Right Handed Bat

Jul 20, 2013; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago White Sox right fielder Alex Rios (51) rounds the bases after hitting a grand slam against the Atlanta Braves during the third inning at US Cellular Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports

I am very happy that the Rangers worked a deal for Matt Garza, and the more I think about the less I think the Rangers paid too much for him. I was convinced by some twitter followers of that. I like Mike Olt, but we have superstar Adrian Beltre playing Olt’s position. Grimm may wind up being a good starter one day down the road, but the Rangers needed a starter right now. C.J. Edwards is a good young arm, but he won’t be to the bigs for a while yet. Players to be named later, also going to be young. The Rangers want to win a World Series, not just improve. Read this (Eric Renning) and this (Michael Goldermann) for more on Garza.

The Rangers, even if Nelly somehow doesn’t get suspended for the remainder of the season or close to it, still need a right-handed power hitting outfielder in my opinion. There are a few names that I have heard tossed around that I would be interested in. And here they are.

1. T.R. Sullvian of MLB.com is reporting that the Rangers are kicking the tires on White Sox outfielder Alex Rios. Rios, who is hitting .278 and has 12 home-runs and 48 runs batted in on the season, is a guy that i would be interested in seeing in a Rangers uniform this season. He has a year left on his contract as well, so it would not be a rental. More importantly, he is batting .308/.372/.487 against left-handed pitching this season, and the Rangers need bats up there when they go against left-handed pitching. He is also batting .319 in July, so that should help his trade stock. The Rangers are interested and with good reason. He would be another guy to help get this Rangers team over the hump.

2. Another guy I have heard mentioned is Kendrys Morales. Morales is on a Seattle team that is going nowhere, and he is having a pretty decent season for them. He is .282/.341/.466 this season overall, and against left-handed pitching he is .301/.377/.455. He is also a switch hitter. Morales has been an Angel and a Mariner, so it may be strange for some Rangers fans to see him in a Rangers uniform, but if he contributes, all that will be forgotten. He would be another guy I wouldn’t mind see wearing Ranger blue.

3. Michael Cuddyer is on a contender right now in the Colorado Rockies, so in order for the Rockies to let him go they have to start losing. But he is a guy that I would like to see in a Rangers uniform. His line looks like this: .327/.389/.558, and against lefties it looks like this: .286/.388/512. He actually hits righ handed pitching better than he does left-handed, but we need a good power hitter, and Cuddyer is definitely that. He has 16 home-runs so far this season, which is as many as he had all of last season. He is looking good, and I hope the Rangers consider asking about him if they havent already.

4. Hunter Pence is an Arlington native whom I have always thought would be a good fit with his hometown team. Hunter would not provide as much power as some of the other guys I have named (.268/.312.461), but I like that he is a hometown kid. Hunter is a good guy whom I believe would fit in with this clubhouse very well. He is batting .327/.362/592 against left-handed pitching, and that is very good. He would add some pop in the middle of that lineup against lefties.

There are more rumors out there than the ones I have listed here, and knowing Jon Daniels and the front office of this team, it will probably be someone who no one has reported on, but I look forward to seeing what else they will do to make this team better for the stretch run.