TEXAS RANGERS-------Willie Hightower

I'm glad they went out and got this kid Rodriquez. Owner Tom Hicks is a very wealthy man, but even he may come to regret a ten-year deal. But A-Rod, along with I-Rod and an infield that once would have been the best in the game (Palmeiro, Velarde, A-Rod and Caminiti), with the horribly underrated Rusty Greer in left and young Gabe Kapler and Ruben Mateo in right and center, and the Rangers as usual will score beaucoup runs. They will need to, because as usual, they forget to bring in some arms. The times the Rangers did well in recent years were the years when the had at least above average pitching.

This year, we are saddled with over-the-hill Kenny Rogers, who can go back to Lucille for all I care; Rick Helling who gives you 200 unspectacular innings and then, uh, er well, would you believe Doug Davis and Ryan Glynn and recycled Darren Oliver, who I thought we got rid of for good in '98 but came back like the damn bad penny he is last year. Two wins in 21 starts! And these clowns in the front office think they have a championship team.

They can hire all the A-Rods he wants, but without a decent mound corps, we aren't going anywhere. I reckon we can beat the Angels, but so can my Aunt Matilda. A-Rod can't pitch, so who is going to shut down the A's and Mariners, who they face more times this years due to the new unbalanced schedule.

That's really about all I have to say about the Rangers. They are my team, I love them, but they are really just a fancy version of the Rockies, with all those great hitters and no pitching. Did I mention that John Wetteland retired and now the closer is Tim Crabtree. Give me a break! Last year even with Wetteland, the arsonists in the bullpen had a 5.44 ERA. Crabtree has saved 5 games in 25 opportunities. So even if one of these starters leaves the game with a lead and one of the setup guys manages to hold on, Oates then gives the ball to a guy who had a 5.15 ERA last year!

Say the coming of A-Rod, who is a pleasure to watch, I have seen him several times when the Mariners were in town, gives them 10 more wins over last year. You know what that would make them? 81-81. That's about what it will be, even if they score those 1000 runs everyone is talking about. And don't look now, but it's time to stick a fork in Caminiti and Velarde, and maybe even Palmeiro, who could be a future Hall of Famer. Fire the GM, get some pitching, then talk to me about first place.