The bench is mostly undecided. Marlon Byrd and Jerry Hairston Jr. are the most notable players trying to make a splash on this team. They both will need to show that they can hit for a better average than they have in recent years. Just like every team in baseball, the Rangers are depending on some young, raw talent and some experienced veterans to come together and complement the franchise players.

It may not be wise to bet all your apples on the play of Blalock, the health of Gagne and the production of the bottom part of the rotation and the outfield. Still, Texas has an intriguing mix of players, and if they can come together and play the way they are projected to, the Rangers may be atop of the crapshoot that is the AL West when all is said and done.

It will be interesting to see how the players respond to Washington, especially if there is more pizzazz and excitement surrounding the team. The Rangers should finish above .500 this season, but not much more. They have a better shot at winning the division than earning a Wild Card birth with the other two divisions in the AL, so those games with the Angels and Athletics will be critical down the stretch. This team may be another year away from getting to the postseason, but they should make it close till the end. Look for a second place finish in the AL West, and for Buck Showalter to breathe a sigh of relief at season’s end.

2006: 80-82 (3rd in AL West)