Ranger fans just can't wait....

[mancini79]

That's simply not true. I challenge you to find me one quote from JD saying he had an issue with that. The general thought (and it is admittedly an assumption because no one really knows) is that the Angels offered Josh a deal and said take it or leave it. They would not let him take the deal back to Texas and let them counter. That's smart business. That's exactly how I would have handled the situation. It was almost common knowldege that JD and the Rangers were not going to pay him that kind of money. So the option to take the deal back to Texas would have probably been a mute point anyway. Some misinformed Rangers fans have taken issue with him telling JD they "would have a chance to match". Daniels himself has said publically that such a conversation never happened and he had no issue with the way that went down. Fact is, if they really wanted to keep him, Texas had many chances to extend him before he was on the open market. That's on the Rangers. It wasn't worth that kind of money to the Rangers. It obviously was to LA. And there's nothing wrong with that. That's the business side of it. If you want to debate players, contracts, front offices, or baseball in general, I'll be glad to do that. But if you are just going to make things up, please find a Rangers fan as misinformed as you are. I can assure you there are plenty of them out there.

 

There is ZERO evidence that insinuates the Angels offered a "take it or leave it" contract. Sounds like Anger fans creating more fallacies so they feel justified in hating Josh. The timeline is well documented of how the negotiation went down. Angels brass met with Josh at his home on Monday wanting to finalize an offer. Josh said he and his wife needed to pray and talk it over before preceding. From the time a paper offer was presented and Josh signed it, it was less than 24 hours (which was signed that Wednesday). There was plenty of time to pick up a phone and talk to Rangers brass about the Angels offer or even being in talks. Josh said that he and his agent already agreed to not share contract offers with other clubs. They felt putting two teams in a bidding war was not the right thing to do. After the winter meetings Josh said he and his wife met with Daniels and he "shared his heart" with JD. My speculation is that from that conversation led Josh to believe the Rangers weren't serious about a contract. Probably from that point he knew he needed to move on. 

[disarcina]

Josh Hamilton is helping stoke this fire.......all in good fun.

 

Texas fans legitimately upset that Hamilton apparently did not give Texas a chance to match the Angels offer.......Halos fans would be upset if the tables were turned (and have been with other players)

 

Hamilton seems to be taking it all in stride. If he starts really raking, he will really shut them up.

 

Oh, another point, Hamilton is RIGHT.  Texas is a football state.  The Rangers have drawn 3 million fans in a season ONCE.

[Bashbrothers]

Like you, I failed to find a reason that we will wind up hating Hamilton after reading the post. The reaction of the Dallas area media - one writer even celebrated when he didn't get a hit in his first spring training game for us - seems more like people bitter over him leaving than people glad to see him leave. It reminds me a lot of the reaction of St. Louis fans when Albert Pujols came here. They gloated every time he didn't produce, then in the next breath said that they were glad he was gone. They were obsessed.

 

Hamilton gave Texas five seasons. They didn't seem to have a problem with him until he left. It's like children throwing a tantrum. When his contract ran out, their front office treated him like they wanted him to find another offer. He did, then they acted shocked because he didn't come to them first.

 

If Texas fans want to spend all their energy hating a player who left for another club, here's hoping that this is the most significant thing they have to think about in 2013.

They booed him several times last year, including in June.

[Crampknees]

When the 13 year old in front of you jumps and yells for cotton candy in the voice of Larry the Cable Guy...you know you are sitting by rednecks.

 

When the girl in denim shorts and a tee opens her mouth to boo Josh Hamilton and there are only four teeth...you know you are sitting by rednecks.

 

When the guy next to the girl in denim shorts jumps up to boo Josh Hamilton but his belly hangs down more than his dickey do...you know you are sitting by rednecks.

 

When 20,000 people show up to the stadium early not to watch batting practice or get an autograph but in anticipation of watching the tractor drag the infield...you know you are sitting by rednecks. 

[Lou]

People here did it to Francisco Rodriguez, John Lackey, and Vladimir Guerrerro. Only one of those three would be welcomed back with almost unanimous cheers.

 

what did people here do to Vlad?

[CaliAngel]

calscuf is so right-- what is it about Ranger fans? Why are they registering on this site making one post low-blows, and talking to us about their ex-players like we care? So funny, it always starts with "I'm not a troll, but let me tell you..."

 

Are there Angel fans that hopped on Texas forums when Napoli was sent over there? No. It's because we're concerned with ourselves and that is all. We don't give a crap what fans from other teams think or say, and we sure as hell don't infiltrate their forums. Just because this is a popular site representing a big name team doesn't mean anyone here cares what you have to say about your ex-players that we took from you. They're gone. Get over it.

 

We've heard it all before. Nobody here cares about what you have to say.

 

Go to your Texas Rangers site and discuss your Hamilton/CJ butthurt as much as you want. Because that's where it belongs.

 

We'll watch them and decide on our own.

[Lou]

No I think he plans to eat beforehand.

 

[Lou]

As far as the baseball town thing goes. It was a statement made to ruffle feathers and it was a statement made with the sole intention of getting himself booed. 

 

 

with all due respect, you are batsh*t crazy

[Brian Ilten]

The bitterness is so strange.  I am trying to remember Angel fans doing anything like what we've seen with Hamilton (and Pujols with ex-girlfriend Cards fans last year) and the best I can think of is Lackey? But even with Lackey, nobody really cared.

 

Vlad, GA, Torii, all did, or will be cheered when returning on another team.  Who got or would've gotten boo'd? Moo Vaughn? K-Rod?

 

Watching the game today it was clear that there were many Ranger fans that, upon watching Hamilton today, hadn't climaxed that hard since the last time they hung out with their cousin.

Silly calscuf.... We are better fans than what they grow it TEX. that's why Hamilton is here in the first place. ;-)

[Bashbrothers]

calscuf is so right-- what is it about Ranger fans? Why are they registering on this site making one post low-blows, and talking to us about their ex-players like we care? So funny, it always starts with "I'm not a troll, but let me tell you..."

 

Are there Angel fans that hopped on Texas forums when Napoli was sent over there? No. It's because we're concerned with ourselves and that is all. We don't give a crap what fans from other teams think or say, and we sure as hell don't infiltrate their forums. Just because this is a popular site representing a big name team doesn't mean anyone here cares what you have to say about your ex-players that we took from you. They're gone. Get over it.

 

We've heard it all before. Nobody here cares about what you have to say.

 

Go to your Texas Rangers site and discuss your Hamilton/CJ butthurt as much as you want. Because that's where it belongs.

 

We'll watch them and decide on our own.

To be fair, this is probably the best forum I have ever been on.   Hands down.  And there is no Rangers forum, at least good one.

 

I like posting here a lot more than the A's forum.  The A's forum is kind of awful.

[Crampknees]

What gets me and sitting in the stands with some of these guys is here is someone who excelled for their team. All-star every year, silver slugger awards, plenty of avg. homers and RBI's during his time in Texas.  It wasn't just him but didn't the Rangers start jumping to the top of the West after he arrived?  Be bitter at the ones who sucked and cost you money.  Hell we had Mo Vaughn who tumbles into the dugout in his first game then proceeds to eat half the food in Orange County after that. Many families went hungry due to him.  

 

I like the fact there are Ranger fans on the site here but give better reasons than the ones you all copied and pasted from each other for not liking a player.  

[Crampknees]

To be fair, this is probably the best forum I have ever been on.   Hands down.  And there is no Rangers forum, at least good one.

 

I like posting here a lot more than the A's forum.  The A's forum is kind of awful.

=================================

 

Well you just made points with me:)

[TXNick]

To be fair, this is probably the best forum I have ever been on.   Hands down.  And there is no Rangers forum, at least good one.

 

I like posting here a lot more than the A's forum.  The A's forum is kind of awful.

=================================

 

Well you just made points with me:)

 

There are a few very good Rangers forums.

[Pbonetheman]

Such as?

[mancini79]

Such as?

 

angelswin.com

[Taylor]

Other than the "baseball town" thing, did Hamilton say anything negative about the Rangers organization or their fans?

[Rochambeau]

Well, he did twist the knife Friday when he said that they were louder booing him than cheering in the postseason.

LOL

[Kenny]

I don't even know if that was a negative thing really.  Wasn't he just saying that the Dallas Fort Worth area is firmly a football town?  But people want to take it out of context, to fit their agenda.

 

But I don't really know or care.  I'm gonna start booing him if he doesn't stop making Trumbo look like a patient batter.

[Bruce Nye]

Memo to Chuck:

 

Can our new site provide crying towels for the Rangers fans?  If not, how about some sour grapes?

[TXNick]

I don't even know if that was a negative thing really.  Wasn't he just saying that the Dallas Fort Worth area is firmly a football town?  But people want to take it out of context, to fit their agenda.

 

But I don't really know or care.  I'm gonna start booing him if he doesn't stop making Trumbo look like a patient batter.

There is no taking that out of context, and even if he was saying that it is a football town....why? The Rangers averaged 42,000 a game last season, heat and all. What was the point of his comment other than to insult?

 

I'm not even going to say he is entirely wrong. I think the DFW has always been a baseball hotbed. Youth baseball is huge all the way up to college, and the pro game is finally starting to catch up. Winning sure helps, but the building of Cowboys stadium in Arlington has really improved transportation out to the ballpark and it is far more accessible to fans who get off work anything later than 5pm. I live in a suburb of Dallas and it used to take about an hour and a half to get to the ballpark some days. If I got off work at 5pm and then drive home to change and I'd usually make it to my seat just in time for first pitch. Expanded highways and HOV lanes and now it takes me about 45 minutes. I always have tried to imagine how big baseball would have been if they built the Ballpark downtown, but I guess I will never know.

[TXNick]

Such as?

 

Lonestarball, Baseball Time in Arlington (though it has slowed down), The Newberg Report, couple other small blogs and boards but those are the big dogs.

[AngelsAndRamsFan]

Well, he did twist the knife Friday when he said that they were louder booing him than cheering in the postseason.

LOL

Good for him. Screw the Anger fans. 

[Mark68]

There is no taking that out of context, and even if he was saying that it is a football town....why? The Rangers averaged 42,000 a game last season, heat and all. What was the point of his comment other than to insult?

 

I'm not even going to say he is entirely wrong. I think the DFW has always been a baseball hotbed. Youth baseball is huge all the way up to college, and the pro game is finally starting to catch up. Winning sure helps, but the building of Cowboys stadium in Arlington has really improved transportation out to the ballpark and it is far more accessible to fans who get off work anything later than 5pm. I live in a suburb of Dallas and it used to take about an hour and a half to get to the ballpark some days. If I got off work at 5pm and then drive home to change and I'd usually make it to my seat just in time for first pitch. Expanded highways and HOV lanes and now it takes me about 45 minutes. I always have tried to imagine how big baseball would have been if they built the Ballpark downtown, but I guess I will never know.

Where would they build it downtown? West End? Deep Ellum? Where the Baylor Med Center is? I just don't see where it would have been feasible without tearing something else down first. Too many existing (tall) buildings and freeway interchanges.

 

Honestly, when I lived there in the mid-90s, I never really liked the downtown area, except the West End. It seemed like everything else catered to the business crowd, and once the workday was over, downtown was like a ghost town.

[rick99gtp]

I was at the game and I booed Hamilton....I also cheered when he struck out.......and again when he struck out.

 

If the Rangers had wanted to kepp Hamilton they could have thrown money at him and done so. They didn't, he is an injury risk, not a great clubhouse guy, and a headcase. He had an amazing first half of last season, but some switch flipped and he was done. He didn't even seem to care that he was struggling though. Lazy in the outfield, pathetic ABs, being very secretive about his issues in the media until he ultimately said that it was just god punishing him for sneaking a dip.

 

The whole situation was frustrating because we knew his potential. We have seen him do incredible things. His August 13, 2010 game against the Red Sox was the best individual performance I have ever seen from a player. He hit four HRs in a single game. On the flip side, he would turn into Manny Rameriz on defense. He would non-chalantly go up to bat with a toothpick in his mouth and miss three straight pitches by a total of 6 feet smile and walk back to the dugout. He quit on the rangers not the other way around.

 

As far as the baseball town thing goes. It was a statement made to ruffle feathers and it was a statement made with the sole intention of getting himself booed. He could have chose to leave on good terms, get an ad in the paper say thanks for the memories and for most fans that would have been enough. He wanted the attention, he wanted the spotlight and he got it. He will play in Texas close to 50 more times in his career so there is plenty of time for this to develop hopefully into a non-story.

 

My opinion on whether or not this is a "baseball town"....not really, but its getting there. There are a lot of diehards such as myself, but if I had to lable it a sports town it would be football. That said we put about 3.5 million fans in the stands last year and its hard to argue that we don't care about our baseball team.

 

From a close (Ranger fan) friend that I work with.  He believes that half of the 3.5 million fans last year were Cowboy fans...talking about how they need "2 more points to win the game".  Please don't tell us that the 3.5 million fans were ALL baseball fans.  I live in the metroplex and know it isn't the truth.  I work a bunch of Cowboy fans who have admitted to me, just this last week, that they are angry that Josh Hamilton left the team and went to a rival.  They didn't care that it was to the Angels so much as it he stayed in the division...of course, they really hate it now because he went to what they call "The Hated Angels".  The football town comments they all admit as true...but, "he shouldn't be the one saying it".  Like it matters!!

 

Suck it Rangers.  And...Harrison sucks.

[mancini79]

There is no taking that out of context, and even if he was saying that it is a football town....why? The Rangers averaged 42,000 a game last season, heat and all. What was the point of his comment other than to insult?

 

And Josh is a huge reason why that many football fans started to show up to The Ballpark in Arlington. Before Josh, the stadium was 60% full.