TEXAS vs. NEW YORK

SCHEDULE

* Tonight--Texas (John Burkett 5-2) at New York (David Cone 7-2), 5 p.m., Channel 4.

* Wednesday--Texas (Ken Hill 16-10) at New York (Andy Pettitte 21-8), 5 p.m., Channel 11.

* Friday--New York (Jimmy Key 12-11) at Texas (Darren Oliver 14-6), 5 p.m., Channel 4.

* Saturday--(If necessary) New York (Kenny Rogers 12-8 or Cone) at Texas (Bobby Witt 16-12), 10 a.m., ESPN.

* Sunday--(If necessary) New York (TBA) at Texas (Burkett), 1 p.m., ESPN.

RECORDS

Texas 90-72, New York 92-70.

HEAD TO HEAD

Texas won season series, 7-5

RANGERS AT A GLANCE

STARTING LINEUP

Pos: CF

Player: Darryl Hamilton

Avg: 293

*

Pos: C

Player: Ivan Rodriguez

Avg: .300

*

Pos: LF

Player: Rusty Greer

Avg: .332

*

Pos: RF

Player: Juan Gonzalez

Avg: .314

*

Pos: 1B

Player: Will Clark

Avg: .284

*

Pos: 3B

Player: Dean Palmer

Avg: .280

*

Pos: DH

Player: Mickey Tettleton

Avg: .246

*

Pos: 2B

Player: Mark McLemore

Avg: .290

*

Pos: SS

Player: Kevin Elster

Avg: .252

* Analysis: They lead the league in hitting and are powerful from the right side with Gonzalez, Palmer and Rodriguez. The Rangers also have the major leagues’ best defense, at one point going 15 consecutive games in August without an error. McLemore and Hamilton provide above-average speed. The starting rotation drops off considerably after Hill and Burkett, but the Yankees are vulnerable to good left-handed pitching, so Oliver has a chance to be successful Saturday. The bullpen is shaky, having blown nine leads after eight innings, most in the league.

* Key reserves: Ranger pinch-hitters had two RBIs, but Warren Newson (.255, 10 homers) does have power from the left side, and Damon Buford (.283) is a good pinch-runner and outfielder.

* Team batting--.284, with 221 home runs, 323 doubles, 890 RBIs.

* Team pitching--4.65 ERA, 19 complete games, 976 strikeouts.

YANKEES AT A GLANCE

STARTING LINEUP

Pos: LF

Player: Tim Raines

Avg: .284

*

Pos: 3B

Player: Wade Boggs

Avg: .311

*

Pos: RF

Player: Paul O’Neill

Avg: .302

*

Pos: DH

Player: Darryl Strawberry

Avg: .262

*

Pos: 1B

Player: Tino Martinez

Avg: .292

*

Pos: CF

Player: Bernie Williams

Avg: .305

*

Pos: SS

Player: Derek Jeter

Avg: .314

*

Pos: C

Player: Joe Girardi

Avg: .294

*

Pos: 2B

Player: Mariano Duncan

Avg: .340

* Analysis: The Bronx bombers, these Yankees aren’t. Only the Minnesota Twins and Kansas City Royals hit fewer home runs than New York this season, but the Yankees have blended the running game with timely hitting, and with one of baseball’s best bullpens, they are almost unbeatable if they lead after the seventh inning. O’Neill is one of the game’s best all-round hitters, and Martinez (25 homers, 117 RBIs) has had a tremendous season replacing Don Mattingly.

* Key reserves: Cecil Fielder (.252, 39 homers, 117 RBIs) probably won’t start tonight--Strawberry has five hits in eight at-bats against Burkett--but will play plenty this series. Catcher Jim Leyritz (.264, 40 RBIs) usually splits time with Girardi.

* Team batting: .288, 162 homers, 830 RBIs.

* Team pitching: 4.65 ERA, 1,139 strikeouts, league-low 143 homers allowed.

KEY TO THE SERIES

Home-field advantage could be a factor. The Yankees went 4-2 against the Rangers at Yankee Stadium and the Rangers went 5-1 against the Yankees at the Ballpark in Arlington. If the Rangers can split the two games in New York, they will have a huge edge going home for the rest of the series. Texas has a potent offense, but the Rangers were ninth in the league in scoring after the All-Star break, so they’ll need to crank the bats up against the Yankees. Starting pitching is key for both teams, but more so for the Yankees, because Cone has not regained his sharpness since returning in early September after having an aneurysm removed from his pitching arm, and Key and Rogers have been inconsistent this year.