AL West rumors: Andrus, Balfour, Olt

Andrus not for sale until he is

For some strange reason that no rational person can comprehend, the Rangers will not trade Elvis Andrus just weeks before a season in which they hope to contend. This shocking development blows the minds of all logical baseball thinkers, and shatters the very basis of analysis itself.

In all seriousness, the Rangers are smart to hold on to Andrus. If I was Jon Daniels, I would let Profar get more seasoning in Triple-A (and set the service clock back!), and let Andrus play well this year. If the market for Andrus is strong and Profar is tearing up Triple-A, make the switch then. The Rangers have time on their side.

Balfour back in-game

Continuing the theme of good closer health news from earlier tonight, Grant Balfour got back into game action in a minor league Spring Training game. This is good news as he recovers from knee surgery,

A lot of what I said about Perez applies here, as Balfour being healthy will help the entire Athletics bullpen be in a better psychological state on Opening Day. Relievers are creatures of habit, and having to start the year off doing something different than they will for the rest of the season could cause trouble for the team. It is good news that Balfour's injury was not as bad as it sounded, as whenever surgery gets involved it is a concerning situation.

Rangers demo(l)te Olt (it rhymes get it)

Following the theme of Rangers prospects and what to do with them, the team sent Michael Olt to minor league camp. Olt, a third baseman by trade, did not really have a spot on the Rangers Opening Day roster. He will be able to work out the kinks in his game in Triple-A this year until he is needed.

There is (once again) no need for Texas to rush Olt, as they have a perfectly capable third baseman in Adrian Beltre. With Beltre locked up for a while, Olt could become potential trade bait if the team needs to make a move at the deadline.