The Ranger's Season; What It Meant To Me

This was the greatest season in the history of the Rangers franchise, and it also happened to be the first year I appreciated baseball fully.

When I was in 7th grade, I quit baseball. My mom says it's because I didn't like the pants and that they were too hot. All I remember was playing in a fall league with my select team, and literally going 0 for what seemed like infinity at the plate. That marked the end of my baseball career until Senior year, when I would now give anything to keep playing.

Now the Rangers are done with their season, and I have to wait another 5 months to live vicariously through them yet again.

But doing so isn't attained just by watching them on television. Watching the Rangers live my dream is something done best in person. Over this year, out of 162 games, and 81 home games, I attended (on my count) 16 of them. It's a rather expensive habit, but it was my favorite place to be this summer. I would have paid double the price to see Josh Hamilton drive one to the wall, Nelson Cruz hit a walk-off home run (I saw 2), Elvis Andrus stealing a base (I saw... a lot), or the entire dugout throw the claw (usually with me doing the same from the front row of the second deck.)

This season started early and started right. We had baseball practice at the same time as opening day. After days of figuring out ways to get out of it to go to the game, we finally figured out that there was no way. So instead, Coach pulled out the old boombox to practice and blared the last couple of innings of the game. That was easily our least productive practice, by the way.

When summer finally arrived, I was either at the ballpark, watching them on TV, listening to them in the car, or looking up probable starters and stats on their website. This past summer was everything baseball. I even went and threw the baseball around weeks after the high school season was over, just because it let me think I was still playing.

Now, the World Series dust has finally settled. The Ballpark in Arlington will be empty for 5 months. The stand right next to the entrance of the first base dugout won't have an enthusiastic, sunflower seed chewing manager, conducting his team like a decorated general. The San Francisco Giants fans may be rioting in the streets, mobbing cars, fighting, and "celebrating", but Dallas-Fort Worth is in a much better position.

Dallas-Fort Worth has a baseball team.

I never thought I would be able to say it. The Rangers have arrived, and their test-run is over. This was the first time I've ever constantly checked the score of the Ranger game while out on the town in my Halloween Costume. This was the first time I've ever watched baseball while wearing a jacket. This is the first time. Hopefully the first of many. Maybe the last time ever. Who's to know?

One thing is for sure, the summer of 2010 is one I'll never forget. Not only did I rediscover my love for baseball, but I am now a genuine fan for life. Yes, I went to games back in the A-Rod days. I screamed my lung's out while John Wettland and Jeff Zimmerman threw pitch after pitch. I stood ready at the fence in centerfield waiting to jump the fence to fight for a Juan Gonzalez or Pudge Rodriguez home run. I jumped out of my seat as Rusty Greer made another highlight reel catch. But never have I been so into the game of baseball like I was and am this year.

In my book, the summer of 2010 will go down as one that was dedicated to baseball. Not just my own baseball, but Ranger baseball, and I'm excited for next year's team. I'm excited that the Rangers now know that there are die-hard fans like me out there watching them every game, and even more fans that jump on the bandwagon to root them on to success. Baseball has become more to me than a game, it's become a part of life.

I'd like to believe that the Ranger players agree. I'd like to wish that the Ranger players felt a sense of loyalty to the Texas Ranger franchise, the Ballpark in Arlington, and the 52,000 people that turned out for every playoff game.

Who knows, I guess we'll see this offseason. HopefuLEE this offseason has made that loyalty something that takes over the locker room completeLEE. But one thing is for sure, I'm ready for another season. I'm ready for April. I'm ready for another winning June. I'm ready to sweat in August. I'm ready to freeze in October. HopefuLEE we can return, and next time go out with a bit of a different tune.

Go Rangers, Go Cowboys, Go Pokes!