The Texas Ranges would like to be a player in the mid season trade market, but a Federal Judge may have brought those hopes to a sudden and crashing halt. The Federal Court ahs issued a ruling that Rangers current owner Tom Hicks cannot sell the team until he satisfies his creditors. The court likely issued this ruling to get all sides back to the negotiating table, but this is very likely to slow down the transfer of ownership, and limit the ability of the Rangers to add big contracts at teh trade deadline.
The other 29 owners of MLB franchises are probably not going to sit by as the Rangers spend big bucks on contracts while they are on financial life support from the league itself. All of the parties involved do not want this situation to drag on beyond July, but it seems likely that a larger transaction is going to have to occur. This may even force Hicks to sell the Dallas Stars to generate enough revenue to satisfy his creditors and allow a sale of the Rangers.
The good news is the Rangers are in first place, they are four games up in the American League West, and playing well. However we are approaching summer and this team tends to fade in the heat of the Texas summer. They need to add talent to keep the team going or suffer their traditional late summer collapse. This ruling seems to limit their ability to do just that, and least in the short term.
Related Links:
• Texas Rangers news and notes • The Business of Major League Baseball •MTR Baseball.com
