There is no bigger Ranger fan favorite than Adrian Beltre. He's the best and that can't be debated.
But there's a tier of guys just below Beltre on the all-time list, and starting pitcher Colby Lewis is definitely somewhere in that tier.
The barrel-chested veteran has fought through just about every injury and surgery imaginable, including an unprecedented hip resurfacing procedure from which he returned to put together a great season and a knee procedure in November from which he's still recovering.
He's battled and consistently produced as an innings eater and a guy that always going to give his best and most usually give his team a chance to win a game.
When word broke back on Dec. 18 that the Rangers and Lewis had agreed to a fourth-straight one-year contract, all seemed well — until they went a month without formally announcing it. That led to speculation of a failed physical, or possibly even some second-guessing on one side's part.
Turns out, none of that was true as the Rangers formally announced Lewis' deal for $6 million on Monday, one month to the day after the news officially came out on the agreement.
With each passing year it seems more likely Lewis will end his career as a Ranger, and considering he's still the best postseason pitcher in club history and has been nothing but a loyal soldier, that couldn't make us any happier.
