The Home of the Texas Rangers Never Disappoints

It had been way too long.

Well, if you couldn’t tell yesterday, I was just a little too excited to get to the Texas Rangers ballpark aka The Globe, RBiA, et al.  In fact, I was dreaming of “Let’s Go Rangers” chants and dot races since the day I bought the tickets.  *No wagering please*

Blue wins!

Let me tell you…this trip did not disappoint.

In case you missed it, and I really hope you didn’t because it was a gem, Adrian Beltre pulled an Adrian Beltre, and walked it off in the bottom of the 9^th inning.  But are we really surprised?  That guy is a machine. After a disappointing Opening Day for the Rangers, it was just what the doctor ordered.

Martin Perez’s 5.2IP, 2ER, 7H, and 7SOs, in addition to the outstanding 3.1 innings of bullpen relief by Jason Frasor, Neil Cotts, and Joakim Soria, made Opening Day seem like an episode of the Twilight Zone.

Unfortunately, AJ Burnett was also having a good game; holding the Rangers to only one run through 6 (I told you guys not to doubt him).  The dual solid pitching performances made this kind of an anxious game, but good anxious; exciting!

So with good starting and relief performances for both teams, the 9^th inning was set up to provide for either an exciting finish or for me having 4 cups of coffee before work this morning.  And this is what we got:

It’s a walk-off!

I just love a good party, don’t you?  First walk-off win of the year!  Wait…first WIN at all of the year.  YEAH!

And aside from just a well-played game and an exciting, WINNING finish (certainly the most important elements), we also got a first:

I knew he was out!

There’s a look at the first replay ever at the Rangers’ ballpark.  Now, I’m not the biggest fan of replay in Major League Baseball, but this time around, it got the Rangers and Martin Perez a pick-off out of Ben Revere at 2^nd base.  And we got to keep our timeout!  (Kidding)

The only other thing I really was wishing for during this ballpark visit, was that the “GLOBE LIFE” branding wasn’t going to be too in-your-face and remind me of that scene in Major League II:

"Well fans, Roger Dorn has done a little redecorating around the ballpark. The outfield walls now look like the yellow pages. And any of you folks having trouble finding a good proctologist, might want to come down here and check out the area around the 375 foot sign. As for the game, we’ve got a real nail biter here tonight. It’s a lot closer than that 11-2 score."

– Harry Doyle

And don’t call me an over-reactor.  I know you guys remember that giant Ameriquest bell in the park.

But much to my delight, the name was subtly placed and I could really only see it in one spot from my seat:

So all in all…this trip to The Globe (still doesn’t feel right, but I’ll try to work it in) was everything I’d hoped and dreamed it could be.  Even the moon is more awesome at the park:

The stars at night, are big and bright…

That’s not the moon you say?  Oh well, I’m still a happy camper:

2 down, 160 to go.

Your Texas Rangers are 1-1.

Go, Robbie, go!