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Through three innings of Game One of the American League Division Series between the Tampa Bay Rays and Texas Rangers, the Rangers own a 3-0 lead thanks to major production from the bottom half of their lineup. Nelson Cruz, Jeff Francoeur, and Bengie Molina have notched early RBI against Rays starter David Price, who is making his debut as a starting hurler in postseason play.

The real danger signs for the Rays, though, are on the other side of the ball. After two tough innings in which he threw a combined 42 pitches and allowed four base-runners, Rangers ace left-hander Cliff Lee has settled in, needing just seven pitches to retire the Rays in order in the third inning.

Lee is finally using his whole repertoire, offering the Rays at least three distinct fastballs, a changeup and a curveball. Tampa cannot lay off the deceptively tough Lee heat, which registers only in the low 90s but is located perfectly. Lee is getting more and more calls on the corners as the umpires watch him paint the black, and the Rays may be in real trouble if he has another clean frame in the fourth.

Keep an eye on Lee’s pitch count from here on out: He never exceeded 119 pitches in regular-season play, and the high pitch counts in the first two frames could be as damaging as they were surprising and uncharacteristic. For a man who averaged over seven innings per start this regular season, it could mean an early exit.

Will Ron Washington stretch out his ace to earn a crucial Game One win? Will Lee simply continue his efficient third-inning pace? Only time will tell. The Rangers may allow Lee to take it easy if they continue their barrage on Price: They have just scored again on a Molina homer to make the score 4-0 through three and a half innings.

Matt Trueblood is a student at Loyola University Chicago and B/R Writing Intern. Follow him on twitter.

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With their thrilling 4-3 victory over the A’s in Oakland on Saturday, the Texas Rangers have finally made their long-awaited return to baseball’s promised land, earning their first postseason berth since 1999.

While it was nearly a foregone conclusion that they would eventually clinch the AL West, considering their significant division lead, nothing in baseball is ever set in stone until the other potential outcomes are mathematically eliminated. The Rangers were able to erase any lingering doubt, claiming the American League West division crown with a week’s worth of regular-season action remaining.

The ability to clinch with a week left should not be underestimated. Although their rotation has been set-up for postseason action for the last few weeks, the Rangers now don’t have to rely on dramatic “must-win” scenarios for at least a week, easing the burden on their staff.

Relievers can also be used judiciously, keeping them fresh for baseball’s “second season,” while still giving them the proper amount of work to keep them sharp and ready. Similarly, position players are now afforded the opportunity to heal their weary bodies, and opportunity that their opponents, Tampa or New York won’t have.

In baseball, it pays to adhere to the age-old cliches of “taking one day at a time” or “never looking beyond today’s game,” but now the Rangers can actually look ahead somewhat, with their clinching victory rendering the remainder of the regular season meaningless in terms of playoff ramifications.  

Texas knows that since the Rays and Yankees hail from the same division, they are unable to play each other in the first round of the divisional playoffs, so one must play the Rangers, and the other, the Twins.

Currently, with the Yankees and Rays embroiled in a tight division race, only separated by a half-game, the AL East battle is likely to go down to the final day of the season. As it stands today, the Rays lead the East with the best record in the league, and would therefore play the postseason entrant with the lowest winning percentage, the Rangers.

That could all change over next few days if the Tampa and New York were to exchange places in the East standings, in which case, the Rangers would then face the Yankees in the Division Series. Although the Yankees have been a strong team, and are the defending World Series champions, there are many factors that may contribute to that being a match-up that the Rangers would actually prefer, if given the choice.

Begin Slideshow

The Texas Rangers clinched the first division title in 11 years, and eagerly await the chance to gain more respect while competing against the beasts of the AL East.

Given the inexperience of the young Rangers and the health of Josh Hamilton, Texas could again find itself staring at an early exit from the postseason.

Here’s a look at why the AL West champions won’t be hanging around for too long this year.

Begin Slideshow

There is this beautiful song out on the country radio charts. In fact, it is now ranked at No. 2 for this week, and it is called, “The Boys of Fall,” and its artist is Kenny Chesney.

It talks of high school football and wearing the jerseys, digging in the cleats, and roughing up the shoulder pads. It is an emotional song that still manages to stay away from the label of “cheesy.”

Down where I live in Texas, it fits the culture like a glove because Texas is all about football.

The Dallas Cowboys have five Super Bowl wins, the University of Texas has the “Hook ’em Horns” sign with the index and pinkie finger, and because football is more popular than baseball, it just makes sense that the world of baseball would be overlooked.

Well, there is a subculture of baseball here, and it is usually found in my sect. The tall, lanky boys that wear caps on the weekends, and wear sunglasses so the girls don’t know we are looking at them.

We are the laid-back, cool under pressure/live for the moment which is baseball.

I love baseball. I have more memories of baseball than any other sport. I get those skin-tight white pants and my white socks, then I’d put on my cleats, and my jersey and my cap.

I still have my old brown glove sitting on the desk right next to me. I still have my ball with Tony the Tiger’s face on it.

I remember going to practice, and just throwing a ball around. It was athletic yet relaxing because it was so simple for us. We didn’t think about getting under the hoop for a inside pass to dunk it or making the trap block here.

It was simple. Catch/field the ball, throw it to first, hit the ball, run to first.

Best of all, it was a game where you took time to be friends. In football games, you’re studying the team across, and heaven forbid you talk about your favorite action figure.

When I was a kid, I sat in that dugout next to my friend Jeff, and between my other friend Scott, and we just talked.

We drank Gatorade from paper cups, we chewed sunflower seeds, and we talked about what video games we wanted for our game systems.

When we won, we may argue cheese vs. pepperoni on our pizzas. When we lost, we got some sugary sweet snack in a package that our parents brought (each parent had a set week for snacks), and then we planned to fool around in our backyards on Sunday.

We grew apart as we hit middle school, but the constant for us was baseball.

I may have thought about law school and swimming. Scott wanted to do medical school and tennis, and Jeff and Zach went into tennis with him. Taylor was obsessed with golf, but we all remembered those days.

I will never forget winning the championship with my friends. I was playing third base, and there was a pop-up and it looked like it was going to fly beyond my grasp for a hit. I still said to myself to go after it anyway, what could it hurt?

I was always like that, and so were my teammates. We never gave up on a game or on each other, which was wonderful because I was jealous of my pals.

I couldn’t even throw a ball straight half the time while Jeff was a switch-hitter. Zach was just awesome at second base, Scott just did his thing always, but me? I knew I was the underdog, the last guy picked, but it didn’t affect our friendship.

Yet, it was the defining moment of my life at the time when that ball just curved and plopped downward into my glove with me staring at it.

I looked at the ball with confusion on my face, and I’ll never forget it when coach just hugged me and lifted me up in the air with all the pride in the world. I had caught the last out of the game.

We had won the championship, we had won it all. We were the happiest set of boys alive in the state of Texas.

Today, as I lay back in my chair and gaze at my glove, I think of that day. I think of that, the sunflower seeds, the soda bottles, the white and brown stains on our clothes when we went home to take our baths, and I smile.

Today, me and my friends add more memories. I see Jorge Cantu’s double into left field that gave him the first RBI of his Ranger career to put us in the lead. I see Nelson Cruz, Julio Borbon, and Jeff Francoeur catching fly balls.

I see Ron Washington and Nolan Ryan, the men who kept this organization on course even though the Rangers were almost bankrupt.

I see a gigantic dogpile and everyone hugging. I’m wishing the guys were all here, so we can do the same.

I see Michael Young embracing every man on the field because he, Mr. Ranger, is finally going to the postseason after 1,502 games with the Rangers. The all-time hits leader for the Rangers is finally going to the postseason.

I see myself throwing my glove in the air along with the players as I watched that last out happen. I see Neftali Feliz getting his 38th save, a new rookie record for the MLB, as the Rangers clinch playoffs.

We’ve been waiting a decade, and while I’m still at home, and Jeff is at Texas Tech, Taylor is here, Zack and Scott are at Texas A&M, and Chris is at Texas; I know we are, in our hearts, in our tiny cleats and little caps.

And we are playing at Meadowcreek Park, and we are hoping the Rangers win this year.

The Texas Rangers beat the Oakland Athletics today, and they are going to the playoffs for the first time in 11 years!

Eleven years, guys. Was it worth the wait? I think it was.

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After losing four games in a row, Rangers fans are fearing the worst. It’s all too familiar of a scenario for a Rangers fan. The trend usually involves the Rangers battling for first place until around the All-Star break, and then a slow and painful collapse ensues.

Recently it may look as though this trend will continue, with losses against the Rays and the Orioles to construct a four game losing streak. The Rangers just can’t seem to pull it together, especially against the Orioles, who swept the Rangers in a four game series leading into the All-Star break.

Why will this year be different?

Rest.

Of their normal eight starters (pitcher not included) the Rangers are consistently fielding two. Mitch Moreland (the newcomer) at first base, and Julio Bourbon (the speed demon) in center field. They are also batting only four of the normal nine starters for the lineup. Vladimir Guerrero, Josh Hamilton, Julio Bourbon, and Mitch Moreland.

The rest of the lineup consists of bench players, designated hitters, and temporarily called up players. These include David Murphy (bench) left field, Vladimir Guerrero (DH) right field, Jorge Cantu (bench) first and third base, Andres Blanco (bench) infielder, Joaquin Arias (bench) infielder, Taylor Teagarden (Minors) catcher).

Why so few starters? Is the Ranger lineup really so banged up that they can only start a few of their best players?

No not really. They just have such a large lead in the West, why not rest some players?

Lets run down the list and see just how hard the Rangers have been trying to win these past few games.

Michael Young is listed as active, yet has sat the bench a couple of nights, he slept wrong and was a little stiff. You know the team is confident when they sit this guy, he just doesn’t miss games.

Ian Kinsler tweaked something. Probably could have played, but definitely don’t want to take the risk. By the way, with Ian Kinsler healthy the Rangers are 47-29, without him they are 20-24. They will need this guy at 100 percent.

Nelson Cruz is out just to make sure his hamstring is back to 100 percent before things get real serious for the Rangers. He has had trouble with it before and started to again, but the last thing he said before he went on the DL was that if felt better after two days of it being sore. Precautionary move by Ron Washington.

Matt Treanor hurt his knee running to first base a while back. He ought to be back before very long though. Either way the Rangers hope Bengi Molina will be the primary catcher, supplementing Treanor the way they are doing now with Teagarden.

Elvis Andrus is active, just taking a breather with Michael Young on the bench a little more frequently than normal.

Really, the bottom line is that Ron Washington just wants all of his players to be 100 percent for the final stretch down and into the playoffs. The batting order will likely reflect that of the order used when the Rangers took that 11 game winning streak.

1. Elvis Andrus
2. Michael Young
3. Ian Kinsler
4. Vladimir Guerrero
5. Josh Hamilton
6. Nelson Cruz
7. Bengie Molina
8. Mitch Moreland
9. Julio Bourbon

The differences being in slots seven and eight where Bengie Molina has taken over for Matt Treanor and Mitch Moreland is in for Justin Smoak (dealt to Mariners in part of deal for Cliff Lee).

This is one of, if not the strongest lineup in the majors when all are healthy. This is exactly Ron Washington’s plan, and that means taking a few losses right now, to win them when they count.

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Let’s call the American League West for what it is, over. Pull out the white flag, hook it up, and raise it to the top of the flag pole and let it fly proudly.

That’s the note that I would write to the front office of both the Oakland Athletics and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. It’s time for these two teams to call it a season, pack it in, and start planning their off season capabilities.

So, let it be known, on this 10th day of August 2010, that the AL West was declared for the Texas Rangers (insert the sound of crickets here). Where is everybody? Where is the champagne, where is the celebration?

Oh wait, the fans here in Dallas are waiting for one of the most monumental collapses in sports. They’re waiting for the Rangers to fall on their face like they’ve done so many times before.

Let me soothe you Ranger fans. Let me put your fear at ease. The AL West is a wrap. At no time has a Texas Ranger team held an eight game lead two weeks into the month of August, the second to last month of the regular season.

This is not the team that has fallen in seasons past. These are not the same players that have quit on each other because they didn’t know how to handle a division lead, or a divisional race for that matter.

While the Ranger fans work their way out of hiding, I’ll talk to the other baseball fans whose teams wish they had an eight game lead in their division. They would love to be breathing a little easier at this point, just ask the fans of the White Sox and Twins who are in a dead heat in the AL Central. Ask the fans of those two teams if they wouldn’t love to have that kind of lead and be able to call their division, over.

The Rangers are doing all this despite Vladimir Guerrero hitting .232 after the All-Star break with just a single home run after hitting 11 prior to the break. During the first half of the season, Guerrero struck out just 30 times in 323 at bats.

So far, through just 82 at bats, he has almost half that number (13).

The first three months of his time with the Rangers, it looked as if they had gotten a diamond when all the Angels saw was a guy past his prime. He hit .333, .330, and .356 from April to June respectively. However, those numbers took a huge fall as Vlad hit just .210 in the month of July and had his second highest number of strikeouts (12) that same month.

Not only has Vlad struggled, but they’ve been without second baseman Ian Kinsler who was put on the disabled list on July 28th with a left groin strain.

One guy that they have been getting production from is outfielder Nelson Cruz. Prior to the All-Star break, Cruz was hitting .299 with 11 home runs and 41 runs batted in through 174 at bats. Since the break, Cruz is hitting .344 with four home runs and 20 runs batted in.

However, that’s not the most telling stat. Cruz had struck out 44 times in those 172 at bats but has just 15 in 90 at bats. If he keeps that up, he would have cut down on his strikeouts considerably.

The hottest Ranger of them all since the All-Star break, a guy who’s making one heck of a case for the American League’s Most Valuable Player award, is outfielder Josh Hamilton. While his numbers in the first half of the season were more than respectable, hitting .346 with 22 home runs and 64 runs batted in, his numbers post All-Star break have been nothing short of astounding. Hamilton is hitting .395 with a .457 on base percentage not to mention hitting .454 in June and .418 in July.

Two players can not carry this team, especially if they hope to make a serious run through the playoffs. Josh Hamilton and Nelson Cruz can’t carry this offense on their own.

Michael Young (.247), Elvis Andrus (.258), and Benjie Molina (.232) are all guys that they need to step up as the team reaches October, each of three haven’t exactly been impressive since the All-Star break.

However, it’s not the hitting that will make or break this team in the next two months, it’s their pitching. Rich Harden, just this past weekend, showed just how much the team can’t trust him as a starter down the stretch. His five walks and one hit batter through two and a third innings was not what manager Ron Washington was hoping to see.

The best move the Rangers made prior to the trade deadline all but guaranteed them a playoff spot. That move was landing left-hander Cliff Lee from the Seattle Mariners, a guy that most thought was about to be traded to the New York Yankees.

Since his arrival to the Rangers, Lee is 2-2 with a 2.63 ERA. While he’s going to be instrumental for this team over the last few months, his previous playoff experience will prove to be exactly what will help this team come October. There’s no substitute for having a guy anchoring your rotation that knows what it’s like to get to the World Series. Not only that, but he knows what it’s like to pitch in those games.

Outside of Lee, the Rangers have been getting big performances in their rotation from Tommy Hunter (9-1, 3.01) and C.J. Wilson (10-5, 3.30) not to mention Colby Lewis (9-8, 3.37). Aside from those four, when the starters can turn the ball over to their bullpen and not worry about a lead getting squandered, it helps their confidence that much more. Darren Oliver (2.33), Darren O’Day (1.18), and Alexi Ogando (1.19) have been nothing short of solid when they get the ball in the late innings. Though Oliver has struggled of late, giving up six earned runs in his last five appearances (4 1/3 IP).

What every team needs is a guy that can come in to the game in the ninth and shut the door. The Rangers have that guy in young right-handed flame thrower Neftali Feliz who has racked up 29 saves this season and has blown just two save opportunities all year.

So, for all you Ranger fans who are afraid to come out of the woodwork and believe that this team has it wrapped up, you can come out of hiding and wear your Ranger colors proudly. Sure the Cowboys are almost a month away from kicking off, but there’s another team in Arlington that might have their best shot at a championship this year.

Doubt all you want, question if you must, but admit that this is not the same team or the same players that have let the fans down in the past. This is a team that is gearing up for October.

So, as Brian Dalgin says so well…Let’s go!

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On Thursday afternoon, the Texas Rangers made another move geared toward their run for the postseason, trading for Marlins’ 1B/3B Jorge Cantu.

So far this season, Cantu is batting .262 with 10 home runs and 54 runs batted in. Those are pretty good numbers for someone who will likely end up batting seventh.

With second baseman Ian Kinsler recently going on the 15-day DL, Cantu will likely see a few games at second base. On other nights, he will be splitting time at first base with the recently promoted Mitch Moreland.

When Ian Kinsler comes back, imagine a lineup that looks like this:

1. SS Elvis Andrus

2. 3B Michael Young

3. 2B Ian Kinsler

4. DH Vladimir Guerrero

5. LF Josh Hamilton

6. RF Nelson Cruz

7. 1B Jorge Cantu

8. C Bengie Molina

9. CF Julio Borbon

You have loads of speed, with Elvis Andrus and Julio Borbon being the most obvious ones. Josh Hamilton, Nelson Cruz, and Ian Kinsler are all excellent base runners and have great speed for their sizes.

Michael Young and Vladimir Guerrero are no slouches either. I have seen numerous times were Guerrero was very aggressive and took an extra base on a base hit.

Molina is quite a base clogger, but he isn’t being asked to do much with the bat, focusing rather on his defensive responsibilities.

Everyone knows how potent the top five hitters in the Rangers order can be.

Elvis Andrus gets on base often and is always a threat to run.

Michael Young is Michael Young. One of the most consistent hitters in the game.

Ian Kinsler is seventh in the American League in OBP.

Vladimir Guerrero is having an MVP caliber year with a .307 BA, 20 HR, and 80 RBI. The only reason he won’t win MVP is his own teammate.

Josh Hamilton is threatening for the American League triple crown.

Nelson Cruz has had two different stints on the disabled list, but he still has 14 HR and 57 RBI, and has a .330 batting average.

Cantu would slot in very nicely in the seventh spot in the batting order.

Cantu’s 54 RBI were good for second most on the Marlins, but on the Rangers, he would only be fifth.

Adding Cantu’s RBI total would give the Rangers five players in the top 29 in the RBI category, more than the Yankees, Red Sox, and Rays, three teams regarded as main challengers for the Rangers in the American League.

Though he isn’t having a great year batting average wise, he is a career .276 hitter and should see plenty of RBI opportunities batting behind Guerrero, Hamilton, and Cruz.

Cantu also has hit well in Arlington, with a .350 batting average in nine games, including six doubles.

Finishing the rest of the season playing in Arlington will do wonders for his numbers.

The lineup the Rangers can put out every day has an excellent blend of power and speed.

They have to be considered the best lineup in baseball.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Everyone is concentrating on which teams are buying or selling. But these guys were concentrating on hurting the baseball and sending the pitcher back to the bullpen in tears.

Luke Scott, Jim Edmonds and Jack Cust surprised everyone with outstanding production last week. Hot Streak regulars like Josh Hamilton, Nelson Cruz, Adrian Beltre, and Miguel Cabrera didn’t let us forget why they are All-Stars.

1)       OF Luke Scott Bal

The Orioles outfielder surprisingly went 13-for-27, 6 R, 4 HR, 7 XBH, 8 RBI, and put the cherry on top last week with a .481 AVG.

No one knew who Luke Scott was until last week. He had fantastic numbers and helped the Orioles line-up. Baltimore fans must be excited about having more than just the return of Roberts to the roster to be happy about.

Scott was the hottest pick-up off waivers this week. He had a 37 percent increase in fantasy ownership with his recent production.

He is currently hitting .296 with 16 home runs with 38 RBI for the season.

2)       OF Jim Edmonds Mil

The Brewers outfielder went 8-for-17, 5 R, 3 HR, 5 XBH, 7 RBI, 2 BB, and capped off last week with a .471 AVG.

Edmonds had a fantastic week but saw only a slight increase in fantasy ownership

He is likely playing the last nine weeks of his career. He is 40 years old and has been battling an Achilles issue for few days but he will continue to play.

He is currently hitting .286 with seven home runs with 19 RBI for the season.

3)       OF Jack Cust Oak

The Athletics outfielder went 7-for-17, 6 R, 3 HR, 6 XBH, 7 RBI, 7 BB, and a .412 AVG last week.

He hit two home runs on Saturday with three passes to first.

His fantasy ownership rose 13 percent from nearly no ownership. Basically nobody had Jack Cust on their radar until last week. He would be a nice pick-up as it looks like he will be playing more regularly.

He is currently hitting .300 with eight home runs with 29 RBI for the season.

4)       3B Chris Johnson Hou

The Astros outfielder went 10-for-23, 6 R, 3 HR, 4 XBH, 7 RBI, 1 BB, and finished last week with a .435 AVG.

Johnson had a slight increase in fantasy ownership.

If he continues his top notch production he may earn himself a trade out of Houston like Oswalt.

He is currently hitting .309 with three home runs for the season.

5)       1B Miguel Cabrera Det

The MVP candidate went 14-for-26, 5 R, 2 HR, 8 XBH, 9 RBI, 2 BB, with a .500 AVG last week.

The Tigers are still in the race to make the playoffs. Cabrera needs them to play in October to assist in obtaining the MVP trophy.

He is currently hitting .350 with 24 home runs and 88 RBI for the season.

6)       OF Delmon Young Min

The Twins outfielder went 14-for-31, 2 R, 2 HR, 5 XBH, 11 RBI, and finished last week with a .452 AVG.

Young had a 6 percent increase in fantasy ownership with his recent streak.

He is currently hitting .322 with 13 home runs with 74 RBI for the season.

7)       OF Josh Hamilton Tex

The Rangers’ storied outfielder 13-for-27, 5 R, 1 HR, 5 XBH, 8 RBI, 3 BB, and finished last week with a .481 AVG

Hamilton has been streaking like crazy for the last two months. His contributions last week kept the Texas Rangers in the top three teams in baseball.

He has been a regular on the “Hot Streak Report” and was #1 “Kings of Swing” for June.

He was the top producers in June as he went 49/108, 23 R, 9 HR, 20 XBH, 31 RBI, 5 BB, 3 SB, and a .454 AVG.

He is currently hitting .357 with 23 home runs and 74 RBI as he is nipping at the heels of Cabrera this season.

8)       1B Mark Teixeira NY

The Yankees first baseman went 10-for-23, 10 R, 2 HR, 5 XBH, 8 RBI, 5 BB, and finished last week with a .435 AVG.

He is currently hitting .264 with 20 home runs with 70 RBI for the season.

9)       1B Aubrey Huff SF

The Giants first baseman went 10-for-25, 5 R, 2 HR, 3 XBH, 6 RBI, 4 BB, 1 SB, and finished last week with a .400 AVG

It looks like San Francisco made a good call picking up Huff this season.

He is currently hitting .309 with 19 home runs and 60 RBI for the season. He has already exceeded his projected 15 home runs.

10)   OF Jason Heyward Atl

The Braves’ “Chosen One” went 14-for-26, 7 R, 2 XBH, 3 RBI, 5 BB, and finished last week with a .538 AVG

Atlanta’s favorite rookie extended his hit streak to eight games. He has been lacking in power lately however. He has not had a home run in 70 at-bats.

If the Braves make it to the World Series a lot of people will credit Heyward as the X-factor that got them there.

It would be a nice send off for Bobby Cox in his last season as the skipper.

He is currently hitting .276 with 11 home runs and 48 RBI for the season.

Honorable Mentions :

3B Adrian Beltre Bos

The Red Sox third baseman went 11-for-29, 3 R, 2 HR, 3 XBH, 6 RBI, 2 BB, 1 SB, and finished last week with a .379 AVG

The Red Sox acquisition of Beltre for his glove has paid off more with his bat. He is the reason why the Red Sox hasn’t fallen out of contention.

Beltre was #8 on the Hot Streak Report last week and #3 on the “Kings of Swing” in June.

He had a phenomenal June as he went 38/101, 19 R, 7 HR, 16 XBH, 19 RBI, 7 BB, 0 SB, and a .376 AVG. It looks like July will finish much like last month.

            He is currently hitting .332 with 16 home runs with 63 RBI for the season.

      OF Nelson Cruz Tex

The Texas outfielder went 12-for-30, 2 R, 2 HR, 3 XBH, 7 RBI, 1 BB, 2 SB, and finished last week with a .400 AVG

Cruz has been on a tear and is riding the same wave of success that Hamilton and Young are on.

This could be the year the Rangers win it all. He was #2 on the Hot Streak Report last week.

He is currently hitting .330 with 13 home runs and 54 RBI for the season.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Ladies and gentlemen, let me introduce you to the 2010 Texas Rangers. Or should I say, the first-place Texas Rangers, and we’re not just talking about the first few games of the season.

We’re almost to the month of August and instead of most of the radio stations, and the fans, already deep into conversations surrounding the upcoming season for the Dallas Cowboys, the Rangers are still very relevant, and for good reason.

No other time in the team’s history have they had this kind of record this deep into the season (58-41) and no other time in the team’s history have they looked like a legit World Series contender.

What is funny about that, at least to me, is the fact that the local radio station here in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area continues to get texts and e-mails asking the stations to stop talking about the Rangers.

You’d think fans would be excited about the fact that this team is finally a legit contender. But that couldn’t be farther from the truth.

I had a conversation, though a short one, with a close friend of mine who is not ready to “drink the Kool-Aid.”

While I’m fine with that, his reasoning was a tad off. He made point that this team doesn’t know what it’s like to challenge for a division title or a pennant for that matter.

To that point, he is somewhat correct. However, what he failed to mention is the fact that they have three players who absolutely know what it takes to get to the World Series, and two of them know what it takes to win.

Outfielder Vladimir Guerrero and catcher Bengie Molina were both members of the Anaheim Angels when they won the World Series over the San Francisco Giants in 2002.

Pitcher Cliff Lee, as a member of the Philadelphia Phillies, made it to the World Series in 2009 before losing to the New York Yankees.

So while this team, as a whole, may have not challenged for a pennant before, they have guys that can teach the rest of the team just what it takes to win.

What this team also has, thanks to the addition of Cliff Lee, is an ace at the top of the rotation, especially in a best-of-five series, something the Rangers haven’t had since Nolan Ryan wore the uniform.

With Lee anchoring the rotation, they also have two guys who have been as solid as any in the big leagues this season.

Right-hander C.J. Wilson (9-5 3.03 ERA) and right-hander Tommy Hunter (8-0 2.09 ERA) have been two guys that have kept the Rangers in front of the Angels for the majority of the season and are two reasons why they currently hold a seven-game lead in the AL West.

Outside of Lee, Wilson, and Hunter, the back end of the rotation gets a little cloudy. Matt Harrison, Rich Harden, Scott Feldman, and Colby Lewis could round out the last two spots in the rotation except for the fact that Harden and Feldman haven’t exactly been what the Rangers had hoped at the beginning of the season.

Offensively, they have the weapons to put up runs against even the best pitchers in the game right now. Outfielders Josh Hamilton and Nelson Cruz, along with designated hitter Vladimir Guerrero have combined for 56 home runs and 200 runs batted in, while all three are also hitting .300 or better.

Next to those three, you’ve got guys like third baseman Michael Young (.301/15/58) and second baseman Ian Kinsler (.301/6/38), who also make for legit offensive weapons.

Imagine, if you will, being an opposing pitcher having to face Ian Kinsler and Michael Young, then having Josh Hamilton, Nelson Cruz, and Vladimir Guerrero still waiting in the wings.

Those five guys alone would be enough to make me wonder who I should and shouldn’t pitch to.

This isn’t the team that has faltered year in and year out in the late part of the season. This isn’t the team that holds a slim lead in the AL West and tanks before the month of August is even over.

While Texas grabbed left-hander Cliff Lee out from under the New York Yankees, the Los Angeles Angels responded with the addition of Dan Haren.

It’s only a matter of time before we know just how much help Haren will be for the Angels. With the Rangers up seven games, it might be too little, too late.

While there are those who won’t believe in this team until they are named the AL West champions, there are others who would rather stop talking about baseball altogether for no other reason than the Dallas Cowboys started training camp this past weekend.

But why people want to give more attention to something that couldn’t be more meaningless, like NFL training camp, instead of a team who’s deep into a divisional race, I’ll never know.

I know Texas is a football state and I know that most would rather go to a Cowboys game than a Rangers game regardless of how good, or bad, the Cowboys are.

The Rangers have earned the attention to this point because they continue to prove themselves night in and night out.

While they were swept by the Baltimore Orioles prior to the All-Star break, I think they more than made fans forget about that with series wins over Boston and Detroit on the road, as well as three out of four against the Angels in Arlington.

The road only gets rougher for the AL West leaders. The month of August is where this team will prove itself once and for all.

After road trips to Seattle and Oakland to start the month, the Rangers play series against the Yankees, Red Sox, Tampa Bay, Baltimore, Minnesota, and Kansas City.

Those series alone will make or break the remainder of the AL West chase for the Texas Rangers.

This team has a chance to do something no other team in its history has done. They have a chance to go to the World Series, and more than that, they might have a legit chance to bring home the biggest prize in the industry.

While Rangers fans want the media on their side, it’s unfortunate that the football fans in the area outnumber them.

Even if the Rangers bring home the World Series trophy to North Texas, the Cowboy fans will still make the argument that they have more championships in their trophy case.

It’s the same argument that Yankees fans make to every other baseball fan of every other team there is.

The Rangers deserve the attention right now. They’ve had the kind of season that deserves the spotlight.

The football fans want them to fall on their face for no other reason than to have the spotlight all to themselves as is usually the norm this time of year.

While me, personally, I’m not a Rangers fan. But I’m hoping they keep fighting all the way to the AL West championship and the ALCS. That way, the football fans will have to endure baseball talk for another few months.

The Cowboys are fighting for nothing more than a roster spot while the baseball team in the area is fighting for something that actually means something.

So, as long as that remains true, the spotlight should stay on Rangers’ Ballpark and the Texas Rangers baseball team.

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1)       1B Ryan Howard Phi

Philadelphia’s powerhouse went 8-for-20 with four home runs, nine RBI, five runs and finished last week with a .400 AVG.

The last few weeks have been filled with players hitting three or more home runs in a week. But last week, he was the only player with four home runs.

He is on the wave of a five-game hitting streak.

Howard is currently hitting .299 with 21 home runs and 74 RBI for the season.

2)       OF Nelson Cruz Tex

The Texas outfielder went 12-for-23 with one home run, 10 RBI, four runs and finished last week with a .522 AVG.

He is riding a eight-game hitting streak and hit the game winning home run on Monday night’s game against Detroit.

Cruz is hitting .325 with 12 home runs and 51 RBI for the season.

3)       3B,/2B Gordon Beckham CWS

The White Sox infielder went 11-for-18 with one home run, six RBI, three runs and finished last week with a .611 AVG.

He is currently the hottest pick-up off free agency at 29% increase in fantasy ownership.

If he is already on your team you might be able to sell high based on his recent production.

Beckham is currently hitting .241 with four home runs and 28 RBI for the season.

4)       C Bengie Molina Tex

The Texas catcher went 6-for-13 with two home runs, four extra base hits, six RBI, three runs and finished last week with a .462 AVG.

The man known as the slowest player in the majors hit for the cycle against the Boston Red Sox last week. He went 4-for-4 with 4 RBI that night not to mention a grand slam. This ranks up there in unlikely feats with Edwin Jackson’s no-hitter.

He saw only a slight increase in his fantasy ownership this week.

Molina is currently hitting .261 with five home runs and 23 RBI for the season.

5)       2B Rickie Weeks Mil

The Brewers second baseman went 8-for-21 with three home runs, six RBI, six runs and finished the week with a .381 AVG.

Weeks is currently hitting .275 with 18 home runs and 59 RBI for the season.

6)       SS Yunel Escobar Tor

Toronto’s newest addition went 8-for-17 with two home runs, seven RBI, four runs and finished last week with a .471 AVG

He was doing terrible when he was wearing a Braves uniform. Now that he is sporting a new jersey, he has hit two home runs already.

His fantasy ownership increase is about 5% in most leagues but he is still at only 45% total ownership.

Escobar is hitting .252 with two home runs and 26 RBI for the season.

7)       OF Justin Upton Ari

The Diamondbacks popular outfielder went 8-for-17 with one home run, six RBI, four runs and finished last week with a .471 AVG.

Upton is hitting .270 with 15 home runs and 48 RBI for the season.

8)       3B Adrian Beltre Bos

The Red Sox third baseman went 6-for-15 with two home runs, three RBI, three runs, and finished last week with a .400 AVG.

With all the injuries to a large portion of the starting line-up, he is one of the only bats that are keeping the Red Sox in the race.

He is currently hitting .333 with 15 home runs and 58 RBI for the season.

9)       3B/1B Pablo Sandoval SF

Kung Fu Panda was kicking tail as he went 8-for-17 with five RBI, four extra base hits and finished last week with a .471 AVG

He was doing horrible in July hitting under .200 until last week.

Sandoval is hitting .273 with 6 home runs and 39 RBI this season.

10)   OF Josh Hamilton Tex

The Texas outfielder went 10-for-22 with three RBI, four extra base hits, three runs and finished last week with a .455 AVG.

He is only two home runs behind leading home run hitter, Cabrera. However he recently sustained a calf injury last week, which may put out his fire.

Hamilton is hitting .353 with 22 home runs and 67 RBI for the season.

Honorable Mentions:

JJ Hardy

Jason Bartlett

Evan Longoria

Delmon Young

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