crunch time

Mitch Moreland has been given a fair chance as the regular first baseman in Texas – and he is finally starting to heat up. The former Mississippi State star from Amory entered Sunday’s play with 10 hits over his last seven games. His average has risen from .157 to .225. Moreland, a left-handed hitter, has been a consistent power source since he crashed the big leagues in 2010. He belted 15 home runs last year and has 43 all told in roughly a thousand at-bats. Of course, his well-documented problem has been hitting lefties. And that problem hasn’t gone away. Through Saturday, Moreland was 6-for-34 (.176) vs. lefties this season, and that was after getting two hits off former Mississippi Braves portsider Scott Diamond on Friday. There was a lot of talk heading into spring training about Texas possibly moving Ian Kinsler to first base to open up a spot at second for rising prospect Jurickson Profar. The Rangers also had a talented first base prospect, right-handed hitting Mike Olt, in camp. Switch-hitting Lance Berkman even played some first base in the Cactus League. But Moreland held onto his job with a strong spring, and Rangers manager Ron Washington made a comment at the start of the regular season about giving players 100 at-bats or so to find a groove. Moreland’s at 80 ABs. He might have found his groove just in the nick of time. P.S. Ex-Ole Miss standout Cody Satterwhite, a former second-round draft pick whose career was derailed by injuries, has signed with the independent Sioux City Explorers.