It's Quiet...Too Quiet

This is pure speculation on my part, but I think the Rangers are working on a trade.

It's been over a week since the Rangers agreed to sign both Arthur Rhodes and Brandon Webb.  Their physicals should have taken place a couple of days after Christmas, and if anything had come out of those to nullify any agreement, we would have heard that by now, just as we did when the Rangers almost signed Ben Sheets a couple of years ago, when the physical showed an injury that needed surgery.  For the Rangers to add Rhodes and Webb to the roster officially, they will need to clear two spots on the currently maxed out 40-man roster.

Here's why I think there's a trade in the works.  The team might be working on a deal that would send multiple players currently on the 40-man roster to acquire one or two impact players, which would also clear the roster space for Rhodes and Webb.  Don't forget, if the Rangers want to re-sign Vladimir Guerrero, or bring in Jim Thome or anybody else to DH, that's another spot that needs to be vacated on the 40-man roster.

On the other side of my hypothesis, there are certainly players on the 40-man roster that the team could afford to try to drop by sending them through waivers and down to the minors, but there is the risk they could be claimed and lost.  I'd rather see the team use them as currency to bring in a big time player, rather than lose them for nothing.

There have been no rumors lately of the Rangers working on any trades, but just because we aren't hearing anything doesn't mean that there's not something brewing.  Most of Jon Daniels' trade history includes deals that came as a surprise to the media, as well as the fans.  This team just does not do it's business in public, like some other teams usually do. 

As I said before, this is all speculation on my part, but it just seems fishy to me that we haven't seen an official announcement on the signings of Webb and Rhodes by now.  Don't be shocked if there's some big Rangers news in the next few days. 

And don't be shocked if there's not.