Rangers starter Alexi Ogando joined Colby Lewis and Matt Harrison on the DL today though Ogando shouldn’t miss too much time as he has right biceps tendinitis.

Texas has called up Cory Burns and he will be used out of the bullpen until Monday. At that time he will be optioned back down to Round Rock and Josh Lindblom will be called up to start for Ogando.

Lindblom (who was acquired with Lisalverto Bonilla in the Michael Young trade) didn’t have a good spring posting a 6+ ERA. He was a reliever who convinced the Rangers to give him a shot as a starter. So far this season he is 4-0 with a 2.08 ERA, 3.41 FIP, 0.88 WHIP, 33 K’s, 11 BB’s and an opponents batting average of .173.

I’m tired of seeing our starters go down but I’m pleasantly surprised with the job that they young guys have done filling in this far. 26-14 is not that bad with a patchwork staff.

The second half pitching should look like this:

Starters: Darvish, Lewis, Harrison, Holland and Tepesch.

Relievers: Nathan, Soria, Feliz, Ogando, Ross, Ortiz and Scheppers.

That’s championship material and how things should be.

So many people were making comments towards the end of the game about Wash’s choice not to pinch hit and others made comments about Twitter managers.

I decided to stir the pot by defending Ron Washington. If ever there was a good cop/bad cop situation this was perfect and I chose bad cop.

The fact is I’m tired of defending Ron Washington and his constant mismanagement. Do Jackie Moore and Mike Maddux ever offer their opinions?

How about not leaving Tepesch in and bringing Kirkman in 3 batters sooner? How about pinch hitting for Murphy against a lefty? Jeff Baker could have done it. How about bringing Kinsler in or even Pierzynski in place of Soto?

The team has the day off tomorrow. Pinch hitters could have been used.

And I know it’s only April but every win counts. This is baseball.

It’s that time of year when the initial dust has settled and everyone has a clear view of how the baseball season will play out. Even my crystal ball is working overtime which is why I present to you know how the season will progress.

It’s become apparent that the Braves will win the NL East with a record of 161-1. The Upton brothers will share the NL MVP with Craig Kimbrel winning the Cy Young. They end up being swept by the Reds in the first round of the playoffs losing by scores of 13-0, 11-0 and 27-3.

Yu Darvish will throw three perfect games against the Red Sox, Tigers and A’s. He’ll lose two more in the ninth to the Cubs and Twins.

The Toronto Blue Jays will be in last place at the trade deadline prompting them to deal all of the players they received from the Marlins to the Dodgers for a bunch of prospects. This new “Super” Dodgers team then goes to North Korea where they assassinate Kim Jong Un before returning home to finish second to the Giants in the NL West.

(Insert Josh Hamilton joke here)

Scott Feldman finishes the season with 18 wins and a 3.45 ERA. The Cubs reward him with an extension. He returns to suck mode in 2014.

MLB discovers that 95% of all players are mentioned in the Biogenesis Lab reports. MLB announces they have discovered no connection between MLB players and the Biogenesis Lab.

The Los Angeles Angels finish in last place behind the Houston Astros. Mike Scioscia and Arte Moreno are fired. Albert Pujols asks the Cardinals for a do-over. C.J. Wilson disappears somewhere over the Bermuda Triangle while piloting his awesome airplane. He is found two months later on an island with a monkey (he named Bear) who has become his new “life partner”. in 2014 the movie “CJ and the Bear” is released.

The Kansas City Royals defeat the Chicago Cubs in the World Series prompting the world to collapse into itself. Once again goats endure more suffering.

Yes it was great to see Josh Hamilton struggle at the plate in the first two games of the series against the Angels but that sense of joy from me was from a fan’s standpoint.

Had I been at the games I personally would not have booed Josh because I’m simply not that kind of fan. I definitely would not have made jokes or written signs that made fun of his addiction because I’m bigger than that.

Okay so I may have made a Sherlock’s joke or two on Twitter. Sue me.

You can say you “hate” a player but when it comes down to it it’s really the uniform that you hate. Look at the recent love that Lance Berkman and AJ Pierzynski are getting from the Rangers faithful who once despised them.

Now I’m not saying that Josh isn’t a bit of a douche. His comments last season and this season have left a bitter taste in my mouth. The guy just doesn’t know when to shut up and seriously needs a good p.r. person who can train him on the finer points of interviews.

I don’t hate Josh. But I’m glad he’s gone.

He made a comment that only fans in Philly, Boston and New York have the right to boo because they’re “real” baseball fans. The majority of them are also “real” assholes.

We can be classier than that and we should strive to be but things won’t change. Fans can be fickle and hold grudges forever and that’s really sad for RBIA.

When you’re at a game just focus on cheering the Rangers on. Don’t boo the other team or opposing players. Don’t give them the ammo needed to run their mouths off anymore than needed.

And don’t “hate” period.

By now you’ve no doubt heard about Elvis Andrus’ 8-year extension with an opt out clause after the fourth year.

Since being first reported last night Rangers Nation has gone crazy with fans and writers delirious over the idea of an Andrus/Jurickson Profar middle infield.

This of course is due to earlier mentions of Ian Kinsler moving to first base or even a corner outfield position in order for Profar to come up. But does that really have to be so? Just because the team said they would explore options with Kinsler doesn’t mean they’re going to be true.

David Price and Giancarlo Stanton. Two players that the Rangers would love wearing the red, white and blue. In order to make that dream a reality Texas would most likely have to part with Profar. And that would sit fine with me.

Am I crazy? No, not at all. I know that Texas like to hang on to its prospects but sometimes there comes a point where you have to part ways especially if it means the difference between a one-and-done wild card game or a World Series title.

The Rangers farm system is loaded with talent. Enough so that trading Profar wouldn’t hurt the club in the least bit.

So instead of dreams of a Profar/Andrus infield I have visions of a stud pitcher or all-star outfielder hoisting a World Series trophy over their head.

More than once.

So Team USA was knocked out if the WBC last night. They are now 10-10 all time in the tournament and have yet to make the finals. Is this because the US is “behind” other countries when it comes to baseball as some national writers suggest?

Are you freaking kidding me?

Any fan with a brain can tell you that the US never fields their best team as other countries do. Derek Holland as a starter is one of America’s best?

The problem is that the WBC takes place during spring training. Most players would prefer to stay with their teams and get regular reps in as they prepare for the upcoming season. That also explains why Team USA had a crap bench. No player wants to sit on ride the pine while they could be back in spring training getting in regular work.

If only they would move the WBC to a different time of year say after the World Series?

Maybe then we would sniff the finals.

So far this spring Mike Olt has 11 strikeouts in 22 plate appearances. Technically today’s game doesn’t count due to the fact that it was called by rain so that means he has 9 strikeouts in 19 PA’s.

Is he the next Chris Davis? Great defense with a AAAA bat?

Maybe we can trade him to the Orioles. They seem to love ex-Rangers.

Yesterday I focused on the offense. Today I set my sight on the pitching staff. This was a little harder when you consider all of the candidates plus what happens once Colby Lewis, Neftali Feliz and Joakim Soria return.

I based my predictions on spring stats plus Ron Washington’s tendencies.

Beginning of Season:

SP- Yu Darvish
SP- Matt Harrison
SP- Derek Holland
SP- Alexi Ogando
SP- Robbie Ross

RP- Nate Robertson
RP- Coty Woods
RP- Michael Kirkman
RP- Johan Yan
RP- Josh Lindblom
RP- Jason Frasor
RP- Joe Nathan

After Lewis, Feliz and Soria Return:

SP- Yu Darvish
SP- Matt Harrison
SP- Derek Holland
SP- Alexi Ogando or Robbie Ross
SP- Colby Lewis

RP- Alexi Ogando or Robbie Ross
RP- Michael Kirkman
RP- Josh Lindblom
RP- Jason Frasor
RP- Neftali Feliz
RP- Joakim Soria
RP- Joe Nathan

Notes: I didn’t place the starters in any particular order. This list is so based on Derek Lowe NOT making the team and the fact that Kyle McClellan has yet to see any real action this spring. If Washington is smart then he’ll rotate Feliz, Nathan and Soria as closer.

Today I’m focusing on the offense and the players who I believe will make the 25-man roster.

1B- Mitch Moreland
2B- Ian Kinsler
SS- Elvis Andrus
3B- Adrian Beltre
LF- David Murphy
CF- Leonys Martin
RF- Nelson Cruz
C- A.J. Pierzynski
DH- Lance Berkman

Bench:

C-Geovany Soto
OF- Craig Gentry
IF- Yangervis Solarte
IF/OF- Jeff Baker

Lineup:

1. Ian Kinsler (2B)
2. Elvis Andrus (SS)
3. Lance Berkman (DH)
4. Adrian Beltre (3B)
5. Nelson Cruz (RF)
6. David Murphy (LF)
7. A.J. Pierzynski (C)
8. Mitch Moreland (1B)
9. Leonys Martin/Craig Gentry (CF)

With Solarte and Baker this is the most comfortable I have felt about the bench in a long time. Plus their abilities to play every position (combined) makes them invaluable.

Tomorrow I will have the fun task of sorting through all of the pitching candidates as I assemble the bullpen.