Why Baseball Needs the Rangers to Win

For nearly fifty years, the Texas Rangers have been mired in baseball futility. Dating back to the 1961 inception of the “new” Washington Senators, and continuing through their relocation to Arlington, the Rangers have pieced together only four post-season appearances (all in the expanded eight team format) and up until Tuesday’s win against Tampa Bay, were the only major league franchise to never win a post-season series.

As the sun rose on the 2010 season, it appeared the baseball gods were laughing at the Rangers once again. The Rangers posted a surprisingly strong 2009 showing, but were in deep financial ruin and controlled by Major League Baseball. After the 2009 campaign, it appeared a deal was in place for an ownership group led by Texas legend Nolan Ryan to buy the team, yet as Spring Training began, the true state of the clubs financial woes became apparent and it was evident that the creditors were not going to let the sell of the team go through without a fight.

Even so, many in the baseball world considered the Rangers a favorite to challenge the Angels for the American League West title, but then on March 17, 2010, Rangers manager, Ron Washington admitted to using cocaine during the 2009 season. Fans and media members were shocked that Washington managed to keep his job, but then again, no one really knew who was calling the shots in the front office.

As customary under Wash, the Rangers stumbled out to a 5-9 start on the season. The prize off-season pitching acquisition, Rich Harden, failed to serve as anything more than an empty jersey and star slugger, Josh Hamilton, appeared to washed up. Yet the Rangers’ skipper remained confident, continuing to live by his mottto of “that’s the way baseball go.”

Everyone in the franchise, from upper management all the way down, bought into Washington’s philosophy and approached the game with a care free spirit. The Rangers continued to practice the fundamentals of the game Washington stressed–manufacturing runs, pitching and defense–a new style of baseball for the long-time, long-suffering Rangers fan, but unlike the gorilla ball teams of the past, this incarnation of the Rangers seemed to enjoy every minute of the “great game.”

Fans picked up on the language of the team, which reached beyond ethnic lines and joined together the Latin born and American born players–a claw for a hit, antlers for speed and laughter and smiles all the time.

Josh Hamilton eventually got red hot and the Rangers eventually acquired their ace. Along the way the old man, Michael Young, became the franchise’s all-time hits and triples leader, but the Rangers greatest victory came in the courtroom, where a resilient Greenberg/Ryan ownership group managed to outbid Mark Cuban for the sell of the team. At the exact same moment the deal was announced, Young hit a grand slam to blow open a game in Seattle. Hollywood could not have scripted this season any better.

I grew up during a transition period in the world of professional sports, as the NFL gradually overtook MLB in terms of national popularity. During that time period (roughly 1978 through the present), Major League Baseball, through drug scandals, bloated egos, work stoppages and lack of personality, has lost touch with the American public. There have been no “Big Red Machines,” “We Are Family Pirates,” “Swingin’ A’s,” “Miracle Mets,” or any cleverly nicknamed teams to capture the nation’s attention. While the Rangers lack a good nickname (perhaps the Runnin’ Rangers after Game 5 of the ALDS), they do possess the team personality America embraces.

You look at the Yankees and you see a group of professionals who excel in their field. They are highly trained, highly successful and have earned the right to be called “champions,” but you can tell this is their job–straight faces, no nonsense attitude and the confidence and swagger you would expect to find from any group that performs at the highest level of their chosen field. This persona alienates non-Yankees fans.

Watching the Rangers reminds me of playing baseball as a kid. The laughter, the smiling, the dugout banter, all combine to form a unique chemistry, which carries over onto the field. They play with an aggressive streak, relying more on being opportunistic than settling for conventional baseball wisdom. However, they remain true to the fundamentals of good baseball, bunting, running the bases and employing the hit-and-run, instead of living and dying by the long-ball.

Did we mention that American loves an underdog? Let’s be honest, has any there been a bigger underdog in the League Championship Series in recent memory?

Yes, baseball needs the Rangers to win. Their success makes baseball relevant again outside the I-95 corridor and thus marketable to a much larger audience. Their youthful spirit makes people forget about steroids and strikes. In short, their success makes baseball fun for the masses once again.

After their Game 5 ALDS victory, Ron Washington was asked his thoughts on the team and in vintage Washington vernacular he replied, “they did what they does; they did what they do.” Let’s hope this magic carries over for eight more wins.

It’s time!

Ron Washington v. Josh Hamilton

As the local sports talk shows begin to go heavy into Ron Washington talk, some of Washington’s defenders are starting to emerge. One of the more popular arguments among Wash’s defenders is to bring up Josh Hamilton–the Texas Rangers’ star outfielder who has had his own well documented struggles with drug abuse in the past, including a binge cycle last year prior to spring training. The logic is that the Rangers have remained supportive of Hamilton, in spite of his slip-up last spring, getting rid of Washington would create a double-standard.

Is there double-standard? Yes, and it’s well justified.

Josh Hamilton is a player.  Ron Washington is the MANAGER, and as such is held to a much higher standard. When a player decides to abuse drugs, he risks having a negative impact on his own personal performance. The manager is charged with making every critical decision for the team. If he chooses to abuse drugs, he risks having a negative impact on the entire organization. If we accept that cocaine impairs decision making abilities, the possible scenarios for disaster to strike with a manager under the influence become infinite.

When a player makes a mistake under the influence, the manager, assuming he is lucid, can take the necessary steps to remove the intoxicated player from the game and limit the damage to the team. If the manager is under the influence, there is no one directly able to replace him, unless he retires to the locker room on his own.

What do you guys think? Is it defensible to have a double-standard when dealing with Ron Washington and Josh Hamilton?

How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the New York Yankees

I hate(d) the Yankees, beginning with their corners, Mark Teixeira and Alex Rodriguez, two self absorbed cancers, linked by a common agent, Scott Boras, and committed only to him and their bank accounts. My hatred doesn’t stop there. This is an organization that has won 26 World Series, put over 30 players into the Baseball Hall of Fame, and has millions of fans worldwide. Of course, there’s also my beloved Texas Rangers and their three first round playoff losses–their only playoff appearances–to the Yankees.

Over the past few seasons, I’ve enjoyed watching the Yankees’ post-season futility, but realize that the streak is probably about to end. The Yankees currently hold a 3-2 game lead in the American League Championship Series (ALCS) and need only one win to advance to the World Series. I thought about boycotting the World Series entirely if the Yankees advance, but then I had an epiphany. I hated the Yankees for the same reason so many people hate the Dallas Cowboys–success. The New York Yankees franchise is the best franchise in their business. Instead of hating the Yankees, I should be in love with the Yankees. Indeed, the Yankees are free market capitalism at its best.

At a time when capitalism faces daily attacks from the Federal government, the media, the entertainment industry and disillusioned Millennials across the nation, the Yankees stand as a monument to the beauty of capitalism. Compared to other leagues, Major League Baseball is very loosely regulated. No salary cap and a very weak revenue sharing policy, allow owners to spend as much money as they want to improve their product–their team. The system engenders a sense of personal responsibility among owners, rewarding the franchises willing to spend and the franchises with the best front offices and punishing those with frugal owners or those who make bad business decisions.

Throughout his career, George Steinbrenner has experienced success. He’s made a ton of money, a lot of sound investments and has spent that money wisely to add to the Yankee legacy. The Yankees spend almost $60 million more on payroll than any other team in the Majors. Alex Rodriguez’s salary alone is more than the entire payroll for the Pittsburgh Pirates.  Every year, the Yankees go out, find the best talent and offer that talent more money than anyone else.  Every year, the Yankees field one of the most competitive teams in the League. Their success generates more revenue, which the front office uses to improve their product/team. This is capitalism in its purest form.

Other teams complain about the unfair advantages caused by the discrepancies in capital between the Yankees and the rest of the league, just as other nations complain about the “unfair advantages” the American economy created during the 20th Century.  Instead of complaining, these teams should learn from the Yankees, take their capital and create greatness. The system rewards hard work and creativity.

Three Reasons I Stay Away from Rangers Ballpark in Arlington

I don’t hide the fact that I’m a huge Texas Rangers fan, but the it’s been almost three years since I last attended a Rangers home game. I’m not the only one staying away. The Rangers have long struggled with attendance. This season, attendance has been up, but as the Rangers continue to slump, attendance numbers will come back to Rangers’ norms.

Take last night for example. The Rangers started a three game series with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, only a 1.5 games out of first. However, attendance for the game was announced at 16, 985.

Why do Rangers fans stay away from the Ballpark? I stay away for three reasons.

1.) Drive – Last season, the Rangers launched a marketing campaign aimed at residents of Dallas (and the northern ‘burbs), trying to lure more Dallas County/Collin County fans out to the Ballpark.  However, the marketing campaign did nothing to address the real issue Dallas/Collin County fans stay away from the Ballpark. Distance.

I live and work in Dallas proper. In order to make first pitch, for a 7:05 start, I would have to leave work early and fight horrific traffic.  The drive is even worse for residents in Dallas’ northern suburbs. If a baseball park were somewhere in Dallas proper, accessible by mass transit, like the Victory Park area, it would be much easier to attend games on a regular basis and much easier to get in and out of the Ballpark. The Rangers can barely afford to pay their light bill right now, so I don’t expect them to build a new, downtown, ballpark anytime soon, but there are some things they could do. How about having a shuttle that runs from various locations in Dallas and Collin County out to the Ballpark?

2. Atmosphere – A few weeks ago, the New York Yankees came to Arlington for their only visit this season. The Yankees are a team that everyone loves to hate. I remember reading a story on the Dallas Morning News website about a lady who was forced, by Rangers’ staff, to change her shirt because it read, “Yankees Suck”.

Recently, I heard a story about a couple of Rangers’ fans who, in the heat of a close game, rose to their feet in the 9th inning to cheer on their favorite team. Some other fans in that same section were too lazy to stand up and decided to complain about the other fans’ spirit. Ushers at the Ballpark came over and forced the standing fans to sit down to accommodate the lazy fans. If I had been the fans who were asked to sit down I would have turned around and said, “Dude, this isn’t the ballet. Either stand up or shut up and leave.”

These are just a couple examples of how the Rangers stifle excitement and and fan enthusiasm at the Ballpark. On top of that, you have to deal with the annoying element of things such The Wave being started during key moments of the game and fans screaming everytime a ball is popped up in the air.  In short, you can go to a minor league game and find a better baseball experience. The Rangers could take some lessons from the Mavericks on how to create a great sports atmosphere.

3. Heat – The Rangers play outdoors, in Texas, during June, July, August and September. Need I say more?

Rangers Frustration!

As a Rangers’ fan, I should be accustomed to being frustrated. This team did a great job of teasing us all earlier this season, but now reality is beginning to set in.  We might hold on to first place for another night, but it won’t be long.  The weaknesses of this team have been exposed and until they are addressed, the team will continue to struggle and slide down the standings.

I spent a majority of the day listening to local talk radio dissect this Rangers team. The general consensus among the talking heads was that this team woes begin and end with the offense, especially one particular player.

Let’s be realistic, this Rangers team is a mess right now. No one person is to blame.  The main problem with this team is much bigger than the offense; it’s the philosophy that if they continue to play the game the same way, they will get different results. This is foolish, and dangerous, thinking.

Their “balls to the walls,” “swing for the fences” offensive mentality has a place in the baseball world. When your pitching staff has an ERA in the 5′s, you have no choice but to play big offensively. If you have hot sticks in your line-up, by all means, ramp up your offensive attack. However, this is a ball club that’s getting decent production out of their starting pitching and bullpen. By Arlington standards, this pitching staff is phenomenal.

On the flip side, this is a team that is struggling at the plate and its’ not all Chris Davis. From Ian Kinsler in the lead-off position, right down through the heart of the order, and down to the batting cellar with Salty and Davis, with the exception of Michael Young, there is no offensive consistency on this ball club. Potential ? Yes. Production? Hell no!

Some out there seem to think that by sending Davis down to the minors, the Rangers’ offensive woes will magically disappear. They seem to believe that Davis possesses some freakish power that not only drains his athletic prowess, but also that of his teammates.  I’ll be the first to admit that sending Davis down is a great idea. I’m a native East Texan and I love to see East Texans succeed, but keeping Davis in the majors is bad news for both the Rangers and Davis. However, that move alone will not resurrect this team.

What this team needs more than anything is a return to the basics of baseball, especially offensively.  It sounds so cliche, but be patient at the plate, take the first pitch, work the count, make the opposing pitcher throw strikes. There’s nothing wrong with a walk, but if you see a pitch you like on a 2-1 count swing, make contact and “hit it where they ain’t.”

The home run is not the only scoring option in this great game, especially if you know how to play “small ball.” Personally, I don’t know how you can make it to the majors and not know how to bunt, but from what I understand there are several players in the Rangers’ line-up who cannot bunt effectively. University of Texas head baseball coach Augie Garrido, a master of small ball, has said that he would bunt Babe Ruth in certain situations. The Rangers would be well served to adopt this philosopy, especially with their current struggles. Work a walk to lead off an inning, lay down a bunt, move the runner to second, instruct the next hitter to not swing until the pitcher has thrown a strike and then to make contact.

Of course offensive fundamentals mean absolutely nothing if you play with such poor defensive fundamentals that your catcher can’t even return the ball to the pitcher without an overthrow.

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Now playing: Public Enemy – By The Time I Get To Arizona
via FoxyTunes

A look at the major sports championships…

I’m beginning to take a look at the decreasing relevancy of the NBA in the wide world of sports. One of the things that has killed the NBA over the past few decades is the lack of parity.

I’m 30 years old, in my life time ONLY 9 different teams have won the NBA title. Here is a breakdown of the number of different champions each sport has had in that 30 year span (1979-2009):

Major League Baseball -  21 (Oddly, Major League Baseball is the only one of the 4 major leagues without a salary cap. However, in terms of number of champions, they have had the most parity over this time period.)

NFL – 14 (Yes, their have been several franchises who have won multiple titles during this 30 year stretch, but nothing like the NBA.)

NHL – 12 (Not as bad as the NBA, but Canadians, Rangers, and Oilers won a lot of hardway in the early part of this stretch)

NBA – 9 (What makes the NBA stat. even more uncompetitive is that 25 of the 30 NBA titles won during my life time have gone to 5 teams: Lakers, Celtics, Spurs, Bulls & Pistons. Houston won an additional two.  Miami, Philadelphia and Seattle are the only other teams to win titles in my lifetime.)

I’ll have much more later  on the relevancy of the NBA. For now, chew on these numbers.