If the Rangers had not won Sunday's game, lost Monday's AL West title game with Houston and then fallen in the AL Wild Card Game on Tuesday, you would've been pretty upset, right?
Sure you would've been. And that's OK, but it's not necessarily fair.
As the Rangers head into the ALDS against quite possibly the best team in the American League on Thursday, keep something in mind when the Rangers are trying to upset the Blue Jays — this isn't supposed to be happening.
The Rangers lost Yu Darvish before the gates opened at Globe Life Park, and it took exactly one inning after that moment for them to lose Derek Holland for an extended period of time (four months). Colby Lewis, on a new hip, held the Rangers' pitching staff together by leading the team in innings pitched and wins.
The Rangers actually brought back Josh Hamilton and Mike Napoli on cheap deals, and got some serious contributions from them. That doesn't even begin to mention the rejuvenation of Shin-Soo Choo and Elvis Andrus, who were two of the best players on the team post-All-Star break after being the target of some mass vitriol from fans and media alike through the first half.
Sure, your expectations have gone up over the last month and a half, and that's human nature. But try to reel it in a bit. Remember where this club was in April, and where they were in early July when they suffered an embarrassing sweep at home to the Angels, and when they lost 21-5 in late July to the Yankees. Remember all of that, and just rejoice in what a great year this has been.
