It is raining in Dallas. It’s been raining almost twenty-four straight hours and there is no letup in sight. So here is a post from mid-May that seems appropriate today:

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WATER LEVELS.

There’s an old saying that players live up to the back of their baseball cards. Meaning, a .260 hitter is not a .340 hitter. He might be hitting .340 now but he’s a .260 hitter. It will all even out in the wash.

Streaks and slumps will come and go and, before you know it, he’s back to the back of the baseball card.

While that is not always the case, and there are certainly instances when players have career years (see Mike Napoli, 2010), it is a general rule that is true much more often than not.

So, when the Rangers as a team hit .210 in the month of April, when seven players in the lineup were well under .200, you knew it was just a matter of time before the water rose to its level.

Someone was going to pay. A flood of offense was due, payment in kind.

Shin-Soo Choo is a .284 career hitter. He was not going to hit .096 this year. Adrian Beltre was not going to hit .205. This is why this team has been hitting lately, up and down the lineup. The water is rising to its level.

This is also why the recent cratering of the bullpen has been so frustrating.

The Rangers are failing to take advantage of their positive offensive adjustment. After yesterday’s 5-1 win over Cleveland, Texas is 9-8 in May, despite batting a stellar .275 this month.

Elvis Andrus is contributing now. Because he is seeking his higher water level. Expect a little offense from Leonys Martin. He, too, is seeking a higher water level.

It works both ways, though. Rangers fans are reaping the benefit of Mitch Moreland, who, at .288 with power and production, is hitting much better than Mitch Moreland.

Of course, it could be that after five previous seasons with a lifetime batting average of .252, with 65 total career home runs and 209 RBIs (which averages out to 13 HRs and 42 RBIs per season), that Mitch Moreland has finally found it.

But what he has found is a nice little offensive boost for now. It will course correct.

Let’s ride this Mitch Moreland wave as long as we can.

Chances are pretty good his water level will back to normal before it’s all said and done.