More than just a game

James Earl Jones in Field of Dreams: "The one constant through all the years... has been baseball. America has rolled by like an army of steam rollers, it's been erased like a blackboard. Rebuilt and then erased again, but baseball has marked the time... This game is a part of our past... it reminds us of all that once was good, and it could be again."


Baseball has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. Many of my childhood memories involve the game in one way or another. Front yard baseball with friends consumed most of summer's days, and although I played organized ball it was our daily "sandlot" games in the old neighborhood that I seem to miss the most. Baseball introduced me to my best friend when I was 9. Two shy kids who lived in the same neighborhood, rode the same bus, but never said two words to one another until landing on the all-star team together in the summer of '85.

Baseball was currency to me, and it's value was priceless. My father coached little league baseball for decades, and many of those years he coached without having a child on the field. Although the last 10 - 15 years he was alive we became the best of friends, growing up, baseball was the bond that united us. There aren't many memories of my childhood, playing with my father, that baseball wasn't involved. I can count on one hand how many times I saw my father with tears in his eyes, and two of those times involved baseball. The first baseball tear I saw was in 1990, when we defeated Hallsville 1-0 for the first time on our way to the state tournament. The second time was the only time I saw him look at me with disappointment in his eyes. It was the loss of a baseball dream that brought the tear this time. I injured both shoulders playing football when I was 15, and I could not swing a bat without the left shoulder dislocating. My father knew that my competitive days of baseball were gone, along with his baseball dreams for me. He was right, and I never played a single inning of baseball in high school.

Passion - a strong feeling or emotion
Although I haven't played in years, baseball is still my one true passion outside of my family. I can get lost in the history of it like nothing else I know. The ballpark is my temple, the smells, the crowd, and the crack of the bat. Even though I've seen "THE ROOKIE" countless times, I still get a tear in my eye when Jim Morris ( Dennis Quaid ) makes the phone call to his wife, letting her know he has been called up. Last week I started compiling and recording stats, dates, and other historical facts through the history of baseball. My plan is to make two scrap books, one of Texas Rangers History, and one for all of Major League Baseball. Once completed, I will have them sitting out in our house in hopes that one day my passion for baseball will be shared by my boys. If nothing else, they can read through it and learn some baseball history. Passion, much like dreams, makes life much more interesting, and to me, baseball will always be more than just a game.

Let the Bidding Begin!

Free agency is now open, and the Yanks appear to be wasting no time in going after Lee. Everything I'm about to write is pure speculation and opinion, so here we go. Truth is the Rangers could be a better overall team without Cliff Lee. With Hamilton, Cruz, C.J., Murphy, and a couple of others, arbitration is going to take a chunk of the money the Rangers can spend this offseason. Paying Lee the huge contract will limit what other moves the Rangers can make this winter.

The biggest need this off-season is going to be starting pitching. C.J. Wilson and Colby Lewis are the only sure things coming back. Hunter will probably stay somewhere in the rotation, but this team needs an ace. Feldman is coming of a horrible year and is having surgery. Rumors are flying around that Neftali Feliz will get a shot in the rotation, and I'm not real sure how that's going to work. Cliff Lee is without a doubt the number 1 target for the Rangers, but they also will have there eye on Jon Garland, Hisashi Iwakuma ( from Japan ), and I expect them to take a chance on a recovering Brandon Webb. Former Ranger Chris Young could also be on the radar, but suffered from lingering arm issues last season with the Padres.

The biggest hole in the everyday area would be the catching position, if Lee signs I'm assuming that this spot will remain Teagarden and Treanor, unless they trade for someone. Without Lee the Rangers would most likely be going after Victor Martinez or John Buck. John Buck is coming off the best season of his career which would make me a little nervous about if he can duplicate it. Victor is a career .300 hitter and average defensively, but run production from the catching position would make this line-up very tough from top to bottom.

Mitch Moreland has earned the chance to be the everyday first baseman next season, and I would expect the Rangers to look for an older back-up who could also serve as a DH. Another rumor flying around is the chance that Michael Young will move to DH, and the Rangers would look to sign Beltre on the open market.

Bullpen- outside of Feliz ( if he stays in the pen ) and Ogando, I'm not sure what the relievers will look like next year. Okay, I realize O'day will be there, i'm just not that impressed or thrilled with him. Kerry Wood is the biggest and best option for relievers in free agency, along with Soriano from the Rays. Problem is Wood will probably not be happy unless he is going to be the closer, but I would like to have a whole pen full of closers personally.

As you can see, the Rangers have a few holes, and getting quality on the cheap if Lee signs is going to be tough. Without Lee, the Rangers could possibly fill all the spots that need to be addressed with real quality.

I know it sounds like I'm saying the Rangers are in trouble, but I'm not, the bulk of this team will be back. The players coming back are enough to put them back in position to win the A.L. West next season, but a few quality additions could put them square in the middle of chasing another pennant and potentially World Series.

Thank You!

Thank you Rangers for the greatest season in the clubs history! Two items can now be removed from my bucket list 1. Go to a World Series game ( check x 2 ) 2. See the Rangers make it to the world series. CHECK. I'm a fan of all sports, but baseball has always been #1 for me. Nothing could compare to seeing the Rangers play live in Arlington in the World Series, not even being at a World Cup soccer game meant as much to me as being there for 2 of the 3 home games.

I believe the future is bright for this organization with or without Cliff Lee coming back. Nolan, Chuck, and Daniels seem to have this train pointing in the right direction, and hopefully this momentum will carry into next season. Leaving the park last night I couldn't help but think what it would be like for DFW to become a true baseball area. Rival the likes of Boston and New York, where every game is a tough ticket and every crowd is rowdy. History was made this season, and I am thrilled to have been a witness to it. I won't get in to the offseason moves that need to be made, today is a time to reflect on amazing run they had.

GOODBYE WORLD SERIES it was a beautiful ride!!!