Nolan, start the No-nonsense express

A well-deserved vacation — well, OK, it’s more like several weeks of mandatory downtime in the summertime — begins today, but there was no rush to leave, until ...

Late in the evening a couple of days ago when I heard local basketball coach Rick Carlisle say, via radio, "We couldn’t believe he was still there."

The bleeping 51st pick deep in the second round of the NBA Draft, and a highly trained professional like myself is subjected to that?

Yikes.

I can’t believe I’m still here, and thanks to another year of spicy e-mail exchanges with readers, I know many will second the motion.

So I’m officially outta town, headed for, with any luck and available gas money, the Parker County beaches. That’s a stock tank with a dock.

But one more thing:

Since Jerry and I have almost aced the Cowboys’ off-season, and since Donnie and I totally screwed up the Mavericks with the Kidd trade and since the Stars never call for hockey advice, there’s one last request for Nolan Ryan.

In my absence, keep an eye on your people.

Don’t fire anybody until I get back, but I don’t understand the latest concept coming from the front office, which, of course, immediately impacts the manager’s office.

These are, and maybe it’s just me, some fairly exciting times for the Texas Rangers, what with the influx of prime young talent arriving from various minor league outposts. For that, general manager Jon Boy gets credit.

But in the Nolan Ryan old-school baseball handbook — believe me, he reads it; Nolan might have written it — where is the chapter that says you promote potential studs and then platoon them? Even platoon them with each other?

Been two months, and never have figured out what this team is doing with Kid Salty. Then Max Ramirez, fresh off a Frisco bat bombing, arrived last week.

And now we see the real plum, Chris Davis, in Arlington.

Age 22. From Longview High School to a year at Navarro Junior College, to signing with the Rangers as a fifth-round draft choice in 2006. In only his third pro season, Davis’ bat exploded.

Tore up Double A pitching at Frisco. Promoted to Oklahoma City. Tore up those Triple A pitchers. A year ago this kid was starting off in Class A. This is almost an unheard-of climb, but the huge power numbers say it’s true.

The Rangers promoted Davis to the big leagues on Thursday. OK, I’d even pay to see what happens next, but that Friday night opposite-field dinger made for good TV viewing.

Ron Washington, however, tells us he will platoon Davis’ left-handed bat at first base, with another young hot shot fresh on the scene, Ramirez. All the manager is doing, of course, is following orders.

Noooooolan.

Pound some sense into your people, please.

If you are bringing up a Chris Davis, a Max Ramirez — and I will go back to the Salty situation — shouldn’t it be as an everyday player? Does that make sense, even if holding them out at times against certain pitchers is also acceptable?

But if there is a thought, or if the minor league stats show Davis might struggle a tad with lefties, then keep him in OKC to face those lefties, and not have him sit for those up here.

Any doubt that creeps into Davis’ mind that he might not be trusted against lefties is a doubt that absolutely should not be there at this stage of a career.

Ramirez and Salty are both 23. I even put Brandon Boggs, 25, in this group. Why is he up here, playing maybe twice a week, when the kid shows definite potential? Boggs has been an asset for the Rangers when he has played, but is he benefiting in the long run from all the sitting?

If Jon Boy is attempting to showcase what he’s done in the minors, via trade or drafting, this is not the wise baseball way. It’s been going on for weeks with Salty (until Gerald Laird was injured). How can that kid be anything but confused at this point? Watching Ramirez catch the other night, he appeared more polished in all areas behind the plate, and Max’s receiving work had not been considered a plus in the minors.

Beyond the Salty case, the promotion of Davis and Ramirez could have been considered a positive until, that is, Washington announced how they will be used. I repeat — don’t blame Ron for this, unless you want to blame him for a failure to say no to Daniels. But then you also have to offer him a job. He will need one.

But when the manager told reporters on Friday, "[Davis and Ramirez] are lucky to be here. They are here because of injuries," shouldn’t the next response be, "Huh?" Why are Hank Blalock’s ongoing health breakdowns tied to these two kids? Hank’s problems are a totally separate issue.

One possible disclaimer:

If the Rangers already have July trades lined up involving starters, and these promotions are a get-your-feet-wet prelim to a full-time job that is coming, then well ...

Nolan, I’m turning all this over to you.

I can’t believe I’m still here.

Randy Galloway can be heard 3-6 p.m. weekdays on Galloway & Co.

on ESPN/103.3 FM.