Opening Day Rangers stuff

Its time.

T.R. Sullivan says that this Rangers team has big expectations for itself, and what they expect to accomplish this year.

Jeff Wilson has a story on Michael Young taking on a new role and being the "ultimate Ranger," despite his trade demand.

Randy Galloway has a column on the team starting the season with a solid offense and defense, and hoping the arms can hold their own.  I have to say, though, it causes me to re-think things when I find Galloway agreeing with me:

So open the season by playing to the strength of bats and defense, then pray for the pitching, right?

Except last week the Rangers made a trade that totally confused the issue. Pitching panic, or bullpen panic, prevailed.

Not to get sideways over a backup catcher, Matt Treanor, being dealt, but the impact elsewhere was rather noticeable.

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Daniels wanted to stress that the current 13 pitchers won't be on the roster "forever."

And that adding a third catcher is still in the plans, which might even mean the highly respected Treanor (an "all-world tough guy," Daniels said) could return depending on what happens with his new team, the Royals.

Galloway also says that having Napoli catch a significant number of games is contrary to what the team had been saying up until now, and that Ron Washington isn't happy about the situation.

I do suspect that the team will return to a 7 man bullpen by the beginning of May, and we'll either see Treanor back in Texas, or Taylor Teagarden coming up to take over the role of backup catcher.

The DMN has a full compliment of Opening Day stories up here.

Sullivan has a piece on Mitch Moreland and his first Opening Day.

The S-T's notes include comments from Ron Washington on Julio Borbon and the makeup of the bullpen.

Championship rings were given to the family of Tom Vandergriff and to current Arlington Mayor Robert Cluck.

Barry Horn writes that Rangers owners Ray Davis and Bob Simpson -- the big money men in the ownership group -- prefer to stay in the background.