The Rangers are off today.

It’s draft day. The Rangers have been off a lot on draft day.

Historically, draft day has been more like D-Day for Jon Daniels. He has been very unlucky.

As Evan Grant pointed out in a Dallas Morning News article yesterday, early draft success is rare under Daniels.

Since taking over as General Manager in 2006, here is a list of the first round picks Daniels has made. If it makes you say, “who?”, you’re not alone.

2006:
Kasey Kiker, left-handed pitcher.

2007:
Blake Bevan, right handed pitcher
Michael Main, right-handed pitcher
Julio Borbon, outfielder, supplemental pick for losing Carlos Lee
Neil Ramirez, right handed pitcher, supplemental pick for losing Gary Matthews Jr.
Tommy Hunter, right-handed pither, supplemental pick for losing Mark DeRosa

2008:
Justin Smoak, first baseman

2009:
Matt Purke, left-handed pitcher
Tanner Scheppers, right handed pitcher, supplemental pick for losing Milton Bradley

2010:
Jake Skole, outfielder, compensation for failing to sign Matt Purke
Kellin Deglan, catcher
Luke Jackson, right handed pitcher, supplemental pick for losing Pudge Rodriguez
Mike Olt, third baseman, supplemental pick for losing Marlon Byrd

2011:
Kevin Matthews, left-handed pitcher, compensatory pick for losing Cliff Lee
Zach Cone, outfielder, supplemental pick for losing Cliff Lee

2012:
Lewis Brinson, outfielder
Joey Gallo, third baseman, supplemental pick for losing CJ Wilson
Collin Wiles, right-handed pitcher, supplemental pick for losing Octavio Dotel

2013:
Chi Chi Gonzalez, right-handed pitcher
Travis Demeritte, shortstop (serving an 80-game suspension for using banned substance)

2014:
Luis Ortiz, right-handed pitcher

In fact, the Rangers bad luck for first round picks extends beyond Jon Daniels all the way to Doug Melvin. The last first round draft pick that amounted to anything at all was Mark Teixeira back in 2001.

Until this week, of course.

This week has been so important to the organization, and to Jon Daniels in particular.

Finally, a first rounder has come up and lived up to the billing. Two in fact, with Chi Chi Gonzalez and then Joey Gallo.

Finally Jon Daniels can come out of the draft room and hold his head high.

Granted, drafting players in baseball is not nearly the exact science it is in football or basketball. First round draft picks fizzle out more often than not.

But for the Rangers, it’s been more often than that. They seem to be snake bitten.

The Rangers have the number four overall pick in the draft today. Let’s hope that, like everything else this year, luck is on the Rangers side.

This franchise sure could use it.