The chief concern among questions submitted this week involved the durability and affordability of right-hander Kevin Millwood.

He's still considered the staff ace, even by Scott Feldman, but Millwood's numbers have declined since the All-Star break. That shouldn't come as a shock after a terrific start to the season, and none of the other four starters has Millwood's ability to get outs without their best stuff.

He's not logging the same number of innings, but his innings total keeps growing and appears almost certain to hit the magic number of 180. He'll get there with eight more innings, so probably two starts, at which point his $12 million contract for next year automatically kicks in.

That's a hit owner Tom Hicks would rather avoid, and there are probably some in the organization who would like to use that Millwood money elsewhere for next season.

Bob from Plano says the Rangers have more pressing needs than Millwood and wants to know if the Rangers can do anything to keep him from 180.

"What are the Rangers' options here?" Bob wrote. "Any chance they disable or shut Millwood down for the year to ensure he doesn't earn that $12 million payoff? Has Millwood been checked out by the Rangers medical staff lately?"

Sure, the Rangers could send him to the bullpen or take him out of their pitching plans. That would go over like a lead balloon in the clubhouse and probably wouldn't be very well-received by the players' association, which would almost certainly speak up.

Millwood stands as the Rangers' most playoff-seasoned pitcher, and though it's been a while since he toiled for Atlanta in the postseason, he knows what it takes in October and how to get there.

Even with the strides made this season by the young starting pitchers, they still have much to learn. The Rangers need a veteran to lead the staff in 2010, and Millwood is a good fit.

The thought here is that Millwood reaching 180 innings is a good thing. That should happen Wednesday against Oakland.

Q: My question is pretty simple this time: Do you truly trust Ron Washington, and if you do, what specifically has he done to earn that trust?

Patrick, Haltom City

WILSON: Patrick doesn't believe Washington can handle a pitching staff and believes he can't put together a lineup. Other than that, it seems Washington is just fine in Patrick's eyes.

Here's the deal: Washington doesn't act alone. He listens to his coaches and doesn't make pitching decisions without consulting pitching coach Mike Maddux. That includes game situations.

As for the lineup, Washington communicates with his players to see if they are able to go. Just because a player is in the lineup every day, like Marlon Byrd, doesn't mean he is 100 percent healthy. Others aren't always available when needed. It's a good thing ice is free, because neither Tom Hicks or any other owner would want to foot the bill for the amount of ice the Rangers go through each day to take care of aches, pains and swollen parts.

The Rangers are 19 games over .500 despite a roster full of inexperienced players and playing an enormous chunk of the season without Josh Hamilton. Inside the Rangers will take Washington and his nearly 40 years of baseball experience, plus a difference-making pitching coach and a bench coach who has been in the game for most of his life.

Q: Millwood appears to be gassed. Derek Holland may have hit his innings ceiling. Tommy Hunter is not as sharp recently as earlier. Thank goodness for Feldman. Why not put both Dustin Nippert and Brandon McCarthy in the rotation? The extra day's rest might recharge some of the guys who are struggling.

Lynvol, Granbury

WILSON: Not a bad thought, but instead of sticking Nippert in the rotation, the Rangers are going to use Thursday's day off and one next Thursday to shuffle things a little. Holland and McCarthy will get extra time between starts as the Rangers try to keep Millwood, Feldman and Hunter on their regular rest.

Pitchers are creatures of habit, and they live and die by their routine. The Rangers want their best pitchers on their normal schedule, and they believe Millwood, Feldman and Hunter are their best three.

Q: Is Millwood worn out? It seems the past month or two by the second inning he's wiping sweat and walking around the mound instead of pitching. I've always thought good pitchers pitched instead of killing time on the mound. He was overworked early in the season.

And, if he really wanted to win, why wouldn't Washington let Ivan Rodriguez catch and Omar Vizquel play third almost every day?

Joe, Weatherford

WILSON: Millwood says he isn't worn out any more than he has been in previous Septembers. Clearly, though, he isn't throwing the innings he was earlier in the season. And he wasn't overworked. He pitched as much as the Rangers needed as they sorted out their bullpen situation. It's in order now, so the Rangers are OK if he doesn't go eight innings.

"If Washington really wanted to win?" That's crazy talk. Besides, Pudge has caught seven of the last nine, and Vizquel has told the manager that he isn't comfortable batting right-handed.

Q: I believe the Rangers should make it a priority to re-sign Marlon Byrd. I think he would be a better fit for us long term than even Josh Hamilton. Do you agree that we should re-sign Byrd even if it means losing Hamilton?

Jorge, Kerrville

WILSON: The Rangers don't have to extend Josh Hamilton, who can't become a free agent until after the 2012 season. They could give any money planned for Hamilton, if there is such a thing, to Byrd for the next three years.

But if the choice is Hamilton or Byrd straight up, Inside the Rangers wants Hamilton. His ceiling is much higher, even though he is relatively old for the typical third-year player. He has drawing power, and he's cheaper for the next three years.

Should the Rangers re-sign Byrd? No question. His leadership alone is worth a couple million, and his play this season has been, too. He wants to stay. But the state of the Rangers' finances makes his future with the Rangers very uncertain.

Q: Do Hamilton's injuries this year raise a concern he may be injury-prone?

Crawford, Waco

WILSON: The injuries, three to be exact, confirm what the Rangers already knew: Hamilton is an injury risk. He was down three times his first big-league season with Cincinnati before the Rangers acquired him. They went to great lengths to get him through the 2008 season, and it worked. They weren't so fortunate this time around.

Q: What is the analysis and projection for Chris Davis after this stint in the minors? A .210 batting average overall does not look good. Is there a significant chance since his return?

Mike, Ann Arbor, Mich.

WILSON: Consider that Davis was hitting .202 when he was recalled from Oklahoma City. At the end of business Wednesday, he had lifted his average to .215 by going 16-for-58 since rejoining the club Aug. 25. Not great, but definitely better. His stance is different, his strikeouts are down, and the Rangers are better off with him defensively. Davis is the starting first baseman and will be in 2010.

Q: Have the Rangers made any progress on signing Tanner Scheppers, the No. 44 overall pick? Is it going to get done or not?

Dave, Dallas

WILSON: No progress has been made with Scheppers, who the Rangers want to have signed for the instructional league. That doesn't seem too likely now, but it needs to happen before he can go back into the draft pool. That will happen in June.

Q: When the Rangers added Craig Gentry and Kevin Richardson to the 40-man roster this month, they needed to remove somebody. That player turned out be Thomas Diamond. Why did the team add Gentry over Greg Golson if both players are good defensive outfielders with very good speed. Golson was on the 40-man roster. Wouldn't it have been better to have added Golson, allowing the team to keep Diamond?

Aaron, Dallas

WILSON: The Rangers went with Gentry because he is a better base runner than Golson and because Golson had a wrist injury. Diamond was the choice because he wasn't making much progress, either on the mound or with his approach to being a reliever. The change of scenery will probably serve him well.

Q: In order for Julio Borbon to develop into an everyday outfielder, what kind of numbers will he have to put up offensively to make up for his apparent defensive shortcomings?

Kevin, Dallas

WILSON: The Rangers are working with Borbon on his throwing, attempting to add backspin to the ball to make him more accurate. His arm strength isn't great, but it isn't a liability. The Rangers believe he has more to learn about game situations and positioning to make him a better outfielder. The belief is he will be a complete player.