Guzman continues to hit. His confidence continues to build.

When he and Nomar Mazara came up through the Rangers system, Mazara seemed to get more of the hype and had more potential.

But Guzman is still hanging on with Rangers while Mazara is in major league purgatory with the Tigers, after a dismal year with the White Sox.

Guzman looked to have all but lost his job to Nate Lowe during the offseason, but during that same time, Guzman was winning an MVP in the Dominican League and is tearing the ball off the cover in spring.

Does that mean anything? It might. Maybe it buys him another shot with the Rangers. He’s out of options so he either makes it or he’s gone. And he is doing more than enough to show he deserves that shot, if spring means anything and the manager’s words about honest competition for jobs means anything.

But, to temper the enthusiasm a bit, what Guzman is doing is opening eyes. But he has now proven he can hit the best of Dominican League pitching, and he hit the best of mostly minor league pitching in spring.

Can he do it against major league pitching? That’s the hope.

*****

TODAY’S GAME: