I love this time of the year. The weather is getting better, baseball is just around the corner, college basketball is picking up steam and my birthday isn't too far away.
Only two days until pitchers and catchers report to spring training in Surprise, Ariz.
Here are my top 5 Rangers stories to keep an eye on heading into spring training:
1. The Michael Young saga
Still no trade. All signs point to Young reporting to spring training as a Ranger. Talk about awkward. How will he handle it? I was expecting some sort of message through the media before spring training to ease the tension, but still nothing. The last we heard from Young, he wanted to be traded.
2. What to do with Neftali Feliz?
Will the young flamethrower be the closer again or crack the rotation as a starter? For the second straight year, Texas will stretch out Feliz in spring training as if he's starting. Worked for C.J. Wilson last year. My prediction is he stays in the bullpen as the closer. In losing Frank Francisco (to Toronto in a trade for Mike Napoli), the Rangers will want to make sure they don't lose too many power arms toward the back of the bullpen.
3. Adrian Beltre
I want to see all this hype around his defense. Plus, how will he do batting cleanup? Beltre, the Rangers' big offseason acquisition (6 years, $96 million), hasn't had much attention on him at all this offseason with the Young saga. Maybe that's a good thing for him.
4. Health.
This arguably could be No. 1, but not much will be made of it unless something happens. Josh Hamilton, Ian Kinsler and Nelson Cruz have had their battles with the disabled list. Will everyone stay healthy? That's the one thing you want as spring training comes to an end in late March.
5. Brandon Webb.
The former Diamondbacks ace figures to be the No. 3 or 4 starter if he's healthy. He hasn't pitched in a major league game in two years after shoulder issues sidelined him. If he can induce ground balls like he did in Arizona, he should be effective in Texas.
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