Josh Hamilton News

In the minds of baseball writers everywhere, the Texas Rangers were big losers in the past off-season. Failing to acquire the talent they set out for along with losing Josh Hamilton to the Angels, not many people believed they would compete in 2013.

The dusk of May is usually way too early to begin talking about a team approaching a make-or-break it portion of their schedule.

No matter which term you prefer, there's something to be said about a group of guys that all mesh within the clubhouse.

He felt the need to remind the 25-year-old outfielder during the Rangers' four-game set with the Tigers last week of his potential.

The Rangers are limping right now but pulled off a huge, unexpected win on Wednesday afternoon by beating the A's to avoid a series sweep at home by their closest AL West rivals behind a 30-year-old journeyman making his first big-league start.

NOTE: The original sort order For Prospectus Hit List is based on Ajusted Hit List Factor , not the author's opinion Bad games for Justin Verlander are kind of funny.

ANAHEIM, Calif. - Charlie Furbush's anger after giving up a walk-off home run in the finale of Cleveland's four-game sweep of the Mariners was hard to miss.

When Mike Trout got off to a relatively slow start this year, there was a widespread feeling around the game that it was bound to happen, that he couldn't possibly live up to what he achieved in a 2012 rookie season for the ages.

OCTOBER 27: Nelson Cruz #17 of the Texas Rangers celebrates with Mike Napoli #25 after hitting a solo home run in the seventh inning during Game Six of the MLB World Series against the St.

Second year pitcher Yu Darvish is one of many studs on the Rangers' roster this season.

Baltimore Orioles' Nate McLouth reacts after he was hit in the face with a shaving cream pie as he is being interviewing following a baseball game where he hit a walk off game-winning home run against the New York Yankees during the 10th inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, May 21, 2013, in Baltimore.

Aaron Harang began a long, slow fourth inning walk back to the dugout, likely uncertain whether he'll get another chance to do that again wearing a Mariners uniform.

A lot has happened since your last birthday, indeed, that is the understatement of a lifetime.

David Murphy #7, Nelson Cruz #17and Leonys Martin #2 of the Texas Rangers watch the video board of Cruz's grand slam home run in the fifth inning against the Seattle Mariners.

On Friday, when the Rangers went a season-worst 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position, Cruz stood out as the biggest of the one-night failures.

May 4, 2013; Arlington, TX, USA; Boston Red Sox third baseman Will Middlebrooks bats in the 4th inning of the game against the Texas Rangers at the Rangers Ballpark in Arlington.

Count me in that latter category, I must confess. I thought the real Mitch Moreland was the one we saw for three years and in the first three weeks of this season - a .264-hitting kind of guy, who couldn't hit lefties and infrequently drove in an important run.

Los Angeles Angels Josh Hamilton rounds third base before scoring on a hit by teammate Mark Trumbo against the Texas Rangers in the fifth inning of their MLB American League baseball game in Arlington, Texas April 7, 2013.

And there are times like Friday night's 2-1 loss to Detroit when he gets dragged through the undertow.

The offseason addition of slugger Josh Hamilton to a lineup that already included Mike Trout and Albert Pujols put the Angels on a short list of World Series favorites, according to oddsmakers.