Rangers: Is Texas to blame for Adrian Beltre’s lack of attention?
By Reid Hanson
The Rangers have one of the best all-time players on their team in Adrian Beltre but his lack of national attention causes some to wonder if Texas is to blame
The Texas Rangers are in the national news once again but it’s for all the wrong reasons. Such has been the case often this season. Even in face of achieving an amazing milestone like Adrian Beltre’s 3,000th hit last week.
Beltre, only the 31st player in MLB history to achieve such a feat, should be dominating conversation. And if he played for a team like the New York Yankees or Boston Red Sox, he probably would be. But in a football community like Dallas, Beltre barely got national coverage.
Such a slight did not go unnoticed by some. On ESPN’s PTI, Michael Wilbon, spoke to the greatness of the feat and placed the blame of it going unnoticed in the laps of Texas.
"“He’s very possibly a guy who’s going to retire with , who knows? 32 – 3,300 hits? 500 home runs? Are you kidding? There’s only one answer: Texas. He plays baseball in a place that cares about football. The most popular sport in Texas is football and next is spring football. There’s been some terrific teams – both of those franchises. How many guys have been toasted and celebrated in Texas for their entire careers in baseball only?”"
What Wilbon hits on the head is Adrian Beltre’s amazing career. When it’s all said and done he’s going to retire one of the game’s most well-rounded players EVER. He has batting average, on base percentage, power, hits, defense, and high clubhouse character. He’s the complete package and the thing is…we know this.
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The problem isn’t the state of Texas but rather the national media. The national media loves to talk about the goings on in the traditional baseball towns. They are caught up in the nostalgia and mystic of those historic franchises. It makes sense because so are MLB fans outside of Texas. The media are just covering who the people like to follow and outside of Texas there just aren’t a lot of Rangers fans.
To pin the lack of league-wide attention paid to Beltre on the state of Texas and their fans is not only wrong but it’s insulting. Yeah, Texas is football state but that doesn’t mean we love and respect baseball and basketball players any less than the next state that offers multiple professional teams. It’s the national attention that’s been lacking and that’s an indictment on the media and other MLB fans. Not Texas.
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Give ‘em something to care about
The reality is networks and journalists care about who the people care about. The Texas Rangers haven’t been good enough or marketable enough make outside people care.
They’ve had nice runs but they’ve fallen short of the ultimate goal. Now, in a rebuilding mode, they offer very little to the outside fan. Why would a Dodgers fan care about the Rangers, now?
Rougned Odor cracked the window with his KO of Jose Batista last season. He was a young up-and-comer with power in his bat and his right hook. But without a good statistical season to follow it, coupled with a losing Rangers record, even his allure faded.
The Texas Rangers aren’t being overlooked because of their fans. They are being overlooked because of other fans. To see it any other way is misguided.
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The best way for the Texas Rangers to overcome this lack of national attention is in their hands. If the Rangers can become contenders again and flash a little personality and star power along the way, the national attention will come.