The Rangers are in a dogfight. They are battling for worst record in baseball. For that, they get the first pick in the draft. While drafting is a crap shoot, the first overall pick has managed to produce some gems.
Back in 2014, the Rangers were also in the same position. And, in typical Rangers fashion, they blew it. By winning.
On September 6, two days after Ron Washington’s abrupt exit from the team, the Rangers were sitting in dead last in MLB with a 53-89 record, five games ahead of Colorado, with twenty games left. They were a lock to be worst.
Then, the unimaginable happened. The Rangers started winning. And winning. And winning. Under interim manager Tim Bogar, they went 14-6 in their final 20 games. They ended up finishing with the third worst record.
So, by failing to be the worst team in baseball in 2014, the Rangers lost out on Alex Bregman and Dansby Swanson.
Instead, they picked Dillon Tate with their first pick, fourth overall. (They didn’t get third pick because Houston got to pick in front of them as compensation for losing Brady Aiken in the draft the year before). Dillon Tate never materialized.
The Rangers have a chance to get a centerpiece in their franchise for years to come. All they have to do is keep playing like the Rangers.
No fan want his or her team to lose. But if that team is so monumentally bad, they have something to get out of it. At least, be the worst bad team. Get that first pick.
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TODAY’S GAME:
Mike Fiers (4-2, 4.93) vs. Opener
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