1. Texas Rangers
There were moments during the postseason when it seemed as if nobody could
get a ball through the left side of the Texas infield between Adrian
Beltre and Elvis Andrus. There is a perception within the organization
that the defensive dominance of the guys on the left side of the infield
helped second baseman Ian Kinsler improve as well.
"I think when you play with guys like that, it's going to naturally raise
your level of concentration," said one Texas evaluator.
There is no perfect defensive stat, no rock-solid way to evaluate the best
and worst infielders. But the Rangers fare well in one advanced measure:
Among second basemen, Kinsler ranked third in UZR 150. Beltre ranked
second among third baseman. Elvis Andrus ranks in the Top 10 too.
Beltre and Kinsler are elite offensive players at their respective
positions, and Texas hopes that Andrus