Newly acquired starting pitcher Yovani Gallardo is in the last year of a contract that pays him roughly $13 million. Jon Daniels has said his intention is to either offer him a long-term extension to keep him here, or offer him a Qualifying Offer at the end of the year, which no player has ever accepted, to get the first-round compensation draft choice.

Daniels values prospects like a Democrat values handouts.

First-round picks, however, are no guarantee of success. The following is the list of first round picks since 2006, Jon Daniels’s first as the Rangers General Manager:

2006:  Kasey Kiker, P

2007:  Blake Beavan, P; Michael Main, P; Julio Borbon, OF; Neil Ramirez, P; Tommy Hunter, P

2008:  Justin Smoak, 1B

2009:  Matt Purk, P; Tanner Scheppers, P

2010:  Jake Skole, OF; Kelan Deglan, C; Luke Jackson, P; Mike Olt, 3B

2011: Kevin Matthews, P; Zach Cone, OF

2012: Lewis Brinson, OF; Joey Gallo, 3B; Collin Wiles, P

2013: Alex Gonzalez, P; Travis Demeritte, SS

2014: Luis Ortiz, P

To date, the Rangers have gotten 29 major league wins out of their first-round draft picks since 2006: Tommy Hunter with 23, Tanner Scheppers with 6. The Rangers have gotten 15 major league home runs out of their first round draft picks since 2006: Justin Smoak with 8, Julio Borbon with 7.

Drafting major league baseball players is an inexact science.