TEXAS RANGERS

Starting Lineup
2B Ian Kinsler: averaging 17 HR's, 62 RBI's, 20 SB's and a .292 BA in his first three ML seasons
3B Michael Young: career .300 batter will move to 3B although his power numbers have declined over the past few seasons
CF Josh Hamilton: 27 year-old became a legitimate star in his first season with the Rangers (.304-32-130)
DH Hank Blalock: two-time all-star moved off of 3B after injuries limited him to just 123 games in '07-08
1B Chris Davis: combined to hit 40 HR's between AA, AAA, and the big leagues (17 HR's with Tex)
RF Nelson Cruz: had a huge season in AAA (.342-37-99 in 383 AB's) and didn't stop once he reached Texas (.330, 7 HR's, 26 RBI's in 115 AB's)
LF David Murphy: hitting .288 with 17 HR's and 88 RBI's in 518 AB's since arriving in Texas at the '07 trade deadline
C Jarrod Saltalamacchia: will not beat out prospect Teagarden if he doesn't show more power than he did in '08 (3 HR's in 198 AB's) UPDATE 3/25 - hitting .324 with 7 doubles this spring, which should be enough to hold off Teagarden (.185 BA, 2 HR, 5 RBI this spring) for the starting job UPDATE 3/27 - officially named the starting catcher
IF Elvis Andrus: the move by Michael Young to 3B makes room for the team's #4 prospect, although he might be better off starting the season in AAA; he hit .295 with 54 SB's in AA last season

Bench
C Taylor Teagarden: team's #6 prospect, according to BA, is an above average defender and was pretty impressive with the bat in a late-season audition with the Rangers (.319 BA, 6 HR's in 47 AB's) UPDATE 3/25 - team might be concerned that Teagarden's ability to stay healthy, which is a big reason why he likely won't be the opening day starter
SS Omar Vizquel: the veteran showed he had something left in the tank when he hit .304 over his last 115 AB's in '08 for the Giants; UPDATED 2/20 - the plan is to have Vizquel be a backup with Andrus the starter; Vizquel could be the perfect mentor for the 20 year-old Andrus
OF Marlon Byrd: hitting .302 with 20 HR's in 817 AB's over two seasons with Texas
OF Andruw Jones: many people think he is done; the Rangers will use spring training to decide on their own UPDATE 3/19 - it's free agency or the minors for Jones UPDATE 3/22 - it would take some roster shuffling, but it appears there is still a chance he ends up on the opening day roster UPDATE 4/1 - will be the team's 5th outfielder

Starting Rotation
RHP Kevin Millwood: has gone 35-36 with a 4.89 ERA in 94 starts in three seasons with the Rangers
RHP Vicente Padilla: 31 year-old is 35-28 with a 4.89 ERA in 85 starts in three season with Texas
RHP Brandon McCarthy: 25 year-old missed most of last season with multiple injuries and made only 5 starts, posting a 4.09 ERA in 22 IP
RHP Kris Benson: UPDATED 2/21 - went 11-12 with a 4.82 ERA with the Orioles back in 2006 but had not pitched since because of injury until last season, when he went 1-6 with a 5.78 ERA between Hi A and AAA of the Phillies organization UPDATE 3/14 - has allowed just 2 ER and 4 hits in 7 IP this spring UPDATE 3/28 - could win the #5 job in the rotation with Feldman moving to the bullpen UPDATE 3/30 - if the Manager's opinion counts for anything, Benson appears to have won the #5 spot in the rotation UPDATE 4/1 - has been told he'll be in the starting rotation
LHP Matt Harrison: was 9-3 in 15 starts as a rookie but his ERA was an inflated 5.49 and he allowed 12 HR's in 83.2 IP UPDATE 4/1 - looks like he'll be the #5 starter

Bullpen
RHP Frank Francisco: 29 year-old had his best season in '08, posting a 3.13 ERA with 83 K's in 63.1 IP UPDATE 2/28 - looks like Francisco will be the closer and Wilson will be the late-inning setup man
LHP C.J. Wilson: was 22-24 with a 5.02 ERA and 22 saves in 24 chances before the all-star break but got blasted in 7 appearances after the break and was shut down with bone spurs in his elbow shortly after
LHP Eddie Guardado: pitched very well for the Rangers in '08 (3.65 ERA in 55 relief appearances) before being traded to the Twins in late August
RHP Warner Madrigal: converted OF made it to Texas after making only 97 relief appearances from 2006-08 in the minors and posted a 4.75 ERA in 31 games out of the bullpen UPDATE 3/2 - click here for more on Madrigal UPDATE 3/14 - making a strong bid to fill the right-handed setup role
RHP Josh Rupe: workhorse pitched 89.1 IP out of the bullpen in 46 appearances and posted a 5.14 ERA UPDATE 3/2 - click here for more on Rupe UPDATE 3/29 - appears to have won a roster spot
RHP Scott Feldman: made 25 starts in '08 and posted a 5.18 ERA with 52 BB's and 68 K's in 144.1 IP UPDATE 3/2 - Should Feldman be the 5th starter? UPDATE 3/26 - team is discussing the possibility of moving Feldman to the bullpen, which would open up an opportunity for Kris Benson or Jason Jennings to make the rotation UPDATE 4/1 - officially sent to the bullpen to start the season
RHP Jason Jennings: former Rockies ace is 2-14 with a 6.91 ERA since leaving Colorado after the '06 season UPDATE 3/15 - appears to be healthy and pitching well (6 IP, 2 ER, 7 H, 3 BB, 4 K); could opt out of his minor league contract on April 1st if he doesn't think he's going to win a spot in the Texas rotation UPDATE 3/22 - also an option to fill the long relief role UPDATE 4/1 - has made the team; he'll start the season in the 'pen

Disabled List
RHP Joaquin Benoit: will miss most of the season after rotator cuff surgery
RHP Dustin Nippert: hard-throwing 27 year-old finished the season in the rotation and had mixed results, allowing just 1 ER in 12 IP in back-to-back starts against the M's and A's but finishing with a 5.63 ERA in 6 starts UPDATE 3/27 - appears to be out of the competition for a bullpen spot because of a bad back UPDATE 4/1 - expected to start the season on the DL
RHP Willie Eyre: UPDATE 3/23 - trying to come back from Tommy John surgery, he's still in the mix for a bullpen spot with 1 ER allowed in 6 IP this spring UPDATE 4/1 - expected to start the season on the DL

Optioned to AAA
LHP Kason Gabbard: was shut down after making just 12 starts (2-3, 4.82 ERA) because of elbow inflammation UPDATED 3/13 - expected to be out until at least mid-April UPDATE 3/15 - optioned to AAA where he will work as a reliever
IF German Duran: hit .231 with 3 HR's in 143 AB's last season; probably needs a full season at AAA before he's ready for the bigs
RHP Luis Mendoza: 25 year-old wasn't quite ready for the big leagues as he went 3-8 with an 8.67 ERA in 63.1 IP for Texas UPDATE 3/24 - optioned to AAA
C Max Ramirez: team's #10 prospect, according to BA, hit .354 with 17 HR's for AA last season and then hit .243 in 37 AB's for Texas; likely to start in AAA unless the Rangers decide to trade one of their other two coveted catchers UPDATE 3/31 - optioned to AAA on 3/25
IF Travis Metcalf: the 26 year-old 3B has hit 11 HR's in 217 AB's over the past two seasons in Texas; has a chance to win a backup job with a good spring UPDATE 3/31 - optioned to AAA
IF Joaquin Arias: could be odd man out if Andrus is the starter with Vizquel or Duran better suited for a utility role UPDATE 4/1 - optioned to AAA
OF Brandon Boggs: hit .226 with 8 HR's in 283 AB's during his rookie season; chances are slim as the Rangers appear set with Byrd as the right-handed OF coming off of the bench UPDATE 4/1 - optioned to AAA

Reassigned to Minor League Camp
RHP Elizardo Ramirez: UPDATE 3/14 - 26 year-old has not allowed an earned run or a walk in 6.1 IP this spring
RHP Derrick Turnbow: former Brewers closer had a good season in '07 (4.63 ERA and 84 K's in 68 IP) but spent most of '08 getting beat up in AAA before his season ended in July because of shoulder tendinitis UPDATE 4/1 - has accepted an assignment to AAA

Released
RHP Brendan Donnelly: 37 year-old has a career 3.12 ERA although he had an 8.56 ERA in 15 games with the Indians in '08 after returning from Tommy John surgery UPDATE 3/26 - released by the team on Thursday
LHP Jimmy Gobble: regressed in 2008, posting an 8.81 ERA in 39 relief appearances just one year after breaking through with a 4-1 record and 3.02 ERA in 74 games UPDATE 3/18 - given his unconditional release on Wednesday morning UPDATE 3/21 - signed to a minor league deal UPDATE 3/30 - released
OF Frank Catalanatto: career .292 hitter will find it hard to get AB's in '09 unless Cruz or Nelson struggle at the plate UPDATE 4/1 - released by the team after an unsuccessful attempt to trade him