The Babaganoush Sports Beat

Just in case the fact the Rangers lost two of three games to Oakland last weekend made any of you a little anxious that this AL West race might become more nerve-wracking than you might prefer, let’s step away from the race for a moment. I’m not saying there is cause for concern about our upcoming push for the playoffs, but it is never too early to start thinking or game planning for next season. Besides, do you want to be the one hit wonder team who crushed the competition one year and fizzled the next? Yeah, me neither. So let’s just tap the brakes on playoff talk and walk this way…

Slowly. Carefully. There ya go.

Now, let’s talk about something we’re more used to talking about at this time of year. Mainly, that would be next year. While CEO Chuck Greenberg said the club would pursue free agent pitcher Cliff Lee for a long-term deal after 2010, the question is whether investing in him long-term would pay the biggest benefit. Cliff Lee can pitch. And he’s not tanking it. But the question is this: If the Rangers can afford to make one major free-agent acquisition, where are the dollars best spent? There are definitely various other spots around the field where you could at least consider a major investment or at least some well calculated moves. I’ll go around the horn and point out some opportunities that the team shouldn’t pass up if it is at all possible to address them.

Catcher: Remember a year ago, when this position looked like it was stocked for years to come? Not so anymore. The Rangers had to rush to get Matt Treanor as a backup during spring, got more than they ever expected and then still felt the need to get Bengie Molina to front the position. Molina went into Monday hitting .212 as a Ranger. Anybody interested in bringing him back? Or giving the job to Treanor, who will be 35 and who has never been a starter? Or Taylor Teagarden? It’s a problem position. The Rangers will need to pursue a catcher this winter. There just aren’t many guys – if any – out there who would be worthy of a long-term deal and big bucks. The Rangers will sign or trade for another catcher this winter, but it won’t be for prime dollars. It will fall under the heading of “affordable.”

First base: Remember, like six months ago, when the position looked like it was stocked for years to come? Not so anymore. Justin Smoak was traded in the Cliff Lee deal. Chris Davis appears to have three strikes against him after three demotions in two seasons. Mitch Moreland has done a solid job since his promotion, but didn’t Davis do the same thing with more pop for half a year in 2008? Are the Rangers content to go with Moreland, considered the lowest of the three first base prospects in the system a year ago or might they want to pursue somebody like Adrian Gonzalez, a Gold Glove caliber defender and disciplined hitter? Could they bring themselves to doing that after letting him go as a throw-in five years ago?

Third base: There is public sentiment that Michael Young’s defense is regressing. I’d say his defense has been disappointing this season. Think even Young will eventually acknowledge that and pledge to do all he can to improve his range for 2011. But despite the defensive shortcomings, which extend only to range (not hands or arm strength), Young remains one of the better overall options at third. If, however, Boston’s Adrian Beltre were to test free agency, you’d have one guy who might be a better defensive fit and an equal offensive threat. It would allow the Rangers to potentially step away from Vladimir Guerrero, make Young the regular DH, but also play him at three infield spots regularly to keep Beltre and Ian Kinsler healthy and Elvis Andrus fresh. It might be intriguing, but there also might be too many moving pieces to make it all work.

Outfield : It’s rumored that Carl Crawford will end up with the New York Yankees after this season. Just as it’s rumored Cliff Lee will end up there. The Rangers have spent the whole year flip-flopping between a pair of left-handed bats in the outfield. David Murphy can produce runs and plays solid all-around defense; Julio Borbon can run and gets to everything in the outfield. Crawford does what both Murphy and Borbon do, only better. How would an outfield of Crawford in left, Josh Hamilton in center and Nelson Cruz in right, look? Expensive. That’s how it would look. But it would also look air tight on defense and multi-dimensional on offense.

So that said, where do you go? You stick with pursuing Lee and putting him atop the rotation (which I see as less and less of a need if the post All-Star CJ Wilson is going to stick around for a few years), or do you decide to take draft picks for him, let the Yankees take all the financial risk and try to address another spot on the roster?