Davis is still one of the great disappointments of the 2009 fantasy season, but he has quietly gone about getting himself back on track since getting recalled from Triple-A in late August. Since September 1, Davis has hit .320 (33-for-103) with five homers and 20 RBIs. Davis has also struck out 27 times in those 103 at-bats, but if Davis can continue to make steady contact, those whiffs will seem less like a deal-breaker and more like a price owners are willing to pay for the sort of power production Davis can provide when he's right.

After struggling mightily for much of the first half and spending a considerable amount of time in the Minors, Davis has proved himself worthy of another look heading into 2010. He played through a strained left hamstring Thursday, connecting for what was his fifth homer and 19th RBI since the start of September. Although his strikeouts still need to drop drastically, a slight improvement could send his stock soaring.

Manager Ron Washington said Blalock will continue to start against right-handers. The Rangers aren't scheduled to face a left-hander until Oakland pitches Brett Anderson on Sept. 24. Blalock figures to be in the lineup at least until then. Blalock hasn't played much since the Rangers recalled Chris Davis on Aug. 25 and put him back at first base. Blalock played first for six weeks while Davis was in the Minor Leagues, but found himself on the bench when Davis came back. Blaylock had started just three games since Aug. 25 before Saturday night.

The return of Chris Davis from his exile in Triple-A has cut into Blalock's playing time at first base, while the presence of younger and more productive DH options has limited his at-bats at that position. Blalock's lack of a role is made even more explicit by the fact that he has just seven at-bats in September. Despite a career-worst .278 on-base percentage, the 28-year-old has proven that he can still hit for power by slugging .466 and popping 23 homers in 414 at-bats. Blalock will surely find a job somewhere in 2010, but his fantasy options for the rest of '09 seem pretty bleak.

Davis has sent two out of the yard during a modest four-game hitting streak, scoring five runs in the process. Since being recalled from Triple-A Oklahoma on Aug. 25, the 23-year-old first baseman is batting .281 with four taters and 16 RBIs in 17 games. He’s continued to struggle with strikeouts, though, as he’s fanned 19 times to run his total to 133 in 322 at-bats on the season.

Davis strikes out a ton, which leads to a low average, but his ability to mash homers makes him a worthwhile pickup in mixed formats. The Rangers appear intent on giving him every opportunity to play at first base, so look for the young bopper to continue delivering his share of blasts over the remaining weeks.

Davis has seven RBIs in as many games since returning from the Minors, but his central weakness remains. He's drawn one walk against eight strikeouts over that span, a sign of poor plate discipline. A few more free passes could go a long way with the hulking Rangers cornerman.

Blalock had been playing regularly at first base since Davis was sent to the Minors on July 5, but was hitting .163 (7-for-43) in his past 11 games and .190 in his past 30 games. Owners searching for a power surge would be wise to snag Davis, who'l play regularly at first base after hitting .327 (54-165) with six home runs, 12 doubles, and 30 RBIs in 44 games for Oklahoma City. He had a .418 on-base percentage, a .521 slugging percentage and was hitting .356 with runners in scoring position. The problem with Davis has always been strikeouts, but he's talented enough to get by merely on adequate plate discipline.

Washington wants Davis to play first base, which would mean the team would likely have to bench Hank Blalock or move him to DH. Davis is hitting .327 with six home runs and 28 RBIs in 41 games at Triple-A Oklahoma City since being sent down on July 5.

Blalock's average is down to .237, and his on-base percentage is an uninspiring .273. While he has some utility in AL-only leagues as a feast-or-famine slugger, given his 23 dingers, he strikes out too much (90 times in 388 at-bats) and doesn't reach base often enough to help fantasy owners. He'll likely continue to start with Chris Davis still working things out at Triple-A, though.

Blalock already has more home runs this year than he's had in any season since 2005, and he could surpass his career high of 32 with a big second half. Though he DHed earlier in the year, he's become the Rangers' regular first baseman since the team demoted Chris Davis, who was hitting .202 with 15 home runs and 33 RBIs, on July 5.

Blalock has gone absolutely batty since taking over the reigns at first from the recently-demoted Chris Davis. After a dreadful June during which Hank the Tank hit just .179, Blalock has put it all together in July, raking at a .400 clip with a Ruthian .800 slugging percentage. Tank hasn't bopped 30 taters since 2004, but he's right in line to challenge that mark this year, provided he can continue to keep himself out of the trainer's room.

Blalock is a scorching 13-for-32 (.406) with three homers and seven RBIs in eight July affairs as he's taken over first base. With Chris Davis trying to rediscover his plate patience in the Minors, it appears as though Blalock has a firm grasp on the position.

Davis was considered one of the game's most promising young sluggers heading into the season, but his 15 homers haven't been enough to make up for a .202 average and an ML-leading 114 strikeouts. "Chris needs to get things together," Rangers manager Ron Washington said. Look for the 23-year-old to rediscover his stroke at Triple-A and be back with the big club in a few weeks. In the meantime, Washington said the Rangers are expected to give Hank Blalock the majority of at-bats at first base, though Andruw Jones could be an option there as well.

The homer was Davis' 15th of the season, the strikeouts his 106th and 107th. The first number is pretty impressive -- but the second is downright mind-boggling, and given that it has contributed to the .212 batting average and .271 on-base percentage that have made him a fantasy disappointment this season -- probably more important. Right now, Davis is on pace for an astonishing 243 strikeouts. The Rangers won't let that happen -- they'll send the young slugger back to Triple-A before watching that happen. It would be nice to see Davis recapture the form he showed in 2008, when he put up a nice .285-17-55 line in just 295 at-bats, and he's showed signs over the last week. For now, though, the whiffs weigh a bit more heavily than the bombs.