Odds & Ends: Rangers, Wheeler, Red Sox

Links for Thursday, exactly one year after the D'Backs signed Kelly Johnson. Former Arizona GM Josh Byrnes deserves credit for this shrewd addition. Here are today's links…

• MLBTR's Tim Dierkes talked baseball with Roy Shelton of NetDugout.com.
• The Rangers do like Adrian Beltre, but as MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan explains, they could be showing interest partly to drive up the third baseman’s price for the Angels. Click here to vote on Beltre's next team.
• Matthew Carruth of FanGraphs shows that lots of talented players, including Cliff Lee, have moved from the AL to the NL this offseason. The Senior Circuit "looks like it is making inroads against the American League for next season."
• Dan Wheeler explains to John Tomase of the Boston Herald that he realized he had to trust his stuff in the 2004 NLCS against the Cardinals. Wheeler and Bobby Jenks are two of most recent additions to the group of well-established right-handers in Boston's 'pen.
• In a separate piece, Tomase examines the Red Sox 'pen, which was "an unquestioned weakness" last year, but could be a strength in 2011. Lefties Felix Doubront, Andrew Miller and Rich Hill will compete for a spot and Matt Albers and Scott Atchison will also be in the mix.