T.R. Sullivan has a new mailbag column up, and as would be expected at this time of year, it is an odd collection of stuff, with some weird questions mixed in...
The lead item is on the bullpen, as Sullivan says that only two pitchers -- Eric Gagne and Akinori Otsuka -- are locks for spots, with the other five being up for grabs amongst a whole bunch of possibilities. Sullivan suggests that teams with some pen holes will be scouting the Rangers this spring, and I definitely expect to see Jon Daniels try to flip a reliever or two in late March.
There's also questions on who will lose playing time if Sammy Sosa has a strong spring, why the Rangers aren't interested in Mark Redman, and what the future plans are for Nate Gold and Daniel Haigwood.
But my favorite questions are: 1) the one from the guy who says that Bernie Williams is out there as a free agent, and the Rangers should be "all over him for an everyday center fielder," and 2) the guy who wants to know why the Rangers don't do a better job in drafting players from the state of Texas, and lists Vernon Wells (who was off the board when the Rangers picked) and Scott Podsednik (who the Rangers drafted and signed) among the players the Rangers should have done a better job on.
Bernie Williams in centerfield for the Rangers, at this point in his career, gives me nightmares. We might as well bring Rusty Greer back and stick him out there...