How - and When - the West Was Won

By Richie Whitt Wed., Sep. 15 2010 at 1:00 PM

Categories: Texas Rangers

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"It's Time", meet "It's Over."

With an 11-4 thumping of the Detroit Tigers last night - combined with the Oakland A's loss in Kansas City - the Texas Rangers won their first American League West division championship since 1999.

I know the magic number is 10 and there are still 18 games remaining, so you can't quite yet put that little x by the Rangers in the standings indicated a clinch.

But with a nine-game lead, the Rangers could go - yep - 9-9 the final 2 1/2 weeks and Oakland would have to go - yep - 18-0 just to force a one-game playoff.

Chill the champagne. Or, what the hell, we've been waiting long enough. Let's go ahead and pop it.

A collapse at this point would rank amongst the all-timers: The 2007 Mets blowing a seven-game lead on September 13 by losing 15 of their last 17; and the '64 Philliest losing a 6.5-game lead with 12 to go by dropping their last 10 games.

As a guy who in spring training back in Surprise, Arizona in March picked this team to win 92 games and the division, I'm not surprised. But I am on the verge of being really happy.

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Baseball, Dustin Nippert, Michael Young, Ron Washington

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Kinsler said that they doused Francouer (sp?) with O'Douls after his walk-off walk the other night.
There are about about 13 teams in MLB that actually banned beer in the clubhouse after the Josh Hancock death in 07. Im sure the team doesnt go pouring beer in Hamilton as they are sensitive towards his addiction.
go listen to your jonas brothers cd, you gaywad.
Josh will probably have plenty of whip cream cans ready and be chugging champagne from both hands once this thing is locked up officially. Maybe it'll ease his sore ribs. The Babe and Mickey played pretty well sloshed.
@Sybil's Ham Wallet,...GOOD POINT.
I'll start planning the parade right now.
They have beer in the clubhouse now. It gets sprayed around after a game winning hit. How Josh is involved in that, don't know. Just saying that booze is already there and being sprayed around when it's deserved.
Go Rangers
@p1j, not sure and you are right they are so close they just might do that. Sounds like a perfect question for the rangers mailbag
@ Scotts Merkin Do you think the team will then choose to do something different ? Maybe in a joking way or something have a bunch of 2 liter coca-colas or something ? Just seems to me like his teammates would do something different for him. Seeing how close this team looks and all.
Richie - this has to be at least your third post where you have declared the Rangers winners of the west. How many more times are you going to do it? What is your point? Yes, we all agree the odds are long for the A's and Angels. We all agree that... As I write this, I remind myself that you guys are just after web hits and poking us, the reader, with the proverbial stick to get us to comment. Well done, sir. Wel done.
@Aaron, The DMN interviewed him and he said he would wear goggles, put duct tape on his mouth and wear a rubber...er a rubber rain coat to keep the alcohol off of him. He doesnt want the guys not to drink around him but he said he didnt want people to see him with champagne in his hands and make it look like he is not taking his recovery seriously. He said he cant even get it on his skin for fear of it seeping through his skin
I agree this thing is as good as locked up. The Rangers have to look in front of them instead of who's behind them at this juncture. With the Yankees and Rays sliding and playing each other. And with the Twins and our little Rangers hitting their stride it may not be too much to ask that we make a run at on of the top 2 seeds in the playoffs. We're 6.5 games off the best record in the AL and Minn is 1.5. A win tonight by the Rangers and that could become 5.5 games back. Then off to play out the season against the AL West while NY and TB play the AL east, including another series between the 2 in NY. I'm not saying its likely, I'm merely saying its not out of the realm of possibility that our little club in Arlington has home field advantage come playoff time. Just sayin...
RW - I have been thinking about this for a while and am curious if anything has been said / and or planned on around the fact that Josh Hamilton is a recovering addict. I personally have no problem with alcohol, but I think it would be totally inappropriate to have champagne dumped on his head. As much as I love the tradition of popping the cork, I am hopeful that it is all non-alcoholic so their MVP can join in the celebration. Aaron
Even Washington can't screw up the division crown now! :)
Is there anything wrong with cracking a beer now and the champagne when the x appears?
dead and gone is proof that the TARDLINE needs a 2hr show. dead and gone will be richie's radio career soon
Why are we so anxious to celebrate a premature division title? Clinch means clinch, people. Save the champagne. It'll taste that much better when the little "x" appears in the standings! I don't expect the Rangers to collapse - far from it. I am pretty sure they are getting the gears re-synched and are going to roar into the playoffs on a major roll. But, even with that, it ain't over til...well, you know the rest. Chill, people. It's gonna be great around here in Oct. For now, enjoy the ride!
First, and if you jinx this team, rest assured, I'll swallow you whole. I swear to god, RW.