Since the Rangers failed to land really any of their off-season targets, there are several questions facing the team heading into spring training and the 2013 season.
Today's question: Will Adrian Beltre be able to stay healthy and carry a power-starved lineup?
Adrian Beltre, it could easily be argued, has been the Texas Rangers' most valuable player for the past two seasons since arriving from Boston in a late-winter signing. Sure, there's been Josh Hamilton's big seasons, but Beltre has carried the Rangers both with his play on the field and his leadership on and off of it.
Beltre finished third, behind Miguel Cabrera and Mike Trout (ahead of Hamilton), in the 2012 AL MVP balloting after hitting .321 with 36 homers and 102 RBIs and was once again a gold glove selection at third base — the fourth time in his career he's earned the honor.
But Beltre also battled a nagging abdominal injury that didn't actually put him on the disabled list but was awfully painful to play through. He's getting up there in age as he'll be 34 shortly after the season begins. With the departures of Josh Hamilton, Michael Young and Mike Napoli, that's a lot of offense that the Rangers must replace. They'll need another MVP caliber season from Beltre if they want to compete for another pennant.
