Rangers FAQ: Is there a shakeup on deck?

Here are some frequently asked questions about the Rangers after eight games this season:

Here are some frequently asked questions about the Rangers after eight games this season:

If the Rangers continue to struggle, when does general manager Jon Daniels step in and shake up the roster?

“We are not at that point yet,” Daniels said Sunday. “Our options are limited. There are some guys across the street at Globe Life Park [the Rangers’ alternate training site] that will get an opportunity in time. It is hard. They are not playing real games. We don’t have a guy in Triple-A that is absolutely dominating the opposition for the last month or so and is knocking the door down.

“I think change for change’s sake is not something we are looking to do. We made the decision that the guys on this club are here for good reasons. We’ve got to play better, but I don’t think a week’s worth of games is reason to run from that.”

Where do the Rangers stand on rotation depth?

Joe Palumbo is next in line in case of injury. There are times when he looks dominant and other times when he gets knocked around. The Rangers have a few candidates in the alternate training camp, although they are not stretched out as much as the Major League starters. Those candidates include left-handers Wes Benjamin and Taylor Hearn, and right-hander Tyler Phillips. Right-hander Jason Bahr is getting ready to join the alternate camp once he passes intake testing.

Are the Rangers pushing Jonathan Hernández into a high-pressure role he is not ready for?

No. He has done well as a reliever, the absence of fans decreases some of the pressure, and he had 160 innings at Double-A Frisco. The Rangers may not be ready to use Hernández in the closer’s role — that appears to be for Edinson Vólquez or Nick Goody — but it’s time to let him loose and see what he has.

Is Danny Santana going to get pushed aside by Scott Heineman?

Santana struggled at the plate before he went on the injured list, and it could have been because of his strained right forearm. The Rangers want him back when he’s healthy, because Santana is still a valuable player.

But the Rangers should take a hard look at Heineman. He hit well in Triple-A and was great in Summer Camp. Santana’s injury certainly should give him a chance to force his way into a more prominent role.

Why was Willie Calhoun’s seventh-inning sacrifice fly the most important at-bat in Sunday’s win?

Calhoun has been struggling at the plate and that was a big moment: bases loaded, game tied and a tough left-hander on the mound. Calhoun laid off two close pitches for balls and then drove a fly ball to center to bring home the run. Calhoun has been through a lot — fractured jaw, hip flexor strain — but those are the kind of at-bats the Rangers are counting on from him.

Is Joey Gallo really the best player in baseball, as according to manager Chris Woodward?

No. Mike Trout retired that trophy. The manager may be getting a little too excited there. But how about comparing him to the three most talented outfielders in Rangers history: Juan Gonzalez, Ruben Sierra and Josh Hamilton?

Gallo has as much power as Gonzalez, runs better and could end up being the better defender. Gonzalez was adequate defensively but not a game-changer. But Gonzalez could flat-out hit and drive in runs. He is the Rangers’ standard for that.

Sierra was a beautiful player in his younger years, a gifted switch-hitter with speed and power. He just never was that great after he bulked up to hit for more power. That wasn’t a brilliant idea, and Sierra was never a plus defender anyway.

Hamilton was the most gifted and talented athlete to ever wear the Rangers uniform, a true five-tool player. He just had a fragile body that wore down from abuse and many personal issues that required 24/7 attention — not always successfully.

Gallo has a chance to be Hamilton without the extra baggage. That would be more than enough for the Rangers.

T.R. Sullivan has covered the Rangers since 1989, and for MLB.com since 2006. Follow him on Twitter @Sullivan_Ranger and listen to his podcast.