Rangers' Model Of Success, Has Stars Following

The Texas Rangers hired Ron Washington to manage the club on Octber 4th, 2006. The Rangers finished a disappointing 80-82 record in 2006 season and finished in third place in the american league west. The Rangers were unable to keep pace with the surging Oakland A's in the second half of the season.

The Rangers organization knew they needed to address their main issue, pitching. The Rangers pitching staff started off strong, then dropped to ninth in the american league.

The Rangers combined record was 535-599, with a winning percentage of just .472, the last year they made it to postseason in 1999.

The Rangers have always had the offense to win, but were lacking in pitching.

In Ron Washington's first year as manager for the Texas Rangers, his team finished with another dismal year at 75-87. The Rangers were five games worse from the year before. In 2008 his team finished 79-83, winning four games more than 2007.

Yes it was a little better, but not what the Rangers fans hoped for. The Rangers fans have been to the postseason only three times in franchise history. The Rangers fans were wondering if they would ever become a baseball town, or ever see their team go to the world series.

In the 2009 season the Rangers played well enough to make a trip to the postseason, going 89-73. However, they came up just short of making it to postseason play.

The Rangers fans saw a dramatic change in the way their baseball team played the game of baseball. They were exciting to watch and played hard every night.

Ron Washington's style of baseball, is for the players to play the game hard. He stresses to his team to play the game of baseball, because they enjoy it.

The Rangers players bought into Ron Washington's style of baseball. In 2010 the Texas Rangers won ninty games and captured the american league western division title. They won their first ever postseason series, when they beat the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in five games.

They faced their nemises in the amercan league championship series, the New York Yankees. The three years the Rangers went to postseason play, they faced the New York Yankees in the divisional series. The Yankees had their way with the Rangers, by beating them 3-1 in 1996. In 1998 and 1999, the Yankees swept them.

Even though these same Rangers in 2010, were not a part of the postseason, against the New York Yankees. The Rangers fans were able to see their baseball team defeat the Yankees 4-2, to go to their first ever world series.

The Rangers organization finally got their revenge on the Yankees.

The Rangers fans and the players finally could say, our team made it to the world series. The Rangers lost in the world series 4-1, to the San Francisco Giants.

The Rangers players were very determined to go back to the world series in 2011.

Ron Washington's baseball team does not like to make excuses, when they lose a baseball game or the world series.

The star players like Josh Hamilton and Michael Young, a long with their teammates said, "being on the big stage was something they've never experienced" and they were caught up in the moment.

They have done something the Rangers organization has never been a part of.

The Rangers players, were in the "AH" of the moment.

The Rangers fans were also in "AH," for what their baseball franchise accomplished in 2010.

Sure the Rangers fans wanted their team to win the world series. However, the fans were a part of something they have never experienced.

Almost every year the Rangers fans would support their team all the way to September, then it was time to watch football. The Dallas Cowboys franchise has always been the professional team that remotely had a chance to win a world championship.

How ironic the Rangers changed that in 2010.

The second year the Dallas Cowboys, invaded the Rangers home town. The first time the Dallas Cowboys hosted Super Bowl XLV. The city of Arlington hosted a world series and super bowl in the same year.

In the off-season the Rangers organization, was unable to sign their ace pitcher Cliff Lee to a multi-year contract, who they accquired from inner-division rival Seattle Mariners. As you can imagine the local media and critics said, there is no way the Rangers will be able to compete much less to go back to the world series in 2011, if they don't sign Cliff Lee to a multi-year contract.

The Rangers found away to sign a multi-year contract with free agent Adrian Beltre. The Rangers felt like signing Adrian Beltre for his defense would be the same as signing Cliff Lee as their ace pitcher.

The Rangers went out and added Yorvit Torrealba, so they would have an upgrade in the catching position. They traded Frank Francisco to the Toronto Blue Jays, to get Mike Napoli to be a utility player. Napoli can play catcher, first base, and be a designated hitter.

Michael Young was not very happy when the Rangers organizaton accquired Mike Napoli, to be a designated hitter and their utility man.

Michael Young felt like the Rangers organization had betrayed him, after he had agreed to be their full time designated hitter. Michael had requested to be traded before the 2011 season had started. The Rangers were unable to find a suitable ball club to deal him to.

With all the moves the Rangers made, it made them a stronger team in 2011, than 2010. The Rangers organization worked their issues out with Michael Young.

Even when spring training started, critics were wondering how Michael Young's issues with the organization would effect him and his teammates.

Ron Washington said, when Michael Young gets out on the field, he will be fine. Ron went on to say that Michael Young is a consumate professional, he will play the game the way he always does.

As we saw in the 2011 season that they over came all odds and went to their second consecutive world series. The reason for the success of the Texas Rangers organization is Ron Washington and their executive staff.

Ron Washington has an incredible relationship with his players and they respect their manager.

The Rangers have an outstanding farm system, and is regarded as the best in major league baseball. The Rangers have incredible talent, and through their success the last two seasons, they have become one of the powers in major league baseball to go after top notch free agents.

The Rangers will be around for a very long time, contending for the world series in 2012 and beyond.

As the Rangers have been successful sticking within their organization, they are also able to go after proven free agents.

The Dallas Stars, won the Stanley cup in 1999. The Dallas Stars were dominant through 1999-2005. In 2006-2007 they started to make some changes after their disappointing first round loss to the seventh seeded Colorado Avalanche.

In 2007-2008 the Dallas Stars returned to playoff prominence, then in 2008-2010 the Stars had their down years. Last year they did not make the playoffs, but improved with a 42-29-11 record.

Season	GP	W	L	OTL	Pts	GF	GA	Finish	Playoffs
2006–07	82	50	25	7	107	226	197	3rd, Pacific	Lost in Conference Quarterfinals, 3-4 (Canucks)
2007–08	82	45	30	7	97	242	207	3rd, Pacific	Lost in Conference Finals, 2-4 (Red Wings)
2008–09	82	36	35	11	83	230	257	3rd, Pacific	Did not qualify
2009–10	82	37	31	14	88	237	254	5th, Pacific	Did not qualify
2010-11	82	42	29	11	95	227	233	5th, Pacific	Did not qualify

The Dallas Stars organization has been looking at the Texas Rangers organization, who had improved dramatically in five years.

After the Stars missed the playoffs for their third consecutive year, they fired head coach Crawford on April 12, 2011.

They hired Glenn Gulutzan to be their head coach on June 16, 2011. With the hiring of Gulutzan, that makes six coaches they have hired, since moving from Minnesota.

The Dallas Stars knew they needed to make some moves in the off-season to get back to where the organization wants to be. They wanted to go out and pick up proven free agents to go with their talented youner players.

As Ron Washington of the Rangers, who has an outstanding relationship with his players, so does Glenn Gulutzan. The Dallas Stars are modeling their organization, after the Texas Rangers.  When the Stars saw the Rangers young talent surrounded by proven veteran players and how it made them successful.

The Dallas Stars organization, decided to make the same transition for their organization.

The Dallas Stars, went out this off-season to get some proven veteran players, to surround their young talent they already had.

The Dallas Stars have seen, how it has made the Rangers organization a major league power. Staying with young talent within their organization and accquiring veteran players to surround them.

As we've seen early on, in the 2011 hockey season. The Stars are 11-3, with the best record in the national hockey league. The Dallas Stars are playing hard in every game. The Stars have brought Dallas a Stanley cup in 1999, can the Stars get back to that dominance they had in 1999-2005.

The Dallas Stars, who are following the model of the Rangers, just might be the model they need to go back to the Stanley cup finals.

No matter what type of player nucleus an organization has. The key is to have a head coach, that has a great relationship with his players.

"It has been said, since the Rangers have made it to two consecutive world series, most major league teams are starting to follow the Rangers model of success."

How funny is that?

I remember when the Texas Rangers organization was a laughing stock. Now professional organizations are looking into, the Rangers model of success.

If the Dallas Stars are successful in 2011-2012 hockey season, we know that the Rangers model has worked for another local professional sports team. The Dallas Stars just might be a contender for the Stanley cup for years to come.

Game 6 Was The "Crushing" Blow For Texas' World Title

The Texas Rangers had a remarkable 2011 baseball season with ninty-six wins in the season. However, that was not good enough for the Rangers or their fans.

The point is that the Rangers had a ninty win season a year ago, going to their first ever world series. The Rangers were new on the big stage scene, and it showed. The San Francisco Giants starting pitching and bullpen quieted Josh Hamilton, who was the MVP of the 2010 ALCS. The rest of the Rangers lineup could not figure out the dominant pitching staff the Giants had during the series.

The Rangers salvaged game four of the series, when Colby Lewis was impressive against the Giants batters.

The Rangers went on to lose the 2010 world series in five games.

This year was a different story. The Rangers came into the 2011 season, with one thing on their mind. To defend their American League pennant, and to go back to the world series.

The Rangers defeated the Rays in four games in the divisional series.

Texas was one series away to successfully defending their American League pennant. They had to face the Detroit Tigers, who won ninty-five games this season.

The Tigers' starting pitching was the best pitching staff, that remained in the playoffs. The Rangers had home field advantage, and they took advantage of that opportunity. They won the first two games in the series.

The Rangers went on to defeat the Tigers in six games, to successfully defend their American League pennant from a year ago.

The Rangers went to their second consecutive world series, they were hungry to make up for last years' loss to the Giants.

The Cardinals took the first game of the series, beating the Rangers 3-2.

The second game of the series, looked like the Cardinals were going to take a 2-0 lead in the series when they were leading in the top of the ninth inning 1-0.

For eight innings Texas could not figure out Jaime Garcia and the Cardinals bullpen. Texas stole game two from the Cardinals, when they scored two runs in the top of the ninth inning. Texas went on to win game two 2-1.

In game three of the series Albert Pujols set major league history, hitting three home runs off three different pitchers in the same game. The Cardinal blew out the Rangers 16-7.

The Rangers found themselves with a must win situation. They called on twenty-five year old Derek Holland, and he pitched an outstanding eight and one third innings of shutout ball to beat the Cardinals 4-0 to tie the series 2-2.

Rangers took the series lead 3-2, when they beat the Cardinals 4-2 in game five.

The scheduled game six was postponed, until Thursday. The St. Louis Cardinals were facing elimination. The game was tied 4-4 going into the sixth inning, when the Rangers scored three runs to open up a 7-4 lead.

Everything look good for the Rangers, their first world championship was in their grasp.

Allen Craig cut the lead to 7-5 in the eighth inning.

If you were a Rangers fan, the unthinkable was about to happen.

Rangers are up by two runs with two outs and runners on first and second base. David Freese hits a two run triple in right field, to tie the game 7-7.

Nellie Cruz misplayed the ball and it went over his head, and hit the wall.

Nellie Cruz would have made that particular play 99.9% of the time.


However, Josh Hamilton hit a two run blast in the top of the tenth inning, to give the Rangers a 9-7 lead.

St. Louis had runners in scoring position with two outs in the bottom of the tenth inning, and tied the game 9-9.

The sting and disbelief of the Rangers fans, was devastating.

The Rangers fans have not seen this type of play at the end of any baseball game all season long.

What coulda, shoulda, or woulda been, was nothing but a devastating loss.

When the Rangers had a two run lead late in the game, they went on to win. However, the game six loss, turned the series in St. Louis' favor.

All the critics said, the loss did not eliminate the Rangers. The Cardinals were playing the game not to be eliminated from the series.

The Rangers started off the first inning in game seven, with a 2-0 lead. That lead did not hold up long at all. St. Louis even the score 2-2 in the bottom half of the first inning.

The Rangers needed to get off to a quick start, they scored two runs in the first inning. It looked as if the Rangers was putting the pressure on the Cardinals. However, the Cardinals responded immediately and tied the game in the bottom half of the first inning.

The Rangers never threatened to score the rest of the game. While the Cardinals took advantage of the Rangers mistakes. After David Freese gave the Cardinals the lead in the bottom of the third inning, when he hit a solo home run to make the score 3-2.

In the fifth inning Colby Lewis gave up a single and loaded the bases with two walks. Lewis walked in a run, then C.J. Wilson came in and hit the first batter he faced to make the score 5-2.

The Rangers played flat, like all of their spark was taken away from them. It seemed as if they were in a fog from the night before.

The Rangers have always been good at coming back from poorly played games from the day before. They would always rebound back and played errorless ball.

The Rangers have proved that this season, they have not back-to-back games since August 24th.

Exactly two months.

There was no talk about the Rangers, going to play poorly in game seven.

However, you could tell the performance in game seven, was still a hang over from the night before.

Having the world series in their grasp, then relinquishing it.

They simply were not over that night.
What the Rangers let slip away in game six, came back to bite them in game seven.

The game that will always be remembered in the 2011 world series, will be game six. That game will be haunting the Rangers and their fans, until next April.

What shoulda, coulda, woulda, or even a what if????

The Rangers will be loaded in 2012, and they have one of the best farm systems in the major leagues. They will be back in the hunt for 2012.

However, it's hard to win back-to-back american league pennants, to go to consecutive world series.

Can the Rangers beat all odds, and get to their third consecutive world series in 2012?

The Rangers don't want to be the Buffalo Bills of baseball.

Get to the "Fall Classic," and not win a world championship.

The Rangers have changed their area code to 042.

Texas is a young team, who has the talent and potential to go deep into the playoffs again next year. However, when you get to the "Fall Classic" in consecutive years, it's a must you win it.

The most famous line we use is:

Maybe next year.

Well, even that saying gets old.

We want to win the world championship the same year you have that opportunity.

There is nothing left at this point, accept we have to wait until next year.

Now the Cowboys' are in the spot light.

They are as far off, being contenders for a Super Bowl.

It's not even funny.

That's why the people in the DFW Metroplex, needed the Rangers to win their first ever world championship and world series.

Since both the Rangers and Cowboys now play in the same city.

Arlington, TX

All the Rangers and Rangers fans can do now is hope 2012 is the third consecutive world series for them.

Hope that the third time will be the "charm."

Until then we can only remain hopeful.

Rangers and Cardinals Playing For All The Marbles

The Texas Rangers and St. Louis Cardinals are playing one game to decide, who will be the best in baseball in 2011. As, baseball fans will tune in tonight, to watch game seven of the world series. The Rangers and Cardinals are playing the winner take all game.

Who will be the 2011 MLB world champions?

When the Cardinals' David Freese, who is their home town player. Hit a long home run into the center field grass in the bottom of the eleventh inning, sent the series to the limit.

Texas seemingly having a commanding lead at 7-4 going into the bottom of the eighth inning. However, with one out in the inning, Allen Craig hit a home run to left field to cut the lead to 7-5.

Texas with a 7-5 lead going to the bottom of the ninth inning, with the reliable Rangers' closer Neftali Feliz coming on to face Ryan Theriot, Albert Pujols, and Lance Berkman. Neftali Feliz has been seven for seven closing out games in the postseason.

With one out Albert Pujols hits a double to center fielder Josh Haminlton., then Neftali Feliz walked Lance Berkman on four consecutive balls. With men on first and second, Allen Craig then strikes out swinging. With the game on the line for the Cardinals, home town favorite David Freese with two strikes on him hits a triple to right fielder Nellie Cruz to tie the game 7-7.

The Rangers going into the tenth inning, to try to regain the lead. Rangers Elvis Andrus singles to center fielder Jon Jay, then Josh Hamilton hits his first home run in postseason to give the Rangers a 9-7 lead. The Rangers looked like they, would salvage the come back Cardinals and win their first world series.

The Rangers' Darren Oliver came into face Daniel Descalso, Jon Jay, and Kyle Lohse, who was the bottom of the Cardinals batting order. Kyle Lohse had to bat in this situation, since the Cardinals bench was empty.

St. Louis' Daniel Descalso and Jon Jay singled off Darren Oliver, then Kyle Lohse bunted over Adrian Beltre's head to move the runners to second and third. Ryan Theriot grounded out to third baseman Adrian Beltre to score Daniel Descalso to cut the Rangers lead to 9-8.

With two outs.

Lance Berkman was down to his last strike, when he singles to center fielder Josh Hamilton to score Jon Jay to tie the game 9-9.

In the Rangers top of the eleventh, they were unable to get anything going.

St. Louis' home town hero David Freese, led off their half of the eleventh inning. Rangers' Mark Lowe came into the game to face David Freese, who tied the game in the bottom of the ninth inning. David Freese hit a long home run into the center field grass, to beat the Rangers 10-9 to force a game seven.

Experts called game six a classic game.

This was not a classic game in the world series.

Game six was a classic, dramatic game in world series history.

St. Louis and Texas had five errors between them.

St. Louis 3 errors Texas 2 errors.

Neither one of these teams were even close to playing the defense, we've seen in this series.

Michael Young committed both of the Rangers errors, while Matt Holliday (drops fly ball), David Freese (dropped pop-up), and relief pitcher Fernando Salas throws an errant throw to second base into center field.

Game six was nothing but a "sloppy" game, before the offenses took over the game.

The Rangers had two different opportunities to win the world series, being one strike away twice. Also, going into the bottom of the ninth and tenth innings with two run leads.

With the winner take all game on Fox tonight.

What type of a game will we see?

Seemingly the Cardinals will be going with their ace pitcher Chris Carpenter, on three days rest. The Rangers' Matt Harrison will be toeing the rubber. The Rangers' Matt Harrison has been the scheduled pitcher for game seven, all along.

Chris Carpenter will be going for the Cardinals on three days rest. The last time Chris Carpenter went on three days rest, was in the NLDS against the Philadelphia Phillies. The Phillies scored four runs off Carpenter in three innings. St. Louis' Chris Carpente had a no decision.

When the Rangers have faced an opponents starting pitcher three times, they knew what to expect and knocked that pitcher  out of the game.

Texas is a young baseball team, that likes facing challenges. Tonight will not be any different, for the Rangers. Texas' backs have been against the wall before, they seem to thrive in these situations.

The Cardinals are know different than the Rangers. The Cardinals crashed the postseason party, being ten and a half games out of the wild card to win on the last day of the season.

That's why this is such a "great" world series.

Both teams are evenly matched.

Tonight is the last game of baseball this season.

A winner take all game.

Who will win the most crucial game of the 2011 baseball season????

St. Louis or Texas?

If the Rangers win tonight, it will be their first world series championship in franchise history.

If the Cardinals win tonight, it will be their franchises eleventh world series championship.

What Texas Has Going For Them:

Texas has not lost consecutive games, since late August.

St. Louis' thirty-six year old pitcher Chris Carpenter, will not have the same stuff on three days rest.

The home team of the seventh game of the world series, has won.

The young Texas team is not worried about that statistic, they have made history through out this postseason.

They will make history again tonight, by beating those odds.

I'm not sure how this game will go down tonight, however i'm not going to bet against the Texas Rangers. Some how the Rangers will find a way to get the job done.

I do expect the Rangers to be at their best offensively and defensively tonight. I believe that Matt Harrison will pitch a solid six innings, and the bullpen with Holland, Wilson, and Feldman will be ready to pitch multiple innings if needed.

The bullpen will rectify their woes, from last night.

With the history of Chris Carpenter pitching on three days rest, against the Phillies in the NLDS.

I don't believe Chris Carpenter will be effective, against the Rangers' batters.

Everything will be answered tonight.

        RANGERS, CARDINALS-WHO WILL WIN THE WORLD SERIES TONIGHT????