No news is good news for Rangers in MLB's early-May power rankings

You never really know just how easy or difficult your schedule will be going into the season because this is a new year, and no one has played any games. What looked like a cakewalk could turn into a bear and vice versa.

For the Texas Rangers, the schedule-makers didn't do them any favors. As it turns out, they had a rough gauntlet over the first 40 games, and the latest MLB power rankings reflect that. It also reflects that the team held their own and now know that they can go toe-to-toe with the best in the league.

The Rangers check in at number 16 in the early-May rankings

If you told Skip Schumaker that his squad would be at 19-21 and sitting middle-of-the-pack in mid-May, and just two games out of first. He may not admit it, but he would have taken it.

When you consider that the Rangers played the Dodgers, Cubs, two series against the Yankees and the surprising AL West leading Athletics (twice) as part of a grueling opening stretch, treading water is not bad. As the schedule starts to get a little less stringent moving forward.

Coming in at 16, the Rangers maintained their position from the first rankings and are just behind the Detroit Tigers, and one ahead of the Cincinnati Reds. In all, not moving marks a solid month for the club.

The Rangers next 40 games are not as tough as the first 40

Starting Monday, the Rangers will face teams that are not as strong as those they have faced during the first six weeks.

They will get the Diamondbacks at home to start and also face teams below .500 like the floundering Colorado Rockies, seven against the disappointing in-state rival Houston Astros and three more against perennial cellar-dwelling LA Angels. They also get two three-game series with the middling Kansas City Royals.

An easier slate doesn't necessarily translate into more wins, however, and the Rangers need to make improvements to take advantage of a lighter docket.

They have to get Wyatt Langford back and healthy, get Corey Seager back to being Corey Seager, play better defense, and be better in the bottom three spots in the starting rotation if they want to move up in the next power rankings.

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