Jaramillo has spoken, and Andruw Jones may well survive in Texas

Andruw Jones has a career .259 batting average, having eclipsed .300 just once (.303 in 2000). AP Jon Heyman's Mailbag Got a question or comment for Jon? Name: Email: Hometown: Question: SEND Follow Jon Heyman on Twitter

Universally respected Rangers' hitting guru Rudy Jaramillo is said to have told some folks at Rangers camp in Surprise, Ariz., this week: "Andruw Jones is back.''

Thanks to that bold and meaningful declaration, plus the all-important support of team president Nolan Ryan, the Hall of Fame pitcher who's now heavily involved in the team's day-to-day operations, the Rangers changed their minds and appear now to be leaning heavily toward trying to squeeze Jones onto their Opening Day roster, assuming he decides today to stay.

The Rangers and Jones met on Sunday, and the former Atlanta Braves star reportedly gave his OK to a part-time outfield and DH role if that's the way it works out. Even if he winds up as a part-time DH and backup outfielder to start the season, that's still a pretty good comeback from .158, three home runs and the cusp of oblivion.

Technically, Jones still has the right to leave Rangers camp today to seek a better situation elsewhere, and some other teams surely have noticed or heard about his enhanced stroke. The Yankees, Phillies and Braves were among the teams interested, even more so as Jones showed some semblance of his previous hitting form.

But with Texas, Jones has Jaramillo and manager Ron Washington on his side, and a seemingly decent chance to make the Opening Day roster despite a glut of talented, young outfielders. Jones, who turns 32 next month, also has Jaramillo's hitting savvy to help him rediscover his stroke, which was one of the main reasons why Jones picked Texas in the first place. So it makes sense for Jones to stay where he is and thus it would be a surprise if he opted for free agency today.

If Jaramillo is right, the Rangers could have an impact player for very little (the Dodgers are still paying almost all of his $22 million salary, though a vast majority of that is deferred now). This could be a very nice development for the Rangers, who took a low-cost look at the former star whose Hall of Fame career hit the skids last year in Los Angeles with an all-time bad performance.

But for Jones, it could be an even better story.

Just by sticking around this long on a team with a crowded outfield picture, Jones appears to be beating tremendous odds. His .158 average in 2008 caused the Dodgers to understandably give up on him, and his lack of power (three home runs, 14 RBIs) and high strikeout rate put his career on the brink.

Jaramillo's word is gold and goes a long way toward explaining why the Rangers didn't let Jones go only a few days after telling him he had little chance to make the team. While Jones seemed hopelessly lost early this spring and still has 14 strikeouts in 31 at-bats as a Ranger, he has looked revitalized of late -- almost since the moment the Rangers told him that it didn't look too good for him to make the team.

Last Thursday -- one day before his contract stipulated he could leave if he wasn't yet on the major-league roster -- Jones hit two home runs in a minor-league game, including one that traveled 450 feet. Decision day was pushed back to Monday, and it's likely to be pushed all the way until Opening Day now, with the most likely result being that Jones makes the roster. Jones could wind up sharing DH duties with Hank Blalock and backing up the young and talented outfield trio of Josh Hamilton, David Murphy and Nelson Cruz.

The Rangers were already trying to trade Frank Catalanotto, but his $6 million salary makes that impossible. Another possibility could be to release Catalanotto, who's an excellent pinch hitter and might fit better in the National League now. Texas could also seek to trade outfielder Marlon Byrd. Ultimately, Rangers higher-ups may figure one of those solutions would be better than letting Jones go elsewhere.

Mauer, Hamels still hurting

Twins catcher Joe Mauer and Phillies starter Cole Hamels -- two of the game's best players -- look like they probably won't be ready for Opening Day.

Mauer has admitted as much after battling a fairly mysterious back ailment all spring, while Hamels appears to be holding some small hope he can be there at the start. More than likely, though, left-hander J.A. Happ will join Brett Myers, Joe Blanton and Jamie Moyer in the Phillies' first-week rotation (they don't need five for a little while since they have three off days in the season's first nine days).

Mauer only feels pain when he runs but not when he hits, catches or throws, and the Twins are feeling better after both the Mayo Clinic and Johns Hopkins recommended anti-inflammatory drugs to combat what both believe to be inflammation of the sacroiliac joint, a rare ailment for a world-class athlete. Mauer's condition apparently isn't worrisome enough for the Twins to have pushed hard for Cooperstown-bound free-agent Ivan Rodriguez after getting solid reports on I-Rod from their scouting guru Joe McIlvaine. Even if they had pursued Pudge, he wants to play as close to 162 games as possible, so the Astros, who need a full-time starting catcher, are a better match.

For now, Minnesota will employ veteran journeyman Mike Redmond as its regular catcher, with either the defensively strong Drew Butera or offensively adept Jose Morales as the backup. This is quite a dropoff for a team dependent on its young starting pitchers and one that many view as the favorite in a tight AL Central.

World Series MVP Hamels, who's said to be feeling fine after a cortisone shot and recent long-toss session, is slated to pitch on Tuesday in a minor-league game and is still optimistically pointing toward Opening Day. But realistically time is running short for him to open Philly's defense of its title on April 5. More likely, Happ (a Northwestern product, so I vow not to knock him; Hail to Purple, Hail to White) gets a call after a nice spring. Top prospect Carlos Carrasco and veteran Chan Ho Park -- before tweaking his hamstring "he was throwing the heck out of the ball,'' one observer said -- represent the reinforcements.

Meanwhile, Chase Utley is expecting to make it for Opening Day after offseason hip surgery for a condition that is said by doctors to have been worse than that of Alex Rodriguez. Utley is still said to be hampered by less than his usual bat speed but is feeling up to the task of the quick return.