Rangers are offensive, but that's good

Never heard of such a thing. Two pitchers on the same team, with a combined yearly salary of $21 million, take "personal days" in the same week, and both missed starts that left the rotation and the bullpen in total shambles.

Only in Arlington. And only with the power of a strong players' union is such a thing allowed to happen, but, as long as it's a valid family issue involved, you won't hear disgust from the clubhouse or upstairs.

A few raised eyebrows, for sure, but no public yelping.

This latest round of pitching adversity hasn't yet taken down the Texas Rangers as they continue to hover around .500 after the resurgence of May. In time, mound woes will bury you, of course, but there's another factor also allowing this team to buy additional time.

Just like the old days, the bats are back.

Yes, we've seen it all before around here. Big-bopping clubs that entertain but don't have enough pitching to be taken seriously. That has become the franchise trademark.

It's been awhile, however, since the Rangers had even plate clout mainly because of a continuing power outage at the outfield positions and DH. But in an American League where home run and run production shockingly have shrunk this season, here come the Rangers again.

They lead the league in home runs and runs. Entering Thursday, they were second in the majors in runs, third in home runs.

Count me among the wrong. But I don't think Ron Washington was expecting this, nor even hitting guru Rudy Jaramillo.

I apologized to Washington this week for pestering him in spring training as being the manager of "a team that hates the home run."

Washington became a bit testy over that comment, but, hey, he was the one preaching a "deep-count" philosophy and urging a "small ball" approach to things.

With his smile, I guess that meant Washington accepted my apology, and he reminded that his answer in spring training was, "I will manage the team based on the type of lineup I have."

At the time, that lineup did appear to be small-ballish.

"But we're getting the best of both worlds," added Washington now. "Doing all the little things well, and also knocking it out of the yard."

He's right, too. But the manager admitted, "I didn't know what to expect," when it came to power numbers.

It's rather amusing that the low-key Jaramillo, the game's best hitting instructor, suddenly isn't being back stabbed anymore. Whispers of Rudy being "overrated" were overheard last season. When this comes from media types, you know they are hearing it, not from the clubhouse, but from upstairs.

Much of this foolishness involved disappointing flops at the plate, such as Jason Botts and Nelson Cruz, two guys who were finally put on waivers this season by the Rangers, and guess what? Nobody in ball would take them.

But as Michael Young, the No. 1 Jaramillo disciple, has always said, "If you give Rudy a little talent and a lot of desire, he can make it work." Young, himself, is the best example of just that.

But so is Ian Kinsler, and now, newcomers Josh Hamilton, Milton Bradley and, in particular, David Murphy.

"I look around both leagues," said Kinsler, "and I think right now we have the best top five in the order of any team. We just all feed off each other."

That top five is Kinsler, Young, Hamilton, Bradley and the rookie, Murphy, a Red Sox reject.

Hamilton has unworldly talent, but nobody expected all this.

Bradley is the veteran who four years ago had 19 home runs and 67 RBI for the Dodgers, easily the high marks for his career. At the moment, he's on pace for 30-plus, 100-plus. ("Milton is a late bloomer," said Kinsler. "He's our new Gary Matthews Jr.")

Then there's Murphy. How do you explain a guy whose major league power numbers, plus his batting average, are better than anything he ever did in the minors? Asked for an answer, Murphy said, "Some of Rudy, for sure, some of me knowing this was may be my last shot, and...

"Well, I guess that is kind of hard to explain."

No kidding.

Speaking of strange, Jaramillo says while "everybody loves the three-run homer, including me," that's not been his objective.

"This is the doubles era," he said. "The era of the home run is over. (There's a statement, of course, in that statement about the new state of the game.) My approach with these guys is to drive the ball into the alleys, not over the fence."

Same old story. When home runs aren't the objective, you usually hit more.

"What we concentrate on is the mental approach at the back end of an at-bat," added Rudy. "Be in control mentally to calm yourself down in a two-strike, runners-on situation. Stay calm, stay patient.

"You can talk all you want about it, but it's these guys who have to buy into it, and then make it work. I can't say enough good things about how all our hitters have made it a focus, and then executed the plan."

Out of almost nowhere, the Rangers are rockin' again. Pitching remains a grab-bag, grab-butt, "personal days" process, but it's good to at least finally have the big bats back in town.

Randy Galloway can be heard 3-6 p.m. weekdays on Galloway & Co. on ESPN/103.3 FM.