Rangers, Cubs, HGH highlight the week

Seven items this week. As Harlan Williams told Ben Stiller in "There's Something About Mary," "Seven's the key number here. Think about it."

1 The Texas Rangers, the defending American League champions, look like a very formidable playoff entry. They perform well on both sides of the ball and carry the confidence from their accomplishments last year.

You know the only obvious category in which they rank last, when you compare them to their most likely AL playoff foes the Yankees, Detroit and Boston? They lack that one dominant starting pitcher who can, in theory, duplicate what Cliff Lee did for the Rangers in last year's AL Division Series against Tampa Bay: dominate for two games, meaning that Texas needed to win just one of the other three contests.

The Yankees have CC Sabathia, Detroit has Justin Verlander and Boston has Josh Beckett.

I asked Rangers president Nolan Ryan about this at the owners' meetings Thursday in Cooperstown, N.Y.

"I think that we have an awful good balance in our starting pitching," Ryan said. "I think that with some of our lefthanders, they're very capable of dominating."

He referred primarily to C.J. Wilson, the likely Game 1 starter, and Matt Harrison. With Colby Lewis and Alexi Ogando joining those two, the Rangers might have the deepest playoff rotation of the four AL clubs. Perhaps that will be the best approach of all.

2 Cubs owner Tom Ricketts made the right move in firing his general manager, Jim Hendry, who too often seemed to make moves that provided excitement in the moment but were questionable in the bigger picture. Stuff such as signing Alfonso Soriano to an eight-year, $136-million contract, or extending Carlos Zambrano to a five-year, $91.5-million deal, or giving Mike Quade the full-time managing gig based on a good 37 games last year.

Running the Cubs is emotional by nature; they're trying to deliver a championship to their fans, about 99.99 percent of whom weren't alive the last time the Cubs won it all, in 1908.

The best chance to end that hex, however, is to deploy a baseball operations department that prioritizes facts and analysis over emotion. Former Arizona general manager (and current San Diego official) Josh Byrnes, a finalist for the Mets' GM job last year, would be an excellent fit.

3 Mike Jacobs' positive test for human growth hormone is a boon for Major League Baseball and also for Newsday friend Gary Wadler, who works with the World Anti-Doping Agency and at the Hofstra North Shore-LIJ School of Medicine.

"I feel vindicated," said Wadler, as well he should. Many, including this space, doubted whether the test actually worked.

Nevertheless, we still have to ask ourselves, is it really so important to weed out HGH users that we want to prick our athletes with needles? Not for me, it isn't. This'll still be a tough sell to the Major League Baseball Players Association in the negotiations for the new collective-bargaining agreement. 

4 Speaking of collective bargaining, Bud Selig said Thursday: "I believe in slotting. I believe, in the draft, spending is a concern to me."

Selig wasn't pleased at all that clubs spent a record $236 million (by Baseball America's count) on amateur prospects. The commish should give it up. The better job clubs do at this level, the less likely it is they'll spend stupid money on major-league free agents.

But no, this remains a source of contention in the CBA negotiations.

5 The most likely realignment scenario for next year is for the Astros to move from the National League Central to the American League West, and that's it.

6 It was great witnessing Jim Thome's 600th career home run in person Monday night at Comerica Park, and also great attending his news conference afterward. He thanked Charlie Manuel, his minor-league manager, hitting coach and major-league manager in the Cleveland organization and then with the Phillies.

"Charlie's been my guy. He's been my guy a long time," Thome said. " . . . He really believed in the fact that I could be a good player. He really taught us how to practice, how to try to hit home runs. He's like a dad. He's very, very special."

7 Hank's Yanks, the youth team sponsored by Hank Steinbrenner, defeated the "NYC All-Stars" on Thursday at Yankee Stadium to win the second annual "Boss' Cup."

Julia and Jacqueline Steinbrenner, Hank's daughters, represented the royal family; Dwight Gooden served as the pitching coach for Hank's Yanks; and longtime Yankees scout Cesar Presbott managed the NYC All-Stars.

7th-inning stretch

Name the longtime former general manager who appeared as himself in the 1953 film "Big Leaguer." As a helpful hint, he was a scout -- not yet a GM -- at the time of the movie's release.

ANSWER BELOW

Players with team options for 2012

Robinson Cano, Yankees. The team will gladly pay him $14 million (against a $2-million buyout) next year, rather than setting him loose into free agency.

Nick Swisher, Yankees. Since he appears back to his old, good self, the Yankees likely will pay him $10.25 million (against a $1-million buyout) to come back next year.

Aramis Ramirez, Cubs. He's putting the heat on the Cubs, who have a $16-million option (against a $2-million buyout) on him, to bring him back.

Players who can opt out this winter

CC Sabathia, Yankees. The strong bet is he'll wind up back with the Yankees, one way or another.

Rafael Soriano, Yankees. His late-season surge turns up the intrigue, but will he really turn down $11 million from the Yankees next year?

Ryan Dempster, Cubs. He has a $14-million player option for 2012. He could get less per year, but a higher total, in the open market.

Quote of the week

"Even though it's a misunderstanding, it's something that shouldn't have happened." Joe Torre, baseball's executive vice president of baseball operations, regarding Dana DeMuth's botched ruling on Billy Butler's home run against the Yankees.

Pop quiz answer

Al Campanis. Thanks to Bob Buscavage of Moriches for the suggestion.