[quote name='CaseyRyback']whoa now. How can you call Juan a bum when he was only two years removed from being the MVP? I was there when he hit his 102nd RBI before the All-star break, and it was amazing to watch him drive in runs the way he did. Granted he may have had back problems throughout his career, but the man could still play before they got rid of him, and always produced in the Texas lineup. While he sucked in Detroit because the outfield is so deep, he went to Cleveland and put up some nice numbers.
and as far as Palmiero is concerned, how many 35 plus home run seasons did he have? He was the pique of consistency at his position and has been the most over-looked player in the league as far as production for years.
and not only that, but his contract also lead to getting rid of Pudge, which is really the nail in the coffin when it comes to hating him. He gets injured once and they won't resign him? It took the whole Metroplex running around with "Sign Pudge" bumperstickers to resign him the first time, so why they would think sentiment would just die out because he got injured is beyond me.
in conclusion I will take
Pudge + Juan + Raffy for A-Rod any day (and hey, what do you know, its amazing that their salaries pretty much exactly equal that of Pay-Rod's )[/QUOTE]
You're caught up too much in the past. Of those three, the only one I was sad to see go is Pudge. And I'll definitely take Young+Teixeira+Blalock+Soriano any day over the stars of old of Texas. They're younger and quite frankly, better than those guys. If they hadn't gotten A-Rod, at least two of those four wouldn't be playing right now for the Rangers most likely, as you would still have them holding onto Palmiero, so Teixeira wouldn't be able to play at first unless Palmeiro went to DH, which might have happened, and Soriano definitely wouldn't be there.