Apparently, everywhere Sammy Sosa went, people said "come back to baseball." I don't recall saying that to him, but he's back regardless. And while much of the focus for the Rangers this spring is how stress-free the 38-year-old outfielder is as he attempts to return to the game, the tale of Texas runs much deeper. It's a team with an opportunity to make some headway in a division that it's been treading water in for nearly a decade. This week, Offseason Lowdown takes a closer look at the Rangers.

The Skinny: Since last making the playoffs in 1999, the Texas Rangers have failed to finish higher than third place in the AL West. And while throttling the Rally Monkey would probably raise the ire of PETA and slipping hemlock into Billy Beane's drink might not go over well with anyone but Michael Lewis, the Rangers have decided to try a different strategy in the hopes of finally snapping the drought. They fired Buck Showalter. Both times Buck has been canned, his former team went on to win the World Series the following year (the Yankees in 1996 and the D-Backs in 2001). Could lightning strike three times? Well, at the very least, Texas hopes that new manager Ron Washington (who knows a thing or two about Beane's magic) can get this team back to the postseason. Or failing that, at least back to .500. The Rangers showed modest improvement last year by rising from 79 to 80 wins, but had the team enjoyed a more typical season with the bats, it's reasonable to expect that this total would have been much higher. A better finish (8-14 after September 6) obviously would have helped as well. The 2007 incarnation is full of hope, and with good reason. The bullpen is a major strength, the rotation should be much steadier than last year and the offense is poised to rebound. While the Fire Buck strategy may not help the Rangers as much as it did the Yanks and Diamondbacks, this is a team that will definitely make more noise in 2007.

Strengths: Offense, keeping the ball in the park, controlling the running game. Offense, normally a hallmark of any Rangers' team, wasn't as abundant as usual, but the team still finished fourth in the AL in runs and third in extra-base hits last year. With a couple of new additions on board and the expected recovery and growth from several other Rangers, this team will again be among the top hitting squads in the AL. Despite playing in a hitter's park, the Rangers were among the leaders in fewest home runs allowed thanks to an improved staff – especially the bullpen (fourth in the AL with a 3.74 ERA). The team also did an excellent job in limiting stolen bases, as just three teams surrendered less steals while Texas finished third in percentage of runners thrown out. Gerald Laird, who takes over as the starter, threw out better than 45 percent of would-be basestealers, so the team remains in great hands from that perspective.

Weaknesses: Team speed, bench, power pitching. Only the Bosox had fewer steals among AL clubs last year, but the addition of Kenny Lofton should address that weakness. Texas relied heavily on its starting lineup last season, tying for dead last in the AL with just six pinch hits, but that's another area that promises to be better this season as the club has added depth, especially in the outfield. The team was 12th in K/9 last year (6.11), but newcomer Brandon McCarthy has the potential to help Texas in this area.


Key offseason acquisitions

• RHP Eric Gagne, signed for one year and $6 million (with the chance to earn another $5 million in incentives), specifically took only a one-year deal as he's hoping to cash in next offseason. So the motivation is definitely there, but is his fastball have enough velocity to make that changeup deadly? Coming off elbow and back injuries, Gagne is a risky acquisition, especially given that he's tossed just 15 2/3 innings over the past two seasons. He enters the season as the closer, but Gagne just started throwing last month and he's been slowed by an illness this week, missing time he can ill afford considering he's already approaching this spring at a more relaxed, cautious pace, with plans to throw every third day (as opposed to every second like most pitchers).



• We've already covered DH/OF Sammy Sosa's minor league deal ad nauseam, so there's not much more to add except to note that should he not make the team, the projected lineup below would see Frank Catalanotto take over as DH, Hank Blalock move up to fifth in the order and Brad Wilkerson move in as the sixth hitter and left fielder.



• The Rangers plugged the hole Gary Matthews Jr. left in center field and at leadoff by penning veteran Kenny Lofton for one year and $6 million. Lofton hits the big 4-0 this season, but he can still burn, last year swiping the most bases he's had since 1998 and he remains a solid OBP man.



• RHP Brandon McCarthy, acquired from the White Sox with minor leaguer David Paisano for minor leaguers John Danks, Nick Masset and Jacob Rasner, should fill in nicely as the No. 3 starter. In finally getting his chance as a starter, McCarthy will be a solid addition to the rotation. Texas gave up some nice young arms to land him, but McCarthy is ready to take the next step and, still five years from free agency, he's anything but a one-year rental.



• DH/OF Frank Catalanotto returns to the Rangers with a three-year deal worth $13 million with an option for a fourth season. He's a solid OBP man to bat near the top of the order, but it's a long deal for a guy who will need to be platooned.



• OF Marlon Byrd was signed for one-year, but because of his service time, Texas can hold his rights until 2009. He struggled last year, but should he beat out Jason Botts and Victor Diaz for a spot, he's a decent option to help spell the aging Lofton a couple of times per week.



• RHP Francisco Cruteca was claimed off waivers from the Mariners after enjoying a solid Triple-A season but a rough go in September in Seattle. He's out of options, so will probably have to beat out Rick Bauer and Joaquin Benoit for a gig, and both of them are also out of options.



• C Guillermo Quiroz was signed to a one-year deal after seeing little action stuck behind a couple of other catchers in the Seattle system last year. He'll compete with Miguel Ojeda and Chris Stewart for the right to be Laird's backup.



• C Chris Stewart was acquired from the Chisox for RHP John Lujan. He'll provide catching depth for the organization and has a chance to compete for the back-up job.

Key question: Which Hank Blalock will we see in 2007? Will we see the Blalock who earned comparisons to George Brett after hitting .300 with a .350 OBP and 29 homers in his first full year and followed that up in 2004 by mashing 32 homers, driving in 110, drawing 75 walks and recording an OPS of 855? Or will we see the version who hit under .265 with an OBP under .320 in 2005 and managed just 16 homers, slugged only .401 and had an OPS of just 726 last year? In Blalock's defense, his shoulder grew progressively worse as he played the second half last season with a partially torn rotator cuff, contributing to a woeful four-homer, 29-RBI, 635 OPS mark after the break. He finally underwent surgery in October to correct a problem that really limited him at third base over the final couple of months and he entered the offseason with a new attitude, suggesting that he would make an extra effort to be more coachable and allow hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo to fix whatever flaws he has. A healthy, productive Blalock will go a very long way towards returning the Rangers offense to among the most feared in the game, and would certainly end any speculation that Texas plans to deal its third baseman. He's only 26 years old so there is no reason to panic. I fully expect a big rebound this season, and it may come in small increments, as Blalock matures as a hitter and learns to adjust on the fly.

"I didn't really understand what hitting was about. I was relying on talent my first two years," Blalock said. "I had to be honest with myself and say it's time to make an adjustment and use the tools I have, like the best hitting coach in the league, because Hank's way wasn't working anymore."

Even if he refers to himself in the third person, he's already sounding like a more mature player.

And so far, he's also healthier. Manager Ron Washington said Blalock's shoulder appears to be completely healthy after the surgery.

"I think it looks awesome. Hank is fine. He's been doing a lot of throwing. He's been taking balls from his position at every angle -- backhands, forehands, sideways, slow rollers, working the bunts. He's been doing everything. He's good."

A lot of people are going have written Blalock off, especially in the wake of a .216/.281/.315 showing against lefties last season. But a healthy, more mature Blalock that's willing to make adjustments to his game? That sounds like money in the bank to me.

Fantasy sleeper: Besides Blalock, I expect to see big gains made by both Ian Kinsler and Laird this season. But one Ranger who will fly under the radar is Nelson Cruz. He's got the inside track on the right field gig in Texas and early reports suggest he's impressing the brass, especially with his power potential. Cruz enjoyed a solid performance in the Dominican Winter League, getting on base at a near .400 clip with power, and a season of 20+ homers is very likely if he gets at least 450 ABs.

Projected Opening Day Lineup

CF Kenny Lofton
LF Frank Catalanotto
SS Michael Young
1B Mark Teixeira
DH Sammy Sosa/Jason Botts
3B Hank Blalock
RF Nelson Cruz/Brad Wilkerson
C Gerald Laird
2B Ian Kinsler

Rotation

Kevin Millwood
Vicente Padilla
Brandon McCarthy
Robinson Tejeda
Josh Rupe/Kameron Loe/John Koronka/Jamey Wright/Edinson Volquez/Bruce Chen

Bullpen

Eric Gagne, closer
Akinori Otsuka
C.J. Wilson

Key Bench: Brad Wilkerson, Jason Botts, Miguel Ojeda, Joaquin Arias (although he'd be better served playing every day in Triple-A).

On the Horizon

• RHP Eric Hurley, 21, soared to the top of the Rangers' prospect list in 2006 when he struck out 137 in 137 2/3 innings and held opponents under .225 between two levels. He was especially impressive after landing in Double-A, going 3-1, 1.95 in six starts with tremendous command (31 K/11 BB).



• Based on the ridiculous numbers he's put up in the minors it's time for OF/DH Jason Botts, 26, to get a real look, but if Sosa makes the team, I can't see the kid getting much PT. If Botts spends his prime power seasons at Triple-A, it will be a huge shame.

Rob Blackstien runs www.RotoRob.com, a site featuring daily fantasy sports analysis. In addition to his baseball work on the site, he contributes to Rotoworld’s basketball coverage. Rob also writes for CREATiVESPORTS.com, BaseballNotebook.com and has contributed to Rotoman’s Fantasy Baseball Guide and Fantasy Football Guide.

Contact Rob Blackstien