Here's the situation: Zack Greinke is exceptionally good, and he's a pending free agent. The Brewers were hoping to be good, but they are not, so there's a possibility that they could trade Greinke for prospects before the deadline. If they can't sign him to an extension, which they'd probably like to do.
The Rangers are good, and they're always in the market for help. God knows they have plenty of young talent they could exchange for more big-league-ready talent. They've fallen victim to some pitching injuries. And so on, and so on.
There was a report that the Rangers were scouting Zack Greinke as a potential trade option. There was then this report.
Rangers official:"We will not be in on Greinke."
— Peter Gammons (@pgammo) July 1, 2012
Now there is this report!
To be clear, the #Brewers have a special assignment scout watching Frisco. I'm told this is not routine coverage. #Rangers #Greinke
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) July 3, 2012
The Brewers have a guy scouting one of the Rangers' affiliates. What is he doing there, specifically? No idea. Is Zack Greinke in any way involved in all this? No idea. Will the Brewers be scouting a whole bunch of affiliates as the deadline approaches? No idea. Probably. That would only make sense, right?
So this could so easily be nothing. It could so easily be nothing. At the same time, it's so easy to imagine that there's something brewing (haha) between the Rangers and the Brewers. Maybe they're talking, and maybe they're even close to something. Odds are they're not, but it's officially silly season. It's officially the season to make too much of every little rumor and whisper. Welcome to July, the same as every July, only now with more Twitter.