Are you ready for an all-California World Series? Me neither.
If you put any legitimate stock in baseball’s spring training, then the A’s and Dodgers would be the favorites to meet in the World Series seven long months from now. But as the Rangers can attest, exhibition records are not even close to an accurate indicator of future results.
In other words, don’t be too alarmed that Texas has the fewest spring training wins in baseball at nine, tied with the defending champion Giants.
A good record in March is often Fool’s Gold.
Just last year the best two records belonged to the Rays and Marlins, who promptly combined to go 16 games under .500 and miss the playoffs. And before their scintillating run to the World Series, the Royals gave absolutely zero hint of it during a 12-16 exhibition season.
With only a couple split-squad games today and three more exhibitions – including two against the Mets this weekend in Arlington – the Rangers are already assured of a non-winning spring training for the sixth consecutive year.
They haven’t finished above .500 in the desert since 2009. But to further dilute wins and losses this time of year, remember that during their back-to-back World Series appearances in 2010-11 they were a combined 23-35 in Arizona.
Not that new manager Jeff Banister's club will suddenly snap out of their injury-plagued spring training Monday in Oakland and zoom to a 10-0 start. But their slow spring also isn’t a death warrant.
- 2009 21-14 87-75
- 2010 10-19 90-72
- 2011 13-16 96-66
- 2012 12-17 93-69
- 2013 17-17 91-72
- 2014 10-17 67-95
- 2015 9-15 ??-??
A native Texan who was born in Duncanville and graduated from UT-Arlington, Richie Whitt has been a mainstay in the Metroplex media since 1986. He’s held prominent roles on all media platforms including newspaper (Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Dallas Observer), radio (105.3 The Fan) and TV (co-host on TXA 21 and numerous guest appearances, including NBC 5). He currently lives in McKinney with his wife, Sybil, and two very spoiled dogs.
