ESPN

The Rangers signed left-handed pitcher Neal Cotts to a minor league contract. He will be in minor league camp this spring.

Cotts, who turns 32 years old in late March, has not pitched professionally since 2009. He was in the Pittsburgh organization in 2010, but was recovering from Tommy John surgery (he had that on July 2, 2009). The Yankees signed him in November 2010, but he was release on Feb. 16, 2011.

Cotts has pitched in 284 games and has a 10-12 mark and a 4.63 ERA, most of that as a reliever (he has five career starts in 256 1/3 innings). He's pitched for the Chicago White Sox (2003-06) and the Chicago Cubs (2007-09). His best season was 2005, when the White Sox won the World Series. He was 4-0 with a 1.94 ERA in 69 games that season and pitched in four World Series games, earning a win in Game 2.

Lefties have hit .253 against him in his career. Interestingly, right-handed batters have fared worse against Cotts with a .248 average.

ESPN.com's Jayson Stark goes through his most intriguing storylines for spring training and puts Yu Darvish in the top-5. Here's what he wrote:

4. We'll Be Seeing Yu: One American League general manager made a startling observation about Yu Darvish recently. It isn't just the Rangers' season that will be riding on this guy's expensive right shoulder. It's the future of all Japanese pitchers in the good old U.S. of A., if not the future of Japanese free agents of all sizes, shapes and positions. And you know what? He's right. If Darvish's eye-popping talents get lost in translation in even a remotely similar way to the disappointment that Daisuke Matsuzaka devolved into, do you really think any big league team is going to fork over another $50 million posting fee to travel down this trail again? We doubt that seriously. So we're sending out this memo to No. 11: It's all up to Yu.

Click here to see where Stark has the Rangers ranked among "improved" teams after the offseason and his AL storylines (the AL West is certainly a major player).

ESPN.com's Jim Bowden gave out grades to the American League teams for how they did this offseason. His Rangers grade: A-. Here are his thoughts:

The Rangers decided that Darvish is a No. 1 starter and worth $34.2 million more than C.J. Wilson, who won 15 games last year and helped them to back-to-back World Series. The Rangers strongly believe in Darvish, and their judgment has been dead-on the last few years. Signing Nathan to take over as their closer is a bargain if he’s 100 percent healthy. If the final six weeks of last season were any indication, Nathan is back.

If you want to see Bowden's grades for the AL West and the rest of his Rangers thoughts, click here (insider).

My grade: B+

The reason I give a B is I included getting long-term deals done with some of the core group as part of my grade going into the offseason. So it's not fair to alter that now. The bottom line: The club did a good job of bundling some of the arbitration years on some of the contracts (Nelson Cruz, Elvis Andrus), but they didn't sign anyone into their free-agent years. Of course, it's not too late to do that and my grade might be adjusted once spring training is if they've done so.

But they get high marks for getting the Darvish deal done. We don't know fully how good a move that may be, but they trusted their scouts and got big-time backing from management. The club also acquired Joe Nathan and the scouts I've talked to that are outside the organization really liked that move and believe he'll pitch more like he did in the second-half of 2011. I also like the minor-league deals for Brad Hawpe and Conor Jackson. Something tells me one of those guys will do something this spring to make the squad. We'll see.

Overall, after losing C.J. Wilson to the Angels and watching L.A. grab Albert Pujols on the final day of the winter meetings, the Rangers still managed to construct a team that is once again a favorite in the AL.

But how would you grade the Rangers' offseason? Do they get an A? How much is your grade for them impacted by what the Angels did?

The Rangers continue to shop reliever Koji Uehara and are discussing a trade with the Oakland A's, a source confirmed on Friday. The A's aren't the only team the club is talking to about the reliever.

Rangers general manager Jon Daniels said Sunday that the team was "a tick over" its player salary budget, but acknowledged they could get creative if they wanted to make some alterations.

The club has shown interest in free agent starter Roy Oswalt, but they don't want to push Matt Harrison out of the rotation to make room for Oswalt to start. They're interested in Oswalt, who has had back issues recently and was limited some last year, if he would take a bullpen role and be an insurance policy for the rotation. Uehara is slated to make $4 million this season, so unloading him would allow the Rangers to free up some room for someone else, possibly Oswalt if he's willing to alter his stance about starting.

Uehara, who turns 37 on April 3, vested his 2012 option last year by appearing in at least 55 games (he ended up appearing in 65). He was one of the top relievers on the market at the trade deadline and the Rangers sent RHP Tommy Hunter and 1B Chris Davis to Baltimore to acquire him. But Uehara struggled after the trade, going 1-2 with a 4.00 ERA in 18 innings (22 games). He allowed five earned runs in 1 1/3 playoff innings in the ALDS and ALCS and was not put on the World Series roster.

Uehara has a limited no-trade clause that includes six teams. One of those was the Toronto Blue Jays and Uehara rejected a deal there in late January.

ESPN.com's Eric Karabell took a look at three key questions when it comes to some Rangers players. To read them all, you'll have to click here (insider). But one of the questions deals with Elvis Andrus and whether he can develop some power. Here's what Karabell said:

Part of my draft strategy is to avoid powerless base stealers in the early rounds, regardless of position scarcity. I love Michael Bourn, and his impact on stolen bases is clear, but I'll almost always choose someone likely to reach 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases, a Shin-Soo Choo type, if you will. At shortstop, Elvis Andrus is a bit like this, although he did hit five home runs. In 2010, he didn't hit any. Andrus is only 23 and still a very good fantasy option, as he has swiped 32 or more bases in all three of his seasons, has a career .271 batting average and, thanks to his powerful pals in the lineup, scored 96 runs last season. Andrus finished fifth on the Player Rater among shortstops in 2011. All that said, I'd choose Chicago Cubs youngster Starlin Castro earlier. There's immediate power potential brewing with him.

Despite my ranking of him, I'd probably bypass Andrus in Rounds 6 and 7, unless I had simply ignored stolen bases, to wait a few rounds on a balanced Alexei Ramirez and a few more rounds on Stephen Drew, whom I'm not giving up on. Look, you've got to draft power, as there just isn't enough of it. You can find potential 30-steal guys undrafted. Ramirez and Drew don't run nearly as much as Andrus, but 10-12 steals will still help. Andrus is improving; he hit 27 doubles, after posting 32 his first two seasons. His walk rate is solid, and he cut down on the strikeouts. But he still slugged only .361 last season.

We wind up our Surprise positional outlook with the management team.

Today's position: Front office

OK, so it's not really a "position" on the field. But the Rangers' front office is a huge component at spring training.

First, they've assembled parts of the 2012 team. And it's a different one than 2011 in a few ways. The biggest offseason acquisition was Yu Darvish, of course. But the 25-year-old Japanese star isn't the only new face. Joe Nathan is now the team's closer, altering the bullpen.

The Nathan move has caused ripples elsewhere. It allows the Rangers to move Neftali Feliz to the rotation and with the starting depth, Alexi Ogando could end up back in the bullpen if everyone stays healthy. We'll see.

The reason the front office makes this outlook is that it will have a hand in the decisions made at spring training the next six weeks. When Tommy Hunter's groin injury popped up at the end of last spring, the baseball operations staff, along with the coaching staff, went over the options and determined that Ogando would go into the rotation. That was a big decision, and one that isn't simply made by the coaching staff.

RANGERS POSITION OUTLOOK

Jan. 23: Catcher Jan. 24: First base Jan. 25: Second base Jan. 26: Third base Jan. 27: Shortstop Jan. 30: Left field Jan. 31: Center field Feb. 1: Right field Feb. 2: DH/Utility Feb. 3: Bench Feb. 6: No. 1 starter Feb. 7: No. 2 starter Feb. 8: No. 3 starter Feb. 9: No. 4 starter Feb. 10: No. 5 starter Feb. 13: Middle/long relief Feb. 14: Late-inning relief Feb. 15: Coaches Feb. 16: Manager Feb. 17: Front office

Decisions this spring will also be a collaborative effort, influenced by general manager Jon Daniels and his staff. That includes what happens in center field, who wins the final few spots on the roster and how things line up in terms of depth at other areas. We seen the last few springs that deals can be made in February and March, too.

Daniels and his staff are already considered some of the top management folks in the big leagues, thanks to how they built the Rangers from a last-place team into back-to-back AL champions. They've put their faith in Darvish, convincing ownership to put up the $51.7 million posting fee and then pay the pitcher another $60 million for six years. Spring training will be the first taste that they'll get to see how that investment looks.

That investment, of course, doesn't happen without Bob Simpson, Ray Davis and the Rangers board, which has given Daniels the financial backing to make some more moves this offseason.

Spring is also a chance for the management team to see some more of the club's minor league talent. Some of that talent gets to spend part of spring training with the big club. But as you walk the back fields, you'll find scouts and even upper management checking in on some of the younger players throughout the organization.

So don't forget about CEO and president Nolan Ryan, Daniels, assistant GM Thad Levine, A.J. Preller, Tim Purpura, Don Welke, Josh Boyd, Kip Fagg, Jake Krug, Matt Vinnola and a host of other key folks that will help make decisions that will no doubt impact the club's results in 2012.

Even before this spring, the front office was a big part of getting the club into contention. Here's a look at some of the key decisions made that led to this point.

ESPN.com finished its look at all 30 teams in the MLB Future Rankings and came to the conclusion that the Rangers were No. 1. Texas had a score of 91.1 (on a scale of 100) to claim the top spot. The New York Yankees finished second with the Los Angeles Angels coming in seventh.

PODCAST
ESPN's Jim Bowden says buckle up because the Texas Rangers are about to dominate the future of baseball. Listen

Teams were ranked in five categories:

MAJORS (full weight): Quality of current big league roster

MINORS (full weight): Quality and quantity of prospects in their farm system

FINANCE (2/3 weight): How much money do they have to spend?

MANAGEMENT (2/3 weight): Value and stability of ownership, front office and coaching staff

MOBILITY (1/3 weight): Do they have a lot of young, cheap players, or old, immovable guys?

So how did the Rangers reach this point? They did so with some big decisions in the last five years. Here's a look at some of those.

There are some decisions that aren't on the list -- this hits some of the highlights. And some of you have already mentioned some of those in the comment section of the story. Some of those:

* Signing Adrian Beltre. It was a large financial commitment and the Rangers didn't put any stock in the notion that Beltre's best years only came in contract seasons. He was tremendous defensively and a huge part of the middle of the lineup.

* Assembling the coaching staff. Certainly, pitching coach Mike Maddux has had a huge impact on the staff. But don't forget the job the rest of that staff that helps Ron Washington. That includes bench coach Jackie Moore, bullpen coach Andy Hawkins, first base coach Gary Pettis, third base coach Dave Anderson and hitting coach Scott Coolbaugh.

* The club has made some deals that maybe have gone under the radar. Some of those: picking up Darren O'Day off waivers, trading for Mike Gonzalez at the deadline (he got some huge outs in the playoffs) and picking up Alexi Ogando in the Rule-5 draft and then staying patient with him with all the visa issues.

Rangers general manager Jon Daniels said Thursday that the club will do what it can to support slugger Josh Hamilton after his latest relapse.

The team recently named Shayne Kelley as a staff assistant and part of his role will be to help Hamilton during the season, something Johnny Narron did since Hamilton was traded to Texas prior to the 2008 season. Kelley will travel with the team.

"There will be some additional steps that we’ll take as a club, along with Josh, just to continue to support him and to insure to the best of our abilities that this doesn't happen again," Daniels said. "We have more ability to help with that during the season."

Daniels said the team knew about Hamilton's plans to go through counseling for himself and with his wife, Katie, before Hamilton went to New York to talk to doctors with MLB and MLBPA. Hamilton said on GBTV, a subscription website, Wednesday that he's already making progress and feels good about how things are going in his life since the incident a few weeks ago.

Daniels reiterated that long-term contract discussions with Hamilton are tabled for now.

Everyone involved agrees it's not the time to look at it," Daniels said. "The priority needs to be his recovery and his family and, secondarily, getting ready for the season. We're not going to get in the way of those things with contract talk. We may address it again at some point, but we'll handle that privately. I don't know if it will be this spring or a later date."

A few weeks ago, manager Ron Washington earned a two-year contract extension, making him the skipper of the Rangers through 2014. Assuming he serves out the life of that contract, he could become the club’s all-time winningest manager and have managed the most games in the organization’s history.

Today's position: Manager

We talked a lot about Washington’s style when he got the extension, but perhaps no team in the majors plays as hard for its manager as the Rangers do for Washington. He trusts his players but isn’t afraid to jump on them when needed. He’s honest, letting everyone know where they stand. And he’s a master motivator, making sure his team is prepared to play each day, but also loose and having fun.

He’s also improved as an in-game manager. Some of that is because of the trust he places in his coaches. But he’s learned when to let his gut make some key decisions for him and when to go by the book. He doesn’t get too caught up in statistics or matchups. And if he makes a mistake, he learns from it.

RANGERS POSITION OUTLOOK

Jan. 23: Catcher Jan. 24: First base Jan. 25: Second base Jan. 26: Third base Jan. 27: Shortstop Jan. 30: Left field Jan. 31: Center field Feb. 1: Right field Feb. 2: DH/Utility Feb. 3: Bench Feb. 6: No. 1 starter Feb. 7: No. 2 starter Feb. 8: No. 3 starter Feb. 9: No. 4 starter Feb. 10: No. 5 starter Feb. 13: Middle/long relief Feb. 14: Late-inning relief Feb. 15: Coaches Feb. 16: Manager Feb. 17: Front office

Perhaps Washington’s biggest challenge in the early part of spring training will be to get his team to move on from how 2011 ended. He was able to rally them around a single goal last season after losing the Fall Classic in 2010. He must do it again, knowing the disappointment was a lot bigger in 2011. Washington isn’t concerned about it and says his group is mentally tough and will be ready to play.

Washington will be entering his sixth season and his teams have improved in wins every single season he’s been in the dugout. That’s not going to be easy in 2012 after the 2011 edition won a club-record 96 games.

“It’s not about the wins, it’s about improving how we play the game,” Washington said. “If we do that, all that stuff will work out.”

The Associated Press is reporting the details of outfielder Nelson Cruz's two-year, $16 million deal. Here's the breakdown:

2012: $5 million
2013: $10.5 million

Cruz can increase his 2013 salary by an extra $500,000 based on plate appearances. That's $100,000 each at 500, 525, 550, 575 and 600.

Other incentives: $50,000 if he makes the All-Star team (he was on the squad in 2009) and $75,000 if he's the ALCS MVP (that's what he was in 2011 after six homers and 13 RBIs).

ARLINGTON, Texas -- The Texas Rangers loaded a huge 18-wheeler full of stuff and a crew began the 18-hour drive to Surprise, Ariz., on Tuesday.

So what were some of the things inside that truck? A look:

* 100 cases of baseballs. That breaks down to 1,800 dozen balls -- 1,000 dozen of the regular balls and another 800 dozen of the balls marked "practice." The practice balls don't cost as much to make and are, consequently, about $10 cheaper per dozen. That's nearly 22,000 baseballs at a price tag of $115,275. The club will likely bring back about 200 dozen and will then re-stock for the regular season.

"Some of our guys hit one of those balls out on one pitch and they're gone," Rangers equipment manager Richard "Hoggy" Price said. "And it depends on how many they give away too."

Many of those balls are already "rubbed," thanks to bullpen catcher Josh Frasier and a deal he has with a school in Rockwall. He hosts a party every Super Bowl Sunday and the group breaks in the baseballs while watching the game.

* 200 helmets

* Two dozen bats for each player on the team. Many of those aren't actually in the truck, but they'll be shipped to Arizona. The club gets a list of what kind of bat each player uses and then purchases the bats. The cost: About $100 per bat. For most players, like Michael Young, two dozens bats is enough to use the entire spring training. For others, like Josh Hamilton, it won't be. Not only does Hamilton break some of them, but he'll likely lose a few in the crowd too.

"I used to see that as a bat flying into the stands, but now I see a 100 dollar bill flying," Price said. "Josh breaks more bats and goes through more of them than anybody."

* 20 cases of sunflower seeds. The club brings various kinds for the players and coaches.

* 50 cases of coffee. Price likes to be sure the team and the staff have the coffee they like. But he also prefers to shop and use the club's sponsors in Texas, where prices are cheaper, than shopping in Arizona.

* David Murphy said he's got a dollhouse and some other toys on the truck. It's stuff his wife packed for his kids, who will be going to spring training as well. That's not unusual. Many players will have their families with them since it's such a long stay in Surprise. So toys will make the journey west.

Price said he remembers getting the largest U-Haul truck he could in the late 1970s and driving to Florida with everything he could imagine. It would take nearly three days.

"Now, we've got a facility that's used year round, so you don't need quite as much," Price said. "That's nice."

The truck will be fully unloaded by Friday and everything set up quickly thereafter. By the time activity heats up next week, all the food and equipment will be ready to go.

We’ve talked about this for a few years now, but one major key to the Rangers’ success is the coaching staff. It’s a hard-working bunch that understands the players and likes and respects each other.

Today's position: Coaching staff (we'll get into Ron Washington tomorrow)

Pitching coach Mike Maddux is back for his fourth season and has helped transform the Rangers from an organization that many thought was simply big bats into one that has a pitching staff near the top in most categories in the AL.

Maddux has the ability to discover what each individual pitcher needs and how best to help him. The staff has changed a bit the past few years, but he’s done what he can to get the most out of it. That challenge continues in 2012 as he’ll oversee the transition Yu Darvish makes as he attempts to get big league hitters out. Maddux’s role in that process will be critical.

One thing you hear players talk about all the time is how hard Maddux and bullpen coach Andy Hawkins work. They are at the park early looking at video and helping prepare the scouting report on the opposing hitters for their pitchers. They’ll look at mechanics and help make adjustments there; anything they can do to help give their guys an edge. Hawkins is a big component of that combination and he helps run things out in the bullpen every game too, making sure guys are prepared to get in the games and watching throwing sessions, etc.

RANGERS POSITION OUTLOOK

Jan. 23: Catcher Jan. 24: First base Jan. 25: Second base Jan. 26: Third base Jan. 27: Shortstop Jan. 30: Left field Jan. 31: Center field Feb. 1: Right field Feb. 2: DH/Utility Feb. 3: Bench Feb. 6: No. 1 starter Feb. 7: No. 2 starter Feb. 8: No. 3 starter Feb. 9: No. 4 starter Feb. 10: No. 5 starter Feb. 13: Middle/long relief Feb. 14: Late-inning relief Feb. 15: Coaches Feb. 16: Manager Feb. 17: Front office

On the hitting side of things, Scott Coolbaugh took over for Thad Bosley in May of last year when it was clear Bosley’s communication style wasn’t meshing with the club. Coolbaugh had the advantage of already working with many of the players at Triple-A and he came in and developed a trust with the offensive group. He returns for his first full season.

Around the bases, Dave Anderson returns at third base and will help coach the infielders. Gary Pettis, the baserunning guru, is back at first. And the wily old sage of the staff, Jackie Moore, will be by Washington’s side in the dugout as the bench coach.

One coach won’t be back. That’s Johnny Narron, who was an assistant hitting coach and is now the hitting coach in Milwaukee.

And while the athletic trainers, equipment and medical staff aren’t considered coaches, they are critical to getting the players ready to play. That includes Jamie Reed, head athletic trainer, who returns for his 10th season as medical director, and assistant athletic trainers Kevin Harmon and Matt Lucero. Raul Cardenas is the massage therapist. Jose Vazquez is the strength and conditioning coach, and if you’re walking around the back fields in Surprise you’ll see him on the half-football field working out players. Richard “Hoggy” Price is back as the home clubhouse equipment manager, and Kelly Terrell will work the visitor’s clubhouse. Josh Frasier returns for his 12th season with the Rangers and is the bullpen catcher, and Chris Lyngos will once again handle all of the travel arrangements.

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Craig Gentry was on hand as the Texas Rangers trailer was packed and headed off for Surprise, Ariz., on Tuesday afternoon at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. The outfielder can't wait to arrive and will do so this weekend in preparation for the 2012 season.

"I want to play every day and do whatever I can to help the team win," Gentry said. "I've worked hard this offseason to do that. I feel like I've got a good chance."

Gentry said his focus is putting together quality at-bats and getting on base, where he can make things happen. He was 18-for-18 in stolen bases in the regular season in 2011 and would like to add to that total even more in 2012.

"I want to make stuff happen on the basepaths," Gentry said. "I feel like my defense is there. If I put together better ABs, I think I got a good shot."

Gentry, 28, hit .271 with one homer and 13 RBIs in 64 games for the Rangers in 2011. He was called up on May 7 when Nelson Cruz went on the disabled list and stayed on the active roster the entire season, except for a 13-day stint on the concussion DL. He has battled various injuries in the past that have slowed his progress, but he's determined to stay healthy and prove this spring that he can be the starting center fielder.

Gentry's plan this offseason was to get as many additional at-bats as possible in the Dominican Republic in winter ball. But after four games, he suffered a groin injury that sidelined him for a few weeks. He came back and played the final five games of the season before heading home.

"I didn't accomplish everything I wanted to, but I'm trying to take some positives out of it," Gentry said.

Gentry said he returned home with some specific mechanical things he wanted to fix in his swing and has worked with hitting coach Scott Coolbaugh to do that. He's looking forward to a big opportunity this spring to prove himself.

"I'm excited this year because I feel like I have a really solid chance to be an everyday player," Gentry said. "In years past, I've been that guy that would scratch to maybe make the team. I'm excited about this year and ready to get it going."

It’s amazing how things change in the span of a few months in the offseason.

Today's position: Late relief

When the 2011 season ended, Neftali Feliz was the Rangers’ closer. He was in that spot after the club tinkered with putting him in the rotation, but the club ended up leaving him in relief because the bullpen needed him and Feliz needed another season to refine his secondary stuff. The 2010 AL Rookie of the Year wasn’t able to replicate his memorable debut campaign. But he was solid in 2011, posting a 2.74 ERA with 32 saves in 62 1/3 innings. The season didn’t end the way he wanted, especially in Game 6 of the World Series with the club one strike away from a championship. Feliz was on the mound when the Cardinals tied the score in the bottom of the ninth and eventually won in extra innings.

Now, Feliz is in the rotation. Shortly after the season ended, general manager Jon Daniels made that declaration, saying he didn’t want Feliz to feel distracted with all the questions in the spring. That move was made after the club signed Joe Nathan, who takes Feliz’s spot as the closer.

Nathan gives the club some veteran experience and will show up in Surprise with something to prove. He had Tommy John surgery and struggled initially last year when he returned to the mound in the majors. But after a brief disabled list stint, Nathan’s second half was much more indicative of his usual numbers. He converted 11 of 12 save chances and had a 3.38 ERA with 28 strikeouts and five walks after returning from the DL in late June through the end of the season. The Rangers are banking that the Nathan they league saw in the second half of 2011 is the one that shows up in 2012.

RANGERS POSITION OUTLOOK

Jan. 23: Catcher Jan. 24: First base Jan. 25: Second base Jan. 26: Third base Jan. 27: Shortstop Jan. 30: Left field Jan. 31: Center field Feb. 1: Right field Feb. 2: DH/Utility Feb. 3: Bench Feb. 6: No. 1 starter Feb. 7: No. 2 starter Feb. 8: No. 3 starter Feb. 9: No. 4 starter Feb. 10: No. 5 starter Feb. 13: Middle/long relief Feb. 14: Late-inning relief Feb. 15: Coaches Feb. 16: Manager Feb. 17: Front office

Of course, other pitchers have to get the game to Nathan in the ninth. Mike Adams will be one of those. The Rangers acquired Adams at the trade deadline last year from San Diego, shipping the Padres a couple of good, young arms in the process. The advantage to the deal for Texas was it got a pitcher under contract for 2012, too.

Adams also comes to spring with a bit of a chip on his shoulder. After putting up impressive numbers in the National League, Adams didn’t make as smooth a transition to the AL as he hoped. He’s vowed this offseason to learn the hitters and be even more prepared in 2012. His top priority is making sure he’s 100 percent healthy. Adams seemed to get fatigued at the end of the season and even after it ended, experienced some back pain. It turns out he needed hernia surgery. He expects to be ready to go by the time spring training games start.

Mark Lowe also returns after an up-and-down season. Just when he appeared to be in a groove, he suffered a Grade II left hamstring strain in September in Oakland and missed the rest of the season. He did return for part of the playoffs (and was on the mound when David Freese won Game 6 with the homer in the 11th). Lowe was 2-3 with a 3.80 ERA in 45 innings in 2011. He could end up as a seventh-inning type guy for this club.

Once all the dominoes fall with regards to the rotation, the bullpen will take clearer shape. But if everyone in the rotation stays healthy, there’s a good chance Alexi Ogando will factor into the late-inning mix. Ogando was a force in the bullpen in the playoffs and showed some versatility, as he was used in all kinds of innings and situations. He can pitch multiple innings if needed or could be used to get some key hitters out.

Pitching coach Mike Maddux, bullpen coach Andy Hawkins, manager Ron Washington and the coaching staff and front office will be watching and evaluating this spring as they look to put that relief corps together.

ESPN's SweetSpot blogger David Schoenfield ranked the AL West position-by-position. As you'd expect, the Rangers and Angels are at the top, but Texas gets the higher marks. Here's a look at where the Rangers rank, according to Schoenfield:

Catcher
1. Mike Napoli, Rangers
2. Chris Iannetta/Hank Conger, Angels

First base
1. Albert Pujols, Angels
2. Justin Smoak, Mariners
3. Mitch Moreland, Rangers

Second base
1. Ian Kinsler, Rangers
2. Dustin Ackley, Mariners

Third base
1. Adrian Beltre, Rangers
2. Scott Sizemore, A's

Shortstop
1. Elvis Andrus, Rangers
2. Erick Aybar, Angels

Left field
1. Josh Hamilton, Rangers
2. Mike Carp, Mariners

Center field
1. Peter Bourjos, Angels
2. Coco Crisp, A's

Right field
1. Nelson Cruz, Rangers
2. Torii Hunter, Angels

Designated hitter
1. Michael Young, Rangers
2. Jesus Montero, Mariners

As for the starting pitchers, the Angels get the three of the first four starting spots (Felix Hernandez was No. 1) and then Neftali Feliz is rated as the top No. 5 starter. The Rangers have the top bullpen Add it all up and here's how things finish:

Final tally
1. Rangers, 56 points
2. Angels, 53 points
3. Mariners, 35 points
4. A's, 26 points

No surprise here: Based on this quick-and-dirty method, the Rangers and Angels will be neck-and-neck. A change here or there at a specific position and the Angels could have ended up with more points than the Rangers. The teams don't finish up against each other, although they do have a three-game series in Texas the final week. I have a feeling that series will may mean a little something.

Again, check out the whole thing here. It's an interesting read.