The Rangers own the largest divisional lead in baseball. But with the MLB season creeping toward September, the real question is whether or not Ron Washington’s Lone Stars can hang with the big boys when the postseason begins.
If the season ended today, the Rangers, Yankees, Twins and Rays would be the American League’s four playoff teams. The Texas rotation — thanks to Nolan Ryan’s philosophy overhaul and the acquisition of Cliff Lee — makes this Texas team much more dangerous than the ones that reached the postseason three times from 1996-1999. Those Rangers hit a ton and couldn’t get anyone out, and they were rolled all three times in the ALDS.
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Despite his recent struggles, Lee gives Texas an unquestioned ace atop the rotation — the perfect guy to march out to the mound against fellow No. 1s CC Sabathia, David Price and (we had to look this up to believe it) Carl Pavano in the postseason. C.J. Wilson is 12-5 and Tommy Hunter has been marvelous. But there’s a wild card in the Texas rotation — who, if healthy, gives the Rangers the deepest staff in the AL entering October — and that’s Rich Harden.
The 28-year-old righty has filthy stuff. He also has made nine trips to the disabled list in the past six seasons. And yet after all the hard work Ryan and Washington have put into building this club — after the Lee trade and the monster years from Josh Hamilton and Vladimir Guerrero — it’s the topsy-turvy Harden who might hold the key to advancing in the postseason.
When effective, Harden is a dynamic power guy who can burn through the toughest of lineups. He threw 6 2⁄3 innings Monday night against the Twins in his return from the DL, but he also walked five batters and had to be lifted in the midst of a no-hitter because of his escalating pitch count.
That about sums up Harden: loads of potential and a track record of tumbling short of expectations. Now, with less than 40 games remaining until the playoffs, the Rangers are faced with a scary proposition. They may be forced to count on a guy who, throughout his career, has demonstrated that he should not be counted on.
