Tearing it Up
NEWCOMERS ... Much of the Spring power has come from three newcomers to the starting lineup: Ruben Mateo, Tom Evans and Gabe Kapler have combined to belt 12 of the 38 home runs. Mateo and Kapler are both around .400 and each has had a nine-game hitting streak. Kapler may feel some pressure "replacing" Gonzalez in right field, but the reality is this: last year, Gonzalez, Tom Goodwin and Roberto Kelly combined for 50 HR, 198 RBI and 48 SB. If Kapler, Mateo and Chad Curtis can match those numbers -- which they should -- the Rangers come out even at the plate and are much improved defensively.

Slumping
FORGET PARIS ... Jeff Zimmerman is looking a lot more like the guy who pitched in France a couple of years ago than the one who pitched in Fenway at the 1999 All-Star game. He’s given up six home runs after surrendering a total of nine all of last year. While no reasonable fantasy owner expected a repeat of last year’s miracle season, let’s also hope Zim doesn’t fade into memory as the mound version of Joe Charbonneau. First baseman/designated hitter David Segui, who was hitting .467 with Toronto before being dealt to Texas is hitting .235 in six games as a Ranger. He'll be fine by Opening Day.

At the Plate
LEADING OFF ... A reader in Houston posed this question: "Why not bat Segui leadoff? He brings everything to the table that Greer does, enabling Rusty to stay in an RBI position." It makes sense, but won’t happen; Oates wants speed at the top of the order, so Clayton will stay there unless he proves he can’t handle it. When Segui was acquired, I wrote that he would make the perfect #2 hitter, but Oates wants his switch-hitting bat in the middle of the order. In an interesting twist, recent Spring lineups have had Rusty hitting third, ahead of Palmeiro and Segui, with Pudge hitting second.

From the Rubber
LEFT, RIGHT, LEFT! ... The rotation has been set, with Kenny Rogers, Rick Helling, Darren Oliver, and Esteban Loiaza forming a left/right/left/right look for Ranger opponents to contend with. Fifth starter Mark Clark, another righty, will not be needed until mid-April, and if he pitches well is likely to be trade bait by July. When lefty Justin Thompson returns to the rotation, he could bump Clark to the bullpen. Everyone in the rotation went through a period of getting lit up over the last week or so until Rogers settled down with five innings of shutout ball against Minnesota.

On the Mend
IN ARMS WAY ... John Wetteland made his fourth one-inning start of the Spring Wednesday, all of which have come in the last eight days; he appears to be nearly recovered from his groin injury. Lefties Thompson and Mike Venafro both threw in a minor-league game on Tuesday; Thompson got knocked around a little, but appears on schedule to return by late May or early June. Venafro expects to break camp with the Rangers next week.