The moment I’ve waited for since I sat in Arlington 11 years ago (and watched Mike Venafro cover first base on a 3-1 play to clinch) happened yesterday. A popout to short left field, and the game was over. The Rangers clinched the AL West yesterday over the Oakland A’s – formally eliminating them.
It was a game that I couldn’t easily just sit there and watch, as my wife had gone out for a haircut, and I was watching the kids. That’s fine, but it does stop you from paying complete attention to the Rangers game, so the particulars of the game I’m not writing much about. Oh, I had the game on in the next room, and I’d take a peek around the corner from time to time, but watching a 16 month old baby is not conducive to retention of baseball minutiae.
But, my wife got home just before the game ended, and while the kids had started eating dinner at that point I had called in my daughter to see, as at this point, there was two outs in the bottom of the ninth. I wanted her to see them clinch the division. What was cool by my wife was the fact that she also had wheeled the baby into the room in his high chair as well. When the Rangers clinched, my wife and daughter started clapping for it, but so did the baby! Granted, he’s just mimicking us, but it was kind of cool to have the four of us be there in that moment.
My wife’s first remarks other than “Good for them” was, “Oh, we’re so getting some shirts”. My daughter and I are going to the final home game of the season next Sunday, and will probably pick up some stuff there.
But yeah, it was really nice to see the Rangers win. The post game coverage was good, and given the truly unscripted, and live look of it, I’m surprised we didn’t get a ton of F bombs over the live feed (unless it was delayed a few seconds or something). Emily Jones was soaked, and if you’re a female reporter in there during that, better wear something that couldn’t be soaked through, if you catch my meaning – she seemed to tug at her blouse a few times. There also seem to be way more guys wearing goggles during these things. Old timers don’t use it, but the young guys do. I wonder if that falls under a Kangaroo court thing. hahaha.
But on the baseball side of things, it was nice to see Jorge Cantu break through finally, and give the Rangers what they needed – some clutch RBI’s. His first two as a Ranger, and BOTH of them were important in their own right at the time they came in the game.
It really seems weird that we’re in the playoffs again for the first time in ages. Good for us. I just hope we can do better than one win, or worse get swept. Getting swept again would be seriously crushing.
One last thing. I saw someone post this on Chuck Greenberg’s Facebook page:
Now THAT is how you begin your first season as an owner! Simply magical, unreal and everything in between. I can’t quit smiling and I know this is just the start of things to come! Congrats Chuck!
I had to reply with this:
The amusing thing about this is that Tom Hicks had the exact same entrance as an owner in his first year. That was 1998, and his first year team won, based on the work of people who came before him as owner. I mean it’s scary how similar that is.
Congrats Rangers, and congrats for Mike Young for getting there after #1502.