- According to three major league sources, the Rangers are in advanced talks with Philadelphia about a deal for the 36-year-old Young that would include the Rangers eating more than half of his remaining $16 million in salary. The Rangers would likely receive a young major league reliever along with a lower-level prospect.

- Texas Rangers are interested in hanging on to Josh Hamilton and remain the most serious Mariners competitor on that front. But the Rangers also remain engaged in a two-pronged battle with the Dodgers for the services of starting pitcher Zack Greinke and would possibly not be able to land both him and Hamilton. I think the Rangers would rather have Greinke / Upton.

- Athletics take 3B Thomas Mendonca from Rangers in minor league Rule 5 draft. Former Fresno State player.

- Indians with the 5th pick selected 1B Chris McGuinness in the Rule 5 draft as well. He was the Arizona Fall League player of the year.

- According to Bob Nightengale (USA Today), Texas is willing to go to four years on Hamilton, but won’t go five.

 - Jim Bowden (ESPN/XM) tweets that Texas remains Hamilton’s first choice, with Seattle as his fallback.

- If the Mariners signed him they would forfeit the 12^th overall pick in June’s draft if they sign Hamilton, but Texas wouldn’t get the pick.  The Rangers would end up with a supplemental first-rounder under the new CBA, while Seattle’s pick would simply disappear.

- There are rampant reports that Seattle was getting involved in the multi-team trade discussions centered on Arizona outfielder Justin Upton, Cleveland shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera, and young Texas players such as Mike Olt and Martin Perez, and Bowden speculates that the Mariners are doing so with one primary objective: To help ensure that Upton lands in Texas, opening things up for Seattle to sign Hamilton. Weird.

- According to Jeff Wilson (Fort Worth Star-Telegram), the Rangers are willing to move Olt and Perez if it brings Upton to Texas.  Wilson adds that the Diamondbacks, who signed third baseman Eric Chavez yesterday, could flip Olt to the Indians to sweeten the package for Cabrera, and that an Indians reliever could move to Texas.

- Richard Durrett (ESPN Dallas) reports that Texas has talked to Yoshinori Tateyama about coming back.

- Ken Rosenthal suggests Texas, Seattle, and Philadelphia have expressed interest in Raul Ibanez.

- A Major League source tells Wilson that Texas isn’t currently discussing Shields with the Rays, as the club remains focused on Greinke.  Wilson adds that Anibal Sanchez is a potential Rangers target if Greinke signs with the Dodgers.

- Jim Bowden believes Texas has “enough Mike Olt, Leury Garcia, Robbie Ross, Cody Buckel types to get James Shields comfortably.”  He predicts the Rangers end up with either Hamilton or Upton, and then Greinke or Shields.

- According to T.R. Sullivan , the Rangers have traded pitcher Wilfedo Boscan to the Padres. He is the Player to Be Named Later in the trade that sent reliever Corey Burns to the Rangers. The deal was completed after the Rule 5 draft.

- They have agreed to terms with the following four players to minor league contracts with invitations to major league spring training: 1B/DH Brandon Allen, RHP Jake Brigham, RHP Evan Meek, and RHP Randy Wells.

- Koji Uehara signs a one year deal with the Red Sox. I wanted to see him back here. Oh well.

Notes from around twitter and other places:

- Jim Bowden (ESPN/XM) says that the Phillies, desperate for outfield help, are “out” on Josh Hamilton because ownership is unwilling to go to the level it would take to sign him.  Jayson Stark (ESPN) describes Philadelphia’s interest as “wary.”  T.R. Sullivan (MLB.com) hears the Phillies are out as well, and adds the Orioles and Mariners to the list of clubs who have folded.

- Gerry Fraley (Dallas Morning News) reports that “[o]fficials with two clubs said there are rumblings of Hamilton having a five-year offer on the table.” 

- Bowden considers the Rangers, Red Sox, and Yankees “realistic landing spots” for Hamilton, and Jeff Wilson (Fort Worth Star-Telegram) believes Texas is “willing to pay big over a short term, say three years and $75 million with a vesting option.”

- Rob Bradford (WEEI) hears that Boston is actually among four or five teams in on Hamilton, but only on a short-term basis.  One source suggests to Bradford that “teams are waiting to see if there is anybody willing to go as many as four years on the outfielder.”

- According to Ken Rosenthal and Jon Morosi (Fox Sports), Seattle met with Hamilton on Sunday, but Texas “currently is working the hardest to sign him” – even though, according to local reports, the Rangers and Hamilton haven’t yet met and aren’t scheduled to meet.

- Dan Plesac (MLB Network) says that the Angels “may be on the outside looking in on Zack Greinke,” as it “seems [the] Rangers and Dodgers have scared them off.”  Plesac adds that the “[w]ord around here . . . is that the Rangers [are] very much in on Hamilton AND Greinke

- Casey Stern (MLB Network Radio) spitballs this idea: Upton to Texas, Mike Olt and Martin Perez to Cleveland, Asdrubal Cabrera and a second-tier Rangers prospect to Arizona. 

 - According to Bowden, if the Rangers had managed to move Olt to Atlanta for shortstop Andrelton Simmons to facilitate a trade for Upton last month, as was rumored, they would have kept Simmons and traded Elvis Andrus to the Diamondbacks.  Bowden says that Arizona believes Texas “will blink” and eventually part with Andrus, which is one key reason Upton hasn’t been moved elsewhere.

 - Sullivan reports that “the Rangers are getting many inquiries” about Olt but are not motivated to trade him.

 - Morosi believes Tampa Bay will trade James Shields or Jeremy Hellickson and said to “keep an eye on the nexus between Texas and Arizona as it affects” the two Rays righthanders.

 - Evan Grant (Dallas Morning News) reports, “[o]fficials with two clubs on Monday said the Rangers had already spoken with them this winter about offering Young in a deal.”  The Yankees weren’t one of the clubs, Grant adds.

- Susan Slusser (San Francisco Chronicle) reports that the Diamondbacks, Cubs, Royals, Red Sox, White Sox, and Twins have met with Brandon McCarthy, who would consider a one-year deal, “and the Angels and Rangers are expected to join the fray.”

- According to Fraley, Koji Uehara’s preference is to return to the Orioles, but he’d consider staying with the Rangers if they make the best offer.  Fraley suggests the Angels can’t be ruled out on Uehara.

- Ken Rosenthal, Sources: Rangers, Hamilton making progress. Deal, if reached, likely would be 4 yrs. But still possible another team could beat TEX offer.

 - According to local reports, Dr. Keith Meister confirmed that Jurickson Profar is only dealing with mild elbow inflammation.

A lot has happened in the Rangers organization this week that it’s hard to keep up, so I thought a weekly summary was fitting.  Here we go:

Tuesday – Rangers hire Greg Maddux as a special assistant to the GM.  Rangers also announced their 2012 Spring Training schedule.  Vegas for St. Patty’s Day anyone?

Wednesday – Mitch Moreland has wrist surgery; expected to be out 8-12 weeks.  Rangers announce that Thad Levine will not be pursuing the GM job in Houston (because I’m sure he felt that he didn’t stand a chance once the Astros see my stellar resume).

Thursday – Rangers trade Taylor Teagarden to the Baltimore Orioles for 2 minor leaguers, RHP Randy Henry and a PTBNL.

Friday – Rangers hire former Astros GM, Tim Purpura, to run their farm system.

Phew!  Just summarizing everything has exhausted me!  Things should be equally exciting next week, as the Winter Meetings are being held here in Dallas.  Don’t worry, this girl will be lurking in the hotel bar hoping to hear a few rumors.  I don’t expect to be successful.