--Manager Ron Washington has set his rotation for the start of the season. Washington will go with RHPs Kevin Millwood, Vicente Padilla, Brandon McCarthy, Kris Benson and LHP Matt Harrison. There had been some discussion about starting Benson in the No. 3 spot, but the consensus opinion on the staff was to move him to fourth so he could pitch the Detroit Tigers' home opener on Thursday. The Rangers also plan to simply stay in order through April without skipping the No. 5 spot.
--By the time the Rangers got to Sunday, there was only one roster move with any bit of uncertainty about it to be made. The club elected to designate 3B Travis Metcalf for assignment as the final move necessary to make room for the six non-roster players that were added. If Metcalf goes unclaimed, he will be assigned to Class AAA Oklahoma where he will be the regular third baseman. --SS Elvis Andrus will be the third youngest player to start on opening day in Rangers history. Andrus will be 20 years and 223 days on Monday. C Ivan Rodriguez was 20 years and 130 days in 1992 and SS Benji Gil was 20 and 181 in 1993.
--CF Josh Hamilton will start in center for the second consecutive year. He is only the second Ranger to do that since the team moved into Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. The other was Tom Goodwin in 1998 and 1999. OF Laynce Nix also started two years, but they were not consecutive (2004 and 2006).
--The Rangers are seeking to break a five-year opening day losing streak. Monday's opener against Cleveland, however, is only the second time since 2001 that they have opened at home.
BY THE NUMBERS: 525 -- Amount of dollars, in millions, of the loan that Rangers owner Tom Hicks' Hicks Sports Group defaulted on in the last week. Hicks elected not to make an interest payment while trying to negotiate with banks and other lenders to allow HSG to access its interest reserve provision. Hicks said there will be no impact on the Rangers or the NHL's Dallas Stars while HSG negotiates with banks.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "Hey, if this is it, it's not a bad way to go out: hitting .650." -- Catcher Adam Melhuse, who was granted his release at the conclusion of spring training when he didn't make the club. Melhuse, 37, said he is more likely to retire than to take a job catching in the minor leagues.
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