Yes, I badly needed a vacation:

● Veteran right-hander Kris Benson (right elbow tendinitis) suddenly appears destined for a relief role upon his return from the 15-day disabled list due to a pair of solid spot starts from sinkerballer Scott Feldman (the latter of which was rendered a no-decision when left-hander Derek Holland couldn't extinguish the flames and surrendered a bases-clearing, game-tying RBI double to the White Sox' Jim Thome on Friday evening), a probable rotation upgrade in light of the uninspiring array of pitches Benson displayed in his first two starts but perhaps also a short-lived one:

"You've got to give him credit for what he's done," general manager Jon Daniels said of Feldman. "We have a confident feeling when he takes the mound for us."

Any remaining modicum of confidence manager Ron Washington might have still possessed in recently recalled right-hander Luis Mendoza likely dissipated when a single-HBP-walk-grand slam ensued on his watch after he recorded a pair of quick outs in relief of rain-shortened starter Brandon McCarthy in the top of the sixth inning on Saturday evening, and there's absolutely no point in keeping around a long-relief pitcher whom can't be trusted by the skipper, so the Benson-in-relief experiment makes a certain degree of sense if the concern upstairs is that sparse usage in low-leverage situations isn't going to further his development.

● Triple-A Oklahoma City outfielder Greg Golson has been tabbed as the Rangers' fifth outfielder while Josh Hamilton (strained left intercostal muscle) continues to mend.

● The pull-happy, all-or-nothing mentality which Hank Blalock (.256/.283/.570) seemingly continues to employ at the dish is rapidly approaching the threshold of irreparability in that he probably is what he is at this point in his major league career and won't stop swinging for the fences, but his plate selectivity -- or patent lack thereof -- and dismal luck are effectively acting as major detriments to this offense, and the numbers substantiate those claims.

Of the 195 major league players who have logged the requisite number of plate appearances to qualify for their respective league's batting title, Blalock presently ranks 183rd in pitches seen per plate appearance (3.34, making this the fifth consecutive season in which he has regressed in that department) and 190th in walks amassed per plate appearance (.022), a reflection of his apparent inability to make necessary adjustments through the regular season's first four weeks. Driving the ball with authority is wonderful, but a hitter's principal responsibility is to reach base, and there aren't many major league lineups good enough to conceal a sub-.300 on-base percentage in the No. 4 or No. 5 holes.

Blalock's batted ball data reveals more statistical oddities; a career-low line drive rate of 13.2 percent obviously isn't going to persist, and he won't keep popping out in nearly 25 percent of his plate appearances, but then he isn't going to continue converting 17.5 percent of his fly balls into round-trippers either. In other words, expect fewer home runs and more singles and doubles going forward, but that expectation requires (a) operating off the assumption that his offensive approach going forward won't be quite as haphazard as it appeared at times during the month of April and (b) the investment of some faith into one of baseball's more enigmatic offensive talents.