Texas continues to fiddle with their roster to compensate for injury and ineffectiveness. On Tuesday, the Rangers placed RHP Chan Ho Park on the disabled list with a strained lower back. The back problem reportedly dates back to Spring Training and to a lesser extent to last season, which would help explain his performance problems. Texas hopes that rest and treatment will restore Park's health and that a healthy Park will perform at a level at least worthy of a rotation spot if not at the level the Rangers desired when signing him to his large contract.

The Rangers called up UT-L Mike Lamb to replace Park on the roster, once again reducing their pitching staff to eleven. Texas likes Lamb, so they will have him in the majors whenever they feel they have a bench opening. I believe Lamb likely has the skills to hold a starting job at third base in the majors, but I'm worried that his presence will provide Manager Buck Showalter with one more excuse not to play Mark Teixeira.

Both IF-L Hank Blalock and 2B-L Mike Young have excelled over the first month of the season. Meanwhile, Teixeira didn't have a hit in his first 16 AB, though he's gradually adjusting to the majors. Unfortunately, Showalter hasn't played him in four of the last nine games and only gave him a pinch hit in one of the other five contests. Teixeira isn't going to improve riding the bench, but the Rangers don't seem inclined to send him to AAA where he would receive regular playing time. He has the skills to excel if given regular playing time, and eventually he will find a way into the lineup.

As expected, the Rangers called up LHP Doug Davis to make a spot start in place of the DL'd RHP Ismael Valdes. Unfortunately, he lasted only three innings in which he allowed 4 H including 2 HR and compiled a 2:4 K:BB for a 12.00 ERA. Texas' reacted by placing him on waivers, where he was claimed by Toronto. Davis will replace RHP Pete Walker in the Blue Jays rotation.

This move not only cost them Davis but also UT-L Jermaine Clark, who they kicked off the 40-man to clear room for Davis. San Diego claimed Clark off waivers, and he'll now provide the Padres with solid injury insurance at second and for their outfield.

Texas called up LHP Erasmo Ramirez to replace Davis on the roster. The Giants drafted Ramirez out of Cal State Fullerton with their 11th round pick of the 1998 draft. San Francisco then traded him to Texas with RHP Todd Ozias and OF-S Chris Magruder for 1B-R Andres Galarraga midway through the 2001 season. Ramirez split last season between AA Tulsa in the Texas League and AAA Oklahoma in the Pacific Coast League. The left-handed reliever, who turned 27 on Tuesday, hasn't spent much time at AAA, but he appears to have the skills to perform acceptably in a limited major league role. However, since the Rangers plan both to activate RHP Todd Van Poppel from the disabled list and call up RHP Joaquin Benoit in the near future, Ramirez current stay in the majors likely will be short.

Ramirez made his major league debut in relief of RHP R.A. Dickey in the bottom of the ninth during the Rangers' April 30th game in Toronto. He walked the first major league batter he faced, 1B-L Carlos Delgado. However, DH-R Josh Phelps then struck out swinging to give Ramirez his first major league K and end the game.

While moving Park to the DL, the Rangers also placed C-S Chad Kreuter on waivers, as he essentially was on the team as Park's personal catcher. I don't anticipate anyone claiming the Kreuter, but he likely will opt for free agency rather than accept a minor league assignment.

Texas called up UT-R Donnie Sadler to fill Kreuter's roster spot. Sadler was hitting .303 with a .405 OBP and .439 SLG on 20 H, 4 2B, 1 3B, and 1 HR with a 10:9 BB:K and 6/7 SB% in 66 AB. He's displayed solid plate discipline throughout his career and can cover a variety of defensive positions. However, the 27-year-old has failed to connect for hits in the majors.

The Rangers placed C-R Todd Greene on the disabled list yesterday. Greene strained his right hamstring running out a ground ball in the seventh inning Texas' game in Toronto the night before. The strain is not considered serious, so Green likely will rejoin the team within a few days of May 15th when he's first eligible to leave the DL.

Texas called up C-R Gerald Laird to replace Greene on the roster. We discussed Laird when the Rangers acquired him from the A's in January of 2002. He spent last season with AA Tulsa in the Texas League, before advancing to AAA Oklahoma in the Pacific Coast League this year. Laird's skills changed little between A+ and AA. His walk rate remained solid, and he only slightly improved his contact rate. The jump to AAA appears to have slowed him a little, so I don't expect the 23-year-old to be ready for a regular position in the majors until at least 2004, but he should be able to handle a couple of weeks of work as C-R Einar Diaz's back-up. Laird made his major league debut as a defensive replacement for Diaz in the ninth inning of the Rangers' game in Toronto last night.