Rangers' Lineup Different, Still Good

When you lose a third of your home runs from the previous season, your lineup is generally going to take on a different look.

That's what is happening to the Texas Rangers in the upcoming season, as they've lost 67 of their 200 total home runs from 2012 with the departures of Josh Hamitlon (Los Angeles Angels) and Mike Napoli (baseball abyss?) this winter.

But fear not, Rangers fans, your team still will be able to score runs in 2013. Don't believe me? Just ask Buster Olney, one of ESPN's few good analysts these days.

Olney is in the middle of his "top 10s" heading into the 2013 season, which is still nearly three months away, but he's already ranked the Rangers' infield as the league's best and now he has some kind words for their entire lineup.

Olney has the Rangers as the fourth-best lineup in the league (subscription required) at this point, coming in behind the Angels (obviously), the Milwaukee Brewers and the St. Louis Cardinals.

Here's what Olney had to say about the Rangers, paraphrased, of course:

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Basically, yes, Hamilton and Napoli are gone, but this is the Rangers, and they still play in Rangers Ballpark, which has had the tendency to foster some pretty impressive offenses in the past. This year should be no different.

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