In the last nine games against elite American League teams (Detroit, Boston, New York), the Rangers are 7-2. Texas played six of those games on the road.
The Rangers now sit at 15-4 (tied for best start to a season in franchise history), far and away the best record in the AL. No other team has more than 11 victories right now.
This team is very, very good.
Never before in my time of being a Rangers fan has it felt like we were favored to win the AL so early in the season.
If this group stays healthy, it has a chance to catch last season's 96-win team that won more games than any other Rangers squad.
What a season it's already been.
Consider the following statistics:
The Rangers lead the majors in batting average (.292), runs scored (100), hits (186 in 19 games, or 9.8 per game), home runs (28), RBIs (97) and slugging percentage (.483).
On the pitching side, Texas is second in the league in fewest walks allowed (41), fifth in ERA (2.76) and second in home runs allowed (11).
Texas has also committed only seven errors in 19 games, fourth best in MLB. The team is a joy to watch defensively, as evidenced by this gem of a play by Elvis Andrus from shortstop on Monday night against the Yankees:
Filthy. That's why he's my favorite player.
Five Rangers regulars are hitting over .300. Josh Hamilton leads the way with a cool .390.
Perhaps most enjoyable is that Texas already has a 5.5-game cushion on second-place Oakland, and an 8.5-game cushion on last-place Anaheim. Of course, the standings will not stay this way for the duration of the season.
But wow. What a start to the year. If the squad hasn't hit its ceiling yet, it ought to be a memorable 2012 baseball season.
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