I don’t know when the moves will come, but they will soon enough. We’ve just got to remain patient. Even more patient than we are already remaining.

Abysmal would be a kind way to put what our production was from first base. Moreland, Napoli, Young, Olt and Snyder combined (COMBINED) for a 2.0 WAR last season. Best of the bunch was Napoli and he was on the DL for a long stretch. Putrid offensive numbers from the lot and not good in the clutch. It also hurt us defensively too with Moreland being the only pure first baseman we had and he also spent a chunk of time on the DL. It was a position that was nowhere near as productive as what we need at first base (or any team for that matter). Within the system there isn’t an easy answer.

What has to be determined is if Olt can handle the position 100 games or so. He had a tremendous year in the minors and like Profar wasn’t really given ample opportunity to prove himself. But he had a problematic foot too. Michael Young was simply not Michael Young and most expect him to have a significantly diminished role with the club next season. Mitch Moreland developed new problems at the plate and was not even the same guy he was in 2011. Napoli may or may not be with us and there has been new speculation (nothing from Ranger brass) that Kinsler may get a look at first. But his problems were in all phases of the game last season.

Looking outside, there have been reports that the Rangers have been in hot pursuit of Adam LaRoche. LaRoche would be a significant upgrade over the entire feel of Ranger first basemen last season. His WAR was almost twice of the group and almost twice of our highest WAR number belonging to Mike Napoli.  He would be a solid addition and is being pursued by more than the Rangers.  Other names that may interest the club include Kevin Youklis, Nick Swisher and Carlos Pena. There’s always a possible trade looming, but nothing in the ether as of this moment. We have not been strong at first base since Mark Teixera was traded.

On the bench, there are some free agents available, namely Ronny Cedeno and Marco Scutaro, though the Giants seem interested in getting him back.

This is all based on Ranger front office actions so far. The off-season is young and even as I write this, ESPN is floating the idea that Giancarlo Stanton could be had in a package deal  led by Profar. That would mean one thing.

The Big Board would look a lot different.

Can Moreland Get Back on Track or Do We Look Elsewhere?
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