I know you can't stay hot for the entire brutal 162 game summer season in Major League Baseball. I know baseball is a streaky sport. I know the Rangers are in 1st place and 3 1/2 games up on the Halos. I also know something feels different this season in Arlington and I can't quite put my finger on it yet.
For the past two seasons the Texas Rangers have had caught that old sports cliché lighting in a bottle. This year it seems like they have caught rat poison in a box. If you stop and think about it nothing has gone the Rangers way this season besides Yu and Hambone's hot start. The fact they are still in first is a baseball miracle. Speaking of Josh, this seasons rough start started before the first pitch was even thrown. Do you remember the little "Sherlocks incident"?
For the past two seasons it seemed like the Texas Rangers did everything right when it counted. This year I don't see it. Two years ago we got Cliff Lee and that lead us to a World Series. Last year we got Mike Adams and that lead us to a World Series. I know they went out and got Ryan Dempster yesterday at the trade deadline but I don't think that is going to lead us to a World Series.
It seems like the Dempster move was made just for the sake of making a move. I for one think Dempster is pitching a little over his head right now. Moving from the National League to the American League is not going to help that either. Granted they didn't give up much for him so it was a square deal. I will also say they are a better team with Ryan Dempster on it. I just don't think with or without Dempster this is a World Series team.
Say what you will about Zack Greinke being a head case but,I still take him 10 out of 10 times over Dempster. Where did Greinke wind up? With our division rivals. The Angels have really taking the Yankee approach to baseball. Eventually I think that might payoff for them. Looking at the Angels 5 starters compared to the Rangers 5 is scary moving forward down the home stretch. The way the Rangers have been playing lately is even scarier.
The Rangers have lost two of their five original starters to season ending injuries. They were replaced with a no fastball having Roy Oswalt and Ryan "I can't keep pitching like this" Dempster. I don't think that is going to get the job done in 2012.
Chances are both Josh Hamilton and Napoli are gone at the end of the season too. I'm kind of curious of how that is going over in the locker room too. It's not out of the realm of possibility to think that may be causing some kind of distraction that no one is talking about.
2010 & 2011 were magical seasons here in Texas. They were fun to be a part of even though the Rangers came up short in the end. This season hasn't been fun at all. Matter of fact it's been painful. Even though they are in 1st Place in doesn't feel the same.
Unless Jon Daniels and Nolan Ryan have a Roy Hobbs magic bat to waive I am afraid of what the future holds for this team. I am afraid at best the 2012 Texas Rangers are a 1 and done playoff team. I hate to say this fellow Texas Rangers fans but the future is not so bright for our 1st Place Texas Rangers.
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