Tigers beat up Benson

Kris Benson hadn't pitched in the Majors since late September, 2006, and his five innings in Detroit Friday made the Rangers starter look like he hasn't pitched in years. Benson gave up a 4th inning grand slam to Miguel Cabrera and a solo shot to Jeff Larish to open the 5th. Seven earned runs through five innings is not what the Rangers had in mind when they picked Benson up off the scrap heap in the offseason. Texas trails 8-0 in the 6th.

Fantasy Impact: We're not willing to write off Benson after one outing, but you can leave him on the fantasy waiver wire until he finds some productive consistency. He threw very well in the spring.

Rangers Frankly infatuated with Frank Frank

The Texas Rangers love 29-year-old closer Frank Francisco, whom they believe has lights-out stuff that's capable of dominating MLB hitters. He was once a fastball-only type whose repertoire is evolving.

Francisco, however, is no longer a one-dimensional pitcher. He spent much of last season working hard to make his splitter and curveball major league quality.

Now he's done it.

He can throw either pitch for a strike, which means hitters can't wait for his 96 mph fastball. He can get a called third strike with his splitter. Or throw the curveball early to get ahead in the count before finishing batters with the fastball.

"He throws so hard that he doesn't need to throw many breaking balls," catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia said. "It's just a change-of-pace pitch for him."

Fantasy Impact: It's Francisco's job to lose, but Texas has pitchers with more experience in the role than him. Francisco is entrenched to start the year, but if he falters, the hook can come quicker than in other organizations.

Rangers go retro keeping Benson, Jones

Andruw Jones made the Texas Rangers roster, and in even more surprising news Kris Benson made the Rangers rotation. How? Why? This is the Texas Rangers, after all. Benson always showed flashes of being a good pitcher. Jones, in a rapid decline the past few years, was still one of the best centerfielders ever to play the game. Texas must hope there's something left in that strikeout-prone bat of his.

Fantasy Impact: Benson is a better fantasy addition at this time, because Jones is not going to get guaranteed at bats. Benson never posted bad numbers in his career, but he hasn't pitched since an 11-12, 4.82 ERA performance back in 2006 with Baltimore. Jones will fight for time at DH with Hank Blalock. Blalock will get the bulk of at bats against righty pitching.

Rangers to be sold

Tom Hicks is lining up resources to sell the Texas Rangers.

Hicks, who also co-owns Liverpool F.C. with George Gillett, has hired Merrill Lynch to sell his Rangers stake, MLB.com said, citing two baseball sources. The minority shares may be sold in whole or in part.

The timing might be good for Rangers fans, who would love to see Hicks bail. Texas is building a talented young nucleus with players like Chris Davis and Elvis Andrus.

Barnett on Texas radio

Dave Barnett joined the Texas Rangers radio broadcast team. Barnett does a nice job, although he seems slightly surprised by everything that happens during a game. That's better than Rangers TV play-by-play man Josh Lewin, who just seems constantly overwhelmed.

Rangers eyeing Buchholz

The Boston Red Sox roster now features a smorgasboard of starting pitching thanks to the signing of John Smoltz. Mike Hindman of the Dallas Morning News believes the Rangers are after fading phenom Clay Buchholz, who would seem to be one of the odd men out in the Red Sox roatation this year.

The prevailing thought has long been that Texas wants the Nederland, Texas native Buchholz (Nolan Ryan let it slip that he thought Buchholz would look good in a Rangers uniform) and Boston wants the Carrollton native Taylor Teagarden.

Both Texas and Boston have given indication that those players are not available. My guess -- and it's just a guess -- is that Jon Daniels and Theo Epstein are quibbling over what extra piece(s) Texas would have to add to Jarrod Saltalamacchia in order to get Buchholz.

How this all plays out for Texas may depend on what happens with veteran catcher Jason Varitek. If Boston can land him on a two year deal, I suspect that they will pull back, limp along with the declining leader for another couple of years and then pounce on Minnesota catcher Joe Mauer when he becomes a free agent after the 2010 season.

I'm not sure teams think as far ahead as 2011 on free agent signings, but who knows? Buchholz for Saltalamacchia seems good to me straight up. Texas shouldn't not throw in more unless it's on the cheap.

Tigers trade for Laird

The Tigers got the catcher they so badly needed, dealing two minor league prospects to Texas for backstop Gerald Laird. It sounds like the Rangers got one prospect who is Major League ready and another who is a top young talent.

Detroit parted with two pitching prospects in the deal, right-handers Guillermo Moscoso and Carlos Melo.

Moscoso, 25, made a splash in the Detroit farm system this year by going 5-4 with a 2.70 ERA in 21 games (12 starts) between Class A Lakeland and Double-A Erie. His moxie and swing-and-miss fastball have earned him some comparisons to former Tigers prospect Jair Jurrjens.

Melo, 17, pitched for the Tigers’ Dominican Summer League affiliate this year. He’s known for an explosive fastball that ranges from 92 to 96 miles per hour and has also shown a promising curveball and changeup.

Laird is a defensive catcher who hit .276 last year. His career average is down around .255, and he doesn't have a lot of pop. The Tigers obviously wanted someone to manage their pitching staff. You'll want to stay away from him in fantasy play, especially now that he's leaving on offensive park for a less offensive one.

The Rangers catching situation is intriguing. Jarrod Saltalamacchia, Taylor Teagarden and Max Ramirez have to make up the most talented young catching trio in baseball, but is any of them ready to inherit the job full time? This situation must be monitored for fantasy implications through the spring.