12/4/12: Rangers chat with SportsDay beat writer Evan Grant

I'm here, trying to do my best with this new chat software. Let's see what we can get done. Let's roll.

I think they will have signed Joakim Soria and Geovany Soto. I think anything else happens after the winter meetings. I think today is "moving day" on Greinke. Time for the Rangers to figure out what they can do to sign him. Otherwise, it's time to get more serious about bringing Josh Hamilton back.

Zack Greinke is the only ace on the market. I'd give the Rangers a 35 percent chance to sign him. I probably up it to 45 percent if money men Ray Davis, Bob Simpson and Neil Leibman read this. They've got that much pride and are willing to farther than you'd expect on most players.

I don't see an adequate left-handed bat to fill the hole. But you could juggle the lineup to make Murphy kind of a Rusty Greer-like No. 3 hitter, Moreland, if he plays could hit sixth, Profar (a switch hitter) and Leonys Martin could hit 8th and 9th to give you balance. It's a balanced lineup. It's not nearly as threatening.

If the Rangers are going to make a trade for a significant piece, they are going to have to consider moving Olt, Profar, Andrus or Martin Perez. It's that simple. That said, the only thing I've really seen the Rangers connected with that could make sense where Olt is concerned is for Justin Upton with Arizona. Alas, the Diamondbacks have held out for a shortstop.

While A.J. Pierzynski would seem to make a lot of sense, particularly on a short-term deal, it just doesn't appear the Rangers have been very motivated to talk with him. he makes tons of sense to me if you can get a two-year deal done, but you will overpay based on his 2012 performance and there are questions about how well AJ would fit with another team after being one of baseball's most annoying players since joining the Chicago White Sox.

Everybody in the organization likes Greinke a lot. Do they like him to the tune of 6 years and $150 million, that is the unanswered question. I've been told the Dodgers have indicated they are all in to get him and have about $30 million in paryoll space.

I'm campaigning for me, though I need a couple of extra syllables.

It appears that both Uehara and Adams are going to end up with multi-year deals and the Rangers aren't comfortable giving either such a deal. I'd say both are gone. A bullpen piece will materialize from some of the fringe signings the Rangers have made is the team's thought.

Would probably take more than that. But Granderson is a left-handed bat who could potentially fill Hamilton's shoes. The issue on Granderson: He's free after 2013, so it's only a temporary solution.