The end.


And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make.

And so this placeholder season comes to an end. A season of zero expectations yielded some pleasant surprises, some unexpected excitement, some positive moments, and a totally expected outcome.

It was a baseball season that was more about architecture than about baseball. It was about saying goodbye to a perfectly good stadium while the new one hovers over it like the new wife waiting on the front porch for the ex-wife to clear out all of her stuff and leave.

It was a year to realize the Rangers have a long long long way to go just to be mediocre. Then, once they get there, another million miles away from elite.  Texas finished nineteen games out. Of second. And then another ten games from there out of first. 

You can’t make up that kind of deficit without a major influx of talent. And you can’t see a major influx of talent until you realize you need a major influx of talent. 

The entire season was a countdown to next season with little reason to stop and pay attention to the action on the field. From the looks of the team they put on the field, even the front office wasn’t paying attention to that. The outcomes, the scores, the stats, the standings were all just items to pack in the suitcase for the big move.

And so this placeholder season is over. A season to tide them over to the new stadium. Time to get ready for a roof, air conditioning, luxury suites, and premier seating at more than four times the price but with VIP parking and luxury food choices.

Next year, it seems, will be about architecture, too. One day, hopefully, baseball becomes important again.