We've all heard the same story since the World Series concluded.
Would Cliff Lee choose the money and sign with the Yankees, or would he stay in Texas, where he and his family felt comfortable? Nobody seemed certain about which way he was leaning, not even Lee himself.
After it was announced that there was a mystery team in the running for Lee, speculation ran rampant that it was Philadelphia, and sure enough it was.
Turning down both Texas and New York, Lee agreed to a five-year deal with the Phillies late on Monday night that sent everyone into utter shock.
A big swing and a miss for both the Yankees and Rangers, as neither team was able to haul in this offseason's top free agent prize. Now with the Philadelphia rotation boasting Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Roy Oswalt and Cole Hamels, it's going to be awfully tough for anyone to knock off the Fightin' Phils.
While the Yankees can just throw money at the remaining free agents, what are the Rangers going to do? With no clear-cut contingency plan in mind, the team has found itself in a rather precarious position.
While this certainly isn't the ideal scenario for most Texas fans, it is the one that makes the most sense.
Sign 3B Adrian Beltre
After pulverizing the American League with both his Gold Glove defense and extraordinary offensive output, Beltre looks primed for a big payday in free agency. Beltre would do very well in a lineup that would provide him ample protection, and he would be a big upgrade at the hot corner over the incumbent Young.
Trade 3B Michael Young
Young, who is said to have been on the trade block for quite some time now, looks like the most likely candidate to get shipped out. Not only would his departure free up the spot for Beltre, but if GM Jon Daniels chooses to trade him for some young minor league talent, it would also create more spending room to add yet another additional piece, which they'll certainly need to do.
Sign SP Brandon Webb or SP Chien-Ming Wang to a one-year deal
They might not have the package to pull off a Zack Greinke deal, but how about taking a one-year roll of the dice on either of the two mentioned above? Wang would be the better fit, but it's been rumored that Texas could be a potential landing spot for Webb for a long time now.
Regardless, the Rangers are going to have to begin moving aggressively if they hope to have a chance to move in on anyone with the free agent crop beginning to thin quickly.
Sign CL Rafael Soriano
All those dollars they were going to hand Cliff Lee have to go somewhere, right? The Rangers have said time and time again that if they were unable to re-sign Lee, they'd have to give serious thought to implementing Neftali Feliz into the starting rotation. Well, here's the perfect opportunity.
With Rafael Soriano coming off one of the most dominant years for a closer in recent memory, he'd fit perfectly at the back end of the Texas bullpen, allowing Feliz to slide into the rotation. Without a bona fide No. 1 starter, the Rangers are going to have to explore all avenues to fill the gaping hole left by Lee's left arm, and Feliz's excitement, youth and energy are a great way to begin revamping the rotation once again.
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