so it doesn't really make sense to keep Mench over Botts. Give Botts one final chance...give him consistent ABs for the first two-three months. If he can't get it together, the Botts experiment will be over.

Yes, he is a proven commodity. But what's been proved about that commodity? He's an average player. I've got a good idea what Mench's ceiling is. I don't with Botts.

Here's the only reason I can think of for not giving Botts a chance. They want to keep the DH spot open for Milton Bradley early in the season so he can perform as well as possible, trade Bradley and hope that the return is greater than losing Botts.

The idea that Botts could make it through waivers is irrelevant. So what if the Rangers can hold on to him and sent him back to AAA. Having Botts at AAA accomplishes nothing since it's clear he can hit there.

Don't forget to tune in at 3:00PM.

Think I read somewhere today that Washington is"considering" young 2nd Hamilton 3rd.

Mendoza and Ponson round out the AAA rotation. Too bad for Harrison. He deserves to be in AAA.

I think Clinton could be the most interesting place. Main and Castillo eventually, Feliz, and Holland. Maybe late season appearances by Beavan, Ramirez, and maybe even Wingding.

Little has been said about Evan Reed this offseason. Maybe he starts out in Bakersfield and Kiker comes in if he (or Tommy Hunter) gets promoted quickly.

Exciting stuff to think about. Can't wait till it all gets started.

I don't think that Wash is paid to see if he can develop Botts. He's paid to win games. Mench has a .900+ career OPS against lefties, and Botts is an unknown who has struggled somewhat in the limited amount of AB's he's been given.

If I'm Wash and my job was dependent on whether I win games, then I'd tend to lean a bit more towards Mench against lefties.

It's already been pretty thoroughly discussed that Wash thinks he has to win to keep his job, and JD thinks he has to expose his young talent and grow a winner to keep his.

The word 'win' might have very different connotations to each of them. But if Wash uses 'proven' but less capabable players too much, those paths may not be parallel much less compatible. I think we'll know a lot more by June, and I frankly don't know what to expect.

Not sure why Wash is receiving the blame for the Mench/Botts decision. Wouldn't that rest squarely on JD's shoulders? I agree that Botts should make the club so we can see what he has to offer over a long period of time instead of a short period of time, but I would think that would be JD's decision ultimately. Wash's job is to win with the players put before him. It shouldn't be to decide (or have the last say-so for sure) which players are put before him.

It is only 9 days away and it is a beautiful spring like day here in NC which only puts me in the mood for baseball even more. But I enjoy MLB opening day about as much as I enjoy opening day for my own team. With that said, I just don't have much use for MLB starting our season in another country. I'm sorry, but it just shouldn't be that way.

a completely unfair criticism of Washington. Did he sign Sosa or trade for Broussard? And his feelings on Mench/Botts or Kata are solely input for JD to do with what he wants. Those are criticisms more properly leveled at JD. Washington, like any other newer manager, has tenuous job security - if the Rangers start out of the gate like they did last year, he could very easily be gone - rebuilding or not. Without a doubt, nobody in the organization has more pressure to win now than Wash.

I remember when he was drafted last year in the supp round, everyone, including me, seemed confused. Here was a chubby guy with good, but not great, numbers at Alabama. I don't think a true stats guy would ever have drafted him.

Suggests that pure scouting can still find a few gems out there.

Botts make the team, would not like to see the Rangers lose both Botts and Cruz, but the fact is that neither would get much playing time and would certainly not be able to show what they can do on a consistent basis.

I would rather see BB, Melhuse and Cat go and and see what Botts, Cruz, Salty and, to a lesser degree, Mench can do. Let Salty , Mench and Botts rotate at first, Botts and Cruz in the OF.

It's taken you this long to think Washington might not be the right man for the job? He did an atrocious job last season preparing the club out of spring training. His bumbling handling of the bullpen throughout the season was awful and he seems to have learned nothing this year.

I am not at all surprised he wants Mench. Washington should be fired immediately at the end of the season unless things change dramatically. I think his hiring was the worst decision of JD's tenure. Yes, even worse than that one.

I'm firmly convinced Ron Washington is the wrong man to be managing this team. We need a manager who's a leader, who can fairly evaluate talent, and not base his decisions on personal preferences, and we also need a manager who is on board with Jon Daniels 3-5 year plan.

Ron is none of those things. He should have never been hired in the first place, but the Rangers need to get him out of the dugout now, before he does anymore damage to this teams development.

I would be completely fine if he and Matt Walbeck swapped jobs. Ron has proven he makes a good coach, and he is a very good defensive instructor - I wouldn't mind seeing him hang around as the 3rd base coach, but as a manager, he's in way over his head.

How can a guy with a 2 year contract be on board with a 3-5 year plan? Managers are paid to put their team in the best position to win, day in and day out. Wash does that by using the 25 guys that JD gives him. If guys like Kata, Sosa, Mench, and others don't belong on the team, than that's JDs fault. It's not Wash's problem that he plays the guys he's given.

who's the first guy in our lineup you'd choose?