Texas Rangers

Mike Lowell on his way to Arlington?

An Internet report says that a deal that would send third baseman Mike Lowell to the Rangers is all but done. Boston would receive Max Ramirez and eat such a considerable chunk of Lowell's $12 million salary that it must first get the approval of Red Sox ownership before it can be finalized.

Lowell, who has suffered through injuries the past few seasons, still swings a good right-handed bat and could be a fit in the Rangers' lineup as the designated hitter and backup at first and third base. The Rangers could also set up a platoon at first base between Lowell and the left-handed hitting Chris Davis, who will enter spring training with the chance to play every day.

Can Lowell be the Rangers' cleanup hitter, or give hit behind Josh Hamilton and give the him the protection he needs? The 35-year-old has hit 17 homers each of the past two seasons while hitting .282 with a .337 on-base percentage. He doesn't struck out much, but he is a good candidate to hit into a double play.

What a day for the Rangers, who traded Kevin Millwood to free up $9 million and used it to pull together an agreement with free agent Rich Harden and a trade for Lowell.

Of course, as general manager Jon Daniels said on Tuesday, "Ninety percent of the rumors out there aren't accurate." He did not immediately respond to e-mails about Lowell. In his defense, it is almost 1 a.m. in Indianapolis.

-- Jeff Wilson

Rich Harden might be coming, but not tonight

Rangers general manager Jon Daniels said he does not expect to have another annoucement tonight about a transaction. Although he wasn't speaking in specifics, it's safe to assume that means the a deal won't be finalized with free agent Rich Harden.

Daniels said that Kevin Millwood wouldn't have been dealt without the Rangers being confident that another starting piece was readily available. Sources have indicated that Harden and the Rangers are close to a deal that would pay the right-hander $7.5 million in 2010 with an $11.5 million option for 2011.

That option is interesting in that it appears to assume that the Rangers will have a new owner who wouldn't mind paying a pitcher $11.5 million.

-- Jeff Wilson

It's official: Kevin Millwood traded

The deal is Kevin Millwood and $3 million to Baltimore for Chris Ray and a player to be named.

-- Jeff Wilson

Kevin Millwood deal almost done; Rich Harden coming next?

The only thing holding up a Rangers-Orioles trade is an evaluation of the medical records of Kevin Millwood and Chris Ray. The Rangers, though, appear to be so confident that it's done that they've turned their attention to free agent Rich Harden.

A source said the the Rangers will ship Millwood the majority of his $12 million contract to Baltimore for a once-promising reliever. The Rangers will also give Baltimore $3 million, and will have $9 million more to work with this off-season. They were facing an off-season with only $5 million to spend before the deal.

About $1 million will go to Ray, who is arbitration-eligible but will get only a slight pay increase after posting a 7.27 ERA in 2009.

The Rangers' priorities will shift again, and now starting pitching appears to be the No. 1 target. The Rangers have had interest in Harden and Ben Sheets, though Sheets' demand of $12 million a year cooled their interst significantly.

Harden, who knows Washington from their days together in Oakland, has dealt with injuries throughout his career. But he is very good when healthy, and he could be the Rangers' No. 1 starter if signed. A deal could be completed soon.

A power bat is next, and the Rangers are looking at Jermaine Dye, Vladimir Guerrero, Marlon Byrd and Jim Thome. Milton Bradley isn't out of the mix, though the Cubs would have to take on significantly more salary than they are currently willing to eat.

-- Jeff Wilson

Scott Boras: "Nothing has been completed" on Kevin Millwood trade

Kevin Millwood's agent, Scott Boras, just said that a proposed Millwood-for-Chris Ray trade with Baltimore isn't finished, though Boras said conversations are ongoing. "Nothing has been completed," Boras said.

Millwood has a limited no-trade cause that could require the Rangers having to get his approval before a trade could be finalized. An industry source is saying that the Orioles believe the deal to be all but done pending a few final steps. One of those is getting commissioner Bud Selig to sign off on the trade of cash from the Rangers, which could be as much as $3 million.

Ray missed all of the 2008 season after having Tommy John elbow ligament replacement surgery in August 2007. He returned in 2009 to post a 7.27 ERA over 43 1/3 innings as he struggled with his mechanics. But he throws hard and could be seen as a suitable right-handed replacement for Neftali Feliz if he finds his way into the starting rotation.

He made $850,000 last season as he was eligible for arbitration for the first time. He has two more seasons before he can become a free agent. The Rangers could walk away from the deal with $8 million more to spend this off-season.

-- Jeff Wilson

Kevin Millwood era reportedly to end

The Baltimore Sun is reporting that the Orioles are nearing a deal with the Rangers that would send Kevin Millwood east for reliever Chris Ray. The Star-Telegram reported that the Rangers had been fielding offers on Millwood and had talked to Baltimore about Ray on Tuesday.

The trade, which reportedly includes the Rangers sending some cash to cover part of Millwood's $12 million salary, will give the Rangers some more finaincial flexibility during the off-season. They need a big right-handed bat and would like to sign at catcher, infielder and another reliever. Now, they can look at a starter like Ben Sheets or Rich Harden, who are seen as damaged goods by some and might have to sign contracts low in guaranteed money but rich in incentives.

-- Jeff Wilson

Rangers winter meetings update

<>The Rangers learned the following during their visit Tuesday with Casey Close, the agent for Ben Sheets:

The right-hander is seeking the same type of salary that he was making before having surgery to fix a torn flexor tendon and missing the entire 2009 season. He made $12 million in 2008.

The Rangers were given some medical information on Sheets, and he is throwing at 60 feet now. Close told the Rangers that Sheets will be ready for spring training.

<>The Rangers have spoken to Arizona about infielder Augie Ojeda, who made just over $700,000 in 2009 in his first year of arbitration. He will probably make about $1 million next season, which is what the Rangers paid Omar Vizquel in 2009. Arizona, though, isn't ready to move Ojeda until they feel comfortable with Tony Abreu at second base along with another infield option who can back up at shortstop.

-- Jeff Wilson

The latest on the catching situation

In a perfect world, Jarrod Saltalamacchia will be the Rangers' catcher April 5 when the 2010 season opens. But the uncertainty about the health of his right shoulder after discomfort developed in it last week has general manager Jon Daniels looking for help behind the plate entering spring training.

The Rangers have discussed with Tampa Bay a trade for former All-Star Dioner Navarro and will look at free agents Rod Barajas, Jason Kendall and Jose Molina. Daniels said the Rangers are being very open in discussions with the agents for those players, telling them that the Rangers can't guarantee how much their clients will play.

The desire to bring in a catcher also speaks to the organization's comfort level with Taylor Teagarden and Max Ramirez. They haven't shown they can handle big-league catching over a full season, and that is a concern.

-- Jeff Wilson

Doozy of a Rangers rumor

A baseball official swears this happened recently. The Rangers, the official insists, offered right-hander Neftali Feliz and first baseman Justin Smoak to Florida for right-hander Josh Johnson. The top two Rangers prospects, arguably, for a young, arbitration-eligible All-Star. The official thought the Rangers should have offered more, but also said that the Feliz-Smoak offer tells him that the Rangers think they can win the next two seasons.

-- Jeff Wilson

Some quotes from Nolan Ryan on the ownership situation

Here's some of what Nolan Ryan had to say in a session with the Dallas-Fort Worth media covering the winter meetings.

"We submitted a bid together. I don't know if it was Greenberg-Ryan or Ryan-Greenberg. It was due on [Nov. 20]. The revised proposals were supposed to be submitted yesterday. Whether all groups submitted there's, I don't know. We did submit ours. I think mainly it was proposing different options and how they pertain to Tom on if he wants to stay involved or doesn't want to stay involved. It's always been proposed that he has the option.

"Under the scenario that was presented to me by Tom last week, after thinking about it a couple days, I told Tom that I didn't feel like I would stay with the ballclub if Dennis came in under that scenario. Dennis overseeing the day-to-day operations.

"I sat down with him when they were doing their due diligence about a month ago. I met with him and that group of investors he had out of Chicago. At that time, that was the first time I'd ever met him and really didn't have an understanding in what role he would play.

"I think Tom has hopes of being able to structure a deal where he stays in control of the ballclub. I would [stay], and I've told Tom that. I came here to help Tom and the Rangers. If Tom were to continue to own the club and be in control and my role were to stay the same, yeah, I don't have a problem with that."

Is there any scenario in which Hicks would maintain a majority of the club? "Not in our bid."

-- Jeff Wilson