Dim the lights.
Not surprisingly, catcher Adam Melhuse has requested and was granted his release. Next stop for the 37-year-old: another big league roster or retirement, apparently. The Rangers' roster is down to 35 members, with six non-roster players to add. Still one move to go before Monday. Brandon McCarthy will start Game Three against Cleveland, and Kris Benson will start Game Four, which will be Detroit's (chilly) home opener on Friday. ESPN's Peter Gammons polled 60 general managers and scouts and asked, based on what they saw in spring training, which players they thought were on the brink of a breakout season. Chris Davis got the fifth-most votes. And the best young arm – big league or otherwise – the 60 saw this spring? Derek Holland was number three. Lots to share from the current issue of Baseball America. Next time. Former big league righthander Brad Holman is the new pitching coach for Low A Hickory. Former Rangers lefthander Tony Fossas is the new pitching coach for Low A Dayton, in the Reds chain. Texas released catcher Brandon Harrigan and first baseman Dennis Guinn. Milwaukee got righthander Wes Littleton through waivers and outrighted him off the roster (which preceded other moves but helped clear a 40-man roster spot for first baseman Joe Koshansky, claimed by the Brewers off waivers from Texas). Philadelphia optioned outfielder John Mayberry Jr. The White Sox signed righthander Kelvin Jimenez to a minor league deal. Minor league releases: lefthander Erasmo Ramirez (White Sox), lefthander Aaron Fultz (Cincinnati), outfielders Jason Romano and Jason Tyner and second baseman David Newhan (Houston), second baseman Chase Fontaine (Tampa Bay), and righthander Rick Bauer (Toronto). The Chico Outlaws of the independent Golden Baseball League signed lefthander Jesse Hall. My weekly MLB.com column will return this week (probably posting each Thursday), and we're sticking with last year's subject matter: an evolving top 20 Rangers prospects list, updated each week, with commentary on each player. I'm getting emails on this every day, so I'll post it here again: My Twitter account is @Newbergreport. Not sure how I'll be utilizing it, but at the very least that's where breaking news will likely show up. When we go to the movies, I get into the previews. They're good for getting settled in, and from time to time there's a trailer that gets me fired up to see the film. But that's not why we go to the theater, of course. The previews just make you hungry. When those lights dim, especially for the films you've spent months waiting for, that feeling takes over. You're focused. Your adrenaline kicks in. You're right where you want to be. The previews are over. The lights are dimming. I'm locked in. =========================================================== To join the free Newberg Report mailing list so you can get e-mail deliveries of every edition of the newsletter, daily minor league game recaps, and frequent Newberg Report News Flashes, go to www.newbergreport.com and click the "Mailing List" link on the top menu bar. (c) Jamey Newberg http://www.newbergreport.com If you want to be removed from this list, please e-mail me at newbergreport@sbcglobal.net