Regardless of that or the lack of being nowhere close to his 2011 numbers in 2012, Napoli brought something to the team that we had been sorely missing. We had Michael Young’s quiet lead by example leadership, but Napoli was the on-field cheerleader. He could get the team and the crowd fired up at the drop of a dime.  Who does that now? Kinsler? Andrus?

Will anyone step up with Mike Napoli like fire?
(photo credit: wija.com)

It’s an important asset that you can’t just assume. But the fans bought it. There was the chant NAP-OH-LI. It worked. He was active on Twitter and his battle with C.J. Wilson as the season started last year set the tone and gave us a real “knock this off I dare you” mentality.  We watched Napoli basically do that for the Angels against us in the years leading up to his Ranger time. There was no chant at the Ballpark then. In fact he was so lethal against us, it was a simple but resounding chorus of boo birds.

It remains to be seen if it was good or bad for the Rangers to not be able to give Napoli what he needed to stay a Ranger. Right now, it looks like sound judgment in erring on the side of caution. That was our theme during all of the off-season.  But losing Napoli we lose over 20 homers which is probably replaceable, but something that isn’t as easily replaced.

Wrapping things up, you have to wonder if the Diamondbacks weren’t insistent on Andrus or Profar until they ultimately traded Justin Upton to the Braves. Whatever the reason, according to reports we were in it until the end of Kevin Towers self-imposed “I have to go on my vacation Friday” deadline. But now the question for Ranger fans to ponder. Do we give up a draft pick and Boras dollars for Bourn? Do we try to make a deal for Jason Kubel when Towers gets home from vacation? Or do we stand pat and pray Nellie Cruz has strengthened his legs even more and going with Craig Gentry and Leonys Martin in center field?

Still some things to ponder in the remaining 27 days before pitchers and catchers report.

Boston immediately drew its line in the sand with Napoli at the start of the offseason, clearly making him their #1 priority and quickly signing him as if a peremptory issue. The Rangers, on the other hand, maintained their own agenda, choosing not to dish out a $13.3 million qualifying offer, and making their purported final offer at 2 years and $20 million, with an option for 2015.

In this veritable chess match of an offseason, the Rangers have found themselves in stalemates on a number of fronts. First with Josh Hamilton (before he signed with the Angels), currently with Michael Bourn and Kyle Lohse (whom they’ve been linked to), and all the while with Arizona’s GM, Kevin Towers, for the right to acquire stud outfielder Justin Upton. Much time still remains in the game, but time keeps ticking … ticking … ticking — before we reach checkmate.

I imagine the first reaction from a casual Rangers fan would be, “Wait, $5 million? That’s all it took? Why didn’t Texas try harder if he could be had for that cheap?”

Well, reports indicate they actually did try, and that they offered more money than Boston. The difference was, according to Napoli, that he had a “more defined role” with the Red Sox. Rarely do you see athletes accepting less money in favor of a better “role,” but I can understand where Mike is coming from. In Texas, he would be competing for at bats at first base with Mitch Moreland, at catcher with A.J. Pierzynski, and at DH with Lance Berkman. Having signed for only one year in Boston, he (logically) figures more starts equal more at bats, and the more at bats, the better chance he has at improving his stock before reentering the free agent market after the 2013 season. To that end, it makes a ton of sense.

Still, the part of me that has a heart (as tiny as it may be) wishes Napoli would have been back with the club in 2013. He set the world on fire in 2011, so, if he was to make a strong attempt at rekindling the flames to reestablish his worth, I would have liked it to have been here.

But so it goes. That ship has sailed.

My Facebook newsfeed and Twitter have blown up with the news of the offseason signings and the majority of those posts are coming from disgruntled Rangers fans.

Have no fear Texas followers, our time will come. Just be patient. After all, there are still over 110 days until opening day.

The Rangers missed out on Napoli and relief pitcher Koji Uehara — two players that a lot of people thought the team should resign — but many would argue that Boston overpaid for Napoli, who signed a 3-year $39 million contract a week ago today. As far as Uehara goes, it seems like he just capitalized on a lucrative deal once it popped up, as he signed for one year, $4.25 million with the Sox on Thursday.

Young’s trade to the Phillies rubbed a lot of Rangers fans the wrong way, but the fact of the matter is that he was one of the worst starters in the Majors last season and would have seen far less playing time in 2013 in Texas.

Young, who was coming off one of his best seasons in 2011, posted a line of .277/.312/.370 and had career lows in HR, SB and SLG in 2012. He had a WAR of -1.4 (yeah, with a minus in front of it) — the second lowest in the MLB behind only Jeff Francoeur –, had the worst wRC+ of his career since 2002 and posted a season low .297 wOBA.

All that being said, though I knew it was for the best for all three parties involved, it made me sad to see Young go. It will be hard to imagine him playing in another uniform and I think everyone in Texas wishes him the best.

Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-USA TODAY Sports

Greinke signing with the Dodgers only gained so much negative criticism because it happened less than 12 hours after the Young trade. Rangers fans were already upset, and now, all of the sudden, the top-free agent pitcher was off the market too?

Flat out, despite the rumors during the winter meetings, it became obvious that Greinke just preferred to pitch in LA — in a more pitcher-friendly park, not in 100+ degree heat all summer, where he would be making more money. Can’t fault him for that.

Then, we all heard that the team still had plan B – “Big Game” James Shields. Well, there went that, and fans became even more frustrated. Sunday night, Kansas City exchanged top prospect Wil Myers and three other prospects for Shields, Wade Davis and a player to be named later.

So what is plan C? The Rangers are knowingly pursuing knuckleballing 2012 Cy Young winner R.A. Dickey via trade and could be looking at free agent pitchers Kyle Lohse or Anibal Sanchez. Could they be looking at David Price as well? It’s doubtful that the Rays will trade him after dumping Shields and Davis, but you never know.

All of this comes at the same time the team is looking to re-sign Josh Hamilton and/or trade for Justin Upton.

Fans have become impatient because re-signing Geovany Soto, Joakim Soria and acquiring a couple bullpen bolsters have not lived up to the offseason expectations set by the media.

No doubt, the tension is building and we should see something come to fruition soon.

Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

Rangers GM Jon Daniels is widely-regarded as one of the most intelligent execs in baseball, so, instead of thinking that you’ll be cheering for the STRangers next season (I heard that one on Facebook), stay optimistic and hope that JD has ‘em right where he wants ‘em.

This Passion Pit song will set the tone for the rest of the week: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFmNIb9NSII