The Texas Rangers Have Taught Baseball A Valuable Lesson...SPEND FREAKING MONEY!

This year's Texas Rangers were not some team of destiny. This wasn't a smooth ride from beginning to end. There was a time not that long ago when we weren't sure if they'd even make the playoffs. It's one of those groups that we'll look back on and be surprised that we ever underestimated them. They were loaded with talent from day one, and while there were bumps in the road, what kept the train on the track was the fact that the Rangers front office committed to spending on elite players, and those elite players came through when it mattered most. 

I've alluded to this before, but I'll just come out and say it: teams like the Tampa Bay Rays hurt the game of baseball. They choose not to spend money; they win 90 games a year, and they send a message that it's okay to be cheap. It's not, and there's a reason why Tampa Bay gets their fucking doors blown off every October. I'm not in favor of spending recklessly and just throwing money at every free agent who walks. You have to develop from within, and you have to have a good farm system, but when your window of opportunity opens, you have to spend money. That's what the Texas Rangers did, and that's why they're world champions. 

What makes the Rangers such an interesting story is that they didn't spend after realizing they were good. They didn't win 90 games and open up the checkbook. This team decided to sign two elite middle infielders after losing 100 games in 2021. At the time, I thought it was insane. I felt like the Rangers were multiple years away. Spending before this team truly ascended allowed young players like Josh Jung and Jonah Heim to settle into a lineup filled with veterans and leaders. 

Not every signing has worked out. Jacob deGrom was the Rangers' top acquisition in this most recent offseason, and he missed almost the entire year with Tommy John surgery. The Rangers made up for it by trading for solid starting pitchers at the deadline. They wouldn't be world champions if not for Jordan Montgomery pitching the way he did in October. Aggressive teams will occasionally swing and miss, but at the end of the day, there's not a single Rangers fan complaining about the Jacob deGrom contract. 

This has to be a very vindicating day for Texas Rangers fans. Not only had they never won a World Series before, but they came as close as any team ever come without actually winning it in 2011. That's the kind of heartbreak that sticks with you. Those demons are now officially exercised. And they're set up well for the future, too. I don't see this becoming a dynasty, but I do see it becoming an organization that will be a threat for the next half-decade or so. They came, they spent, and they conquered.