--LHP Jimmy Gobble, recently released by the Royals, signed a minor league deal with the Rangers and was invited to Texas' major league camp. Gobble had an 8.81 ERA in 2008, when he missed several months with a back injury.
--OF Andruw Jones, who decided not to take free agency last week, agreed to stick with Texas on a minor league deal until the Rangers decide whether he will make the squad. The Rangers have indicated to Jones that he is unlikely to make the Opening Day roster, and he's been playing mostly in minor league games for the last week. Jones has said he's not yet thinking about the possibility of going to the minors to start the season but there doesn't appear to be a major league job for him. --The Rangers shipped almost all of their top prospects back to the minor league camp during the week, but two notable exceptions remained: LHP Derek Holland and RHP Neftali Feliz. The two are the Rangers' top prospects. While GM Jon Daniels said neither will make the Opening Day roster, he wants both exposed to the big-league atmosphere as long as possible.
--LHP C.J. Wilson missed a week's worth of work with a split callus on his left middle finger but was expected to resume pitching in games over the weekend. As of March 20, Wilson had just 1 1/3 innings of work in March. The Rangers, however, remain confident he'll be able to get in enough work to begin the season as the primary setup man to closer RHP Frank Francisco.
--3B Michael Young left the March 20 game with some tightness in his left quadriceps muscle. He returned to action, then left the March 24 game when he aggravated the quadriceps. Manager Ron Washington said Young was day-to-day.
--INF Joaquin Arias is making a strong bid to make the roster as the club's utility man over 11-time Gold Glove winner INF Omar Vizquel. Arias was hitting .500 in 24 at-bats through March 20. The biggest question about Arias is whether he has enough arm strength to play shortstop. He underwent arm surgery more than two years ago and has struggled to recover the strength he had before.
BY THE NUMBERS: 21 -- Gold Gloves belonging to Rangers non-roster invitees this spring. OF Andruw Jones has 10 and INF Omar Vizquel has 11.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "A couple of times? How about as many times as they play back (in the infield) and we need to get something started? I'm going to do whatever it takes. I've been playing around with it for a while and I figured out I'm a pretty good bunter. The object is to win games, and if this helps us win some games, then so be it. Who cares how you get on base? Why can't I be different? Why can't I be a trend-setter?" -- CF Josh Hamilton, the Rangers' No. 3 hitter, on the possibility of bunting during the season; Hamilton bunted for a hit against San Diego recently.
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