A Personal Ode to The Ballpark

It’s hot. It’s ridiculously hot. It’s the kind of hot that forces you to peel your sweat-logged shirt from your body in between pitches – and that’s if you’re sitting in the shade. A seat in left field provides a complimentary and thorough soaking by the second inning. But it’s my ballpark, and I must bid it farewell. More specifically, it is “The Ballpark in Arlington.” Take a seat for now, Ameriquest and Globe Life. Preferably somewhere in the left-field stands.

It’s the place where I fell in love with baseball. Sure, I knew about the national pastime when I was growing up. I played T-ball and Little League, went to a handful of games at Arlington Stadium, heard about Babe Ruth and knew a guy named Nolan Ryan pitched for the Rangers. That was the extent of my knowledge, and that was fine with me. I remember the hubbub when The Ballpark in Arlington opened in 1994, and that summer a country singer named Kenny Rogers (right?) threw something called a “perfect game.” The next year, baseball’s All-Star Game came to town, but I didn’t pay much attention.

Then 1996 happened. The Rangers were good, and I was drawn to the sport like never before. I became enamored with the team’s graceful left fielder, a soft-spoken Alabama kid who patrolled his position with reckless abandon. Although Rusty Greer made the game-saving catch in center field during Kenny Rogers’ perfecto two years prior, he was now entrenched in left. And he was my guy. He was the first player to prove me wrong when I saw a line drive heading for the corner or the gap and thought, “There’s no way anyone will catch that.” Greer often did. My red-capped hero jumped, dove and crashed into walls to turn impossible snags into stunning realities, then humbly re-adjusted his uniform like an office worker standing up after a long meeting.

There was Juan Gonzalez, obliterating baseballs with mighty swings that seemed too strong for a mere mortal. (Turns out that was the case.) Ivan Rodriguez, daring base runners to test his throwing arm, then flashing his trademark smile once the second-base ump signaled another caught stealing. Will Clark, exhibiting the smoothest left-handed stroke I’ve seen to this day. Mickey Tettleton, with his odd bat-parallel-to-the-ground stance. Dean Palmer, holding down third base when he wasn’t cranking home runs. The late Darryl Hamilton manning center when he wasn’t legging out triples. Mark McLemore turning in clutch hits from both sides of the plate. And of course, Kevin Elster driving in 99 runs despite batting ninth in the lineup.

When Texas lost to New York in its first playoff series that fall, I understood the meaning behind the title Damn Yankees. That thought crossed my 11-year-old mind several times, and over the next few seasons it grew to include more colorful words as my vocabulary expanded. In addition to having a favorite team, I now had a sworn enemy of a team as well.

After getting plowed over by the Yankees again in 1998 and 1999, the Rangers turned as sour as milk left sitting on the outfield bleachers during an extra-inning afternoon game. They finished in last place four straight seasons, then in next-to-last-place three years in a row, then in last place again. It was not a good time to be a baseball fan in North Texas. I wasn’t going anywhere, however. This was my team through thick and thin, and these lean years produced some of my fondest Ballpark memories.

On the photo days I attended near the turn of the century (usually sponsored by Fujifilm or some other camera company), I encountered players from the obscure to the legendary. In 2000, my inquisitive nature led me to ask David Segui why he wore the big wrap around his left elbow. “It’s for my elbow,” he replied. Well then. Rafael Palmeiro put his big hands on my little shoulders for one picture. I can distinctly recall my feet leaving the ground for about 10 minutes afterward. But nothing compares to my Johnny Oates experience.

Between one photo day session and the game itself – this was probably 1997 – I planned to trek down and ask the manager for an autograph. “You know, he may recognize you,” my dad told me as I grabbed my ball and pen. Huh? “He probably has grandkids, and he’s probably seen you in some Barney episodes.” Yeah right, dad. The Texas Rangers manager is going to recognize me. Sure.

As he was signing my ball, Oates looked up and said, “Hey, I’ve seen you somewhere before.” My jaw dropped. “Yeah, I’ve seen you on TV. I should be asking you for your autograph,” he said as he handed me my newest treasure. I could only walk back to my seat in stunned silence. Dad knew from the look on my face he was right.

On Opening Day 2001, I caught the only ball I’ve ever snagged off the bat of a big-league player. It didn’t happen during the game, but it didn’t matter. I’ll never forget running onto Greene’s Hill to chase a batting-practice homer struck by Andres Galarraga, sticking out my gloved left hand and feeling the pellet land flush in the pocket. I’m glad it occurred in batting practice, because I didn’t want any TV viewers to witness my awkward form. That July, I waited in a slow-moving line that wound its way down to Cal Ripken Jr., who was about to play his final career game in Arlington. After he signed my ball, I managed to feebly utter “Thanks, Cal” before scurrying away. Clearly, my confidence had grown by leaps and bounds since the Johnny Oates encounter.

For the summer of 2002, The Ballpark turned from my favorite destination to my place of employment. At age 17, I had the pleasure of directing cars into parking spots on the sizzling asphalt, then taking an open seat at the game once my duties were complete. These were the days of Alex Rodriguez and 24 kids, if you’ll recall. Nothing like watching a last-place team for free. I sure didn’t mind.

Good seats were easy to come by because the Rangers were so bad. Armed with a driver’s license, a hand-me-down vehicle and plenty of free time, I was at The Ballpark more often than not during my late high school and early college years. After woebegone experiments like A-Rod, Chan Ho Park and Carl Everett left town, I watched a new corps of youngsters graduate from Double-A Frisco or Triple-A Oklahoma City to the bigs. Mark Teixeira. Francisco Cordero. Hank Blalock. Armando Galarraga. Ian Kinsler. Laynce Nix. Edinson Volquez. Kevin Mench. C.J. Wilson. All within shouting distance at a stadium built for 50,000 fans. Heck, for a while it felt easier to score Rangers tickets than Frisco RoughRiders seats.

Michael Young was there through it all, of course, debuting with Texas in 2000 and sticking around through the franchise’s best and worst moments. The best came later, only after Jon Daniels took over as general manager and solidified the team with outside reinforcements. Here came Nelson Cruz from Milwaukee. Josh Hamilton from Cincinnati. Elvis Andrus, Neftali Feliz and Matt Harrison from Atlanta. Then, in 2010, longtime nemesis Vladimir Guerrero came to town a few months before Cliff Lee arrived to anchor the pitching staff. The Rangers were good again, and The Metroplex began to take notice. Tickets were suddenly in high demand.

That didn’t keep me away. It simply kept me in the cheaper seats. You think I cared? The Ballpark seemed to receive annual upgrades in the years following Ron Washington’s two pennant-winners. The first game I attend each season calls for the purchase of a crisp new media guide, and the inner flaps of these detailed the ongoing improvements. A new club built within the structure atop Greene’s Hill one winter. Another winter brought the replacement of advertising panels with a second video board in left-center field. It made for an ever-changing vista when I started attending games with the woman who I somehow convinced to marry me. She patiently waited in line with me to get autographs from Feliz and Martin Perez at a winter Fan Fest. Then she patiently waited for other major life events unrelated to baseball.

Together we saw Washington pass the managerial torch to Jeff Banister, who assembled two more playoff entrants with the likes of Shin-Soo Choo, Rougned Odor, Yu Darvish and Cole Hamels. This time around, the Blue Jays handed Texas first-round exits in 2015 and 2016. The Rangers haven’t been competitive since then. All of the sudden, games became less crowded and tickets were easier to come by. This allowed us to get up-close views of slugging monsters like Joey Gallo and Nomar Mazara. Fittingly, this was around the time she suggested I may be too old to bound down the aisles and leap over empty seats seeking pregame autographs. As usual, she was right. Some things never change.

I wasn’t there for any of The Ballpark’s most iconic occasions. I missed the anticipated big moments – the All-Star Game, Nolan Ryan’s number retirement ceremony, Major League Baseball’s first interleague game, any of the playoff clinchers, the 2010 and 2011 American League pennant clinchers. Nor was I present for the Rangers’ first World Series contest win, sparked by Mitch Moreland’s three-run homer, or Derek Holland’s Game 4 masterpiece in the next year’s Fall Classic. I was absent for Adrian Beltre’s 3,000th career hit because I was in Cooperstown seeing Pudge inducted into the Hall of Fame, so that’s an excused absence.

The unforeseen memorable games escaped me as well, including the perfect game in 1994, Gary Matthews Jr.’s stunning catch in 2006, Mark Teixeira hitting for the cycle in 2004. Then Ian Kinsler hitting for the cycle in 2009. Then Adrian Beltre in 2012. Then Alex Rios in 2013. Then Beltre again in 2015. Then Carlos Gomez in 2017. And Odor’s melee-sparking right hook to Jose Bautista’s face. I missed them all. And I don’t regret it one bit.

Over the past two-plus decades, I’ve enjoyed many games at The Ballpark by myself, sometimes chatting with nearby fans and sometimes letting my internal dialogue suffice. I’ve been to several games as part of group outings. I’ve taken friends and girlfriends, in-laws and outcasts, classmates and bandmates. I’ve sat in the front row of the lower deck, the farthest reaches of the upper deck and just about everywhere in between. I’ve taken in games from plush suites, from broken seats and from the scorched aluminum of the outfield bleachers. I’ve been so invested at some games, I never left my seat, lest I miss something for the pristine scorecard I was keeping. And I’ve been rather uninvested at some games, more interested in hanging out with my company or roaming the gift shops or seeking out better seats or kicking back with a couple overpriced adult beverages. I’ve sat through triple-digit heat and what felt like triple-digit humidity. I’ve sat through pouring rain under haunting skies. I’ve sat through unseasonably cool games with a hot chocolate instead of a cold bottle of water. I’ve run the gamut of emotions watching the action on the diamond, from heart-pumping elation to gut-wrenching depression to casual indifference.

I was an 8-year-old kid when The Ballpark in Arlington opened its gates, and I’ll see the final MLB game played there as a 34-year-old man (some would argue against the latter title). The majestic mecca has been a constant throughout my formative years and young adult life. It may no longer host big-league baseball contests, but its memories will live on:

The giddy feeling of walking to the yard from my favorite parking lot, tucked between the Arlington Visitors Bureau and a nondescript industrial complex near the center-field gate. The pungent aroma of hot dogs, jalapeno-topped nachos and beer that hits my nostrils before I even have my ticket out of my pocket. The booming voice of Chuck Morgan careening off every surface from the public address system. The songs that ring out during batting practice, including ballpark staples like John Fogerty’s “Centerfield” and Terry Cashman’s “Talkin’ Baseball.” The swelling anticipation as first pitch approaches. The unique song snippets that precede each Ranger’s trip to the plate. The home run music, swiped from the climactic scene in The Natural but never feeling more natural than in Arlington. The dot races. The celebratory fireworks. The seventh-inning stretch, when “God Bless America” merges seamlessly into “Cotton-Eye Joe.” The sweet taste of victories and the bitter pills of defeat. And after each final out, the soothing voice of Eric Nadel recapping the game’s events on the ride home.

Sure, it’s hot at The Ballpark. And it will be considerably more comfortable in the new retractable-roof, climate-controlled park. And new legions of fans will come to love the game in the new environs, much as I and thousands of others did at the current stadium. Luckily, cherished memories don’t melt in any temperature, meaning I get to carry those with me for the rest of my life. The Ballpark in Arlington is the gift that keeps on giving.

Rangers Notes: Gonzalez Spins Shutout in Second Start

Chi Chi Gonzalez (left) is greeted by catcher Robinson Chirinos after his 4-0 shutout Friday in Kansas City.

Making just his second major-league start, Texas right-hander Chi Chi Gonzalez scattered three hits and tossed a complete-game shutout in the Rangers’ 4-0 win over the Royals last Friday at Kauffman Stadium.

Gonzalez, 23, very nearly made the team out of spring training before he was sent to Triple-A for more seasoning, and he has pitched well in each of his first three big-league appearances so far this year.

He required 116 pitches to get through his shutout against Kansas City, and Texas manager Jeff Banister admitted that the decision to send Gonzalez back out to pitch the bottom of the ninth inning was not an easy one.

“This is a young man that’s fresh in the big leagues,” Banister said. “I’m very conscious of where he is. I felt like there was not a lot of stress on any of the innings. I felt he was still in control, the velocity and pitch ability was still there.”

The complete-game shutout thrown by Gonzalez – which was the first by a Rangers rookie since Derek Holland in 2009 – helped Texas move into second place behind Houston in the American League West.

Backed by a seven-inning quality start from southpaw Wandy Rodriguez on Saturday, the Rangers took two out of three games from the Royals over the weekend before losing two of three this week in Oakland.

Nick Martinez gave up just one hit and did not allow a run across his six innings pitched Tuesday, and the Texas bullpen held off a late rally to preserve a 2-1 victory over Sonny Gray and the A’s.

On Wednesday, however, a 10-strikeout performance by Yovani Gallardo went for naught as the bullpen failed to hold a 4-2 lead, with three Texas relievers giving up one run apiece in a 5-4 loss to Oakland.

The Rangers’ relief corps was even worse in a lopsided 7-0 defeat Thursday afternoon, as the trio of Sam Freeman, Jon Edwards and Ross Detwiler combined to allow six earned runs on three hits and three walks in just one inning of work.

Despite losing their series at O.co Coliseum, the Rangers were provided with an opportunity to face Athletics reliever Pat Venditte, a switch-pitcher who logged three and one-third scoreless frames against Texas while throwing both left- and right-handed.

Tate Selected in First Round of Draft

With the No. 4 overall pick in Monday’s first-year player draft (their highest selection since 1986), the Rangers took right-handed pitcher Dillon Tate out of the University of California-Santa Barbara.

Texas chose the 21-year-old Tate after shortstops had been taken with each of the first three picks – Dansby Swanson (Diamondbacks), Alex Bregman (Astros) and Brendan Rodgers (Rockies).

Tate was converted from a closer into a starter last season at UCSB, posting an 8-5 record with 111 strikeouts across 14 starts while relying on an above-average fastball and a sharp breaking slider.

In the second round of the draft Monday night, Texas picked high school outfielder Eric Jenkins at No. 45 overall. Jenkins, who had committed to UNC-Wilmington, projects as a center fielder whose strongest tools are speed and hitting for contact.

Gonzalez, Russell to Join Rangers Hall of Fame

Two-time American League Most Valuable Player Juan Gonzalez and former All-Star reliever Jeff Russell were announced this week as the newest members of the Texas Rangers Baseball Hall of Fame.

Gonzalez hit 372 home runs and racked up 1,180 RBIs — both franchise records — during his time in a Rangers uniform (1989-99, 2002-03), winning A.L. MVP awards in both ’96 and ’98 while anchoring the Texas lineup during the club’s first three playoff appearances.

Russell (1985-92, ’95-96) began his Texas career as a starter before he was moved to the bullpen full-time in 1989. He remains the team’s all-time leader with 406 relief appearances and ranks second behind John Wetteland with 134 saves.

The pair will be honored as the 18th and 19th members of the Rangers’ Hall of Fame in a pre-game ceremony July 11 at Globe Life Park.

Texas Activates Blanks, Options Patton

First baseman/outfielder Kyle Blanks was activated from the 15-day disabled list on Thursday while right-hander Spencer Patton was optioned to Triple-A Round Rock in a corresponding roster move.

The Rangers also released left-handed pitcher Mike Kickham – who had been claimed on waivers from Seattle last month – from the Round Rock roster.

Rangers Notes: Andrus, Profar Hold Value as Trade Chips

In four full seasons with Texas, Elvis Andrus has career totals of 341 runs scored and 123 stolen bases.

The Rangers enjoy the benefit of having two quality shortstops below age 25 in their system — Elvis Andrus and Jurickson Profar — and that flexibility may allow the club to use one of them in a deal to obtain pitching, catching or outfield help.

Some of Texas’s offseason needs could change based on where free agents like Mike Adams, Josh Hamilton and Mike Napoli sign this winter, but the Rangers are sure to be looking for a front-end starter as well as depth in the infield, outfield and behind the plate.

Andrus, 24, is in the middle of a three-year contract that will pay him an average annual salary of $14.4 million through 2014, and his name has come up in recent trade rumors linked to Arizona Diamondbacks right fielder Justin Upton.

At the Major League Baseball general managers’ meetings last week in California, USA Today‘s Bob Nightengale reported that while Texas has “expressed strong interest” in Upton, the club may be unwilling to part with either Andrus or Profar.

To that end, the Rangers attempted to get yet another young shortstop over the weekend – Andrelton Simmons of Atlanta – in exchange for corner infield prospect Mike Olt, but the Braves turned down that proposed deal, perhaps wanting to acquire Upton themselves to satisfy their own outfield needs.

“[Upton] will not be an easy guy for us to move,” Arizona general manager Kevin Towers said in Nightengale’s piece. “But if somebody is willing to step up and we think it’s a deal that’s going to make the Diamondbacks better next year and going forward, we’ll talk about trading him.”

Should Arizona indeed choose to hang onto its 25-year-old outfielder, the Rangers may use Andrus or Profar as part of a trade elsewhere, or they could keep both and turn the pair into next season’s middle-infield combination.

That would displace Ian Kinsler at second base, of course, although the three-time All-Star has previously indicated a willingness to switch positions if needed, most likely to a corner outfield spot.

“I think it’s definitely possible,” Kinsler said after signing a $75 million contract extension back in April. “Whatever it takes to win games … I want to be of value to the club any way I can. If that comes about, it’s definitely something I’m willing to listen to.”

Hamilton Declines Offer; Wins Silver Slugger Award

As expected, outfielder Josh Hamilton turned down the Rangers’ qualifying offer of $13.3 million, officially making the first-time free-agent one of the marquee names on this winter’s open market.

Hamilton, an All-Star in each of his five seasons with Texas and winner of the 2010 American League MVP award, batted at a .285 clip last year while posting gaudy power numbers with 43 home runs and 128 RBIs.

For his performance, Hamilton took home his third career Silver Slugger on Nov. 8, joining Julio Franco, Juan Gonzalez, Alex Rodriguez and Ivan Rodriguez as the only players in franchise history to have won the award at least three times.

Cotts, Four Others Agree to Minor-League Deals

Veteran left-hander Neal Cotts was one of five players signed to minor-league contracts by the Rangers on Monday, with all five receiving invitations to big-league spring training next March.

Aside from Cotts, who had approved his deal in principle last month, Texas also agreed to terms with catcher Juan Apodaca, outfielders Jim Adduci and Aaron Cunningham and right-hander Yonata Ortega.

Texas Trades for Southpaw Hottovy

The Rangers acquired left-hander Tommy Hottovy from Kansas City last Thursday in exchange for cash considerations and a player to be named later.

Hottovy, 31, spent much of the 2012 season with Triple-A Omaha in the Pacific Coast League, making 41 relief appearances and finishing with an impressive strikeout-to-walk ratio of 3.81 across 50 innings pitched.

Rangers Notes: Season Ends in Stunning Fashion

Michael Young walks through the Texas dugout after Friday’s 5-1 Wild Card loss to the Orioles at Rangers Ballpark.

On the heels of back-to-back World Series trips and for a time holding the American League’s best record, the Rangers were unable to maintain their A.L. West division lead when they were swept in Oakland last week, then saw their season come to an abrupt halt by losing the Wild Card play-in game, 5-1, to Baltimore on Friday.

Texas had a four-game lead over the A’s with only six to play, but that lead had been trimmed to just two games by the time Oakland hosted the Rangers at O.co Coliseum in the final regular season series of the year.

On Monday, Rangers left-hander Martin Perez turned in his third consecutive poor start, allowing four earned runs across four-plus innings of work as the Athletics held on for a 4-3 win, pulling to within a game of Texas.

Oakland pulled even in the American League West race on Tuesday when rookie Travis Blackley outdueled Matt Harrison over six frames, leading the A’s to a 3-1 victory and setting up a winner-take-all scenario for the division crown in Wednesday’s finale.

Ryan Dempster allowed three consecutive hits as Oakland manufactured a run in the first inning Wednesday afternoon, but the Rangers scored five times in the top of the third to take a 5-1 lead and chase starter A.J. Griffin from the game.

Dempster was pulled when the Athletics began to rally in the bottom of the fourth, and Derek Holland recorded two quick outs before yielding a two-run, game-tying double to Coco Crisp.

Texas could have escaped the inning having allowed just four runs worth of damage, but Oakland’s Yoenis Cespedes hit a fly ball to center that was lost in the sun and dropped by Josh Hamilton, who was charged with a fielding error as both Crisp and Stephen Drew came around to score and put the A’s in front, 7-5.

The Rangers failed to score again versus a combination of five Oakland relievers while the Athletics tacked on an additional five runs to make for a 12-5 final, completing an improbable comeback and taking the A.L. West title by one game on the last day of the season.

With a record of 93-69, Texas finished tied with Baltimore for the two American League Wild Card spots in this year’s new playoff format, and the Rangers held home field advantage for Friday’s play-in game by taking five of seven regular-season contests from the Orioles.

Facing veteran southpaw Joe Saunders, Texas continued its recent lack of timely hitting as the team scattered nine singles but went a mere 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position, stranding eight men on base and grounding into three double plays.

Meanwhile, Baltimore chipped away at Yu Darvish with an unearned run in the first inning – the result of a Michael Young fielding error – and one run apiece in the sixth and seventh. The Orioles then scored twice off Joe Nathan in the top of the ninth to seal a 5-1 win, meaning they will advance to face New York in the A.L. Division Series.

Beltre Named Player of the Month

Although the Rangers had a disappointing start to October, third baseman Adrian Beltre was named American League Player of the Month for September, when he hit .337 in nearly 100 at-bats with 11 home runs, 19 RBIs and an MLB-leading .724 slugging percentage.

It marked the third such honor for Beltre in his career, as he was also named Player of the Month in September 2011 and, while with the Dodgers, in September 2004.

The 33-year-old Gold Glover becomes the seventh different player to win the monthly award multiple times in a Texas uniform, joining teammate Josh Hamilton as well as Juan Gonzalez, Rafael Palmeiro, Alex Rodriguez, Ivan Rodriguez and Ruben Sierra.

Rangers Top Detroit for 2nd Straight World Series Berth

Texas players celebrate on the field Saturday after beating the Detroit Tigers, 15-5, to clinch the team’s second consecutive American League pennant.

Texas is headed to the World Series for the second year in a row following a 15-5 blowout over the Detroit Tigers in Game 6 of the A.L. Championship Series on Saturday in Arlington.

The Rangers, who failed to win a single playoff series in their first 49 years of existence as a franchise, have now become the first team to repeat at American League champs since the Yankees did so in 2000-01. In addition, Texas is the first club to return to the World Series after losing the previous year since the 1991-92 Atlanta Braves.

Nelson Cruz was named the ALCS Most Valuable Player after hitting a postseason series-record six home runs while racking up 13 RBIs, also a new record for a single playoff series.

Cruz became the first player in history to belt two postseason home runs in the 11^th inning or later, a feat he accomplished within a matter of three days. His 11^th-inning grand slam helped the Rangers to a 7-3 win and a 2-0 series lead on Monday, and he followed that with a three-run homer in the top of the 11^th of Game 4 Wednesday at Comerica Park.

What’s more, Cruz’s six long balls doubled his career playoff total to 12 home runs, helping to break a tie he had held with former outfielder Juan Gonzalez for the most postseason homers in club history.

While the Texas starting pitchers left something to be desired (each of the team’s four ALCS victories came out of the bullpen), the offense helped make up for it by scoring an average of 6.5 runs per game against Detroit.

The Rangers will face off against the St. Louis Cardinals in the World Series, which begins Wednesday at Busch Stadium. St. Louis put together a late-season push to overcome the Atlanta Braves for the National League Wild Card before upsetting the favored Phillies and Brewers in the NLDS and NLCS, respectively.

Hamilton Playing at ‘About 50 Percent’

Outfielder Josh Hamilton acknowledged that a left groin injury has limited his production through the first two rounds of this year’s playoffs, as he combined to bat just .293 (12-for-41) with five runs scored and seven RBIs against the Rays and Tigers.

“I’m about 50 percent,” Hamilton said on ESPN Radio. “I’m going to give you 100 percent of my 50 percent.”

Hamilton, who had hit safely in 12 of his last 14 games to end the regular season, is unable to generate the usual lower-body power on his swing because of the injury, limiting him to seven singles and five doubles in the playoffs after hitting five home runs during last year’s postseason run.