Tag Archives: mlb

Celebrate Labor Day With Baseball!

Posted on by Dazzling Erin

As of today, my beloved Texas Rangers sit at 71-73. There are only 18 games left in the regular MLB season. Usually, when the season is nearly over and your team is sitting on a losing record, you spend your time hoping that next year will be better. Luckily, the entire AL West has been struggling this season, so even though the Rangers have a losing record, they’re still in second place and only two games behind the Astros.

In other words, we’re still in this!

Baseball is a funny game. One of the things I love about it is that a team can struggle all season and still suddenly hit a burst of good luck at the end. On Saturday night I screamed for joy when the Rangers, after struggling for eight innings, managed to tie the game in the ninth. Then I screamed for a totally different reason when they allowed the Rays to score three runs and win in the tenth. But yesterday I cheered when the Rangers defeated the Rays 8-6.

The Rangers aren’t playing today. They’ve got Labor Day off, and I hope they’re preparing mentally to pull off a miracle over the next 18 games. We’ll be playing the Mariners, Diamondbacks, Red Sox, the hated Blue Jays, the Mets, and the Twins. If we can’t even beat the Mets, I’m going to be very sad.

Of course, the Astros are going to have to do their part and lose their next few games. That’s not too much to ask, is it?

Saint Rita of Cascia is the patron saint of impossible causes. Some people probably think the Rangers are an impossible cause this year. That’s the same thing they said in 2023, when the Rangers proved the doubters, the haters, and the northerners wrong by winning their first World Series. Saint Rita, advocate of the impossible, pray for us.

And go Rangers!

A Cautious Update On The Rangers

Posted on by Dazzling Erin

Last week, a friend of mine told him that it feels like a piece of his heart dies every time that his favorite football team loses.  I told him that was how I felt about the Rangers.  At least my friend only has to worry about dying 16 times during the year.  I’ve died 69 times this season and there’s still almost a month to go until the playoffs!

My update on the Rangers is that we’re struggling.  As of today, we’ve got a 69-71 record and we’re in second place in the American League West.  The good news is that the Astros have only got a 70-69 record so, if we win a few and they lose a few, we could still grab the top spot from them and make it to the playoffs.  And you never know what might happen in the playoffs.  Sometimes the team that no one gives a chance suddenly comes on strong and proves the doubters wrong.  That’s what happened the last time the Rangers won the World Series.

In other words, I still have hope for my team!  October is approaching and everyone around here is getting ready for our annual Hororthon.  Nothing would make me happier than to spend Halloween watching the Rangers.  Could it happen?  We’re not having a great season but at least we’re not the Angels.

So, even though we lost to the Athletics today and we lost big, I will continue to cheer for my team.  They’re my team, both when they’re winning and when they’re struggling.  They’ll be my team no matter what but I really, really hope that they’ll be my team in the playoffs.

Go Rangers Go!

 

Guess Who Won Last Night… Again!

Posted on by Dazzling Erin

Guess who beat the Guardians last night… again!?

Go Rangers!

I know that I keep saying that I can’t allow myself to get excited because I might jinx the team but I’m going to take the risk.  If they start losing, I’ll go back to not getting excited.  I’ll fight the jinx.  I think I can beat it.

For now, the Rangers are 44-42.  We’re only one game up on the Mariners so we can’t afford to get cocky.  But I’m finally feeling good about this season!  The only question right now is whether or not we’re going to sweep this series against the Guardians.  Go Rangers!  I’m cheering for you!

Guess Who Beat Cleveland Last Night?

Posted on by Dazzling Erin

Last night, the Rangers beat the Guardians 6-3 and, dare I say it, they’re finally starting to look like a playoff team to me!

Again, I’m trying not to jinx them by getting too excited.  Whenever I get too excited or too confident, it seems like they always end hitting a bad streak.  I am trying to trick the Baseball Gods into thinking that I’m “Comfortably Blasé,” as my sister puts it.  But it’s not easy to stay calm when your team has a good night!

I love this.  I my Rangers.  I love America.  And I love the great American pastime.

GO RANGERS!

(By the way, in the video below, ignore the annoucners when they try to dismiss the American League.  Everyone knows that baseball media is biased in favor of the National League.)

The Rangers Are 42-42!

Posted on by Dazzling Erin

I’ve been trying not to write too much about the Rangers because I’m worried that I might jinx them.  It seems like every time that I get excited and start posting about them, they hit a rough streak.  So, I have been keeping quiet and not getting ahead of myself.  The Rangers have broken my heart a few times this season but they’ve made me cheer too.

I’m cheering right now.

Finally, we’re in first.  Our record isn’t great.  42-42.  .500.  But the last few games have got me excited.  We just swept the Blue Jays.  That’s a big deal for a Rangers fan.  The Rangers and the Blue Jays don’t exactly have the best histroy.

Even though Jose Bautista is no longer playing and Rougned Odor is no longer a Ranger, it’s impossible for me not to think of this wonderful moment whenever the Rangers play the Blue Jays.

The All-Star Game will take place on July 14th.  It’s always pointless to speculate too much about the playoffs until after the All-Star Game.  The Rangers are starting a series against the Guardians later today and who knows how that will go.  (The Guardians helped the Rangers move into first place by defeating the Mariners.  Thank you, Cleveland!)  But right now, I’m feeling good.

I love baseball.

Go Rangers!

I’m Cheering!

Posted on by Dazzling Erin

Last night, I was tying to not scream in frustration.  Tonight, I’m cheering!

After last night’s humiliating loss, I had to share our victory today.  It wasn’t necessarily a pretty victory.  The Astros never should have gotten within three runs of tying up the game.  But it’s a victory all the same.  It’s a win and I’m happy!

Go Rangers go!

I’m Trying Not To Scream

Posted on by Dazzling Erin

I haven’t really sad much about the Rangers this season because they’ve really been struggling and I haven’t had much happy news to report.  Right now, everyone is down on the team’s prospects, even though we haven’t even played the All-Star Game yet.  There’s a lot of baseball left to play and you never know when a team might turn their fortunes around.  That’s one of the things that I love about this game.  A team can always make a comeback and I’ve seen the Rangers make plenty.

Still, when I see something like this:

Oh, Rangers!  Why must you break my heart?

I still have faith in my team.  I always have faith in them.  That’s why they’re my team, no matter how many times they left me screaming into a pillow and hoping no one gets the wrong idea.  Rangers, I love you!  Even when you lose to the Astros!

Please don’t do it again.

I Watched 2026 Opening Night On Netflix

Posted on by Dazzling Erin

Last night, I watched Major League baseball’s Opening Night on Netflix.

As a baseball fan, streaming the first game of the major league season on only one service didn’t really sit well with me but, with the way things are going, everything is eventually going to be exclusively on streaming and Disney, Prime, and Netflix will probably all merge to become one gigantic, extremely expensive streaming service.  I did feel bad for the baseball fans who might not have or even want Netflix and who didn’t want to have to get it for just one night.  The Home Run Derby and the Field of Dreams Game are going to be Netflix exclusives as well.

The game was blow-out.  The Yankees won 7-0 and, after the second inning, it was pretty clear who was going to win the game.  The Giants didn’t have it last night but you should never try to predict an entire baseball season based on just one game.  Take it from someone who has spent many seasons getting way too excited just because the Rangers won their first few games.  Baseball isn’t like football.  In football, you only have to survive a handful of games.  Baseball requires endurance, commitment, and patience.

I liked Netflix’s production of the game, even the parts that were a little corny.  The Giants jumping over a trolley to run out onto the field?  The Yankees surrounded by taxis as they were introduced to the crowd?  It’s baseball.  It’s the American pastime.  It’s okay if it’s silly sometimes.

So far, seven runs have been scored in the regular 2026 baseball season and they were all scored by Yankees.  That’s going to change later today, though.

Go Rangers!

Song of the Day: Talkin’ Baseball by Terry Cashman

Posted on by Dazzling Erin

It’s opening day and I feel like celebrating with today’s song of the day!  Talkin’ Baseball was recorded in 1981 and it’s gone on to become one of the great baseball songs.

The Whiz Kids had won it,
Bobby Thomson had done it,
And Yogi read the comics all the while.
Rock ‘n roll was being born,
Marijuana, we would scorn,
So down on the corner,
The national past-time went on trial.

We’re talkin’ baseball!
Kluszewski, Campanella.
Talkin’ baseball!
The Man and Bobby Feller.
The Scooter, the Barber, and the Newc,
They knew ’em all from Boston to Dubuque.
Especially Willie, Mickey, and the Duke.

Well, Casey was winning,
Hank Aaron was beginning,
One Robbie going out, one coming in.
Kiner and Midget Gaedel,
The Thumper and Mel Parnell,
And Ike was the only one winning down in Washington.

We’re talkin’ baseball!
Kluszewski, Campanella.
Talkin’ baseball!
The Man and Bobby Feller.
The Scooter, the Barber, and the Newc,
They knew ’em all from Boston to Dubuque.
Especially Willie, Mickey, and the Duke.

Now my old friend, The Bachelor,
Well, he swore he was the Oklahoma Kid.
And Cookie played hooky,
To go and see the Duke.
And me, I always loved Willie Mays,
Those were the days!

Well, now it’s the 80s,
And Brett is the greatest,
And Bobby Bonds can play for everyone.
Rose is at the Vet,
And Rusty again is a Met,
And the great Alexander is pitchin’ again in Washington.

I’m talkin’ baseball!
Like Reggie, Quisenberry.
Talkin’ baseball!
Carew and Gaylord Perry,
Seaver, Garvey, Schmidt and Vida Blue,
If Cooperstown is calling, it’s no fluke.
They’ll be with Willie, Mickey, and the Duke.

Willie, Mickey, and the Duke. (Say hey, say hey, say hey)
It was Willie, Mickey and the Duke (Say hey, say hey, say hey)
I’m talkin’ Willie, Mickey and the Duke (Say hey, say hey, say hey)
Willie, Mickey, and the Duke. (Say hey, say hey, say hey)
Say Willie, Mickey, and the Duke. (Say hey, say hey, say hey)