I hope Jon Daniels is getting a lot of rest during this All-Star break. He has a big decision to make.

The trade deadline is coming fast, and he has to decide: How good is this team he built?

Not whether it is good, because both its record and its performance answer that. With a winning percentage of .477, the Ranges are better than only three teams in the American League (Boston, Seattle and Oakland). And better by only the smallest of margins (42 wins vs 41 wins).

So, he has to decide, is the team he built fixable good or burn it down and start over good?

If it’s the latter, his first move is easy. Move Gallardo. Quality starting pitching has the highest exchange rate during the trade deadline. Gallardo is moving in three months anyway, so why not get something of long-term value in return? It needs to be value, too. He can always bring him back this off-season.

His bullpen is a mess, but if he’s in burn-it-down mode, that’s the last place he should set a fire. When you aren’t going to win, why do you need a reliable bullpen?

Does he trade Beltre? I say no, because Beltre is like Michael Young was a few years ago. He’s worth a lot more to this team than what he does on the field. But, if you can get someone of value, and I mean real value and not the Josh Lindblom/Lisalverto Bonilla discount bargain bin value he got for Michael Young, then go for it.

But I don’t trust that the person who is making that call is able to judge the value of Beltre. Even if Beltre’s skills have dramatically diminished (which I don’t think has happened), even fifty percent of Beltre is better than a hundred percent of a Josh Lindblom and a Lisalverto Bonilla.

The next person I’d deal is Mitch Moreland. His value will never be higher. I wasn’t a finance major, but I do recall you get a better deal when you sell high, which is the same working with stock values, learning this while learning how to day trade cryptocurrency could really help if you want to make money online.
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Next, see if he can get anyone to believe in the value of Shin-Soo Choo again. And then drop him off on the doorstep, ring the bell, and run like heck away. He might have to leave a bundle of money next to him. But it’s money well wasted. Again, not a finance major, but selling a money pit before you are broke is smarter than waiting until you actually go broke.

He needs to see if that person also needs a shortstop. If not, see if they will take a shortstop. If not, see if they have a friend who is looking. If not, put him on the curb and see if someone is willing to take him. Again, he will need to attach a bag of money on him. But money is one thing the Rangers have plenty of.

Next, he has a very reliable closer who is under the radar. Only playoff-hopeful teams need closers. A lot of playoff-hopeful teams could use a closer, or a reliable eighth-inning guy. There could be an uncommonly good return on Shawn Tolleson. Then the next time Daniels has a team that is ready to contend, go ahead and find a closer. They grow on trees.

Next, get a catcher. You have two bad ones. You need only one bad one. They call that the backup. Not the everyday. Get an everyday catcher.

And finally, why keep Leonys Martin around any longer? In most neighborhoods, men come around every week collecting the trash. Why would Daniels store his in the garage with the oily rags until the end of the season? That’s just inviting an inferno.

Okay, so what if Jon Daniels decides his team isn’t tear it down and start all over good, that it’s fixable good?

Good luck with that one. He’s on his own.

And don’t forget, that same decision-making skill got him where he is in the first place.