Texas Rangers: 3 New Years wishes for 2021
By Taylor Dunn
2020 was a tough year for the Texas Rangers.
As if 2020 wasn’t already tough enough on its own, this Texas Rangers team made it worse, compiling just 22 wins while posting bottom-of-the-barrel offensive stats. After 4 straight seasons of no playoffs, times are tough in Arlington, Texas.
Winning can quickly erase any memory of miserable times. In the same way, a few bad seasons strung together can lead us to forget very recent success. Surprising to you or not, only 7 teams in MLB won more games than the Texas Rangers during the 2010s.
With 4 division titles and a pair of AL pennants, the Rangers have actually been one of the more successful teams over the past decade. That being said, they have yet to lift a World Series trophy and the memories (more debacles) of 2011, 2012, 2015, and 2016 still sting. Additionally, 2017-2020 have been anything but successful.
As fans, we hate when our teams are losing. And it can be very difficult to stay positive when things are going poorly. But, we tend to look ahead and hope. In the Rangers current circumstances, we have to.
In the spirit of the new year, let’s make some wishes for the Texas Rangers in 2021. Winning a World Series goes without saying, so let’s leave that off.
Joey Gallo Superstar
Joey Gallo is a big part of the Rangers long-term plans. If the team is going to return to contention soon, Joey has to blossom into a superstar.
We have seen streaks of greatness from Gallo. In an injury-shortened season in 2019, Gallo put up MVP-type numbers, earning an All-Star nod with a .986 OPS, albeit in just 70 games. 2020 was a much different story as Joey recording a career-low .181 BA.
If we’re making wishes for the Rangers in 2021, let’s start with making Joey Gallo a guaranteed, bona fide superstar.
To get specific, and a bit greedy, how does 50+ HRs with a .280 BA and an AL MVP sound?
Bad guys fall, good guys rise
The Rangers have not sat atop the AL West since 2016. Since then, we’ve had to see the Houston Astros, a.k.a. the “bad guys”, capture a trio of division championships, a pair of AL pennants, and hoist a World Series trophy.
More from Sports Dallas Fort-Worth
- The Dallas Mavericks accomplished a lot on Draft Day
- Dallas Cowboys Linebackers: 2023 Position Overview
- Ballhawk University: Why the Cowboys will be takeaway leaders
- Dallas Cowboys Player to Watch: Sleeper TE John Stephens, Jr.
- Dallas Cowboys: The impact of Micah Parsons and a well-rounded secondary
After the cheating scandal, the team from Houston took a step back in 2020. With key players departing, Rangers fans can hope the decline for our in-state rival will continue. If we’re wishing for an Astros fall, we’ll couple it with a Rangers rise.
A division crown is not out of the realm of possibility in 2021. As recently 2014-2015, Texas bounced back from a 95 loss season to celebrate a AL West championship. With Houston declining, Oakland losing some key assets, and L.A. and Seattle somewhat unknown, a division title is not completely out of reach.
That being said, it’s not likely. But if we’re making wishes for the Rangers in 2021, let’s partner a Houston crash with the good guys climbing back on top.
Together again
It was a huge bummer that Rangers fans could not attend games at Globe Life Field in its inaugural year. The scenery of a Texas, summer sunset peaking into Globe Life and the sound of America’s Pastime all shared with fellow fans is something to get excited about.
We’re all hoping for things to be restored what we each consider normal in 2021. For me, one thing I hope returns is full stadiums. I look forward to rejoining you soon to cheer on our guys in blue.
Happy New Year.
dark. Next. Did the Rangers just pull off the steal of the offseason?
Did I miss anything? What are your Texas Rangers wishes for 2021?
- Published on 01/01/2021 at 13:30 PM
- Last updated at 01/01/2021 at 09:49 AM