After looking at the Rangers infield going into spring training a couple of weeks ago, I figured I’d finish up the position player previews and look at the extremely talent outfield that Texas sports this year. This group produced 2 All-Stars last year and the front office still went out and added Vladimir Guerrero this off-season to go along with the internal addition of Julio Borbon, a highly touted prospect who is ready to start every day in center.

The emergence of Nelson Cruz as an All-Star and a player that could be counted to hit a ton of homers to go along with great defense was a main reason the Rangers won 87 games in 2009. The 29-year old has a stranglehold on the starting right field position going into spring training this year and there doesn’t appear to be anyone to prevent him from appearing in 150-160 games this season. Cruz dealt with some injuries late last season, but he is at full strength in camp and it looks like he is entering the prime of his career.

The main concern with Cruz is his tendency to swing for the fences when he shouldn’t. Even though Cruz hit 33 home runs, he only ended up with 76 RBI in 2009, a fairly low number for a power hitter. His lineup position contributed to this odd phenomenon (stuck behind the first base spot in the order), but his manager is calling for better run production from Cruz this year. Still, he has great speed for a big man (20 steals last season) and is a great all-around player who may hit 7th for the Rangers this season. That shows you the enormous potential of this 2010 lineup.

Move over to center field and you find the electric Julio Borbon. I don’t think you could find a player I am more excited about on this 2010 Rangers team. The 24-year old speedster appeared in 46 games late last year for Texas and performed quite well for a late-season call up. in 157 at-bats, Borbon had a .312 average and .376 OBP to go along with 19 steals. Borbon will be the lead-off batter for the Rangers in 2010, something he did quite well last year. His speed makes him a constant threat to reach base by bunting and steal when he gets on base. He and Elvis Andrus will make the Rangers one of the fastest teams in the AL. If he can keep his batting average around .300 like he did last year and steal 50-65 bases, the Rangers will have one of the best leadoff hitters in the entire major leagues.

Borbon was a highly ranked defensive prospect coming out of college, but now scouts have doubts about his ability to play centerfield every day. He certainly has more speed that any starting center fielder the Rangers have had since Tom Goodwin, but some question his initial break on the ball and his below average arm strength. He has put some hard work into his defense this off-season and I think he will be the best all-around fielder the Rangers have had in center in a while.

Finally, we move to left where Josh Hamilton will see most of his playing time this season. The big question mark for Hambone is his durability, seeing as how he has only played more than 90 games once in his three years in the league. The move to left is an effort to reduce the wear and tear on his body, but by the time it’s all said and done, Hamilton may have to move to DH to stay completely healthy. Hamilton’s health is a huge key to the Rangers success this year. Even though they finished 12 games over .500 with him only playing half the year last year, a healthy (and productive) Hamilton would have probably put the Rangers in the post-season last year.

It wasn’t just the fact that Hamilton missed 70 games last year that made his season disappointing, it was the fact that he hit .268 with only 10 homers and 79 strikeouts in 336 at-bats. The injuries certainly affected his play, but his approach was also noticeably different than it was in 2008. Hamilton says that he has reverted back to 2008 form and that the big cause of his problems at the plate were mental. We all know he has top-5 talent in the MLB, but he has to be able to focus at the plate and get his 2008 approach back to be successful in 2010.

The big addition to the outfield group this off-season was Vladimir Guerrero, the well-known Rangers killer. Vlad had a “down year” last year, hitting .295 (would have ranked 2nd on the Rangers in 2009), recording a .460 slugging percentage and hitting 15 homers in only 100 games played. Guerrero will step into the cleanup spot in the order, a spot that was occupied mainly by Marlon Byrd and Andruw Jones last year (obvious improvement). The key for Vlad this season is also to stay healthy. Some people say he is on the downside of his career, but he can still swing a good bat and because he wont have to play too much in the field, his body will wear down less easily.

David Murphy looks to have a lockdown on the 4th outfielder job, and because of that fact he could be considered as one of the most productive bench players in the AL West. The Baylor product has enjoyed a steady 2 1/2-year stint with the Rangers as a do-it-all outfielder, so his production seems to be pretty predictable. Some people are worried that there may not be enough room on the team for Murphy to get playing time this season, but with all of the injury concerns in the outfield, I’m sure he’ll get some AB’s while Hamilton, Cruz and Guerrero are nursing nagging injuries. Murphy plays solid defense and will probably hit around .275 this year with a little pop. Nothing too exciting, but a quality bench player that the Rangers need.

If Ron Washington and Jon Daniels decide to go with a six man outfield, there are many options for them to choose from for that sixth spot. My personal choice would be Brandon Boggs, a switch hitter who has seen time in the majors and is a plus defender. He is coming off an injury in 2009 that took away most of his season, but at 27 years old, he should be entering the prime of his career. Another option is Craig Gentry, a 27-year old speedster who appeared in 11 games for the Rangers last season. The good thing about both of these options is that they can both play all of the outfield positions, a good quality for a 5th outfielder.

Another internal option is a recent minor league signee, Endy Chavez. You may remember him from the insane catch he made in the 2007 NLCS for the New York Mets. He would be a good option if the Rangers wanted their 25th man to be on the roster for defensive substitutions, but he will not be a good hitter for the Rangers. The final option for Daniels is to make a trade or a free agency signing.

All in all, the outfield is a solid bunch for the Rangers, they just have to avoid the injury bug or else players like Boggs and Gentry are going to get significant playing time in the field. Those guys are good in their roles, but we want to see Hamilton, Cruz, Borbon and Vlad out there as much as possible this season.