We've known for a couple of years that Kinsler's splits home and away were abysmal (on the road)... Last year, he was also particularly ineffective against right handed pitchers...

Well, how bad was he against right handed pitchers on the road: He hit .170 with an OBP of .226 and a slugging percentage of .257.....

For his career, .230 average against righties on the road, with an OBP of .289 and a slugging percentage of .314...

At the very least, Wash should consider moving Kinsler way down in the order when they face a right handed starter on the road.....

Even at home, I think Kins is better suited to the #5-#7 slots than leadoff... we have better options now than we did before (Elvis is especially attractive in the #1 hole). Kinsler should be a run producer.

Murphy isn't much of a run producer, but he is an on-base guy... move him to #2 and you split the RHHs and can move Beltre to #3 and let Lance go all Clean Up for us.

This gets back to the Rangers over-valuing Kinsler when they gave him that extension. It's pretty obvious he is a more valuable player to the Rangers than he would be to virtually any other team. Those road splits would be enough to scare any potential suitor. Add the fact the team has a logjam in the middle infield and that extension looks like a mistake.

And to be clear, I'm not a Kinsler basher. I think he's been a great player for the Rangers for the last 5 years. However, the degradation of his road performance cannot be denied...and combined with a pretty awful overall 2012 and he's at the "what have you done for me lately" point in his career.

If he doesn't rebound quickly in 2013 I think a road platoon and other potential reductions in playing time will make sense. If Profar is brought up after 6 weeks or so in the minors..and if we're getting 2012 Kinsler instead of 2009-2011 Kinsler....a full platoon might make sense.

Murphy led the team in OBP last year. He deserves a shot at leading off. But that probably won't happen. And I want Berkman hitting 3rd because he gets on base a lot too. This one might happen.

funny thing is, if you look at all of kinsler's splits from last year, they ranged from good to very good with the exception of his record against right handers on the road... at home, he hit .285 against right handed pitchers..

On the road, he hit .392 against left handed pitching.... (.314 at home)...

If you're going to platoon Kinsler with Profar at 2B, you should also platoon him at 1B with Moreland. If the split works the same as last season, Kinsler plays 47 games at 1B against lefties, Moreland plays 115 (about the same as last year, but all against RHPs). That gives Profar 47 games at 2B batting righty. Give Kinsler 20-30 games off (preferably on the road against righties), another 20-30 for Elvis, and Profar's got 80-110 games at 2B/SS next season if Andrus, Kinsler, and Moreland all stay healthy.

I'm not sure that approach is best for Profar's development, but I think it gets the most of the pieces available in 2013.

Bottom line is, you want your 4 best hitters inhabiting the first 4 slots in the order. Elvis Andrus is not one of our 4 best hitters.

Kinsler, Berkman, Beltre, and probably Murphy are our 4 best against righties, and Kinsler, Berkman, Beltre and Cruz are out 4 best against lefties.

DDAN, that is a good thought if Profar is kept on the 25, which at the present isproblematical. Another point to that is he has never played more than 126 games in a minor league season, and maybe the Strasburg approach will be the norm in the future. With Profar at the rate you suggested would essentially accomplish that, without ever shutting him down at the end of the season. It would turn Kinsler into the next MY but with much better defense. He has already tentatively agreed to that possibility, and would have the additional factor of pacing the other three infielders, especially Moreland against the toughest lefties. Kinsler even last year volunteered to play third when Beltre went down for about 30 games at third.and could only DH. Berkman has also hinted that he may want to play a few games in the field, so I do not know how that would effect his numbers, but he can always go into right field to give Cruz rest, or flip positions with Moreland. I would also move Kinsler down to a #5 or 6, have Andrus lead off, bat Murphy second or seventh [ Profar is an ideal second, but so is Martin, who had a .422 obp at AAA], But however you cut it the Rangers will probably, but not for sure, have less home run production. The trade-off is far far less strikeouts, [which seldom scores a run with one out from third] , and a higher OBP A GOOD TRADE-OFF?

Well I guess everyone is now assuming Kins can play 1b. Too bad we cant sucker someone and trade him.

Throw 2012 out. At the All Star break he was considering immediate surgery for his ankle-it was that bad. The Kinsler we will see will be the prior year, 2011. His WAR will be > 4.5 and all the gnashing of teeth will slow down. Relax and take a deep breath, stop hyperventilating.

...but Pro, Kins never had the operation. His ankle will flair up eventually.
Ligaments, tendons & cartilage, won't heal without the op or clean out.

Eric If you are talking (power) hitter I agree, how can you not with a batter who has 14 homers in 2284 at bats, but if you are talking pure hitter I totally disagree. Andrus is at least the third best on the Rangers [behind Beltre and Berkman]. Prove is the at bats he has against recognized ACES.

I'm in agreement here... Elvis may not hit the ball out, but he seldom strikes out and has good gap power. Plus, he's excellent at the bunt AND the hit and run. Definitely one of the top three hitters on the team.

I'd still love to see him leading off with Kins in a run-producing role lower down.

I'm glad Kins had that surgery on his ankle. Wait a sec-say what? He never had surgery on the ankle? So the ankle was just an excuse?

Yes, he should.

@not that eric....Kinsler suffered one of the more feared "high ankle sprains". Surgery was not required and was only considered in order to reduce the pain and speed healing. I am glad he opted to let it heal-surgery is always a worst option. http://www.coreperformance.com/knowledge/injury-pain/high-ankle-sprain.html