Tonight Josh Hamilton made me a believer. Hamilton made K-Rod and the California/Anaheim/Los Angeles Angels believers. Most importantly, Josh Hamilton made the Texas Rangers believers.
The Rangers started a second consecutive rookie pitcher in his major league debut tonight against the Los Angeles Angels tonight in Arlington. Both nights the rookies did more than their part, only allowing 4 runs in their 13 combined innings.
However, Juan Rivera hit a 2 run homer tonight in the 7th inning off the Texas bullpen, and the Angels bullpen cruised through the next 2 2/3 innings.
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Then, Mr. Ranger, Michael Young brought in Ramon Vasquez with a 2 out single, and then stole 2nd during Hamilton's at bat. Like Michael Young's career, that was a spectacular, yet routine, moment. Hambo brought the spectacular, yet miraculous, moment.
With a 3-1 count, Josh Hamilton just got enough of K-Rod's off-speed pitch to put it just over the right field wall for a walk-off Ham-Slam-Wich. I started my own little chest-bump, fist-bump home plate line all by myself in front of my 25 inch TV. I wanted to believe, and thanks to Hambo, I do now.
I believe again. As a Rangers fan, we learn not to hope. Our big slugger always pops out to short in those spots. Alternatively, David Murphy hits into an inning-ending double play, instead of moving the runner on a fielder's choice. Not tonight, and not this year.
We've got a hundred other guys we can call up from the minors to pitch, and we probably will. I only have so many living room home run dances. However, that doesn't matter. We've got Hambo, the Angels worst nightmare.
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about 1 month ago
K-Rod lost!? There's a first haha...that man is unreal, as is Hamilton! Nice coverage.
from about 1 month ago
I know! It was the best baseball moment in Texas in a very long time.
about 1 month ago
the crowd was electric man, and that was a spot like you said in which most people were hoping for the best but feeling the inevitable double play or something of that sort. That moment will live up there for quite some time, and hopefully can possibly be the play that we look back on as the turning point in the Rangers progression as a serious contender one day.
At the end of the day, to be the best, you have to beat the best, and we are currently beating teams that would give us fits in the past... hopefully one day very soon, we can turn the corner for good, and get to a point where it's not so unexpected for us to win a few of these type games.
from about 1 month ago
If the Rangers go on to win the West, we'll look back at that home run as the pivotal moment of the season.
from about 1 month ago
hm turning point in the season? I'm not ready to go that far yet. Its still a long ways off before we can say the Rangers will win the division this year as well. Its a good start though.
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