Another Rangers Season Comes To An End


‘The regular MLB season came to an end today. 

My Texas Rangers ended up with a 68-94 record.  I wish they had done better but there’s always next season.  One thing about being a fan of a team is that you can’t just be a fan when your team is winning.  Sometimes, it’s even more important to continue to support them when they’re struggling.  The last time we made the postseason was in 2016.  Hopefully, we’ll get there in 2023.  

At least we won our final game of the regular season.

Congratulations to the Astros, Yankees, Rays, Indians Guardians, and Mariners for making it to the AL postseason!  And congratulations to Phillies, Braves, Mets, Cardinals, Dodgers, and Padres for making it in the NL.  I’m looking forward to an Astros vs Dodgers World Series.

One Hit From Home (2012, dir. by Johnny Meier and David Aaron Stone)


The MLB regular season has come to an end and right now, I’m so thankful for the Orioles.

Why?  Because I’m a Rangers fan and the Orioles 52-110 record is the only thing keeping my Rangers from havin the worst record in the American League.  This season, the Rangers went 60-102.  In all of major league baseball, only the Orioles and the Diamondbacks managed to do worse.  The Rangers will not be going to the World Series this season.  We won’t be anywhere close.  The Astros might make it.  They’re playing White Sox later today.

I’m a true baseball fan, though.  True baseball fans have faith.  It’s been a long since the Rangers had a winning season and many of my favorite players have been traded to other teams.  (I’m still crying about Elvis playing for the Athetlics.  ELVIS!)  We’ve been struggling for a while but next season, we’ll turn things around.  I have faith.

Faith is also the main theme of One Hit From Home, a baseball movie that I watched last night.  One Hit From Home is about Jimmy Easton (David Aaron Stone), a baseball player who was the best curve ball hitter in the league until career was cut short by a knee injury.  When Jimmy gets into a bar fight, he’s given two options.  He can either go to jail or he can coach a college baseball team.  Deciding to coach, Jimmy returns to his hometown, hooks up with his ex-girlfriend, mentors a troubled a player, deals with his part, and does a lot of praying.

One Hit From Home was really predictable and, because it was a Pureflix film, more into religion than baseball.  I don’t mind religious films but it bothered me that One Hit From Home didn’t even seem to care much about the game.  There was no strategy or talk about teamwork or anything else that makes baseball special.  Jimmy never told anyone to bunt or to hit a sacrifice fly to bring another player home.  After a rough start, the team goes on a winning streak but the movie never shows how Jimmy adjusted his coaching style or what he taught the players.  Instead, Jimmy helps his star player get along better with his father and, after one of the movie’s many tragic car accidents, Jimmy goes to church.  I watched One Hit From Home because I wanted to see a baseball movie and I felt cheated.

The worst part of the movie was when Jimmy’s ex-girlfriend stopped by to welcome him back to town and she got offended when she discovered that Jimmy had spent the night with another woman, despite the fact that she was the one who dropped by the house unannounced and it had been years since she and Jimmy had even seen each other.  That made her seem very judgmental and hypocritical but the movie acted like Jimmy was the one who should apologize.

One Hit From Home wasn’t what I was looking for but it won’t make me give up on baseball movies.  I have faith in them, just like I have fath in my Rangers.

Spring Training Has Begun!


Football is over and Spring Training has begun!

I know that the Shattered Lens isn’t a sports site but I love the Rangers and I can’t wait to see how they do this season.  I can’t wait for more memories like this one:

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The season officially starts on April 2nd! Good luck to my Rangers and to every other team (even the Blue Jays)!

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE CHICAGO CUBS, WORLD SERIES CHAMPS!


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Congratulations to the Chicago Cubs, who just won their first World Series since 1908!

I started this season believing that this would be the season that my Texas Rangers would finally win their first World Series title but it was not to be.  After a great regular season, they lost the division series to the Blue Jays.  As much as I wish my Rangers had gone further in the postseason, I’ll always cherish the memories.
odor-punch

But if my Rangers couldn’t win the World Series, I’m glad that the Cubs did.  Going into the series as an underdog to the Cleveland Indians, the Cubs came back from behind and won Game 7, in extra innings with 10 runs to Cleveland’s 8.  Both Chicago and Cleveland should be proud of their teams tonight!

Way to go, Cubs!

And here’s hoping my Rangers make it next season!

Congratulations on the victory, Chicago!  You earned it!

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Scene That I Love: Rougned Odor Punches Jose Bautista


This scene isn’t from a movie but it is one that I love and that I’ve watched a dozen times today.

Here’s what those of us watching the Rangers/Blue Jays game saw yesterday.

I’m usually against violence and I don’t like it when grown men act like children but I’m also a Rangers fan and Jose “Bat Flip” Bautista got what he deserved.  After Bautista’s hard slide into 2nd base, Odor is lucky he didn’t end up with a broken leg and Bautista’s lucky that Adrian Beltre was there to carry him to safety.

Here it is again:

For the record, that game was the last time that the Rangers and Blue Jays are scheduled to play during the regular season.  With a final score of 6-5, the Rangers not only won the game but also swept the series!