Upcoming Series: vs. Texas, July 21-23

TEXAS RANGERS
51-48, 9½ GB Los Angeles.

OFFENSE: 540 R (1st in A.L.), 5.51 RPG (1st), 118 HR (2nd), .281 BA (t-1st), .350 OBP (2nd), .457 SLG (1st)
PITCHING: 5.21 overall ERA (last), 5.30 starter's ERA (last), 5.09 bullpen ERA (last), bullpen has thrown 357.1 innings, most in the American League.

The Rangers have the American League's most potent offense by a long shot. Texas averages 5.51 runs per game, which is almost half a run better than 2nd place Boston (0.46), the same difference that separates the Red Sox and the Tampa Bay Rays, who are in 8th overall in the A.L. in RPG. So, yeah, Texas can rake.

Aside from being an obvious matchup of the league's best offense and one of the league's best pitching staffs, this Rangers/Sox series has taken on more notoriety thanks to the feud between Ozzie Guillen and Rangers closer C.J. Wilson. It all stems from last week, when the White Sox dropped 2 of 3 in Arlington, Wilson was closing out a non-save situation on Sunday and apparently "showed up" the White Sox hitters after striking them out. Ozzie apparently started yelling at Wilson from the dugout, and the two have had a little war of words in the media since. At last check, Ozzie called Wilson a cocky, shitty pitcher. If the Rangers lead a game by 3 runs or less in the 9th inning this week, things may be slightly interesting.

THEIR LAST SERIES: Lost 2 of 3 in Minnesota, including a 6-0 decision on Friday night, the first time they've been shut out in 2008.

THEIR INJURIES: Catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia has been playing with a strained groin and also had a pretty bad cold over the All-Star break, but he's available and will probably start Monday. Joaquin Benoit hasn't pitched since July 2nd, but has been working in the bullpen but is still nursing a shoulder injury. Reliever Kason Gabbard is out for the rest of the year after undergoing surgery to have a bone spur removed from his pitching elbow. Finally, Hank Blalock returned to the Rangers lineup for the first time since late April this past weekend. Blalock has been hampered by wrist and hamstring injuries.

OBVIOUS PLAYER(S) TO WATCH: C.J. Wilson, I suppose. Will the taunting continue? Will Wilson throw at White Sox hitters. The suspense is killing me! Aside from that, All-Star second baseman Ian Kinsler leads the American League with a .330 batting average and All-Star outfielder, Home Run Derby megastar (and runner-up), and DARE posterboy Josh Hamilton has 21 home runs, tied for 3rd in the A.L. and 95 RBIs, 22 ahead of 2nd place Justin Morneau.

NON-OBVIOUS PLAYER TO WATCH: Catcher Taylor Teagarden, who was just called up from the minor leagues before the Twins series. With Saltalamacchia hurting, the Rangers have used the opportunity to promote one of their most promising youngsters. Teagarden, a member of the American Olympic team, had a great year at the plate in '07, but had struggled so far at Frisco (AA) and Oklahoma (AAA). Texas already has Gerald Laird and Jarrod Saltalamacchia, whom they aquired about a year ago from Atlanta for Mark Teixeira, so it's uncertain how much time Teagarden will get, but if you get a chance to see him, he's another potential member of the group of you and upcoming stars.

PROBABLE PITCHERS: On Monday, the Sox will send Javier Vazquez to the mound for the first time since the All-Star Break. Hopefully the extended break has helped Javier. Since June 6, Javier has started 7 games, only pitched 42.1 innings, and allowed 33 runs (32 earned) on 53 hits, good for a 6.80 ERA and atrocious .310 BAA. The Rangers will counter with Eric Hurley, a young righty who will be making his 5th career start. He's had mixed results so far, but after allowing 4 runs in 6 innings in his Major League debut June 12 at Kansas City, he has lowered his ERA in every start, to his current 3.57 mark.

Tuesday would have been Jose Contreras's start, but with the Count sidelined for the next 15 days, the Sox will have to turn elsewhere. Though I've seen no official mention of it on the main website, the fact that Clayton Richard has apparently been called up from AAA makes him the most obvious candidate. Richard has pitched well in 2 stops in the White Sox minor league system; Birmingham and Charlotte. He is a combined 12-6 with a 2.44 ERA. If not Richard, then the Sox will probably turn to a tag-team start by Nick Masset and DJ Carrasco. The Rangers will start Luis Mendoza, a 24-year old lefty from Mexico who will be making career start #10. Though he started the season in Texas, he was sent back to the minors after he posted an 0-2 record with a 9.31 ERA in his first three starts. Since coming back in mid-June, Mendoza worked out of the bullpen, but his last three appearances have been starts. Though his overall numbers are not intimidating (2-3, 6.28 ERA), he pitched well in his last start on July 11 against the White Sox when he pitched 6 innings of 1-run ball, allowing only 3 hits and striking out 8.

Finally, in the series finale on Wednesday, Mark Buehrle attempts to get back to .500. After a slow start, Mark has been having a terrific season. In his last 10 starts, Mark is 5-3 with a 2.70 ERA. Texas will send veteran Kevin Millwood, who is 6-6 with an ERA above 5. Though Millwood has a career 2.81 ERA against the Sox, he only has a 1-4 record in 8 career starts to show for it. So far in July, Millwood has pitched 21.2 innings and opponents are hitting .361 against him.