Sleepers, and sleeps.

Peter Gammons, citing the “unmatched atmosphere” of the Rangers’ camp, calls Jeff Banister “[t]he most underrated man in MLB.”

MLB Network Radio’s Jim Bowden calls the Rangers-Astros rivalry the “best in baseball” at the moment, and while Sports Illustrated picks Houston to win the World Series, Boston Globe columnist Nick Cafardo writes today that “[s]ince I picked Texas as my sleeper team, I’ve heard from a number of people who like the Rangers to go all the way. Not so much a sleeper anymore.”

I’m interested in this afternoon’s game — I want to see Ian Desmond get tested in center field and Matt Bush (Banister: “As good of stuff as we’ve seen all camp”) get tested a second time out of the bullpen — but I’m thinking more about Cole Hamels and Felix Hernandez a week from tomorrow, a game that will start just as Dallas Keuchel vs. (presumably) Masahiro Tanaka wraps up in Yankee Stadium, an encore of the Wild Card pitching matchup that ended New York’s 2015 season.

Last season was a huge reminder that Game 1 and Game 11 and Game 111 matter as much (and as little) as any of the 162 that are guaranteed, which is one reason that the competition for the Rangers’ number five starter — now seemingly down to Jeremy Guthrie (veteran experience but declining production and off the 40-man roster) and A.J. Griffin (better camp but coming off injury and also off the roster) and Nick Martinez (on the roster and optionable but struggling of late) — is important even if the rotation spot can be skipped a couple times in April.

Guthrie reportedly has an opt-out that he can exercise tomorrow if not added to the roster. None of the three finalists will pitch between now and then.

Desmond isn’t going to open the season as this team’s center fielder. Bush isn’t going to open it in the big leagues.

But the work being done right now, and the evaluations being made, are designed to inform Game 30 and Game 90 just as much as Opening Day.

Just eight sleeps.

Still, it’s too many.

Let’s go.