America wins, at least tonight.

What is all of the animosity toward the Rangers stemming from? Is it mostly disgruntled Angels fans or have the Rangers become one of the "villains" of Major League Baseball now that they're one of the few legitimate powerhouses in the game?

I don't pay much attention the AL West, but it seems like the Rangers have assembled this team through methods dorks like us usually commend: homegrown talent, some mid-tier free agent signings and good trades.

What is all of the animosity toward the Rangers stemming from? Is it mostly disgruntled Angels fans or have the Rangers become one of the "villains" of Major League Baseball now that they're one of the few legitimate powerhouses in the game?

I don't pay much attention the AL West, but it seems like the Rangers have assembled this team through methods dorks like us usually commend: homegrown talent, some mid-tier free agent signings and good trades.

I would think that 99% of the animosity directed towards the Rangers is essentially directed towards G.W. Bush.

Obviously I fall into the disgruntled Angels fan camp. But I wouldn't be surprised if politics plays a part here. Many of the lefties on BTF may get worked up seeing Bush #43 sitting behind the screen so often in the playoffs.

I also think some of the Rangers' players seem personally aggravating ("Get the f*** off our field," Hamilton's public proselytizing). Toss in some IMO not-so-classy past behavior (the way they pulled their regulars on the last day of the season in 2010, lingering dislike of Nolan Ryan in Anaheim) by the organization for good measure. Plus the seemingly fairweather nature of the Cowboys-preferring fan base.

As a fan of an AL West team, I'll say this: I find the Rangers to be the most annoying organization in the division. I dislike the A's, but I respect them immensely. The M's are too hapless to be annoying.

I would think that 99% of the animosity directed towards the Rangers is essentially directed towards G.W. Bush.

Or the city of Dallas and everything it stands for in the world of stereotypes and old TV shows, or Texas, or the oil barons, or the sunbelt in general, or in the case of former Senators fans, the memory of the archfiend Robert Short. I doubt if it's ever directed against the Rangers players. I'd even root for them if they make it to the World Series.

EDIT: I guess some people get annoyed with Josh Hamilton. Never knew that before reading # 4.

I guess some people get annoyed with Josh Hamilton. Never knew that before reading # 4.

I'm a churchgoer, and his act bothers me.

Obviously I fall into the disgruntled Angels fan camp. But I wouldn't be surprised if politics plays a part here. Many of the lefties on BTF may get worked up seeing Bush #43 sitting behind the screen so often in the playoffs.

I'm anti-Rangers because of the Angels angle, obviously, but I actually like it when I see former presidents in the crowd at baseball games, including both Presidents Bush. It's the National Pastime, and having the president there, hanging out enjoying a baseball game rather than a football or basketball game, feels exactly good and right.

I also think some of the Rangers' players seem personally aggravating ("Get the f*** off our field," Hamilton's public proselytizing). Toss in some IMO not-so-classy past behavior (the way they pulled their regulars on the last day of the season in 2010, lingering dislike of Nolan Ryan in Anaheim) by the organization for good measure. Plus the seemingly fairweather nature of the Cowboys-preferring fan base.

Setting aside that these don't seem like the strongest of reasons, I've got to ask: there's lingering resentment toward Nolan Ryan in Anaheim? Really?

I'm anti-Rangers because of the Angels angle, obviously, but I actually like it when I see former presidents in the crowd at baseball games, including both Presidents Bush. It's the National Pastime, and having the president there, enjoying a baseball game rather than a football or basketball game, feels exactly good and right.

I'll agree with that. Even if I'm diametrically opposed to him politically, I always admired W for being a genuine baseball fan.

Being from DFW, it's complicated and goes all the way back to Rick Honeycutt, but a simpler math still works: GWB + Dallas = Loathing

That said, I root the hell out of 'em when they face the Yankees. Pure evil > Loathing. Even "Shrub"-level loathing.

Setting aside that these don't seem like the strongest of reasons, I've got to ask: there's lingering resentment toward Nolan Ryan in Anaheim? Really?

He had arguably his best years in Anaheim but is wearing the cap of a division rival on his HOF plaque (and yes, we all realize he's a Texan through and through, but still). He's also in the front office of said divisional rival. Is some resentment really that surprising?

Setting aside that these don't seem like the strongest of reasons

Like I said, "disgruntled Angels fan."

He had arguably his best years in Anaheim but is wearing the cap of a division rival on his HOF plaque (and yes, we all realize he's a Texan through and through, but still). He's also in the front office of said divisional rival. Is some resentment really that surprising?

Yes, yes it is.

Yes, yes it is.

Not an exact analogue, but how do Sox fans feel about the Rocket?

you don't like the rangers bcause GW bush is a fan? are you freaking serious?

- but icky polit-ucks aside, it is still teh kewl that we have an ex-president who loves baseball enough to come out to the park and root for his team. and his mother knows how to keep a scorebook, which is also teh KEWL!!!!!

me i don't like the rangers because they use a DH - same as any other AL team except the Y/RS who deserve additional hateration just because
- forgot - i don't like nolan ryan neither - never did

you don't like the rangers bcause GW bush is a fan? are you freaking serious?

Well, that's only part of my rooting interest-colored motivation, but I said that I wouldn't be surprised for AL West-disinterested, liberal BBTFers to cite that as a primary reason.

me i don't like the rangers because they use a DH - same as any other AL team except the Y/RS who deserve additional hateration just because

No reciprocal dislike for the NL from this American League fan!

you don't like the rangers bcause GW bush is a fan? are you freaking serious?

Just to be clear, when I mentioned G.W. Bush, I didn't say that I personally felt that way; I just said that I feel that the animosity towards the Rangers on this site seems to be primarily politically motivated towards him, which I believe to be true.

My own personal feelings towards him seem to be similar to yours; I strongly dislike his politics, but respect and like that he seems to be a genuine baseball fan.

Not an exact analogue, but how do Sox fans feel about the Rocket?

It's not really a close one. He left for a division rival, then orchestrated a trade to our archrival two years later. Oh, and he's a jackass (I stopped liking the fat #### when he got his stupid ass tossed in the ALCS).

And while it's true that the Rangers and Angels have been in the same division for 40-plus years, it's not like the Texas boys have been standing in the way of your domination. Until this year, they'd finished ahead of you in a close pennant race only once, when their mighty 88-74 squad outlasted your 85-77 juggernaut.

If Chuck Finley or Mark Langston had engineered a trade to Seattle in 1998 after signing and spending two seasons in Oakland, I could understand some bitterness. But signing with in-name-only rival Texas after 9 seasons in Houston, that I'm not seeing. It would be akin to me being bitter at Cecil Cooper because of his great years as a Brewer.

I'm rooting for the Tigers because I sort of like them. I neither like nor dislike the Rangers.

I called Victor's oblique strain. Where's my prize???

  14. fuhukuyoue ehdwayde  Posted: October 12, 2011 at 12:39 AM (#3960105)
you don't like the rangers bcause GW bush is a fan? are you freaking serious?

- but icky polit-ucks aside, it is still teh kewl that we have an ex-president who loves baseball enough to come out to the park and root for his team. and his mother knows how to keep a scorebook, which is also teh KEWL!!!!!

me i don't like the rangers because they use a DH - same as any other AL team except the Y/RS who deserve additional hateration just because
- forgot - i don't like nolan ryan neither - never did

It took me all day to realize this was Baseball Chick (Lisa) - I just glossed over the handle and when I actually phonetically read it aloud (right now) I laughed out loud...big time.

Yeah the Nolan frustration is pretty deep among folks that were Angel fans in the 1970's. I didn't arrive in SoCal until 1981 as a 9 year old - so I'm less irritated by him being a Ranger FO tool - but I get the irritation. I mean he was ALL we had from 1973-ish through 1978. I mean - he was IT.

I'll agree with that. Even if I'm diametrically opposed to him politically, I always admired W for being a genuine baseball fan.

The strike he threw in the first game back after 9/11 was pretty sweet, too.

I'm an A's fan and I have no ill-will to the Rangers at all. If anything, I like seeing Ron Washington get some national attention/

I'll agree with that. Even if I'm diametrically opposed to him politically, I always admired W for being a genuine baseball fan.

I echo this viewpoint. The thing I like the most about GWB (the ONE thing I genuinely like about GWB?) is that he is a serious, well-informed baseball fan.

But the thing I hate the most about the Rangers is that they have GWB sitting in the front row rooting for them. :-)

I'm an A's fan and I have no ill-will to the Rangers at all. If anything, I like seeing Ron Washington get some national attention/

I'm in this camp.

I like the Rangers. They're an interesting team. Between Ogando, Lewis, Napoli, Wilson, etc. they've got lots of good stories and ballsy player moves.

I'm rooting for the Tigers because I sort of like them.

Bingo. Like the city, love the home uniforms, loved Tiger Stadium, liked Walter Reuther, like Leyland, loved that Mickey Mantle used to say DEE-troit and that The Sporting News used to refer to the team as "The Jungaleers". That's seven good enough reasons.

I neither like nor dislike the Rangers.

My only real reaction to the Rangers is that I wish a few of them were playing for the Yankees. I can't even imagine rooting for a sunbelt team outside the World Series, but there's nothing particular about the Rangers to make me want to root against them.

I don't really have a rooting interest. Last night I really wanted Detroit to win though just so we could have an entertaining series.

I would think that 99% of the animosity directed towards the Rangers is essentially directed towards G.W. Bush.

The idea that a dislike of Texas depends solely on G.W. Bush is rather short-sighted.

I also think some of the Rangers' players seem personally aggravating ("Get the f*** off our field," Hamilton's public proselytizing). Toss in some IMO not-so-classy past behavior (the way they pulled their regulars on the last day of the season in 2010,...

Huh--what's the story behind that?

As for who goes to games, I'd much rather see war criminals in the seats behind home plate than raping and pillaging nations just because. We're all the better for it.

And as for Texas, jeez. It's a state that executes with glee and gusto. Texas goes ahead and executes defendants when no one disagrees that some poor son of a b*tch's alcoholic "attorney" slept through the better part of the trial. That aspect of Texas is sickening, primitive, and a thoroughgoing embarrassment. It's not like the rest of us are proud that you're in the Union.

Speaking personally, however, I have nothing against the Rangers, though I do have a preference for the richer history of the Detroit franchise and was a real fan of some of their players, especially in the 1980s.

I don't really have a rooting interest. Last night I really wanted Detroit to win though just so we could have an entertaining series.

Same here. I just hope this series goes seven. We haven't had a seven-game series of any stripe since the 2008 ALCS between the Rays and Red Sox.

I also find the games more fun to watch when the home team wins. It's great to see the crowd so into the ballgame.

I actually phonetically read it aloud (right now) I laughed out loud...big time.

Holy cow. Hi Lisa. That's awesome.


Count me in the camp rooting for the Tigers last night just to keep it interesting. I can root for either of these teams in the WS, if it comes to it, although my preference among the four is Milwaukee.


And sitting in the front row of a baseball game is probably the best use America has for GWB. But if we're to get into politics, at least New York, Boston and Washington are long dead.

I'm a pretty die-hard lefty but I actually like GWB the person. I think his (and his father's) baseball fandom is legit so unlike with other pols that frequent the big games I don't mind it because I think it is sincere.

The Rangers seem to have morphed almost overnight from lame mediocrities who get no respect to insufferable swaggerers who get no respect. Though the highly varied responses in this thread show how complex attitudes toward any given franchise can be.

When I moved to Dallas in 1988, the franchise had been here less than 20 years, and I got a strong sense that people still didn't know quite what to make of it. It was apparently a team in a major professional sports league, and they'd host the New York Yankees and such, but their image was pretty goofy, and when people talked about them it was often to call them "The Strangers" (a newspaper gag from the 1981 strike year, an imaginary baseball team that was for a while more popular than the actual team).

When Nolan Ryan arrived in 1989, things changed dramatically. DFW fans have always had a cult of "character" – think of the reverence for Roger Staubach – and Ryan somehow exemplified everything classy, manly, and Texan. This despite the fact that the Rangers were just as mediocre with Ryan as they'd been without him. But it was as if the franchise had suddenly entered the major leagues: not by MLB's standards, but by DFW's.

In some respects this makes no sense. Ferguson Jenkins had pitched here, and Gaylord Perry, and Blyleven and Charlie Hough (and Frank Tanana for that matter :), pitchers who were arguably as great as Ryan intrinsically. But Ryan had the image that mattered, and backed it up with lots of strikeouts and no-hitters.

The past 20 years have been complicated, but it's odd how a single free-agent signing can be such a watershed in a team's image.

Oh, and I have little to add to people's impressions of 43. Disastrous president, good baseball fan. Always a pleasure to see him at the game.

I'm pulling for the Rangers out of the AL because they've never won a title, and because Colby Lewis made me money from knuckleheads who didn't believe he'd be awesome coming back from Japan. Plus Kinsler, Endy!, Cruz, Lewis, Feliz, Napoli and Darren Oliver all likeable, quality players. Oliver especially deserves a ring.

I want the Brewers to beat them in WS, though.

When Nolan Ryan arrived in 1989, things changed dramatically. DFW fans have always had a cult of "character" – think of the reverence for Roger Staubach – and Ryan somehow exemplified everything classy, manly, and Texan. This despite the fact that the Rangers were just as mediocre with Ryan as they'd been without him. But it was as if the franchise had suddenly entered the major leagues: not by MLB's standards, but by DFW's.

In some respects this makes no sense. Ferguson Jenkins had pitched here, and Gaylord Perry, and Blyleven and Charlie Hough (and Frank Tanana for that matter :), pitchers who were arguably as great as Ryan intrinsically. But Ryan had the image that mattered, and backed it up with lots of strikeouts and no-hitters.

The past 20 years have been complicated, but it's odd how a single free-agent signing can be such a watershed in a team's image.

I don't give a damn about a ballplayer's personal belief system, but I have to admit that when that NYT Magazine article about the Johnny Oates era Rangers came out in the mid-late 90's, the disclosure that 22 out of the 25 players on the roster were BornAgains, plus Oates himself, kind of took me for a loop. That was my most lasting image of the Rangers for a long, long time, I guess because it fit in so perfectly with most of the other stereotypes about the general state of Dallas (and Texas) culture.

The Sporting News used to refer to the team as "The Jungaleers"

First time I've encountered that one. I guess it was a thing of the past by the time my TSN reading began, circa 1971.

the Johnny Oates era Rangers [...] in the mid-late 90's, the disclosure that 22 out of the 25 players on the roster were BornAgains

That was my boy-sportswriter period. I was a fly on the wall in that clubhouse for a couple of years, and I never heard a single religious sentiment expressed.

Of course, I never heard any of them talk about steroids, either :)

loved that Mickey Mantle used to say DEE-troit

Damn Andy I would bet that 95% of the people from the south (and Mantle qualifies as a Southerner in my book) would pronounce Detroit that way, or at least they used to. I grew up in western Kentucky and everyone I knew said it that way. I just assumed that was correct until I heard educated people pronounce it the "correct" way. I thought you went to school in the south; perhaps those Dukies were all just carpetbaggers like yourself :-)

I don't like the Rangers because I don't like anything from Texas except maybe Baseball Chick and the sweet song-stylings of Tommy Tune. Plus, my family is from Detroit, they've always been my 2nd favorite team.

The Dukies Andy went to school with most certainly were carpetbaggers, Andy included.


Dee-troit is how the word is pronounced. I'll listen to counterarguments from citizens of the Motor City but not New Yorkers.

Dee-troit is how the word is pronounced. I'll listen to counterarguments from citizens of the Motor City but not New Yorkers.

Next thing you know they'll be trying to tell you how to pronounce Appalachian.

Dee-troit is how the word is pronounced. I'll listen to counterarguments from citizens of the Motor City

"di-TROIT" is how it is pronounced by 'Old Detroiters'. I thought everyone knew that. Newcomers started emphasizing it as Dee-troit, to the point that radio station WDEE (now WLQV) promoted itself on the basis of putting the 'DEE' into Detroit in the early 1970s. Nowadays both pronunciations seemed to be used interchangeably.

As a lifelong Southerner, I certainly say "Dee-troit." Of course, I also say "Mary-LAND," which I suspect marks me as quite unlearned.

Unlike some Yankees, though (judging from pronunciations I've heard at times on TV or radio ads & football score reports), I by god know how to pronounce "Bossier" & "Ouachita" correctly.

It would be of minor interest to study how Tigers' announcer Dan Dickerson pronounces Detroit, although he's actually from Birmingham (Michigan, not Alabama), I believe.

loved that Mickey Mantle used to say DEE-troit

Just to be clear about this, I've never pronounced DEE-troit any other way myself, after consulting the Mick's pronouncing dictionary. But then when it comes to pronunciation I'm often a complete chameleon, and if I like the sound of a word I'll pay no attention to its "proper" pronunciation. Hell, I sometimes even pronounce CBS "SEE-be-ess" after hearing one of those Masters commercials.

"di-TROIT" is how it is pronounced by 'Old Detroiters'.

That's certainly how my Michigan cousins pronounced it when I'd visit them BITD, but since I never saw either of them hit any home runs over the centerfield wall in Griffith Stadium, they had little standing in my 12 year old eyes.

The Dukies Andy went to school with most certainly were carpetbaggers, Andy included.

Back then (1962-67) a small majority of Dukies were actually from North Carolina, though that was rapidly changing. I only decided to go there myself after reading an article in SPORT magazine about baseball at Duke, of all things. And until I got there, I barely even knew of its basketball team, although it went to the Final Four in 3 of my first 4 years there. If I'd applied to college with my heart instead of by looking through SPORT, I would've gone to Carolina, since their legendary Wiltslaying team was composed entirely of New York City Irishmen and Jews. I used to openly cheer for Carolina right in the heart of the student section in Cameron, though I doubt if I'd risk that today.

I wonder how Ernie Harwell pronounced it. I never heard him announce.

Obviously I fall into the disgruntled Angels fan camp. But I wouldn't be surprised if politics plays a part here. Many of the lefties on BTF may get worked up seeing Bush #43 sitting behind the screen so often in the playoffs.

I f**cking hate the Rangers, primarily because I'm an Angels fan, and I tend to hate whoever the other "good" AL West happens to be at any given time. But I particularly despise this version of the Rangers mostly because of Ian "Get Off Our Field" Kinsler, Ron "Let's sub all the starters one at time" Washington, and lingering resentment from pretty much every game Vicente Padilla pitched for Rangers against the Angels. I don't care for George Bush either, but that has nothing to do with my animosity toward the Rangers.

I also tend to root against teams that have never won the World Series, though I'm making an exception for the Brewers this year. I'm also rooting for the Tigers because buddha (who never posts here anymore) is a Tigers fan, and it would be nice to see them win for him. Though with the Lions getting good, there's the potential that he could get really annoying.

I'm a pretty die-hard lefty but I actually like GWB the person.

Wow, really? I didn't like GWB the President, but GWB the person seems like an even bigger dick. Juvenile, petty, like a silver-spoon frat boy who never grew out of that phase.

Just to be clear about this, I've never pronounced DEE-troit any other way myself, after consulting the Mick's pronouncing dictionary. But then when it comes to pronunciation I'm often a complete chameleon, and if I like the sound of a word I'll pay no attention to its "proper" pronunciation. Hell, I sometimes even pronounce CBS "SEE-be-ess" after hearing one of those Masters commercials.

Reminds me of how Southerners call the band "LITTLE Feat," and everybody else seems to call them "Little FEAT."

I also think some of the Rangers' players seem personally aggravating ("Get the f*** off our field," Hamilton's public proselytizing). Toss in some IMO not-so-classy past behavior (the way they pulled their regulars on the last day of the season in 2010,...
Huh--what's the story behind that?

something other: See the link I posted above. Here's the gist of it.

The win did nothing to take the sting out of relinquishing the division title the Angels held five of the previous six seasons -- particularly when Rangers manager Ron Washington played to the home crowd with several in-game substitutions. After the fifth inning, the Rangers' starting lineup took the field for the sixth. Washington then sent out replacements for four players (Elvis Andrus, Michael Young, Nelson Cruz and Ian Kinsler) so that the PA announcer could trumpet each substitution, triggering ovations from the crowd -- and some grumbling in the Angels' dugout.

"You have some guys who thought it was maybe a little over the top," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "It's their party and they certainly deserved and earned the right to celebrate however they want to and push their way on to the playoffs." Scioscia dismissed it as "a non-issue," but he did acknowledge that it was not something he had ever done after the Angels clinched a division title.

"It was a little weird," Angels starter Dan Haren said. "The thing is, I didn't know if there was any history. I was just wondering if this was something we had done before to them. "It seemed like a bit out of the ordinary. I feel bad for their pitcher. He had to stand out there for like five minutes. Then he gives up a home run to the first batter he faced (a tie-breaking solo home run by Peter Bourjos) and ends up taking the loss."

There is plenty of history between the Angels and Rangers -- including Kinsler's ill-advised taunt ("Get off our field") caught on camera after an early-season sweep of the Angels in 2009.
...
When Vladimir Guerrero came up in the bottom of the sixth with no one on and one out, Haren made his distaste for the dramatics obvious. Washington waited until Guerrero was at home plate before pulling him for a pinch hitter, giving the DH a chance to take his bow. Haren's first pitch to pinch hitter Matt Treanor was behind him.

Wow, really? I didn't like GWB the President, but GWB the person seems like an even bigger dick. Juvenile, petty, like a silver-spoon frat boy who never grew out of that phase.

I think the nature of the office of the presidency and what one has to go through to get there pretty much precludes anyone that has successfully occupied the office from being a huge dick.