The 2010 Texas Rangers are the American League West Champions. Let me repeat, the 2010 Texas Rangers are the American League West Champions.
I know. It is hard saying it. It has a been a long time coming.
The men who run the Ranger's front office told us it would be 2010 when the Rangers would be contenders. But how many times had we heard that?
First, we were in a win now mode. The team signed Alex Rodriguez, Chan Ho Park, Todd VanPoppell, Juan Gonzalez, and so on. Then, once that blew up in Tom Hick's face, we became a rebuilding team. We signed guys with the sole purpose of trading them, and that seemed to work.
Jon Daniels turned Eric Gagne into David Murphy. He got Max Ramirez for Kenny Lofton. Things were improving. The team was drafting good, and we were still losing, but we were losing with 22 year olds instead of 32 year olds.
Finally, the Hershel Walker trade came. Knowing that they could not sign him long term, the Rangers traded Mark Texiera and Ron Mahay to the Atlanta Braves. So how did that trade effect the 2010 team?
It produced the starting shortstop, Elvis Andrus, the closer, Neftali Feliz, a lefty bullpen/starter, Matt Harrison, and a trade chip, Jarrod Saltalamachia, who turned into 3 more prospects.
It was a bold move for a franchise that needed it. Just look at the team now:
1st base - Chris Davis, drafted, Mitch Moreland, drafted, and Jorge Cantu, traded for
2nd base - Ian Kinsler, drafted, Andres Blanco, traded for cash
3rd base - Michael Young, a throw in from Toronto
SS - Andrus
OF - Borbon, drafted, Cruz, trade from Milwaukee, Murphy, Hamilton, trade from Cincinnati, Francoeur, trade
DH - Vladimir Guerrero, signed cheap away from the Angels
C - Molina, trade, Treanor, trade
SP - Lee, trade, Wilson, drafted, Lewis, signed cheap, Hunter, drafted, Holland, drafted
RP - Feliz, Fransisco,signed as a kid, Oliver, signed away from Angels, O'Day, waiver pick up
and so on and so on.
This team has been on a budget for years, but to Jon Daniels credit, those players they did sign, he turned into prospects. Now, not only are the prospects producing, but they have so many that they are able to trade some for players now.
You are not able to add Cliff Lee without top notch prospects.
It will be very interesting to see how this team goes in the future. Daniels will still be looking for bargains, but at the same time, Chuck Greenberg will not hesitate to open the checkbook in the future.
For now, I am looking forward to watching the Texas Rangers in the playoffs for the first time in 11 years. Once you make the playoffs, anything can happen.
Step #1 - Win Division - Check
Lets see what happens to steps 2-4.
As always, I would love to hear from you. Send me a message at john@bigbadsportsdaddy.com
Peace, John Conner
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Do I even care
So the Dallas Cowboys lost again.
They looked bad in the preseason, and now they have looked bad in the regular season.
In week 1, the defense looked amazing, while the offense was horrid, and Buehler missed a couple of field goals. In week 2, the offense moves the ball, Dez looks great, but the defense can't stop the pass. And Buehler missed a field goal. He is consistent, consistently crappy.
The biggest problem with this whole thing...I don't even care.
Sure, I am a die hard fan, but it doesn't seem to bother me as much as it used to. Maybe it is because my Red Raiders lost yesterday, or maybe it is the fact that the Texas Rangers are about to make the playoffs for the first time in 11 years.
Whatever the reason, I don't care.
This team was over hyped, and when Jerry had an opportunity to upgrade this roster, he failed. There was no cap, yet Jerry sat patiently. We should have gotten a free safety, a kicker, and some experienced offensive linemen. Don't tell me the cap next year bothered you, because next year the Super Bowl is not in Dallas.
I am not willing to turn in my fan card just yet, but at the same time, I have become a football fan.
That must be it. I am so into watching a lot of games for fantasy purposes, that it bothers me more if my fantasy team does bad, rather than my home team.
Whatever the reason, the Cowboys schedule does not get any easier. The Texans are for real. It will be real interesting to see who stays and who goes, if they keep stinking it up. I will keep watching, but who really cares.
As always, let me hear from you. Send it to john@bigbadsportsdaddy.com.
Peace, John Conner
They looked bad in the preseason, and now they have looked bad in the regular season.
In week 1, the defense looked amazing, while the offense was horrid, and Buehler missed a couple of field goals. In week 2, the offense moves the ball, Dez looks great, but the defense can't stop the pass. And Buehler missed a field goal. He is consistent, consistently crappy.
The biggest problem with this whole thing...I don't even care.
Sure, I am a die hard fan, but it doesn't seem to bother me as much as it used to. Maybe it is because my Red Raiders lost yesterday, or maybe it is the fact that the Texas Rangers are about to make the playoffs for the first time in 11 years.
Whatever the reason, I don't care.
This team was over hyped, and when Jerry had an opportunity to upgrade this roster, he failed. There was no cap, yet Jerry sat patiently. We should have gotten a free safety, a kicker, and some experienced offensive linemen. Don't tell me the cap next year bothered you, because next year the Super Bowl is not in Dallas.
I am not willing to turn in my fan card just yet, but at the same time, I have become a football fan.
That must be it. I am so into watching a lot of games for fantasy purposes, that it bothers me more if my fantasy team does bad, rather than my home team.
Whatever the reason, the Cowboys schedule does not get any easier. The Texans are for real. It will be real interesting to see who stays and who goes, if they keep stinking it up. I will keep watching, but who really cares.
As always, let me hear from you. Send it to john@bigbadsportsdaddy.com.
Peace, John Conner
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Opening of FOOOOOOTBALL Season
The first weekend of NFL is upon us. Everyone still thinks they are in it.
As I watch and blog at the same time, I realize, the Texans are for real. The Lions are improving. The Bengals, well, not so much.
Teams are making statements early. They're are players having the games of their life early. Arian Foster could very well be the missing piece in Houston.
It is all about statements. The Patriots are making a statement. The Texans are making a bigger statement. Detroit is letting people know that they can play.
There are still plenty of weeks left to play, but if you can get off on the right foot early, it sets the tone for the entire year.
I am a homer. I have never hidden it. I will probably pick the Cowboys to win every game. Right now, I am a little concerned about the offensive line. But if the Cowboys go out and win against the hated Redskins, then I won't care how Barron and Holland played, unless Romo gets hurt.
Not only are teams making statements, but individual players have a chance to do the same. Darren McFadden has been a bust, but if he can have a good game with Michael Bush out, then people will quiet down. Derek Anderson gets a do over in Arizona. He went from Pro Bowl quarterback to the bench, to traded, to starter. He has great players around him. He needs to make a statement.
This is whats great about the opening weekend of the NFL. Everyone is equal and everyone is even.
If you can go out there and make a statement early, you may be on your way to Dallas for the Super Bowl.
Happy watching and Go COWBOYS!!!!
As always, I would love to hear from you. Send me an email to john@bigbadsportsdaddy.com
Peace, John Conner
As I watch and blog at the same time, I realize, the Texans are for real. The Lions are improving. The Bengals, well, not so much.
Teams are making statements early. They're are players having the games of their life early. Arian Foster could very well be the missing piece in Houston.
It is all about statements. The Patriots are making a statement. The Texans are making a bigger statement. Detroit is letting people know that they can play.
There are still plenty of weeks left to play, but if you can get off on the right foot early, it sets the tone for the entire year.
I am a homer. I have never hidden it. I will probably pick the Cowboys to win every game. Right now, I am a little concerned about the offensive line. But if the Cowboys go out and win against the hated Redskins, then I won't care how Barron and Holland played, unless Romo gets hurt.
Not only are teams making statements, but individual players have a chance to do the same. Darren McFadden has been a bust, but if he can have a good game with Michael Bush out, then people will quiet down. Derek Anderson gets a do over in Arizona. He went from Pro Bowl quarterback to the bench, to traded, to starter. He has great players around him. He needs to make a statement.
This is whats great about the opening weekend of the NFL. Everyone is equal and everyone is even.
If you can go out there and make a statement early, you may be on your way to Dallas for the Super Bowl.
Happy watching and Go COWBOYS!!!!
As always, I would love to hear from you. Send me an email to john@bigbadsportsdaddy.com
Peace, John Conner
Sunday, September 5, 2010
College Football Underway
College Football has begun. It is probably the most unpredictable weekend in the sport's world. Nobody really knows who is going to be good and who is not. There are teams every year that are ranked in the top 5 and finish out of the top 25. On the other hand, there is always a team that is not ranked at all that finishes in the top 5.
So what did we learn in week 1? Absolutely nothing.
We saw that Florida can't snap the ball from the center to the quarterback. We saw that Alabama can win a game without the defending Heisman trophy winner in Mark Ingram. We saw Jacksonville St. upset Ole Miss. Lets just hope that Larry didn't pick them to win a national championship, again.
Oklahoma had all they could handle. Texas toyed with Rice before ending them. Texas A&M, started strong, and Baylor is now thinking bowl game again with Robert Griffin back.
I am happy Texas Tech won, but Tommy Tuberville better have a better game plan coming up. I was happy that Ruffin McNeil, Tech's old defensive coordinator, got a win in his first game at East Carolina.
All that being said, we still know nothing. North Carolina lost by 6 points to LSU without 12 starters. They could have had the best defense in the country.
I will say that I am excited that football is going, but I will wait until the first or second week in October to tell you who I think the best team is. Anyone can say Texas, Oklahoma, Florida, those teams are gonna be in the discussion every year.
If I had to choose an underdog, I like Nebraska. They want to make a statement before they head off to the big 10.
With all that being said, thank goodness meaningful football is being played. Saturdays will not be the same for about 5 more months.
It is great that at midnight, you can turn on ESPN and watch Hawaii against someone.
As a sport's fan, this is the best time of year. I hope all your teams win, except when they play Texas Tech.
As always, let me hear from you. Send it to john@bigbadsportsdaddy.com.
Peace out,
John Conner
So what did we learn in week 1? Absolutely nothing.
We saw that Florida can't snap the ball from the center to the quarterback. We saw that Alabama can win a game without the defending Heisman trophy winner in Mark Ingram. We saw Jacksonville St. upset Ole Miss. Lets just hope that Larry didn't pick them to win a national championship, again.
Oklahoma had all they could handle. Texas toyed with Rice before ending them. Texas A&M, started strong, and Baylor is now thinking bowl game again with Robert Griffin back.
I am happy Texas Tech won, but Tommy Tuberville better have a better game plan coming up. I was happy that Ruffin McNeil, Tech's old defensive coordinator, got a win in his first game at East Carolina.
All that being said, we still know nothing. North Carolina lost by 6 points to LSU without 12 starters. They could have had the best defense in the country.
I will say that I am excited that football is going, but I will wait until the first or second week in October to tell you who I think the best team is. Anyone can say Texas, Oklahoma, Florida, those teams are gonna be in the discussion every year.
If I had to choose an underdog, I like Nebraska. They want to make a statement before they head off to the big 10.
With all that being said, thank goodness meaningful football is being played. Saturdays will not be the same for about 5 more months.
It is great that at midnight, you can turn on ESPN and watch Hawaii against someone.
As a sport's fan, this is the best time of year. I hope all your teams win, except when they play Texas Tech.
As always, let me hear from you. Send it to john@bigbadsportsdaddy.com.
Peace out,
John Conner
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