We are holding on to Elvis Andrus as if we truly believe we will sign him when he’s done season after next. The only thing I would look forward to in that scenario would be Nolan Ryan locked in a room with Scott Boras. Oh to be a fly on that wall.

Checking the winter baseball numbers for the good guys, nobody is exactly setting the Latin world on fire. In fact, two of our CF candidates are not giving us hope in taking Hamilton’s place. Leonys Martin (.253/.327/.384 with 29 K’s in 146 AB) and Engel Beltre (.250/.329/398 with 30 Ks in 128 AB) will be in Surprise this year. Granted Beltre is a longer shot than Martin, it really appears to be Craig Gentry’s position to lose. Nothing awe inspiring on the offensive side of things. Mike Olt has been a little better but Juricskson Profar was shelved with an injury. Not that we put a lot of stock in winter ball, it is disconcerting nonetheless.

Based on all of the reports I have read, everyone is asking a fortune for whoever it is we are after. The names that are most intriguing are of course Stanton (Miami) and Gonzales (Colorado). As a fan, would I be cool with losing Profar or Andrus for either of those guys? Yes on Stanton and no on Gonzales. By the time any deal is done though, it’s putting a lot of eggs in one basket. We need more like three baskets right now. A power hitting outfielder, a starting pitcher and some more bullpen help.

We’re on the clock. Pitchers and catchers report in just a little over the month.

The Rangers were projected to do decent in the American League West in 2010, but it was assumed by many that the Seattle Mariners would steal the show.  We all know what they say about assumptions!  Over the off season the Mariners had resigned future Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr and had acquired Cliff Lee from the Phillies to help solidify a rotation starting second to Ace Felix Hernandez.  After the trade deadline the Mariners are in the A.L. West cellar, Griffey retired and Lee was traded within the division.

As we all know the Baseball season is crazy long, the NBA and NHL both play 82 games, which is one game more than half a season of baseball at 162 games.  Sometimes when I set back and think about how brutal the baseball schedule is, it somewhat amazes me.  I guess that’s what makes it the greatest game out there.  Anyhow back on track here with only about fifty games left in the season its amazing how much the preseason outlook has changed.

I do not know if the fact that the Rangers ownership situation is still in limbo or that the Rangers acquired Cliff Lee is more of a shocker here at the beginning of August.  Bidding has gone on all day today between a group consisting of Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban and Houston Businessman Jim Crane and the original bidders of Greenberg/Ryan. 

When I started writing this blog tonight, I had not checked google yet, but I decided to do a quick google search of Jim Crane and one of the first things I see was a USA Today article saying “It’s all over: Chuck Greenberg, Nolan Ryan outlast Mark Cuban win the Texas Rangers.  The article can be found here.

According to USA Today the final bid was $385 Million coming in about 40 minutes ago at 12:25 Central Time.  The legal battle has been going on since early yesterday morning and lasted more than 15 hours, the USA Today article states that Jim Crane shook Nolan Ryan’s hand and said that they were not going to enter another bid. 

I am personally ecstatic, I know Cuban has dabbled with buying a MLB team.  He seems like a very passionate owner, but I do not feel he is a good fit for the Rangers.  I have hoped all along that Nolan Ryan would be part owner/club president because he knows what it takes to be effective on the field.  Cuban in MLB would be like George Steinbrenner reincarnated. 

The Greenberg groups financing runs out in 7 days, so MLB will approve the ownership group either late this week or early next week.  The confirmation by MLB owners can take place on a conference call with only 3/4ths of the MLB Owners approving the sale, although I believe it will be a 100% vote.  If the Cuban Group would have won, I do not believe they would receive a 100% vote, plus that can take months before they actually owned the team.  In the end all worked out well and  congratulations to the Greenberg group, thank you for you long hard fight.

The Rangers started early with Michael Young homering in the first inning for his 13 knock of the year on a fly ball to right field.  The other two runs in the win came on small ball attempts with Josh Hamilton doubling in the bottom of the six to score Vladimir Guerrero.  With Hamilton on second base Nelson Cruz singles and moves Hamilton to third base.  Then during Bengie Molina’s at bat Cruz steals second base.  Molina flies out to center fielder Torii Hunter and Hamilton tagged up and easily scored from third.  It was not a high scoring game, but it was enough runs to outscore the Angels by one run thanks to Lee’s stellar outing and the Rangers picked up a game on the Angels in the division race.

In other Rangers news, as we all know the ownership situation has plagued the Rangers since before the start of spring training and it may finally come to a resolution on August 4th.  Tom Hicks and MLB have approved a bid by a group led by Nolan Ryan and Pittsburgh attorney Chuck Greenberg, but the creditors holding the debt acquired by Hicks have balked at the deal saying that there were higher bidders.

We all hoped the ownership group would be in place by the trade deadline so the they could make a move for a big name player like Cliff Lee, but I guess the Rangers counted their change in their sofa’s and were able to get Lee anyhow.  So as of right now the pending ownership group will not affect any player moves and the Rangers roster has the tools it needs to push deep into October.

Several attorneys for the creditors have tried arguing that the Aug 4th auction is not enough time for the potential bidders to secure financing.  Thankfully the bankruptcy judge overseeing the sale of the Rangers has the team and it’s players interest in mind.  He has refused to push back the auction in order to get the Rangers ownership situation resolved.  I am glad the judge has the team in mind and not the creditors.

One interesting thing that came out today was that Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban who is a billionaire businessman has been approved by MLB to bid on the Rangers.  He is a fiery owner who has been fined millions of dollars by the NBA for his actions.  He attempted to bid on the Chicago Cubs but his bid eventually was not selected.  In some aspects I feel Cuban would be good as the Rangers owner because he has a strong desire to win at all costs pretty much.  I feel the Greenberg group is honestly the best to lead the Rangers with Nolan Ryan at the top.  He knows how to win and knows what he can and cannot expect from his baseball team, where Cuban has no clue.