Not much is happening in Rangersland, and probably won’t for a week. The winter meetings start next Sunday, December 4, and the Collective Bargaining Agreement expires Thursday, December 1. Most GMs will probably wait to see if there will be a labor deal in place, and what the landscape will look like, before doing anything major.

In the meantime, let’s relive the joy of the 2016 season.  Here was opening day. Little did we know it was going to be a bittersweet moment of productivity for Prince Fielder.

*****

IT ONLY TAKES ONE.
Originally posted April 5, 2016

Opening day 2015. The Rangers are playing in Oakland. Sonny Gray is on the mound for the Athletics. Yovani Gallardo for the Rangers.

Yes, Yovani Gallardo. This was one year after Tanner Scheppers pitched the season opener.

Scheppers. Then Gallardo.

Resulted in a loss. Then loss. Shocker, huh?

Last opening day the Rangers got one hit. One. They lost 8-0. Ryan Rua punched a harmless single to lead off the eighth inning. That was the sum total of the offense. Oh, and Elvis Andrus committed an error.

This year the Rangers got one hit. And, like clockwork, Elvis committed an error.

The Rangers didn’t have much offense at all again. Fortunately, they bunched it all in one inning. Three Felix Hernandez walks, two Mariner errors and one Prince Fielder bloop scored three runs. It wasn’t really a hit. It was more like an accident.

And it wasn’t like a rally. More like a gift.

The difference between this year and the last two opening days is pitching. Cole Hamels gave up a home run in the first and in the second. And that was it.

With that, the Rangers win opening day. Imagine the possibilities if they get two hits in a game.

Sorry, just dreaming.