Evan Grant has a lengthy spring training preview for the Rangers. Of course, with all these sorts of articles, you have to have a theme, and Grant's article has a "solar system" theme. It doesn't really make much sense, but anyway...
A lot of stuff in the piece, some of it pretty interesting. Some highlights:
- Grant seems to think that Ian Kinsler has to just not tank this spring to win the starting second base job, which is encouraging.
- Grant lists the #5 starter candidates as Dominguez, Wilson, and "the hot-commodity-of-the-week Josh Rupe." Not sure if that description of Rupe is an editorial comment or not, but anyway...I still think the #5 spot should be Dominguez if he's healthy and doesn't totally suck.
- 20.8% of the Rangers' ABs in 2005 started with a swing-and-miss, the highest total in the majors.
- From the sounds of it, Phil Nevin has a pretty good chance of starting the season on the 25 man roster.
Jim Reeves' Postcards from the Ledge has a couple of Rangers notes today, as well. Reeves has some quotes from Jon Daniels, talking about how the possible Danny Bautista signing (bleah) could be a precursor to GMJ or Mench getting dealt later in the spring. I don't know that I care for that...
Reeves also says that "the Rangers will start the spring committed to seeing if Phil Nevin can be their full-time DH." I really don't like that at all, unless it means that they'll figure out he can't hit and release him. But even then, DH ABs going to Nevin means that Jason Botts won't be getting DH ABs this spring. Bad plan.
We also have the "Laynce Nix is in great shape" blurb from Reeves that we've been getting from various sources the past month.
The S-T also has a FAQ of sorts about the Rangers spring training complex...