“The Rangers make it interesting but come up short.”

That’s how the Rangers announcer called the final out in the top of the ninth after Texas had scored two runs to pull within 5-4, with the bases loaded.

Interesting. Come up short.

That could be an apt description of the entire season just as easily as it could be the description of last night’s game.

After a miserable April, they make it interesting in May, clawing all the way to .500 on the last day of May. Then, it was come up short time. 

After last night’s 5-4 loss to Oakland, Texas is now 5-21 on one-run games. Not sure why a one-run game gets special consideration for something that is monitored as closely as it is, but 5-21 is a .192 winning percentage. 

These one-run losses make it sound like the Rangers were oh so close to winning all twenty-one of those games they lost but that’s a bit deceiving. Many time, like last night, the Rangers are down many more runs than one. The opposing team would have probably brought in different pitchers in closer situations, not allowing the game to get that close in the first place. 

But there’s no way to quantify it or anything. 

They made the season interesting with the addition of Marcus Semien and Corey Seager. They came upshort by not having enough of a roster around them to overcome their opponents.

They made the season interesting by playing .630 baswball in May to overcome their .333 start in April. The came up short by playing .333 ball again in July.

It takes time to go from 102 losses to respectability. 

More than that, it takes not coming up short on talent.

*****