The Texas Rangers come into today with a 2.5 game lead on the 2nd place Los Angeles Angels, which makes the AL West race just about the only real race left in the MLB. So as we close in on the end of the regular season let’s take a look at the remaining schedule for the Rangers.
Texas will get an off day today, and then bring in Oakland for a three game series over the weekend, which will then be followed by a three game series with the struggling Indians in Arlington. Cleveland will be the final non AL West team that the Rangers face, as they will head on a six game road trip after that to face Seattle and Oakland. Seattle will then fly back to Texas, and then the Rangers will finish the season off with a very important series against the Angels.
So what does this tell you Ranger fans? The Rangers have a particularly easy r
oad ahead as they wind down the 2011 season. The next 15 games on the schedule are against teams that are a combined 37 games under .500. This has to be comforting for Rangers fans, especially since they will probably get 4 more starts out of their ace, CJ Wilson, who has been nothing short of spectacular over his past two outings. And even though they are missing Nelson Cruz’s “boomstick” they still have by far the most potent lineup in the division. By acquiring Mike Adams and Koji Uehara the Rangers also do not have to ask their starters to go more than 6 innings, which could save them some rest for the playoffs.
Although the Angels do not have an incredibly tough schedule awaiting them either, they do have one much tougher than what the Rangers have. They host the New York Yankees this weekend in a 3 game series, and must also play 4 more games in Toronto where it is always tough to win.
So there it is Texas. 
Another AL West division championship banner is right there in front of them just waiting for them to grab it. As long as they can stay away from the injury bug, and just continue to focus down the stretch they will add another banner to their collection.