Rangers have been there, done that

September, 18, 2012
9/18/12
8:00
AM CT
ARLINGTON, Texas -- There's no question the Oakland A's have the attention of everyone in the Texas Rangers organization.

That includes in the clubhouse, where televisions were tuned to Oakland's games all last week as Rangers players kept an eye on the team that has refuses to give up the chase.

"Everybody said that they were going to go away," Rangers manager Ron Washington said. "They don't seem to be going away."

The A's have won eight of their last nine series, including four sweeps, to turn what was once the largest deficit of any division in the AL into a fight with a few weeks left in the season. They've done it with timely pitching from a starting rotation that includes four rookies, unexpected power from a lineup void of huge names and an ability to win close games late.

"Hopefully their hot streak cools off a little bit because it's been since the All-Star break," Rangers closer Joe Nathan said. "There's hot streak and then there's good teams. We have to start leaning toward a good team. They've been playing some good baseball. They're a good team."

But don't mistake the respect for the A's as panic.

Read the full story here.
Richard Durrett joined ESPNDallas.com in September 2009. He writes about colleges, the Dallas Stars and the Texas Rangers. Richard spent nine years at The Dallas Morning News covering the Rangers, Stars, colleges, motorsports and high schools.

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TEAM LEADERS

WINS LEADER
Yu Darvish
WINS ERA SO IP
7 2.97 86 60
OTHER LEADERS
BAL. Berkman .309
HRN. Cruz 11
RBIN. Cruz 33
RE. Andrus 28
OPSM. Moreland .922
ERAY. Darvish 2.97
SOY. Darvish 86

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