Relatively quiet day on the Rangers front this morning. Let me just take a moment to say...the Mavs? Pretty good.
Evan Grant says there were some minor injury issues yesterday, but nothing real significant. Hank Blalock was scratched from the lineup because of a tight left calf, while Mark Teixeira and Gerald Laird were pulled from the game with sore left knee and a ball fouled off the foot, respectively.
Jerry Hairston, Jr., and Sammy Sosa have to be added to the 40 man roster this week, or else they have the right to opt to become a free agent and sign elsewhere. My guess is that Alexi Ogando will be moved to the restricted list to make room for one of them, while Francisco Cruceta, who has struggled this spring, will probably be designated for assignment.
Also from Grant, Jamey Wright continues to impress, after having made a mechanical adjustment at the recommendation of Mark Conner earlier this spring. Grant points out that Wright had a 3.84 ERA through May 22 of last year, but then Mike Matheny went down, Wright's mechanics and confidence got shot, and he was awful thereafter.
Of note is that Ron Washington is apparently considered splitting up Brandon McCarthy and Robinson Tejeda in the rotation, particularly if a veteran like Wright or Bruce Chen makes the rotation. This would likely result in Tejeda getting some starts skipped, as Washington is going to try to keep Kevin Millwood and Vicente Padilla on regular rest as much as possible.
Dave Sessions also writes on Wright this morning, with Wright telling Sessions that he hopes that, should the Rangers not put him on the Opening Day roster, he's shown enough this spring for another team to scoop him up and plug him in their rotation.
Sessions also has some notes on Marlon Byrd, with Byrd saying that Rudy Jaramillo has helped him fix some mechanical issues with his swing.
Grant's spring training report for today includes some notes on Sammy Sosa's hitting the fastball, Edinson Volquez's struggles, and players' current celebrity crushes.
I commend the Cat for his choice, although I have to say, I find it odd that Mark Teixeira, who says that Britney Spears was his first celebrity crush, says his current one is Patricia Heaton, who is about 20 years older than Brit.
Eric Gagne is set to make his spring debut today, in a "B" game that will also include Kevin Millwood, while Kam Loe, John Koronka, and C.J. Wilson will be pitching in the "A" game.