Julio Borbon to start in center field for Rangers after rough spring

Rangers manager Ron Washington said over the winter that he wanted to use Julio Borbon in center field this season in an effort to protect the injury-prone Josh Hamilton. Not a bad idea, really, but those plans appeared to be in doubt due to concerns about Borbon’s defense -- he committed five errors this spring and was even pulled from a game at one point -- and a recent elbow injury.

However, according to Bryan Doglin of ESPN Dallas, Washington has him in the lineup in center field for today’s opener against the Red Sox.

“I’ve always had confidence in him [Borbon]. Just working his butt off, man, trying to get better,” Rangers manager Ron Washington said. “We know that we are going to have to continue to develop him. We believe in him, and I trust he is going to do what he is supposed to out there. The rest is up to Borbon.”

The funny part is that for all of scrutiny Borbon has taken for his defense this spring, UZR (Ultimate Zone Rating) actually rated him among the game’s best in center field last season. Of most importance to today’s game, Borbon is in the lineup against Jon Lester, despite a measly .229/.274/.284 batting line over 124 major league plate appearances against southpaws.

It looks like the Rangers are going to give him every opportunity to sink or swim in center field in the early going, but if he stumbles, look for Hamilton to return to center field and David Murphy to play left field.