No major league game yesterday, so it is pretty quiet on the spring training front...
Evan Grant's story this morning talks about how there is an epidemic of practical jokes that has erupted in the Rangers camp...
Richard Durrett discusses the catching situation, and he also mentions the possibility of Taylor Teagarden making the team as a backup catcher. I've yet to hear one person make a decent case as to why a guy who only caught a handful of games last season, and who has played less than 100 games the past two years, and who had a pretty scary spike in his K rate after moving to AA last season, should start the year as a backup catcher in the majors.
Personally, I'm okay with a Laird and Melhuse tandem. Saltalamacchia's bat was a disappointment after coming over in the Teixeira trade last season, and his defense isn't a strength. He's just 22. I don't have an issue with him spending a couple of months in AAA, and having Laird catch regularly in the majors.
I think the option many have urged -- dumping Laird now for whatever you can get -- is short-sighted. I might be in the minority, but I still think Laird can be a nice major league starting catcher, and if he puts up a .250-260 EQA or so, he's going to have value, whether to the Rangers or another team.
Jeff Wilson says there was praise for Kason Gabbard's performance in the minor league game yesterday, with Mark Connor saying that Gabbard looked much better (and like the guy they had last season before his injury).