Texas Rangers Final Recap: Is it April Yet?

After back-to-back trips to the World Series, saying Texas Rangers fans were hooked wouldn’t do justice. Ranger fans set records this season, ranking 3rd in baseball in total attendance, just behind the Yankees and Phillies, two of the bigger names in the game. The Ballpark averaged 42,719 per game this season, blowing the previous record out of the water. No wonder many continue to grieve as the fall classic heads towards another World Series, one without our beloved Texas Rangers.  If you followed baseball this year, this news may come as a surprise to you. The Rangers did in fact lead the American League for the majority of the season, and the division until that disaster filled final day in Oakland. The Rangers didn’t just lose the division during an epic meltdown down the stretch, they lost their entire post season when the bats stayed inside, and the Baltimore Orioles celebrated a one game Wild Card finale. All of this negative energy is very common in the DFW area; because our beloved Dallas Cowboys have been breaking hearts since their last Super Bowl win in the 90’s. Now the Rangers hold the title as letdown of the decade, and many of the new fans may look elsewhere for comfort. They won’t be missed, because what Ron Washington, Nolan Ryan, and John Daniels are doing isn’t a one and done system, but a style that will make our Texas Rangers contenders for many years to come.  I am as guilty as any, and spent the last couple weeks not watching the MLB playoffs, rather checking scores and complaining about no Rangers playoff baseball. The grieving period is over, and now it’s time to get back to work. In my short era of following DFW sports, I have had the privilege of watching the Cowboys be non-contenders for nearly two decades, and a Mavericks team that broke our hearts yearly until Dirk Nowitzki caught fire and defeated the Miami Heat and LeBron James in 2010. Coping is learned over the years, rather than taught, but this blog today will definitely give you some hope. I have learned that convincing myself that next season will in fact be different, and next season we will be back in the mix, is the only way to recover from these devastating losses. The 2012 season started better than any could expect. Our first loss came during a ninth inning blown save by Joe Nathan, and besides that the team seemed to dominate the first two weeks of the season. The season was then completely underway; the Rangers had a solid cushion, and big plans heading into the brutal hot summer in Texas. Most of the country watched the Rangers thinking it was the same team that had been to back-to-back World Series, but they couldn’t have been more wrong. This was a new Rangers team, a team that was made to not get to another World Series, but win the damn thing. The 2012 Rangers pitching staff was nothing like the previous years, tossing things around and bringing in some much needed leadership. After losing top notch pitchers to free agency the previous two years, it was time to get creative. That’s when Ryan and Daniels decided to take a big risk, and boy did it work out. Every few years Japan has a dominant player, and during those years owners across the League break the bank trying to bring in the foreign star. This year the Rangers decided to take a big chance, throw some big money out there and hope for the best. Yu Darvish, a hard throwing giant from Japan that supposedly had 7 pitches was on the market and the Texas Rangers wanted him. $108 million later he was ours. The second major offseason move was acquiring veteran closer Joe Nathan. The 2011 World Series was lost by closers, and this year that was not going to be the case. The Rangers signed Nathan for his many years on the job, moving young prodigy Neftali Feliz to the starting rotation. The previous year Feliz blew a two run lead in the 9th to win the World Series. He was so shaken he couldn’t return in the 10th, and that was all Ron Washington needed to see and it was time to make a change. Nathan did just that, setting a franchise record of consecutive saves, setting the bar over thirty. All these new additions and changes seemed to be exactly what the Rangers needed to finally grasp that Championship trophy, but an injury bug decided to take matters into its own hands. Colby Lewis was maybe the turning point of the season, sustaining an injury that kept him out for the remainder of the year. It didn’t seem quite so detrimental with a big division lead, but in the dog days of late summer and fall, when a young staff was starting to struggle and bats were getting cold, his steady and consistent starts were missed. Lewis was the anchor of the staff in the 2011 playoffs, and who better to stop a slump than a veteran of that style. Instead the Rangers were forced to pitch youth, something that later showed to hurt our playoff chances. Feliz shocked many when he started off pitching lights out, but an injury knocking him out until summer 2013 set the team back even further, and put a little doubt in the eyes of some Ranger faithful. With all the injuries and setbacks, some of the season was actually a very big positive. Matt Harrison took over as leader of the pitching staff, winning 18 games, sporting a strong 3.29 ERA. Darvish too had great success, striking out an astonishing 221 batters, while winning 16 games. These two strong seasons give great hope heading into a season with much to prove in 2013. There were some letdowns this season, mainly by Derek Holland, who was also bothered with injuries. Holland held a 4.67 ERA, much higher than anyone expected heading into the season. Holland is a huge talent, and an offseason to work and improve will hopefully put this big lefty in position to turn some heads next season. Hitting has always been strong in Texas, and this year was no different. Josh Hamilton was the team leader in RBI and Home Runs, but a two month drought mid-summer knocked him out of the MVP talk, and possibly out of a Texas Rangers uniform. Hamilton is a free agent this season, and the Rangers show no sign of offering anything thus far. Adrian Beltre was very strong this season, but also missed time due to injuries. Even with the missed time, Beltre still hit 36 home runs with 102 RBI's. A .321 batting average also led all starters, and this power will be needed next season if Hamilton is not in the lineup. Two other players that shared time in the outfield were David Murphy and Craig Gentry. Both players batted over .300, leaving no doubt they need extensive playing time next season. The other big upgrade this year was Elvis Andrus. After a few years of watching this flashy shortstop make plays on the diamond, his bat finally became a threat, hitting just under .300 most of the year, using speed to make outs that much harder. As hurt as many of you are right now, this is when you need to tune in and get ready for a great run in the future. The Rangers have many great starters, with many expecting big contract offers from other teams as soon as theirs run out. The positive is the farm system Daniels and Ryan have created. The Rangers have built a dynasty in the lower levels over the past few seasons, with Mike Olt and Jurickson Profar catching the eye of every scout in baseball. These two future stars have the making to build a franchise, and adding them to an already talented team will most likely be our recipe for success. On the pitching side Martin Perez shows much promise, and could possibly contend to make the rotation next season. If Perez works out as expected, the Rangers could possibly have four pitchers in their mid-twenties competing to be the ace of the rotation. Before I go I must take this time to play the role of John Daniels, something no person can adequately do in my eyes, but what the hell. The Rangers pitching staff could use just a little more support, and that’s why I think it’s time for a couple trades. Nelson Cruz has been a fan favorite for years, but many can’t let go of his misplay of a fly ball that allowed the Cardinals to win the 2011 World Series. This isn’t why I want to trade him, his sub .250 batting average is. Cruz has a high profile and even bigger swing, so teams needing power would give up a lot to bring him in. Mike Olt would make a fine replacement in right field, giving this young up and comer the chance to show his talent. I also would trade David Murphy. This trade hurts the most just because the kind of player Murphy is, but a talent like that needs to be utilized every game, and there just isn’t room in Texas. I would then move Ian Kinsler to the outfield, giving second base to Profar. Mitch Moreland becomes my full-time first baseman, leaving an infield that may hold the title as best in baseball. Mike Napoli is more than a catcher; he is a leader with these young pitchers. Because of this, I would sign him to a contract, hoping he can get back to “the year of the Napoli”. As wild as all this seams, the Rangers could do all these things, and if it happens, I will be the first to say I told you so. This may all seem very over whelming, and many of you probably think I am crazy and still can’t think about Rangers baseball. For me it’s time to move on. The grieving stage is over and we must start to prepare for next season. The Rangers will bounce back, and we will be on top again. My boldest prediction yet, Texas Rangers, 2013 World Series Champs!