In about a week, Rangers' opening day second baseman Ian Kinsler will be returning from the DL. In the meantime, utility infielder Mark DeRosa has been on fire as he's finally getting a chance to play everyday at second base. Last night, he hit the game-winning homer in the bottom of the 12th inning after clawing his way back from 0-2 count. DeRosa also hit a key double earlier in the game and scored the Rangers only other run. The night before, he went 3-4 with two runs, three RBIs, and another homer. At 31-years-old, DeRosa has never really been given a chance at regular playing time until now, and he's making the most of it. A look at DeRosa's numbers: AB: 17 Runs: 6 RBIs: 5 HRs: 2 BA: .471 SLG: 1.059 Granted, this is a very small sample, and DeRosa is a career.265 hitter. However, he appears to be in the best shape of his life, and he's anxious to make the most of this opportunity. Also, it wouldn't be a complete aberration for DeRosa to produce solid numbers in a season's worth of ABs. Last year, he had 8 HRs in 148 ABs. When those numbers are extended through a 500 AB season, DeRosa would hit 27 HRs. At the same time, Ian Kinsler was phenomenal prior to dislocating his thumb in the second week of the season. Here's a look at Kinsler's stats: AB: 21 Runs: 4 RBIs: 2 HRs: 1 BA: .476 SLG: .714 Kinsler's also a young prospect (he turns 24 in June), and the Rangers would like to get him 400-500 ABs at the big-league level in order to develop one of their own homegrown players. GM Jon Daniels obviously has faith in Kinsler, as Daniels traded away the inconsistent "All-Star Second Baseman" Alfonso Soriano last winter. Kinsler is the final piece in an infield that consists of three other young superstars (Blalock, Young, and Teixieira). So, the question returns: What should Buck Showalter and Daniels do when Kinsler comes back? Most Rangers fans say that DeRosa should return to the bench even if he's keeping up his current torrid pace. Of course, I have a better solution, but we'll have to travel over the NL Central to find it. The Milwaukee Brewers have laid out the blueprint for how the Rangers should handle the second base controversy. Brewers' super utility man Bill E. Hall is an above average hitter (.291 BA last year, .328 this year) with decent power (17 HRs in 500 ABs last year; on pace to hit 40 HRs in 400 ABs this year). Yet, he is not a starter at any position. Instead, Hall can play 2B, SS, 3B, and any OF spot. Manager Ned Yost rotates Hall throughout the field in order to give his regular starters days off on a consistent basis. Because of his versatility, Hall's going to get 400 ABs this year, and most of the Brewers starting position players will be relatively well-rested in September, when they could be poised for a run at the division title if the starting pitching holds up. Mark DeRosa should become the Bill Hall of the Rangers. DeRosa can play any of the infield positions, along with the corner outfield spots. As a result, Buck can use him to get most of his regulars at least a day off per week. Considering the scorching Texas heat and the pressures of the impending pennant race, DeRosa could be a very valuable commodity if he consistently produces at the plate. That's a big "if" considering DeRosa's track record, but the Rangers could end up as a better team with both DeRosa and Kinsler getting regular playing time. It might not be a matter of choosing one player over the other. Instead, it's a matter of creativity. And Buck's the right man to figure out how to make it work.