Rangers GM Jon Daniels has built a World Series-caliber team for the second straight year. (AP)

Long gone are the days when Jon Daniels received vexed looks by those who could not believe that he was old enough to be a major league general manager.

Daniels is still the youngest GM in the majors at 34, but he has spent six years in charge of building the Rangers’ organization, and in 2011, for the second straight year, he has steered Texas into the World Series. A combination of tremendously talented homegrown players, savvy trades and occasional dips into free agency have cemented the perception that the Rangers under Daniels have become one of the best organizations in the game.

For that reason, it is fascinating to consider his baseball roots — both where he did and did not get his start.

Daniels went to Cornell and received his degree in Applied Economics and Management. Out of college, he lived in the Boston area while working for Allied Domecq, a company that was dealing with the branding of Dunkin’ Donuts and Baskin-Robbins. The undertaking was uninteresting, and so, following the path of college friend A.J. Preller (now the Rangers Senior Director of Player Personnel, who was then an intern with the Phillies), Daniels decided in 2001 to seek an internship in a baseball front office.

He lived in Boston, and so the first place to interview was obvious enough. Daniels submitted his resume to the Red Sox. At that time, the Sox were in the early stages of creating a baseball operations internship program, a task that had been entrusted to then-baseball operations assistant Ben Cherington by then-GM Dan Duquette as a means of injecting young talent into the team’s front office structure. Read the rest of this entry »

Adrian Gonzalez belted two more home runs as the Red Sox took three out of four from Texas. (AP)

A little more than a week ago, Red Sox manager Terry Francona suggested that the next two weeks could be a trying time for his club. Kevin Youkilis was going on the disabled list and David Ortiz was going to sit out with an aching right heel. Eight days later, the Sox are looking a lot better after they wrapped up an eight-game road trip with a 6-0 win over the Rangers in Arlington.

The Sox are 30 games over .500 (80-50) for the first time this season and are coming home with a one-game lead in the American League East in their backpocket.

They bashed four more home runs on Thursday, giving them nine for the series with Texas. Once again it was Adrian Gonzalez who did the most damage. Gonzalez drove the first pitch he saw to center field to put the Sox up early and then he did the same thing to the next pitch he saw — launching it an estimated 448 feet. Going back to Wednesday’s game, Gonzalez hit three home runs on three straight pitches.

Ortiz also went deep — his first home run since returning from a right heel injury — and Jarrod Saltalamacchia added to the fun with one of his own in the fourth with an opposite-field shot. That was more than enough for Andrew Miller, who turned in his best start of the season.

WHAT WENT RIGHT FOR THE RED SOX

- Is is time to reassess Miller? The big lefty worked into the seventh inning for the first time as a member of the Sox and he’s allowed just one run in his last 12 innings. He was dominant through the first five innings, allowing just two hits and a walk while striking out five. It was the Sox first shutout since July 20 against the Orioles.

Miller pitched through trouble in the sixth after a walk and a Marco Scutaro error put two on with nobody out and the top of the Ranger lineup staring him in the face. But Miller got through the jam, striking out Josh Hamilton — the third time he struck out the former MVP.

The Sox decision to go with a six-man rotation for the time being has paid off, especially with Saturday’s doubleheader against Oakland looming. Miller is making a case for a role somewhere on the staff down the stretch.

- It’s been a trying month for Josh Reddick but in the second inning he did something he had only managed to do one other time in August. He doubled. Reddick has been mired in a terrible slump, going 4-for-31 entering play on Thursday and with JD Drew getting closer to a possible return, Reddick needs to take advantage of his opportunities while they’re still available.

- Alfredo Aceves continued his run of strong performances with 1 2/3 innings of scoreless relief, extending his scoreless streak to 8 1/3 innings. In his last five appearances, Aceves has allowed three hits while striking out 12 batters. Aceves seemed to struggle a bit with his command at times, but he made it through his stint unscathed.

WHAT WENT WRONG FOR THE RED SOX

- After Saltalamacchia’s homer, the Sox bats went silent against Texas reliever Scott Feldman who retired seven straight batters and allowed just two hits and a walk over four innings.

- Carl Crawford extended his hitting streak to eight games with a single to lead off the fourth, but he also struck out twice and hit into a double play.

- Jacoby Ellsbury and Dustin Pedroia went 0-for-9 combined from the leadoff and clean-up spot, respectively. Four home runs from the rest of the lineup will usually help cover for the rare off night from those two.

Andrew Miller

The Red Sox and Rangers wrap up a four-game series Thursday night at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington before the Sox head home to host the A’s. Andrew Miller will make his second start in as many outings for Boston, while Texas counters with 27-year-old Alexi Ogando, a surprising right-hander who has solidified the back of the Rangers’ rotation.

Miller (5-1, 4.99 ERA) has been used mostly in a relief role as of late, but he impressed as a starter last Friday against the Royals. In 5 1/3 innings, he allowed one run on three hits while walking two and striking out three. The 5-1 win was Miller’s first since July 20. Miller has been a much more effective pitcher on the road, with a 3.98 ERA and .267 batting average against away from home and a 6.88 ERA and .366 batting average against at Fenway. Miller has allowed three of his five home runs at home.

The left-hander hasn’t had much of an advantage against left-handed hitting, but he has done well to recover from a shaky month of July. In six appearances last month, he posted a 6.28 ERA but pulled off a 3-1 record, mostly because the Red Sox scored at least 10 runs in three of his starts. However, at times even Boston’s top-ranked offense couldn’t bail out Miller, especially when he allowed seven runs on July 15 against the Rays and seven runs on July 26 against the Royals. Still, he’s rebounded to a 3.24 ERA in August.

Ogando (12-5, 3.30 ERA) got off to a strong start, but his performance has steadily declined throughout the season. The 27-year-old has never pitched a full season in the major leagues. He was used sparingly as a reliever in 2010. Ogando has started all 24 games he’s appeared in this season and opened the campaign with 13 straight shutout innings. The right-hander was brought back down to earth in his third start when he allowed three home runs to the Yankees on April 17.

August has been Ogando’s worst month so far this year, as he’s allowed 14 runs in 22 1/3 innings. Still, he’s managed to win his last two decisions thanks to the Rangers’ offense, which has scored at least five runs in three of his last four starts. Texas only managed two runs in Ogando’s last outing, a 3-2 loss against the White Sox on Saturday. Ogando allowed just two runs over seven innings, but Chicago broke a 2-2 tie in the bottom of the eighth off Koji Uehara.

The Dominican Republic native has been far tougher on right-handed hitting this season, allowing a .203 average against righties, compared to .252 against lefties. Ogando has allowed 12 home runs, eight of which have come from left-handed hitters. The numbers show that offenses are hitting far better against Ogando when they see him for a second and third time. Fortunately for him, the Red Sox have only amassed nine total plate appearances against the right-hander. Marco Scutaro has the only hit off Ogando in three career plate appearances.

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Josh Beckett

The Red Sox and Rangers will play the third game of a four-game set Wednesday night in Arlington as Boston tries overtake the Yankees atop the AL East and turn around the season series with Texas. The Red Sox will send ace Josh Beckett to the mound, while the Rangers answer with Matt Harrison.

Thanks to another solid outing last Thursday, Beckett (10-5, 2.46 ERA) has now recorded quality starts in six of his last seven appearances. The right-hander held the Royals to three runs on seven hits over seven innings, and kept his ERA among the top four in the major leagues. It was an encouraging bounce-back performance after a five-run, eight-hit loss against Seattle on August 13.

Beckett hasn’t faced the Rangers in over a year, dating back to a wild, 11-inning loss on Aug. 23, 2010, in Arlington. Beckett allowed six runs on 10 hits, including three home runs, and was pulled after five innings. The Red Sox clawed back thanks to a seven-run fourth inning, but Texas had the last laugh on a Nelson Cruz walk-off home run.

The Boston starter has been effective regardless of where he pitches this year, although his home ERA is nearly a full point better than his road ERA. The right-hander has performed well against lefties, holding them to a .185 average and .253 on-base percentage. However, nine of the 15 home runs Beckett’s allowed have come against left-handed hitting.

Texas is hitting a combined .286 with six home runs in 129 plate appearances against Beckett. Reigning 2010 AL MVP Josh Hamilton (who was at the heart of a fascinating debate about whether he or Beckett should be drafted with the No. 1 overall pick in the 1999 draft) leads the team with two home runs, six RBIs and a .500 average in 13 plate appearances against the Boston starter. Endy Chavez is hitting .360 with two doubles in his team-high 25 matchups with Beckett, while Michael Young has struggled with just three hits in 23 plate appearances.

The Rangers seem to love when Harrison (10-8, 3.28 ERA) takes the mound, at least over the past two months. Dating back to July 5, Texas has won eight out of Harrison’s last nine starts. Last month, the left-hander went 3-0 with a 2.04 ERA. In four August starts, however, Harrison has struggled to a 5.16 ERA. Still, the Rangers have turned up the offensive firepower as of late, averaging 7.66 runs in their last three games.

Despite the team’s success, Harrison was unable to get through the sixth inning in either of his last two starts. Against the White Sox on August 19, he was pulled in the fifth after giving up three runs on four hits while walking three. On August 14 in Oakland, Harrison allowed six runs on four hits and walked three more. Granted, both of those starts came on the road, and Harrison has been a better pitcher at home. In 12 starts at the Ballpark in Arlington, he’s posted a 3.15 ERA, compared to 3.42 on the road.

The 25-year-old has allowed just one home run this month, which is a major improvement from earlier in the season, when he allowed six home runs in seven starts in April and May. Harrison is a southpaw, but he’s actually performed better against right-handed hitting this year. Lefties are hitting .289 off Harrison, while righties are at .242. Still, the Red Sox’ lefty-heavy lineup wasn’t able to do much against the Texas starter back on April 3, when Harrison allowed just one run over seven innings in a 5-1 win.

As a team, the Red Sox are hitting .175 against Harrison in 64 combined plate appearances. Darnell McDonald has the lone Boston home run to go along with two walks in five plate appearances. Mike Aviles has a team-high 12 matchups with Harrison, but he’s just 1-for-12 with two strikeouts. David Ortiz has the best numbers against the Texas starter, hitting .429 in eight plate appearances.

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Buster Olney

ESPN baseball insider Buster Olney joined the Mut & Merloni Show on Tuesday to discuss the Red Sox’ potential playoff scenarios and some possible waiver wire acquisitions as the regular season winds down. To hear the full interview, check out the Mut & Merloni audio on demand page.

If the MLB playoffs started tomorrow, the Red Sox would play the Rangers in the ALDS, while the Yankees would face the Tigers. If Monday night’s 4-0 loss in Texas was a sign of things to come, the Red Sox might want to avoid that first-round matchup. Still, Olney said both the Rangers and Tigers would present a challenge in a five-game series.

“I think it’s a flip of the coin between the two teams,” said Olney. “Because Texas, they’ve shown that they’ve got the firepower to go offensively against the Yankees or the Red Sox, and they’ve got C.J. Wilson, who’s going to be the most coveted free agent pitcher on the market this fall. I don’t think that they have as much depth necessarily as the Tigers do with their pitching. But on a given day, when a Wilson pitches or Derek Holland has a day where he’s actually throwing strikes, they can match up. On the other hand, Detroit has [Justin] Verlander and he’s the best pitcher in baseball right now. I don’t really think there’s an advantage for the Red Sox or the Yankees to try to position themselves to face one of these two teams. It’s going to be difficult either way.

“I think that right now, [Tigers pitcher] Max Scherzer on a given day can be dominant. If you catch him on the right day, he can be the guy who can hold a good team to a couple hits. He can also be a guy that can give up 10 runs, and Texas has a similar rotation. Holland has had days where he’s been absolutely lights out and he’s had days where he’s having a tough time getting through the second inning. [Rangers pitcher] Colby Lewis can be a guy that I think a good offensive team can get to but we saw in the postseason last year he was pretty good. I think Detroit with [Jose] Valverde at the back of their bullpen, they’ve gotten better and so that’s why I think they have a little more depth than Texas does.”

The Red Sox were shut out by Wilson and the Rangers bullpen Monday, while Erik Bedard took the loss after giving up four runs on seven hits through six innings. The newly acquired pitcher hasn’t quite hit his stride yet, but Olney said Sox GM Theo Epstein made the right move at the trade deadline, especially because he passed on Ubaldo Jimenez.

“In the times when I’ve seen [Bedard] pitch, I thought that he could be a guy that on the right day, he can give you something,” Olney said. “I tweeted out the night that you saw his stuff because inning-to-inning, he’s got good stuff. He can actually be a little bit the way Bartolo Colon can be for the Yankees. When he’s right, he can actually help them, and I thought it was the right move for them because they had the same questions the Yankees did about [Jimenez], which was: OK, you’ve got a guy who was dominant in the first half of 2010, he still shows flashes where he’s throwing 95 miles per hour, he’s got a great contract, the exact kind of contract that if you’re the Rockies, you would want to acquire. Why are they looking to move him? And you know that’s why the Yankees in the end, in their conversation on Thursday of trade deadline week, they told the Rockies, ‘Look, we are not going to trade for him unless we can do a complete physical.’ They were told, ‘No,’ and that’s why they were very limited in what they were willing to talk about at the trade deadline. The Red Sox were the same way, and I think both teams made the right decision. Cleveland, in the end, we’ll see if they ended up giving too much.”

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John Kruk

ESPN baseball analyst John Kruk joined Mut & Merloni Tuesday afternoon to discuss the winners and losers of the trade deadline and determine which team has the upper hand in the home stretch of the regular season. To hear the full conversation, check out the Mut & Merloni audio on demand page.

The Red Sox made a last-second deal for starting pitcher Erik Bedard on July 31, hoping to fill the void left by Clay Buchholz‘ season-ending stress fracture. While more than a few critics have questioned Bedard’s ability to perform on a stage like Fenway Park (he’s 2-3 with a 6.99 lifetime ERA in Boston), Kruk endorsed the trade, and said Bedard should relish the chance to play for a contender.

“Maybe [playing in Boston] is what he needs,” Kruk said. “He’s never had to do it. Maybe this is what he needs. Maybe this is something that will get him going. Look, if you can’t go to Boston and get up to play games, if you can’t go to New York and get up to play games, knowing you’re going to have a chance every night to win … You have to remember the situations he’s been in. Awful. Baltimore, awful. Seattle, awful. He has a chance now to be on a team where if anyone has any sort of heart or any sort of determination at all, he dials it up a notch knowing he has a chance to get a ring and pitch in the World Series. If anyone can’t do that, they shouldn’t play.

“I think with Buchholz possibly being out for the season, they had to have an arm and [Bedard] wasn’t pitching bad for Seattle,” he added. “I know it’s not a great hitters division and Seattle is a pretty good place to pitch, bigger ballpark, but I still like the move. I understand his numbers at Fenway aren’t great. They’re awful. But he’s not pitching against [the Red Sox], he’s pitching against the opponent. So that’s a good thing for him too. Sometimes these under-the-radar-type deals where you don’t give up a whole lot, you take a shot and see what happens. He might come in and be a dominant pitcher like he was a few years ago.”

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The Rangers are moving on from Carlos Beltran and focusing on some of the top available relievers in the league, according to Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports.

The Rangers are reportedly one of several teams talking with the Padres about Heath Bell (2.40 ERA) and Mike Adams (1.17 ERA). At, the same time, Texas is also pursuing two members of the A’s bullpen: Andrew Bailey (2.25 ERA) and Grant Balfour (1.98 ERA).

The Rangers rank in the top five in every major team offensive category, but are 13th in team ERA this season.