When the Rangers acquired pitcher Brandon McCarthy from the White Sox prior to the 2007 season in a five-player trade that sent premiere prospect John Danks to Chicago, the Rangers were counting on McCarthy to contribute immediately and eventually mature into a top-flight starting pitcher, possibly even the ace of the staff. Injuries over the past two years have stalled McCarthy’s career. But if the past month of dominating performances in spring training is any indication, McCarthy appears ready to be a solid starter in 2009. He’s slated as the #3 starter in the Rangers 5-man rotation behind Kevin Millwood and Vicente Padilla.