I was at Arlington Stadium on opening day as an 11 year-old when Frank Howard hit a home run. 51 years later, I’m believing that this is our year. Well done, Bob. Thanks for moving to substack so we can enjoy your creative writing in the moment.
"But, I am awfully taken with the idea that the Astros put forth on Friday that Garcia would regret poking the bear and the worst thing he did was wake up the Astros. What they didn’t fully realize is that he is the bear. Or as our friend Walter White would say, “You think I am in danger, but, no. I am the danger.”
Such a cathartic, satisfying couple of nights of baseball!
Not only winning the ALCS and reaching the World Series.
Not only coming back from a gutpunch game 5 loss that would have ended most teams.
Not only doing it in convincing fashion, letting everyone know who the better team was.
But doing it IN Houston. Winning in front of their entitled fans. Putting an end to the Astros' 2023 dreams. Seeing their fans scurry like rats from a ship as the innings went on. Watching THEIR players with the vacant end-of-season stares as the Rangers players danced, partied and celebrated on the field.
The combination of events that led here would be mocked in Hollywood for being too ridiculous.
I can recall just 10 days before the season ended that the Rangers LITERALLY had no reliable pitchers...not in the starting rotation and not in the pen. How does a team with NO reliable pitchers in the final week of the season advance to the World Series?
Absolutely incredible and I'm so here for it. I didn't attend the opener in Arlintong in 1971 as some here have but I did attend "bat night" that year (when they handed actual wooden bats to 15K kids in an act that would be considered crazy today) and have rode the kiddie roller coaster (up until the mid-90's) and then the big boy roller coaster (2009 to 2016) and it's been a rough ride TBH.
So happy for many associated with the team. Espeically folks like Eric Nadel, Matt Hicks, Jared Sandler and Emily Jones, whose work I've thoroughly enjoyed throughout the years.
I often wonder what it's like for someone like Nadel to announce a meaningless game 142 in August of another lost season and remind myself "that's a professional". Well, a LOT of long-suffering professionals and fans alike have a right to celebrate tonight.
Great, great night of baseball! Looking forward to more!
Oh man. I don’t go that far back but remember bat nights as a kid in the early 90’s. What fun that used to be! Hoping this team is finally the one that gets us all the way over the top. This one feels different than the last two that made it this far. Getting your hopes up is always risky, but maybe this is the year it pays off.
To me, the genius of Bochy manifested itself in a fairly nondescript moment in the last weekend of the regular season. The Rangers had lost a gut-wrenching game to the Mariners in game one of the series...still failing to clinch a playoff spot. The next day, in game two, Eovaldi pitched, but still wasn't quite ready, and before you knew it, the 8-0 rout was on...and still no playoff spot. After the game had long since been decided, Boch brought little used, often injured, wildly inconsistent Josh Sborz into the game, presumably to see if he could get it right. After not pitching in over 3 weeks, he struck out the side and looked like he had in June. The next night, desperate to clinch, Bochy brought him in to get arguably the biggest outs of the game in the playoff clinching game. The rest is history. Bruce Bochy is a man I had admired from afar over the years but knew little about him until this year. What an unassuming, understated, incredibly humble man this is! A simple, under the radar move like getting Sborz re-engaged in a game where all appeared to be lost may have paid huge dividends ever since. He's a special man and it's been a pleasure to watch and listen to him this season.
When I was growing up, I would play cards on my Grandma's team against my Grandpa and whoever the 4th player would be (sister, mom, some other relative). When we would win a hand, we loved to "rehash" the victory, delighting in how good the cards were that we were dealt, and how masterfully we played them. I'm gonna enjoy these next few days rehashing how the Rangers pulled off the upset. The win is sweeter coming against the Astros as it was in 2010 going against another dynasty with the New York Yankees. A World Series title would be the icing on the cake, but I am not going to forget this ALCS win just like I haven't forgotten that first ALCS against those Yankees.
I’ve always had this conversation with friends about if you could have just 1 team win a championship who would it be and without a doubt it’s the Rangers. Thanks Bob!
I agree with Sturm's third point. I remember Jamey Newberg's Newberg report during 2010 and following, when they had great talent and a great farm system. I quit following the rangers the same in 2017 as I had a lot of other things going on. But yes, I am happy for the diehards like Jamey Newberg and DFW sports fans in general, and the players and organization. Amazing series and way to come back from 3-2 down.
As always - Amen! I've been a casual fan, more engaged this season than most, but truly want this for those who have supported and upheld this team all along. Thanks, Bob.
Baseball has always been my least favorite of the big sports here, but so many of my friends live and die by it. I could not be more excited for them to get this win. I have my Cowboys championships from childhood, and the glory of the Mavericks dream run. Every fan deserves to see their team rise to the top and I truly hope you all enjoy every minute of it. This is the kind of article I love to read because it lets us all see how excited someone else is about something. You don't have like what everyone else loves but you should always be able to appreciate something special like this. Let's Go Rangers bring it home.
Garcia earned and deserved the MVP. And in an 11-3 blowout, it seems silly focusing on one key moment.
That said, I think Carter's bases-loaded, 2-run double that made it 6-2 and keyed a big inning was the most important at bat/hit of Game 7.
Think about it. A 21-year-old rookie who six weeks ago was in the high minors. Called up to "fill a need" and not expected to be a key contributor. But with his bat, speed and glove, earned a regular place in the lineup. And, because the post-season spotlight didn't blind him, a veteran manager with 3 WS rings decided to move him up to third in the order, behind two of the team's best hitters and before it's top power hitter. The Astros had been answering and trailed by just two. Certainly they had to think if they could "hold the fort" that surely their experienced hitters would come through with some multi-run bombs to flip the script.
Instead, Carter doubles down the line, Garcia follows with a 2-run single (Dusty, time to retire; how could you not walk him?) and the floodgates were open.
Considering the Rangers' approach to this game, maybe it didn't matter what or how Houston answered. But Carter's hit was the clutch, deciding moment.
Bob, once again you have captured the emotions of your readers. I was crestfallen after the Game 5 loss. I didn’t see any way the Rangers had enough pitching to win two more games in Houston. It turns out they didn’t need much pitching with the explosion of their bats that started at the end of that last game in Arlington.
As a Rangers fan from their inception,I know I was so thrilled for the team to win a pennant and advance to the World Series in 2010 and ‘11 after nearly 50 years of frustration, I don’t think I was too badly disappointed when they couldn’t win it all then.
There is something about this team, though, that feels like a team of destiny. With their penchant for pulling off the impossible, I believe I’d feel more dejected if they don’t win it all. I don’t think these players and coaches will settle for anything less either.
I also remember before the playoff teams in the 90s that the cry from fans was just to see the Rangers play meaningful baseball games in September. We might have seen some sooner if not for the lockout in ‘94.
I was at Arlington Stadium on opening day as an 11 year-old when Frank Howard hit a home run. 51 years later, I’m believing that this is our year. Well done, Bob. Thanks for moving to substack so we can enjoy your creative writing in the moment.
"But, I am awfully taken with the idea that the Astros put forth on Friday that Garcia would regret poking the bear and the worst thing he did was wake up the Astros. What they didn’t fully realize is that he is the bear. Or as our friend Walter White would say, “You think I am in danger, but, no. I am the danger.”
This is sports-writing at it's very finest.
Wow!
Such a cathartic, satisfying couple of nights of baseball!
Not only winning the ALCS and reaching the World Series.
Not only coming back from a gutpunch game 5 loss that would have ended most teams.
Not only doing it in convincing fashion, letting everyone know who the better team was.
But doing it IN Houston. Winning in front of their entitled fans. Putting an end to the Astros' 2023 dreams. Seeing their fans scurry like rats from a ship as the innings went on. Watching THEIR players with the vacant end-of-season stares as the Rangers players danced, partied and celebrated on the field.
The combination of events that led here would be mocked in Hollywood for being too ridiculous.
I can recall just 10 days before the season ended that the Rangers LITERALLY had no reliable pitchers...not in the starting rotation and not in the pen. How does a team with NO reliable pitchers in the final week of the season advance to the World Series?
Absolutely incredible and I'm so here for it. I didn't attend the opener in Arlintong in 1971 as some here have but I did attend "bat night" that year (when they handed actual wooden bats to 15K kids in an act that would be considered crazy today) and have rode the kiddie roller coaster (up until the mid-90's) and then the big boy roller coaster (2009 to 2016) and it's been a rough ride TBH.
So happy for many associated with the team. Espeically folks like Eric Nadel, Matt Hicks, Jared Sandler and Emily Jones, whose work I've thoroughly enjoyed throughout the years.
I often wonder what it's like for someone like Nadel to announce a meaningless game 142 in August of another lost season and remind myself "that's a professional". Well, a LOT of long-suffering professionals and fans alike have a right to celebrate tonight.
Great, great night of baseball! Looking forward to more!
Oh man. I don’t go that far back but remember bat nights as a kid in the early 90’s. What fun that used to be! Hoping this team is finally the one that gets us all the way over the top. This one feels different than the last two that made it this far. Getting your hopes up is always risky, but maybe this is the year it pays off.
Boch started spring by telling the team if they wanted to be champions they were going to act like it.
He spent the summer staying patient, never panicking, just waiting for the team to learn to play with consistency and confidence.
I never heard him say anything negative. He was always there for his guys.
The rest of us looked at the final series in Seattle and told ourselves that with a few tweaks this team could become great in 2024.
Boch, however, knew a secret.
The secret was this: the right guys were always there; they just needed to learn to have the same faith in themselves that he had in them.
Now they do.
Now they know.
May it be a lesson to us all from this baseball giant we are so lucky to have leading our guys.
To me, the genius of Bochy manifested itself in a fairly nondescript moment in the last weekend of the regular season. The Rangers had lost a gut-wrenching game to the Mariners in game one of the series...still failing to clinch a playoff spot. The next day, in game two, Eovaldi pitched, but still wasn't quite ready, and before you knew it, the 8-0 rout was on...and still no playoff spot. After the game had long since been decided, Boch brought little used, often injured, wildly inconsistent Josh Sborz into the game, presumably to see if he could get it right. After not pitching in over 3 weeks, he struck out the side and looked like he had in June. The next night, desperate to clinch, Bochy brought him in to get arguably the biggest outs of the game in the playoff clinching game. The rest is history. Bruce Bochy is a man I had admired from afar over the years but knew little about him until this year. What an unassuming, understated, incredibly humble man this is! A simple, under the radar move like getting Sborz re-engaged in a game where all appeared to be lost may have paid huge dividends ever since. He's a special man and it's been a pleasure to watch and listen to him this season.
Well said!
When I was growing up, I would play cards on my Grandma's team against my Grandpa and whoever the 4th player would be (sister, mom, some other relative). When we would win a hand, we loved to "rehash" the victory, delighting in how good the cards were that we were dealt, and how masterfully we played them. I'm gonna enjoy these next few days rehashing how the Rangers pulled off the upset. The win is sweeter coming against the Astros as it was in 2010 going against another dynasty with the New York Yankees. A World Series title would be the icing on the cake, but I am not going to forget this ALCS win just like I haven't forgotten that first ALCS against those Yankees.
We don’t deserve you, Bob. A perfect note to sum up that ALCS win. Thank you!!!! Go Rangers!!
We may not deserve him, but I’m sure glad we’ve got him.
I think sending the Astros home from their own park made the victory even sweeter than if the Rangers had done it at their place.
I’ve always had this conversation with friends about if you could have just 1 team win a championship who would it be and without a doubt it’s the Rangers. Thanks Bob!
Diehard NY Mets fan here...with many thanks and props to the Texas Rangers for taking down the cheating stros...all at home no less!!
Well done!
I agree with Sturm's third point. I remember Jamey Newberg's Newberg report during 2010 and following, when they had great talent and a great farm system. I quit following the rangers the same in 2017 as I had a lot of other things going on. But yes, I am happy for the diehards like Jamey Newberg and DFW sports fans in general, and the players and organization. Amazing series and way to come back from 3-2 down.
Not a Rangers fan but great win. I hope you all win it all. BTW, I hate the cheaters in Houston
As always - Amen! I've been a casual fan, more engaged this season than most, but truly want this for those who have supported and upheld this team all along. Thanks, Bob.
Baseball has always been my least favorite of the big sports here, but so many of my friends live and die by it. I could not be more excited for them to get this win. I have my Cowboys championships from childhood, and the glory of the Mavericks dream run. Every fan deserves to see their team rise to the top and I truly hope you all enjoy every minute of it. This is the kind of article I love to read because it lets us all see how excited someone else is about something. You don't have like what everyone else loves but you should always be able to appreciate something special like this. Let's Go Rangers bring it home.
Garcia earned and deserved the MVP. And in an 11-3 blowout, it seems silly focusing on one key moment.
That said, I think Carter's bases-loaded, 2-run double that made it 6-2 and keyed a big inning was the most important at bat/hit of Game 7.
Think about it. A 21-year-old rookie who six weeks ago was in the high minors. Called up to "fill a need" and not expected to be a key contributor. But with his bat, speed and glove, earned a regular place in the lineup. And, because the post-season spotlight didn't blind him, a veteran manager with 3 WS rings decided to move him up to third in the order, behind two of the team's best hitters and before it's top power hitter. The Astros had been answering and trailed by just two. Certainly they had to think if they could "hold the fort" that surely their experienced hitters would come through with some multi-run bombs to flip the script.
Instead, Carter doubles down the line, Garcia follows with a 2-run single (Dusty, time to retire; how could you not walk him?) and the floodgates were open.
Considering the Rangers' approach to this game, maybe it didn't matter what or how Houston answered. But Carter's hit was the clutch, deciding moment.
Bob, once again you have captured the emotions of your readers. I was crestfallen after the Game 5 loss. I didn’t see any way the Rangers had enough pitching to win two more games in Houston. It turns out they didn’t need much pitching with the explosion of their bats that started at the end of that last game in Arlington.
As a Rangers fan from their inception,I know I was so thrilled for the team to win a pennant and advance to the World Series in 2010 and ‘11 after nearly 50 years of frustration, I don’t think I was too badly disappointed when they couldn’t win it all then.
There is something about this team, though, that feels like a team of destiny. With their penchant for pulling off the impossible, I believe I’d feel more dejected if they don’t win it all. I don’t think these players and coaches will settle for anything less either.
I also remember before the playoff teams in the 90s that the cry from fans was just to see the Rangers play meaningful baseball games in September. We might have seen some sooner if not for the lockout in ‘94.
They belong, alright! Not the game I was hoping for - that would have gone extra innings with a Rangers win - but I’ll take it.
Bochy is a HOF manager for a reason. Masterful job in this series.
One more to go. Let’s hope it’s Philly. I don’t want any part of that Diamondbacks team.