By Eric Spikes/reporter
The Texas Rangers have a history of not meeting the standards of the bleacher inhabitants of Arlington, and 2008 is shaping out to a slice of the same ol’ pie.
The trend of mediocre play can be quite disturbing for a fan with anger issues on free bat night.
Once were faint glimmers of victory at the ballpark in Arlington. Years of chilled champagne existed, and baseball games were so good fans could almost taste them.
Those years have been brushed away like dirt from home plate.
The Rangers won the Western Division in ’96, ’98 and ’99. But each year that blaze of baseball fever was stomped out by a pinstripe shirt.
In the three years the Rangers participated in playoffs, they won only one game—the first, pitched by John Burkett—and lost the next nine.
While going through a rebuilding period, the Rangers are relying on up-and-comers still in the muck of the minors.
Youngsters such as Elvis Andrus and Jarrod Saltalamacchia are waiting for a crack at the big leagues.
A surprise burst of solid pitching from Kevin Millwood this spring planted seeds of hope. Millwood has turned men into boys at the plate. Showing flashes of this same greatness is Vicente Padilla, another straggler from the year prior.
The Rangers have managed to sign All-Star MVP Michael Young and the ever-improving Ian Kinsler to multi-year deals.
New centerfielder Josh Hamilton is leading the American Leagues in RBIs and hitting .310.
These factors, along with their highly touted Minor League system, have the Rangers and their fans counting down to the light of day.
Only the rest of the season will let fans know if they can come out of the dark and cheer in the light.
