World Series 2007?

What's gone wrong?
Kevin Millwood, the newly hired $60 million ace, hasn't been worth a bean (15 hits in 11 innings over two starts, an 0-2 record and a 7.36 ERA). Adam Eaton, another pitching gun brought in to beef up the rotation, blew out a finger ("a mountain climber's injury," his doc said) and won't be back for months. The No. 5 starter, new knuckleballer R.A. Dickey, was so bad in his only start (he allowed six homers in 3 1/3 innings to the Tigers) that the Rangers didn't wait a day before they booted him down to the minors. The rest of the rotation, save for Vicente Padilla, has been typically Texas -- which is to say pretty darn horrid.
When you add to that a terrible debut from newcomer Brad Wilkerson (.175, 16 strikeouts), worse ones from Laynce Nix (0-for-20 start) and Rod Barajas (0-for-18) and an atypical lack of overall punch -- the Rangers hit only six homers in their first seven games, all in Arlington, which proves that a good hitters' park is only a good hitters' park when good hitters are in the park -- the Rangers are where they are. Which is to say in trouble. And their best hitter, rookie second baseman Ian Kinsler, dislocated his thumb on a slide into second Tuesday. He'll be out two or three weeks.

What's gone right?
Padilla, with respectable outings against Boston and Detroit, is 2-0 with a 3.00 ERA. Kinsler was hitting .476, showing some oomph with a homer and a couple of doubles, before dinging his thumb against the Angels. Mark Teixeira hasn't found his power stroke, but he is hitting .364. Hank Blalock hit two homers against the Angels on Tuesday, though in a losing cause. And the bullpen has been OK (a 3.77 ERA with more innings than anyone in the American League), especially Antonio Alfonseca (no runs in five innings).
What's next?This team can become a playoff entry only one way: Its rotation has to get healthy, quickly, and pitch flawlessly.

The Rangers will hit -- they always will bang -- but without that improved pitching everyone was counting on, to paraphrase Bill Murray, it just won't matter.