The Texas Rangers' hopes of knocking off the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim for the American League West will rest alone with the team's pitching. With stud sluggers like Josh Hamilton, Nelson Cruz, Marlon Byrd, Chris Davis and Ian Kinsler, the offense will be there for sure.
Stacked From Top To Bottom
Texas manager Ron Washington has few rivals when it comes to putting together a lineup with superior run-producing potential.
Leadoff
The leadoff hitter is second baseman Ian Kinsler, who can hit nearly .300 while slugging 25 home runs and stealing 30 bases.
Two-Hole
Michael Young has moved from shortstop to third base and brings his regular .300 average to the two-spot.
Third
Batting third is one of the most talented players in decades, Josh Hamilton, who stroked 32 home runs and drove in 130 runs in his first full season in the majors last season.
Cleanup
In the first five games, Washington has used three different players in the cleanup position, the most coming for DH Hank Blalock, a left-handed slugger who has 30-home run potential and can hit .280.
Fifth Spot
Protecting Blalock early on has been right fielder Nelson Cruz. Plenty of observers are expecting a breakout season for the 28-year-old, who has the power to hit at least 30 home runs.
Sixth
The power potential continues in Washington's sixth slot of the lineup with Marlon Byrd. The 31-year-old has never hit more than 10 home runs in one season but Byrd is bound to eclipse that mark this season.
Seventh
Talk about a luxury. Washington's seventh-place hitter is a 23-year-old slugging first baseman by the name of Chris Davis, who blasted 17 home runs and 23 doubles in 80 games in his rookie season in 2008. Many experts believe Davis has 40 homerun potential, and Washington will give the youngster every chance he needs.
Eighth Spot
In the eighth spot is Jarrod Saltalamacchia, who has the ability to hit 20 homeruns. But Washington wants him to work on dealing with the pitching staff - a long-time weakness for the Rangers.
Ninth
Washington also has the luxury of letting 20-year-old rookie shortstop Elvis Andrus bat ninth and concentrate on his defense and get whatever he can from the youngster's bat - and legs as Andrus stole 53 bases last season in Double-A.
Plenty Help From Bench
The Texas manager does not lose production when he gives any of the top nine a day off. David Murphy will share tie with Bryd in left field and the left-handed bat has 20-homerun power.
Andruw Jones has had a nightmare past two seasons but the 31-year-old can play the outfield or DH and is three years removed from hitting 41 homeruns and a 51-homer season is just four years ago. Backing up Saltalamacchia is 25-year-old Taylor Teagarden, who also had 25 homerun potential. And helping Andrus is 41-year-old Omar Vizquel.
Strong Start
The Rangers started their season in strong fashion with a three-game sweep of Cleveland at home. They slugged 15 hits - six of them for extra bases - in a 9-1 opening day win. Seven of the nine hits were extra-base hits in an 8-5 win. And then Texas had three doubles and two homers of their 13 hits in a 12-8 victory in the third game.
Struggles On The Road
The next two games on the road in Detroit showed that hitting is contagious. The Rangers had six hits in a 15-2 loss and then collected just two hits - one of them a home run - in a 4-3 loss.
Exception Rather Than The Rule
But with a lineup that stacked, manager Ron Washington can rest assured that games with just two hits are rather the exception than the rule.
