• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers
• Game Tracker

Rangers kick off season at home against Red Sox

Apr 1, 2011 - 3:12 PM (Sports Network) - The Texas Rangers will unveil their American League championship banner this afternoon when they kick off the 2011 campaign against the Boston Red Sox at Rangers Ball Park in Arlington.

A franchise that had continually failed to find the correct formula for success finally got it right in 2010, with the Rangers concocting an outstanding blend of power, pitching and chemistry that took the AL by storm. The addition of a few veteran stars to a talented young nucleus that came of age led to a 90-win breakthrough and the team's first division title since 1999, and Texas followed up by dispatching both AL East front-runner Tampa Bay and the defending world champion New York Yankees in the playoffs to reach the World Series for the first time in 50 seasons of existence.

Texas' unexpected rise was triggered by two prominent acquisitions that occurred six months apart. The club signed former AL MVP Vladimir Guerrero to a free-agent contract prior to spring training, providing a dangerous presence to the heart of the batting order, then later made the most significant move at the trade deadline by landing All-Star pitcher Cliff Lee in mid-July. The standout left-hander was instrumental to the Rangers' unprecedented October run, winning three times during the AL Playoffs and giving the rotation the dominant ace it had been seeking for ages.

Both players have since moved on, however, with the Rangers declining the option year on Guerrero's deal and Lee -- the premier free-agent hurler on the offseason market -- spurning a reportedly more lucrative offer from Texas in favor of the comfort of one of his past stops in Philadelphia.

Lee's departure creates a gaping hole on a staff that's now anchored by two of the Rangers' 2010 surprises, converted closer C.J. Wilson and journeyman Colby Lewis. The team attempted to offset the loss by bringing in one-time NL Cy Young Award recipient Brandon Webb, but the brittle right-hander is hard to count on after missing virtually all of the past two seasons with shoulder problems.

The Rangers did take suitable steps to fill Guerrero's void, signing third baseman Adrian Beltre to a hefty six-year contract in January. The ex-Red Sox slugger brings another powerful bat to an already-fearsome offense that also boasts the reigning AL MVP in outfielder Josh Hamilton, as well as such other established hitters as steady vet Michael Young, second baseman Ian Kinsler and right fielder Nelson Cruz.

Wilson gets the call today, as he begins his second full season as a starter. The left-hander was 15-8 last with a 3.35 ERA and 170 strikeouts. Also, 20 of Wilson's 33 regular-season starts were of the quality variety and he surrendered a mere 10 homers in 204 innings of work.

In three starts against the Red Sox last season Wilson was 3-0 with an 0.86 ERA.

Despite winning 89 games last season Boston missed the postseason for the first time in four years, finishing seven games behind AL East-winner Tampa Bay, and six games back of the arch-rival New York Yankees.

So it should come as no surprise that general manager Theo Epstein pushed all of his chips to the middle of the table this past winter and helped Boston become the AL's clear-cut offseason winner.

Epstein traded for San Diego Padres' slugger Adrian Gonzalez at the start of the Winter Meetings, then closed the festivities by signing free agent outfielder Carl Crawford to a $142-million dollar deal that will keep him in a Red Sox uniform through 2017.

While Crawford and Gonzalez figure to give the offense a nice boost, Epstein bolstered the bullpen with the offseason signings of former White Sox closer Bobby Jenks and Dan Wheeler, a reliable reliever with the Rays for the last three seasons.

As good as the offense could be, the Red Sox starting staff has a chance to be even better following down years from John Lackey and an injured Josh Beckett. Left-hander Jon Lester emerged as the clear-cut ace on the team last season, while young Clay Buchholz appears headed on the same path.

Lester, who will make his first Opening Day start today, earned his first All- Star nod in 2010 and finished the year fourth in the majors in both wins (19) and strikeouts (225).

The only AL pitcher with 15 wins the last three years, Lester owns a career mark of 3-1 against the Rangers with a 2.94 ERA in seven starts.

Texas was 6-4 against the Red Sox last season.