Rangers 'seriously considering' going after Zack Greinke

If the Texas Rangers let Josh Hamilton walk, they'll have money to spend in free agency -- and it looks like Jon Daniels and co. have a target picked out already. According to MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan, the Rangers are "seriously considering" going after starting pitcher Zack Greinke, who is now a free agent.

...the Rangers are seriously considering going after free-agent right-hander Zack Greinke. Much will depend on the asking price, but if the Rangers can land Greinke, it would give them one of the most powerful rotations in the game.

Not only would it give the Rangers one of the best starting rotations in baseball, it would take Greinke away from a strong Los Angeles staff -- and potentially cripple Los Angeles' pitching. The Angels moved Ervin Santana to help clear salary in order to re-sign Greinke, and it appears that Dan Haren will be on the way out too.

If the Angels fail to re-sign Greinke, then they'll be faced with the difficult task of essentially rebuilding their starting rotation behind Jered Weaver and C.J. Wilson.

Should the Rangers land him, it would give Texas a rotation that boasts Yu Darvish, Greinke, Derek Holland, Matt Harrison and Alexi Ogando. The Rangers, per the same Sullivan article, want Ogando to start in 2013, where he excelled in 2011.

Signing Greinke largely depends on not only how much money involved, but how many years are involved. Giving pitchers a deal over five years is typically a bad idea, but Greinke could possibly command a five, six, or possibly even seven year deal.