Heat Is On in the AL West

Last year, Seattle had its breakthrough season, winning its first American League West title.

Will it be the Texas Rangers’ turn in 1996?

After beating the Angels on Monday night, the Rangers have the largest lead (six games) of any division leader. Only Atlanta (51) has won more games than Texas’ and Cleveland’s 49.

The Rangers have shared or been alone in first place for 91 of the season’s 95 days, the last 73 days in succession.

The secret? According to the Rangers, better living through chemistry. This is one of the closest Texas teams many of the players can remember.

“We have been unified as a team,” infielder Dean Palmer said. “People realize what they’re here for: winning. People are not playing for stats. They care about the winning first.”

“We don’t have many high-profile people, except for Will Clark, Ivan Rodriguez and Juan Gonzalez,” catcher Mickey Tettleton said. “But everyone has blended in and done what they’ve been asked.

“Everybody on this team knows what their job is. That’s Johnny’s [Oates] way; there are no secrets.”

Oates, the Ranger manager, is given universal praise from his players for having set the “team” tone that permeates the Rangers. But Oates--who managed in Baltimore four years before getting the Ranger job last season--refuses to take any bows.

“The credit goes to guys like Clark, Rodriguez, Gonzalez and Tettleton,” Oates said. “They make the difference in the clubhouse. A manager can preach all he wants and not get the feeling in the clubhouse there is now.”

An educated observer--former major league manager and current Angel television broadcaster Sparky Anderson--agrees with Oates. And disagrees.

“I’ve always said that if you have a good team, the players will run it,” Anderson said. “Your influence on them is how you do your job. But it also comes down to players controlling other players.

“At the same time, John is one of those guys who has the gift of seeing what the differences are, and getting everything working. He, like Felipe Alou, Phil Garner, Marcel Lachemann and other current managers have a better understanding of today’s players than some of the older guys. Their views are not set in concrete; they’re willing to change.”

Two key newcomers have noticed and embraced the good vibrations.

Reliever Mike Henneman, who came over from Detroit as a free agent and has 21 saves, said he wanted to sign because of the chance to be close to his Colleyville, Texas, home. But Anderson told him Oates would provide the kind of environment in which Henneman could thrive.

“After talking to Sparky, I knew this team had a chance if they could stay healthy, play together and get along,” Henneman said. “It’s a great group; guys will go out to dinner together, have a beer together. It reminds me of my first couple of years in Detroit.”

Outfielder Darryl Hamilton, who was bothered by a bad foot last year in Milwaukee, found himself considered damaged goods when he tested the free agent market. He entered Monday’s game batting .313, with 99 hits.

“This was the one team that would take a chance on me,” Hamilton said.

How well the Rangers have accepted Oates’ philosophy is reflected in their performance.

There are few Rangers among the league leaders in individual statistics. Going into Monday, Rodriguez was tied for second in doubles, Tettleton was tied for sixth in walks, Hamilton tied for sixth in hits. But as a team, the Rangers led the American League in hitting and were third in pitching and second in fielding.

No wonder Gonzalez, who hit his 18th homer run on Monday night, says, “I have more confidence in this team than any other I’ve played on here.”

Still there are doubters. They have seen good starts by the Rangers, and they have also seen bad finishes.

Texas has struggled in July and August, when the heat and humidity envelope the team like a wet wool blanket and effectively drains the life out of every previous pennant charge.

Since fleeing Washington as the Senators in 1971, the Rangers are 286-372 in July and 308-368 in August.

Then there is the recent trend of losing to AL West opponents. Since 1992 the Rangers are 104-125 in their own division, 46-69 on the road. And they are in the midst of a 21-game Western stretch.

Most Rangers scoff at the notion of summer meltdown. “It’s . . . an excuse,” Henneman said.

Others say the heat is only a factor if you don’t take care of yourself.

Since 1993, the Rangers are 42-43 in July and 30-24 in August, suggesting they may, at last, like it hot.

“We usually get acclimated,” right-hander Bobby Witt said. “Johnny has shortened batting practices, and you don’t see guys hanging outside during the day.”

Oates contends that perceptions of second-half fadeouts won’t end until the Rangers win a title.

“We certainly haven’t clinched anything now, and there are three division teams that would love to catch us,” Oates said. “The players know the only way to stop such talk is to win.”