Personal Dork Assistant

Peter Gammons is an optimist

Yes, Buck Showalter should "make a huge difference," and it's a given that they'll hit, but are the Rangers really a Team a lot better than what we think? After a 5.26 ERA out of their starters, they lose their best starter, and sign John Thomson to give them two starters (along with Chan Ho Park) with all of nine wins. Their overall ERA was 5.16, so at least their relievers were a little better than the starters, not that it means much.

Now adding Ugueth Urbina, Esteban Yan, Rudy Seanez and Aaron Fultz to Todd Van Poppell, Francisco Cordero and Jay Powell should hold leads that so often melted in 2002.