To say that Willie Calhoun is irate would be an understatement. The Texas Rangers have sent him down to Triple-A ahead of the deadline to cut rosters down to 26 players, sparking an outburst that would indicate that he has had more than enough with the organization.
Calhoun stated that he has demanded to be traded from the Rangers. This is something he has apparently wanted for some time, saying that he feels as though he needs a change of scenery. Considering that he disagrees with the Rangers’ assessment that he needs to work on his swing and get back to being the player he had been in 2019, it is clear that there are major philosophical differences.
Willie Calhoun needs to be useful for Texas Rangers to trade him
There is just one problem when it comes to these trade demands. Other teams would want to bring Calhoun on board, something that is highly unlikely at this juncture. After all, he would need to produce at a rate that is slightly better than a wet sock for that to be the case.
That has not been the case over the past three years. Calhoun has produced a disappointing .223/.288/.339 batting line in his 445 plate appearances, hitting eight homers and 15 doubles. For someone who claims to be a line drive doubles hitter, and therefore does not need to adjust his swing, the statistical evidence indicates otherwise.
Injuries have certainly played a part in his downfall. Calhoun suffered a broken jaw in 2020 after being drilled in the face by Julio Urias in spring training. He then missed time with a fractured forearm in 2021 after Kris Bubic hit him with a pitch. Maybe his struggles are more mental than anything having to do with his swing.
It is possible that a team will look to buy low on Calhoun. He was a former top prospect and one of the key pieces in the Yu Darvish trade. But even that is a remote possibility as he has done absolutely nothing in the past three years to show that he is worth giving up anything for.
Willie Calhoun is demanding a trade from the Texas Rangers. He has forgotten one important part – that he has to produce to actually draw interest.