The "One Away" Team

[WilltheThrill]

Over the last 4 seasons, our Texas Rangers have developed into the "one away" team. Think about it:

2010- One series away from winning it all

2011- One win away from winning it all. Twice.
One out away from winning it all. Twice.
One strike away from winning it all. Twice.

2012- One win away from winning the division.
One win away from winning the Wild Card and making the playoffs.

2013- One win away from automatically playing in the Wild Card game.
One win away from qualifying for the Wild Card game after the fact.

There is nothing more crushing for any sports fan than to come so close to a desired outcome (title, playoffs, whatever) and then lose by 1. One series, one game, one out, one run, one strike... they're all the hardest to swallow. And the fact that the majority of us are still here fighting every pitch and sweating every out with our Rangers after what we've endured over the last 4 seasons says a lot about our resiliency as fans and our love for this team. Either that, or it says we're crazy. Maybe a little of both.

 

[Nightcrawler]

Or we just like to suffer.... I think anyone who thought we would make a deep post season run after the previous offseason is a fool.

 

[ashcan]

How 'bout 1 strike away when Nathan couldn't slam the door in the extra inning game in TPA 2 weeks ago.

 

[ashcan]

Over the last 4 seasons, our Texas Rangers have developed into the "one away" team. Think about it:

2010- One series away from winning it all

2011- One win away from winning it all. Twice.
One out away from winning it all. Twice.
One strike away from winning it all. Twice.

2012- One win away from winning the division.
One win away from winning the Wild Card and making the playoffs.

2013- One win away from automatically playing in the Wild Card game.
One win away from qualifying for the Wild Card game after the fact.

There is nothing more crushing for any sports fan than to come so close to a desired outcome (title, playoffs, whatever) and then lose by 1. One series, one game, one out, one run, one strike... they're all the hardest to swallow. And the fact that the majority of us are still here fighting every pitch and sweating every out with our Rangers after what we've endured over the last 4 seasons says a lot about our resiliency as fans and our love for this team. Either that, or it says we're crazy. Maybe a little of both.

Not sure if your a Mavericks fan, but this is what made the 2011 title run so special and it's why we still tear up knowing we finally won. Dallas was always the "one and done boys" or it seemed. At least the Rangers have respect. Dirk and company didn't. But they kept fighting and finally won. We Ranger's fans will get there one day, soon. All these near misses will count for something. I think they count for something now. We're missing the playoffs officially for the first time in 4 years. Remember when we hadn't been in more than 10 years? Did you hear those nuts in the Ballpark last night? Baseball town? Yeah, this is a baseball town. Hanging on and reacting to every pitch. We've had some fun in the post season since 2010. I just hope we can get all pitchers back healthy, get some good bats, and come back and take the West in 2014.
Go Rangers

 

[ESPN Refugee]

The only year that sticks out to me is 2011 as the one away.

 

[Al Falfa]

How 'bout 1 strike away when Nathan couldn't slam the door in the extra inning game in TPA 2 weeks ago.

Two games in Rangers history I can't bare to think about:

Game two of the 1996 playoffs vs the Yankees. Dean Palmer throws a slow roller down the 3rd base line into RF foul territory allowing the Yankees to win and preventing Texas from going up 2 games to 0..... and game 6 of the 2011 WS.

 

[Windingmywatch]

Two games in Rangers history I can't bare to think about:

Game two of the 1996 playoffs vs the Yankees. Dean Palmer throws a slow roller down the 3rd base line into RF foul territory allowing the Yankees to win and preventing Texas from going up 2 games to 0..... and game 6 of the 2011 WS.

In 2011 WS Game 3 had YT set up on the right side of the plate to take Napoli's throw rather than the left side with a force out at home ... TEX 'would' have gotten the force out on Berkman at the plate and the force at 1b on John Jay. Harrison would have been out of the inning giving up one run (a 2-0 STL lead) ... that TEX erased with three runs in the bottom of the 4th. Game then got out of hand with TEX giving up 4 runs in the top of the 4th ... all because YT failed to set up correctly for the play. TEX wins Game 3 ... then there is no Game 6.

 

[Manster7588]

How do you think the Buffalo Bills felt in the the 90's?

 

[Windingmywatch]

How do you think the Buffalo Bills felt in the the 90's?

BUF SB XXV (1990) was within 4 seconds and a field goal that missed by inches ... TEX was within 1 strike twice to winning 2011 WS. Fact that BUF was back to the SB the next three seasons without winning remains one of the most impressive accomplishments ever in American sport.

 

[ashcan]

BUF SB XXV (1990) was within 4 seconds and a field goal that missed by inches ... TEX was within 1 strike twice to winning 2011 WS. Fact that BUF was back to the SB the next three seasons without winning remains one of the most impressive accomplishments ever in American sport.

Amen.
I still think Norwood's follow thru on the missed FG was bad. He got caught up in the moment. His head pops up way to early to look at it. Had he just followed thru correctly, Buffalo would have a Lombardi.

 

[Windingmywatch]

Amen.
I still think Norwood's follow thru on the missed FG was bad. He got caught up in the moment. His head pops up way to early to look at it. Had he just followed thru correctly, Buffalo would have a Lombardi.

I replicate that mistake every Saturday on the first tee.

 

[RevSader]

I replicate that mistake every Saturday on the first tee.

From what I hear the best way to correct that is to tie a string around your neck and your balls. The slack should be just enough that when you pull your head up that your balls get a nice little yank of pain. I too struggle with pulling my head up, but never want to try that way to correct it.

 

[Al Falfa]

In 2011 WS Game 3 had YT set up on the right side of the plate to take Napoli's throw rather than the left side with a force out at home ... TEX 'would' have gotten the force out on Berkman at the plate and the force at 1b on John Jay. Harrison would have been out of the inning giving up one run (a 2-0 STL lead) ... that TEX erased with three runs in the bottom of the 4th. Game then got out of hand with TEX giving up 4 runs in the top of the 4th ... all because YT failed to set up correctly for the play. TEX wins Game 3 ... then there is no Game 6. [/QUOT


Napoli mad a point blank bad throw. Period. No matter how much lipstick you put on that pig that ain't never going to change. In addition, Harrison did what Harrison does best, crater under pressure.

 

[Windingmywatch]

In 2011 WS Game 3 had YT set up on the right side of the plate to take Napoli's throw rather than the left side with a force out at home ... TEX 'would' have gotten the force out on Berkman at the plate and the force at 1b on John Jay. Harrison would have been out of the inning giving up one run (a 2-0 STL lead) ... that TEX erased with three runs in the bottom of the 4th. Game then got out of hand with TEX giving up 4 runs in the top of the 4th ... all because YT failed to set up correctly for the play. TEX wins Game 3 ... then there is no Game 6. [/QUOT


Napoli mad a point blank bad throw. Period. No matter how much lipstick you put on that pig that ain't never going to change. In addition, Harrison did what Harrison does best, crater under pressure.

Yea I know ... but I see it different. Game 3 was a debacle because Wash wanted to start his #2 catcher in the tied WS ... so ended up having Napoli instead of Mitch or MY at 1b. Throw was to the right ... but all YT did was reach for the ball ... that led to the 4 run inning ... and things got worse from there.

 

[Al Falfa]

Yea I know ... but I see it different. Game 3 was a debacle because Wash wanted to start his #2 catcher in the tied WS ... so ended up having Napoli instead of Mitch or MY at 1b. Throw was to the right ... but all YT did was reach for the ball ... that led to the 4 run inning ... and things got worse from there.

Seems there was a blown call at 1st base that contributed to that inning, too.

 

[lainey12]

From what I hear the best way to correct that is to tie a string around your neck and your balls. The slack should be just enough that when you pull your head up that your balls get a nice little yank of pain. I too struggle with pulling my head up, but never want to try that way to correct it.

or you can just keep your head down, that sounds woefully unnecessary...and with all due respect, unlikely to work...


I have a good "keep your head down" golfing joke, remind me to post it

 

[RobToxin]

Two games in Rangers history I can't bare to think about:

Game two of the 1996 playoffs vs the Yankees. Dean Palmer throws a slow roller down the 3rd base line into RF foul territory allowing the Yankees to win and preventing Texas from going up 2 games to 0..... and game 6 of the 2011 WS.

The name Mike Henneman is still a vile sounding teeth grinding verbalization to this day.