Rangers are Confident by Evan Grant

Every team can be optimistic about its chances on the first day of spring training.

Optimistic teams are usually bad ones. You want a winner? Look for the teams that go about the first day of work in a business-like manner, who don’t need to pepper you with contrived reasons why they can contend, who appear single-minded in conversation and approach.

When the Rangers’ first workout was completed Tuesday, you certainly got the feeling this was a team in the latter category. And that is a definite change.

The annual team meeting wasn’t full of rah-rah revelry. There wasn’t a bunch of clowning around on the field. The first day of spring was simply another day at the office. With more than 200 such days from the start of camp until the end of the regular season, the teams that get into the routine quickly and can repeat it most often are the ones that usually get to have more days at the office. They are called playoffs.

The dawning of the 2006 season started matter-of-factly with team owner Tom Hicks announcing that he expects this team to win the AL West.

Nobody raised an eye. The front office, the field management and the players are all on the same page.

It’s not about development or growth right now. This team is beyond that. The Rangers believe they are capable of winning and that they’ve been handed enough tools to do the job.

It’s always a good feeling to share in February. It’s one thing to share that feeling. It’s something else to believe it.

The difference between this Rangers team and those of the recent past is this one seems to truly believe it.

Evan Grant

Mavericks #1 in the West

We love to make predictions around here. Well, one of us does because we have a decent track record of getting some right.

D-Moore is better when dealing from a position of 20-20 hindsight.

Anyway, as we head into the final two months of the regular season with the Mavericks up by a game over San Antonio; let me be the first to say that the Mavericks are going to beat the Spurs for the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference.

It’s going to be a close race. Of that there is no doubt. And the Mavericks must make two trips to San Antonio, which won’t make it any easier for them.

But the bottom line is that they are a fantastic road team and they spend almost all of March away from home. My guess is that they are going to be neck-and-neck with the Spurs when they head into April, when they have to make a trip to San Antonio, but also have some pretty soft opponents on the schedule.

And make no mistake about it. Getting the top seed is absolutely crucial to the Mavericks’ success. They can win once in San Antonio in a series – which I believe they will have to do with or without the home court – but winning twice down there is a tough chore. With the home-court advantage, it would make their life so much easier.

Eddie Sefko

I agree… the Mavs will beat out the Spurs for the number one spot… and that will be more than enough to fire up the NBA to redo the playoff format… the Spurs are a favorite in the NBA, whereas the Mavs are looked at as a wannabe team… and will always be remembered as the team who won 13 and 14 games in a season. I will also say this: The Mavs will beat out the Spurs by more than one game. It will be more like 3 to 4 games… they simply play better team ball than the spurs. And that will be why the take this thing to the Finals. Johnny Out.

The Best Wannabe

From SI.com

The Dallas Mavericks (the top wannabe)

Of all the wannabes, they're the only ones who have to find a way to keep the status quo. They have to keep believing that their salvation is their 10-deep roster. They have to keep believing that DeSagana Diop, a free agent making $2 million this season, is a better center than Erick Dampier, who was given a contract worth $73 million through 2011. They have to keep Dirk Nowitzki as their focus, but figure out when Jerry Stackhouse, Jason Terry and Devin Harris can win games. They have to keep sending Marquis Daniels and Josh Howard out there in their matching headbands so no one can tell them apart or figure out how they're mucking everything up.

They have to find a way to win the Southwest Division and get home-court throughout the Western playoffs because, right now, they appear to be heading for a showdown with the Spurs in the second round, not in the conference finals.

Finally, they have to find a way to encourage Mark Cuban to keep writing his fascinatingly insulting blogs, but not to direct one to, say, Spurs star Tim Duncan or Spurs coach Gregg Popovich. Best not to make them mad, Mark, let them think you're still a bunch of wimps who will fold in the stretch.

I must admit, this guy is head on… I mean, the Mavs haven’t proven as much as they would think they have… and the thing is, AJ knows it. And if there is a coach out there who can prove things when they need to be proven, I have confidence AJ is the guy. He makes this team play like a team, unselfish in their play… and they win games when the do that. I don’t know if the Mavs will make it 13 tonight, I think they will, they are a more sound team than Miami, who are 13-13 away from home, and Dallas is 19-4 at home… Mavs average 99.8 per game and give away 93.2 – while Miami averages 100.3 per game and gives away 96. The edge is Dallas is winning by 6.6 on average while Miami wins only by 4.3… so what’s the big deal? Well, Dallas is a put away team, at least more so than Miami. They did play earlier this season (November 25th), which Dallas won in Miami, who played without Shaq, 103-90. But the really interesting thing I find about it all is that Miami played much better defense in this game… in some aspects. Miami had 6 blocks to Dallas’ 2, 9 steals over 7, and 2 fewer turnovers. Miami also had 4 more offensive boards than Dallas. In reality, we are going to be seeing 2 different teams than those who played in November. Miami has their inside threat of Shaq, and Dallas has a new defensive method that will prove to be the reason why they will win.

Bush League Update

In the Bush League:

I feel like the Texas Rangers… just a pitcher away. My Euless Mudcats are performing rather greatly right now… 8-5 in games that count, 0-1 in exhibitions. I am willing to start going crazy in exhibition play once I land a starter quality pitcher on top of what I already have. My defense is remarkable, to say the least. I rank third in pitching with only giving up 24 runs in 13 games. I average almost twice as many runs scored as given up… and pitching and hitting are what I am looking at right now. (Yes, I said pitching…) I have six pitchers, and I want to add just one more, for exhibition purposes. Technically, I already have four reasonable pitchers, but I would like to add another ace in the pocket for match-up purposes. One of my outfielders is a great pitcher, as well… but, it kind of boils down to the Babe Ruth theory: do I put him in as a pitcher, or do I play him in the outfield? Today, he is in the outfield with my Bonds on AWOL. Tomorrow? Well, we shall see…