Finals: Grading the 2009 Texas Rangers Infield

The Rangers infield was a big part of the improved pitching results. It could be argued the Rangers improved defensively at every infield position in 2009. 1B Chris Davis was a vast improvement over Ben Broussard and Co., which manned the position in the first half of 2008. 2B Ian Kinsler had, by far, his best defensive season. SS Elvis Andrus showed more range at the position than Michael Young, Alex Rodriguez or Royce Clayton, who held down the spot for the last decade. And Young, in his first season at third, was solid and steady. On offense, though, things were uneven. Davis had to be sent out at mid-season. His temporary fill-in, Hank Blalock, continued to ruin his legacy as a Ranger. After a terrific April, Kinsler struggled to find his swing. On the left side of the field, Andrus was surprisingly good at the plate for a 20-year-old rookie and Young was on the verge of perhaps the most potent offensive season of his career before a hamstring injury. The pluses on defense c...