LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Let the controversy begin — who is the best quarterback in Texas, Tony Romo or Russell Wilson?
The Rangers selected Wilson in Thursday’s Rule 5 draft and, of course, that is not to play quarterback and probably not even really to play baseball. But Texas general manager Jon Daniels also insisted this was not a publicity stunt. For the price of $12,000, the Rangers drafted Wilson away from the Rockies, who took him in the fourth round in 2010. Wilson has not played pro ball since 2011, when he played second base at Low-A.
“If you look at all of sports, this guy stands out as one of the premium competitors,” Daniels said. “He is at the top for focus, work ethic, drive, professionalism. We are open if he wants to play for us. But his real value is in the kind of person he is and having him affiliated with the organization.”
Texas’ hope is to bring him to spring training for a few days once Wilson’s NFL season is complete and have him talk to both their major leaguers and, especially, their minor leaguers about how he prepares mentally and physically, finds motivation, etc. And “maybe in the process he will take a few groundballs at second base,” said Thad Levine, the Rangers’ assistant GM. “Mainly though we are aligning ourselves with one of the best leaders in sports.”
To emphasize the commitment they like about Wilson, Daniels said he called Wilson after he was selected in the Rule 5 draft, which was 9:30 a.m. Eastern, but 6:30 in Seattle, and Wilson already was working out and had to stop to take the call.
The scouting reports the Rangers had on Wilson as a baseball player were of good, but not great ability. But their scouts cited his work ethic as a quality that would allow Wilson to maximize his skills and potentially reach the majors.
Are the majors in his future? Unlikely given his status in the NFL. In an email response to The Post’s Mark Hale asking whether Wilson had a baseball future, Seahawks GM John Schneider said, “It’s not going to come to that. They [the Rangers] just did it to be affiliated with him with the hopes that he maybe comes down and speaks to the younger guys about being a pro.”
Astros may sneak in on Choo
THE perception has been the Shin-Soo Choo sweepstakes will come down to Seattle vs. Texas, with the Rangers the front-runners. But three executives said watch out for the Astros.
Houston is a Moneyball organization, always looking for value play. Thus, if the Astros sense much of the market has fallen away for Choo, perhaps they could step into that breach and offer, say, a six-year, $120 million deal if no one is willing to go to the seven-year, $140-ish million Choo is seeking.
Keep in mind, Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow values on-base percentage pretty much above all else, and Choo’s .392 on-base percentage over the last six seasons is best among outfielders since 2008 (minimum 1,500 plate appearances). Houston needs to win its fan base back after three straight seasons of at least 106 losses, which — among other items — led to record-low local TV ratings last year. And the Astros could speed up their rebuild by teaming Choo and the recently obtained Dexter Fowler in the outfield to make the transition to the majors a bit easier for top prospect, outfielder George Springer.
The Dodgers have said they are willing to play the 2014 season with all four of their outfielders — Carl Crawford, Andre Ethier, Matt Kemp and Yasiel Puig. But sources say the plan is to trade one to save money and keep playing-time harmony. The most intriguing is Kemp, but he just got out of a walking boot after ankle surgery and so spring training is the trading horizon because:
1. Interested teams want to see him after ankle and shoulder problems derailed his 2013 season; 2. The Dodgers want to maximize his value and can’t do so if he doesn’t show he is healthy.
The Mariners and Red Sox have inquired the most on Kemp. Boston is interesting because they currently plan to go with Jackie Bradley Jr. as the replacement for Jacoby Ellsbury. But if he were to stumble in spring, perhaps they could turn their focus back to Kemp.
The Dodgers and Reds briefly spoke about a Kemp-for-Brandon Phillips swap early in the offseason. But Los Angeles backed away feeling it did not want to take back a big salary (Phillips is owed $50 million for four years), generally want to get younger and also did not think it was near equal value if Kemp is healthy.
Lost and found? Rockies snag Yankees righty Kahnle
THE Yankees lost Double-A reliever Tommy Kahnle in the Rule 5 draft, as they fully expected. So why didn’t they protect a power righty they like?
Well, the Yanks expected to need to keep a bunch of 40-man roster spots free for a series of additions this offseason such as Jacoby Ellsbury, Brian McCann and ultimately Carlos Beltran (whose deal has yet to become official). If the Yanks put Kahnle on the roster and then needed to remove him to create a roster spot, he almost certainly would have been plucked on waivers and lost.
By exposing him to the Rule 5, however, the Yanks know Kahnle, who has promise, but also control problems, must be retained all year by the Rockies (who drafted him) or else he has to be offered back. The Yanks believed that was a more probable way to retain him than waivers.
Bartolo Colon turns 41 in May. If he starts a game after that, he will join Miguel Batista, Tom Glavine, Orlando Hernandez, Orel Hershiser and Warren Spahn as the only Mets to do so. Colon is also signed for 2015. If he makes a start past his birthday that year, he will join Spahn as the only Mets to start a game at 42 or older.