Labor Day musings

For me at least, Labor Day has always been the unofficial end of summer. As a kid I always hated this holiday because it marked the imminent trade of lazy summer days for the drudgery of school (and my dreaded math classes). To this day I still find it dislikeable - only now because it means the baseball season is entering it's home stretch.

In recent years past, that of course meant it was time time to start looking ahead to next season and get a look at the September callups. There wasn't much to immediately look forward to in Ranger-land besides whatever possibilities the winter meetings might offer. That's why, as I sit here waiting on the rain delay in Cleveland, I realize just how big a deal it is for this team to be playing meaningful games this time of year. There's a chance, that for the first time since 1999 this team could be playing beyond the 162nd game of the season.

That chance, , however seems to be a bit of a double edged sword. Thomas just got done talking about the mood surrounding this team, and right now it's definitely a negative one, one that I fear could wind up shrouding the end of this season if the Rangers do indeed miss the playoffs (as is seeming increasingly likely). Personally, that's not how I want to feel about the end of our best season since 2004.

I think it's important to remind ourselves that this isn't it - this isn't the best this team is going to do for another 5 years. It's my belief that there's just too much talent in this organization, both breaking in at the major league level and still in the minors for this team not to be at this point again soon, and remain there for years to come as well. If this is what this team can do this season with a multitude of underperforming and frustratingly inconsistent players (Hamilton, Davis, and Kinsler among the most notable), I think you have to believe this team is capable of better.

Perhaps I'm babbling a bit at this point, but what I'm driving at here is there's 26 scheduled games left in the Rangers season and there's absolutely no reason not enjoy them, no matter the outcome. This time, there's no shame in "maybe next year".