The post-season starts today. For Rangers fans, those are extra games the good teams get to play because they chose to try to win.

The National League Wild Card Game is today. Milwaukee at Washington. The American League Wild Card Game is tomorrow. Tampa Bay at Oakland. 

Three of those four teams are considered small market, small budget teams, proving once again that spending does not equate to winning but neither does spending poorly. 

The Rangers, as a matter of fact, played the first ever American League Wild Card game in 2012, losing to Baltimore 5-1.

I love the one-game shootout. It adds an interesting do-or-die dimension that is a real nail biter for the fans of the team that wins and a real dagger in the heart of the fans of the team that loses. The entire season decided in nine innings. 

You have to feel sorry for the fans of the teams that lose this game. Their teams had the chance to improve themselves in the off-season, and to some extent at the trade deadline, to a point where they could have won their division but chose not to. So, going home after one game is their reward.

From here on out, the baseball will be good. Weeded out are the charlatans, the hacks, the wanna-bes, the tankers, and the fakers. Left are ten really good teams. Some better than others.

In the National League, all money is on the Dodgers three-peating. That is tough to do. I predict Washington beats Milwaukee in the shootout tonight. 

Round one, Atlanta beats St Louis, and Washington upsets Los Angeles in the two National League Division Series. Washington beats Atlanta in the Championship Series.

In the American League, Oakland beats Tampa Bay in the Wild Card, then loses to Houston in its Division Series. In the other A.L. Division Series, Minnesota beats New York. The Astros knocks off the Twins in the Championship Series.

They beat the Nationals to win the World Series.

Congratulations in advance to Houston. But watch out, Astros. If the Rangers can just improve twenty-eight games next year, your reign of dominance is over.

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For the Rangers to be competitive, to make up all that ground they are behind, it’s going to take money. Lots of money. Just released, here is the pricing for the premium seating in the new Ballfield.

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TODAY’S GAME:

Brandon Woodruff (11-3, 3.62) vs. Max Scherzer (11-7, 2.92)
Game time: 7:08 on TBS.