Texas Rangers can feel really excited if they are in the same position in four months.
For now, his streak of seven consecutive wins and their vast advantage in the West Division of the American League after sweeping their rival, the Angels of Los Angeles, provides a different feeling.
"It gives us momentum and confidence, but we're still in May. We want to be well in the end, "said manager Ron Washington. "I do not see it as being in first place. Just trying to play our best baseball. "
Ten years after the last time you went to the playoff, the Rangers (23-14) can not play better than it did last week, when they were unbeaten at home with divisional rivals swept to Seattle and Los Angeles. They have been very good over a long stretch this season.
Texas, which rested yesterday, has won 17 of 22 games and nine are above the .500 mark for the first time since June 2005.
The Angels swept on, topped off with a 3-0 victory on Sunday, gave Texas an advantage of 4 ½ games in the West. "This series tells me that our team is serious," said outfielder Marlon Byrd.
Michael Young, the player more time on the payroll of Texas, made his debut with the Rangers in the final week of the 2000 season-one years after the team won the last of its three divisional titles.
Since then, the Rangers have had only one winning campaign (2004). Rangers finished above third place in the division only once last year when a record was second with 79-83 and finished 21 games below LA.
So what Young thinks about having an advantage over the early favorite to win the division for the fifth time in six years, and all others.
"Not too much," said Young. "I'm more focused on the fact that we are playing good baseball, rather than to focus on the Leaderboard. Most importantly, we recognize that we are a confident group playing good baseball. If we do, we will go well. "
Major League lead with 62 home runs and scoring an average of 5.65 runs per game, the Rangers are still punishing the ball as always.
