Once again the calendar turns to another month and its a bit closer to opening day of baseball season.
What does that mean to the average person, will it could mean that summer nights are spent inside a stadium watching men play a boys game, and for others it might mean handing down an age old tradition of teaching the game of baseball to their children, as their father's did for them when they were young, it could mean just another chance to gather with friends to enjoy the atmosphere of the ball park and enjoy the commaradrie of each other... or in some outlandish fashion, once in a while its where publically will do something truly silly and propose to their intended on the scoreboard with the hopes of them saying YES.. but that again is once in a blue moon!
For me, its a time to continue to revel in the feeling from a season ago that was more of a Dream than reality! In the 39 seasons that I had been going to Arlington to follow the Texas Rangers, I found myself inside the stadium where a post season game mattered, and it meant that there was a chance for the Rangers to actually appear in the Fall Classic-- we know it best by two words--"WORLD SERIES"!
Since 1972, when the Rangers arrived from Washington DC, called the Senators back then... they came to this little town that was smack dab in the middle of both Dallas and Fort Worth, in stadium that was just enlarged to meet Major League Baseballs specifications, and start playing in the American League... the Rangers were led on the field in those days by the man who was the last person to hit .400 for a season... Ted Williams... and what had promise.. failed miserably! They lost 100 games that season and were a total disaster!
From those meager beginnings, to last season 2010-- the Texas Rangers not only one their division, but then dispatched the Dreaded New York Yankees (also known as the Evil Empire), they took to the field to face the San Francisco Giants, only to see the celebration on their home field as the Giants won the series for the first time since 1952!
OH but srpings life eternal, and we have once again hope and bright ambitions to see the Rangers repeat.. during the off season that led us to the start of Spring Training, there have been some bumps in the road, we lost out on the Cliff Lee Sweepstakes-we might lose Michael Young, the face of the team, and we might not have the big bat that we thought we were going to have in Vladimir Gurerro, but there have been others to step to the "plate"... such as Beltre, Cruz, and Hamilton... pitching will be once again under the microscope, but honestly, this team was that way to start last year, and they were able to get Lee before the trade deadline.
Who will lead this team once again to the Promise Land of the Series, we will have to see, but come April 1st at Rangers Ball Park in Arlington, the Red Sox will open the season here, and that game, and the following 161 games that follow it will be a season of highs and lows.... and as fans we will be right there to watch it... as reporters we will be there to report it... and as experts, we will disect it.
Yes, it is indeed that time of year!
Just a thought!
