As mentioned in the previous post, the Ranger offense has improved considerably over 2004, particularly in terms of reaching base (despite a slightly lower walk rate). On the whole, they aren't responsible for the team's middling performance. Still, most Ranger fans reasonably appreciate that the offense could stand to improve. Across the universe of message boards, informed and discerning fans grouse about hitting with runners in scoring position, advancing runners, too many strikeouts, and so on.

Humbug. The Rangers just don't have enough talent:

2005 OPS and OPS+ for Players with 50 At-Bats:

Player            OPS     OPS+  Career OPS+
David Dellucci   .925     142       92
Kevin Mench      .933     140      106
Mark Teixeira    .930     139      116 
Michael Young    .863     125       92
Alfonso Soriano  .870     122      111
Hank Blalock     .840     118      108
Rod Barajas      .740      92       60
Richard Hidalgo  .693      79      114 
Laynce Nix       .668      73       80
Sandy Alomar     .648      72       87   
Chad Allen       .649      71       80
Gary Matthews    .615      60       88

Pos     OPS   AL Rank  OPS+   AL OPS+
C      .708      6      85      83
1B     .924      1     137     108
2B     .867      2     121      96
3B     .836      5     117     105
SS     .840      2     119      94
LF     .982      1     152     105
CF     .605     14      58      96 
RF     .708     13      83     109
DH     .788      7     107     106

Richard Hidalgo has been a poor man's Brad Fullmer with a pretty rich man's salary. Laynce Nix has shown absolutely no improvement beyond a slight reduction in strikeouts and some balls sprayed to the opposite field. The bench would embarrass Joe Torre. Everyone else is pulling their weight.

Everyone? Even Rod Barajas?

Remember Lisa Simpson's trepidation at entering the "Little Miss Springfield" pageant (sponsored by Laramie Cigarettes), and Bart grudgingly telling her she wasn't ugly? Sure you do. Just as grudgingly, I say the following: Rod Barajas has performed respectably. History suggests he'll recede, but if he somehow continues to bat .260 with power and a not-too-terrible walk rate, he'll have earned John Hart's graciously tendered $1.8 million.