1. RHP Kevin Millwood

2. RHP Vicente Padilla

3. RHP Kris Benson

4. RHP Brandon McCarthy

5. LHP Matt Harrison

ROTATION ANALYSIS: The problems with the rotation in recent years are too many to list, but suffice it to say the club has the highest rotation ERA in the majors since 2000. The Rangers didn't make any major pitching additions to the staff but did add pitching coach Mike Maddux during the winter. The biggest difference this spring from past years is that the pitchers have made virtually all their starts in "A" games and have rarely been pulled at a pitch limit before reaching their expected number of innings.

In mid-March, it appeared Benson, who could be sent to the minors for the first month of the season, had no shot at the roster. However, he earned the role as the fifth starter, with the club moving RHP Scott Feldman to beef up the bullpen.

Perhaps the most positive spring development has been the progress of RHP Brandon McCarthy. Injury prone for the last two years, he's been healthy all spring and shown a pretty decent "slurve," his new hybrid breaking pitch.

BULLPEN:

RHP Frank Francisco (closer)

LHP C.J. Wilson

LHP Eddie Guardado

RHP Warner Madrigal

RHP Scott Feldman

RHP Josh Rupe

RHP Jason Jennings

BULLPEN ANALYSIS: The bullpen was a sore subject for the Rangers all spring. While Francisco, Wilson and Guardado all had spots pretty much locked up, the four middle/long relief spots were anything but settled. Because of the club's poor track record for starters going deep into games, the team needs relievers who can pile up innings. Rupe led the AL in relief innings but had been terribly inconsistent. He is out of options, and his fate probably was the most significant decision to be made.

The bullpen situation was so dire that the Rangers shifted Feldman from the rotation back into a middle-relief role. Feldman led the team in quality starts last year. The Rangers are also added Jennings to the big-league roster as a reliever, a role in which he has never pitched.

There is no right-handed setup man in the mix, though Turnbow has performed in that role in the past. Madrigal seemed to have a leg up on it in the first couple of weeks of exhibitions, but he has slipped as the spring schedule has gotten longer.

LINEUP:

1. 2B Ian Kinser

2. 3B Michael Young

3. CF Josh Hamilton

4. DH Andruw Jones (vs. left-handers); DH Hank Blalock (vs. right)

5. RF Nelson Cruz

6. LF David Murphy (vs. right-handers); LF Marlon Byrd (vs. left)

7. 1B Chris Davis

8. C Jarrod Saltalamacchia

9. SS Elvis Andrus

LINEUP ANALYSIS: The Rangers spent a good portion of the spring trying to figure out how to better balance the lineup for games against left-handed pitching. The club was 21-31 against lefties last year; in the AL, only Baltimore had a lower winning percentage against lefties.

The answer: Add OF Andruw Jones. In the span of 72 hours in late March, Jones went from being told he wouldn't make the team to the club's likely cleanup hitter, at least against lefties. Jones also has significantly more cleanup experience than either DH Hank Blalock or OF Nelson Cruz, the club's other No. 4 spot candidates.

Though OF David Murphy did an admirable job against lefties (.258) in his rookie season, Marlon Byrd will likely play there against left-handed pitchers to avoid stacking a bunch of lefties in the bottom half of the lineup. Expect Byrd, a .300 hitter over the last two seasons, to move around the outfield and get more playing time than a typical fourth outfielder.

The Rangers scored 901 runs last year, so it's very possible the offense could drop off this year and still be among the most dangerous in the AL. If Jones recaptures the swing that made him such a power threat in Atlanta, the Rangers might have a better lineup than they did in 2008.

RESERVES:

C Taylor Teagarden

DH Hank Blalock/Andruw Jones

OF David Murphy/Marlon Byrd

INF Omar Vizquel

RESERVES ANALYSIS: Because the club has to go with seven relievers, the Rangers will always have a smallish bench. Keeping the group involved is not that much of a concern because the club will likely field platoons at DH and in left field. Having Byrd and Jones on the bench gives the Rangers a versatile outfield combo of right-handed hitters.

Teagarden is considered an above-average defensive catcher, and his playing time could increase as the season wears on if he shows he can stay healthy.

The biggest concern might be at third base, where the closest thing the Rangers have to a backup is Blalock, who couldn't physically play the position by the end of last year. Vizquel is the backup middle infielder but hasn't been asked to play third base. Vizquel is on the team to help rookie SS Elvis Andrus learn the game.

ROOKIE WATCH: The Rangers committed to SS Elvis Andrus over the winter and had to convince 2008 Gold Glove winner and five-time All-Star Michael Young to move to third in order to make the move. So there's no pressure at all. Andrus, though, has had an uneventful spring, giving the Rangers no real concern over whether they made the right call. Andrus' career path is similar to that of Edgar Renteria, who broke in at 20 with Florida in 1996 and went on to hit .309 with a .358 on-base percentage that season. The Rangers would be thrilled with a similar performance from Andrus, but his No. 1 priority is to improve the infield defense.

MEDICAL WATCH:

RHP Willie Eyre (sore groin) is expected to open the season on the disabled list.

RHP Eric Hurley (rotator cuff surgery) is out for the year.

RHP Joaquin Benoit (rotator cuff surgery) is out for at least the first half of the season but could miss the entire year.

RHP Dustin Nippert (upper back soreness) has not pitched for nearly two weeks, and his status for Opening Day is becoming more and more doubtful.