Tearing it Up
CALLING ALL-STARS ... What Rangers deserve to be in Atlanta for the forthcoming 2000 festivities? Obviously, Pudge Rodriguez -- the best catcher in the world -- will start. Rafael Palmeiro (.280/21/61) and David Segui (.338/8/48), two 1B/DH-types having fine years almost certainly won’t break the Delgado/Giambi/E. Martinez logjam. Luis Alicea (.311/3/35) is having a nice year at 2B but probably doesn’t have the "name" to be chosen. John Wetteland (20 saves) is borderline. Bottom line? Your defending AL West champs could have just the mandatory one All-Star representative this year.

Slumping
KEYSTONE KOPS ... The Texas middle infield has consistently flashed inconsistency throughout recent weeks. Alicea is in a 1-for-14 slide during the current homestand, while Frank Catalanotto snapped an 0-for-7 slump Sunday with a PH single that kept his season average above.400 for the year. Though Royce "I Wanna Hit Home Runs" Clayton is 6-for-11 on the homestand, he is still hitting just .239 and left Sunday's game early with "tightness" in his right side -- probably from swinging too hard while aiming at Arlington's home run porch. Scott Sheldon (.214) was his replacement.

At the Plate
NO RUNNING ALLOWED ... All you need to know about the Texas "running game" is that Ruben Mateo -- out nearly a month now -- still leads the team with six SB. Clayton has five, while Pudge and Gabe Kapler each have four. If Chad Curtis (.248) and Dave Martinez (.250) continue to struggle, Scarborough Green (.265/3 SB in just 34 AB) may see more time in CF with Kapler returning to RF. Peter Gammons has noted that Green may be a late-developing Otis Nixon-type ... Rusty Greer had another multi-hit game Sunday and is now hitting a season-high .292 ... Pudge reached the 70-RBI mark with a sac fly Sunday.

Probable Starters July 3, R. Helling vs. OAK July 4, E. Loiaza vs. OAK July 5, K. Rogers vs. OAK July 7, M. Perisho vs. SD July 8, R. Helling vs. SD

From the Rubber
WHITHER WETTELAND? ... It's not a slam-dunk that John Wetteland will be dealt before the trading deadline, but the Cardinals, Braves, Dodgers, Indians, and Rockies have had scouts in Arlington recently, and they're not there to look at Mark Clark. The question remains, though, who closes if Wetteland leaves? ESPN’s Greg Shea suggested this week it would be Francisco Cordero, but Johnny Oates said in May that he would not use Cordero in save situations this year; that could be a smokescreen, of course. Also this week, Gammons confirmed what I wrote here last week -- keep an eye on Esteban Loiaza.

On the Mend
RYAN’S HOPE ... Young right-handed SP Ryan Glynn, who has been one of the few Ranger bright spots recently, broke a blister on the index finger of his pitching hand on Saturday and was placed on the 15-day DL. It's possible this was a procedural move since the Rangers probably won't need a fifth starter again until after the All-Star break, and now can call up a lefty like Doug Davis to give the bullpen some innings in the meantime. Glynn is 1-0 in three starts, with a sparkling 1.56 ERA; after he comes off the DL, he is certainly worth picking up in AL-only fantasy leagues.