Who really cares about the Rangers

Being a Texas Rangers fan means absolutely nothing.

There is no long-standing pride, no… Being a Texas Rangers fan means absolutely nothing.

There is no long-standing pride, no worthwhile history to mention and, for 25 years, the uniforms are downright ugly.

The sporting world is fairly indifferent to the Rangers. Say this aloud and listen to how it sounds: “I’m a huge Rangers fan.” It means nothing. No one will respond with, “So am I,” or, “Really, I had no idea,” or even “I hate the Rangers.”

When I say, “I’m a huge Rangers fan,” people say, “Yeah … and?”

Essentially created in the early ’70s after the Washington Senators moved to Arlington, Texas, the Rangers were consistent in only one regard: They stunk. Bad. Then, for four years in the late ’90s, there were those division wins that always ended in a loss to the Yankees.

Now the Rangers sit so far back in last place that they are the only team in the American League West that is out of the running for a playoff spot.

The one thing the Rangers have always had going for them were individual players doing amazing things. Kenny Rogers’ perfect game. Ivan Rodriguez’s amazing string of all-star game starts. Nolan Ryan’s 300th win. And his 5,000th strikeout. And his seven no-hitters.

So even now, as the Rangers are more than 20 games out of first, there is the token shining star. Crouching between second and third base is that pile of gold in the desert.

You know Alex Rodriguez; he’s the $252 million man.

I find that I’m incredibly torn over this Rodriguez fellow. At some not too vague level, Rodriguez is both the reason the Rangers stink and the reason baseball stinks.

His paycheck monopolized the team salary for the extent of his contract. The money spent on Rodriguez disallowed for the acquisition of a decent pitching staff and therefore effectively put the Rangers out of contention, something that he can never make up for as an individual.

On the other hand, he’s so damn good.

Through Sunday night, he was first in the majors in home runs with 45, first in RBIs with 113 and fifth in the American League in batting with a .317 average. With the prospect of a strike-shortened season, those numbers might not have to last much longer for the post-season awards consideration.

It would not be the first time an MVP came from a terrible team. In 1958, Ernie Banks was the MVP while playing for an equally crappy Chicago Cubs. The ’58 Cubs finished sixth in the National League with a 72-82 record and 20 games out of first.

The Banks decision received some discussion as to the meaning of MVP. Was it meant to honor the best individual achievement of the year? Or was it meant as recognition of the player whose team would be screwed without him? Under the latter opinion, the ’58 Cubs must have had trouble getting dressed, because they certainly couldn’t be a whole lot worse on the field.

I am of the first opinion though. Baseball is such a sport that one player can only do so much for the team. A-Rod is proof of that. He is having a historic season and yet without him, the Rangers would still be 20 games out of first.

I don’t want him to win though.

The stupidity and boredom of baseball is born out of the high paid superstars who are supposed to make the game thrilling. He may have earned the title of MVP, but he doesn’t deserve it.

So though it hurts, I ask the powers that be to look elsewhere for player of the year honors. Of course, if the year is cut short because of money problems, the pricey Rodriguez certainly would be a fitting end.

Eric Lidji is the managing editor of The Pitt News and almost wet himself when he received an autographed photo of Nolan Ryan at age 8. He can be reached at eric@pittnews.com