The Texas Rangers 2017 season ended earlier than they wanted; as fans, coaches, and players were watching other teams competing to win the World Series. A number of factors contributed to the Rangers losing season, such as injuries to key players, lack of offensive production at times, and a struggling pitching staff. Within the disappointment of not reaching the playoffs there were promising moments such as Adrian Beltre joining the 3000 hit club, Gallo’s 41 HR season, and the display of Willie Calhoun’s first taste in the Bigs.
      

The organization is in need of a offseason of healing and hopefully adding more key players to the team. It is possible for the Rangers to add a big name such as former ace Yu Darvish but GM Jon Daniels hasn’t been necessarily looking to make an enormous splash in the free agent market. So far the Rangers have only signed players to minor league contracts including; RHP Chi Chi Gonzalez, OF Anthony Gose, LHP David Hurlbut, INF Christian Lopes, INF Darwin Barney, and the newest addition Bartolo Colon. “Espn” also has rumors that Texas is interested in former World Series Champ Jake Arrieta and could possibly resign OF Carlos Gomez. As far as trades go the team has yet to make any.
     

With the beginning of Spring Training just days away teams are making final preparations before taking one step closer towards the season. The Texas Rangers could be a force to be reckoned with this upcoming season with the hopes of production in young talent and the faith in veteran production.
  

There is one thing that unites us all
It’s our love for baseball
Some that stand short and others tall
We are brothers through the rise and the fall
Just kids dreaming to one day be in the Hall
The fans will argue and argue over what they just saw
In the end it’s the umpire’s call
There is one thing that unites us all
It’s our love for baseball

For some it’s just a game
For others it’s a way of life
There are those that want to be good
There are those that want to be great
Players who will regret
Players that will continuously train
Many play for the fun
Many play to win
The ones that are forgotten
The legends that never die
For some it’s a hobby
For others it’s who they are
There are the little-league heroes
There are the big league heroes
Players who don’t care
Players who are committed
Many play for themselves
Many play for the team
The people who ignore coaching
The people who embrace coaching
For some it’s just a game
For others it’s a way of life

Being only fourteen many people would say I haven’t experienced the best parts of my life yet. I strongly feel I can argue that, for this summer I made memories with some of my closest friends that will last a lifetime. The memories I made during this past summer at the Dixie 14u State Baseball Tournament I will carry forever. The times I had on and off the field Longview were great. I was doing what I love with who I love.
My father coached me all throughout my years in league baseball and winning state was always a dream that came true last season. The journey to winning State started way before the 2017 season, it started way back in my first year of T-ball as my Dad coached me(the kid who ran to third before first or fielded the ball for the other team). Throughout the years of T-ball onto machine pitch and then into kid pitch my skills progressed a little more with each year.  As the years went by I played with and gained relationships with my future State Champ teammates. Here and there a few of us played together on different teams but we never could pull of winning it all until we were all together. We had battled it out against each other as we played in different towns growing up then as we were all in Malakoff we played on different teams. There was a way for us all to come together at the end and that was the All-Star team. At the end of the regular season 10 of us were selected to play in District then State.
  

Here’s a little on and off the field description of the ten of us;
Jake- Smoothe fielder, Leadoff batter, rocks the mullet, and a beast at gaming
Dylan- Stud Outfielder with a southpaw cannon, chill and laid back
Haydin- Speedy Outfielder, Smoothe batter, jokester, always fun to be around
Wes - Super competitive, Mr. Clutch, funny and wild
Judd- The next Jose Altuve, best bunter, and little brother to us all
Cole- Stud 1B, Southpaw Dinger Swinger, and Leader
Darion- Natural born centerfielder,the next Andrew Mccutchen, jokester, always roasting people
Riggin- Throws heaters, Chops wood at the plate,and a Motocross racer
River- Plays little bit of everywhere, and Sir. Laughsalot
Kobi- Clutch Crusher at the plate, diving Outfielder, also a jokester
  

With all of our skills and tools together we were a complete team. We played good as a result of good coaching. Our coaches included Brad, Lance, and Jeff who all have a strong love for the game of baseball and our team. Combining those two things is what pushed them to make sure we were ultimately prepared to win any game. We played as brothers for our relationships were strong on and off the field. At times throughout our lives we had feuded greatly but overcoming our disagreements is what made us all close and become a team truly. For a team without good team chemistry is as good as no team at all. I didn’t just win that State Title with teammates I won it with brothers.

By the time District rolled around we had been working hard in practice and ready to play. We swept through the early rounds of the tournament and sat in the championship against Van. We would be going to State no matter what at this point because Van is classified as a bigger town and would go to a different tournament. We had to be double dipped by Van. They beat us once and the stage was set for the final game of the District Tournament. By the second inning we were up by 2, this is where the game would end due to harsh weather. We had to flip for the win and sadly they one but we were now on the way to State.
 

Two weeks later it was time for State. It would be hosted in Longview. We headed down Friday evening for the Opening Ceremony where all the teams were introduced. After the ceremony ended we went to the hotel where everyone except Kobi was staying because he had family down there. Saturday morning came and we got ready for our first two games. After winning both games we all went out to lunch. We had the rest of the day and night to do whatever we wanted because we didn’t play until late the next day. A few of us went shopping at the mall and academy while others chilled at the hotel. The team met again the night at Applebee’s for dinner. When we got back to the hotel it was pretty late so must people were in their rooms which meant we had the hotel to ourselves. Darion, Haydin, and I had our own room, the rest of the team gathered in a few other rooms.  We stayed up all night FaceTiming people back home. The next day we slept till at least 10 then arose for breakfast. The scent of freshly cooked bacon and waffles filled the first floor. Most of the team’s parents were busy doing laundry or out about. Pretty much all of us kids were zombies till around noon. We played again that night in which we won. We were three games away from being State champs. It was back to the routine of going out to eat and onto the hotel for our light night plans except this time we were joined by one more. Jaylen Mosley had come to stay with us the rest of the trip because luckily his little brother was also playing down on Longview. We had a little more exciting plans on that night than the previous. It was time to get out of the room and get to knocking at least for some of us. Three-fourths of the team was busy was busy having a Madden tournament upstairs in Jake’s room where they eventually slept. The four of us (Haydin, Darion, Jaylen, and I) had our minds set on ding-dong-ditching. Our room was on the first floor so we had to be quiet since we weren’t that far from the front desk. Soon enough there were plenty complaints being made to the front desk and what seemed like a bounty on us if we were to be caught. That night eventually ended and the next day didn’t start until around noon when we finally awoke. Our parents questioned the team asking if we were the ones who were knocking the night before, we all denied of course. We had two games that evening, as the teams grew fewer the stakes grew higher. We won both games and it was time to play in the State Championship!!!

  There would be no games the next day because of precipitation so we had a full day to prepare. We all met at the batting cages and got a good amount of swings in. Again the game would be late the next day so we stayed up. We kept quiet that night to keep the employees of us. Darion, Haydin, and I snuck out to the sonic across the street where we ate and met some new people.

  It was finally here, the biggest sports moment yet in our lives. That day seemed to go smoothe as everyone seemed fully rested and ready to play. As the game started we were off to a quick lead in which we pulled away the win in the fourth inning by run-ruling the other team. A dream that many dream had just come true for 10 kids,their coaches, and their parents from a small Texas town had come true. The feeling of victory carried on that night as we ate out as a team one more time as I tried to hit on the waitress only to come up short. As we headed back home it was decided that most of us would be staying at Judd’s house to celebrate.

It was a time never to be forgotten. A time that will be talked and celebrated over for years and years to come.