Major League Baseball

It's time to jump on the Rangers' bandwagon

Published Sep. 9, 2009 4:09 p.m. ET

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America's Team resides in Arlington, Texas. And I'm not talking about the Cowboys.

If you're a fan of meaningful September baseball, if you're a fan of teams returning to the playoffs after a decade drought, if you're a fan of pretty much anyone other than the Angels and Red Sox, then I predict you will be a fan of the Texas Rangers. For the next few weeks, at least.




They represent the greatest hope for a memorable conclusion to the American League regular season, one way or the other. A brief look at the standings would tell you why.

The Yankees, leading by nine games in the East, should win their division.

The Tigers, leading by 6½ games in the Central, should win their division.

The Angels, leading by 4½ games in the West, should win their division, too, unless the Rangers dominate the seven remaining head-to-head encounters.

Realistically, that leaves the wild card. Which brings us to Texas.

Now that the Rays have bowed out, ensuring that the AL will have a new champion, most of the league's remaining intrigue involves the Rangers and Red Sox.

Even after the Rangers swept a doubleheader from the Indians on Tuesday, Boston held a two-game edge in the wild card standings. But Texas is close enough for manager Ron Washington's players to talk optimistically without sounding naïve.

"We're right there," outfielder David Murphy said. "We're right where we want to be. We haven't been playing our best baseball lately, but I think everybody knows it's time to go get it done if we want to play in October."

Boston, with its deep roster and near-limitless resources, is supposed to be a playoff team. It will be a mild surprise if that doesn't come to pass. But this is the most vulnerable Red Sox team since 2006, one that has counted on two aging starters (Paul Byrd and Tim Wakefield) and may soon call upon an enigmatic one (Daisuke Matsuzaka).

It should be compelling theater, the upstart Rangers mounting a late charge against the famous-yet-flawed Red Sox. There's only one problem: The underdog is undermanned.

Michael Young is injured. Josh Hamilton, too.

"It doesn't happen perfect all the time, you know?" Ian Kinsler said with a shrug.

Kinsler, the star second baseman, raised a good point: It isn't going to happen easily. But there's nothing to prohibit it from happening, period.

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