Sorry we are late this morning. A couple of glitches in the new format had to be worked out so that everybody could comment without me approving. But we are ready to go on Opening Day....

1. What is the Rangers final record going to be?

2. Predict the order of finish for the American League West...

3. Who has the best chance of unseating Michael Young as the Rangers Player of the Year?

4. Who will be the Rangers Pitcher of the Year.

5. Which players concern you the most?

6. How many saves for C.J. Wilson?

7. How many home runs for Josh Hamilton?

8. How many RBI for Hank Blalock

9. Ian Kinsler ..how many home runs, how many stolen bases?

10. Who besides Michael Young will represent the Rangers in the All-Star Game?

The Rangers have placed Brandon McCarthy on the 60-day disabled list to make room for Dustin Nippert. That means McCarthy will be out until the end of May. He was supposed to start a throwing program this weekend.

Every dog lives for Opening Day

And so it begins: So Spring Training ends on a strange note. The Rangers had a couple of dozen pitchers competing for eight spots in the bullpen and they end up trading for a guy who doesn't appear to be much better than what they already have.

 Maybe it's go with the devil that you don't know.

The bigger question is will this team be a contender and the vast opinion seems to be a resounding no. Five Seattle Times staffers made their A.L. West predictions in Saturday's editions and three had the Rangers finishing last again. The other two had them third and you may have to search far and wide to find somebody picking them higher than that.

Not agreeing, not disagreeing. But if the following happens, the Rangers are serious contenders. That's a flat-out guarantee. The operative word is if. Now it's up to you to decide if all this will come to pass.

* Ian Kinsler and Michael Young combine for 220 runs scored.

* Josh Hamilton and Hank Blalock combine for 60 home runs and 210 RBI.

* Kevin Millwood, Vicente Padilla and Jason Jennings combine for 70 starts, 630 innings and 47 victories.

* They get 22 more victories out of the rest of the rotation.

* C.J. Wilson saves at least 40 games and Eddie Guardado, Joaquin Benoit and Kazuo Fukumori combine for 180 appearances.

* The Rangers commit less than 100 errors.

* Need one more hitter to drive in 90 runs and another to drive in 80 runs.

That right there is a contending team. Now they have to do it.

Oracle of the Elysian Fields: "I think it comes with experience, and I've got another year of experience. The guys know me, and know what I'm about. It's the experience. I've still got a lot to learn, and every day I'm asking questions."
Gerald Laird on leading the Rangers pitching staff.

Toby's Top Five
1. Opening Day - There is nothing like it. Should be national holiday

2. Nationals Park - Baseball in Washington D.C. now has a real chance. RIP RFK.

3.  Hank Blalock - Maybe the biggest key to the Rangers season.

4. Field of Dreams - Voted the best baseball movie by MLB.Com readers.

5. MLB.TV and The Baseball Channel - They have some serious stuff going on this season. It's at least worth investigating.

Ex-Ranger of the Week: Doug Davis starts on Thursday for the Diamondbacks. He will make one more start after then, the undergo surgery to remove a cancerous mass from his thyroid. Seem to remember some people with the Rangers questioning his toughness.

Birthdays: Did you know that Pete Incaviglia and Billy Sample have the same birthday? They celebrate together on Wednesday. Sample is 53 and Incaviglia is 44.

There is some symmetry to that. Both were outfielders of great promise who were good but probably not as good as the Rangers expected. Here is a comparison of their Rangers careers, just for the fun of it
Players                     Sample                  Incaviglia
Years                        1977-84                  1986-90
Games                          675                         694
At-bats                         2177                      2449
Runs                              330                         333
Hits                                587                         607
Doubles                         111                         120
Triples                               9                           13
Home runs                       39                         124
RBI                                201                         388
Avg.                              .270                        .248
OBP                              .327                       .314
SPC                               .383                      .459

Old friend Jack Lazarko is 53 today. Former Ranger Willie Montanez turns 60 on Monday. The Rangers were still paying him long after he retired. Former Rangers pitcher Mike Bacsik turns 56 on Tuesday. Rangers coach Gary Pettis turns 50 on Thursday.

Anniversary: On March 30, 1993, Charlie Brown hits a game-winning home run in the comic strip Peanuts. It is his first home run in 43 years.

Pitching matchup of the Week: Jason Jennings vs. Carlos Silva. The Rangers signed Jennings to a one-year deal. The Mariners went multi-year with Silva. Which team was smarter?

Last call:
"If we stay healthy - knock on wood - we could have a pretty good starting rotation."
Rangers pitching coach Mark Connor

* Welcome to the Elysian Fields Bar & Grill, where 162 is always our favorite number.

* Rangers Spring MVP: Josh Hamilton. He owned Spring Training.

* Top Pitcher: Jason Jennings. His velocity inched up with each start and his slider was surprisingly wicked. He finished with a 2.12 ERA.

* Jennings on his slider: "It's a pitch I can throw early in the count and start the big hitters off with a strike. It's a huge pitch foe me."

* Top Rookie: Eric Hurley. He is the real deal.

* Harold McKinney Good Guy: Pitching coach Mark Connor. Here is all you need to know about the Rangers pitching coach: Ryan Turner, a 46th round pick last year out of Georgia Tech, pitched the ninth inning of Thursday's win over the Royals, giving up two runs. He may never make it to the Majors but after it was over, Connor took him off to the side and chatted with him for a several minutes about his outing. That's a professional at work.

* Jon Daniels on Spring Training: "The best thing for me was he way we as a team in the second half (last year), that's carried over, that camaraderie and all for one mentality has carried over. You see guys pulling for each other and playing the game the right way."

* The Rangers led all Major League teams this spring with a .306 average, a .484 slugging percentage and were second behind the Diamondbacks in runs scored. Interestingly, they had just six stolen bases in 29 games. That's the second fewest. The Athletics stole five in 23 games.

* The Rangers were 14th in the Majors with a 4.66 ERA. That also the third lowest in Arizona, where the conditions vastly favor the hitters more than in Florida.

* Ron Washington on Spring Training: "We got out of here healthy. There's a big difference from Spring Training this year and last year. This year we just got better as each day came down."

* Biggest surprise of Spring: You would have to say reliever Franklyn German but early in camp club officials were whispering that he would be a sleeper.

* Most encouraging sign of Spring: Hank Blalock's big finish.

* Very quiet: Kazuo Fukumori.

* C.J. Wilson's desire to be a closer has been fulfilled but it keeps him from fulfilling a dream of getting to bat as a starting pitcher against a National League team. Said Wilson, "It's my fault. That's what I get. I've always wanted one at-bat. Everybody's got a childhood dream they want to live up to. I always felt I'd get the game-winning hit in the World Series. That was my goal as a kid."

* Just for the heck of it: Luis Alicea

* Ivan Rodriguez and Josh Hamilton went into Thursday's game tied for the American League Spring Training lead with 45 total bases. Rodriguez pulled ahead with two doubles.

* Frank Catalanotto: "There's no way we can get off to the start we did last year. Our April was terrible and we had tons of injuries. That can't happen again. Take that away, look at how we finished last year and all the players we added and it can only get better. It can't get any worse."

* Jerry Narron has managed Hamilton and he has managed in Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. So he was asked if Hamilton can hit the ball on the roof of the Right Field Porch. Said Narron, "He definitely has the power. But you've got to hit it on a line the way the wind blows. Hit it high and the wind is going to knock it down."

* Blalock had a red shirt made for Kevin Millwood that poked fun of his North Carolina country background. Left it at Millwood's locker. Millwood looked at it, put it on and proudly wore it around the clubhouse.

* The Rangers are showing 86 games in High Definition this year: 65 on Fox Sports Southwest, 20 on Channel 27 and one Fox 4. Looks like 72 of 81 home games will be in HD and 14 on the road, including Monday against the Mariners.

* On March 27, 1973, the Twins traded pitcher Jim Perry to the Detroit Tigers. So? Perry approved the trade. It was the first trade ever made where a player could approve it based on the 10-and-5 rule. The Players Association had just negotiated into the Basic Agreement a clause that said players with ten years of experience and five with their current team could veto a deal. The clause is still in effect today.

Manager Ron Washington has set his Opening Day lineup. Here is what Erik Bedard will be facing

2B Ian Kinsler

SS Michael Young

CF Josh Hamilton

3B Hank Blalock

DH Milton Bradley

LF David Murphy

RF Marlon Byrd

C Gerald Laird

1B Ben Broussard

Yes, Washington is going with Blalock at cleanup hitter. He said Bradley is not ready for the role and Blalock has convinced him that he can bat cleanup. Frank Catalanotto will be on the bench for Opening Day but will still be out there plenty against right-handed pitchers. Broussard will bat last.

Hamilton was at DH on Thursday but will be in center on Opening Day. Bradley is close but not ready for the outfield.

Released from the Minor Leagues: Chris Stewart, Jason Davis and Edgardo Alfonzo.

Pitcher Luis Mendoza will start the season on the disabled list with a blister on his right middle finger. The Rangers still expect him to be their fifth starter on April 12 and he'll likely make at least one start at Triple A Oklahoma on medical rehabilitation before that.

But this means Kason Gabbard will be the Rangers fourth starter while Mendoza gets the blister problem straightened out.

The Rangers have also told reliever Josh Rupe that he is on the team. That leaves one spot left in the bullpen: Wes Littleton or Robinson Tejeda.

The Rangers have optioned Kameron Loe to Triple A Oklahoma. That leaves Wes Littleton, Josh Rupe and Robinson Tejeda competing for two spots in the bullpen. Rupe is starting to look good.

Adam Melhuse has been told he has made the Rangers as the backup catcher to Gerald Laird, the Opening Day catcher. Jarrod Saltalamacchia is going to Triple A Oklahoma. The Rangers roster just lacks two relievers. More on the website

More news from the pitching staff:

The Rangers have officially named C.J. Wilson their closer. They have also told Jamey Wright and Franklyn German that they are on the team. Eric Hurley and Frank Francisco have been sent to the Minor Leagues.

Jason Botts has won a spot on the Opening Day roster.

Botts was told by manager Ron Washington and general manager Jon Daniels that he is on the team. Outfielders Kevin Mench and Jason Ellison are going to Triple A Oklahoma. Nelson Cruz will be designated for assignment at the end of the week.

More on the website

All right boys and girls, it's time to step up and make your predictions for the 2008 season. We did this last year and remember, all posts are archived.

What that means is come October, we are going to go back and check everybody's predictions to see who had the most predictions correct.

This week we are going to the division, wild card, league and World Series winners. Next week we'll get into specfic predictions about the Rangers.

Let's go, this is your chance. I'll throw my picks in there as well later in the week.

1. A.L. East

2. A.L. Central

3. A.L. West

4. A.L. Wild Card

5. N.L. East

6. N.L. Central

7. N.L. West

8. N.L. Wild Card

9. A.L. pennant

10. N.L. pennant

11. 2008 World Series champions

The Rangers are going to sign pitcher John Patterson to a Minor League contract. He was released by the Washington Nationals last week. The Rangers see it as a no-risk contract to add pitching depth. More on the website.

The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said."
Matthew, Chapter 28

One week to go:

Gerald Laird is going to be the Rangers Opening Day starter but that doesn't keep teams from dialing general manager Jon Daniels cell phone.

The Cincinnati Reds have been the most recent to inquire about Laird. They are deeply concerned about their catching situation but there's really not a match between the two teams.

So the biggest decision the Rangers have to make this week is whether to let Jarrod Saltalamacchia stay with the team to share time with Laird or send him to Triple A.

The Detroit Tigers are looking for relief pitching and are scouting the Rangers hard. Remember Franklyn German used to pitch for them but couldn't throw strikes so they stuck him on waivers. Now he could make the Rangers bullpen. The inside word is the Tigers wanted German to rely too much on his fastball while the Rangers have him throwing his split-finger pitch at anytime in the count.

There have been some rumblings that the Rangers were willing to trade Frank Catalanotto but club officials shot that one down.

While the Rangers mull whether to keep Jason Botts or Kevin Mench for the final spot on the roster, manager Ron Washington quietly ponders the value of having outfielder Jason Ellison. He has had a good spring and gives the Rangers something that Botts and Mench don't: speed off the bench.

Oracle of Elysian Fields:
"If you're going to start off slow, Spring Training is a great place to start off slow."
First baseman Ben Broussard, who is starting to heat up.

Toby's Top Five
1. Boston Red Sox – They stood up for their coaches and other staff members over the trip to Japan. It also gave Curt Schilling something to do while on the disabled list.
2. Luis Mendoza – The Rangers have a fifth starter
3. Baseball in Florida – If Spring Training meant anything, then we would be expecting a Marlins-Rays World Series.
4. Miguel Cabrera – He is getting an eight-year, $153 million contract from the Tigers. Here's what's interesting. That's roughly the same contract that Juan Gonzalez turned down from the Tigers in Spring Training of 2000.
5. R.A. Dickey – Word is he's going to make the Mariners pitching staff as a Rule 5 draft pick.

Ex-Ranger of the Week: Edinson Volquez has a 3.00 ERA this spring for the Reds with three walks and 21 strikeouts in 15 innings. Josh Hamilton has had a great spring for the Rangers but the Reds just didn't give him away.

Birthdays: Cy Young's 141st birthday is Saturday. He was born on March 29, 1867 in Gilmore Ohio. He died on Nov. 4, 1955. That apparently proved to be a momentous occasion for baseball because the following year the Cy Young Memorial Award was created for pitching excellence. Brooklyn's Don Newcombe was the winner.

The Rangers still haven't had a winner yet.

Robinson Tejeda turns 26 on Monday. He was just an infant when Dave Hostetler and Jeff Kunkel were the Rangers future. Now Kunkel turns 46 on Tuesday and Hostetler is 52 on Thursday.

Adam Melhuse, who could end up being the Rangers backup catcher, turns 36 on Thursday.

Speaking of Cy Young, he shares the same birthday as Denny McLain, who turns 64 on Friday. This is the 40th anniversary of McLain being the Major League's last 30-game winner.

Anniversary: On March 23, 1951, the Dodgers signed a 21-year lease on Dodgertown in Vero Beach. Next year they play in Arizona, just down the street from Surprise in the West Valley. They have already played their last game in Vero, which reminds of Sam Malone's famous last line in Cheers: "I'm sorry, we're closed."

By the way: You know that Max Klinger was a big Toledo Mud Hens fan in MASH. Used to wear a Mud Hens hat. Turns out that was not a Mud Hens hat he was wearing but an early Rangers hat.

Last call:
I made a lot of this spring. I got to hang around a lot of veteran guys and I learned a lot about pitching and a lot about hitting. I got a lot out of it and I'll feel good leaving camp. I think I've showed I can compete and throw strikes.
Eric Hurley

Sidney Ponson is headed for the Minor Leagues. Ponson, who suffered a mild sprained ankle on Friday night, was reassigned to Triple A Oklahoma on Saturday. The Rangers also sent down pitcher Elizardo Ramirez, who had a 0.00 ERA in eight appearances this spring.

The Rangers think hard about Robinson Tejeda as the second long man in the bullpen. The Rangers love his arm and are hoping that he can make the same transition to relief as Jamey Wright did last year. He is out of options and the Rangers don't want somebody picking him off on waivers. Looks like he's going to get one of the last spots in the bullpen. Franklyn German appears to have an edge for the other spot but Wes Littleton is still hanging around.

One week to go.

The Rangers met as an organization to discuss their 25-man roster on Friday...

* First baseman Chris Shelton and utility infielders Ryan Roberts and Edgardo Alfonzo were reassigned to the Minor Leagues. Ramon Vazquez is on the team as the utility infielder.

* Kason Gabbard and Luis Mendoza are in the Rangers rotation but manager Ron Washington said they haven't officially decided who will be the No. 4 starter and who will be the No. 5 starter. The No. 5 starter will start the season at Triple A Oklahoma because he won't be needed until April 12.

* No decision on the catching situation. Gerald Laird is expected to be the Opening Day starter but the Rangers haven't decided if Jarrod Saltalamacchia will share time at the big league level or start at Triple A Oklahoma.

* The last spot on the bench remains open, whether it will be Jason Botts or Kevin Mench.

* Five spots in the bullpen are taken: C.J. Wilson, Eddie Guardado, Joaquin Benoit, Kazuo Fukumori and Jamey Wright. Two spots are open.

* Guardado still down with a bug. The Rangers still think he'll be ready for the season but this is worth watching.

Welcome to the Elysian Fields Bar & Grill, where all who were not invited to the Rangers prospect game on Wednesday are welcome.

* Ian Kinsler on his hot spring: "Honestly, early on a lot of it was luck. I really wasn't in a good hitting position and I didn't feel locked in. The last few days things have been better. My strike zone recognition is better. I want to keep it going, this week, next week and into Seattle."

* Best of the Rangers pitching, as determined by Rangers pitching coach Mark Connor:

* Hardest thrower: "Franklyn German has been as high as 99 miles per hour and pitches at 93-95.

* Best fastball: "C.J. Wilson. The ball comes out of his hand good, has lift and explodes."

* Best curve: "Kason Gabbard. He's got some deception in his delivery and late break. Kevin Millwood's is very effective."

* Best slider: "Joaquin Benoit…late and quick."

* Best changeup: "Benoit's changeup is just filthy. Gabbard has a good changeup. Wes Littleton runs one up there pretty good but Joaquin's one of the best I've ever seen."

* Split-finger: "German."

* Sinker: "Luis Mendoza for sure but Vicente Padilla's pretty good."

* A fan asked Jarrod Saltalamacchia for his autograph, thinking that he was Josh Hamilton. They do have a faint resemblance but Saltalamacchia joked, "He must not have watched me take batting practice."

* All Rangers games can be heard on XM radio.

* Mariners manager John McLaren on pitcher R.A. Dickey : "He can do any role and you can use him a lot. He brings something to the table where you could possibly take another bench player, because he could pitch every day and it wouldn't bother him. He was a fastball pitcher, a traditional-type pitcher, and now he's learning the knuckleball. It's a new dimension for him. He actually throws extremely hard for a knuckleball pitcher. I've been impressed. He's a real professional and a great teammate. I like what I've seen of him."

* Just for the heck of it: Scott Fletcher.

* Former Rangers manager Buck Showalter is going back to ESPN as a studio analyst.

* In Spring Training of 1934, renown female athlete Babe Didrickson pitched an inning for the Philadelphia Athletics against the Brooklyn Dodgers. She did not allow a run or a hit, just one bases on balls.

* If you go online, you can buy a Nolan Ryan rookie card for $1,499 at goantiques.com. But if you go to homeruncards.com, you can get the same card for $350. Either way, Jerry Koosman is the other player on the card.

* Hall of Famer Sandy Koufax: "I became a good pitcher when I stopped trying to make them miss the ball and started trying to make them hit it."

  * Found this on baseball-reference.com: Jose Guzman was the Rangers Opening Day pitcher in 1986. It was his sixth Major League start. Since 1957, that's tied for the fewest Major League starts by an Opening day pitcher. Who is he tied with? Steve Busby. He made career start No. 6 for the Kansas City Royals on Opening Day in 1972. Guzman won. Busby lost.

* Rangers Ballpark in Arlington has a listed attendance capacity of 48,911. The only American League stadium that can hold more is Yankee Stadium. The House that Ruth Build holds 56,935. The new Yankee Stadium will hold 51,800.

* Three National League parks can hold over 50,000: Coors Field, Shea Stadium and Dodger Stadium.

Now comes the time of year when trade talks pick up. Nothing major but...

The Reds, Brewers, Devil Rays and Padres have all called the Rangers and asked about catcher Gerald Laird. Problem is they look at him as a potential backup and the Rangers see him as their Opening Day catcher. The Rangers still think Jarrod Saltalamacchia needs to finish off his catching skills at Triple A and have Adam Melhuse - who has looked good this spring - be the backup.

The Mariners and the Devil Rays have at least inquired about outfielder Nelson Cruz, who doesn't appear likely to make the team. Seems like the Mets could use some outfield help as well. The Rangers seem to be internally debating the question of Kevin Mench vs. Jason Botts for the final spot on the roster.

The Botts vs. Mench debate is especially fierce. This is going to be an interesting decision because either way will not be unanimous.

The Marlon Byrd/Cubs rumor continues to persist. But the Cubs won't give up the young pitching that the Rangers initially demanded. The Rangers also aren't inclined to give up some of their outfield depth because of health uncertainties involving Milton Bradley and Josh Hamilton.

Some Japanese clubs have asked about some of the Rangers excess relievers.

Jamey Newberg is blogging daily from camp all this week and you can check him out at: http://newberg.mlblogs.com/

His observations and stories are terrific, always worthwhile reading.

One important point if you will indulge me. He had a blog this morning relating manager Ron Washington hitting ground balls to Max Newberg.

He accurately set it up by saying I told the manager, "Wash, right there is the only player in camp you haven’t hit ground balls to.”

That is correct except that I did not refer to the manager by his nickname.

No way. Not then, not now, not ever. Will never do that with any player, coach or manager. Absolutely nothing wrong with doing so. I just prefer not to.

Well, actually, probably did so with the future Hall of Fame catcher known as Pudge. That was almost his accepted name. And technically the former manager's real name was William, not Buck. Buck is technically a nickname but he prefers to go by that. His choice

There are no absolutes. But I try hard not to use nicknames and do not with the current manager

The Rangers are planning on Milton Bradley making his Cactus League debut on Friday as a designated hitter.

Michael Main, one of the Rangers two first round picks from last year, has a stress fracture in his ribcage and will likely be sidelined until the end of May.

Sidney Ponson has been named Friday's starter against the Angels. Vicente Padilla will pitch in a Minor League game that day.

The Rangers brass had a pow-wow Monday morning to discuss their pitching situation. Most notable is they have decided to give Eric Hurley another start in an A game. Manager Ron Washington said he'll pitch on Saturday against Seattle in Peoria. Jason Jennings will likely start in a Minor League game. It appears that Hurley still has a shot to make this rotation.

I saw a man coming, as it were from Ireland. His name was Victoricus, and he carried many letters, and he gave me one of them. I read the heading: "The Voice of the Irish". As I began the letter, I imagined in that moment that I heard the voice of those very people who were near the wood of Foclut, which is beside the western sea—and they cried out, as with one voice: "We appeal to you, holy servant boy, to come and walk among us.

St. Patrick

Not sure St. Patrick is thrilled that his feast day has evolved into a Bacchunalian adventure otherwise known as Amateur Night but thus is how we celebrate the patron saint of the Sacred Soil.

Would rather watch The Quiet Man or read Trinity. By the way, if you ever want to know what all of that in Ireland is all about, read Trinity, by Leon Uris. From the potato famine to the Easter Uprising, it's all there.

One of the five best novels I've ever read, right up there with Lonesome Dove and Mutiny on the Bounty. Still partial to Christian vs. Bligh as No. 1.

Anybody agree with me that Silas Marner is the worst? Methinks that was written just to torture high school students but Brave New World might be right up there too.

Oh yes...baseball

1. Sidney Ponson, Luis Mendoza or Eric Hurley. Who should be the fifth starter?

2. Kevin Mench or Jason Botts, who do you think should stick with the team?

3. Do you agree with Ron Washington's decision to bat Milton Bradley cleaup or do you think Josh Hamilton is ready for that spot? Or Hank Blalock?

4. Do you think Kason Gabbard should be guaranteed a spot in the rotation?

5. Are you comfortable with C.J. Wilson as the closer?

Josh Hamilton walked his first two times up in Sunday's game against the Oakland Athletics, then doubled in his third plate appearance. That ran his streak to reaching base in 13 straight plate appearances. Oakland reliever Greg Smith ended the streak when he struck out Hamilton in the sixth inning. That left him 1-for-2 on the afternoon, dropping his Spring Training average to .600.

A dog's eye view of the most interesting matchups in Rangers camp.

David Murphy vs. Marlon Byrd
Byrd hardly deserves to lose a job based on Spring Training numbers but the simple fact is Murphy is having a terrific spring to this point. Murphy is a left-handed hitter and Byrd swings from the right side but they both hit well against lefties and righties last year. Byrd's defense and leadership can not be discounted. The Cubs interest in him is also intriguing. What may be happening here is Murphy making a bid for a more prominent role on the team and it may be that Byrd is the one who moves around from position to position as the fourth outfielder. Of course if Milton Bradley isn't ready, the Rangers will need both,

Jason Botts vs. Kevin Mench
On Thursday in Tucson, Botts made an ill-advised attempt to take third on a wild pitch with Josh Hamilton at the plate. He was thrown out and then snapped at the umpire. The Rangers liked both. Word is Botts is showing some fire and aggressiveness this spring that the Rangers felt has been missing. He is also swinging the bat well. The Rangers like the idea of Mench as the right-handed designated hitter and he is a better athlete than Botts. But the Rangers also know Botts is out of options and they could lose him to waivers at the end of spring. Mench has a Minor League contract. The Rangers could start the season with Botts on the team and Mench in the Minors and see where that goes.

Gerald Laird vs. Jarrod Saltalamacchia
Laird has this one under control. The big question is if Saltalamacchia starts the season in the Minors or stays around as a backup catcher and right-handed DH. Seems like Triple A is the likely scenario.

Sidney Ponson vs. Luis Mendoza
Ponson is only getting started and still has much more to show. But he looks like a good bet to start the season with the Rangers. They could take a hard look at him for six or seven starts and see if he's back to what he once was. If not, they could call on Mendoza or even Eric Hurley. The Rangers seem reluctant to push Hurley, judging by their measured response to what was a strong outing on Saturday.

Bullpen
Best guess right now:
1. C.J. Wilson
2. Eddie Guardado
3. Joaquin Benoit
4. Kazuo Fukumori
5. Wes Littleton
6. Jamey Wright
7. Scott Feldman

Feldman is a guess but he can pitch multiple innings and that's what the Rangers need. Franklyn German has been the most impressive, Jason Davis has the best stuff and Kameron Loe has not yet stepped up. Josh Rupe was getting mentioned early but not lately. Frank Francisco? Rangers still waiting on the breaking stuff to come around. It's been a little better lately. The Rangers may carry eight relievers for the first two weeks of the season.

Oracle of Elysian Fields:
"I'm scared to death running the bases when he's up to bat."
David Murphy on Josh Hamilton

Toby's Top Five
1. David Murphy – It takes someone like Hamilton to overshadow what he's done this spring.

2. Josh Hamilton – Is .607 considered a good batting average? He has been on base in ten straight plate appearances.

3. Chan Ho Park – He's in China with the Dodgers and almost started an international incident when he tried to defy security forces to sign autographs for over-zealous Korean fans.

4. Tampa Bay Rays – A new name, a new look, a new attitude and some great young talent. Plus they aren't backing down to the Yankees.

5. Oakland Athletics – They aren't supposed to be any good but they've won 13 of their first 18 going into today's game against the Rangers.

Ex-Ranger of the Week
The best catcher in baseball over the past 20 years is still going strong. Ivan Rodriguez has six home runs for the Tigers, the most in either Florida or Arizona.

Birthdays: A.J. Murray turns 26 on St. Patrick's Day. Murray was born in 1982 in Vernal Utah, a town of 7,714 people in the northeast corner of the state that is also the birthplace of actor James Woods. Vernal is also the largest city in the United States without a railroad running through it.

Anniversary – It was on March 16, 1907 that the Detroit Tigers wanted to trade Ty Cobb to Cleveland for Elmer Flick. Cleveland didn't want to do it. Cobb was in just his third year with the Tigers but manager Hughie Jennings was already fed up with him.

Last call:
May the Irish hills caress you.
May her lakes and rivers bless you.
May the luck of the Irish enfold you.
May the blessings of Saint Patrick behold you.
~Irish Blessing

The Rangers say that Kason Gabbard is healthy

The statistics says he has a 12.66 ERA for the Spring. He gave up seven runs on seven hits and four walks in three-plus innings on Friday afternoon.

Gabbard: "I thought I did pretty well. I made some good pitches. The last couple of innings my (sinker) wasn't moving as much as the first few innings....I was trying to be too fine with my (sinker). I was keeping the ball down but just missing...Obviously I can pitch better than I have been. They know that. I'm working on stuff. That's what Spring Training is all about....I'm a little off on my wind up. Out of the stretch I feel fine."

Ron Washington: "He stood out there and battled....He had some control problems...He's healthy, he'll find his control. He's got to have control to be successful and he's search for it...We're not taking the ball away from him...Sometimes the guys who get beat up in Spring Training are the ones who stick it up people's rears in the regular season."

Mark Connor: "I don't think he's there yet but he's making progress. He's having trouble with his grip. His breaking ball is his bread-and-butter and he can't get a good grip. It's slipping out. Here in Arizona it's so dry, it takes whatever moisture there is out of the ball. When it's windy, that makes it worse. ...I saw him last year when he's healthy and it's good. The biggest thing is his command. Last year his command was one of the better ones."

The latest on the Rangers pitching plans:

Kevin Millwood, C.J. Wilson and Joaquin Benoit pitch in a Minor League game on Saturday, Eric Hurley starts against the Rockies, Sidney Ponson pitches Sunday against the Athletics and Luis Mendoza starts Tuesday against the White Sox. Kevin Mench also had his first workout on Friday at first base.

Now back to Happy Hour

1B Nate Gold, OF Brandon Boggs, C Taylor Teagarden and pitchers Matt Harrison, A.J. Murray and Warner Madrigal were among the players sent back to Minor League camp. Gold has 60 home runs and 206 RBI over the past two seasons and hit a home run off Trevor Hoffman earlier this week but no path to the big leagues.

Welcome to Friday Happy Hour at the Elysian Fields Bar & Grill, where we will put Charley Pride up against Billy Crystal any day of the week and twice on Sunday.

* Milton Bradley on his new teammates: "It’s a good atmosphere. I’ve been on a few teams. Oakland was a great atmosphere, San Diego is a great atmosphere and here it is even better. I’ve played against a lot of these guys and with some of them previously. They are guys that want to win and take that attitude on the field with them. Some guys that have something to prove and maybe have been giving up on somewhere else and I’m in that same boat."

* Jason Jennings, coming off elbow surgery, is normally 87-90 miles per hour when he is at his best but was around 84 in his last start. Said Jennings, "I'm trying to keep my eyes off that. I'm six months off my surgery and I wasn't able to do my normal off-season routine. I'm still building up strength and endurance. Some guys come in here blowing and going from the get-go. I'm never going to be a Spring Training All-Star. It's a six-week process for me."

* Jason Botts on the uncertainty of his situation: "I play baseball because it's fun. When Spring Training is over, I'll be playing baseball because it's fun. There are a lot of things I can do to help this team win. I feel like I've improved in a lot of areas."

* Supreme Court justices David Souter and Samuel Alito are both big baseball fans. Word is Alito is a statistical seamhead who devours box scores.

* Marlon Byrd on Bradley: "He brings some fire. He can take that intensity to another level. Just like batting practice, you can see he's really focused and locked in. You follow that lead."

* Fox Sports Southwest is airing a 30-minute special on the Rangers involvement in building homes for Habitat for Humanity. The first showing is 10 p.m. (CT) on Sunday, March 23.

* Kameron Loe on the Rangers bullpen situation: "It feels very competitive. There are a lot of guys fighting for very few spots. I enjoy the competition. It's only good for the team; it means we have more depth. Like always, you learn from adversity. I'm not letting it take me out of my game."

* Just for the heck of it: Dave Hostetler.

* If you want to make a prediction on American League Rookie of the Year, you can throw David Murphy in the mix. He still qualifies as a rookie even though he was the Rangers Rookie of the Year in 2007.

* Charley Pride once played in the Yankees farm system. He was with the Birmingham Barons in 1953 when he and teammate Jesse Mitchell were traded to the Louisville Clippers. What did the Barons get back? A team bus. Said Pride, "Jesse and I may have the distinction of being the only players in history to be traded for a used motor vehicle."

* You know Mickey Rivers had one of the weakest throwing arms of any Rangers outfielder ever. He still holds the club record for assists by an outfielder with 19 in 1980.

* Ruben Sierra had 15 assists for the Rangers in 1991. So? That's the last time a Rangers outfielder had more than 10 assists in a season. Since then an American League outfielder has had at least 11 assists in a season no less than 111 times. But none by the Rangers.

* Pitching coach Mark Connor on Frank Francisco's scoreless inning against the Royals on Thursday: "Frankie looked good. Instead of pitching the other day, I gave him a bullpen instead. He spent some time working on the curveball and the split. He was much improved today. We were trying to create more arm speed with it. He threw some real good off-speed pitches today."

* Juan Gonzalez is sidelined in the Cardinals camp with a strained abdominal muscle and manager Tony LaRussa said: "He's shown a lot of good things in this camp, but one of the things he's got to show is durability for the role he has."

* Jim Thome has struck out 19 times in 31 at-bats against Rangers reliever Eddie Guardado. The only pitcher who got Thome more was Brad Radke, who struck him out 21 times but in 71 at-bats.

* By the way, among active left-handers with at least 700 innings pitched, Guardado is sixth with 7.89 strikeouts per nine innings. He is eighth with 8.52 hits per nine innings allowed.

* If you were keeping score, the Royals won all three B games with the Rangers this spring.

Rangers outfielder Frank Catalanotto left Friday's game after one at-bat with back spasms. Catalanotto was among the regulars who made the 21/2 hour trip to Tucson on the bus, only to leave after just two innings. Right now his status is day-to-day.

Milton Bradley on Josh Hamilton: "In the beginning, a lot of people put us together in the same group and I kind of felt like this guy had a drug problem and I don’t see any similarities. But once I got to talking to him, and found out about his life and things he has to deal with every day, I kind of understand where he’s coming from. I find myself drawn to him a little bit.

"If you continue to do the same thing over and over again and expect different results,  I think they say you’re an idiot. I know he’s also had problems with the attention that he gets and I’ve experienced that over my career as well. You’ll probably see me with him all the time because I’m drawn to him. He’s a fascinating individual."

Pitcher Eddie Guardado left Wednesday's game with a strained left knee, an injury that is not believed to be serious. He hurt the knee pitching in the fifth inning of Wednesday's game against the Cubs.

Manager Ron Washington is getting ready to introduce Kevin Mench to first base. That will happen in the near future and is another sign that Mench could make this team at the expense of Jason Botts and Nelson Cruz. Mench would give them a right-handed DH to go with Frank Catalanotto and somebody who could at least spell Ben Broussard at first base in an emergency.

The Rangers need maximum versatility from a four-man bench.

The Rangers are considering using Scott Feldman as a starter. That was the word after he pitched four innings in a 7-5 victory over the White Sox on Tuesday. Feldman was the first Rangers pitcher to throw four innings in a game this year. He is still a candidate for the Rangers bullpen but if he doesn't make the team, he could go to Triple A Oklahoma as a starter.

"By stretching him out, it allows us to have that option," pitching coach Mark Connor said.

Vicente Padilla left Tuesday's start against the Chicago White Sox with a pulled hip muscle. Padilla ended up going 32/3 innings before hurting the muscle on his last pitch. He wanted to stay in the game but manager Ron Washington decided otherwise.

Rangers third baseman Travis Metcalf will likely have surgery to repair a tear in his left hamstring. Metcalf is likely to be out 6-8 weeks. The Rangers are waiting on a second opinion but Metcalf seems resigned to having the surgery done this week.

The Rangers have sent 11 players back to the Minor Leagues: pitchers thomas Diamond, Bill White an Paul Kometani, catchers Chris Stewart and Max Ramirez, infielders Chris Davis, German Duran, Elvus Andrus and Joaquin Arias and outfielders Julio Borbon and John Mayberry Jr.

The Rangers want them to start getting regular playing time in Minor League games but they can still appear in Cactus League games if needed.

Catcher Taylor Teagarden (wrist) and third baseman Travis Metcalf (knee) have been sent for an MRI.

Brandon McCarthy is scheduled to undergo a second MRI on his right elbow. Dr. Keith Meister still believes that the original diagnosis of severe inflammation is correct but the Rangers want to make sure. The MRI will be taken from a different angle.

Yes it was 132 years ago today that Alexander Graham Bell uttered those immortal words. It was a defining moment in American history.

Without them we wouldn't have...

"Sparky this is Radar."

"Belker...hi Mom."

"Please make your selection from the following menu...."

Anybody use a payphone lately?

"Ok, guess no one's answering...

Well can't you just let it ring a little longer, longer, longer

I'll just sit tight, through the shadows of the night,

And let it ring forever more."

Or

"Well, I'll be damned...Here comes your ghost again.

But that's not unusual, it's just that the moon is full, and you happen to call.

And here I sit, hand on the telephone, hearing a voice I've known,

a couple of light years ago, heading straight for a fall."

1. Sidney Ponson, Luis Mendoza or Eric Hurley... who is the Rangers fifth starter?

2. What injury in Rangers camp troubles you the most?

3. What's more likely: Ian Kinsler 30-30, Hank Blalock driving in 100 runs, Michael Young winning a second batting title or Josh Hamilton hitting 40 home runs?

4. What Rangers player has the best chance of winning a Gold Glove?

5. Let's get obtuse: With the exception of Nolan Ryan (too easy), what member of the Hall of Fame - in his prime - would be perfect for the Rangers right now?

Got to go, the phone is ringing....

Little slow here in the desert right now

The Rangers have signed pitcher Sidney Ponson to a Minor League contract and bringing him into camp. This comes after GM Jon Daniels said Brandon McCarthy will likely be out 4-6 weeks because of severe elbow inflammation. Luis Mendoza is the leading internal candidate to replace him but the Rangers aren't ruling out Eric Hurley. They are also adding Doug Mathis to the Spring Training roster.

Every dog has his day to evaluate the current state of the Rangers pitching staff

Kevin Millwood – The hamstring is troublesome but the arm is fine. The Rangers still express the view that Millwood is on a mission.

Vicente Padilla – Off to a great start and one of the top clubhouse card sharks.

Jason Jennings – So far so good but the velocity is not quite there yet.

Brandon McCarthy – This elbow problem has a bad feel to it.

Kason Gabbard – Pitches today against the Angels. His importance to the Rangers can't be understated after the McCarthy injury. A guy who needs to be watched closely.

Luis Mendoza – First in line to win a spot in the rotation. Did the Red Sox really give him away? Need to see him in A games.

A.J. Murray – Doesn't appear ready for prime time but still highly-regarded.

Matt Harrison – Ditto.

Eric Hurley – Be interesting to see if the Rangers hold the line on giving him more time.

C.J. Wilson – You get the feeling that manager Ron Washington is anxious to see him out there.

Joaquin Benoit – Going through his usual Spring Training ailment. No red flag yet.

Kazuo Fukumori – Initial reaction: great addition, on and off the field.

Eddie Guardado – Too early to gauge where he is.

Jamey Wright – The Rangers want a veteran middle reliever who can eat innings.

Wes Littleton – Early leader for a spot in the bullpen.

Frank Francisco – Has looked good lately but the Rangers want to see more, especially with the split-finger fastball. Sense is his stock is down.

Franklyn German – A big hit so far in camp.

Scott Feldman – The Rangers are in the process of assessing the effectiveness of his new delivery.

Kameron Loe – Great guy who is in a steep battle for a Major League job.

Josh Rupe – Appeared to be ready to make a push for the bullpen, then had trouble throwing strikes against the Brewers.

Robinson Tejeda – Not looking good for the Rangers home opener winner of last year.

Omar Beltre – Check out a superbly researched story in the Sunday Dallas Morning News on his legal troubles in the Dominican Republic.

Oracle of Elysian Field:
"He's done extremely well. He comes in with an attitude and a mission of keeping the ball down and getting outs." Washington on Fukumori.

Toby's Top Five
1. Ian Kinsler – Is .500 a good batting average?
2. Gerald Laird – The catching competition is far from over but we have a definite early leader.
3. Julio Borbon – The Rangers have a definite and legitimate center field prospect.
4. Jerry Narron – Great to see the former manager in camp. He loves to talk about who should be in the Hall of Fame and nobody was happier when Rich Gossage was elected.
5. Russ Ardolina – A Rangers amateur scout on the East Coast, he was the one who recommended Luis Mendoza in that trade with the Red Sox.

Ex-Ranger of the Week: Left-hander John Danks is tied for third in the Majors with eight strikeouts and has a 2.00 ERA in nine innings over his first three starts.

Birthdays – Steve Howe would have been 50 on Monday.

Where have they gone? Will Clark turns 44 on Thursday and Kevin Brown is 43 on Friday. If you remember Bert Campaneris being the Rangers first free agent signing then you'll be interested to know he is 66 today.

Anniversary – It was 111 years ago today that the Cleveland franchise signed Penobscot Indian star Louis Sockalexis. He was such a big hit with the fans that the team called the Spiders became known as the Indians.

Last call: "Once you get in the batter's box you try to treat it like any other at-bat but it's pretty special having an at-bat against a pitcher like him. He's a Hall of Famer. It's fun to get in there and see what he can do with his pinpoint control, changing speeds and moving the ball in and out of the strike zone. He's the master."
Hank Blalock on hitting against Greg Maddux.

Brandon McCarthy underwent an MRI on his right elbow/forearm on Saturday and the initial diagnosis was inflammation and some fluid in the area. There is no apparent damage to the ligament. The Rangers are discussing the correct way to treat the injury and are expected to have something more definitive on Sunday.

Brandon McCarthy was shut down after one inning of pitching against the Brewers with more problems in his elbow/forearm area. The Rangers will know more later but it's not looking good as far as McCarthy being ready for the season. More on the website.

The Rangers were among the teams who had a represenative in Florida yesterday to watch free agent pitcher Sidney Ponson throw at the Cardinals training camp. The Rangers have some interest in Ponson for Triple A depth and this is the second time they've watched him pitch this off-season.

Welcome to the Elysian Fields Bar & Grill, where a case of B game fever is sweeping through the crowd.

* Kevin Mench, Nelson Cruz and Jason Botts all made the trip to Tucson on Thursday. But Mench was in the starting lineup while Cruz and Botts were late-inning replacements. Still feels like Mench has the inside track for the last spot on the bench.

* Watch for this to be considered: If the Rangers send Jarrod Saltalamacchia back to Triple A for more development time, it would seem obvious that Adam Melhuse will be the backup catcher. But where would that leave Taylor Teagarden? Double A. Maybe. But he could also make the Major League team as the backup catcher. That might be batted around by club officials.

* Rookie left-hander Matt Harrison gave up five runs in 21/3 innings against the Brewers on Wednesday but that didn't lower pitching coach Mark Connor's opinion of him. Said Connor: "He kept coming after them. He didn't back off. He got some balls in the middle of the plate but his stuff is good. He just needs to pitch and gain experience. He's not afraid."

* Michael Young on Josh Hamilton: "He's already one of the guys. He's got a great attitude and work ethic."

* Gerald Laird, a native of Southern California, is absolutely convinced that the Los Angeles Lakers will win the NBA title. Said Laird, "They are the only team with the best all-around player in the league, a couple of big men and they have outside shooting. What else do they need?"

* Young's favorite ballpark to visit is Fenway Park while Kevin Millwood prefers Wrigley Field.

* Jerry Hairston Jr. had to wait three weeks into Spring Training to get a job before signing with the Reds and said, "It was a little strange. But I wanted to make sure I found the right fit, too. I wasn't going to just sign to sign. I was a little more patient. I wanted to get into a situation I thought would work. Hopefully, in Cincinnati, things will work out."

* The Rangers have dedicated their 2008 media guide to three people who passed away in the past year: photographer Linda Kaye, 11-year employee Matt McKee and Cecilia Newton, wife of Rangers photographer Brad Newton.

* The Rangers have awarded a Player of the Month over the past ten seasons. That's a total of 60 months (six per season) and a pitcher has won the award just 11 times. That includes just one (C.J. Wilson, July 2007) in the last 13 months.

* Just for the heck of it: Oddibe McDowell.

* David Murphy struck out twice against White Sox knuckleballers Charlie Haerger and joked, "I'm just setting him up for the regular season."

* Enjoying that rare March snowstorm in Texas? There was a time when teams had to conduct Spring Training in the snow. That was in World War II when travel restrictions kept teams from going south. Among the training sites were Wallingford, Ct. (Red Sox), Lakewood, N.J. (Giants), Bear Mountain, N.Y. (Dodgers) and French Lick, Ind. (White Sox).

* The St. Louis Cardinals announced on March 6, 1923 that their players would wear numbers on the back of their uniforms. The numbers would correspond to their spot in the batting order. That was how it started. Didn't know that? Why do you think Babe Ruth wore No. 3 and Lou Gehrig wore No. 4 for the Yankees. Part of the tradition still holds. Why do you think you almost never see pitchers wearing a single-digit uniform number?

* Former Rangers public relations director Gregg Elkin has re-emerged in the same job with the Chicago Fire of the Major Soccer League.

* The Rangers were 33-15 at home after June 20 last year. Only Colorado had a better record in that stretch at their home park.

* A replica of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington will open Friday in Mansfield as a part of the Big League Dreams Ballpark.

That's Interstate 10 between Phoenix and Tucson. The worst anywhere and trust me, I've driven just about all of them. Some would argue I-95 in South Florida and could make a strong argument but I'll take I-10.

It's four lanes, two going each way. You have a choice. You either drive 55 miles per hour in the right lane behind one giant road-crushing, air polluting 18-wheeler or you get in the left hand lane and drive 85 miles per hour.

It's either or.

Drive 75 miles per hour in the left lane and you'll have somebody right on your bumper waiting for you to get out of the way. Heaven forbid that you're trying to pass one of those oversized 18-wheel smog belchers in the right lane.

Talladega has nothing on I-10 between Phoenix and Tucson as Earnhardt-wannabes slice their way through 18 wheelers and RV campers on their way to...

Good point. Where are you going at 6 a.m. in the morning? Big sales event at the Rooster Cogburn Ostrich Farm? First call at the Red Rock Bar out on the middle of nowhere.

Rangers-White Sox? Oh yeah, Tucson Electric Park and the Kino Sports Complex, original and still the spring home of the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Buck Showalter designed. Kind of like those Jack Nicklaus golf courses with each detail carefully laid out down to the last sliding pit and bunting cage. Terrific view of the mountains north of Tucson as well, plus the fighter jets taking off from Davis-Monahan Air Force Base.

Sorry, some of us love a good flyover. Mach 1 in the sky is a good thing. Mach 1 on Interstate 10 is another matter entirely. What was Eisenhower thinking?

Did you realize that American Telephone & Telegraph was incorporated on this date in 1885? Certainly that has to be of great signficance to Giants fans since their team plays in American Telephone & Telegraph Park. Think that's what it's called these days.

They've been through several name changes out there, beginning with the lordly Pac-Bell Park and then to SBC Park and now AT&T Park.

Alabama was formed today as well. They did that in 1817. Cut it out of the Mississippi territory. Then in 1818 Alabama clobbered Mississippi in football. Well, sometime soon after.

Idaho was formed on this date in 1863 and speaking of college football, how horrible is that blue turf at Boise State's football field. Speaking of AT&T, anybody ever wonder what happened to Westinghouse? RCA? General Electric?

United States Steel?

Guess James Earl Jones was right about baseball being the one constant through the years.

1. What's been the best news that has come out of Rangers camp to this point.

2. Who has excited you the most so far?

3. What has concerned you so far?

4. If you were a young player, what's the one question that you would ask Rusty Greer or Mark McLemore?

5. Jon Daniels told Randy Galloway that he would still do the Brandon McCarthy trade. Would you?

Transvaal Toby toasts a true Texan throwing for Texas on Texas Independence Day.

The Week that is: The Rangers play the Kansas City Royals in Surprise on Sunday, the second of March and the 172nd anniversary of Texas declaring independence from Mexico.

Rangers pitcher Jason Jennings, today's starter, is one of 741 Major League players who were born in the state of Texas, the fifth most of any state in the country:

1. California – 1,860
2. Pennsylvania – 1,327
3. New York – 1,112
4. Illinois – 990
5. Texas – 741

All Time Texas Leaders
Games: Frank Robinson, 2808
Runs: Tris Speaker, 1881
Hits: Tris Speaker, 3515
Home runs: Frank Robinson, 586
RBI: Frank Robinson, 1812
Stolen Base: Joe Morgan, 689
Wins: Greg Maddux, 347
Strikeouts: Nolan Ryan, 5714
Saves: Joe Nathan, 161

By the way: Chuck Knoblauch has played in 66 playoff games, most of anybody born in Texas. But Robinson and Ross Youngs are tied with 26 World Series games played. Former Rangers general manager Eddie Robinson, who was born in Paris, was 8-for-23 in the World Series. That's a .348 average which is the highest of any player from Texas who played in at least ten World Series games.

The Oracle of the Elysian Fields:
"I've been doing my 2 1/2 miles every day and I've gained 2 pounds.  My stomach is getting smaller but my butt's getting bigger."
Mickey Rivers, on Spring Training with the Rangers in 1981.

Birthdays: Tom Grieve turns 60 on Tuesday. That's right; it was 60 years ago on Tuesday that Grieve was born in the west Massachusetts town of Pittsfield. A rough estimate is that he has spent 40 of his 60 years employed by either the Washington Senators or the Texas Rangers.

Former Grieve teammates Pete Broberg turns 57 today and Jeff Burroughs turns 57 on Friday. **** Allen (56) and Jim Bouton (59) both have the same birthday: March 8. There's something poetic about that if you know anything about **** Allen and Jim Bouton.

Toby's Top five highlights from Grieve's bio in the 1975 media guide
1. "As a schoolboy in Pittsfield, Mass, he had an RBI single to win the Massachusetts State Championship, 1-0.
2. "His biggest thrill in baseball was his first game in Yankee Stadium in 1970."
3. "Tom was a blue-chip quarterback in high school and had more than 60 scholarship offers."
4. "Grieve is a movie buff and a big fan of George C. Scott."
5. "He spends time working with teenagers during his spare time and plans to continue his work when he retires from baseball."
Well, he was the farm director one year.

Anniversary: On March 2, 1927, Babe Ruth became the highest paid player in baseball history when he agreed to a $70,000 contract. On March 2, 1992, Ryne Sandberg became the highest paid player in baseball, making $7.1 million per year.

Ex-Ranger of the Week: Juan Gonzalez was used as a designated hitter in two games for the Cardinals and was 3-for-6 with a home run and four RBI. He had one of the Cardinals two home runs in the opening week of the Grapefruit League.

Last call: Both Roy Oswalt and Lance Berkman told MLB.Com this week that they would rather have a blood test than a urine test. Both are opposed to urine tests.

Said Oswalt: "If that's not an invasion of privacy, what is?"

Added Berkman: "And stage fright's a real deal. If you can't go in front of somebody ... you just mentally lock up. I'd rather stick my arm out and they can take blood out of me all day long."