As Rangers' fans, we had the opportunity to enjoy a really short off-season for once. How great was that? Now as the Rangers get ready to open up Spring Training you need to be warned...do not expect anything!
Last year the Rangers made the World Series for the first time in franchise history. It only took them 38 years to do it. Being a realist, there is no way I expect the same thing this year. There are way too many questions and way too much turmoil going on for the Rangers to be expected to give us a World Series run again.
We all know the Rangers lost out on Cliff Lee. Who is going to fill his shoes as the team’s ace? Colby Lewis? CJ Wilson? Gentleman, I know Cliff Lee and you guys are no Cliff Lee. I didn’t even mention CJ had a career high in innings pitched last year. The last time CJ pitched 200+ innings, he had Tommy John surgery the next year. How much does he have left in his arm going into this season? Can he give the team another 200+ season?
What does former Cy Young award winner Brandon Webb have left?
Michael Young is all pissed off again because the Rangers asked him to do “What’s best for the team.” That has to be bad for both locker room moral and team chemistry.
Speaking of chemistry, how is Adrian Beltre going to fit in? He has been known to be a disruptive force in places.
Last year going into the 2010 baseball season, expectations were very low. As a matter of fact, most people picked the Rangers to finish last in the AL West. Quoting the great Lou Brown from Major League "They gave the national media a great big S#!T Burger to eat."
This year the feeling is different and expectations are much higher. This off-season has been all about business. Last year, it seemed like the guys were having fun. I mean who didn’t love the claw and antlers? They didn’t know they shouldn’t be playing that well so as a result they had fun, they won, and it was that simple.
Going into the 2011 season, the Texas Rangers remind me of the awful Lou Brown sequel, Major League II. Do you remember Wild Thing forgetting how to pitch? Do you remember the big name free agent coming in and ruining the chemistry? Do you remember the attitude of the little team who could changing? The similarities are quite spooky. I think the Texas Rangers had a little bit of success last year, and it went to all of their heads in this off-season. Now it’s time for a reality check. I just pray that they don’t get off to bad start come April. If they do stumble out of the gates, it could be Major League 3: Back to the Minors!
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