It's now the work week of the week that the Rangers will begin their defense of the American League title. The Rangers have one more game this afternoon in Scottsdale before thankfully flying out of Arizona until probably a handful of them return for the All-Star Game in July. This is the best time of the year. When we're the furtherest away from more Arizona baseball.
Something tells me that Adrian Beltre agrees. He was ejected from the game yesterday, as Richard Durrett writes, for the first time of his spring career. Why was Beltre given the boot? For chirping at the umpire. Or, as he said, "Everybody has to work on something."
T.R. Sullivan has a recap of yesterday's game. He mentions how Colby Lewis pitched well in his final tune-up before the season, how Michael Young continues to hit well this spring, and how Luke French might be in the Mariners rotation.
Evan Grant writes on his blog about how Mason Tobin might be forcing his way onto the roster with his spring performance. Grant notes the Rangers will probably try to have him pitch on back-to-back days before making a decision.
Durrett looks at the remaining decisions the Rangers have to make in the final couple of days. He thinks Mason Tobin is going to be on the team.
Sullivan has updates on the injured Rangers in camp noting among other things that Arthur Rhodes feels good and claims that he is ready for Opening Day.
Durrett looks at why the Rangers might be considering moving Alexi Ogando back from the pen when they concluded Neftali Feliz was too valuable a bullpen contributer to move to the rotation.
Jeff Wilson writes that it wasn't a new pitch, improved mechanics, or blossoming of stuff that has Matt Harrison as the Opening Day #3 starter. Instead, it's his added mental toughness.
Speaking of, Gil Lebreton warns against putting too much stock into Spring Training stats.
Wilson ponders repeating and how the Rangers can achieve success a year after their most successful season.
For you lucky 5%:
- Evan Grant's Most Important Rangers
- Kevin Sherrington's Best and Worst Spring moments
- Grant's 5 reasons the road back to the World Series will be Arduous
- Tim Cowlishaw doesn't think the Rangers are a fluke
Finally, Yahoo!'s Jeff Passan and Tim Brown make their AL predictions. And while Tim Brown is worried about the Rangers without Cliff Lee, Jeff Passan has weird hair.