The Texas Rangers have some good history, but never any great history to hang their hat on. This is something general manager Jon Daniels, in his second season, is trying to do in Texas as he faces the uphill battle of trying to overtake American League West stalwarts, the Oakland A?s and the Los Angeles Angels. He has changed the make-up of the franchise greatly in his short time of control, starting with the manager. He inherited a tough, discipline minded manager in Buck Showalter and replaced him with a player?s manager in Ron Washington. The move was intended to help the young core of infielders Mark Teixeira, Michael Young, Ian Kinsler and Hank Blalock relax under less pressure and expedite their development. However, the biggest change under Daniels is the emphasis on getting quality pitching to Texas. The rotation now consists of Kevin Millwood, Brandon McCarthy and Vicente Padilla. The bullpen also is strong at the end with the signing of Eric Gagne and the hold-over of Akinori Otsuka. This rededication to build up the arms in Texas has provided a better future for the Rangers that now can include winning games in October. Daniels has also shown he will use all outlets to improve his team, as seen in bold signings (Sammy Sosa), blockbuster trades (Carlos Lee and Nelson Cruz) and the stockpiling of draft picks (they have two first rounders this year). It is still too early in the process to see how his plan will eventually do in the real world, but he has helped build a seamless transition from John Hart and helped set up the Rangers for success in the future. The results haven?t been there so far in 2007, but with Daniels calling the shots, they should expect them soon. Signature Move: At the deadline last year, the Texas Rangers traded closer Francisco Cordero and outfielder Kevin Mench to the Milwaukee Brewers for outfielders Carlos Lee and Nelson Cruz. Lee was brought in for hopes of making a playoff push that never materialized, but the Rangers also got Nelson Cruz, who was considered a top outfield prospect in the minors. The move isn?t a success by any measure, but it is bold and shows Daniels isn?t afraid to make the big move to improve the Rangers. Douglas Benton can be reached at [email protected]