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ESPN.com's fantasy draft kit is online and it includes a section on sleepers (and busts too). Here are some Rangers listed as sleepers:

Mike Napoli (from Matthew Berry): Questions about playing time and his batting average will keep his draft stock low, but despite always splitting time, Napoli has more home runs over the past three years than any other catcher. With Michael Young on the trade block, Mitch Moreland unproven, Adrian Beltre and others an injury risk, he'll get at least 400 at-bats. He got unlucky last year with the average (.279 BABIP last year, career .293) and should hit closer to the .273 he averaged in '08 and '09.

Mitch Moreland (from Jason Grey): Moreland should receive at least 450 at-bats, and can do some damage to the tune of 20-plus homers with a solid batting average to go with it. The bat is for real, and he has the potential to be a top-20 first baseman.

Here are some Rangers the ESPN.com fantasy group thinks others will overvalue on draft day:

Ian Kinsler (from Matthew Berry): It's always something with Kinsler. The health concerns are always there -- he has played more than 121 games only twice in five years -- and last year the power went away. The year before it was his average. He's more risky than Brandon Phillips, and yet he'll cost a lot more in the draft. Someone will reach for Kinsler based on name. Make sure it's not you.

Elvis Andrus (from Christopher Harris): Andrus isn't a guy I'd mind owning, but for where I have to take him? No thanks. Heck, 40 steals might be in play, and that's great, but I haven't seen anything else from the kid to indicate he's more than a one-category player, and you don't need to be taking one-category players in the eighth or ninth round. There's no power here, and nothing to indicate a high batting average is coming. If he's basically Rafael Furcal with less pop, well, I'll take Furcal six rounds later.

Nelson Cruz (from Brendan Roberts): Not that I don't respect what he's done, but I think he strikes out too much and has too much of a fly-ball swing to continue his .300 ways (the power is real). Plus, either he'll run less to protect his nagging leg injuries, or he'll miss time because of them.

You can read all the names here.

ESPN.com's Jayson Stark put together his overall questions for spring training along with his poll on the various offseason categories. Here are the portions that included the Rangers:

Most intriguing spring stories:

2. FOREVER YOUNG? When last we saw those Texas Rangers, they were still playing baseball in November, Cliff Lee was on the mound and Michael Young was Mr. Ranger. Amazing how much can change in a few months, huh? While the Rangers remain poised to contend, we know they'll be doing it without Lee, who bolted for Philly. But will they be able to find a taker for Young -- their disgruntled shortstop-turned-second baseman-turned-third baseman-turned-super-utility DH -- in the next week? And if not, can they all make peace this spring, find this guy 600 at-bats and get back aboard the World Series Express? Bigggg questions.

Best free-agent signings:

. Cliff Lee, Phillies (5 years, $120 million)
2. Carl Crawford, Red Sox (7 years, $142 million)
3. Adrian Beltre, Rangers (5 years, $80 million)

It's actually kind of amusing that people look at the Lee signing and think the Phillies got some kind of "bargain." Uh, has anyone mentioned lately that this man will collect more dollars per season (an average of $24 million) than any pitcher has ever raked in during any multiyear contract in history? Nevertheless, the Phillies played this so coyly, so quietly, so ingeniously that not even the Yankees and Rangers saw them coming until it was too late. And now this team heads for spring training with one of the greatest, October-ready rotations ever assembled. It's STILL hard to believe this really happened -- and not just for the Yankees.

FUN POLL FACT: Would you believe 27 different free agents got at least one vote -- including (gasp) Vicente Padilla? No kidding.

Three most outrageous contracts (free agent or otherwise)

3. Adrian Beltre is another guy who sure confuses people. He got lots of votes for best signing, AND worst signing, AND most outrageous contract. So what's up with that? Well, on his previous five-year contract (with Seattle), he produced an adjusted OPS-plus above 112 in NONE of those years. And the only two seasons of his career in which he made the top 10 in any significant offensive categories just happened to be the two contract-drive years before he locked up those five-year deals. So there ya go.

Most important injury comebacks:

1. Brandon Webb (Rangers)
2. Justin Morneau/Joe Nathan (Twins)
3. Kevin Youkilis/Dustin Pedroia/Jacoby Ellsbury/Adrian Gonzalez (Red Sox)

Check out the entire package here. BTW, look next week for ESPNDallas.com's key questions heading into spring training.

ARLINGTON, Texas -- There's still time, obviously, to trade Michael Young. But there are a bunch of obstacles and at this point there's nothing new on the trade front.

A source said the club doesn't expect to find a suitable deal for Young before full squad workouts on Feb. 20. But Daniels continues to pursue a deal.

“We will walk down the path and see if there’s something that can satisfy all parties,” Daniels said. “If not, we’ll put the club together with the idea of Michael playing a key role on the team and we’re still prepared for that.”

Daniels didn't want to comment on any of Young's public quotes this week. But when the GM was asked if he thought the relationship between the team and the club could be repaired if Young isn't traded.

"I would hope so," he said.

The Rangers are still working with the eight teams that are listed as approved destinations for Young per his contract. That list hasn't been expanded yet, but Young did tell ESPN.com's Jayson Stark that he'd look at increasing the list on a case-by-case basis.

I get the sense that there are too many obstacle to overcome at this point to pull the trigger on a deal. That could obviously change any moment, but as of now, teams aren't interested in absorbing most of Young's contract and sending the Rangers some talent in return. And Texas doesn't want to just unload Young at a bargain price.

Daniels said it was too early to speculate on how the whole process might play out.

“Nobody comes out looking good,” Daniels said. “A valued member of the team is unhappy and I think at this point the less said the better.”

The Rangers and slugger Josh Hamilton decided they didn't want to have to deal with the possibility of another arbitration hearing this time next year, so both sides reached agreement on a two-year deal worth $24 million that includes the rest of Hamilton's arbitration years.

He gets a $3 million signing bonus, a $7.25 million salary this year and $13.75 million in 2012.

The Rangers have done this with a handful of players to avoid hearings and make deals both sides feel are fair in a multi-year package. But in many of those cases, the deal also included one of the free agent years too. That's not the case here.

The contract doesn't mean both sides can't continue to explore a longer-term deal. But it takes the pressure off having to do that right now. Hamilton can simply build his value for when he becomes a free agent and the club can be sure the slugger is able to stay healthy before venturing into even more years. It makes sense right now for both sides.

Rangers pitcher Derek Holland talked briefly Tuesday about idolizing Andy Pettitte and the Michael Young saga. A quick Q&A:

PODCAST
Rangers pitcher Arnold Schwarzenegger, er Derek Holland, joins Ben and Skin to talk about getting ready for spring training. Listen

SchwarzeneggerQ: You said the retirement of Andy Pettitte was one you didn't want to see. Talk about that.

DH: When I was little, the Yankees were always on TV and he was left-handed and somebody I wanted to be like. I used to try to have a pickoff move just like Andy Pettitte. That was the big thing. I also wanted to be like Greg Maddux and Chipper Jones. But Pettitte was left-handed and a great pitcher. I just grew up watching him.

Q: Do you see some of Pettitte in your own pitching?

DH: I don’t want to compare myself to him. He’s an unbelievable pitcher. To me, he’s a Hall of Famer. We’re different. He’s got the accuracy and command and that’s something I had in the mionrl eague system and I want to get that back. I want to get back to being the pitcher I was going through the system. He’s more of a finesse pitcher and I consider myself a power pitcher.

He’s definitely one of the greatest pitchers that’s played the game. He doesn’t have 300 wins and he’s not a strikeout leader, but he’s accomplised a lot of things that people wish they could. He's got the most playoff wins. He’s also a great guy on the field and off the field. I’ve spoken to him several times and he’s been a great guy to talk to.

Q: You said you want to get back to your control in the minors. What were you doing then that you didn't last year?

DH: To me, I used my fastball a lot more and just had better command throughout the minors than I did this past year. I got away from being who I am. I was too busy trying to trick people. That’s not what I’m about. I think I was tricking myself.

Q: What do you think of the Michael Young situation?

DH: When I heard it, it shocked me. I was blown away by it. I didn’t expect this. I don’t really know what all he’s been through, except I know he was a 2B and he went to SS and then to third and now they want him to DH. He’s been doing a lot of things for them and saying yes and that has to be tough. I really like the guy. He’s a great leader and a great teammate, I really hope he stays here. That’s somebody you want in your clubhouse and I hope we keep him in our clubhouse. I know he wants to be out in the field and be a part of the action on the field, not just DH'ing.

Q: What happens if Young isn't here? Who leads?

DH: That’s a tough pair of shoes to fill, if you ask me. It has to be a leader on the field, leader in the clubhouse, someone that keeps people focused. I don’t know who else fits that, but Kinsler is a leader to me. I’ve spoken more with Kinsler this past year more than any other time.

Young is one of a kind. It would hurt to lose him.

Matt Meyers at ESPN.com (Insider) took a look at some numbers as to reasons why the Rangers need Michael Young in 2011. Part of his evidence:

Young has long been deemed "overrated" by the sabermetric crowd -- he's basically viewed as a singles hitter who has benefited from playing in one of the best hitter's parks in baseball and is a mediocre defender. That's all true, but "overrated" doesn't mean useless. (His career OPS+ of 105 proves that he is an above-average hitter.) And based on the Rangers' current roster construction they should think long and hard about dealing the six-time All-Star. They're really going to need him.

Don't believe it? Check out these three numbers:

111
118
124

Those are the average number of games played over the last two seasons by Josh Hamilton, Nelson Cruz and Ian Kinsler, respectively. Those are the Rangers' three best offensive players, and they get hurt with a great deal of frequency. At this point, Young's greatest asset is his versatility, which is a by-product of being moved around by the Rangers so often. And with a team filled with as many injury-prone players as the Rangers, he could be a huge asset.

On most teams, the utility guy is someone like Willie Bloomquist who can play a lot of positions, but can't hit a lick. Having a guy on the bench who can hit as well as Young gives the Rangers a lot of insurance in case Kinsler, Cruz or Hamilton gets injured. If Kinsler goes down, Young can go back to his original position. If Hamilton or Cruz is hurt, Young could play left field. No, he hasn't played left field in his career, but this is a club that put an aging Vladimir Guerrero in right field during the World Series, and he looked like a maimed thoroughbred out there. Young could surely hold down the fort while providing above-average offense. And even if, somehow, none of those injury-prone guys gets hurt, Young can spot them once a week to help ensure that they stay off of the disabled list.

As we've discussed at length over the last week, this club is better with Young on it. He gives the lineup a steady bat at DH and some critical insurance for injuries that are inevitable. Is there a blueprint to how to play Young? Meyers suggests the 2008 Cubs and former Young teammate Mark DeRosa.

Texas should borrow a page from the 2008 Chicago Cubs' playbook, when manager Lou Piniella started Mark DeRosa 80 games at second base, 32 games in right, 21 in left and 10 at third. That's a total of 143 starts. DeRosa hit .285/.376/.481 that year, and his versatility was a big reason why the Cubs led the NL with 97 wins. Between spotting Kinsler and Andrus regularly, not to mention starts at DH, first base and left field, there is no doubt that Young could end up with 500 plate appearances while also giving manager Ron Washington tons of late-inning flexibility.

Washington is going to make sure Young plays in the field as much as he can. No, Young's not going to be a regular. But Washington has done a great job of keeping all of his players as active as possible and that won't change with Young (assuming he's here), even if everyone is healthy. Anyway, I thought Meyers' piece was an interesting look at the numbers.

It appears something this offseason keeps getting in the way of the club finalizing an extension with general manager Jon Daniels. But club president Nolan Ryan said Wednesday that Daniels will get that extension, likely before the end of the month.

"We had the weather last week and then everything going on this week," Ryan said. "I had hoped to have it done before spring training, but I anticipate it will get done within the first two weeks of spring training."

Ryan said a busy offseason has messed with the timing, but the club plans on getting Daniels signed up long-term. That should also include some of his staff as well.

Daniels was the youngest GM in history when he got the job on Oct. 4, 2005, at 28 years old. This will be the final season of his current deal, negotiated with Tom Hicks at spring training in 2008. At that time, Ryan got a four-year deal to be club president.

ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick reports today that the Phillies called the Rangers about Michael Young, but that talks are no longer active. Part of the story:

The Philadelphia Phillies recently contacted the Texas Rangers to express an interest in infielder Michael Young, three Major League Baseball sources confirmed to ESPN.com. But the trade talks failed to yield much common ground, and discussions between the clubs are no longer active.

One source said the discussions were "brief'' and amounted essentially to "tire kicking'' on the part of the Phillies.

Sources wouldn't reveal which names were discussed in talks between the Phillies and Rangers, but one likely candidate is pitcher Joe Blanton, who will make $17 million over the next two seasons and has been relegated to the fifth starter's spot behind Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Roy Oswalt and Cole Hamels in Philadelphia. It's also uncertain what the acquisition of Young would mean to incumbent Phillies third baseman Placido Polanco. Unless talks between the clubs are revived soon, that point is probably moot.

Anyway, just passing it along. The club continues to get calls and talk to folks, but the challenge is finding a team that will take on a large portion of the $48 million remaining on Young's salary and give the Rangers what they feel is fair value for Young in terms of players. (That's why I think a trade for Young is unlikely).

A few other notes for you from RangersWorld today:

* Full season ticket equivalents are up as expected this season. CEO Chuck Greenberg said the club is already above 10,000 (again, that full season ticket equivalents, not just the full season tickets themselves). They were at 7,500 all last year.

"We have significantly more full season equivalents now than at any time last season," Greenberg said. "We think there’s a chance to double [last year's] season-ticket base by the end of the year."

That would mean 15,000 season ticket equivalents by the end of 2011.

* The new videoboard remains on target for Opening Day. Greenberg said he was giving a tour of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington on Sunday and was struck by how much of a difference in space the new board is over the old one now that the steel is in place. He said that in about a week, Chuck Morgan and his staff will begin training for the new system.

The Rangers announced individual ticket prices for the 2011 season today and that they go on sale March 5 at the First Base ticket window at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, by phone at 972-726-4377 or at texasrangers.com.

A total of 71 percent of the ticket prices for nonpremier games have increased from 2010 levels, though most of those are by $2 or less. The team is keeping parking at $10 (something the new ownership group lowered from $12 when they took control) and 69 percent of the tickets for premier games have been lowered. But the club has increased its number of premier games from 19 in 2010 to 29 in 2011.

The largest increase in ticket prices is in the Lexus Club Box and the Lower Box, which account for a little less than 15 percent of the capacity of the stadium. Those prices are going up 29 percent ($13) in the Lexus Club Box and 24 percent ($12) in the Lower Box for regular games and 18 and 15 percent, respectively, for premier games. The grandstand seats are also increasing by $1 per nonpremier game ($7 now), but decreasing by $3 for premier games ($8 now).

Greenberg said his team wanted to adjust the pricing points in the stadium and actually considered starting over completely, but because the sale happened so late, decided to just alter some of the existing prices.

"It's a matter of demand, but also being as equitable as possible in how the house is scaled," Greenberg said.

It should be noted that 11 percent of the seats in the stadium for nonpremier games are decreasing and 25 percent are flat.

"We’re trying to establish long-term relationships with our fans," Greenberg said. "Were in a growth mode. So everything we're doing now is about how are we going to continue to get more people to the ballpark and more people involved in ticket pacakges this year than last year and 2012 over 2011 and so on. We're not trying to take maximum advantage [of the club's strong 2010 season]. We're trying to take the approach of what it takes to build and sustain long-term relationships."

The Rangers announced the club's individual ticket pricing and the procedures for purchasing any remaining tickets for Opening Day.

Because the club has sold so many Opening Day tickets are part of various package, there is a limited inventory. The team is holding an online lottery system for fans interested in attending the Opening Day game at 3:05 p.m. against Boston on Friday, April 1.

Fans can go to the club's website and fill out this form for a chance to purchase up to four tickets to the game. The window for that lottery opens today and ends Feb. 21. The random drawing for the chance to buy tickets happens Feb. 22 and fans are all notified by Feb. 23.

"Tickets to Opening Day this year may be the most sought after ticket in franchise history," CEO Chuck Greenberg said Wednesday. "There will be very few that are available. We wanted to construct a system that is as fair to all of our fans as possible. We didn’t want to penalize fans that are working and can't spend the morning on the phone or at night camping out and leaving their families behind. We wanted to give everybody the same opportunity and so to create a lottery was easily the most fair approach."

The tickets involved in the lottery will be spread out throughout the stadium once the staff figures out how many various ticket packages have been purchased. But they are making sure that fans in the lottery get a chance at tickets in a wide range of areas and prices.

Fans can still purchase 10-game packs, which include a free ticket to Opening Day.

ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick graded the AL West for its offseason and put the Rangers at a C+. He went with that grade in light of the Michael Young situation. The Rangers would have probably been a grade point higher if not for that. Here's part of what Crasnick had to say:

The Rangers did everything they could to retain Lee, only to lose out to Philadelphia in the end. Texas has the raw materials to pitch well in 2011, but C.J. Wilson and Colby Lewis need to bounce back after logging more than 450 innings combined last year, and Derek Holland, Tommy Hunter and the kids will have to embrace the expectations raised by the team's deep run in 2010. The Rangers' bullpen logged an American League-high 503 2/3 innings last season, and manager Ron Washington and pitching coach Mike Maddux need to coax longer outings from the rotation.

Beltre is a fine two-way player and an upgrade over Young at third base, but a guaranteed five years and $80 million were a bit extravagant after Boston and Oakland dropped out of the running and Beltre's other options were scarce. Webb also did well in landing a guaranteed $3 million deal plus $5 million in incentives after pitching a total of four innings over the past two seasons. Can the Rangers count on him for 25 or more starts this season?

Rhodes will help in the bullpen. But his workload needs to be monitored judiciously now that he's 41, and the lineups are a little tougher than what he faced in Cincinnati the past two years. Napoli, who has a .931 career OPS against lefties, will help an offense that ranked seventh in the AL in OPS against left-handers in 2010.

What grade would you give the Rangers for this offseason?

As we noted on Monday, Young has eight teams on his list that he can be traded to per his contract. Beat writers from most of those locations checked into Young interest. Here's a look at what they found:

* The Angels and Dodgers are both on that list. ESPNLosAngeles.com's Mark Saxon (covers Angels) and Tony Jackson (covers Dodgers) don't want to cover most of Young's salary, something the Rangers are seeking. The Dodgers' are also concerned about Young's offensive numbers carrying over from Rangers Ballpark in Arlington to a pitchers' park like Dodger Stadium. If they did acquire him, Jackson said the logical thing would be to move Casey Blake to left field, Juan Uribe to third base and put Young at second. But that doesn't seem likely. The Los Angeles Times wrote about the Angels and Dodgers and some of the possibilities, but they also said the chances of Young returning to LA were "slim."

* Troy Renck of The Denver Post says the Colorado Rockies are out on Young now. Part of his story:

Even more than money issues, the Rangers' desire for a more proven player or top prospect in return for Michael Young has killed the Rockies' pursuit of the six-time all-star, according to a major-league source.

At one point, the Rangers appeared willing to send Young to the Rockies for infielder Eric Young Jr., while eating more than half his contract. That was before Guerrero and other designated-hitter target Jim Thome signed elsewhere. Young could still serve as the team's DH.

Renck notes that talks are fluid and could re-start at any point. But it seems the Rangers aren't inclined to simply pay half of Young's salary and send him out the door. As they stated on Monday, they want fair value and that's going to be difficult to get this close to spring training.

* The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that the Cardinals have no interest in Young. GM John Mozeliak didn't reference Young by name, but told the paper he hadn't received a call from the Rangers and didn't plan on initiating discussions about Young.

The Cardinals previously have discussed Young's availability, according to industry sources, but timing seriously complicates any leftover interest.

"We feel we've got our roster set," Mozeliak said. "I stand by what I've said before, that I don't see any major additions at this point."

The club also remains involved in talks regarding a contract extension for first baseman Albert Pujols.

Those Pujols talks mean the Cardinals don't want to absorb much of Young's salary, like most teams.

* The Houston Chronicle's Zachary Levine wrote about Young on his blog and says it doesn't make sense for the Astros to take on part of Young's remaining three-year contract, noting that "the Astros were making roster moves based on the inability to stomach payments in the low seven figures early in the offseason." Levine said the deal is only worth considering if the club can trade Carlos Lee to the Rangers.

Columnist Richard Justice says the Astros would have to consider acquiring Young if it meant trading Lee. Justice starts off his blog by saying Lee "almost certainly wouldn't agree to a trade to the Rangers." But then goes on to explain why the Astros would have to listen if he would. Read it here.

* La Velle Neal, beat writer for the Twins at the Star Tribune, doesn't think the Twins should go after Young. He writes:

Getting right-handed offensive help isn't the highest priority for this team. It's getting pitching. Things could change once the regular season begins and players sail, fail or get injured.

But if the Twins trade away any resources, it should be for either a put-you-over-the-top starter or relief help.

* Could the Detroit Tigers, a team not on Young's list, be interested? FoxSports.com's Jon Paul Morosi says no. And he gives five reasons why they wouldn't be.

Michael Young is the unquestioned leader of the Rangers. So besides the impact on the lineup Young's possible departure might have, it would also create a void in the clubhouse. There are other leaders in the room already, but they will need to step up even more if Young is absent. A look at some possibilities:

Ian Kinsler: His locker has been next to Young's for four years and he's learned a few things. Kinsler's voice has gotten stronger each season and he's one of the players the younger group look up to now. Kinsler, who turns 29 in June, has two All-Star Game appearances and has become one of the top players at his position in the league. In other words: He's putting some skins on the wall. He'll speak up and say what's on his mind and has been able to absorb how Young deals with issues during the season. For me, Kinsler is No. 1 on this list of guys that could fill the void left by a possible Young departure. BTW, Kinsler talked about the Young situation on Tuesday.

But it can't just be about Kinsler. Others must help out. For example:

C.J. Wilson: Every team needs a player that isn't afraid to show confidence and even get in the head of the opponent when necessary to help pump up his team. That's Wilson. He said after a series loss to the Angels in the middle of 2010 that the Rangers were a better team than Los Angeles and knew it. To say it after a loss took guts. But Wilson believed every word and he was proven right. If you attended the Mid-Winter Award Banquet you heard Wilson's plea to the team to go out and take the next step in 2011. He certainly sounded like a motivator to me. Wilson has matured in that room and, as the union player rep, is already in a leadership position.

Josh Hamilton: He's the AL MVP, which gives him the on-field credibility. But more than that, Hamilton has a remarkable story of overcoming a difficult past to become an elite player. The fact that his teammates see a guy who must stay focused to keep himself on the right path only serves to make him more human despite his superhuman feats. Hamilton is more of a leader on the field. He plays the game in an aggressive, intuitive way, making things happen (just like an MVP should).

Nelson Cruz: If you carry a boomstick, you get an opportunity to lead. Cruz carried that stick in 2010 and seemed to always have a smile, too. Cruz has a confidence that is contagious. He's not arrogant about it, but you know as you see him walk around that he's comfortable in his own skin and likes to have fun (see claw and antlers, something Cruz really enjoyed). He helped make sure that the entire team was one big group, bridging the Latin American players with the rest of the clubhouse.

Darren Oliver: He's a quiet guy, but one that you listen to when he speaks. He's seen it all and doesn't allow much to bother him. Oliver spoke up at several team meetings in 2010 and was a leader for a bullpen full of young guys. He's one that players will look to in 2011.

David Murphy: His hard work, positive attitude and willingness to do whatever it takes to play and win makes him a favorite among his teammates. He's another guy who talks to the media win or lose and always supports his teammates.

Others that could emerge:

Elvis Andrus: He's only in his third full season, but he has the temperament to lead at some point. It may be a little soon, but he's a hard worker who wants to learn and improve. Those are good characteristics for others to follow.

Adrian Beltre: He's new, so it won't happen right away. But all accounts are the veteran has leadership qualities. He'll be one to watch.

Colby Lewis: He returned after two years in Japan and used 2010 to re-establish himself. He comes into spring training as the No. 2 starter and the guy that beat the Yankees twice in the ALCS. He's a smart guy that could end up asserting himself more in the room.

Who am I missing? Which leaders do you think would step up if Young leaves?

ESPN.com's Eric Karabell wrote about the Michael Young situation in terms of his fantasy value. Here's part of Karabell's thoughts:

It's a shame that Michael Young is demanding a trade because it really is in his best statistical interest to remain a member of the Texas Rangers. It doesn't take long to realize that Young has pretty extreme home/road splits, not only in 2010 but his entire career, and fantasy owners have been relying on those home numbers for years. I won't speculate on where Young might be headed, because I'm skeptical it happens at all. Players demanding trades rarely get what they seek.

Fantasy owners want him in Texas, want him adding first and second base eligibility and want him hitting second in a terrific batting order.

Based on last season's ESPN Fantasy Player Rater, seven of the top 13 hitters in the AL West were Rangers. One of those players is currently elsewhere (Vladimir Guerrero), but he has been ably replaced (Adrian Beltre). As for the Oakland Athletics, Los Angeles Angels and awful Seattle Mariners, there's a serious lack of impact offensive players, and it's not a stretch to expect a similar lack of performance this coming season.

Again, you can read Karabell's entire entry here.