By Ian Browne
SportsLine Sports Writer

NEW YORK -- There are every-day players and every-day hitters. Nobody takes both descriptions more literally than Texas Rangers first baseman Rafael Palmeiro.

He shows up every day, hobbled or not, and hits. It's what he does. It's what he's been doing for the better part of the last decade.

Some day, people might actually notice.

For all the hype bestowed on all-time Iron Man Cal Ripken Jr., let the record show that nobody has played more games in the 1990s than Palmeiro.

Tuesday night at Yankee Stadium, Palmeiro played his 1,430th game this decade. That afternoon at Camden Yards, Ripken played his 1,427th.

AND CONTRARY TO POPULAR BELIEF, Palmeiro has far more in common with the immortal Iron Horse Lou Gehrig than Ripken ever did.

For instance, Gehrig was a left-handed hitting and throwing first baseman and so is Palmeiro.

Gehrig spent his career playing in the shadow of icon Babe Ruth. Palmeiro has spent his lost in the shadow of future Hall of Fame teammates such as Ryne Sandberg, Ripken and Juan Gonzalez.

Just like Gehrig's defense was always overshadowed by his offense, the same holds true for the slick-fielding Palmeiro.

This isn't to say Palmeiro is in Gehrig's class or even close. Who is?

But like Gehrig, Palmeiro couldn't care less that the intangible things he does are taken for granted.

"I JUST WANT TO DO MY JOB and help my team win," said Palmeiro, who has topped 30 home runs and 100 RBI in five of the last six years, the '94 strike year the only exception. "That's all that matters to me."

So even if it's preposterous that he's only been named to the All-Star team three times -- and he only went last year because Mo Vaughn was injured -- Palmeiro has far more important things to worry about.

Such as playing and hitting.

As long as he can do the former, the latter has always been a given.

The playing part is what had people worried a couple of months ago. He underwent surgery on his right knee Feb. 10.

Then, he tweaked it again in spring training in what manager Johnny Oates now refers to as "a freak thing".

SO THERE MR. DURABILITY WAS AGAIN, on the operating table March 7, this time to remove some loose cartilage.

The early prognosis had him missing at least the first week or two of the regular season.

But that prognosis didn't account for Palmeiro's will and threshold for pain.

Rafael Palmeiro leads the Rangers in homers, RBI and average.(AP)

He was in the lineup on Opening Day, and has been there virtually ever since.

"I've been lucky that I've stayed healthy most of my career. But now that I'm hurting a little, I still come out to play," Palmeiro said. "I don't ask for days off. There's some days when I'm tired and I don't feel right. But you still have to come out and do a job."

Palmeiro did sit one game -- his first of the season -- last week. It was in Arizona with nasty and intimidating left-hander Randy Johnson pitching.

"He overmatches everyone," laughed Palmeiro, who admittedly wasn't heart-broken about sitting that one out. "Still, it's tough. I'm not used to not playing. I didn't know what to do. But one out of 162 isn't so bad."

Still, the knee bothers him. He's only played first base a handful of times this season, and only when interleague play -- and the absence of the DH -- forced him to.

You can take away his glove and one of his knees. But there is no stopping the man's bat.

PALMEIRO IS HAVING WHAT he calls his "best start." And when you look at the numbers, it would be hard to believe he's had a better one.

He leads the first-place and heavy-hitting Rangers in average (.353), homers (19) and RBI (57). Not bad when you consider the reigning AL MVP (Juan Gone) is in the same lineup.

"I just feel good and comfortable up there. I'm seeing the ball well," the 34-year-old Palmeiro said, trying his best to explain the torrid pace he's on. "Sometimes you just can't explain it man."

It is why the Rangers didn't have to do any explaining when they invested four years and $45 million to pry Palmeiro out of Baltimore. Considering the Angels shelled out $80 million and six years on Vaughn -- who has eerily similar power numbers as Palmeiro the last few seasons -- the Rangers got themselves a bargain.

"What he's doing right now is routine," Oates said. "It doesn't surprise me at all. I've known Raffy since he was a kid coming up with the Cubs. He has always had a nice little swing."

So nice that almost everyone seems to take it -- and him -- for granted.