Breaking news, Rangers fans: The Texas Rangers have just announced a trade, sending backup catcher Matt Treanor to the Kansas City Royals for, as Randy Moss might say, "straight cash, homey."
Treanor played an unsung, valuable role for the Rangers last season, actually leading the team in games caught, ahead of "starter" Bengie Molina.
Being traded "for cash" is kind of a slap in the face in sports, and one would think Treanor would've done enough to bring a little more in return than money to pay the electricity bill at The Ballpark.
This opens up the catching role, without a doubt, to expected starter Yorvit Torrealba, who started for the San Diego Padres last season, calls a great game, plays great defense and has a respectable bat.
Most notably, of course, this means there will be zero chance that Misty May-Treanor, Matt's gold medalist wife, will ever attend a Rangers game again.
But it also opens up more playing time behind the plate for Mike Napoli, who was acquired from the Blue Jays this winter, days after the Blue Jays acquired him from the Angels. Napoli is a right-handed bat the Rangers need in the lineup and is an absolute left-handed pitcher murderer.
That, in turn, could open up more time at first base for Michael Young, OR ... it could give the Rangers space on the 40-man roster, which currently sits at 39, for spring training superstar Chris Davis.
Sports Connection
Connecting you to your favorite North Texas sports teams as well as sports news around the globe.
Most likely, though, it means the Rangers will have an eight-man bullpen to give them solutions if someone fails miserably, especially when it looks like Alexi Ogando will be moved to the rotation, at least temporarily.
Below is the Rangers' release on the deal to their spring training bunkmates in Surprise:
Treanor, 35, was acquired just over a year ago in a March 22, 2010 trade with Milwaukee. He led the American League-champion Rangers in games caught last year and homered in the ALCS against New York. Last year, he established career highs for games (82), at-bats (237), runs (22), hits (50), homers (5), RBI (27), and walks (22).
Treanor returns to the organization that originally selected him in the fourth round of the 1994 June draft. The Royals traded Treanor to the Marlins in 1997.
Treanor batted .273 (6-22) with one home run and 4 RBI over 11 Cactus League games for the Rangers this spring.
With this move, the Rangers now have 39 players on the club’s 40-man roster.
