Texas Rangers less motivated to make a deal this season

Jul. 28--OAKLAND, Calif. -- With less than a week to go to the non-waiver trade deadline, here is where Texas Rangers general manager Jon Daniels finds himself:

He's talking to more clubs. And doing less talking.

While the Rangers continue to explore the trade market for pitching that could help them this season and beyond, Daniels is less motivated to make a deal than last year when the Rangers were definitive "sellers."

"We're talking to a wider variety of clubs this year," Daniels said. "Last year was very targeted. This year we're open to taking calls if it helps the club moving forward, and we've also looked into adding pieces from clubs that have decided to look to next year. The whole 'buyers or sellers' thing doesn't apply like it used to -- you don't have to be exclusively one or the other.

"Unless the right deal presents itself, we're not going to force it. I'd like to improve our club, but it has to make sense. You won't see us doing anything for the sake of calling a press conference."

Daniels would like to add quality starting pitching, whether for this year's rotation or the future, but the only deals in which clubs have obtained pitching have required them to give some up, too.

The Rangers have received significant interest in their depth at catcher.

Cincinnati had a scout at Gerald Laird's final rehab start at Salt Lake City and at his first game back with the Rangers on Sunday.

Also, San Francisco has scouted third baseman Hank Blalock, and the Rangers have looked at the Giants' minor league system.

Last year, with the Rangers in last place, Daniels made three deals starting July 27 that were geared toward rebuilding the organization. The Rangers began Sunday in second in the AL West, 5 1/2 games out in the wild-card race.

"Things are different from last year on a few fronts: The club is considerably more competitive, and we don't have the same types of players available to trade," Daniels said. "Our farm system is at a different point, too. There would have to be impact-type young players to warrant us acting."

Briefly: RHP Brandon McCarthy was more effective in his second rehab outing for Triple-A Oklahoma on Sunday. He allowed four hits and three walks, but just one run, in 4 2/3 innings. McCarthy threw 82 pitches and is expected to throw 90 in a start later this week. ... OF Nelson Cruz hit his 37th home run -- and 11th in the last 10 games -- in Oklahoma's win. Cruz has 19 RBIs in that stretch. ... Oklahoma INF Ryan Roberts, a Fort Worth native who attended Hurst L.D. Bell and UT-Arlington, had seven RBIs in the second inning of Saturday's Oklahoma win with a three-run homer and a grand slam.

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