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 The Texas Rangers have been my favorite baseball team ever since I knew what baseball was.  This years team has so much talent you would think that they would be in contention for a division championship.  1999,1998,1996 are the only times in franchise history that the Rangers have been to the playoffs.  Think about how many superstars the Rangers have had on their team.  Nolan Ryan, A-Rod, Ivan Rodriguez, Sammy Sosa, and many more (too many to name).  Problem is every year the Rangers can always boast they have the bats, but never the pitching.  We have had the likes of Nolan Ryan, After that well……….lets see……..Chan-ho Park, Kenny Rodgers, Kevin Millwood,  Joaquin Benoit, You see what I mean.  The Rangers will never scare anyone with the bullpen they have now.  The Rangers have a good nucleus of players to build around Ian Kinsler, Josh Hamilton, Milton Bradley, Micheal Young.  Any team would love to have a line-up like this and any smart GM would put some pitchers around them to make some realistic runs at the playoffs.  Yet alas lets look at the pitching staff………..oh boy!!!!!…………Kevin Millwood (just coming off the DL), * 44 Vicente Padilla 15day DL, * 53 Joaquin Benoit 15 day DL, ** 48 John Rheinecker 60 day DL,** 20 Brandon McCarthy 60 day DL.  These are some of the Rangers best pitching. The Rangers really need to get serious about this team only 7 games out of first place is a minor miracle at this point of the season.  The AL West is not completly locked up.  The Angels are the only real hump in that division.  Or at least make a run at the wild card.  Defense wins Championships in all sports baseball is no different.  Pitching is a part of the defensive make-up, this team with some good pitching could scare alot of teams in the American League.  We saw what Hamilton can do at the home-run derby, we know that Young, Kinsler, Bradley can play as well.  Please Rangers let’s not be another Mariners or Expos team that will be remembered for all the talent and nothing to show for it .  Strike now while the iron is hot!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

CBLACK OUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!