Eighteen games into the 2012 season, first baseman Mitch Moreland of the Texas Rangers was hitting a paltry .139.

The former Amory and Mississippi State standout had a two-hit game the next day and kick-started a tear that has him hitting .301 for the season after Sunday's game.

Moreland is hitting .361 in the month of May, with five of his eight home runs, mainly as the Rangers No, 9 hitter.

Imagine that, penciling in a 300-plus hitter into the nine-hole of your lineup almost every day.

He went 6 for 9 in his first two weekend games against Toronto, sending his batting average soaring from .279 to a season-high .309 in just two days.

About the only flaw in Moreland's game is that he struggles (.167 in limited at-bats) hitting against fellow left-handers (story here with a neat slideshow, too). So when you look at a box score and Moreland didn't start, it's probably because the Rangers' opponent started a left-handed pitcher.