Texas Rangers Predictions
Coming off their best year ever in 2010, the Texas Rangers will try for another World Series run this year. Texas won the American League pennant but would eventually fall to the San Francisco Giants in the World Series. It was a year that saw Josh Hamilton win the AL MVP, Neftali Feliez win Rookie of the Year honors, and five players get selected to the All-Star game. Cliff Lee came over last summer to help get the Rangers past the Rays in the ALDS and past the Yankees in the ALCS. Texas couldn’t keep him as the Philadelphia Phillies went out and signed Lee in the offseason, but they have new additions in Adrian Beltre and Brandon Webb coming in. How will the Rangers fare after a 90-72 season in which they ran away with the AL West? Find out with my MLB predictions below.
Beating the MLB odds is much easier when you start with a 45% deposit bonus. That’s the offer to our readers who sign up for a new account at BetOnline. That 45% bonus will be good starting with your initial deposit and every time you reload throughout your lifetime. Also, they will match any offer from another online book to assure that you will always have the best bonus when you play with them.
Projected Lineup
Elvis Andrus (Shortstop) – Andrus has shown a great eye at the plate, and his ability to advance on the basepaths makes him the ideal leadoff hitter in this lineup. Andrus also contributes with a great defese at short. He batted .265 with a .342 OBP last season while scoring 88 runs and stealing 32 bases.
Michael Young (Designated Hitter) – Young finished with 91 RBIs and 99 runs scored in 2010 and remains the heart and soul of this franchise. Concerning is the fact that his 115 Ks were a career-high, and his .330 OBP was the lowest since 2002.
Josh Hamilton (Left Field) –The only thing that seems to be keeping Hamilton from being a serious MVP candidate every season is injuries He won it in 2010 despite playing in only 133 games, hitting .359 with a .411 OBP and 1.044 OPS to go along with 32 homers, 100 RBIs and 95 runs scored.
Nelson Cruz (Right Field) – Cruz put together a pretty solid season in 2010, but he needs to show more contentcy at the plate away from home. He hit just .267 with nine home runs and a .805 OPS on the road last season, while posting ridiculous numbers at home, hitting .371 with 13 home runs and a 1.099 OPS. . Another concern is the fact that Cruz played just 108 games in 2010, if he can put together a full season in 2011, we think it could be a career-year.
Adrian Beltre (Third Base) – Beltre’s lifetime .306 AVG and .521 slugging percentage at Rangers Ballpark certainly appealed to Texas. Throw in one of the best gloves in the game at the hot corner, and Beltre seems like the ideal fit for the Rangers.
Ian Kinsler (Second Base) – Kinsler didn’t quite live up to the power numbers he put up in 2009. After hitting 31 home runs in 2009, Kinsler hit just nine last season, and a lot of that had to do with his inability to stay healthy. His average, OBP, and OPS all improved, which has us thinking the power numbers could return if he can avoid another injury plagued season.
Mike Napoli (Catcher) – The 29-year-old comes over from the division rival Angels to add yet another big bat to this already potent lineup. Napoli set career highs in games played (140), homers (26) and RBIs (68) last year in Los Angeles. His average (.238) took a dip last year which is a concern, and he’ll need to get that up closer to the .273 and .272 he hit in 2008 and 2009, respectively.
Mitch Moreland (First Base) – Once the south paw showed he could hit left-handed pitching, the Rangers gave him the everyday job last year. Moreland also hit .348 with seven RBIs in the postseason which gives him the inside track to the starting job at first base heading into 2011.
Julio Borbon (Center Field) – While it took some time for Borbon to get going in his first full season in the big leagues, he has the tools to really be effective in this lineup. He has exceptional speed, and the Rangers would like to see him increase his bunting skills to get him on base even more in 2011.
Projected Rotation
C.J. Wilson (LHP) – Wilson was one of the biggest surprises in baseball in 2010 as he made the transition from reliever to starter. The south paw went 15-8 with a 3.35 ERA and 1.245 WHIP while striking out 170 batters in 204.0 innings. He is their clear-cut Ace with Lee gone.
Colby Lewis (RHP) – Lewis might not seem like he was a big factor in the Rangers run to the World Series when you look at his regular season record of 12-13, but he pitched much better than the numbers indicate. He finished with a 3.72 ERA and 1.189 WHIP, and really made his presence felt in the postseason, going 3-0 with an impressive 1.71 ERA in just four starts.
Brandon Webb (RHP) – The Rangers are taking a big gamble here, hoping the former Cy Young winner can be effective over an entire year. Webb hasn’t thrown a pitch since Opening Day 2009, but Texas signed him to a $3 million contract that is heavy with incentives. He won the Cy Young in 2006 and finished second in voting each of the next two years. Webb is 87-62 with a 3.27 ERA and 1.239 WHIP in seven seasons.
Tommy Hunter (RHP) – Hunter really put together a nice season in 2010, going 13-4 with a 3.73 ERA and 1.242 ERA. Even if Hunter improves his numbers this season, he might not finish with a record quite like he did in 2010, as he really benefited from an offense that averaged 6.2 runs everytime he took the mound.
Derek Holland (LHP) – The Rangers like what they have in Holland, but he will have to show he can bounce back from an injury plagued season in 2010. Holland is just 24, and has a ton of potential down the road, but don’t expect this youngster to be much more than a solid No. 5 starter in 2011.
Season Predictions
Manager Ron Washington has done an excellent job with this team since getting hired in 2007. He has shown them that they can win with small ball, pitching and defense. The Rangers aren’t short on power though, and this remains one of the best lineups in baseball. Their starting staff has a ton of potential with Wilson and Lewis solidifying the top, and Webb, Hunter and Holland all fully capable if they can stay healthy. Texas is the cream of the crop in the AL West and they aren’t going anywhere any time soon.
2011 Projection: 1st Place AL West
Sign up for the baseball picks provided by our experts and win more with your MLB betting in 2011!
Individual MLB Team Previews:
