While Josh Hamilton gets most of the publicity when it comes to the Texas Rangers, that doesn't mean he's the only player on the team having an MVP-caliber season. Let's not forget about the team's second baseman, Ian Kinsler, who is currently hitting .319/.375/.517 with 18 homers and 71 RBI.
Unfortunately for the Rangers and Ian, his numbers probably aren't going to change. Kinsler had to leave the Rangers game on Sunday with a sore left groin, but as it turns out, it's probably a sports hernia (as opposed to a business hernia, or the much more devastating agriculture hernia). A sports hernia that's likely to cost Kinsler his season.
Kinsler, an All-Star second baseman and potential Most Valuable Player candidate, did not rule out returning this season but acknowledged he was "mentally" preparing for season-ending surgery.
"There is a lot of stuff I still wanted to accomplish," Kinsler said. "You prepare to play the whole season, and when it's cut short, well, it's not what you expect to have happen at all. I'm having a great season. I wanted to steal the MVP from [Josh] Hamilton. I guess I'll just have to do it again next year."
Well, Ian, if you're going to steal the MVP from Josh, he'll have to steal it from Carlos Quentin first, but that's besides the point. The Rangers have called up Joaquin Arias to take Kinsler's place on the roster, and Kinsler's DL stint marks the 26th time the Rangers have had to use the disabled list this season.
The franchise record is 29, so even though they're 15.5 games behind the Angels, the Rangers still have something left to play for.
