BUILT TO LAST

The Texas Rangers are well aware of their history of wilting in the summer heat, and that there are numbers -- in the last 10 years, they have a .467 winning percentage from Aug. 1 on -- to support that perception.

But it’s not necessarily the rising temperatures and humidity in Arlington, Texas, that tend to zap the Rangers this time of year. It’s the rising earned-run averages and opponents’ batting averages.

“We didn’t wilt from the heat; we wilted from a lack of depth,” said Texas second baseman Ian Kinsler, who went on the disabled list because of a groin injury Thursday. “We weren’t as good. That’s why you play 162 games, because you have to play that many to see who the best team is.

“The Braves didn’t wilt in the heat when they had Tom Glavine, John Smoltz and Greg Maddux. The Marlins didn’t wilt when they won the World Series [in 1997 and 2003]. I think it’s a little blown out of proportion when that’s talked about the Rangers.”

Texas, which leads Oakland by 81/2 games and the Angels by nine in the American League West before opening a three-game series in Angel Stadium on Friday night, appears to have a team that can shatter that myth this summer.

Josh Hamilton (.362, 23 home runs, 74 runs batted in) is having a most valuable player-worthy season, and Vladimir Guerrero (.307, 20 homers, 80 RBIs) and Michael Young (.307, 15 homers, 59 RBIs) have helped fuel an offense than ranks third in the league in runs, fourth in on-base percentage and fifth in slugging percentage.

That’s the norm for Texas, which has had some of baseball’s most potent lineups over the past decade but hasn’t reached the playoffs since 1999.

What’s different this year is that Texas is more than just the Power Rangers.

With Elvis Andrus at shortstop, Young at third, Kinsler at second and veteran Bengie Molina behind the plate, Texas has one of baseball’s best infield defenses, and Hamilton, Nelson Cruz and Julio Borbon give the Rangers an agile and athletic outfield.

After Texas turned several defensive gems while winning three of four games from the Angels last weekend in Arlington, Angels center fielder Torii Hunter said this was the best Texas defense he has seen in his 12 years in the big leagues.

And defense, as the baseball cliche goes, rarely goes into a slump.

The trade that brought ace left-hander Cliff Lee from Seattle on July 9 boosted a solid, if not spectacular, Texas rotation, but the real strength of the Rangers’ pitching staff is the bullpen, which is stocked with power arms and veteran savvy.

Texas entered Thursday with a 3.27 bullpen ERA, the second-best in the league behind Minnesota.

If the Rangers lead after six innings, they can turn to right-hander Alexi Ogando, who throws 98 mph, in the seventh, setup man Frank Francisco, who throws 96 mph, in the eighth, and closer Neftali Feliz, whose fastball has hit 100, in the ninth.

Feliz has a 3.65 ERA and is tied for the AL lead with 28 saves. Francisco is 6-4 with a 3.94 ERA in 48 games, and Ogando is 3-1 with a 1.31 ERA in 18 games.

For a little variety, Texas can summon veteran left-hander Darren Oliver (2.09 ERA in 43 games) and submarine-throwing right-hander Darren O’Day (1.30 ERA in 47 games).

Right-hander Dustin Nippert, who throws 96 mph, is on the disabled list, and there is more heat on the way.

Former Dana Hills High standout Tanner Scheppers, a 23-year-old right-hander at triple-A Oklahoma City, has hit 100 mph with his fastball.

“Everybody throws hard -- it’s crazy,” said O’Day, the former Angel. “We have a lot of good arms, and there’s more on the way. In spring training, we had probably 15 guys who could have been in a big league bullpen.”

That bullpen depth and the team’s overall defense and offense should support any rotation shortcomings in August and September.

“Last year’s team was the best we’ve had since I’ve been here, and it still wasn’t good enough,” said C.J. Wilson, the former Fountain Valley High standout who is 10-5 with a 3.10 ERA in 21 starts. “But we upgraded at DH with Vlad, and Hamilton is healthy.

“Elvis is better defensively, and everyone else has taken one step toward being a more complete player. Kinsler [.298] is hitting for a higher average, and Michael Young is like a metronome -- he hits .300 and has 200 hits every year. The teams we had before were never as good as the team we have now.”

mike.digiovanna@latimes.com

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More relief

Comparing the Rangers’ bullpen to the Angels’ (overall American League rank in parentheses):

*--* Category Angels (R) Rangers (R) ERA 4.64 (13) 3.27 (3) Saves 24 (8) 33 (1) Save % 70.6% (6) 73.3% (5) Wins 10 (12) 21 (1) Opp. avg. 264 (11) 236 (2) *--*